Meaning of the words Caelestes Aerii Terrestres Marini dii As many Gods as creatures almost amongst the Heathen And ye all sons of the most High Ain w. leg. Ainsw. in loc. Ceterum hic nomen sicuti paulo post aliis locis pro judicibus sumitur quibus specialem gloriae notam insculpsit Deus Calv. in Psal. 82.1 Magnifica existimatio Honor Gloria Eras. Maxima debetur capiti c. * It is ordinary in the Hebrew to adde the name of God to a thing to heighten the excellency of it A man of God is as much as an extraordinary man an excellent man It is said of the Church compared to a Vine She sent forth her branches as goodly Cedars Psal. 80.10 so we read it But in Hebr. As the Cedars of God that is tall and excellent Cedars and so in many other places because all the creature excellencies are derived from him and are but a drop a beam a print of that Glory and Majesty which is in him Dii per analogiam tanquam Deum imitantes Theodor This is a godlike prerogative God is cloathed with Majesty and honour Psal. 104.1 The blessed and only Potentate to whom all people must pay this tribute In this the Gods on earth resemble him Gen 41.42 43. Job 29.7 8. Job fuit Rex {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} This is a Godlike priviledge Isa 33.21 to make laws for men to prescribe what creatures shall do and what they shall forbear Zanch. de Magistrat That Commonwealth only can be safe where the people obey the Magistrate and the Magistrate the Law Solon Three uses of the civil sword 1. Ad vindictam 2. Ad protectionem bâ—nerâ—m 3. Ad executionem justitiae Willet in Rom. 13. Plut. in vit. Caes. â—â—gistratus dii vocantur quia sunt vicarii dei in administrando jure exequenda justitia tuendo benos puniendo malos Pelan Syntag lib. 7. cap. 19 Propheta ad regum insignia vel pompas alludeas dicit judicium justitiam esse sulturam solii ejus acsi diceret loco sceptri vel purpurae vel diadematis his insignibus ernari deum quò justus aequus mundi judex Calvin in loc. Large Annot. in Exod. 22.28 Etiamsi fuisset Jeconiah mihi charissimus quem semper in oculis ferrem Jun. in loc. Prosopolepsis dicitur si quis paribus imparia vel imparibus paria tribuat Coc Plutarch in Vit. Cat. Uâ—ic * Of Trajan the Emperour it is said that he neither feared nor hated any man but that he heard the causes of his subjects without prejudicare impiety examined them without sinister obliquity and judged them without unjust partiality Privati fures in compedibus aetatem aguâ— publici vero in auro purpura visuntur Cat. Omnis potestes à summa potestate Non de quolibet verbo Dei sed de speciali dominandi mandato Calv. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hes Willet in locum Cujus jussu homines ejus jussu reges Ireneus lib. 5. cap. 24. De bello Judaic lib. 62. Every one hath in him the mind of a King Calv. on 1 Pet 5.5 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} subjecting them to me Septuagint leg. Sueton. The second use by way of Information * Politick Government was probably then instituted when man was first created under the Old Covenant of works for it is a natural blessing and grounded upon the fifth Command of the Moral Law which commenced upon mans first Creation before Adams fall and the rather may we thus judge because it is a law of Nature which was binding in mans estate of innocency besides Christ himself who knew no sin yet minded this duty of subjection Luke 2 51. 1 Col. 16.22 Matth. 22.23 Augustine thinketh that all civil subjection of one man to another came in by sin though not all natural subjection of children to parents De civit Dei lib. 19. R. Willet in Rom. 13. Magistratus necessarius ecclesiae quia à Dio ordinuus est ad defensionem Ecclesiae Polan Syntag lib. 7. c. 19. Hâ—rding accused though falsly Luther to have animated Muncer the rebel-preacher in Thuringia Calvin in Rom. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} idem valet quod {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} alterius faman laedere maledicti So Deodat in loc. Calvin Vide Joseph Antiq. lib. 20. cop 3.5 Jun. in Parall. Seneca saith of Egypt that in was loquax ingeniosa in contumeliam praefectorum provincia in qua qui vitaverit culpam non effufugit infamiam Luther cried Henry the eighth mercy for his uncivil language such as that Audi Domine Rex edocebo te The mother of Artexerxes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who addressed themselves to Princes should use silken words Xenoph. Hellen. lib. 11. Magistrates are patres patriae Prohibiti sunt maledici non jussi sunt sacrificiâ—s honorari Aug. in Exod. Honor est agnitio dignitatis vel excellentiae illius quea est in alio cum ejusdem debita testificatione Agnilio sinul dicitur testificatio quia neque in externa observantia sola neque in interna consistit sed in utroqueAmens Med. Plutarch in vit Fab. Max. Mallem obedire quam miracula sacere Luth. Zanch. miscel. epi. dead. Magis obtemperandum est diis apud quos deutius manendum est quâ—m hominibus quibusum admodum brevi tempore vivendem est Antigon in Sophoc Vâ—de Large Annotat. in loc. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} To pay to the King that tribute which is due to God only is not tributum Caesaris sed servitium Diaboli Chrysost. Hist. Gall Moses was a pious patient man yet he telleth us notwithstanding all his strength of grace Non possum portare I am not able to bear all this people Numb. 11.14 B. Halls contemplation {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} capitatio Poll money which men pay by the poll or according to their estates {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} vectigal due for merchandize Beza Pompey first converted the capitation or head silver to the City of Rome Par. in Rom. * Tiberius did not approve that shepherd that flayed his sheep instead of clipping Nor Tully him who cut the wings so that they could never grow after Magistrates are set for the good of the people and therefore should be moderate in demanding their goods Speed Chron. Martial Policy true Religion and civil Justice are the three Pillars which uphold all saith Sr. Walter Rawleigh {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} medela Non sibi sed multorum utilititati se esse natum Non mihi sed populo signifying that which he was often heard to say Ita se rempublicam gesturum ut sciret rem populi esse non suam Of Bonosus the Emperour it was said He was born non ut vivat sed ut bihat And when being overcome by Probus he hanged himself it was commonly jested That a tankard hung there not a man Ideo deteriores sumus quia meliores esse debemus Salv. * Pope Urban wrote to a Prelate in his time scoffingly Monacho fervido Abbati calido Episcopo tepido Archiepiscopo frigido still the higher in means the worse in manners Euseb. * Lactantus telleth us that the very Heathen thought that their only way to honour their Gods was to be like them to do as they did Nemo errat sivi ipsi sed dementiam spargit in proximos Sen. Ep. 94. The whole Army of souldiers will follow their Leader Hisy Exem Hain in vit. Lutheri It was a strange yet true saying There was more justice in hell then in France there the guilty are punished be they never so great they do not escape but in France it is otherwise may it not be said so of England Psal. 122.5 Dan. Hist. Our old word Koning and by contraction King comes of Con saith Becanus and comprehendeth 3. things Possum Scio Audeo Poena ad unum timor ad omnes Henry the fourth Salvian Suetoil Mr. Calamy on Ezek. 36.32 p. 30. before the Parliament Godwin Antiq. Ferina rabies est sanguine vulneribus gandere Senec de cle. lib. 1. cap. 24. Nero in the beginning of his Empire being requested to set his hand to a warrant for the execution of an offender would say utinam nescirem liteâ—as Siles Plut. in vit. Jul. Caes. Prima Magistratus cura debet esse religionem veram promovere impietatem prohibere Ames de consc. lib. 5. cap. 25. In hoc reges Deo serviunt in quantum reges Aug. Plato would not permit in his Common-wealth any such person as asserted God the Author of sin Christianus nulla re magis dignosci potest quam si Dâ—o factas contumelias blasphemias severissime ulcâ—scatur suas obliviscatur Guevara in ep. ad Car. 5. Princeps nihil statuat de religione saith Mariana the Jesuite Marian cap. 10. * It is observable that in the Kings and Chronicles when Henry the sixt mentioneth the lives of the Kings of Israel he doth in the first place take notice how they dealt in matters of Religion whether they brake down the graven Images or cut down the groves or tooke away the high places or the like Euseb. lib. 2. de vit. Constantini cap. 44. Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 20. Par. on Rom. Cicero de legib. Vide Zanch. de Magistrat Gerh. loc. com Wallaeum de codem sub Willet in Rom. 13. controver 4. The smoak of a great mans sacrifice smels never the sweeter before God because he is perfumed with Musk or cloathed in Silk Theodosius the second wrote the New-Testament out with his own hand Speed Chronic. Baldae de Script Brit. cent 2. Actiones specificantur ab objecto fine circumstantiis eustath. Omnibus operationibus nostris coelestis intentio adjungi debet Aug. de civit Bei lib. 3. cap. 24. Quintus Pius in 2 Chro. 19. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. Quint. Curt. As birds build in steeples and are never troubled at the noise of Bells being used to it nor ye at the sight of graves or coffins * That King of terrors and terror of Kings Quoties diem illum considero toto corpore contremisco Hierom. Hoc inculcatum sit esse Deos venturum esse summum fatalem illum diem
