the Subjects is the charge of Princes For to this end hath God ordained them witnesse the Apostle Rom. 13. He is the Minister of God for thy wealth for thy good if then doe well for thy comfort if thou doe ill for thy terrour and yet therein for thy good for it is as good for some to be terrified as for others to be comforted and indeed this is the proper greatnesse of Kings and Princes that God hath made them the great instruments of common good As if no blessing could be passed to his people but under the great seale of their office A wonderfull honour unto them For even as Ioseph in Aegypt was set over the corn so as he might have relieved or starved not the Egyptians onely but the Countries of the World neere unto it in the time of famine and this Ioseph was there for the second man in the Kingdome So Princes are the second to God himselfe in that God hath put into their hands to doe universall good unto their people A goodly honour which as it doth require great residence upon so great a charge so may it much encourage Christian Princes to doe their office the benefit whereof is so universall And if it might please Princes sometimes to looke about them and when they shall see a poore man labouring and toyling all day as a servant in base worke and all for the backe and belly or perhaps for a few poore children at home that cry for bread and then to think good Lord how this man toyles and all his worke is but for himselfe where I labour not as a servant but as a Lord in workes not base but honourable and not onely have the good of it to my selfe but am an universall good as a blessing sent of God to the whole Land Such a meditation shall greatly encourage them to seeke the good of their people I will seeke saith he that is use all diligence and endeavour If Princes seeke not the good of their Subjects it will not be found Great things will not be done without great labour if they seeke not things will be other wayes done then they would and which is the mischiefe other mens faults will be scored upon their accounts It is said of Galba that many things passed under his name of which he was innocent yet because he permitted them whom he ought to have brideled or was ignorant of that which he ought to have knowne he lost reputation and opened the way to his owne overthrow The fault was other mens the blame his If they seeke not they may be abused by such as I spake of before Flatterers and Misinformers such as will alwayes be about Princes to cast shadowes and stand in the light of their best Subjects as Ziba did to Mephibosheth unlesse Princes be wise as an Angell of God to finde out the hand of Ioab in the disguisings of the woman of Tekoah We have heard now what he will doe He will seeke their good but let us also consider Why For the house of the Lord What is that The Tabernacle the Temple being not built as yet But how was that Gods house doth the Lord dwell in houses made of hands or could he be contained in a Tent that filleth heaven and earth Surely no but because he did there reveale himselfe by Sacramentall representations as Princes sometimes marry by their pictures he is said to dwell there and that to be his house The thing is because of Gods true worship and service he will seeke their good Where I beseech you that it may be marked that this should be the speciall end of procuring the wealth of the people for the house of the Lord for the religion sake and the true worship of God Indeed this is the speciall thing to know God and feare God aright And if Princes provide not this for their Subjects peace and traffique and such like makes no better provision for them then is made for oxen in good pasture nay not so good for an oxe therein hath all he needs but a man without this is left unprovided in the farre greater part even in his soule And as Princes without this care provide not well for their people so they provide but ill for themselves for they can have no certaine assurance of their Subjects without it The great bond of Allegiance is an oath of the Lord What if a professed Atheist take an oath is hee bound He is not sui iuris What if he that is an Atheist in effect take an oath one I meane that denies the power of godlinesse that hath a dispensatory conscience and will make licences to his conscience as Roagues doe to themselves under hedges What if a man be a Papist that beleeves as he is bound by their rules to doe that the Pope hath power at his pleasure to dispence with an oath and to dissolve any bonds hath the Prince any assurance of such a Subject which hath his dependency upon the pleasure of a foraigne power It is true then that nothing can cast a sure knot upon the conscience of the Subject but the true knowledge and feare of God So as when Princes doe advance the good of Gods house they establish the good of their owne all in one I adde further in this point that which is to be observed in all the Kings of Israel and Iudah that their Stories begin with this observation as with a thing first worthy to be Chronicled how they dealt in matters of Religion Such a King and such a King and what did he He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord And such a King he walked in the wayes of Ieroboam the Sonne of Nebat which made Israel to sinne I spare to cite places but it is the generall observation of those Bookes of Kings and Chronicles as they that read them know yea farther it may be marked that as generally when Princes have forgotten to seeke the good of their Subjects to which they were ordained of God God hath surely plagued them himselfe perhaps so much the more severely because none may doe it but he and he will doe it throughly when he takes it in hand So yet specially hath God humbled Princes and even povred contempt upon them when they have contemned or forsaken the house of the Lord Of this the Scripture gives us examples as well in such as never advanced the house of God as in those that fell off in part or in whole As we may see in the stories of Iehoram Iehoas and even of Salomon whose fal I cannot name without trembling to thinke that such a man so wise that had spoken with God twice as it were familiarly I meane by vision should in his old dayes be seduced and fall to set up grose idolatry As for Iehoram he refused the house of the Lord God raised him up adversaries and after smote him with a disease in his bowels of which he died
