the essential part of it as a day of publick worship and praise to the honour of the Creator and that the ceremonial and symbolical part by a typicall rest from labour was that ' which properly concerned the Jews then it wil necessarily follow that the sabbath onely in this latter respect expired at the death of Christ and that the other part which was the observation of the seventh day as a day of publick praise in honour of the Creatour of all having no reference to Christ for wherein did the observation of a certain day for divine worship typifie Christ or his benefits but being grounded upon moral reasons and not given onely to the Jews ought to continue still unlesse it were altered by the same authority to wit divine and therefore the day being altered de facto as appears by the perpetual practise of the Christian Church to the first day of the week it will clearly follow that this could be done by no lesse then divine authority and so the observation of the Lords day may be truely said to be Jure divino as enjoyned by him who is Lord of the sabbath and therefore had power to alter the day which he did by his Apostles Neither is it needful which some vrge that a cleere precept of Christ should be brought for this out of the new testament It is sufficient if by necessary consequence it can be deduced from scripture and though in matters of faith which are of absolute necessity to salvation for all to know it may be granted that they are all expressed in scripture yet for other matters that concern the discipline order and government of the Church it was not necessary to have them expressed in writing though many of them be occasionally mentioned it was sufficient that they might be known by the daily practise of the Church wherein every one might read them written in large and Capital letters which universal practise and traditio of the Church in these matters he that shall denie or question may by the like reason question the authors and number of the books of Canonical scripture and whether they were written by men divinely inspired and so by consequence may question the authority of the scripture it self which is conveyed to us no otherwise then by the universal and Catholick tradition of the Church Besides how dangerous it is that the publick exercise of Christian religion should depend upon so week a foundation as authority humane wch may alter its own constitutions is subject to manifold errours I leave to the prudent and judicious Christian to consider The Lords day then I conceive to be grounded upon divine authority not onely in regard that all authority is from God and so divine for so all humane laws might be said to be by divine authority for it is true which learned Breerewood saith there may be divine authority for humane decrees and as Molina saith well Licet quae a regia aliis legitimis inferioribus potestatibus rite praecipiuntur sunt de jure positivo quod tamen illis post quam it a constitutae sunt pareatur est de jure divino cum legitime omnes potestates a Deo sunt Deique vices suo ordine tenent dumque illis obedimus earumque precepta servamus Deo pariter in illis paremus Deique praeceptum voluntatem exequimur though the commands of Kings and other inferiour lawful powers are onely by positive law yet that their constitutions be obeyed is by divine law for all lawful powers are from God and are his Deputies in their order so that when we obey them and keep their Commandments we do also obey God in them and fulfill his will and Commandment But I mean by divine authority that which is immediately divine in regard of the subject God or Christ himself who ordained and appointed this day though it were publisht to the world by the Apostles as the messengers of Christ as they publisht the Gospel and those things for which they had commission from Christ. It is true that the Apostles instituted other things as ordinary governours of the Church which are in themselves changeable as cannot be denied as their orders about widows saluting with a holy kisse and the like which are now antiquated But that the Lords day was not of this latter sort but of the former besides the former reasons which are stronger then any I have seen to the contrary may be likewise evinced by the testimony of the Church and of the most learned and eminent Doctors of it in several ages whose testimony in matters of fact and things of this nature is the best way that I know to prove what is not cleerely and evidently set down in scriptures and that wherein the conscience may most safely rest That text of Psal. 118 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made let us reioyce and beglad in it is generally by the fathers applied to the Lords day as made or instituted by the Lord so among others Athanasius Ambrose Chrysostom Augustine expound it Justin Martyr in 2 Aponl Antonim saith Apostolus a Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celebritatem accepisse That the Apostles received from Christ himself the celebrity of this day Athanasius saith 〈◊〉 sabbati Dominus in diem Dominicum transtulit that the Lord himself hath transferred the solemnity of the sabbath to the Lords day Hom. de semente and in the forementioned Hom. upon these words all things are delivered to me by my father Infers the Lords day to be of divine institution Cyrill l. 12 in John Cap. 58. speaking of the apparitions of Christ upon this day saith that Christ thereby sanctified this day for solemne assemblies Chrysostom on Gen. 2. 3. saith here God from the beginning intimates this doctrine to us to lay aside and separate one day in every week for spiritual exercises Saint Augustine Epist. 119. seems to say the same that the Lords day was declared by the resurrection of Christ ab illo not ab illa caepit habere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from him that is from Christ it began to be made a festival Lactantius and others tell us that the primitive Christians expected Christs returne to judgement on that day by general tradition which shews they thought it unalterable and so no humane constitution Besides particular testimonies we have the publick testimony of the Church in her canons generally received in the the Christian world Cap. 〈◊〉 Feriis where it is said tam veteris quam 〈◊〉 testamenti pagina septimum diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that both the old and new Testament have appointed the seventh day for mans rest In that famous constitution of Leo the Emperor 〈◊〉 54. for the keeping of the Lords day it is said we ought not to encroach upon that one day which God hath chosen for his own honour Among the canonists some of the chief are expressly for the divine right
