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
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
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
towards their Kings should first desire Pilate a Judge and having obtained leave upon their desire should add to their desire endeavour and to that endeavour the act and actuall Execution to kill him it is a monstrous Murther This If it be a monstrous Murther for Servants to kill their Master If it be a monstrous Murther for Sons to kill their Father If it be a monstrous Murther for a VVife to kill her Husband why look ye here are all Subjects which are but serci Domini Regis Servants to their Lord the King Subjects which if more then Servants are but Filij Patri Patriae Sons to the Father of the Country the Kings Subjects which if more then Sons are but sponsa Marito Gentis the Spouse to the Husband of the Country the King yet these Servants these Sons this VVife desire to kill and kill their Master their Father their Husband and that which makes this monstrous Murther more then and above measure monstrous they can find no cause of death in their Master in their Father in their Husband in their King which is all In the first of these the wondea I enquire 1. VVhy there was no cause of death in him 2. If there had been cause of death in him whether they might desire to have him killed In the second The monstrous Murther I enquire 1. VVhy they desired Pilate to kill him 2. VVhat end they had in killing him I begin with the first the wonder they found no cause of death in him Pars 1. The Jews had four sorts of death in use amongst themselves 1. Lapidatio Stoning 2. Combustio Burning 3. Decollatio Beheading 4. Suffocatio Strangling Other sorts of death in number six they borrowed from other Nations 1. Crux the death on the Cross 2. Damnatio ad bestias to dye by wilde Beasts 3. Serra dissectio cutting one in sunder with the Saw These three they borrowed from the Romans 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the VVheel 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 udgelling one to death 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drowning one in the Sea They borrowed from the Greek and this they borrowed from the Greeks and Romans These severall sorts of death had their several causes of inflicting them I shall but name them 1. There were eighteen Causes for Stoning one to death 1. He that lieth with his own Mother 2. He that lieth with his Fathers VVife 3. He that lieth with his Daughter in Law 4. He that lieth with a betrothed Maide 5. He that Coupleth with a Male 6. He that Coupleth with a Beast 7. The VVoman that lieth down to a Beast 8. The Blasphemer 9. He that worshippeth an Idol 10. He that offereth his Seed to Molech 11. He that hath a familiar spirit 12. The Wisord 13. The private intiser to Idolatry 14. The publique drawer to Idolatry 15. The VVitch 16. The prophaner of the Sabboth 17. He that Curseth his Father or his Mother 18. The Rebellious Son Now of none of these 18. did they accuse him but only of Prophaning the Sabbath and Blaspheming in calling himself the Son of God in neither of which they found no cause of Death in him For he disproved his profanation of the Sabbath by works of Charity and proved himself guiltless of Blaspheamy by his own constancy and by his Fathers Testimony His Father witnessed twice that he was his Son once at his Baptisme Mat. 3.15 Mat. 17.3 and againe at his Transfiguration at both which times a Voyce was heard from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son His own Constancy also quitted him since his first words and his last words when he died Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.46 were Father forgive them and Father into thy hande I commend my Soul No cause therefore to stone him to death and as little cause could they find to burn him to death for none but 10. sorts were adjudged to burning 1. The Preists Daughter which committed Whordome 2. He that lieth with his own Daughter 3. He that lieth with his Daughters Daughter 4. He that lieth with his Sons Daughter 5. He that lieth with his Wives Daughter 6. He that lieth with his VVives Sons Daughter 7. He that lieth with his VVives Daughters Daughter 8. He that lieth with his Daughter in Law 9. He that lieth with the Mother of his Mother in Law 10. He that lieth with the Mother of his Father in Law None of these ten did they accuse him of at all and less cause did they find of death in him to be burnt to death And less cause they had to behead him for they beheaded only two sorts of Malefactors 1. The Murtherer 2. He that stole a Soul of Israel But of Murther they accused him not nor indeed could they since he rather chose a Crown of Thornes then to exchange that of Gold for one of Lead whose embased Flexibleness might be forced to comply and bend to the various Ps 33.20 and oft-contrary dictates of any Factions nor did they accuse him of stealing any Soul of Israel Ps 36.10 since he complained the difference in Religion was the only thing that troubled him Neither of