miserably and when he was dead his people made no mourning for him as for other Kings so he was neither happy living nor honoured dead because he sought not the good of his people for the house of the Lord Iehoas also did well as long as Jehoida his good Councellour lived but when Jehoida dyed the Kings goodnesse dyed with him Then the Princes came to the King and spake reverently to him and compasse him with good words as with a net for as Salomon saith He that flattereth a man spreads a net for his steps he yeelds and forsakes the house of the Lord But what became of it First the Aramires came and with a small band they overthrew a great Army and slew the Princes that had misled the King and left the King himselfe in great diseases so that he was spared to live longer to be as it were but longer in dying and yet at last his owne servants slew him and when he was dead they buried him not in the sepulcher of the Kings as not thinking him worthy of a Kings sepulcher that had not done a Kings office for the house of the Lord I might speake of others and all to shew that God hath specially humbled Princes when they have forsaken or impugned his true worship doing executions upon them on as high a stage as they played their parts on that their punishment as their faults might be of speciall height and note I will adde one observation more that through neglect of this care of Religion the power of Christian Princes was lost and while they put off to the Prelates all the care of the house of God God also cast from them their authority and made them vassals So they lost their greatnesse and the Clergy found it and it hurt them both It is as I remember a note of Platina in the life of Adrian the third that after they had fully ingrossed the Emperiall power there was never since Emperour of strength or Pope of vertue so they lost both by it And indeed as the blood if it fall any way out of the veines too much there is some danger but if it fall into the body extra vasa there is more danger for there it will corrupt and putrifie so was it with the supreame authority of Princes when they suffered it to fall unto the Clergy as it were extra vasa And here I desire to informe a mistery a mistery of iniquity to shew how from the authority usurped in Ecclesiasticall causes claime is made to the whole power of Princes Bellarmine saith in his fift Booke of the Roman Bishop a fourth and sixt Chapters that the Pope hath nothing to doe with temporalties of Kings properly nay his word is directly but he hath it indirect indirectly as true as may be indirectly indeed As how He may not saith he depose Princes simply as a Lord but for the safety of soules for the good of the Church so from the care of the Church they challenge power over Princes Good cause have Princes then to maintaine their supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall and to be jealous of that title as also to use that power for the good of the house of the Lord lest if they cast away one moity God cast away the other And here may come in that last branch of the first part which through haste I forgot which I desire might be of use though it come somewhat out of the proper place I meane that time that Now of which he said I will speake peace Why now ment he that he would doe it out of hand and keepe the word of a Prince which is to them as great a band as an oath of the subjects Nay but by this note of time Now as Illericus well observes in his Clavis Scriptura not so much the time as the circumstance of the time is often noted And so it carrieth a reason why he would now speake peace unto them yea and as I thinke why he would now procure their good for the house of God sake For I see not but that it may be referred to the whole Grant I will now speake peace unto thee I will now procure thy wealth But why Now Because the people were so forward and came thus to the house of God and said Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem Therefore in this float of good affections in the Subjects the Kings heart is inlarged and he promiseth now to speak peace and now to seeke their good Wherein it is good to consider that when God disposeth the hearts of the people to goodnesse to Religion Princes should specially cherish them and incourage them It is noted of David in 1 Chron. 29. that when the people offered willingly the King rejoyced Of Hezekiah also in 2 Chron. 