Ruler is like a Diamond in a golden Ring which shines radiantly but there are few Jewels so set Among all the Kings of Israel not one godly man Among the Kings of Judah very few * Men in high places are apt to have their heads giddy and thereby are in great danger of falling Of one only Roman Emperour Titus it is said that he was the better for his honour most are worse The Spirit of God calleth you the children of God And all of you are children of the most High Now how exactly how circumspectly should the children of God walk Much obedience may be expected from servants but more from sons their preheminence is more and therefore their obedience should be more The fathers of the flesh look for much dutifulness from their children but surely the Father of Spirits may look for more from his children Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Ye that are Gods sons are appointed to blame others that do evill and therefore it behoveth you to be blameless your selves Qui alterum accusat probri c. but blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke The sons of great men should be without riotousness or rebellion but the sons of God should be without suspition or rebuke that is walk so strictly as that they should do nothing blame-worthy If God be your Father where is his honour Mal. 1.6 Do you honour him in your hearts by giving him your superlative love and fear and trust and esteem Do you honour him in your houses by causing all within your charges to worship him according to his Word Are your houses houses of holiness praying reading singing catechising houses are they examples of Religion to your neighbours Is holiness to the Lord written upon your selves your children your servants your estates and upon all the belong to you Do you honour God in your lives by walking as he walked Are ye followers of him as dear children Ephes. 5.1 Do you resemble him as children their Father Are you holy as he was holy in all manner of conversation Was your everlasting Father when he walked in your flesh upon earth ever guilty of cursing or swearing or lying Did any rotten communication ever drivel out of his lips Was he ever guilty of oppressing the poor or despising the needy of seeking himself or of doing his own will Did he ever neglect praying and instructing his Family of the Apostles or supplication by himself Was not he at prayer early in the morning a great while before day and was not he up at it all night Was it not his meat and drink to do the will of his Father and to finish his work Did not he go about doing good glorifying God upon Earth and doing what was well pleasing in his sight Surely ye that are the sons of God by nature and office should resemble the Son of God by nature O Sirs Think of it ye that are the sons of God by deputation should resemble this Son of God by generation Be not as Eli's and Samuel's and Davids children a disgrace to your Father But as Constantines sons resembled their Father in his good parts and practices so be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect Mat. 5. ult. Davids daughters were known to be his children by their garments 2 Sam. 13.18 Do you make it known to others that you are the children of God by not defiling your garments by keeping your selves unspotted from the world by looking to your cloathes that they be not defiled though ye walk in dirty streets be as the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Consider the Devil is ever watching for your halting and like some unkind servant he blabs presently to the Fathet what a dirty pickle his children are in Suppose he seeth the dirt of drunkenness of uncleanness of squeezing tenants of prophaning the Sabboth of scoffing at godliness of irreligion and atheism in your houses and immediately carryes your cloaths to God as the Patriarchs did Joseths coat For he accuseth men before God day and night Revel. 12.10 Saying Lord is this thy sons coat Know now whether it be thy sons coat or no Gen. 37.32 Do thy children use to carry themselves as my children Surely these are of their father the Devil Can you imagine that God should own you No certainly as the Pope disowned the Bishop when the Emperour had sent the Buffe-coat in which he was taken prisoner and delivered him up to justice he will not dishonour himself by owning you Nay how can you expect but that Jesus Christ who sitteth by and heareth the indictment against you who useth to appear as an Advocate for others when the Accuser of the Brethren pleadeth against them should even second the Bill against you and say to God as Moses Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of Gods children they are perverse and crooked persons Father these are sins not of weakness but wickedness they are not infirmities but enormities they are not the spots of thy children Those that cast thee out of their