pluris facienda est vtilitas communis quam propria the common benefit is to be regarded before a mans peculiar commodity And for matter of danger 〈◊〉 saluti privata 〈◊〉 est postponenda private safety is to be negelected when the common comes in competition And they go a little further that men are tied in such an obligation to their country ut nemo 〈◊〉 parem refert gratiam etiamsi vitam impendat a man can never be grateful enough to his country though he lose his life for the good of it And this they made good in deed as well as in word as appeareth by 〈◊〉 king of Athens that to save his country from the conquest of the Dorians willingly lost his life and by Horatius Cocles that to save Rome from Porsennas Army adventured his life to the admiration of all ages This being their Maxime in this point pro patria 〈◊〉 honestius ducitur quam vivendo patriam honestatem deserere That it was far more honourable to die in a good cause for the country then by living to leave the country and honour both Now concerning Magistracy it self we finde it to be properly and originally in God and that he exercised it by himself at first immediately as we may see in three several cases 1. In judgeing the Angels that kept not their first state 2. In sentencing Adam Eve and the serpent 3. In the doome of Cain for murdering his brother All which make it evidently 〈◊〉 that Magistracy properly is Gods own prerogative Afterwards it came to man by Gods institution and ordinance omnis enim potestas a Deo est there is no power but of God When Cain had been censured by God for his cruel fratricide and as the text saith went out 〈◊〉 the presence of the Lord his native country and began to encrease in his 〈◊〉 he built a City and the first that we read of and his posterity encreasing and inventing Arts they began to 〈◊〉 common-wealth in it Lamech by reason that his sons Jubal and Tubal were inventers of arts useful for the common-wealth grew to that insolency that he would beare no injury at any mans hands but would be his own judge and oppresse others at his pleasure This city of Cains where Lamech and his sons lived made the godly first to band themselves together and to take order for their defence for after Enos Seths son when Seth also began to be generative and to encrease they made open profession of the name of God being a distinct body by themselves so that here was City against City and this was the first occasion of civil government And indeed 〈◊〉 potestas the 〈◊〉 power had been sufficient to have governed the whole world but that as the Prophet speaks some men in processe of time were like the horse and mule whose mouthes must be held in with bit and bridle which produced another larger government which should be more powerful to rule such kinde of unruly people which was by giving 〈◊〉 vita et necis power of life and death to one man which because the people could not give for 〈◊〉 est Dominus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man hath power over his own life and therefore none can give that to another which he hath not in himself therefore it is that God who hath absolute dominion and power of life and death put the sword into the hand of the supreame Magistrate and appointed that the people should be subject to him which was wel liked by al upon this ground 〈◊〉 timere unum quam multos It is better to feare one then many Better one wolf then many to put mans life in continual hazzard And now came in magistracy with power of life and death to be Gods own 〈◊〉 For when after the flood people began to multiply and that God foresaw that wickednes would encrease among men even to cruelty he made an 〈◊〉 for Magistracy and gave the sword into one mans hand to execute vengeance and to do justice 〈◊〉 shedding his blood that 〈◊〉 the blood of other men which power of life and death we do not finde to be granted by God before the flood And soon after we read that Melchisedech whom diverse writers agree to be Sem took upon him the title and power of a king to defend Gods people from Nimrod and his fellow hunters This power of life and death manifestly proves that 〈◊〉 never had nor could have their power from the people or from any other but from God alone And that this was the positive 〈◊〉 of this learned Author is manifest by his late and accurate sermons perfected by himself in many of which he expresly proves this point and purposely insists largely and learnedly upon it especally in his sermon upon Pro. 8. 15. By me Kings raign P. 933. c. Which is nothing else but a large tract upon this subject Among other things he speaks thus Per me regnant and that is not per se regnant another person it is besides themselves one different from them And who is that other person Let me tell you first it is but one person not many per me is the singular number it not per nos so it is not a plurality no multitude they hold by That claime is one by per me one single person it is per quem The other a Philosophical conceit it came from from those that never had heard this wisdom preach In this book we finde not any soveraigne power ever seated in any body collective or derived from them This we finde that God he is King That the kingdoms be his and to whom he will he giveth them That ever they came out of Gods hand by any per me any grant into the peoples hands to bestow we finde not This per me will bear no per alium besides he that must say per me reges must say per me coelum terra After he saith There is a per of permission as we say in the Latine per me but you may for all me but this per we utterly reject for though the latum per may beare this sence yet the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will by no means the phrase the Idiom of the tongue will in no wise endure it How take we per then what need we stand long about it having another per and of the same person to pattern it by Omnia per ipsum facta sunt saith Saint John and the same saith Solomon by and by after in this chapter Then as by him all things made there so by him kings raigne here The world and the government of the world by the same per both one and the same cause Institutive of both That was not by bare permission I trust no more this Per ipsum then and if per ipsum per 〈◊〉 quia ipse est verbum For
Docilitas Diligentia 2. About instruction Instruction helps the natural and infused light so doth prayer and reading the word c. The Scholars duties answerable to these The particular duties of a Teacher The duties of those that are to be taught The resultant duties of both CHAP. VII Page 365 Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The hireling 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his flock 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double honour 1. Of reverence 2. of maintenance CHAP. VIII Page 373 Of fathers of our country Magistrates The duty of all towards their own country God the first magistrate Magistracy Gods ordinance Power of life and death given to kings by God not by the people Addition 31. That regal power is only from God proved out of the authors other writings The ends of Magistracy 1. To preserve true religion 2. To maintain outward peace Magistrates compared to shepherds in three respects The duties of the supream power viz of Kings and of inferiour officers The duties of subjects to their Prince CHAP. IX Page 383 Of fathers by excellency of gifts The honour due to them is not debitum justitiae as the former but debitum honettatis 1. Of those that excell in gifts of the minde The honour due to them 1. To acknowledge their gifts Not to envy or deny them Nor to extenuate them Nor undervalue them Nor tax them with want of other gifts The duty of the person gifted 2. To prefer such before others to choose them for their