and hee sayth that God so commaunded Samuel a good man yet hewed Agâ—g in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal 1 Sam. 15.33 and Dauid himselfe a good King did put the enemies of God vnder Sawes and vnder iron-harrowes and vnder axes of iron 2 Sam. 12.31 And is not the God of mercie incomparably mercifull of whom yet it is sayd Hee smote great Kings for his mercy endureth for euer and slew mighty Kings for his mercy endureth for euer Psal. 136.17.18 The Reasons First the Magistrates sword should be defensiue to the good and offensiue to the euill for he beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 and it is iust that they who offend the Law should be offended by the Law Secondly it is the Lords commandement that euill doers should bee rooted out Now if it be crueltie in the Ministers of Iustice to roote them out how can it be but hee must be cruell who commaâ—nds them to be rooted out Thirdly due and well seasoned seueritie toward grose offendours is many wayes profitable it may bee a medicine to the offendour to heale his soule by repentance it may bee a bridle to those who would offend in like manner to pull them from sinne And it is the onely meanes to discharge the Magistrate and to cleare the Countrie from the guilt of enormious facts Vses A reproofe to those who interpose themselues for the sparing of desperate Malefactors or who exclaime if they be duely executed as doe Papists who in their infamous Bookes charge the highest Soueraigntie with wading in the bloud of Recusants where yet nothing hath beene more familiar to the same then to breathe mildnesse and fauour toward them if any grace could supple them Which maketh also against those who commonly vse such arguments as these are for the impuniâ—y of such as haue made themselues by their horrible errours Men of death as that hee is a proper man a personable man a man of a high wit and good parentage and is it not pitie to cast away a Man but is it not pitty that a proper man should vndoe a profitable man that a witty man should kill an honest man and hee who hath good parentage spoyle him that hath good graces Also to take away a bloody person by the stroke of Law is not to cast away a man but to preserue mankinde An encouragement to good Magistrates who seuerely proceede against hainous offendors and trespasses of an horrible kinde For such shall haue the Lord to â—eare them out against all vile speeches complaints and murmurings of wicked tongues Hee hath commanded them to doe Iustice and if they loue Iustice he will take part with them against all their accusers Such as desire and cast to liue dissolutely may open against them and they that would being themselues great without the controlement of an authoritie greater riot and ride Poste into all impeachment of higher gouernement that they only may raigne will not sticke perhaps to put in lying and scandalous Billes against them in Courts aboue but God who commanded their seruice will backe it and those who shall execute it for his glory This doth concerne you Christian Lord and may much incourageâ— you and your reuerend associates and helpers when euill men and vnruly taxe your iust and for matter obiected faultlesse and most indifferent I speake my conscience proceedings heere What matters worthy blame may be done by some corrupt persons about you vnknowen vnto you I know not I will not defend them neither you I perswade my selfe if you knew them But for your owne persons I doubt not but I may say that euen in matters distastefully apprehended by some you haue had cleane hands and a pure heart I speake this to incourage you to goe on and no way as knoweth the searcher of all hearts to insinuate by courting of authoritie For though I desire to exercise my vveake gifts in the Ministerie that is committed vnto me with your ayd and countenance for the repulsing of oppositions that may be made against it by persons of corrupt hearts and life yet I would not buy your credit so deare as for it to bring my person out of credit with the Lord by a lye So much for the punishment the persons follow whom the Prophet will punish All the wicked of the Land that I may c. VVEE haue heard of the punishment now the Prophet speaketh of the persons whom hee vvill punish namely all the wicked without exception whom by way of exposition hee calleth workers of iniquitie And these hee promiseth to cut off by death and all of these without respect of kindred or persons to execute impartially and indifferently if their sinne so require From whence vvee learne that no sinne ought to bee spared or sinner fauoured by partiall Iustice. But this point was spoken of before and the reasons further to enforce it are First God is no accepter of persons Acts 10.34 and Christian Rulers are forbidden to accept the persons of men Secondly God can see no euill that is cannot abide to see it Habac. 