of Christ and his religion shall never faile The heavens shall sooner loose their influence and the starres their light then the Ministry of the Church be without its strength and vertue Neither the open violence of tyrants nor the secret vnderminings of Antichrist nor hell it selfe shall ever be able to let or hinder it And thus much of the Efficacy and Operatiue power of the Ministry The authority and jurisdiction annexed therevnto is exceeding great and ample I stand astonished at the consideration thereof for among the sonnes of men there is none comparable to it Among the sonnes of men say I Nay among the Angells of God saith Chrysostome For neither to them nor to Kings or Princes but only to the Ministers of the Gospell are the keyes of the kingdome of heaven giuen These only haue power to open the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue and to shut the gates against those that continue in incredulity These haue authority to binde and loose to remit and retaine sinnes to enter men by baptisme into the visible Church to admit them or withold them from the holy communion to cut off notorious sinners from the body of the Church by excommunication to deliuer them over to Satan and if they proue incorrigible by anathema maranatha to separate them from the Church vntill the Lord come Adde herevnto that whatsoever they doe here on earth by vertue of the keyes the same is eftsoones ratified by God in heauen according to that of our Saviour whose sins soeuer yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes soeuer yee retaine they are retained and againe whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Now as the Iurisdiction of the Ministrie is wondrous great so is the extent thereof exceeding large For it stretcheth it selfe without exception of condition or degree vnto all men If I should say Angels also perhaps I should not say much amisse Else what meaneth that of the Apostle vnto Principalities and Powers in heauenly places is made knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God For seeing the Church maketh nothing knowne but by the Ministrie and the Angels come to the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God by the Church it seemeth that they also are in some things informed by the Ministrie And thus at length to summe vp all that hath beene said you haue clearely demonstrated not only that the Science we professe is of all other the most transcendent and operation of our Ministrie the most effectuall but also that the authority and jurisdiction therevnto annexed is of all other the greatest and largest Out of all which I hope I may be bold to inferre the conclusion principally intended that our calling is therefore of all other the most worthy And is it so indeed that the Ministry is of all callings the most noble and honourable Then belike they that are advanced therevnto are accordingly to be esteemed Without question they are Reason telleth vs it ought to be so God commandeth that it be so The more strange it seemes that whereas all other sorts of men are regarded answerably vnto their places Ministers only are vilipended and least set by For that so it hath ever beene the monuments of former ages sufficiently testifie Noah was mocked of the old world Lot of the Sodomites Aaron of Korah Dathan and Abiron David of Michol Micaiah of Ahab and his false Prophets Elizeus of the children and Iehus captaines and generally all the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord by the Iewes In the new Testament Christ himselfe was set at naught the Apostles when they were filled with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost were flouted at as full of new wine St. Paul when he discoursed most profoundlie before the Athenians of the mysteries of Christian religion was counted of them but a vaine Babler and vniversallie all the Apostles every where were no better reckoned of then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offals off scourings of the world doe not we Ministers now a dayes drinke of the same cup or are we not baptized with the same baptisme wherewith Christ and his Apostles were yes verily Contempt pursues vs also and perhaps the more the more inferior we are vnto them Giue me leaue to shew it in particular if for no other cause yet to confound the hypocrisie of these times wherein men loue not to be but to seeme to be and to take religion on them rather then into them howbeit briefly for what pleasure can either you take in hearing or I in discoursing of so sad a theme The Honour due vnto the Ministrie is double Internal External Internal in the Minde in the Affection In the Minde honourable estimation in the Affection Loue. External in Word in Gesture in Deed. In Word honourable mention in Gesture reverent behaviour in deed liberal and bountifull maintenance All these Honours doe we iustlie claime as due vnto vs yet are they all most shamefully denied vs. For as touching the first it is as cleare as the sun at noone-day by what hath beene already said that the Calling of the Ministry is in it selfe aboue all other the most honourable Expresse testimonie of Scripture vnanswerable arguments deduced from it haue sufficiently manifested the same Now wee know that reason would that every thing be valued according to the worth thereof and very simple doe wee count him that sets no better price vpon silver then lead vpon gold then copper vpon emerauds and diamonds then pibble stones Which being so it followeth that the Ministry of the Gospell being indeed so pretious a jewell as in the iudgement of all accordingly to be esteemed and very foolish or froward must hee needs be that disesteemeth or vndervalueth so invaluable a