Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n
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A61267
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A sermon preached at the Assizes at Hertford, March the 9th, 1682/3 by John Standish ...
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Standish, John, d. 1686.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing S5217; ESTC R13596
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14,535
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38
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A SERMON Preached at the ASSIZES AT HERTFORD March the 9th 1682 3. By Iohn Standish D. D. and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY Remove not the ancient Land-markes which thy Fathers have set Prov. 22.28 LONDON Printed by Tho. Milbourn for Robert Clavel at the Sign of the Peacock at the West End of St. Pauls To the Right Worshipful James Willymott Esq High Sheriff and one of His Majesties Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace for the County of Hertford AND To all the rest of His Majesties truly Loyal Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace for the said County SIRS DIvers others Reasons besides the Consciousness of my In-sufficiency for these things made me at first unwilling to appear in Print one of which I shall acquaint you of to shew that my desire to be excused was Real and not without some ground Ye know The burnt Child dreads the Fire I never published but one Sermon before and that too by His MAJESTIES express Command and yet I was not only Challenged publickly and Animadverted upon for it but to make the Scene more pleasant in exposing me the same Ingenuous unknown Hand tied me to the Cart-tayle of a Non-Conformist as if I had been one of the Changelings in my Text a false Brother Or in the new Style a Trimmer Indeed I did not think fit to accept his Challenge but know all men by these presents that was for the Author's sake and Theirs that set him on work more than my own And I have taken occasion to mention this now partly to let them see I can forgive a wrong without the formality of receiving Satisfaction but chiefly to convince You that a man may be in some danger of censure under your Protection when he is not safe or out of Gun-shot though armed with the KINGS Authority After all you see I have performed more then I would promise and denied my self to gratify You. For your repeated Importunity hath prevailed upon my second thoughts to believe That the making this Sermon publick may possibly contribute one Mite to his MAJESTIES and the CHVRCHES service in this nice Juncture And then let the Criticks shew their Teeth and Conscious Men betray their Guilt by being angry with me it shall not break my sleep so long as I have gained my Point that is done nothing but what was my Duty to do as became Your Obedient Servant JOHN STANDISH London April the 30th 1683. Proverbs Chap. 24. Ver. 21. Meddle not with them that are given to Change SEmper Eadem is Truth 's Royal Motto She is ever the same constant and immutable like that Rock of Ages from whence she was hewen even the God of Truth St. James 1 1◠in whom is no variableness or shadow of turning but Falsehood Errour and Vice smell of the Pit the bottomless Pit out of which they were digged They are constant in nothing but inconstancy they have more change of shapes than Proteus himself more colours than the Camelion more faces than ever Briareus was fancied to have hands alike in nothing but their common Deformity The Devil ye know is the Father of Lies who sometimes puts on the form of a Serpent sometimes plays the Roaring Lyon and sometimes acts an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 as may best suit with his present design and no wonder if his Children be all like the Father 'T is only then for Atheists Hereticks and Hypocrites those unnatural Fooles to divide Sacred Unity affect Novelties and prove moral Changelings but Wisdomes Sons who have espoused the true Religion must be faithful and true to their holy Consort must never abate of their old affection never undervalue their Choice so much as to long for varieties or in the language of my Text not medle with them that are given to Change A piece of seasonable Advise for a brain-sick Age a soveraign Amulet to preserve us from the contagious humour of a giddy unconstant World In pursuance whereof I shall endeavour 1. To explain the Wise man's Terms and then 2. Apply his Pious Counsel And 1. What He means by them that are given to Change or Changers as the Original may be copied as well in little That will soon appear if we consider First The Emphasis and significancy of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shonim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanah to change alter iterate fluctuate vary and never continue in one stay from whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanah a year from its vicissitude various seasons frequent changes of weather and circular Revolutions Some Affinity too it seemes to have with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanan which signifies to whet and forbish up instruments of Cruelty weapons of War and in spight of the old Prophesie to change plow-shares into Swords Micah 4.3 and turne their pruning-books into Speares By all which put together we understand that the Royal Pen-man here points at those Plagues of mankind who live as it were in a Circle ever opposite to the Center of Rest and Peace those Seditious Turbulent and Atheistical Spirits who study nothing but Innovations who would fain upon every occasion as the toy takes them Change their God Religion Princes Government Fundamental Lawes laudable Rites ancient Customes and the whole State of a Kingdome The very Thing He put in a Caveat against before by way of Allegory saying Prov. 22.28 Remove not the ancient Land-Marks which thy Fathers have set 2. By considering the Antithesis or opposition between this and the former part of the Verse we shall be more fully informed what these Changers are My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change The Antithesis must needs infer That these Changers are either 1. Such as would seem to Fear the Lord but not the King pretending a mighty Zeal for the Divine Name and Worship in their own and that commonly some new-found singular Way but all this while reviling his Vice-gerent for Presumptuous are they 2 St. Pet. 2.10 and self-willed and not afraid to speak evil of Dominions Principalities and Powers Like those Russian Eremites Fletcher's Hist of Russia and Pasquil Prophets we read of they think themselves inspired and sent on purpose into the World to blazon their Superiours faults quarrel their Conduct and find some flaw in their wisest Counsels They would have Us believe that the Kingdome of Christ is indeed a Fifth Monarchy to be built upon the Ruines of all Secular Powers and that the Church cannot be edified nor Religion advanced till they pluck them down or get above them Or else Secondly It must infer That these Changers are such as Fear the King perhaps but not the Lord Men of no Conscience Rev. 17.14 or Religion at all but Policy The High and Mighty KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS is not in all their thoughts they have no Fear of God before their Eyes but content