1.13 therefore religious Magistrates who in the Scripture are called Gods should not suffer it Vse Now may no sinne bee spared not offender boren with then Drunkenner may not nor Drunkards neither idlenesse nor persons that liue idlely and in no honest Trade or are these no sins and they who are guiltie of them no offendors I name these two aboue others because they swarâ—nâ— so in Towne and Countrie and because they doe so much hurt and because the Magistrates eye iâ— so seldome vpon them to punish them By Drunkennesse and by Drunkards I meane that drinking in excesse which the Scripture calleth a â—itting at the Wine or a following of strong drinke Esa. 5.11.22 till Wit goe out and Grace flie out or an insatiable desire in Captaine-drinkers to change vessell after vessell Host. 1.7 whose trauels abroad are to Tauernes and Tippling-houses and exercises at home if they be men of wealth are to drinke healths and to shew their manhood or rather worse then beast-hood in subduing their fellowes with the force of the Flagon and in offering the sacrifice of filthy excesse to Bacchus in their cellars But so many healths this way or after this manner so many damnations without repentance These are vngodly challenges and it is no shame but prayse to a Christian to refuse them for if another will drinke sicknes vnto me should not I tender mine owne health and besides with what comfort can he looke vpon Iesus Christ who daily or at any time hurts soule and body with the abuse of that creature that otherwaies would be comfortable to many of his thirstie members who lacke that which makes him to spâ—â—â— and cast like a beast This is Drunkennesse and they are Drunkards who are mightie to drinkâ— wine and strong to â—owre in strong drinke though their heads can carry it and legges carry them I know the Scripture and
fauoured Arius the world became an Arian These great red Dragons fall not alone but with their tailes draw downe others Apoc. 12.3.4 And therefore are they well compared to great trees and the people vnder them to lowe bougheâ— and shrubs which must needes fall when they fall An admonition to all vnder authoritie to pray for all in authoritie that they vnder them may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie 1 Tim. 2.2 For their good commeth with the good of their ouer-seers A good President will helpe to make a good Prouince and where are such Masters in the house as Abraham was there will be such people in it as Abraham had Parents that be religious will traine vp children in religion and Iudges that feare God will commaund the Countrie to feare him Then how much are we bound to God that had a vertuous Mother and haue a religious King Queene ELIZABETH we hadâ— King IAMES we haue and long may haue who begunne in this whole Realme this sacred song of pietie which Dauid tuned to his Harpe and now King IAMES our Dauid preferreth â—o his chiefâ— ioy Pray we therfore as we are bound to pray that hee may sing it long and merrily to God his strength in despite of all enemies within the land â—nd in other lands who would haue him to change his notâ— and in stead of the sweet song of Siâ—â— to sing the lewd song of the whore of Rome in a strange tongue Hee that gaue him this grace to be a King must giue him grace also to raigne aright For as no man is borne an Artificer so none is borne a good King and as it is one thing to be borne a man and another thing to be a good man so is it to be borne a King and to be a good King Therefore and since it commeth from God onely that Kings continue to rule well wee had neede to pray to him heartily for our good King and for all our Rulers vnder him that they may doâ— wisely in the truth and be truly zealous for that God and truth which giueth them their honour heere and will hence as good and faithfull seruants glorifie them in heauen for euer So shall we doe well better at least because they haue ruled well So much for the manner of expressing the dâ—â—tie the partâ— of it follow Mercie and Iudgement c. THese two parts are put together and may not be sundred in the administration of iustice by Christian Magistrates And here by mercie the Prophet vnderstandeth fauour grace such as hee would shew to well doers in their good cause and by iustice that course of iustice that he would obserue straitly in the chastisement of offenders And by putting both together hee meaneth that in the sentence that should come from the Throne of the Kingâ— mercie should not be alone nor iustice dwell alone but mercie and iustice togetherâ— as vnder one roofe and closer as in one roome As if he should haue said that hee would be mercifull with iustice and iust with mercie fauouring the good for their goodnesse and punishing the euill for the euill in them concerning whom hee would not beare the sword in vaine So he will sing the song of mercie with cheere and the dolefull song of iustice with courage Now where the Prophets song is of two parts in which hee singeth not of mercie alone nor of iustice alone but of both together hee teacheth that these â—wo must goe hand in hand and in association be combined together namely mercie and iudgement when a sentence commeth from the Lord by his Magistrate Mercie and iudgement must be his song For mercie without iudgement may turne into foolish pittie and iudgement vvithout the temper of mercie proue summum ius and cruelty in matters Also what are Kings the thrones of Kings without iustice and seuered from mercie without terrour to the wicked and honour to the good without punishment and recompence Rom. 13.4.5 These two are the two daughters of wisedome by which Kings raigne Prou. 8.15 and the two Lions of wisedomes throne by which it is stayed 1 King 10.19 nay by which it flourisheth