treasure And yet how many are there in these daies who despise this sacred function and set it at nought some happily through ignorance not knowing the worth thereof but others out of profanenesse preferring a messe of pottage before a birth-right An evident signe and token whereof this may bee among others that those of the better ranke either for wealth or gentility count themselues too good for the Ministry and hold it a foule disparagement to bestow their children that way No that is an employment fit for poore mens children only Or if at any time they vouchsafe to designe their sonnes therevnto they are but of the yonger sort ard such as they finde altogether vnapt for any other calling for otherwise the law or marchandise or some trade of more advantage swaies them and carries them cleane away Nay even those that are of good parentage and equall vnto others if once they enter into the Ministry they hold them abased thereby and the very name of a Priest shall bee cast into their teeth as a
only vpon misprision as some worthy divines haue obserued not well distinguishing betweene Essence and Subsistence whereof that is finite this infinite For Christs humanity though according to its essence or Naturall being it bee not every where but determined vnto one place yet in respect of his Subsistence or Personall being it is every where and circumscribed in no place For proper Subsistence of its owne and in it selfe it hath none only the Subsistence of the Sonne of God is communicated vnto it which is infinite vnlimited Secondly if this Power of Christ though finite yet be incommunicable and cannot passe from him to any other what presumption what arrogance is it in him who not being Christ yet dares say with Christ Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given me both in heaven and in earth Who therevpon takes vpon him to forge new Articles of Faith and to obtrude them vpon the Church vnder paine of damnation who also takes authority vnto him to make lawes equally binding the conscience with Gods lawes that without any relation vnto divine law at all Who finally for to reckon vp all the blasphemies of this sort would bee infinite pretends a power to dispence with the law of God to grant indulgences for sin to free men from the punishment inflicted by God vpon them for sinne Certainly whosoever challengeth these things to himselfe can be no lesse then Christi aemulus even Antichrist himselfe whose proud vsurpations vpon the power of Christ shall one day bee recompenced with equall shame and confusion The rather because thirdly whereas the power of Christ is not secular but spirituall hee claymeth both and so assumeth to himselfe more then euer Christ did Ecce in potestate nostrâ imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Lo saith Pope Adrian the empire is in our power to bestow it where we please And hence I suppose it is that insteed of the old style Vicarius Christi the Vicar of Christ they now begin to stile him Vicedeum the Vicar of God for that by this they may perhaps wrench in his temporall power which by the other they could not inasmuch as Christ neuer had it Lastly therefore seeing Christ contented himselfe with his spirituall power only reiecting that which is secular let not vs looke after outward pomp or state in his kingdome nor iudge of the Church by such deceitfull notes Rather let vs iudge of it by the lawes thereof and by the rule of Faith professed therein As the power of Christ is Spirituall so is his kingdome also and therefore by spirituall markes and notes to be discerned But to proceed The second point is in quos ouer whom or how farre his authority extendeth It is saith my text Over all flesh This word Flesh is diuersly vsed in Scripture Among other significations vsually it is put for Mankinde As where it is said that God saw all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth that is all men And againe All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower in the field And yet againe Except those daies should bee shortned no flesh that is no man should be saued And so is it to bee vnderstood in this place Christ hath power ouer all flesh that is ouer all mankinde Now he that saith all excepts none All men therefore of what age sexe degree condition or qualitie soeuer are vnder the power and iurisdiction of Christ. And as touching the Saints and those that are members of his mysticall body it is questionlesse For to them he is Caput a head to rule and governe them a Husband to order and direct them a Shepheard to feed and ouersee them Hee hath bought them with his most pretious blood he hath conquered them out of the hands of Satan and all that hated them hee rules by the scepter of his word and guides them by the manuduction of his blessed spirit And as he hath many waies made himselfe Lord ouer them and testified his authority and power by his mighty operations in them so haue they freely and voluntarily submitted and resigned themselues vnto him Power therefore hath he over these as over his obedient and louing subiects But question may be made touching reprobate and wicked men whether hee haue any authority and power over them yea or no. For as the Psalmist saith They band themselues and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed saying let vs breake their bands asunder and cast their cords from vs. And our Saviour in the parable Nolumus hunc regnare super nos we will not haue this man raigne ouer vs. But notwithstanding all this reluctation and resistance yet power and authority hath he ouer them still Rebellious subiects they may be yet subiects they are Will they nil they Dominabitur in medio hostium hee shall raigne in the midst of his