gifts Reasons against choice of ungifted persons The duty of the person chosen c. 2. Of excellency of the body by old age and the honour due to the aged 3. Of excellency by outward gifts as riches Nobility c. Reasons for honouring such How they must be honoured 4. Excellency by benefits conferred Benefactors are fathers Rules for conferring of benefits The duties of the receiver CHAP. X. page 391 That this law is spiritual The duties of Superiours and Inferiours must proceed from the heart Special means conducing to the keeping of this commandement Signes of the true keeping of it CHAP. XI page 396 The second part of this Commandement a promise of long life Reasons why this promise is annexed to this Commandement How this promise is made good Reasons why God sometimes shortens the dayes of the godly and prolongs the dayes of the wicked The Exposition of the sixth Commandement CHAP. I. page 400 Why this Commandement is placed in this order How it coheres with the rest Of unjust anger the first step to murther how it differs from other affections Of lawful anger Unlawful anger how prohibited The degrees and fruits of it The affirmative part of the precept to preserve the life of another The life of the body and the degrees of it The life of the soul and the sinnes against it The scope of this Commandement CHAP. II. page 404 Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sinne The aggravations of this sinne from the person murthered CHAP. III. page 407 The restraint of this Commandement 1. That Kings and Princes may lawfully put malefactors to death That herein they are Gods ministers Three rules to be by them observed Their judgement must not be 1. Perversum nor 2. 〈◊〉 patum nor 3. Temerarium 2. That in some cases they may lawfully make war In a lawful war is required 1. Lawful authority 2. A just cause 3. A just end And 4. A right manner Addition 32. Of the causes of a just war Some other cases wherein a man may kill and not break this Commandement First for defence of his life against sudden assaults Inculpata tutela Secondly by chance and without his intention CHAP. IV. page 412 The extent of this Commandement Murther committed 1. Directly 2. Indirectly A man may be accessory to anothers death six wayes A man may be 〈◊〉 to his own death diverse wayes Of preserving life CHAP. V. page 414 Of the murther of the soul. Several sinnes against the life of the soul. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be accessory to the death of his soul. This sinne may be committed both by them 〈◊〉 have charge of souls and by private persons That this law is spiritual according to 〈◊〉 third rule CHAP. VI. page 417 The fourth rule of avoiding the Causes of the sins here sorbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards inferiours The suppuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. by murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. railing The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand CHAP. VII page 421 Of the means against anger How to prevent it in others How in our selves Anger must be 1. Just in regard of the cause 2. Moderated for the measure 3. We must labour for gravity 4. For love without hypocrisie The vertues opposite to unjust anger 1. Innocency 2. Charity In the first there is 1. The Antidote against anger which consists in three things 2. The remedy in three more How charity prevents anger The fruit of charity Beneficence 1. To the dead by burying them 2. To the living And that first generally to all Secondly specially to the faithful Thirdly to the poor by works of mercy Fourthly to our enemies CHAP. VIII page 424 Rules for the eradication of unjust anger 1. To keep the passion from rising 4. Rules 2. After it is risen to suppresse it How to carry our selves towards those that are angry with us 1. To give place 2. To look up to God 3. To see the Devil in it Of the second thing in anger viz. Revenge Reasons against it If our anger have broken out Rules what we must do Of the act viz. requiring one injury with another Rules in going to law The sixth rule of causing others to keep this Commandement The Exposition of the seventh Commandement CHAP. I. page 428 The scope and order of this Commandement Of Marriage The institution and ends of it explicated out of Genesis 2. 22 23 24. Married persons are 1. to leave all others 2. to cleave to one another Rules for those that are to marry Duties of those that are married
So much for the Preparation THE EXPOSITION OF THE First Commandement CHAP. I. Of the Preface to the Decalogue Two things required in a Lawgiver 1. Wisdom 2. Authority Both appear here Gods authority declared 1. By his name Jehovah which implyes 1. that being himself and that all other things come from him 2. His absolute dominion over all the creatures From which flow two attributes 1. His Eternity 2. His veracity or truth 2. By his jurisdiction thy God by creation and by covenant 3. By a late benefit Their deliverance out of Egypt How all this belongs to us THe Lord spake c. From the second to the eighteenth verse of this Chapter the words which inded are the body of the Law contain in them two things 1. The Stile I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 2. The Charge Thou 〈◊〉 have no other gods before me c. To the perfect enabling of every Law-giver to make Laws is required 1. Wisdom 2. Authority 1. For the wisdom of God it appears in the Laws themselves Moses justifieth it and challengeth all the Nations of the earth to match them What Nation saith he is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this Law And the wisdom of a Law is best seen in the equity of it But a little before to shew more plainly his wisdom he tels them that it was their wisdom to keep them for the Nations which should see that they were kept would presently conclude and say Surely this Nation is a wise and understanding people which they would never do if they had not conceived wisdom in the framing of them So that certainly we must needs confesse with the Prophet that it came from the Lord who is wonderfull in counsel 2. For his Authority which is rerum agendarum telum it is plainly demonstrated by God himself in the second verse and manifested by the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt by strong hand In every Edict and Law proclaimed the beginning is with the stile of the Prince intimating thereby his Prerogative Royal to make Laws and to publish and see them obeyed And therefore his authority is annexed as to the Law in general so to those particular Laws which have a reason annexed As to the second For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. To the third For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. To the fourth For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and it is the Sabbath of the Lord. Now if it be true that men expect no reason to perswade them to lay hold of a benefit then there needs none to make them observe the Law because it is a benefit for the Psalmist so accounts it He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his Laws Yet it pleased God to adde his reason from his own person though indeed profit be a sufficient Orator And thus doth God in divers places as Levit. 