mercie being administred and iustice bearing sway In one place it is said the throne is established by iustice Prou. 16.12 and in another place the throne is vpheld by mercie Prou. 20.28 The meaning is that Kings and they that sit in the Kings place or vpon the Kings Bench are Fathers and Iudges and that which they minister must be mercie and iudgement So in Psal. 112.5.9 it is noted for a iust mans propertie and a good mans praise that he is mercifull and that his righteousnesse abideth for euer And the Apostle requireth of Magistrates that they be for the wealth of them that doe well and that they take vengeance of euill doers Mercie therefore and iustice belong to one sword but to opposite Subiects as mercie to the righteous and iudgement with righteousnesse to sinners The sword of fauour in the good mans defence and the sword of iustice threatning death in the faces of the wicked Prou. 16.14 compared with Prou. 19.12 The good Magistrate must be carefull of both so shall he finde life and glory Prou. 21.21 in this world glorie and in the other eternall life Further these two mercie and iustice haue their roote in the good trees and digge at the roote of the bad trees of the Common-wealth One of them spreadeth in the sinewes of the Realme to containe the people in their duties and another in the veines comfortably to refresh the people that doe well with the Princes fauour And so mercie and truth must meete and righteousnesâ—â— and peace kisse one another Psal. 85.50 The reasons Iustice is the boâ—d of all societie among men which being loâ—sed or not well kept the state is brought to confusion and tumult And where the staâ—e keepeth no order the King looseth glorie Prou. 14.28 So for mercie it correcteth the sharpnesse of iustice without mercâ—e in the point of soueraigntie and maketh the hard bâ—rthen of subiection â—asie to such as must obay Therefore is mercie well called by one the preseruer of Scepters The body of man is kept in good estate by a good diet and when it is decayed it is restored by yroâ— and fire that is by cutting and â—earing so this great bodie of the Common-wealth must be maintained by the sweet diet of mercie and when it is impaired in â—state be râ—couered by the yron and fire of iustice vsed against desperate offenders Secondly mercie is necessarie to abate the courage of iustice that it riot not and iustice as necessarie to master the large affection of mercie that it be not foolish For iustice will be too harâ—ie if mercie pull it not downe and mercie too base minded if iustice doe not encourage it Dauid enquired if there were any left of the hoâ—se of Saul on whom hee might shew mercie that
punishment or because accusing conscience doth affright them from it as in the example of Pilate Mat. 27.19 24. Ioh. 19.12 Gods best children because their whole will is partly flesh and partly spirit as the whole aire in the dawning of the day is partly light and partly darke throughout therefore they partly sinne and partly worke righteousnes or are partly sinners and partly righteous but the wicked are flesh and not spirit wholy carnall and no way spirituall euil they doe and will doe it good they doe not nor vvill doe vvhere the godly contrarily doe euill but vvould not doe it and doe not good but vvould doe it The Prophets further protestation against other offenders and offences but of more speciall kinde followeth Him that priuily slaundereth his Neighbour will I destroy IN this verse the Prophet more specially doth protest against tvvo kinds of euill persons and their two seuerall euils The euill persons are Slaunderers and Proud persons the euils condemned in them are detraction in the Slaunderer and bigge lookes and a large heart in proud persons For the Slaunderer the Prophet threatneth to cut him off and for the Proud person he saith threatningly that he will not abide him in the Kingdome But first for the Slaunderer here is noted his offence and punishment His offence is described by the qualitie of it it is called a priuie slaunder and the obiect he is called a Neighbour that is slaundered the punishment is hee shall be destroyed or cut off To slaunder heere is by giuing out or by receiuing in of a false tale or true report but vncharitably made to wrong our innocent or absent brother And to slaunder priuily is to wound a man vpon his back by a cowardly tongue A slaunderer therefore is a malitious informer and a priuie slaunderer a priuie thiefe of his brothers name Such vnmanly dealing with our Neighbour by a whispering tongue the Prophet so abhorreth that he threatneth destruction to it Such vnauthorised Relators and secret Thieues of a mans name in the world who abuse the eares of persons in authoritie or of brethren in amitie with offensiue and siding tales yea though there be some truth in the reporters words hee promiseth to cut off From whence this doctrine may be obserued that the sinne of slaunder or priuie detraction whether by giuing out or receiuing in of a false and malitious or true but vncharitable and hurtfull report against our Neighbour secretly is a detestable sinne That the giuers forth of a false report to the hurt of their neighbour that is of any Christian in his name for now euery Christian is our Neighbour are horrible sinners may appeare by that which is written of them Ezech. 