enimies If they will not submit vnto the gentle scepter of his word he hath an yron rod in his hand wherewith to breake and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell And those his enimies that would not hee should raigne ouer them bring them hither will he say and slay them here before me Authority then he hath though they acknowledge it not and ouerrule them he will resist they neuer so much Overrule them I say either to their salvation by converting them or to their confusion by delivering them vp vnto their owne lusts In a word whether they be good or evill how high or low soeuer they be he is Lord of them all Rex regum dominus dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea Dominus tum mortuorum tum vivorum Lord both of quicke and dead But what Hath he power only of men and not of other things Yes questionlesse For saith David Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius thou hast put all things vnder his feet And the Apostle applying it vnto Christ addeth In that he put all in subiection vnder him hee left nothing that is not put vnder him Our Saviour Christ also himselfe affirmeth that all things are deliuered him of his Father yea that al power is giuen him both in heauen earth Particularly in heauen ouer the blessed Angels For saith S. Peter he is gone into heauen and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subiect vnto him Hee is vnto them a Head and Mediator though not of Redemption as vnto man yet of Confirmation in the state of grace and though not to deliuer out of misery yet to preuent their falling into misery Hence it is that they are reckoned in the number of those that pertaine vnto the Church that they minister both to the Head thereof and it also reioycing at the conversion of a sinner and desiring throughly to
yea St Steven generally vpbraids them yee stiffe-necked and vncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe yee All these Scriptures evidently demonstrate that the cause of not coÌ„ming after Christ is not for that Christ forceth man from him but because man himselfe refuseth to come Let the blame thereforely where it ought on man and not on God let God be true but every man a lyar as it is written that thou maist be iustified in thy sayings and overcome when thou art iudged As Christ forceth no man from him so neither doth he force any to come after him If any will let him God offereth violence to no mans will for though he hate evill loue good yet neither doth he violently draw the will from the one nor constraine it vnto the other Good is not good if it be done of compulsion and not willingly Hee that doth good by constraint would not doe it and â—o doth ill and God shall shew great mercy vpon him if he doe not punish him For the sacrifices which God accepteth are free will offerings it is the cheerefull giuer whom he approueth Hence is it that God requireth our election and choice and election importeth liberty I call heauen earth to record this day against you saith Moses that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life And Ioshua chuse you this day whom you will serue whether the Gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell In a word all the exhortations commandements promises and threatnings vsed in Scripture plainely argue that it is Gods will that what we doe wee should doe willingly Here happily some will say what are you fled into the enimies campe are you also become a Proctor for free will God forbid Our comming after Christ I ascribe not with Papists vnto the freedome of our owne will but vnto the free grace of God for I confesse that if he prevent vs not with grace we cannot will and being prevented if he pursue vs not with his grace wee shall will in vaine according to that of Saint Paul It is God which worketh in you to will and to doe of his good pleasure If it be so will you yet say why doth our Saviour Christ vse this forme of words if any will let him and doe you not overthrow all what hitherto you haue said affirming that we can neither will nor doe vnlesse by grace we be elevated aboue nature Herevnto to expresse my selfe more fully I answere foure things First if wee were such as we ought to be we might of our selues by the meanes offered vnto vs come vnto Christ. That now wee cannot is through our owne default who haue disabled our selues And yet the obligation still lieth vpon vs and wee are bound to bring with vs power abilility and fit dispositions If wee neither doe nor can yet may God iustly exact them of vs as the Creditor may his debt of the vnthrift that cannot pay him neither is he bound againe to enable him by grace no more then a Creditor is to supply the wants of his wastfull and prodigall debter Secondly although in things supernaturall and spirituall the act of Willing be not in our power yet are there many prerequisites going before which are in our power as to goe to Church to heare Gods word preached to meditate vpon it to seeke further information c. without which ordinarily God saueth none God blesseth not our idlenesse but our labour he that will not labour shall not eate he shall eat that seeketh his bread in the sweat of his browes He that will not plow nor sow shall not reap the crop and he that will not striue and endeauour himselfe shall not obtaine grace Thirdly if a man hauing the meanes of grace offered him shall therevnto adde his owne endeavour and doe whatsoeuer lieth in his owne power who knoweth but that God will bee gracious to that man Or rather to declare my mind freely I doubt not but that God will be gracious vnto him And although others wrench and stretch the place too farre for their owne advantage yet will I not bee afraid with as graue Divines as