21. 8. 12. 15. 23. As also S. Paul mentioneth it for the New Testament As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God which words are taken out of the Prophet In this stile or authority are three points according to the titles 1. Of name Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt 2. Of jurisdiction Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt 3. Of benefit Jehovah Thy God which brought thee c. the last benefit they had received out of Egypt And such Prefaces do earthly Princes use in their writings 1. Of Name as Caius Caesar. 2. Of jurisdiction Imperator 3. Of the last benefit Caesar Germanicus for conquering Germany the last triumph obscuring the former 1. For the title of his Name it is I Jehovah not I am Jehovah which argueth 1. His Nature 2. His Power 1. That it is the name of his Nature it cannot be denied They shall know saith the Psalmist that thou whose name is Jehovah art onely the most highest over all the Earth Concerning the word Jehovah which is Tetragrammaton consisting of four letters much hath been written and many speculations have been gathered from it As namely that there are three distinct letters according to the number of persons in the Trinity and of these three the first signifieth power the proper adjunct of the Father the second wisdom and knowledge proper to the Son and the third love the proper adjunct of the Holy Ghost And that the second letter is doubled to denote the two natures of the second Person But this may be sufficient for us that it is a name from being or a name of existence and that he is of himself and from none 〈◊〉 but that all things are through and from him Omnia beneficio illius ipse beneficio nullius Bern. And as it 〈◊〉 his being of himself so his absolute dominion and power over all and therefore we translate it Lord following the Septuagint who render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. And as there is no exception in his title as to be commanded of or by any other All earthly Princes derive their power from him as his Delegates by commission As our Prince hath in his title Dei gratia Angliae By the grace of God King of England c. and is ab aliq from another viz. from God Onely God rules without commission from any but is within and of himself a supream head commandeth simply and absolutely hath no dependance upon any other either of being or power but all things depend on him as their essence powers or faculties and operations This the Prophet sheweth forcibly that streams proceed from him to every creature which being stopped they perish When thou hidest thy face saith he they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they dye and are turned again to their dust And in the next verse he saith that he is the onely breath of the world his breath giveth life When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made Now if we did conceive that any man in the world had our life at such an advantage that with his very countenance he could make or destroy us certainly we would be marvellously cautelous to offend him and very obsequious to please and observe him Yet such is our dependance upon God The word Jehovah as it hath these two significations so hath it two consectaries that follow thereupon in Scripture 1. The eternity of God 2. The truth of God in giving a being to his promises by his performance of them 1. For his Eternity he calleth himself I am Say I am Ero hath sent thee unto them and howsoever there
will be sharper or their life shorter so fear in them worketh more then love And so is it with men whose first taste in spiritualibus is corrupted If love could cause us to taste spiritual joyes fear were super fluous But vain delights in earthly pleasures ease and evil company have so cloyed and corrupted our tastes that we are not able to desire that which is truely to be desired and that which is hurtful to us we desire And therefore there is nothing can alter our taste but that if we continue in taking those earthly pleasures and not take that which is spiritual our fits will be sharper and our life shorter this fear is necessary to be set before us To this may be added that to this love we are brought by fear for Odium peccandi the hate of sin cometh from fear for fear causeth us to abstain from sin this abstinence bringeth a good life and that a good conscience being possest with that we shall be without fear and have peace of conscience which breedeth love to God and godlinesse A timore bona vita a bona vita bona conscientia a bona conscientia amor And love and fear in this respect are compared by Saint Augustine to a needle and threed the needle tarrieth not but bringeth the threed after it first we must fear and that will bring love after it Discat timere qui non vult timere discat ad tempus esse solicitus qui vult esse semper securus let him learn to fear that would not fear let him be solicitous for a time that will be secure for ever So we see that the use of fear is to restrain us from evil and to procure love in us The Common definition of fear is Expectatio mati the expectation of evil upon which may arise a doubt to them that are not well versed in Divinity How a man may be said to fear God seeing there is no evil in him for he being wholly goodnesse it self and the fountain of all goodnesse therefore should not be said to be feared But it is soon resolved For God is not to be feared as he is God and goodnesse and no evill in him but ab effectis in respect of his Judgements the effects of his Justice they are first to be feared and God secondarily The 〈◊〉 why the effects of his justice are to be feared are because in Gods judgements concurre all the causes and motives that can by any means move fear his judgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malum formidabile an object altogether fearfull And it is in a three fold respect for it is 1. Futurum to come 2. Propinquum neer 3. Vires excedens exceeding our strength 1. An evil past is not the object of fear but an evil to come and the greater it is ' the greater the fear is and therefore after our Saviour had reckoned up to his Disciples many calamities that should happen he addeth but the end is not yet the greatest is behinde though we suffer many things in this world yet there shall somewhat befall us after worse then those 2. It is propinquum because the armies of God are ever round about us wheresoever we are God is present and in the midst of his host and all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do And therefore if we do ill he is ready and 〈◊〉 to see it and his armies ready to execute vengeance upon them that do evil 3. It is vires excedens It must be a great matter of difficulty that must exceed our power and strength but this doth and such a thing takes a deep impression it terrifies us when we can make no resistance And this the Psalmist by a question makes to appear plainly If thou O Lord shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amisse who may abide it that is none can And therefore S. Paul saith Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he No our strength to him is but as stubble not as the strength of stones nor is our flesh of brasse as Job speaketh This makes it