for forswearing themselves to spare others He will be a terror to thee and make thee a terror to thy self who wilt not at his command be a terror to evil doers Thou sinnest in others whilst thou sufferest them to sin and thou shalt one day suffer with them Rev. 18.4 Thou art afraid to offend thy Neighbours I tell thee God will make thee know t were better offending all the world then one God I beseech you make it appear that you are Magistrates by being men of courage be as bold in executing as others are in transgressing the law Shall iniquity be brazen-faced and authority hide it self If the offendor be in robes be not afraid of him but make him affraid of you I have read that the Athenian Judges sat in Mars-street to shew that Rulers should be men of valour Cowards are more fit to be slaves then rulers A Magistrate should be like Moses in his own cause as meek as a Lamb in Gods cause as stiff as an Oak as bold as a Lion All dare disparage him who dareth discourage none How punctually doth Scripture tell you that this ought to be your practice Magistrates saith Peter are sent for the punishment of evil doers 1 Pet. 2.14 And Paul saith If thou doest evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain For he is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath on them that do evil Rom. 13.4 The sword which is carried before him as an Ensign of his power is not for shew or for fashion but for the wounding disorderly persons A wise King saith Solomon Prov. 20.26 scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them a kind of punishment then in use and now in many places Especially be severe to them that prophane the Sabbath that Queen of dayes that golden season of grace Nehemiah would not spare the chief men that prophaned this chiefest of dayes Nehem. 13.17 This is one of the chief precepts which the Lord of Sabbath commandeth you Exod. 20. Exod. 23.12 Englands disturbing Gods rest hath raised God to disturb Englands rest He that spareth the bad hurteth the good The Chirurgion must cut off incurable members and the Physitian of the State must purge out the peccant humours of the body Politick least they infect and injure the whole The execution of Justice is like a clap of thunder which striketh few but frighteth many Smite a scorner and the simple will beware Prov. 19.25 Thus by not punishing the evil both the good and bad are though unjustly punished yet the greatest injury is to the Ruler by the offendors impunity for besides the guilt which he contracts on his soul and thereby Gods eternal wrath he is oftentimes punished in his body and made an example of Gods Justice to others When the French King was perswaded by the Duke of Sully to banish that generation of Vipers the Jesuites he would not saying Give me security then for my life But he was shortly after stabbed to death by their instigation God doth not seldom make them examples of his judgements that will not make others examples of justice Secondly That you be Protectors of them that do well The Holy Ghost telleth you that you should be for the praise of them that do well Courts of Justice should be Cities of refuge to them that are unjustly and causlesly pursued like Noahs Ark to take in and give rest to those weary Doves like the horns of the Altar to which innocency should flie for protection Mine eyes saith David shall be upon the faithfull in the Land Psal. 101.6 Hide the godly especially under the shadow of your wings Piety hath too much been bespattered with obloquy and holiness suffered under the name of baseness Maliesse coguntur ne viles habeanthur Men have been necessitated to be vicious lest they should be accounted vile Be you not only patterns but Patrons of purity Let the world know that greatness can own and countenance goodness The Kings of Gerar were called Abimelech which signifieth My Father Gen. 30.2 noting that a King should be as carefull and mindfull as tender and chary of his Subjects especially good ones as Fathers of their children Alas if the Magistrates will not own them what what shall the godly do The Devil raiseth all the the Train-bands of hell against them that march to heaven The world loveth its own but because they are not of the world therefore the world hateth them their neighbours malign them and rage because they dare not run to the same excess of riot The whole Parish if occasion be will be gathered together against those that are pious especially if they be zealous for Gods glory against others impieties Now since God hath set you up for their shelter surely you are concerned to secure them in times of danger Sure I am that it is a priviledge and honour to you that you may be serviceable to the people of God God carrieth them upon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 as tenderly as the Eagle her young ones of which some observe she carrieth her prey between her Talons but her young under her Wings and if a Flowler shoot at her she will first have her own body shot through before they shall be hurt God is therefore called their shield Gen. 17.1 Now a shield is between the body and the weapon Look therefore that you imitate God in this Remember that men were not made for you but you were made for them God took David from the sheepfold to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance Psal. 78.70 71. It was said by Nazianzen of Athanasius that he was Magnes Adamas an Adamant in his stout resolute carriage against vice and a Load-stone to encourage and draw vertue to him And the wise man telleth us The Kings favour is towards a wise servant but his wrath is towards him that causeth shame Prov. 14. ult. As the wind hurteth not the reeds and corn which yield to it but rooteth up the sturdy stubborn Oak which will not bow so the Ruler should deal sharply with the obstinate but gently with the mild and flexible Augustus Caesar in whose time Christ was born was so tender of his people that when he died they wept saying Would he had never been born or never died Secondly As you should work like Gods amongst men in executing Justice impartially so likewise in shewing mercy God is the Father of mercies 1 Cor 1.3 Rich in Mercy Ephes. 2.4 He hath multitudes of tender mercies Psal. 51.1 He is abundant in mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 His mercy is free Rom. 9.15 Great Psal. 57.10 Matchless Jer 3.1 Sure Isa. 55.1 Mercy as one observeth is the chief of all Gods attributes though in themselves they are all equal but in regard of our necessities as Oyl swims above all other liquors as the Eagle is the chief of Birds the Lion of Beast Gold of Metals so mercy is the chief of all