this land affordeth any to apply it vnto this purpose Habenti dabitur to him that hath shall be giuen God forsaketh not man vntill man forsaketh him neither fayles any vntill hee bee defectiue vnto himselfe Then indeed the talent which he would not imploy shal be taken from him but he that imploies it carefully shall receaue more yea shall haue abundance Being thus called and affected God will never cease to further our conversion vnlesse wee our selues stop his course either by carelesse neglect or wilfull rejection of grace Lastly when we haue done whatsoeuer we can doe yet is conversion out of our power it is the work of Gods free grace which grace of vnwilling maketh vs willing not by forcing and constraining the will but sweetly inclining and bending it For albeit God in converting vs bee said to draw vs yet may we not conceaue this Drawing to be constraint or violent coaction Hee drawes vs indeed what as stocks and stones No but as men I will draw them saith God with the cords of a man with the bands of loue Grace so prevaileth vpon the will as it preserueth the libertie thereof It cannot will before Grace grace maketh it willing When we are first converted by grace we convert willingly and whensoeuer we will wee will freely For will is not will vnlesse it be free Grace indeed setteth free the will yet except wee will our conversion freely we can neither be converted nor saued according that of Bernard Nisi sit liberum arbitrium non est quod saluetur nisi sit gratia non est vnde saluetur vnlesse there be free will there is nothing to be saued vnlesse there be grace there is no meanes whereby to bee saued And thus much haue I thought good to speake touching the forme of words or the liberty of them that are counselled partly to cleare God from being the cause why wee follow not this counsell and partly to set an edge vpon our endeauour to follow it The Counsell it selfe is threefold first abnegation of our selues secondly bearing of the crosse thirdly following of Christ. And of every of them there is a conditionall necessity if we will come after Christ. For howsoeuer simply we may chuse whether we will deny our selues or not deny our selues take vp the crosse or not take vp the crosse follow Christ or not follow him yet conditionally if wee will come after Christ we must of necessity deny our selues take vp our crosse daily and follow him So that in euery of these Counsels we are to consider first the Substance and then the Necessity
the naturall light of humane reason can afford which what a glow-worme it is and how subiect to mistaking who sees not Aristotle whose eyes were as sharpe sighted and peircing into these matters as ever any mans yet confesseth we are but owly-eyed in them and the Pyrrhonian Philosophers saw so much vncertainty in most things that they grew to maintaine an impossibility of knowing any thing So vaine is man in his imaginations and so full of darkenesse is his foolish heart that when they professe themselues to be most wise they become the starkest fooles But the truths of this divine science being supernaturall haue their certainty from a supernaturall light even the revelation of Gods spirit which can neither deceiue nor bee deceiued according to that of our Sauiour Flesh and blood hath not revealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen This is the light shining in the darke vntill the day dawne the day-starre rising in our hearts the Certitude of Faith which is simply and absolutely so because no falsehood can possibly be vnder it and being as Chrysostome saith more firme then all Demonstration as standing not in the enticeing speech of mans wisdome but in plaine evidence of the spirit and of Power True it is that this our Science sometime receiueth from humane wisdome yet not because shee needs it but because wee neede it nor for any defect or vncertainty in it but for the weaknesse of our vnderstanding which by those things that are knowne to naturall reason is more easily brought to vnderstand those things which are aboue reason For otherwise she is so farre from receiuing her Principles from any other Science that shee either allowes or controls all their rules and maxims as being their soveraigne Queene and Mistresse And thus much of the excellency of the Science of Divinity now of the Efficacy of the Ministry As is the man so is his strength saith the Proverbe in like manner as is our science so is our Ministry that the most noble therefore this the most powerfull That is most powerfull which worketh most effectually to atchieue ' its end and the more difficult the end is to bee attained the greater is the power that attaineth it Now what is the end of the Ministry It is as Saint Paul saith to build vp the body of Christ to open mens eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ that is in a word to make men partakers both of the state of grace in this life and of eternall glory in the life to come An employment as of highest consequence so of greatest difficulty that Saint Paul wondreth who might be sufficient for it Chrysostome saith that the Angels themselues would tremble to vndergoe the burthen Yet hath it pleased the wisdome of God in earthly vessels to convey vnto vs these heavenly treasures and to make the Ministry of weake mortall men mighty in operation able to pull downe strong holds and to cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to captiue every thought to the obedience of Christ. Hence is it that Esay calleth the word of God the arme of the Lord and Saint Paul the preaching of the Gospell the power of God vnto salvation Hence that God himselfe affirmeth that his word shall never returne vnto him void but shall accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Is it is not strange that the wolfe should dwell with the lambe and the leopard with the kid and calfe and the lion and the fat beast lye together and a little child lead them That the cow and the beare should feede together and their young ones lye downe together and the Lyon eate straw like the Oxe That the sucking child should play on the hole of the aspe and the weaned child put his hand on the Cockatrices den and all without either hurt or danger Yet all this is done through the knowledge of the Lord and by the power of our Ministry This is it that filleth vp every vally and levelleth every mountaine and hill that maketh the crooked straight and the rough waies smooth that all flesh may see the salvation of God The meaning of which allegoricall speech I cannot better expresse then in the words of Lactantius giue mee the man that is cholericke a railer vnruly and with a few words of God I will make him as meeke as a lambe Giue mee him that is greedy covetous gripple and I will make him liberall and giue bountifully with his owne hands giue me him that is fearefull of paine and death eftsoones shall he contemne his gibbets fires and Phalaris bull Giue me the lecher the adulterer the taverne haunter and by and by shalt thou see him sober chast and continent Giue me the cruell and bloud thirsty man and his fury shall soone be turned into clemency Finally giue me the vniust man the foole the sinner and forthwith hee shall be iust and wise and innocent Such and so great is the power of this divine wisdome that it quickly changeth a man and transformes him into another shape so as ye can hardly know him to be the same Neither let any man thinke that these are but words no they haue ordinarily beene and are daily done Did not Ionas with one sermon humble the pride of the King of Niniveh and all that mighty citty into sackcloth and ashes Did not Peter at his first preaching to the Iewes pricke them to the heart and at once adde about three thousand soules vnto the Church Did not Paul discoursing of iustice and temperance and iudgement to come make Felix the governour although a heathen yet to tremble But what speake I of particulars which are infinite Never did Alexander or Cesar with their huge hosts of armed men win so great victories or erect such troopes of honour to themselues as did the holy Apostles vnto the name of Christ. They were in number but twelue for the most part poore fishermen and vnlettered and despised in the eye of the world and yet within a few yeares armed only with the sword of the mouth and the power of this Ministry they conquered the whole world and subdued it to the obedience of Christ. And whom they subdued they so setled in the Faith that rather then they would renounce it they were content to endure most exquisite torments and to loose a thousand liues In like manner hath the Ministry hitherto prevailed and shall successiuely vnto the worlds end How many families of Philosophers haue heretofore failed without successor How many sects of Hereticks are vanished and melted away as dew before the sunne But the Church
fearfull ends And indeede to what end hath God put into the heart of man this passion of feare but to decline and avoid all such euills as would destroy him or afflict him Take away feare and men will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despise all danger and run headlong into all mischiefe but feare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a preseruing nature as saith the philosopher inclining and perswading man carefully to keepe himselfe from dangers If then to come to an issue yee will not worke mischiefe vnnaturally vnto your owne selues if yee will avoide the Magistrates fury if yee will not incurre the rigour of the law nor fall vpon the edge of the sword of justice yee must needs be subiect But what need will some man say so much to feare the Wrath of the Magistrate May not a man hide his counsells so deepe and carry his actions so cunningly that nor witnesse nor Iudge shall know them If they come to light and bee discouered doth not greatnesse breake through lawes as wasps doe through cobwebs May not judges jury witnesses by friends fauour bribes be corrupted Are pardons impossible to bee obtained from Princes Nay suppose the worst that the penalty of the law can by no meanes be escaped what care they for fines and amercements who are content to beggar themselues to enioy their pleasures What for shame and ignominy who are growne impudent in all wickednesse What for death who count it worse then death not to liue as they list and to bee barred from their desires For there haue beene who haue said moriar modo regnet let mee dye so he may be King and aut Caesar aut nihil an Emperour or nothing To all this I answere briefly first trust not vnto secrecy but remember what wise Solomon saith Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither the great one in thy bedchamber for the foule of the Heaven will carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall declare the matter Secondly hope not for impunity many as great as gratious as wealthy as thou haue failed thereof and how knowest thou but one time or other thou maist meete with one who will accept nor thy person nor thy fee but will say vnto thee with Saint Peter thy mony perish with thee Lastly if any haue so farre put off naturall affection as not to feare Wrath chusing rather to fall into the hands of justice then to be restrained from his wickednesse let such a one know that what Wrath cannot yet Conscience should worke in him For here it must freely bee confessed that Wrath of it selfe is not sufficient it striketh at the branches not the