malum arduum hard and difficult which is aggravated by these four degrees 1. First it is a punishment malum poenae and there is a bar erected and an inditement framed We must all appear as the Apostle tells us before the judgement 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 c. 2. This punishment will be fearful and strange insolitum without example fiery indignation Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 3. It will be malum subitum repentinum sudden and unexpected sudden destruction as travail upon a woman with childe especially upon such as harden themselves He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy which is the last No redemption till the utmost farthing be paid that is never after this life for as God shews the uttermost of his 〈◊〉 in providing rewards for his 〈◊〉 so he will shew his infinite power in punishments for those that will not fear Besides all this we say in Philosophy Timetur is qui malum potest infligere he is to be feared that can bring evil upon us Now that God is able appears by three things considerable in a party to be feared 1. The first is authority Though a childe be a King or a woman bear rule over 〈◊〉 who in respect of themselves are but weak yet in regard of their authority they become terrible to us And the Lord is king over all the earth let all the earth therefore fear him saith the 〈◊〉 And why An earthly kings wrath is as 〈◊〉 of death and as the roaring of a lyon then what is the wrath of the King of kings And besides by best right he may challenge this fear for being King of kings his authority is highest and above all others And he is not onely a king but such a king as to whom all the celestial powers and principalities lay down their crowns and fall on their faces before him And therefore it was the song of them that overcame the beast Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name 2 The second is power A man if he have a mighty adversary though he have no authority yet he is to be feared Might is to be feared and therefore we are counselled to be at peace and have good correspondence and in no case to strive with a mighty man If the mighty men upon earth are to be feared how much more the mighty God whose power as it exceedeth all other powers so it hath compelled them that were mighty on earth to fear him Nebuchadnezzar when he perceived the power of God working beyond the course of nature that three men should walk in a
alone can search the heart therefore he delights in it and requires our obedience to be coram facie mea as in his sight Therefore it is that the Wise man counselleth a man to keep his heart with all diligence He gives a double reason for it is the principal member and therefore gives God the chief glory and further it is the fountain of all our actions by none of which is God honoured if they come from a corrupt fountain nay they are so far from being accepted that they are abominable and therefore according to the disposition of the heart life or death proceeds if we worship God with a right heart then we shall reap life if that be unsound death eternall follows And therefore necessitas incumbit we had need to keep that member right For all those glorious duties before spoken of if they want integrity or a good heart they are so far from Gods acceptation that they become abomination For if we believe our faith must come from the heart if we love it must be not in word but in truth which comes from the heart Our obedience also must proceed from the heart To conclude this whatsoever we do we must do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men That which is here commanded is called virtus integritatis by the Fathers inward soundnesse against hollownesse and sincerity against mixture And they ground it upon Gods charge to Abraham when he made the covenant of Circumcision Ambula coram me what that is God explained in the next words esto integer walk before me and be upright or perfect without hypocrisie It is commonly joyned in Scripture with another word Job was an upright and just man the words signifie properly straight and sound upright and pure in another place and an honest and good heart in another The nature of the word integer is taken from timber it must be straight without and sound within straight that it be not crooked coram facie humana and sound that it be not hollow coram facie divina before God Therefore the Ark was overlaid with gold without and within and in this respect it was that the Psalmist distinguished the Church the Kings daughter from other Kings daughters her outward beauty might be parraleld but she was all glorious within It is the inward beauty which is required chiefly That which is forbidden is hypocrisie Our Saviour taxed it in the Pharisees by telling them they had a care to make clean the outside of the cup and platter but had no regard to that which was intus within This is the sin of seven woes more then we read that any other sin had Of which S. Chrysostome saith Pharisaeorum justitia erat in ostentatione operis non in rectitudine intentionis the righteousnesse of the Pharisees consisted in ostentation of their works not in the uprightnesse of their intents The other extream is that the Prophet taxes in Ephraim whom he calld a silly dove without heart this is simplicity without wisdom when there is as our Saviour intimates Columba sine serpente the dove without the serpent Of such speaks Solomon when he saith that a fool uttereth all his minde he poures out his spirit without any manner of wisdom and discretion before every man our integrity therefore must be preserved with wisdom 1. The way to keep our selves in this integrity First Seneca's councel to Lucillus who desired this vertue was when he took any thing in hand to imagine that Cato Scipio or some other of the ancient Romans renowned for vertue stood before him But it is a better way for us to do as the Psalmist did to set God alwayes before our eyes conceiving and that truely that whatsoever we do is in his presence If that will not work with us then to set God not absolutely but as he will sit when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed at the day of judgment The day as the Apostle speaks when God shall judge the secrets of all men for as the Preacher saith God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing 2. Another motive and that a forceable one to perswade us will be that God requires an exact and sincere service of us to himself because he commandeth singlenesse of heart from servants to their Masters even with fear and trembling If this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service will not be allowed by God as current towards men much lesse will he allow it to himself 3. Lastly if we consider the integrity of Christs heart to us of whom we read that it was pierced and that he spent his very heart blood for us if we consider that it will stir us up to have a reciprocal heart to him and say with S. Bernard juste cor nostrum vindicat qui cor suum pro nostro dedit he may justly challenge our hearts that gave his for ours When he had offered his hands feet and other members for us yet thought it not sufficient but gave his heart for us also It is not our