20. when he drew the people to Jerusalem to worship and they came and offered that the King rejoyced that God had made the people so ready for the thing was done sodainly And indeed then to use them graciously and then to seeke their good for the house of Gods sake when God hath best disposed their hearts is a speciall meanes to cherish goodnesse it selfe and is the crowne of the benefit We read of Ethelbert that Christian King of Kent that he would compell none to Religion but he drew religious men about him and countenanced them and by that meanes increased them innumerably And surely this is a worthy course to advance godlinesse and vertue as strong as any compulsary meanes Because every man saith Salomon seekes the face of the Ruler which if no man could finde but in the way of godlinesse and honesty none would seeke to finde in the way of vice and flattery To this circumstance I adde that as by the course of the Moone there be spring-tides at the change and at the full so at the change if any man will change a false religion for the truth and at the full if any man be growne to a full measure such as we attaine in this poore life I meane if any man be well thriven in goodnesse it is sit that spring-tides of favour should slow unto such But now to returne to the consideration of the house of God for which he will seeke their good The very words carry their weight and shew why he should specially seeke their good for the house of Gods sake and the good of the house of God It is the house of the Lord of Jehovah Should not that be cared for there is care of provision for the Kings house and good cause there should be so and he is not worthy to be the subject of a good Prince that should grudge it Now should there not be care for the provision of Gods house He addes our God that is his God and their God He must needs seek their good for the house sake of that God which was their God One God to both one house of God to both chara pignora one God
her owne things And this is trve graciousnesse and like the goodnesse of God himselfe who is good to us for his owne goodnesse sake and for our good not for his He gaines not surely by any match at our hands For my brethren and companions sake These very words have weight and carry a secret reason of that respect for which he will speake peace unto them They are brethren not of the same wombe but of the same nature in common Brethren by the mothers side the common mother Companions for so the word signifies not in the Court but in the same Countrey companions in the house of God and in the Convenant of grace and in that respect brethren by the fathers side partners of that honour which all good Princes take to be and is their greatest honour that they are the children of God Brethren in nature a thing which as no Prince will deny so none need be ashamed of seeing Christ himselfe though he were the sonne of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet in respect of the partnership in the flesh was not ashamed to be called a brother and to call us brethren as the Author to the Hebrewes saith This consideration is a great motive it was so to Iob he durst not contemne the judgement of his servants no not of his maid when they contended with him For saith he what shall I then doe when God standeth up and when he shall visit me What shall I answer Why so He that made me in the wombe hath he not made him that is in effect is he not my brother It yeelds a gracious meditation for Christian Princes as to thinke in time of famine these that dye as starved they are not dogs they are my brethren in the time of Pestilence this is not a murren of cattell they are my brethren that thus perish in the oppression of a poore man this is not an horse overloaden which yet a man should pitie though it were his enemies horse this is my poore brother whom God made whom Christ dyed for So in their lawfull suits and cries these are not the cries of other creatures nor of strangers but of my brethren How will my Father take it at my hands if I the elder brother use not my yonger brethren graciously So we see in the Kings Grant what to whom and for what respect he promiseth Of all which the Vse is first unto Princes then unto their servants about them and lastly to all their Subjects As touching to use to the Lords anointed having dressed these things with so homely cookery it will not become me to be a carver also to my soveraign Lord but humbly and in the feare of God doe beseech your Majesty to give me leave to apply this unto you in Pauls words to Timothy Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things yea humbly beseech your Majesty to know your selfe and your owne most gracious disposition of which every man reporteth that speaketh with you in private and still to use it and to speake graciously to your loving Subjects And for the rest it remaines also that your Majesty hunt away two beasts the tame beast and the wilde the flatterer and the false informer which shall attempt to set off your sweet affections from any of your loving Subjects The second Vse is to the servants that attend about the Kings person and to them it is a word of Admonition that seeing it is the office and duty of a King and the desire and disposition of our gracious King to speake peace unto his people they would take heed of doing any evill office betweene the King and his good Subjects by applying unwisely causticks to the sinewes for if it be a cursed thing to set division betweene brethren what is it betweene the Father and the children Assuredly to alienate by any meanes the heart of the Prince from the people or of the people from the Prince is a worke for the Divell and not for any of the Kings good servants And lastly to us all it is a word of incitation that we should know what to be thankfull unto God for that have a gracious Prince to speake unto us and also to pray that God would ever so dispose of the Kings heart unto his people and all his people unto him againe that as he came unto us with the greatest applause that ever Prince entred with all so he may continue with the greatest acceptance that ever Prince had and may make us but one onely mourning day that is the day of separation like the mourning for good Iosiah for whom all Israel lamented when he dyed And secondly how to beare our selves as loyall and dutifull Subjects with all reverence to the Lords anointed that we may be worthy of gracious usage And if perhaps something fall out otherwise let us remember that of Salomon If the spirit of him