roote and endeavoureth to reforme outward actions but reacheth not vnto the cause which is inward corruption Which remaining in vs Wrath happily may make vs more wary in offending but cannot worke in vs a loue of goodnesse and a desire not to offend at all Wherefore God in his deepe wisdome hath thought it good to binde vs vnto subiection not by a single but double tie and vnto Wrath to adde Conscience Yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience Conscience is that facultie or power of the Practicall vnderstanding in man whereby he is priuy to all his actions whether they be immanent and conceaued within as thoughts or emanant and issuing forth as his words and workes This Conscience is then said to be bound when by him who hath power and authority ouer it it is charged to performe its dutie that is to beare witnesse of all our actions vnto God and according to the qualitie of them to excuse or accuse vs for that these are the duties of conscience plainely appeareth by that of S. Paul their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing This charge is then laid vpon the Conscience after that by the same authority man himselfe is bound for man being free Conscience also is free but man being bound by a law Conscience stands bound also But who is the binder of the conscience God without question He is the Law-giuer saith S. Iames that can both saue and destroy and he as S. Iohn saith is greater then the conscience But can the Magistrate also by his lawes binde the conscience Papists attribute vnto vs the Negatiue that they cannot themselues hold the Affirmatiue that they can and warrant it by this my Text Yee must bee subiect for conscience Vpon this plaine song sundry of them descant very pleasantly but none plaies the wanton more then Doctor Kellison who inferres that we despoile Princes of authority and superiority and giue subjects good leaue to rebell and revolt that we bring Iudges and Tribunall seats and all lawes into contempt that no Prince can rely on his subjects no subjects on their Prince or fellow subjects in a word that wee take away all society and ciuill conversation To all which I answere breefly First suppose the maine ground were true yet neither can they proue it out of my Text nor doe such absurdities follow therevpon Out of my Text they cannot proue it for that only affirmes that the Conscience is bound but determines not that mans lawes bindeth it Neither doe such absurdities follow for albâ—it wee should deny man to be the binder yet doe wee freely professe that the Conscience is bound which is enough But we answer farther that they much abuse vs for we deny not rem that they binde onely wee differ from them in modo maintaining that they binde not in such manner as they teach They hold that mens lawes binde non minùs guà m lex divina equally with Gods lawes so that were there not any law of God binding to Subiection yet mans law of it selfe and of its owne power would binde This we deny teaching contrarily that humane lawes binde the Conscience not immediatly but mediatly not primarily but secundarily not in themselues of their owne power but in the force and vertue of Divine law Divine law I say whether that which is imprinted in the heart by nature or that which is revealed vnto vs by Scripture both which command Subiection This truth in fâ—w words thus I demonstrate First if mans law immediatly binde the Conscience then is euery transgression thereof without farther respect vnto Gods law a mortall sinne But so it is not for according to St Iohns definition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is a transgression of the law meaning not mans but Gods law only in regard whereof St Augustine saith more expresly Sin is dictum factum concupitum any saying doing or coueting against Gods law Besides if man of himselfe without respect vnto Gods law can binde the conscience then either is he Lord of the conscience and may himselfe conuent it examine it take its testimonie and accordingly proceed to sentence either of life or death both vpon body and soule or he hath power to command God to sit in
judgement vpon the Conscience and to be the executioner of his lawes or finally hee bindes the Conscience in vaine and to no purpose To say that man is in such sort Lord of the Conscience is vnreasonable because his knowledge and power reach no farther then the outward man To say that man may command God is sacrilegious aduancing man aboue God Lastly to say that he bindeth in vaine and to no purpose is withall to say that their opinion is vaine and that man hath no such power at all To shut vp all in a word vnlesse a man may with as much security obey man as God man who is subject to error and injustice as God who is free from both vnlesse we be all as deeply bound to study the laws of men and to knowe them as we are Gods and to subject our selues as absolutely vnto them it is altogether vnconceauable how humane lawes can bind the Conscience equally with diuine This point being thus cleared it is euident that by conscience in this place wee are with St Peter to vnderstand Conscientiam Dei conscience towards God and to interpret this of St Paul yee must bee subiect for conscience by that of the same St Peter Submit your selues vnto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as if he should say because God hath bound you to be subiect For God hath laid this obligation vpon man appeares by the very institution of Magistracie For although St Peter call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature yet his meaning is not that it is not from man but for man and his benefit otherwise S. Paul expresly affirmeth that it is the ordinance of God and Solomon