a Magistrate that neglecteth his duty herein is like a Winters Sun glorious for Majesty but yielding no warming or refreshing influences to them that are under him or like the Kings head on a sign-post only for shew The God of heaven doth not cast away the perfect man nor help the evil doer Job 8.20 He beholdeth the righteous with favour he woundeth the heads of sinners Psal. 68.21 He cutteth off the workers of iniquity He killeth and maketh alive with him is the fountain of life Psal. 39.9 as waters flow from Fountain so doth life from God And he can easily slay men Job 4.9 By the blast of God they perish To save and kill is a God-like priviledge The power of life and death is in the hands of these earthly Gods they enliven with their smiles their favour or the light of a Kings countenance is life they kill with their frowns The wrath of a King is the messenger of death Prov. 16.14 15. Herein their dignity and civil God-ship appeareth that they can give by reprieve or pardon or take away a life which is forfeited to the Law Caesars speech was high when he was opposed by Metellus in his takeing away the mony out of the Romane Treasury Let me alone or I will kill thee presently and then to qualifie his threat and magnifie his strength he told him Young man thou knowest it is harder for me to speak it then to do it But this is certain Rulers are not for nothing called Powers Tit. 3.1 It is in their power though not to Tyrannize at their pleasure yet to execute the Laws even to the death of the offendor 2. Magistrates are called Gods not only in regard of ther dignity but also in regard of their duty They ought to resemble God in their execution of Justice amongst men God administreth Justice impartially and so should the Gods The Judge of all the earth doth right and the Judges that are on the earth should do right God doth judge the world in righteousness and ministreth judgement to the poor in uprightness Psal. 9.8 And they who rule over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 Justice and Judgement are the habitation of Gods Throne Psal. 89.14 The holy Ghost alludeth to the Thrones of earthly Princes which were under-propped with Pillars as Solomons Throne with Lions 1 Kings 19 20. that were both a support and an ornament to it Now saith the Psalmist Justice and Judgement are the Pillars upon which Gods Throne standeth or as Calvin expoundeth it the Robe and Diadem the Purple and Scepter the Regalia with which Gods Throne is adorned Thus Magistrates ought to make good their pattern and to take heed what they do because they judge not for man but for the Lord who is with them in the Judgement 2 Chron. 19.6 Magistrates are therefore called Gods because they should as God doth do impartial justice without respect of persons protecting the godly as being the Ministers of God for their good Rom. 13.4 and punishing the wicked which are malignant enemies to God and them Now the impartiality of the Gods as of God in executing justice appeareth in these three particulars First in not favouring any for their neerness Magistrates must imitate God in this who is no respecter of persons but judgeth every man according to his works 1 Pet. 1.17 Though Coniah be to me saith God as the Signet on my right hand yet I will pluck him thence Jer. 22.24 That is though he were as near and dear to me as a Kings sealing-ring which is most carefully kept and tenderly preserved worn commonly yea continually on some finger yet I would do justice in plucking him off and casting him from me Nay when Gods own Son who was the Son of his infinite love and choicest delight became liable to the lash of the Law as being a sinner by imputation God would not spare him in the least but made him bear the curse of the Law Rom. 8.32 Zaleucus the Law-giver having enacted that every person guilty of adultery should lose both his eyes did yet when his own Son was found guilty of that fault put out one of his own eyes and one of his Sons But the great God was more just when his Son was a Surety for sinners he caused him to pay the utmost farthing he suffered the law to have its full stroak at him O how just was God that rather then violate the least Tittle of his Law would sign a warrant with his own hand and confirm the Commission with his own Seal for his dearest Sons execution Thus should Magistrates hear and determine without any respect to friends or relations Prov. 24.23 To have respect of persons is not good yea it is very evil Magistrates must hear the cause not the person and mind not the man but the matter which is brought before them David was faulty and he smarted sharply for it in sparing Amnon guilty of Incest and Absolom guilty of Murder because they were his Sons But Levi did nobly who said to his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children Deut. 33.9 Pompey aspiring to the Roman Empire and perceiving that Cato was against him sent his friend Minucius to Cato to demand his two Nieces One for himself the other for his Son But when the Messenger had delivered his errand Cato gave him this Answer Go tell Pompey Cato is not to be won by women as long as Pompey shall deal uprightly I shall be his friend and in a greater degree then any marriage can ever make me Surely this Moralist will condemn many Christian Rulers of whom it is said that the Sun might assoon be hindred from running his race as he from doing what was just and upright God will not upon any pretence whatsoever have his own person accepted Job 13.8 much less the persons of men Secondly In not sparing or fearing any for their greatness Rulers ought to be men of courage Exod 18.21 The fear of man bringeth a snare Prov. 29.25 and is often the cause why justice is perverted Pilate feared Caesar John 19.12 13. and therefore against his conscience condemned Christ The great God of heaven feareth none spareth none for their glory or greatness He putteth the mighty out of their Seats Luke 1.52 He bindeth Kings in chains and Princes in Fetters of Iron Psal. 149.8 The day of the Lord shall be upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oaks of Bashan and upon all the high Mountains and upon every high Tower and upon every fenced Wall Isa. 2.12 13 14. He is the Almighty Al-powerfull God and therefore cares not for any might or power of man Thus the Gods on earth should do justice on all great as well as small fearing none but the God of heaven Deut. 1.17