tongue hands or feet that can requite it our hearts will be too little if we give them also up to him 1. And we shall know whether our hearts be upright or no first by the Heathen mans rule Nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpa hic murns 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 A sound heart is like a wall of brasse and is so full of courage that it can say with the Apostle 〈◊〉 perminimum est ut a vobis judicer it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you It is the soundnesse of the heart that will make it bold if we be not 〈◊〉 mali to our selves that we know no evil in our selves This made John Baptists heart to be above King Herodes power the want of it made Peter afraid at a silly Damsels speech charging him to be of Christs company 2. Another mark like to this is if we be firm and upright under the crosse If afflictions alter us not for troubles and crosses will dishonour the integrity of our hearts Look how we stand affected in them if firm then no doubt but we are right If we can say with King Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart this upheld him when he was sick even unto death but e contra if the heart be not sound then in any crosse it melts within us like wax as the Psalmist speaks Psalm 22. 14. 3. If we derest sin in our selves and punish it no lesse in our selves then others Judah at the first in the case of Thamar cried Bring her away let her be burnt but upon further consideration when it came to be his own case there was a sudden alteration she was more righteous then I. This is much like that the Heathen man
learn nor others to teach the way to live godly and honestly and so to attain salvation and by consequent that he might be a cherisher of good men and of such as desire to live a godly and honest life in peace and quietnesse And for this end is the civil government compared in Daniel to a great huge tree which spreadeth its branches far and neer the beasts of the field had shadow under it and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof and all flesh was fed of it to shew the benefit that men receive by government for protection and peaceable enjoying their own when every one sits under his own vine and under his own fig-tree and the Prophet Esay compares a king to a great rock which is a hiding place from the windes and a cover from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Therefore is every man bound to establish authority and government because of the weight that hangs upon it quia in pace ejus est pax nostra because our peace rests thereupon as the Prophet Jer. reasons who for this cause bids from God to pray for the prosperity of the City whither they were carried captives and for the peace thereof for in the peace thereof they should have peace There are three words in the Greek to expresse this authority 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arising from some gift which one hath above another 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principality There is an affinity between these three and an order whereby they do follow upon one another For the first God gives a man some gift whereby he is excellent above others then he gives him power and authority the sword and lastly some particular place of government wherein to exercise his gift and to use his power and in this order we must observe that though the two last cannot be severed at least potentially or in the habit for where God gives to any power he assignes him a place where to use it though sometimes he cannot actually exercise it being hindred by 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 yet the former viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellencie may be without the other two God gives gifts and excellency to some men who have no power or principality conferd on them to the end that there may be choyce as in elective kingdoms and that those who have maximam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most excellent gifts may be called up to exercise their gifts and withal that by their gifts they may do good in private though they be not called to any publick place of government as when it pleases God for the sins of a people to curse the government to them 1. In this order the government is first that of pater naturalis the natural father in a family where he exercises a threefold government over the wife children and servants of the two first it is plain because he is pater-familias the father of the family and they are parts of it and of the servants likewise by the same reason whereupon 〈◊〉 servants called him by the name of father Father if the Prophet had commanded thee a great thing c. 2. If we go out of the family we come in patriam There we shall finde an honour due to our countrey and people among whom we were born and brought up Therefore the woman of Abel tells Joab that the city wherein she dwelt had been a mother in Israel and we see that Abraham honoured the people where he lived for he stood up and bowed himself before the people of the land of the Hittites Thus the people of the countrey are to be honoured Now this power which resides in the fathers of several families where it comes to be united in one He becomes a Monarch or King whom S. Peter calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature not because the power and authority is from men for though sometimes they choose the person yet it is God that confers the power and though men by natural light are led to this government yet it is God that gives this light to direct them but to distinguish it from that other power the spiritual government exercised by the fathers of our souls which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods creature in a more special manner for though both temporal and spiritual authority are from God yet this latter is more immediately and purely divine then the other and therefore the other is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature comparatively in respect of this which is Gods creature or a divine ordinance depending 〈◊〉 upon divine institution and therefore is this to be honoured in respect of this spiritual fatherhood and this 〈◊〉 by the contrary in the words of our Saviour when he 〈◊〉 speaking against the contempt of his messengers and servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that 〈◊〉 you despiseth me or as the word properly imports he that will abrogate disanull or abolish and make void that which I have ordained and enacted he seeks to abrogate and disanull me which words imply that this calling is specially ordained and made by Christ and that to go about to abrogate and disanul his ordinance herein is to abrogate Christs own office and function This divine creature then or this office and dignity of Gods immediate making as it hath received fatherhood from God so there is a special honour due to it Though you have a thousand instructors in Christ yet have ye not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel We see the Apostle takes to himself the title of father yea the very idolaters counted their priests fathers as appears by Micah of mount 〈◊〉 who said to the Levite Dwell with me and be to me a father and a priest And because to this ordinance of God there is another calling subordinate To govern the schooles of the Prophets and to instruct and fit men for the Church therefore to such is the title of father given When Saul prophecied among the sons of the prophets one asked who was their father or governour or instructor Elisha called Elias his father my father my father the chariots of Israel c. And in the new testament we read that 〈◊〉 a doctor of the law is accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honourable in this respect and Saint Paul calls Timothy his scholler his son and saith that as a son with a father he served him in the Gospel 4. Come we to the Magistrate Moses by Gods special appointment appoints some to be rulers over 1000. c. And gives rules of direction to the people what men they should choose and how they were to be qualified And Joseph when he was governoùr of Egypt saith that God sent him thither and made