that by him kings raigne The reason mouing God to institute the same was partly his soueraigne Lordship ouer man by right of creation by which he may order and dispose of him at pleasure partly the great loue he beareth vnto humane society which his infinite wisdome saw could not so well be maintained if euery man should be left to himselfe and orderly gouernment were not setled among them Herevpon hee ordained some to be in authority some to liue in subiection commanding the one to rule according to justice and equitie the other to submit themselues with all lowlinesse and humility as I meane touching subiection hath in the first part which is the Dutie beene sufficiently declared Now man being thus by the commandement and ordinance of God bound Conscience cannot bee free but as man shall either subject or not subject himselfe so is Conscience bound to testifie for or against him and to excuse or to accuse him If then yee breake the commandement of God and refuse to be subject there is one who will surely accuse you and will not spare a witnesse whose testimony is omni exceptio ne majus better then a thousand witnesses that will testifie against you even your Conscience But to whom will it accuse Vnto that great and dreadfull Iudge of the whole world whose wisdome can not be deceaued whose justice cannot be corrupted and the execution of whose sentence cannot be avoided And what will the sentence be Perpetuall imprisonment in the bottomelesse dungeon of hell therein eternall torments both of body and soule which although it be not presently executed vpon you yet the worme of conscience instantly will begin to gnaw vpon your soules fill you so full of vnspeakable horror and anguish that your life shall be but a death and this world a hell vnto you But if on the contrary side yee shall for the Lords sake and in obedience to his ordinance yeeld subjectiō vnto the higher powers and vnder them liue dutifully in all godlinesse and honestie then shall your consciences testifie nothing but good of you and excuse you vnto God he shall justifie and acquit you your soule shall bee replenished with vnspeakable peace and comfort so as yee shal haue a heaven vpon earth and in heauen it selfe in due time such ioyes as nor eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ever entred into the thought of man To conclude and summe vp all if either we will keepe a good conscience that we may both here and ever be blessed or will avoid the sting of an euill conscience and the miseries that attend vpon it wee must of necessity be subject Yee must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience And thus haue I finished the second part also which is the Necesstie of the dutie It only remaineth now to adde a word or two by way of vse and application There is a generation of whom both St Peter and St Iude speake that despiseth all gouernment and speaketh evill of Dignities cleane contrary vnto the doctrine of my Text which commandeth all to be subject and to honour and obey the Magistrate But these are not all of the same kinde for some despise it out of an erronious judgment others out of an euill habit and custome They that despise it vpon errour are either Anabaptists or Papists The Anabaptists a fanatical fantastical sect vtterly mislike all gouernment and subjection among Christians It is not without cause that S. Iude calleth such kind of people Dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that Sin is the cause of Subjection and although it were ordained and allowed to the Iewes because they were but infants yet fits it not vs Christians that are in the state of perfection Shall I dispute against this dotage and shew that even among those blessed spirits that are free frō sinne still persist in the truth there are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angels and Arch-angels That if man had continued in his integritie yet government should haue beene inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable the morall law commands to honour father and mother the end of gouernment is Peace with Pietie and Honestie and one man euen then should haue stood in need of another That finally there is now as great a necessity thereof as was among the Iews and that the new Testament would neuer haue commanded Subjection or to pray for Magistrates if it were a sin for a Christian to be a Magistrate But I will not vouchsafe them the honour to dispute with them let it suffice in this honourable auditory barely to affirme first that a Christian safely may be a Magistrate secondly that none is fitter then he because no man better knowes the dutie of a Magistrate then he Lastly that no man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a Magistrate but hee because no man vnderstands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to gouerne but he As for Papists although they doe not thus reject all government yet doe they many waies both in doctrine and practise avile and abase it For first they giue vnto the Pope a supremacie ouer Princes euen vnto Deposition and depresse