these two did they accuse him of and less cause of death did they find in him to be beheaded And less cause yet had they to strangle him For they strangled but six sorts of Malefactors 1. He that smote his Father or his Mother 2. He that stole a Soul of Israel 3. An Elder which contradicted the Consistory 4. A false Prophet and he that prophesied in the name of an Idoll 5. He that lay with another mans Wife 6. He that abused the Body of a Preists Daughter Now none of these six was he accused of and therefore no cause did they or could they find in him of death to be strangled to death And for the other six punishments they borrowed from other Nations the Cross 1 The Saw 2. The Beasts 3. The Wheel 4. The Sea 5. The Cudgell 6. They found as little cause of death in him And if you aske why they could find no cause of death in him my prima seconde will tell you and it tells you thus 1. Becauses the Hearts of Kings are in the Hands of God and Christ was a King yet and He was God too and so had his Heart in his own hands therefore Impeccable because God cannot sin for if he could he were not God And for the King that my discourse in this Anniversary and Text aimes at though he were not Impeccable because a Man yet such a man he was that his most malitious Enemies could find no cause of death in him and therefore framed or caused Petitions to be made in the Names of the Soldery and common-people to cry out for Justice that he might be killed though they could find no cause of death in him Christ the King in my Text was free from all cause of death for no cause of death but Originally Corruptions or
the Primitive and later Orthodox Divines as To kill their King 3. And therefore I hasten to shew in the next place That such a desire to have the King killed is against the Law of Man and particularly against the Law of the men of this Nation even of those men who did Kill King Charles I. And that I may do it truly and according to the Law of this Nation I shall only repeat the words of Judge Jenkins who tells us His Oath as a Judge runs thus p. 174. 1. Well and truly to serve our Sovereign Lord the King and his People in that Office 2. To do right to all manner of People Poor and Rich after the Lawes and Usages of this Realm 3. Truly to Counsel the King and his Counsel to conceal and keep p. 174. 4. Not to suffer the hurt or disheriting of the King or that the Rights of the Crown be decreased by any means as far as he may let it 5. If he may not let it he shall make it clearly and expresly to be known to the King with his advice and Council 6. And that he shall do and purchase the Kings profit in all that he reasonably may as God him help and the Contents of Gods Book And after he tells us p. 175. That the House of Commons this Parliament some call'd it the Long Parliament gave in charge to Mr. Sollicitor St. Johns I think upon the Prosecution of the Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford to declare the Law to be That Machination of War against the Laws or Kingdom is against the King They cannot be severed He tells us again p. 1676. That Mr Pym had in charge likewise upon the same Prosecution to Declare That the KING and his People are obliged one to another in the nearest relations He is a Father and the Childe in Law is called Pars Patres He is the Husband of the Common-wealth They have the same Interests they are inseperable in their condition be it good or evil He is the Head they are the Body there is such an Incorporation as cannot be dissolved without the destruction of both Once more p. 198. after this he tells 1. To Imprison the King is High Treason 2. To remove Counsellours from the KING by force is High Treason 3. To alter the Laws establisht in any part by force is High Treason 4. To usurp the Royal Power is High Treason 5. To alter the Religion establisht is High Treason 6. To raise rumours and give out words to alienate the Peoples affections from the King is High Treason 7. To sesse Souldiers upon the People of the Kingdom without their consent is High Treason 8. The execution of Paper Orders by Souldiers in a Military way is High Treason 9. To counterfeit the Great Seal is High Treason 10. Thâ— Commissions of Array is in force and no other 11. None can make Judges Justices Sheriffs c. but the King â—he King makes every Court 12. The Great Seal belongs to the Kings Custody or to whom he shall appoint and none other 13. Ordinances of one or both Houses are no Lawes to binde the people 14. No Priviledge of Parliament holds for Treason Felony or breach of the Peace 15. To Levy war against the Person of the King is High Treason 16. To impose unlawful Taxes to impose new Oaths is High Treason 17. It is a pernicious Doctrine to teach Subjects They may be discharged from the Oath of Allegiance Good God of what a complicated Treason then was that party of that PARLIAMENT Guilty who after they had taken up Armes against KING CHARLES I. did did then slaunder him did then Imprison him did then desire to have Him Kill'd and did then Actually Kill Him And so Committed a