them as their own flesh as Moses who carried the people in his bosom as a nurse and made their welfare his scope and as our Saviour snews the example of an hen who gathereth her chickens under her wings to defend them from ravening and strong fowls And this loving nourishing and defending are special ends why superiours were ordained And therefore the reason is added to the Commandment in Exodus 20. and enlarged in Deuter. 5. 16. That thy dayes may be prolonged c. and that it may go well with thee which as was mentioned before is expounded by some not as a promise but as the duty and end of superiours viz. That they under God prolong mens dayes and are or ought to be means that it may go well with them This is one end of their superiority They are not set over the people colligere auream messem to scrape gold and silver for themselves their own profit and ease is not the end of their authority though many times rulers look at nothing else It was the sin of the Princes in Ezekiels time They accounted the city as a cauldron and the people the flesh to be sod in Evil Rulers take their own ease and security while the profit of the people and inferiours is no whit regarded Therefore not without cause are the two heads before named of defending and nourishing inferiours special duties of superiours towards them This which is commonly affirmed that the end of government is the good of the inferiours must be understood cum grano salis for from this principle misunderstood some have collected that because the end is above the means and more noble therefore subjects are above their governours and so may call them to account for their misgovernment and judge or punish them and remove them if they see cause from which false collections made by seditious and turbulent persons infinite troubles confusions rebellions and desolations have followed We must know therefore 1. That to procure the good of inferiours is indeed the duty of superiours and one end why God committed the people to them but not the sole or principal end of their authority for princes receive their power onely from God and are by him constituted and intrusted with government of others chiefly for his own glory and honour as his Deputies and Vicegerents upon earth for they are his Ministers Rom. 13. so that the principal end of their government is the advancement of Gods honour who is the supream King and Lord of all the world and therefore if they fail in performance of this trust they are accountable onely to him who intrusted them and not to the people whom he hath put under them and whom he never authorized to call them to account but to appeal onely to him 2. It is not generally true that all government is onely for the benefit of those that are governed for some government there is meerly for the benefit of the superiour as that of a Lord or Master over his servant for the profit of the servant is herein meerely extrinsicall and advantitious some governments are for mutual good of both as that of a husband over his wife and so some kingdoms may be for the benefit of kings as when they are obtained by a just conquest which are not to be accounted tyrannical because they are just for their may be a just title by conquest when the war is upon just grounds whereas all tyranny is essentially unjust and some kingdoms may respect the profit both of Prince and people as when a people not able to defend themselves commit themselves to a potent prince for protection and safety against potent enemies and so become his subjects 3. Although it be true that in some kingdoms especially elective the benefit of the people is principally regarded and as Cicero saith Fruendae justitiae causa Reges conftituti that kings are appointed for administring of justice yet it follows not hence that the people are above their king for the Tutor or Guardian is for the good of the Pupil and yet the Guardian or Tutor hath power and authority over the Pupil and if any say that the Guardian may be removed if he fail in his trust and therefore the same may be done in Princes L answer that this holds in Guardians because they have some above them but in kingdoms because there cannot be a progresse in infinitum there must of necessity be a stop in some who because they have no superior must if they offend be lest only to God who will either punish them if he see it needful or else suffer them for the punishment and tryal of his people for as Tacitus saith as we bear with the barrennes of the earth or intemperate seasons and the like natural accidents which cannot be avoyded so must they bear with the avarice and lust of rulers Vitia erunt donec homines sed nec haec continua meliorum interventu pensantur there will be faults in government so long as there are men but they are not alwayes nor lasting and besides they are ballanced by the change of good 〈◊〉 intervening And therefore M. Aurelius said that as Magistrates are to judge of private persons so are Princes to judge of Magistrates and God alone of Princes To which purpose is that speech of a French Bishop to their King mentioned in Greg. Turon Si quis de nobis O Rex justitiae tramites transcendere voluerit a te corripi potest si tu vero excesseris quis te corripiet loquimur enim tili sed si volueris audis si autem nolueris quis te damnabit nisi quise pronunciavit esse justitiam If any of us offend O King thou mayest correct us but if thou shalt exceed who shall correct thee we may speak unto thee and if thou wilt thou mayst hear us but if thou wilt not none can condemn thee but he who is justice it self And that of 〈◊〉 is as excellent as common Cujus jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu Reges 〈◊〉 by whose command or appointment they are born men by his appointment are Kings constituted Nor doth it make against this that the people are sometimes punished for the sins of their Princes as 1 Kings 4. 16. 2 Kings 10. 17. for this was not because the people did not punish or restrain the exorbitances of their Kings but because by tacite consent or otherwise they did communicate in their sins and besides God having supream dominion over the lives of all may make use of it thereby to punish Kings by taking away their Subjects 3. Because God hath made by his Commandment a distinction and 〈◊〉 of degrees as some to be parents some children some superiours and some inferiours Superiours must take heed that none 〈◊〉 this order nor suffer a parity or equality or to submit to those whom God hath placed in a lower rank But why did not