that ruleth rise up against thee goe not out of thy place take not the sturdy Consider thy selfe if thou be a Master how thou usedsts thy servants if a Father how thou art sometimes passionate to thine owne children and then remember that Princes have greater provocations greater power And if there be something in them which may not be justified yet the reverence and duty of Subjects is to hide it going backward Thus much for the first part of this Charter Now come we to the other wherein he saith I will procure thy wealth The word signifies to seeke but with all endeavours to obtaine and therefore is well translated procure that is I will doe thee good Indeed it is a gracious thing to speake peace unto them but more gracious to doe them good We say in an homely proverbe Better meat without sauce then sauce without meat yet no doubt two good things together are best A childe that is hungry may be stilled a while with dandling and singing but it must have the brest or else it will not be contented long Good and gracious words please well but good deeds doing justice seeking the common good is that which gives the chiefe content unto the Subjects But why saith he I will procure had he not done it yes undoubtedly but he will doe it still he will doe it more as he had also spoken peace unto them before but will speake it still unto them God hath given Princes such power and meanes that they should and might be continuall fountaines of goodnesse unto the people But let us consider now more particularly this part of the Kings promise Wherin first What he would doe and secondly Why. The thing What hath in it two branches First the very object of his care that is their good Secondly the manner of procuring it noted in the word of seeking which is a word of strong signification and importeth all diligence and industry in seeking their good For the former let it be observed that the good of
in Samaria of the Papists Sixtly As to the point of the good disposition of the people to be cherished by good Princes which God knoweth I cast unwillingly into that latter part of my Sermon I doe humbly confesse unto your blessed Majesty that the time gave me as good an heart as the text did occasion to speake of it the rather because I have perceived good mens discourses to this effect Surely the undoubted affections of the most religious Subjects made the Kings happy entrance amongst us to be so open and so easie Others when they saw it unpossible to resist hasted to be before us in favour as they were behinde us in affection no otherwise then Shemei came in first to salute David at his returne that in his trouble went out to curse him we were then ready with our lives in our hands to have cut out his Maâ—esties way to the crowne with our owne swords and now are ready to dye for him at any houres warning Good Lord what is it that we cannot be gratified in a suit so generally made so easily and not safely alone but profitably granted and no lesse in our concâ—iâ—s for the Kings honour and safety then for our common comforts and quiet of the Church of God Seventhly and lastly I doe upon my knees confesse unto your most excellent Majesty that by Pollios glasses I did intend to notifie the Ceremonies for which this Church of God hath bin in vexation above fifty yeeres And though they be small things yet have they caused great troubles as light exhalations breed great tempests and the course of Religion hath bin much hindred by them as is the way of a ship in the sea by the little fish Remora as Plinie writes Things which I confesse I hold not impious but needlesse and scandalous of some so extreamely hated of others so supersticiously affected as a good man cannot tell whether to please himselfe best in pleasing or displeasing others Many hundred worthy Ministers thinke them unlawfull and would surely dye rather then use them some others will much more willingly performe their subjection to your Majesty in bearing the penalty then suffer by their occasion so many to fall off to Brownisme on the one hand and others to rise up in scorne and contempt of their lightnesse on the other Thus is the state of the poore Ministry like that of the Britons betwixt the sword of the Saxons and the Sea in which case most noble Prince I protest to God I durst not but speak by way of supplication before your presence more then ever I spake before the people for what knew I whether God had brought me thither for that time and whether the Kings Maâ—esty would hold out his golden Scepter unto me and thought this motion the more seasonable because the things yeelded upon suit for peace sake might goe out with flying colours one side satisfied with their justification the other gratified with their remove both reunited within themselves and strengthned against the common enemy the frame of the present government being still continued with good approbation and confirmed by our inward peace These Motives most dread Soveraigne led me into that course which I tooke was without counsell or conference with other person or persons Now durst I prefer mine own possibilities of attaining the Princes service to this duty In all which I had no unreverend thought in my heart to compare my Soveraigne to any of those evill examples which I alleadged in my discourses For the rest I could onely plead as Luther before the Emperour for pardon of rudenesse that I have not beene acquainted with the tender eares of Princes but doe onely beseech your Majesty for Christs sake to pardon the errours of my love unto you Beseeching God to blesse your Majesty and all your progeny and to make your name more honorable then the name of all the Kings your predecessours in this Land Your Majesties most loyall subject and poore prisoner in the Fleet John Burges