when he is out of the way do they not find many Tyrants for one Every man would be an oppressor were there no man to be a restrainer What would a Nation without goverment be but a desert of savage beasts what would Towns be but dens of Thieves and what would families be but stages of unclean birds yea what would most men be but like dogs trying all right and title by their teeth and strength Men naturally are more afraid of the noise of the Musket then of the Bullet I mean of the frowns of the Rulers then of the fire of Hell and therefore were they once free from them they would do that which would soon undo both themselves and others Now the necessity of Magistrates calleth for reverence and obedience to their authority The more needfull things are the more gratefull they should be Things that are superfluous may be slighted things that are only convenient may be the less valued but things that are absolutely necessary must be highly esteemed I tell thee the Ministry is not more necessary to the well-being of the Church then the Magistracy to the well-being of the State You may as soon see a Tree thrive without a root as a Common-wealth flourish without a Ruler Magistrates are in Scripture called the heads of the people Exod. 18.25 because they are as necessary to the body Politick to direct and govern it as the head is to the body natural therefore as the members yield respect and are subject unto the head if the head do but ake all the humours of the arm as some observe run to the head and therefore the arms are thin and slender because they want their proper nurture yea if the head be in danger how do the other parts hazzard themselves for its shelter many an hand and arm hath been wounded that the head might be saved thus should subjects shew their respect to and tenderness of their superiours for if a member or some of the inferiour parts be cut off the body may live but if the head be taken off if Governours be set aside Actum est de republica that Kingdom that Common-wealth cannot stand long Secondly Consider the severity of God against the contemners of Magistrates There are several in the word of God that stand up like the Mast of a Ship cast away by Sands to warn us that we steer not their course least we be sunk also Those who opposed the preservers of our civil lives have not seldom been punished with violent deaths Corah and his company Abimelech Athaliah Adonijah Absolom Zimri Joab Sheba with several others will confirm this truth And humane as well as divine writings speak to the same purpose James the first King of Scots was murthered in Perth by Walter Earl of Athol in hope to attain the Crown for so had his Sorcerers prophesied and crowned he was with a Grown of red hot Iron clapt upon his head being one of the tortures wherewith he ended at once his wicked dayes and desires Becket Mortimer Tyler Warbeck Sanders Story Campian the Piercies the Powder-Plotters Rhodulphus Duke of Suevia Richard the third of England and many others have been marked with divine vengeance for contemning this divine Ordinance My Son saith Solomon fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall arise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Prov. 21.22 i.e. of them that fear not God and of them that fear not the King And Eccles. 10.8 9. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and whoso breaketh an hedge a Serpent shall bite him Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby These four proverbial expressions speak the danger of them that go about to supplant their Rulers Whilest they are digging pits to catch others the earth falleth on them and murdereth themselves When they are breaking up the old hedge of Government Serpents and Adders which use to harbour in old walls and hedges will sting them God will make men know that it is a dangerous thing to confound rule and subjection and to break down the partition wall which he hath set up between Magistrates and people When these sharp instruments which they run against wound them deep they will believe that it is bad medling with edged tools and that there is a truth in those words of the Apostle They that resist procure to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 that is both corporal punishment and eternal torment saith Peter Martyr If thou wouldst not therefore suffer with others take heed of sinning with other Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked persons saith Moses to the Congregation upon the conspiracy of Corah Dathan c. against their rulers and touch nothing of theirs least ye be consumed in all their sins Numb. 16.26 They that join in common rebellions must expect to be joyned common destructions Be not impatient of rule as thou desirest to avoid that ruine which Gods mouth doth threaten and his hand will execute on such rebellious ones Let those many examples which are in Scripture and other Authors mentioned of them that are hung on Gibbets as monuments of Gods fury fright thee from their acts least thou partake of their ends Believe it no King can possibly be so tender of his own honour as God is of his own Officers Do not therefore shoot off thy guns of opposition against the Gods least they recoil and kill thy self Reviling of natural parents was banishment by Plato's Law death by Gods Law Exod. 21.17 Those then that revile civil parents shall not alwayes go unpunished Thirdly Consider thy felicity and welfare doth under God depend much on the Gods The Apostle enforceth this use by this very Argument For he is the Minister of God for thy good Rom. 13. If he labour to do thee good why shouldst thou imagine evil against him To render evil for good is God-like Mat. 5 ult. but to render evil for good is devilish Magistrates are shields Psal. 47.9 they defend their subjects from the darts and bullets with which the sons of violence would wound them Shepherds Numb. 27.17 to defend them from the devouring mouths of ravenous creatures They are called the foundations of the earth because they support the building from ruine and sinking Prov. 10.25 Coverings Ezek. 28.16 which importeth that Engine under which Souldiers used to be protected in assaulting the walls of an enemy against the stones and darts which were thrown down upon them Guides Prov. 6.7 because they lead and direct the people Angels 2 Sam. 14.15 in that they defend and protect the people The Fathers and Mothers of the Countrey Gen 41.43 Judges 5.7 because they take care of and provide for their people Healers Job 34.17 because they cure their wounds and make up their breaches They deliver the poor that cryeth and the fatherless