Murther a monstrous murther which is my second Generall Part Pars 2. And thus I discourse it Had they but desired to kill him they had committed a monstrous Murther For as to Lust after a Woman is Adultery in Christs Exposition of they Commandement Mat. 5. so to be Angry with a man to call him Fool or Raca is Murther in his Exposition of the sixth Commandement but they the Jews called Christ a Wine-bibber a Samaritan a Devil and at last desired to have him killed and thereby committed a monstâ—ous Murther King David tells us that the Lord aâ—horreth the blood-thirsty and deceitfull man Psal 5.6 and the deceitfull man as the best Expositors tell us is such a one as longeth after or desireth the blood of his Neighbour But they went further they did not only desire to have him killed but they actuaâ—y killed him Pilate indeed gave the sentence upon their importunity and they executed that sentence by their own Cruelty and so Murthered him in their heart by desire in their tongue by detraction and in their hand by Execution and so committed a monstrous Murther 1. Monstrous 1. as being against Nature Omnia appetunt esse Naturally all things love their being 2. Monstrous 2. as being against Reason Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri ne feceris Reasonably no man should do that to another which he would not another man should do to him 3. Monstrous as being Devilish He is a Muâ—therer from the beginning and the Author and Father of a Murther and who would be called a Malignant Joh. 44.8 or the Son of the Devill 4. Monstrous 4. as being Beastly Ferina rabies vulnere et sanguine laetari saies Seneca it is a savage Cruelty to delight in blood And yet if these Jews had thought that for this sin of Blood this monstrous Murther of Christ they should have been cursed upon earth and have been Vagabonds all the dayes of their life certaâ—nly they would never have committed so unnaturall so unreasonable so devilish so beastly a sin in defiring Christ to be killed by the Cross nor would the English have done the like by desiring Charles to be killed by the Hatchet But why did they desire Pilate to kill Christ and why did some others desire John Bradshaw to kill King Charles why that my prima secundae is to tell you and it tells you thus in one suppositive and in one Positive Quare 1. It may be the speak truth when they said to Pilate Joh. 18.31 It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death and some latter Jews tells us by name Moses Kots in Sanhedrin that all power of Capitall punishments was taken from them forty years before the destruction of their second Temple But this I dare not conceive For though power in Criminalls in the Generall was taken from them yet in this particular Pilate gave them power when he said Joh. 18.31 Take yea him and judge him according to your Law Nor could they object against this their Law could not condemn him if he had transgressed their Law because they confest they had a Law and by their Law he ought
to dye All that can excuse him in this is Joh. 19.7 the Holiness of that time made them say It was unlawfull because they held it unlawfull upon their daies of preparation to sit on life and death and Friday on which our Saviour was condemned was the preparation of their Sabbath But 2. My positive Quare is this They desired Pilate to put him to death because if they had let Christ alone all men would believe him et venient Romani the Romans will come and take away both their Place and Nation This was the causeless cry they made against Christ and the causeless end they pretended in desiring Pilate to kill him and here you may see how just the Judgment of God was We desire you Pilate to kill him for fear the Romans come upon us and destroy us and the killing of Christ was the cause that brought in the Romans upon them so justly did God punish them with that which they pretended most to fear I would the Application were not too visible 1. That gallant and wise Earl of Strafford must be beheaded because he plotted the Alteration of the Fundamentall Laws of this Kingdome and raising of the standing Army 2. The constant and learned Arch-Bishop of Canterbury must be beheaded because he plotted the Alteration of Religion and bringing Popery into this Church 3. King Charles the first that most Wise most pious most Learned Religious Defender of the Faith must be beheaded too because He listened to such evil Counsellors which God hath punish'd with an evil Counsell with the raising continuing of an Army against the Fundamental Lawes of this Kingdome with an Harvest of the Popes besides with the Gleanings of a Medley of many Sects and Schismes Anabaptists Independants Quakers Shakers Brownists the Mother Father of these and many more the Presbyterians to the utter undoing almost of the most glorious Church Christ ever had upon the Earth since the Apostolicall and Primitive time God Almighty in his good time send a Charles the second to restore Vigour to the Fundamentall Lawes Peace to the people and true Religion to the Church through Jesus