calls God to witnesse so doth a Lot An Oth must be in truth righteousnesse judgement so it is in the Lot being disposed by him that is thus qualified Thus and many another way it equals an Oth. DEFENCE The forme of your Argument is this That which equals an Oth in any thing and excels it in many things may not be vsed in light matters A lot equals an Oth in any thing and excels it in many things Ergo a lot may not be vsed in light matters The Maior I readily yeeld vnto but the Minor pardon me if I speake plaine English call a spade a spade is little lesse then blasphemie For in an Oth there is a solemne appeale made vnto God both by attestation of his Omniscience and obligation of our selues vnto the severest censure of his justice if we should sweare falsely But in Ordinary lots no such appeale is made vnto him but only to a Casuall event meerely considered as it is Casuall which being so pettie a matter in regard of so sacred an Ordinance I cannot but wonder how you durst so to compare them But let vs heare your reasons and first wherein they are equall An Oth you say is of Gods ordaining and so is a lot Nay so is not a lot God indeed permitteth it alloweth it and if you will adviseth it too but commandeth it not as he doth an Oth. All the power now it hath is only from humane institution and agreement Againe an Oth say you is a meanes to decide controversies so is a lot True but not such a meanes nor of such Controversies Not such a meanes for an Oth is ordained by God to this very end but a Lot howsoeuer it may be vsed to the same end yet is it so by mans Ordinance not Gods And an Oth straitly bindeth to pronounce rightly whereas a Lot is carelesse as being but a Casualtie Nor of such controversies for an Oth determines questions of right fact which a Lot cannot and they that are wise neuer referre matters of so high a nature to so incompetent a iudge Thirdly say you an oth taken settles contentment among men so it is or should be in a lot for God doth it It doth but an Oth by vertue of that obligation wherein man stands bound vnto God to speake nothing but truth and a Lot only by reason of some compact formerly made between men Neither doth God doe it as you say but without restraining the naturall power of the Creature suffereth him to worke and doe as him listeth Fourthly an oth you say cals God to witnesse so doth a lot Nay so doth not a Lot for he that casteth the Lot respecteth not Providence but Casualtie and to expect Gods immediate hand therein is no better then tempting of him But what if the Lot fall amisse as it may doe shall God be a false witnesse God forbid Yet so it must needs be if in every Lot God bee called to witnesse Lastly say you an Oth must be in truth righteousnesse and iudgement so it is in the Lot being disposed by him that is thus qualified As touching an Oath I grant but how it may be done in a Lot I for my part vnderstand not For a Lot is but a Chance and Chance regardeth nor truth nor righteousnesse nor iudgement But he that disposeth the lot should bee thus qualified Who is that God The word qualified fits not him that is nothing but substance and to God nothing is casuall and so no Lot Man That were to contradict your owne selfe for you haue confidently affirmed againe and againe that God alone disposeth in a Lot and man hath no hand therein Sed magna est veritas praevalet errour hath but a bad memory truth at one time or other will surely breake forth Many other waies there are you say wherein a lot equals an Oth but what they are neither doe you tell vs neither will I trouble my selfe to enquire I come therefore to examine wherein a Lot excels an Oth N. N. Now it excels an Oth in these and other particulars A Lot decides that which an Oth cannot It s vnlawfull to vse a Lot if witnesse or Oth can decide it It was an order in Israel that if the vnder-officers could not decide a controversie they should bring it to the chiefe Iudge or high Priest to be determined So fares it in this which argues the hand of it When all meanes vsed by vs by prayer inquirie witnesse and oth are not able to decide a controversie bring it to me saith God the Lot shall doe it hee will doe it by a Lot DEFENCE Indeed there are some causes wherein by reason of their indifference either way an Oth is not fit to determine For example when things are as equally parted as mans wisdome can devise and the question is who shall haue which part what can Oth or testimonie doe in this case Nothing at all But a Lot can you will say True yet this advanceth not a Lot aboue an Oth but rather abaseth it For Oths may not bee taken but in weightie matters and this is so small that an idiot or child may as easily determine it as a Lot In matters of importance such as concerne right and fact deposition of witnesses is of great force What a Lot Of none at all For example a murther is committed Titius is arraigned for it Sejus Sempronius testifie vpon their Oth that Titius is the man it sufficeth to convict him Now suppose witnesses fayle and cannot be produced what can a Lot doe Can it infallibly find out the guilty person If no as indeed it cannot how is it that you say bring it to a Lot and that shall decide it For if I mistake not your comparison you make prayer enquirie witnesse oth and other meanes to be as the vnder officers in Israel but a Lot as the chiefe judge or High Priest to whom was referred what else could not bee determined and from whom there might be no appeale But good sir you knowe that comparisons proue not I deny that a Lot is Gods highest tribunall or that his immediate Providence worketh therein Were it so I demand why questions of right and fact may not bee tryed thereby For I presume no man knowes what is to bee done better then God and hee is not partiall to accept the persons of any If you say they may then I demand farther whether the Lot will alwaies fall out right If yea then would the fall of the Lot be vnalterable although it were cast a thousand times But experience telleth vs that every severall cast varieth and altereth the Chance and how then can we excuse God from mutabilitie and inconstancie If no then must God pronounce an vnrighteous sentence and how then shall the judge of the whole world passe vnblameable or not stained in his honour with foule vnjustice To avoid all which inconveniences I would advise you to put on