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
had and means used for the informing and reforming such offenders Suffer me as Elihu said Job 30.2 3. a little and I will shew you what I have to speak on Gods behalf I will fetch my knowledge from Scripture and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker Because in our unholy and therefore unhappy dayes the very duty which I am urging the Magistrate to is questioned as many other truths are I shall speak a little to it This Popish doctrine is now almost generally entertained That Magistrates have nothing to do in matters of Religion as some others Jesuitical tenents are now on foot Parsons the English Jesuite in his memorial for Reformation adviseth that all the Colledges in the Universities with their Revenues should not he imployed as now they are for the encouragement of godliness and learning but be setled on six men and also what ever Mannour or Parsonage belonged to the Church that no mans conscience be pressed for matters in Religion That there should be no fixed Ministers only some Itinerary Preachers This is the way saith he for Popery to flourish in England though he nameth more wayes But that Magistrates ought to meddle in matters of Religion and promote it to their power may appear clearly to them that are not wilfully blind First from the practices of godly Rulers What Asa did hath been already mentioned Hezekiah was a Prince that did also promote Piety 2 Chron. 29.2 3 4 5.25.30 in 2 Chron. 30. 5. which places are large therefore not here recited but full to our purpose wherein Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sanctifie themselves to praise the Lord with the words of David and both Priests and People to keep the Passeover So Josiah 2 Chron. 34.3 ult. And the King stood in his place and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements And mark he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the Covenant of God And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Israel Observe And made all that were present in Israel to serve even to serve the Lord their God And all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord He made them to serve the Lord both by his precepts and by the punishments he inflicted on them that would not This text can never be answered All the subtile evasions which Jesuitical heads have used to make it invalid could never do it For if as some affirm it is not binding to us under the New because it is delivered in the Old Testament then Faith in Christ and Repentance which are the sum and substance of the Old Testament are void also and so they may rob us if we will believe them both of our Saviour and Salvation * Nay an Heathen King enacted a law that whosoever would not obey the Law of God as well as the Law of the King that judgement should be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or to banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisoment Ezra 7.26 And for this Law holy Ezra blesseth God v. 27. so Ezra 6.11 Dan. 3.29 Besides these patterns in Scripture we have the like in Ecclesiastical Writers Constantine a godly Emperour purged the Church of Idolatry and established the worship of God by his own Imperial commands Jovinian also and Theodosius by their Royal Edicts set up and restored the true Religion which Julian and Valens had put down and discountenanced Secondly The precepts given by God to Rulers speak this to be their duty God commandeth him to write him a copy of the Law Deut. 17.18 For what end but that he might keep it himself as he is a man and take care that others should not break it as he is a Magistrate It was an ancient Ceremony in Israel at the Kings Coronation that when the Crown was set on his head the Book of God should be given into his hand 2 Kings 11.12 to shew that God committed the care of Religion principally to him that by his power and authority it might be established in his Dominions God commandeth Magistrates to be for the good of their subjects Rom. 13.4 For good that is for thy natural good in preserving thy life in safety for thy civil good in securing thine estate for thy spiritual good in establishing the true worship of God as a keeper of the first Table Nay the way to promote the civil good of a people is by promoting their spiritual good That Common-wealth will certainly stand longest which hath not State-Policy but State-Piety for its foundation How many Nations have confirmed this truth Vbi non est sanctitas pietas fides instabile regnum est A Nation without Religion is like a City without walls naked and open to all enemies like a building without a foundation which will quickly be overthrown Religion to a people is as the Palladium to the Trojans as the Ancile to the Romans which kept them safe The want of this overthrew the great Monarchies of the world What besides this hath turned so Kingdoms into ruined heaps and Cities into solitary Deserts If a fruitful land be turned into barrenness is it not for the iniquity of them that dwell therein Psal. 107.34 Tully observed that the glory of Greece quickly decay'd when the people were given to evil opinions and evill manners Those Rulers that tolerate heretical persons do but nourish a Snake in their bosoms and cherish a worm that in time will eat out their own bowels Besides God promiseth that Magistrates shall in the days of the Gospel be nursing Fathers nursing Mothers to his Church Isai. 49.23 which surely was never meant of procuring only their corporal but chiefly of promoting their spiritual good O consider is it not reasonable as well as religious that you who rule by God should rule for God that that power which you have received from him should be improved mostly for him Remember your time is short your opportunities are many your work is great and your account will be heavy therefore work the work of him that sent you into the world It was a saying of Becket sometime Archbishop of Canterbury when he was perswaded to deal moderately with the King Clavum teneo ad somnum me vocas Do I sit at the stern and would you have me sleep Sirs you steer the rudder of the State you sit at the Helm of the Common-wealth should you be sleepy or slothful I beseech you to be doing for the furthering Piety the Lord will be with you Now that Magistrates may be enabled and incited to walk and to work as Gods among men I shall deliver a few directions and two or three motives and then conclude First If you would walk and work as Gods then get divine principles According to your principles