hearts and let the flesh have the Supremacy there that cast thee out of their houses and let the world have the Superiority there Those that make no conscience of thy day and their duties whose whole care is to be honoured and enriched whose heat and fervour is for credit and profit and put thee off with a few fragments of time and a few scraps of their estate which they can spare from the world and flesh those sin like wretches like rebels not like Saints like sons Their spots are not the spots of thy children There are spots which may be and spots which cannot be the spots of Gods children All sins are unsutable to but some sins are inconsistent with sonship yea the preheminence of Adoption doth absolutely deny the predominancy of any corruption When Antigonus was to go to a place that might probably prove a temptation to sin he asked counsel of Menedemus what he should do He bade him only remember he was a Kings son So say I to you that walk every day in the midst of many snares of temptations and therefore should have the greater care and circumspection Remember that ye are the sons of the King of Kings and do nothing unworthy of the name by which he calleth you or the place to which he hath called you It might have been a cutting word to the heart of Brutus whose hand was then stabbing Caesar What thou my son Brutus I could not have expected better from a slave but little looked for this from a son How think you can the Lord take it that you who are his children should wound the Body of his Son with oaths and curses his sacred laws by
and him that hath none to help They are eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Fathers to the poor and helpers to the needy Job 29.11 15. They are born not for themselves but for the good of many as Bucers Physitian told him And they govern not seeking their own wealth but the Common-wealth as Aelius Adrianus Emperour of Rome would say They are as Trees whose leaves are fair whose fruit much and in them is meat for all in their shadow the beasts of the field dwell and in them the fowls of the heaven have their habitation Dan. 4.12.21 They are the keepers of our liberties the preservers of our lives the safety of our persons the security of our possessions the terrors of sinners the defence of Saints the Nerves and Sinews yea the Vital spirits of the body Politick without whom all things would run to ruine and quickly fall to confusion How much then do they for us and how much then should we be subject to them Surely as little as many value them they will find much cause to celebrate the funerals of these civil Fathers with many tears Our comforts as well as our consciences call upon us to be subject To wish them harm that watch to be our helps is horrid ingratitude Cicero saith he that killeth his Father committeth many sins in one because he sinneth against many obligations His Father begat him nourished him brought him up Magistrates are the Fathers of their Countrey he that resisteth them or doth violence to them committeth several sins in one because he sinneth against so many engagements to subjection We owe all the comforts we enjoy for this world nay somewhat of them that relate to a better world under God to the Magistrate We could not sleep quietly in our beds one night we could not eat one meal peaceably in the day without them we could not call either children or estates or lives our own without them we could not enjoy such liberties for our souls such frequent communion of Saints without them How great then is our obligation and how great should our subjection be to them These many cords of kindness should bind us to them He was possessed with a Devil whom no cords would hold Mark 5.3 and surely they are little better that against the Law of God and this protecting love of the Gods will not learn to be loyall Trees receive moisture from the earth and within a while pay it back in those leaves that fall to the earth again the Rivers receive their waters from the Ocean and they acknowledge it in emptying themselves into it Sheep that are fed by us acknowledge it in serving us with their flesh and fleeces And shall man be more brutish then the beast I shall end this exhortation with the words of the Holy Ghost a little varied Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your bodies as Ministers for your soul as they that must give an account Heb. 13.17 My second Exhortation will be to the Gods If the God of heaven have appointed you to be Gods on earth then it may exhort you to walk as Gods and to work as Gods amongst men First Walk as Gods among men your calling is high and therefore your carriage should be holy Every calling hath a peculiar comliness belonging to it A Courtier hath another manner of behaviour then a Countrey man a Scholler then a Scullion a Prince then a