22.9 where they are called Cursitants or goers about with tales to shed bloud Such a sonne of Belial and man of bloud was Ziba who falsely accused his Master to the King that he might be Master of his Possessions 2 Sam. 16.3 The Diuell spared not God himselfe Gen. 3.4.5 and these tongues descended from his house and linage haue a like disposition in them to touch all his children and for this they be compared with most deadly and hurtfull things as to the Poyson of Aspes to a Rasor to a Venemous Arrow to a Scorpion and greedy Viper to fire and coales of Iuniper and when they are inflamed by Sathans Bellowes and Gun-powder to the fire of Hellâ— Iam. 3.8 Psal. 140.3 Nay the Scorpion hurteth not as the scorching tongue nor is the biting of a venemous Viper so deadly as the wound of a tongue that telleth lyes for the Scorpion hurteth not but where hee toucheth nor the Viper but where he biteth first But the Slaunderer woundeth and killeth not neere onely but farre off nor at hand but remoued nor in our owne Land but in a strange Land nor curably but deadly nor the liuing onely but quicke and dead Such a detestable beast is euery malitious Slanderer There is a Lawe against such walkers and goers about with tales Leuit. 19. 16. where the Spirit of God as also in Pro. 11.13 20.19 compareth such busie bodies to pettie Chapmen or Pedlers who carry wares about selling in one place and buying in an other for so these Chapmen of reports goe from place to place and from house to house and wander hither and thither to gather vp tales to tell againe and to vent in one place what they haue receiued and more then euer they receiued or heard in another And now as they be detestable beasts that giue forth false tales to their Neighbours hurt so they are euill beasts that hurt him though by true reports else Doeg could haue beene no Slaunderer for that which he spake and whereof he accused Dauid in absence was true yet hee is noted for a cursed Slaunderer because hee blabbed out the truth to an euill end and at an vnseasonable time euen when Saul was in a great chafe against Dauid to kindle hotter persecution against him Psal. 55.2.3.4 c. The like may be said of Daniels enemies for what they reported concerning him was true yet they were malitious Slaunderers because they reported a truth maliciously Dan. 6.6.7 Lastly they that loue to heare such tales are wicked Slanderers as well as they that tell them So Eue listning to the Serpent and Adam to her both suffered as Slaunderers of their Creator Gen. 3.6.7 Tale-bearers and Tale-hearers saith one are guiltie alike for as the Tale-bearer hath the Diuell in his tongue so the Tale-hearer hath him in his eare The Apostle speaking of such as are deceiued with vaine words calleth them Companions with such Eph. 5.6 the Receiuer as bad as the Thiefe And the words of the Law areâ— Thou shalt not receiue a false report Exod. 23.1 It is not sayd Thou shalt not make a false tale but Thou shalt not receiue it being made Quest. But may not a man without sinne heare of his Neighbours faults his Neighbour not in place Answere Yes and report them to if it be profitable for him that is absent or expedient for thee that hearest or necessary for him that speaketh of them Profitable for the absent partie as when his faults by such information may be corrected Expedient for the hearing partie as when danger may come to him of iniury or infection by that persons faults Necessarie for the speaking partie as being the deliuering of him from the concealement of an offence Eli complayned not that the euill behauiour of his sonnes was brought to him by faithfull relation 1 Sam. 2.22 indeede it had beene good for Eli and better for his sonnes if that information had beene better regarded So Iacob was well content I doubt not that his sonne Ioseph should enforme against his brethren their slaunder or euill saying Gen. 37.2 And all good men will confesse that it is necessary for a publike State and for good order in a populous Familie that some be authorised to make report of
were the enemies whom the Lord would destroy But what furthered their sinne and hastened their end more or sooner then vnsanctified fulnesse and that hill which they supposed to be so strong in their vnmoueable prosperitie Saul being of a low degree and spirit in his Fathers house liued commendably and well 1 Sam. 9.2.21 But hauing a kingdome and being King he left the Lord and did much wickednesse Sathan would haue set vp Christ in prosperitie as vpon an hill thinking that if any estate could a full estate would make him fall from God and fall downe to him But Satan could finde nothing in Christ Iohn 14.30 that is nothing for his purpose in any temptation though hee found corruption enough in others euen the best after they were tempted in such manner for when Dauid had rest and ease by such rest and ease he fastened the point of this naile in him and droue it to the head in his adulterie and bloody sinne 2 Sam. 11.4 Peter feeling the fire of a warme estate denied his Master by feare Iohn 18.18.25.27 And therefore as the milde and gentle beames of the Sunne haue more force vpon a wayfaring man then the strongest gale of winde that bloweth in the skie for the Sunne by his warme beames maketh him to cast off his Cloake and to put off