Word of God is in a special manner commanded and committed to the Magistrate as his Directory Josh. 1.8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth saith God to the chief Governour of Israel but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success And Deut. 17.18 19. The King that sitteth upon the Throne shall write him a copy of the Law And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord and to keep all the words of this Law It is a Maxim of the Law of England that the Law it self ought to be the rule by which all Judges must be regulated all controversies tryed and all cases decided It is good to keep close to the laws of men that are warrantable by Scriture but it is best to keep close to the Word of God There are the best precepts for justice the best patterns of just men nay and of the Infinitely righteous God You have the example of God himself how just how holy he is in all his doings how he walketh how he worketh Caesars ambition was to imitate Alexander Themistocles endeavoured to resemble Miltiades Do you labour to be like God to hate sin to love holiness to discourage the prophane to countenance the pious to be active and zealous both by your patterns and precepts for the glory of God In all your difficulties make the Word of God your Counsellor in all your doubts let Scripture resolve you You may look too much to the light within you which is imperfect and 1 Tit. defiled as Quakers make a Christ of it but you can never look too much to this light without you which is perfect and pure without the least blemish or defect The Jews say that if Printing had been found out in the time of Moses yet was the King bound to write out two copies of the Law with his own hand one to keep in the Treasury and the other to carry about with him as his Vade Mecum Alphonsus King of Arragon as some say read over the Bible fourteen times with Lyra's Notes upon it And that renowned Maiden Queen Elizabeth when she passed in triumphal state through the City of London after her Coronation when the Bible was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheapside she received it with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breasts saying that it had ever been her cheifest delight and should be the rule whereby she would frame her Government This was the delight the joy the counsellor of that Magistrate that was after Gods own heart Psal. 119.70.111 24. And this made him wiser then his Teachers then his Elders Psal. 119.97 to 100. And indeed this Book of Books only can make a wise and good Christian Captain Counsellor and Ruler Let therefore the ballance of the Sanctuary weigh all the Oracles of God decide all the rule of the Word square all and then nothing will be amiss Let the Bible be to you as the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day to the Israelites directing you through the Wilderness of this world till ye come to the true Canaan It was a memorable saying of King Edward the sixth when he was crowned and had three Swords put into his hands signifying his power over three Nations England France and Ireland Deest adhuc unus gladius viz. Sacrorum Bibliorum volumen Ille liber gladius spiritus est gladiis his omnibus longe anteferendus There is one Sword wanting namely the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God which excelleth them all Thirdly let your end be divine as well as your rule if ye would walk and work as Gods among men The Moralists tell us that actions are much specified from their ends If your actions are materially good yet if finally evil they are denominated wicked If they are according to Gods Word for the matter yet if ye make not Gods glory your end they are evil Therefore if ye would have the arrows of your actions to flie right let your eyes take right aim at this mark Do all for God Quicquid agas propter Deum agas saith Luther As ye are men ye were created to serve him as Magistrates doubly bound to honour your great Master Gods free grace is the fountain of your power and therefore Gods glory must be the end It is reported of Tamerlane that warlike Scythian that having overcome Bajazet the great Turk he asked him Whether he had ever given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour The great Turk confessed ingenuously that he never thought of it to whom Tamerlane replyed That it was no wonder so ungrateful a wretch was made a spectacle of misery For you saith he being blind of one eye and I lame of one leg was there any worth in us why God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars So truly may you think It was meer mercy which advanced you more then others and therefore it is your duty to advance God more then others If ye love your souls take heed of self O how many millions by seeking themselves have lost themselves by seeking their own glory pleasure and profit for a time have brought themselves to shame pain and loss to all eternity O Beware of this root of bitterness Self Do not like Demetrius pretend to be zealous for the Goddess when in truth it was for his gain Or like watermen row one way towards God and Christ and Heaven and look another way towards the world and the flesh but give up thy self wholly to him Lay out thy talents altogether for him esteem it thy felicity and priviledge that thou hast more advantages then others whereby thou mayst exceed others in serviceableness to thy Maker Preserver and Redeemer Let that Peerless Prince be thy pattern even the Lord Jesus Christ I seek not my own glory John 8.50 And when he came to die Father saith he I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17. This was the Fathers end in your creation Prov. 16.4 Revel. 4. ult. The Sons end in your Redemption Luke 1.71 1 Cor. 6.20 The Spirits end in your Sanctification Ephes. 2.10 John 17.10 Therefore let this be your end Pray and read and hear and watch over your own souls walk inoffensively before God work industriously for God and do all that God may be glorified 1 Cor. 10.31 We call not those Kings happy saith Austin who raigned long but those who have raigned most for God Qui potestatem suam divinae Majestati famulam faciunt That have made their authority serviceable to the divine Majesty God can easily throw those Crowns from mens heads