Christ Amen But what end had the Jewes in killing Christ why that my seconda secondae and last disquisition must informe you and thus it doth it 1. It may be they had Jeroboams end to make Preists of the lowest of the people and it is observable that after they had killed Christ they never had nor to this day have a worthy man for their High Preist 2. It may be they had Jehu's end to make away all the Seed and Blood-Royall and it is observeable again that after they had killed Christ Herod the Son killed James also the Cozen-German of Christ and therefore of the Blood-Royal from David that so none of that Family might ever after inherit the Crown of Judea 3. Or it may be they had Omries end to erect new Statutes contrary to the old Statutes of a new Invention contrary to or diverse from thâ—se of Gods first Institution 4. Or it may be they had Je abels end that when Christ the King was killed they might without controule make honest loyall constant Consciencious men Delinquents and Malignants and plunder them of their â—states and take away their life 5. Or if they had none of these ends and I cannot positively say they had yet questionless their end was that in the Parable This is the Heire come let us kill him and the Inheritance shall be ours He being killed our Glosses and humane Traditions and Inventions shall go for Currant and all the world will be of our Religion and thereout shall we suck no small advantage And this end had some Judaized Scots and English in killing King Charles the first They desired the Deputy or Governour or President Bradshaw to kill him that the Possession of Crown and Soveraignty being of out his hands or podibility to recover them and his Heire and Issue banished he the President by name John Bradshaw might quietly and Conscientiously enjoy the Lord Cottingtons Estate and part of the Earl of St. Albons worth 4000. l. per ann Sr. Thomas Fairfax part of the Duke of Buckinghams Oliver Cromwell part of the said Dukes part of the Marquess of Worcesters with a great deal more who of late upon the third of September this year forfeited his usurped Protectorship with all his ill-gotten wealth and Honours and surrendred his Soul into the hands of God with this Manifesto of his Repentance O Lord how wilt thou deal with me O Lord what Judgements and Torments hast thou prepared for me I dare not say so let them and the Kings enemies perish O Lord and yet I do say How long O Lord how long will it be ere thou returnest King Charles II. with power to recover his Dominions and with Wisdom to settle Peace and Religion in these Kingdoms which we yet wait for patiently and do beg earnestly for his sake whom the Jewes killed Jesus Christ Amen Anno Dom. 1659. ROM 1.32 Who knowing the Judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them MAny Inditements hath the Apostle brought in against the Gentiles in this Chapter from the 29. verse to this 32. Two and twenty as some have tallied them Others add this to the former and read them Three and twenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fornication the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wickedness was the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covetousnesse was the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maliciousness was the fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Envy was the Fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Murther was the sixth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Debate was the seventh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deceipt was the eighth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malignity the ninth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wnispering was the tenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Backbiting was the eleaventh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hating of God was the twelfth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Despitefulness was the thirteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pride was the 14th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boasting was the fifteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Invention of evil things was the sixteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience to Parents was the seventeenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Understanding was the eighteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant-breaking was the nineteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without Natural affection was the twentieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Implacability was the one and twentieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unmercifulness was the two and twentieth and this I take to be the last of his Inditement And this I have now read unto you howsoever some men account to be a three and twentyeth Inditement yet I take it to be an aggravation of and not an addition to the former Inditements and withal a preoccupation of all excuse For they might say That we have done as you have