Peasant The greater your priviledges are the more gratious your practices should be Remember whose livery your wear whose image you hear whose person you represent whose place you stand in and walk worthy of that calling whereunto you are called Eph. 4.1 Some would have us give no names to children but such as should mind them of their duty The spirit of God hath given you a divine name which should mind you of the divine nature Since your compellations are according to God surely your conversations should be according to the Gospel The several Titles given to you call for sanctity and strictness from you The spirit of God calleth you Kings 1 Sam. 8.9 and Princes Josh. 8.33 Now is it seemly or sutable to see Kings or Princes padling in the mire or playing in the dirt with every beggars brat Doth not every one expect that their Linen should be in print their cloaths clean without the least spot of dirt And is it comely or consonant to see Magistrates honoured with a commission from heaven wallowing in the mire of sin and pollution with every heir of hell Do not all expect that as your places are god-like and honourable so your practice should be godly and answerable that your linen should be white your garments undefiled and your persons higher then others not only in place but piety When King Porus was taken prisoner and demanded by the Conquerour how he would be used he answered Like a King and being three times asked the same question he as often returned the same answer And if you ask me how you should demean your selves I would answer Like Kings Every one resembling the behaviour of a King Prov. 31 3 4. It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink least they drink and forget the Law Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Drunkenness and Uncleanness are sinfull and unwarrantable in subjects but they are most sordid and abominable in a Soveraign They are so much worse then others by how much they ought to be better then others A disease that surprizeth the head or heart is more dangerous then those that infect the exteriour members A spot in silk is far worse then one in sackcloth A Flie in a barrel of pitch doth not the harm which it doth in a box of Ointments When Scipio was offered an Harlot he said Vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not a General an Emperour Should such a man as I flie said Nehemiah So should a Ruler consider Should such a man as I be unclean I that punish such sin in others should I commit it my self Should such a man as I swear be lascivious in my language or unsavoury in my speeches A divine sentence is in the mouth of a King Prov. 16 10. I whose words are Laws and Oracles should speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 Should such a man as I prophane the Sabboth associate with sinners be prayerless in my family or venture upon any iniquity It is an abomination for Kings to commit wickedness Prov. 16.12 Peter Martyr told Queen Elizabeth that Princes were doubly bound to God as Men and as Princes or chief men Their sins are sins against more obligations and therefore are sins of more aggravations then others A great man cannot commit a small sin yet a great man is seldom a good man Godliness in a
the road to Hell How deep wilt thou sink into hell that shalt be pressed down under the weight of thy own and thine other mens sins I remember Luther mentioneth this to be one of the Papists tenents That if the Pope be so neglectful of his own and his Brethren salvation and so unprofitable and remiss in his place that he carries a long with himself innumerable people to be eternally tormented no mortal man ought to reprove him for this sin But sure I am the Immortal God will reprove both him and you for such crimes when ye shall meet in the other world where the weight of sin will be sufficiently felt and the worth of the soul which is destroyed by it shall be fully known Further It behoveth you the rather to walk as Gods because others do not only sin with you but suffer for you When King David numbred the people out of pride how did God number the people to the Pestilence 2 Sam. What bitter fruits doth God make Israel to feed on Jer. 15.2 Such as are for death to death such as are for famine to famine such as are for the sword to the sword But if you would know the root from which those swore fruits spring Because of Manasseh the King of Judah for that which he did in Jerusalem v. 4. Whether saith one a Gangreen begin at the head or the heel it will kill but a Gangreen in the head will kill sooner then one in the heel Even so will the sins of great ones overthrow a state sooner then the sins of small ones therefore the advice of Sigismund the Emperour when a motion was made for Reformation was Let us begin at the Minorities saith one No rather saith he Let us begin