which are not laid at his feet And he will assuredly lay them low that do not set him high for those that honour him he will honour but those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed I come now to the Motives to stir you up both to walk and work as Gods among men 1. Consider God beholdeth you this day He taketh notice and observeth how ye walk and how ye work All the wayes of man Prov. 5.21 are before the Lord and he pondereth all his paths Be your works what they will be God seeth them and he weigheth them in the balance of the Sanctuary and that beam will discover it if they be never so little too light He beholdeth not only your practices but your principles he knoweth what is the wind which causeth the Mill to go he knoweth by what rule and for what end and from what principle ye act all things are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} naked and open in the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 The words are very Emphatical and signifie thus much That as the Lineaments and outside of the Body is very visible when it is naked and uncloathed and as the bowels and inside are discovered when the body is dissected and anatomized So are both your outwards and inwards your actions and affections manifest naked and open to God Nay he beholdeth what ye do in the dark you may work so cunningly as to hide your designs and works from men but not from God there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves Job 34.22 This Sun knoweth no night no darkness where ever he is and he is infinite and omnipresent it is light and day therefore the eyes of Christ Rev 1.14 are said to be as a flame of fire implying his omniscience and that he is able to disperse all darkness For Philosophy and experience teach us that those Creatures which have fiery eyes can see in the dark and the reason is clear because they do not see as we do Recipendo species ab objecto sed extra-mittendo species by receiving species from the Object but by sending out species or rays which do both inlighten the medium the ayr and apprehend the Object Thus Christ seeth in the dark ye see yea the darkness hideth not from him but the night shineth as the day to him the darkness and the light are both alike Psal. 139.12 Ponder then this omnipresence and omniscience of God and walk before him and be upright Gen. 17.1 The Moralist would have his Scholars to live always as in the eye of Cato O do you live ever as in the eye of God Beware what thou dost for God seeth thee God standeth in the Congregation he judgeth among the Gods Psal. 82.1 He judgeth among you he is present with you not always in regard of approbation for your deeds may be evil but always in regard of observation This was Iehosaphats Argument to incite his Judges to care and caution 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement He is with you in the judgement With you to commend and praise you if ye do well to condemn and punish you if you do ill to observe and take notice whether ye do well or ill As if Jehosaphat had said I cannot ride circuit with you nor be present with you in all your Councils but the Lord a greater then I can and doth he is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of Gifts ver. 7. When the Ethiopian Judges were set in their seats of Judicature certain empty Chairs were placed about them some say twelve into which they imagined the holy Angels came And this they hoped would work in their Magistrates circumspection and fear of doing any thing unworthy the Angels eye-observation I must tell you a greater then Angels is here even the God of Angels therefore be wary and watchfull take heed what ye do Among the Egyptians it is reported When their Rulers were set they caused the Image of a Divine Numen to be hung about his neck who sat next to the Judges The Deity is ever near you with you among you Let the consideration thereof quicken you to zeal and faithfulness in all your transactions This made David the King of Israel so upright and holy in his Conversation I have kept thy precepts for all my wayes are before thee Psal. 119.68 Observe his holy carriage I have kept thy precepts and its heavenly cause for all my ways are before thee or as in another place I have set the Lord always before me Psal. 16.8 As if he had spoken I have not done what seemed good in my own eyes I have not walked according to my own will but my race hath been according to the Rule which thou hast prescribed me I have kept thy precepts for I considered thou wast an ear-witness to my words therefore I did set a watch before my lips that I might not offend with my tongue that thou wast an eye-witness to my works therefore I endeavoured that my feet might not decline thy paths That thou wast an heart-witness to my thoughts therefore I durst not let vain thoughts lodge within me I have kept thy precepts for all my ways are before c. Surely if Alexanders empty Chair which his Captains when they met in Council sate before them did cause them to be kept in such good order what behaviour should the presence of God cause among the Gods The Jews covered Christs face and then they buffetted him Men hide God from their eyes and think to hide themselves from Gods eyes and then make bold to provoke him Believe it Reader God seeth thee what ever thou dost he is present with thee wherever thou art when thou art in thy Closet in thy Family among thy Neighbours when thou art punishing Drunkards or Swearers in the Parish where thou livest when thou art sitting on the bench at the Sessions or Assize he observeth in what manner thou actest whether coldly and carelesly as one indifferent about the discouraging of sin though sin deal not so mildly with men when it turneth them into intolerable and eternal flames or whether diligently and fervently as one fired with love to his Majesty and zeal for his glory and hatred of iniquity He observeth from what principle thou actest whether from nature or grace and for what end thou actest whether thy own or his glory whether it be to please such a man or the blessed God whether to get thy self a name or to make his name great Job hath a notable expression I wish it were written on every Magistrates heart He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous
thoughts of sin and holiness then now ye have Sin will not be so pleasant and lovely nor holiness so mean and unworthy as now it is in your eyes Probably you can hear of death by the reports of others and be little troubled ye can stand it out stiffly against such false fire with We must all die and Nothing so sure God knoweth who shall go next and the like all this while the heart not with seriousness considering of it so as to be preparing for it The soul as much neglected God as little regarded and the affections as much inslaved to fleshly lusts as before But when Death * climbs up to your own windows and entereth into your Chamber and comely with its pale save to your bed side and boldly arresteth you with a warrant from Heaven assuring you by its symptoms on your body that you must in good earnest into the other world and there have all your walkings and workings interpreted and examined by the infinitely pure and righteous God and your souls according to your deeds sentenced impartially and sent immediately to Heaven or Hell then surely your apprehensions of a new Nature and strict Conversation will change and you will wish with all your souls for a little of others oyl for your Lamps will go out The stoutest unregenerate heart alive will droop at last when God cometh to take away his soul then his crest falls and his plumes flag Now possibly thy Cup overfloweth thou hast a large portion of the good things of this world and they have so much of thy heart that thou art little troubled about the things of the other world the Table of thy life now is richly spread with honours pleasures relations possessions and these have the largest share in thy heart in these thou solacest thy self desiring no other Heaven But what wilt thou do when Death shall come with a Voider and take all away even all thy treasure on earth then thou wilt wish thou couldst find a treasure in Heaven that thou mightest die the death of the Righteous and have thy latter end like his But oh Friend thou shouldst then have lived their lives and have had thy conversation like theirs as the Crab in the Fable told the Serpent who when she had received her deaths wound for her crooked conditions stretched out her self straight At oportuit sic Vixisse that she should have been straight in her life time The way to make thy death comfortable is to make thy life serviceable to God and thy soul He that would enjoy true rest when he dyeth must labour faithfully and diligently whilst he liveth It will be like a dagger at the heart in an hour of death to reflect upon the talents misimployed and opportunities misimproved which free grace afforded you for the honouring of God and furthering of your own salvations Sins of omission will wound deeper at a dying hour then most are aware of God hath committed a great trust to you and the day of your lives is the only time of discharging it besides ye know not how few hours ye may have to your day whether it shall be a Winter or a Summer day the shadows of the evening may suddenly stretch themselves upon you and then it will be no longer day therefore work the work of him that sent you into the world while it is day for the night cometh wherein no man can work John 9.4 Is it not sad that our common observation should he so much verified in the practices of great men That Bells strike thick while they are rising but stand still and give no sound at all when they are at full pitch That Magistrates should like the Sun the higher in the Zodiack move the slower The more noble creatures are the more active they are Men more active then Beasts Angels then men One I remember observeth that God would not accept the first-born of an Ass because it was a a dull slothful creature The Spirit of God which is in all that are sanctified is compared to fire Acts 2. therefore they that would not grieve it must not be slothful in business but fiery fervent seething hot as the word signifieth in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Hence it was that the Church of Ephesus got letters testimonial from Heaven Revel. 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour how thou canst not bear them that are evil And indeed the more good a Justice hath in himself the less he will bear with evil in others Augustine hath a true saying Qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous for God hath no true love to God For though love be a passion yet it delighteth to shew it self in acting for the party beloved When Calvin grew sickly some friends disswaded him from hard studying but he gave them this answer Vultisne Christum me invenire otiosum would you have Christ when he comes to me by death to find me idle So do ye think that when sinners Jehu-like drive furiously ye should not like Aegyptians go heavily least death find you idle Observe what became of the idle servant that hid his talent in a napkin Matth. 25.30 He was punished with an eternal long night who would not work in his short day 3. Consider the day of Judgement God will then search and sentence you discover and reward you according to your works Ye that examine and try others shall then be examined and tryed your selves and ye that acquit or condemn others shall then be acquitted or condemned your selves How should this thought move you to walk exactly since your hearts shall be anatomized and your lives manifested before God Angels and men Could ye but as Jerom hear the sound of the last trump always in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement surely ye would he holy Judges and Justices indeed Peter maketh this argument a strong enforcement to holiness 2 Pet. 3.10 11. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Observe the certainty of it The day of the Lord will come If it were doubtful it would not be so dreadful but it will come surely though it come slowly therefore men had need to be holy Tertullian observed of all those that profest Christianity in his time none lived so loosely as those that did not believe the certainty of the day of judgement But observe 2. the suddenness of it The day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night when men at midnight are securely sleeping they dream not of nor prepare for a theif It is sometimes called a day Matth. 25.13 propter revelationem secretorum