his Coate as a burthen too heauie to be borne where the vvinde with his loude and colde blasts maketh him both faster to holde and more closely to wrap about him both Cloake and Coate so the vvarme Sunne of prosperitie can make vs more naked to God by sinne then the colde winde of times blustering with troubles Therefore hath a Christian more neede in prosperitie to watch sinne then in dayes of aduersitie and trouble which may further be proued by these reasons following The reasons First Satan hath more cords to binde vs in those temptations which are on our right hand fet from profits pleasures and honour then in those which are on our left drawne from aduersitie want and basenesse Which made him to reserue his temptation taken from prosperitie to the last place in which he reposed all as in his best weapon or vveapon of proofe Secondly prosperitie is a slipperie path a man may soone fall in such a vvay but aduersitie is a more rugged and sure way not so apt to faile vs. Thirdly in a full life we haue more meanes of sinning then in a bare estate For what will not wealth doe to the help of riot that pouertie cannot A poore man cannot offend by drunkennesse by whoredome by oppression by fulnesse of bread by garish apparell as a rich man may Vses Therefore no cause to be secure when vvee haue fairest weather vvith the vvorld in these outward things For then commonly the foulest is vvithin In Luke Chap 12. ver 19. He that ouernight had his vvarme Sunne in much goods laid vp for many yeeres that is vvhich hee supposed should continue long and were presently gone was in the colde shaddow before the next morning or rather in the armes and shadow of colde and sencelesse death O foole this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee vers 20. Belshazzar was presently driuen from his Banquets of Wine to a banquet of Feare where hee saw in his deepest rests the fingers that wrote and wrought his greatest vn-rest and trouble For they pointed to his present vnhappy change from a glorious Monarchie to an inglorious Sacrifice by the sword of Darius of the Medes Dan. 5.4.5.6 And the Text sayth that the same night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slaine verse 30. Also when did the enuious Man sowe his tares but vvhile hee slept that had sowed good seede in his field Matth. 13.24.25 So vvhen wee promise to our selues or the flattering vvorld doth offer to vs the sleeps of a quiet and easie life then doth Satan sow in our mindes the tares and impediments of true Peace and Righteousnesse The yong man vvho reioyced in his youth must for that abuse of his youth come vnto iudgement Eccles. 11 9. And if so then vvhat securitie or sound peace is to be found in the best worldly estate so threatned vvith iudgement and tormented vvith feare What better to haue our fill of Quailes and they to come out againe at our nosthrils Numbers 11.20 When vvee are filled with the Quailes of vvhat wee vvould haue vvee may thinke our selues vvell but how vvell and how long well vvhen at that very instant and vvhile that sweet meat is betweene our teeth the vvrath of God by such lusting against God is ready to fall vpon vs when Satan is pleased and the strong man hath possession all things are in peace Luke 11.21 but what peace more cruell then any warre is that which hath peace with Satan and warre with God Secondly heere vvee see that goods are not good but by their good vse They cannot make vs better this power belongeth to the Lord Psal. 62.10 prouder they may make vs and more to trust to our selues and lesse in God or they can doe vs no good vvithout grace and the desire of them cannot but purchase vs great harme for 1 Timoth. 6.10 the roote of all euill is in such couetousnesse Many say Who will shew vs any good that is vvorldly good Psalme 4.6 but there is no good in that and this is true good to haue Gods countenance vvhich is more then all riches and God with vs which is better then all worlds For it is the blessing of GOD that maketh rich Prouerb 10.22 that is riches make not a rich man but Gods grace with riches and hee shall rise to wealth not that riseth earely Psal. 127.2 but 5.18 To bee rich heere is to haue a good and comfortable estate heere Not to haue much goods but to haue much good of that vvhich wee haue bee it much or little The wicked may be rich but not in such manner rich hauing the plague but not the blessed contentment of riches which is the gift of GOD Ecclâ—s 2.26 This young man had riches but was he rich We shall after heare how poore hee was vvhen hee would faine haue filled his belly with the huskes that the Swine did eate because no man gaue vnto him verse 16. And so rich are they vvho hauing vvealth vvithout grace are so commonly as it vvere driuen from their full tables vvith this young man and lost Sonne to great hunger and the diet of huskes So much for the occasion of this lost Sonnes sinne the sinne it selfe followeth He tooke his iourney into a farre Countrie Heere the Euangelist or rather our Sauiour by him speaketh of this young mans sinne in two things First telling vs vvhither he vvent and secondly vvhat hee did in all that time of his stray-life Hee went into a farre Countrie that is as farre as hee could go from his Fathers presence and feare For the nature of such sinners is to remoue as