at the Majorities for if the great ones be good the meaner cannot easily be evill Secondly It exhorteth you to work as Gods I shall branch this Use into three Particulars 1. Executive Justice impartially 2. Excell in shewing Mercy 3. Promote Piety to the utmost of your power First Execute justice impartially God is a God of Justice judgement Isa. 30.18 The most just Job 34.17 Others may do justly he cannot but do justly Justice which is an accident in others and therefore may be separated from them is his very Essence his Being Be ye therefore like God Let Justice run down like water and Righteousness like a mighty stream Wear the same garments which he doth Isa. 59.17 He putteth on Righteousness for a Breast-plate and the Helmet of Salvation upon his head Such garments did holy Job wear I put on Righteousness and it cloathed me my Judgement was as a Robe and a Diadem Job 29.14 Kings and Princes wear Crowns and Diadems Judges and other Officers wear Robes and other Ornaments Now saith Job others place much of their glory and state in their Robes in their Purple vestments which strike a reverence in the Subject toward his Superior adding in the estimation of men Majesty to the person and solemnity to the action of the wearer but I place my honour in Justice and Judgement I think my self better cloathed with these real vertues then others with their empty marks ensigns of dignity I say Execute Justice impartially that is without fear or favour Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Lev. 19.15 as if he had said ye cannot deal righteously if ye spare any because he is poor or because he is rich It is a principle in Moral Policy That an ill executor of the laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them And the Egyptian Kings presented the Oath to their Judges not to swerve from their consciences though they received a command from themselves to the contrary Neither fear of greatness It is a mercy to have Judges saith Cicero modo audeant quae sentiunt nor favour of nearness should make Magistrates deviate from the Rule When Caricles the son in law of Phocion was accused for taking bribes he desired his Father to defend his cause but he answered him I took thee for my son in law in all honest matters only A Magistrate should be an heart without affection an eye without lust a mind without passion or otherwise his hand will do unrighteous actions He that goeth to the Seat of Judicature must leave his affections as Abram his servants when he went to the Mount behind him A Justice must like the earth cherish and nourish the low Violet as well as the tall Cedar The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra thereby signifying that there ought to be both magnanimity in executing and indifferency in determining But the impartiality of a Ruler is notably set out by the Throne of the house of David which was placed in the gate of the City towards the Sun rising as some observe In the gate to tell us that all who went in and came out at the gate might indifferently be heard and have free access to the Judgement Seat but towards the rising of the Sun to shew that their judgement should be as clear from corruption as the Sun is clear in his chiefest brightness It would be an ornament unto and tend to the settlement of Magistracy for the Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16.12 if those two Verses which some say are written in letters of gold over the Tribunal in Zant were practised by every Court of Justice Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos In the executing of Justice there are two things mainly to be minded 1. That you be terrors to evil doers this is expressed as one of your chief duties Rom. 13.3 If men be fearless in sinning surely you should not be fearful in sentencing them for their sins God hateth iniquity He is of purer eyes then to behold it the evill of sin never got a good look from God and why should it from the Gods Edward the Confessor was held a bad Prince not by doing but enduring evil God was angry with Eli and telleth him that he would judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knew because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not 1 Sam. 3.13 Eli was a Magistrate and should have put forth his authority and punished those ungodly children but because he did not God punisht both him and them O it is dangerous to do the work of the Lord negligently Sir Do not you or might you not upon inquiry know of them that prophane Gods day blaspheme his name frequent Ale-houses and the like do you restrain them Do you fright such offenders with your frowns and shew your love to their souls by executing Justice on them for their sins If you do not look to your self for God hath Iron hands for Justices that have leaden heels and will one day strike them home