themselves with a formal Service to their Earthly Prince either out of a guilty Fear because He beareth not the Sword in vain or else out of flattery and design to manage their Game of worldly Interest to the best and advance themselves in Wealth and Honour Or Thirdly and Lastly The Antithesis must infer and so indeed it doth that these Changers are such as truly Fear neither God nor the King for that the One doth ever suppose and imply the Other He cannot be a Loyal Subject to the Crown of Heaven who proves a Traytor or Rebel upon Earth 1 St. John 4.20 If any Man love not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen It is impossible in St. John's Logick And so I argue a Fortiori He that knows not to reverence the Image of God in his Soveraign let him make what plausible shews of Piety he will he is no real Servant of God he cannot heartily Love that invisible Being of Power and Majesty Justice and Mercy which Kings of all other Men do most lively represent Again Men cannot fear the King as they ought and not God because the very Reason of that Duty they owe Him is That He is the Minister and Lieutenant of the Living God 1 St. Pet. 2.14 ordained by Him for the Punishment of evil doers and Praise of them that do well and Authorized under the broad Seal of Heaven to see the Divine Will observed in all things here on Earth Thus we see Who and What these Changers are And shall now 2. Enquire into the Force of the Caution whereby we are warned not to Meddle with such as these That Solomon should hereby intend a check for Princes or hinder the due execution of Justice and processe of Lawes against Rebellion were a gloss fit for none but Rebells to make who are wont to wrest all Scriptures to their own Perdition The Grand-Inquest may present the Magistrate may punish the Law may and ought to take hold of and medle with these Changers in that sence 2 St. Pet. 3.16 as we shall shew in due time Mean-while his plain undoubted meaning is in short this when any of your fellow-subjects study or practise Sedition or go about to remove the ancient Land-mark in Church or State bid them not God-speed herd not with them avoid their company at your Peril do not abett or assist them be not of their Accursed Councills have no hand in their unhallowed Covenants no finger in their sacrilegious Associations though their pretences be never so popular as the vindication of their Religion the defence of their Christian or Civil Liberty O my Soul come not thou into their secret Caballs Gen. 49.6 medle not have nothing to do with these men from such withdraw thy self According to which genuine sence of the words I now proceed 2. To my main Design to urge and apply his pious Counsel with respect to both its Objects signified in the Text and that 1. in general and at large And then 2. VVith reference to this special occasion First then to invert the order of the Text for methods sake medle not with them that are given to change their KING the Civil Government and fundamental Laws and Constitutions of a Kingdome We don't deny sayes a late Learned Prelate of our Church whose Sence I choose to speak in this weighty Point We don't deny Bishp Saunderson de obligat Consc but they who are endued with sufficient Power may Change a form of Government sometime for the better as that of a Common-wealth into a Monarchy or any other kind into an Hereditary Monarchy held to be the best by all sober Men as most resembling that whereby God himself Governs the World But then saith he no Power on Earth is sufficient to Change an Hereditary Monarchy into any other form both because it were for the worse and an apparent Injury to all the Heirs and lawful Successors besides for whatever Plea may be made or quirks used for cutting off Entailes amongst Subjects yet no Laws of Men can justly dis-inherit Princes or Exclude Heirs to a Crown because they hold immediately from GOD Rom. 13.1 As for particular established Laws it is a received Maxime in Politicks that they are not to be altered without very great and evident Necessity whereof the Philosopher gives these brief Aristot Polit. lib. 2. cap. 8. but acute Reasons Because First Frequent and unnecessary Changes weaken the Hands of Sovereignty Both Laws and Law-givers would be thereby chargeable with Levity and so lose much of that respect and reverence the Subject owes them Secondly The People will be craving and petulant in asking a Change of Laws where they find a Law-giver too facile and free in complying with their Humour and carving away his own Prerogative Give them an Inch they 'l roundly take an Ell If they can get the Royal Assent to pluck one Corner-stone out of the Fabrick to repeal one main Foundation-Act or Statute then Have at All. 3. It is much better to wink at small faults in old approved Lawes nay to tolerate inconveniences of greater moment sometimes than to turn all topsie turvie for their Reformation the Remedy in such cases being often worse and more dangerous than the Disease All this while there is no question but particular Lawes may and ought to be changed by those that sit at the Helm when the necessity of the publick Good requires it their ancient Reasons being now quite ceased and the times and mens manners requiring different perhaps contrary Constitutions whereof we meet with daily Instances But to come up closer to the mind of my Text Subjects may not attempt a Change of Lawes without the consent of their Lawful Prince which they are to ask with all due Reverence and Submission not by popular Murmurs and Clamours not by Tumultuous Petitions which at the best are but humble Affronts to Majesty much less by resisting Rom. 13.2 and taking up Armes against Him It was well provided by the Locrians of old against all daring Innovators That whosoever propounded any new Law in Parliament should present himself at the same time with a Rope about his Neck that in case his Law was found destrustive of the publick good or tending to dissolve or undermine the Government he might be rewarded out of hand for his Invention We had no such Law to curb or restrain them else those bold Reformers of ours had not dared to confront the Majesty and abuse the Mercy of the most pious Prince that ever swayed this Imperial Scepter K. Charles I. To subvert and unhinge both the Magistracy and Ministery the two Poles and Pillars of the Kingdome To start New Governments Cancel old Lawes and fall foul upon Magna Charta it self by straining the Liberty of the Subject so high as to leave their good King neither Prerogative Power Property no nor Life The accursed Spawn of