things that are now dark and secret shall be then as clear and apparent as at noon day the fire of that day will make things legible which are written with the juyce of Lemons In that Spring time both wholsome roots and poysonous will be discovered which all the winter of this life were hid The books of Gods Omniscience and mans Conscience saith one shall be then opened and secret sins shall be then as legible as if it were written with the brightest star or the most glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Chrystal Eccles. 12. ult. And it is said to be at night propter improvisionem c. because of most mens unpreparedness for it The destruction of this new world by fire will find men generally in the same careless carnal secure sensual condition as did the destruction of the old world by water Luke 21.35 as the snare on a sudden catcheth the bird so will that day of the Lord seise on such beasts Observe 3. the dreadfulness of it The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent hear and the earth and the works thereof shall be burnt up Well may it be called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Judge will be a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and shall come in flaming fire 1 Thes. 1.6 7. try them by a fiery law Deut. 33.2 before a tribunal of fire Ezek. 1.27 plead with them in flames of fire Isa. 60.15 and condemn ungodly ones to eternal fire O how dreadful is the voyce and noise of Fire Fire in the night how fearful and frightful then will such fires at the day of Judgement be As often as I think of that day my whole body trembleth saith Hierom. Observe 4. the Apostles inference from it What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness as if he had said We had need to have grace in truth that must undergo such a trial We that must meet with so strict and dreadful an examination had need to be holy to admiration What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Surely if any argument imaginable can perswade to purity this terrible day can do it The sound of the last Trump may well cause a retreat and call us off from an eager persuit of the flesh and world Eccles. 11.9 and it may also stir you up to purity if ye would meet Christ at that day in peace The Throne of Christ is a white Throne Rev. 20.11 and O with what trembling heart wilt thou O black sinner stand before this white Throne 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous be scarcely saved not in regard of the uncertainty but difficulty where shall the sinner and ungodly appear Surely the drunkards cup then will be Wormwood not Wine The sentence on the swearer then will be of cursing not blessing as he loved cursing now so then will it come to him the Adulterers pleasure now will then prove poyson and the prayerless man now will then pray hard work in prayer for some ease some end if not a pardon yet a reprieve for one hour at least one drop of water to cool his tongue but he shall work at the Labour in vain and be eternally denyed O look therefore and make sure of true holiness of the power of godliness for the fire of that day will discover whether you are dross or gold look that the rule by which you walk be right even the Word of God for by that you shall be judged for your eternal life or death John 12.36 Ah how exactly shouldst thou live that must be tryed for thine endless estate by so strict a law How diligently shouldst thou keep thy heart knowing that God will judge the secrets of thy heart Rom. 2.16 How carefully shouldst thou keep the door of thy lips considering that of every not only swearing or cursing but idle word which thou shalt speak thou shalt give an account at the day of Christ Matth. 12.35 How wary shouldst thou be in all thy deeds believing that thou shalt appear at the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account of every thing done in the body of flesh whether it be good or whether it be evil 2 Cor. 5.10 So think so speak so act as one that must be judged for all at the great day of Christ This may likewise incite you to work as Gods amongst men because at that day Christ will come and his reward will be with him to give to every one according to his works Rev. 22.12 Your actions now are seed if ye would reap liberally on that great harvest day ye must sow liberally in this seed-time Christ will then demand how ye improved the many advantages and opportunities which he put into your hands for the magnifying his Name countenancing his people propagating his Gospel punishing his enemies and discouraging the workers of iniquitie He will ask you why at such a time when you knew his Name was blasphemed his Day was prophaned his Ministers and Ordinances were trampled upon you never stirred or were zealous for their vindication you thought it was good sleeping in a whole skin you were loth to offend your neighbours or you were unwilling to get the ill will of great ones that under pretence of love to all the people of God would have his blasphemous adversaries spared nay encouraged See whether that Jesuitical tenent That Magistrates must only be second-table men that they have nothing do in matters of Religion will hold water at that day O how exceedingly will such be ashamed of it then who now own it in their principles and practices possibly thou art one of that Heathen Gallio's Disciples that would meddle in matters of wrong but sit still in matters of Religion Acts 18.14 17. Gallio cared for none of those things I must tell thee thou art like then to find Hell hot for thy being so cold in the cause of the blessed and glorious God O think of that day and let it move thee to a faithful zealous discharge of thy duty Zaleucus Locrensis in his proeme to his laws hath these words Let this be often pressed upon men that there are Gods and that an account must be given to them of mens actions Consider the day of the Lord is coming and who may abide it In a word Hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles. 12.13 14. FINIS Hiero. in proae ad Obad. * Hosanna signifieth Save I pray thee or preserve I beseech thee †Allelujah Praise ye the Lord Ego Dixi Concessio est qua tamen oftendit Propheta nihil perversis Judicibus praesidii fore in facta persona quam illis Deus imposuit Calv. in loc. The