order which was never 〈◊〉 though now it be neglected and though men ask the counsel of the Lawyer for their 〈◊〉 and of the Physitian for their bodie and follow their directions yet the Minister is not thought fit to 〈◊〉 them for their fouls but here every one can give counsel as well as the Minister 3. They must give the Minister honour double honour They which labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which take extraordinary pains in the word and doctrine for the emphasis lies in that word let them be counted worthy of double honour 〈◊〉 the Apostle 1. The honour of reverence which extends both to our judgement and 〈◊〉 In our judgement by having a reverent 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 29. honour them highly and then in our affection a singular degree of love is due to them The Apostle saith they must be 〈◊〉 highly in love We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and 〈◊〉 you and to esteem them very highly for their works sake 2. The honour of maintenance Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things faith the Apostle God threatens in Zachary that whereas he had broken one staff if the 〈◊〉 wages were not 〈◊〉 he would break both and what can then follow in the Church but Barbarifine and Ignorance and by consequence Epicurisnie and Atheisme When men are sick they can send for the Minister to comfort them then they think of Heaven when they must leave the Earth but when they are recovered there is no 〈◊〉 use of him or when they are in health they regard him not It is well expressed by the Prophet when there were great droughts or rains or 〈◊〉 weather they remembred God and called to him but when they had what they desired when they had got in their corn wine they rebelled against him But God protests against this dealing he wil not be so mocked Remember me in the dayes of thy youth and in thy wealth els 〈◊〉 shalt have no answer of me when the evil dayes come S. Augustine commenting upon the words before recited they which labour in the word and doctrine let them be counted worthy of double 〈◊〉 saith Scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obediant exteriora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 sed et terr 〈…〉 This double honour is not onely to obey in spiritual things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them in temporals For good 〈◊〉 of the word ought not to be 〈◊〉 with high honour onely but with earthly 〈◊〉 too that 〈◊〉 may not be 〈◊〉 sad and 〈◊〉 in the want of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 their charge and may also 〈◊〉 in their 〈◊〉 obedience in 〈◊〉 matters 〈◊〉 not saith Saint 〈◊〉 that they which minister about holy things 〈◊〉 of things of the 〈◊〉 and they which wait at the Altar are 〈◊〉 with the Altar even so hath the Lord 〈◊〉 that they which preach the 〈◊〉 should live of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 ordinance not our benevolence We are not at our liberty but tied to it by 〈◊〉 and the minister hath power from God to demand it 〈◊〉 his own And thereupon it is that Saint 〈◊〉 speaking of Saint 〈◊〉 in this very point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 surpata sed 〈◊〉 that though the Apostle chose rather to work with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and did not require milk from his sheep yet he told the 〈◊〉 that he had power to have taken it and that his fellow Apostles vsed this 〈◊〉 not as usurped 〈◊〉 as given them 〈◊〉 by God And 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 but reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostle saith If we have so vn unto you 〈◊〉 things is it a 〈◊〉 thing if we reape your carnal things But to conclude this point The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour performed is from the want of 〈◊〉 It was Saint 〈◊〉 hope of the Corinthians that when their faith 〈◊〉 his means would be 〈◊〉 And so 〈◊〉 it be of ours if your faith encrease we shall be crowned and 〈◊〉 and where this is wanting we cannot expect it Concerning the difference of Bishops and 〈◊〉 that they are 〈◊〉 orders and that the Bishop is superiour not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 and that by divine right the reverend author hath fully proved it in his 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first in latine and lately translated into English wherein any 〈◊〉 man may finde full satisfaction And 〈◊〉 the power of the Priest or Minister of the Gospel in binding and loosing read a learned sermon made 〈◊〉 the Author on this subject on John 20. 23. published among his other sermons CHAP. VIII Of fathers of our country Magistrates The dutie of all towards their own country God the first magistrate Magistracy Gods 〈◊〉 Power of life and death givento kings by 〈◊〉 not by the people Addition 31. That regal power is 〈◊〉 from God proved out of the authors other writings The 〈◊〉 of magistracy 〈◊〉 To preserve true religion 2. To maintain outward 〈◊〉 Magistrates 〈◊〉 to shepherds in three respects The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 power via of kings and of inferiour officers The duties ofsubjects to their Prince AFter the fatherhood of the Church order requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those whom even nature and the Heathen by the light of 〈◊〉 have reputed and termed Patres 〈◊〉 fathers of the country which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sort the chief as hath been shewed are in Scripture called fathers as 〈◊〉 and the women mothers as 〈◊〉 a mother in Israel And because their 〈◊〉 is Pater 〈◊〉 God hath commended the countries care especially to every 〈◊〉 For this end it was that when God commanded 〈◊〉 to leave his fathers house he gives the country precedence and sets it before kindred and fathers house and we see what tears the people of God shed when they 〈◊〉 carried out of their own country into a strange land and when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 required them to sing the Lords song in a strange land 〈◊〉 would not And 〈◊〉 hearing of the misery of Jerusalem and his country men sate down and 〈◊〉 On the other side when the Lord 〈◊〉 again the captivity of 〈◊〉 when the people were restored to their country they were so over joyed that they seemed to be in an extasie they were like to them that dreame they would scarce beleeve that which they saw And indeed a mans country and the good of it being bonum totius every mans good a general blessing it ought to be preferred before bonum partis a particular good every man especially the prince and Magistrate ought to have a chief care over it We see that when the body is in danger men are willing to endure the 〈◊〉 of a member opening of a vein or scarifying for the health of the whole We may see this care in the very Heathen both in word and deed as first what they say in matter of profit unicuique
a second end outward peace and 〈◊〉 That as the Apostle speaks we may lead a peaceable and quiet life Hence is the Magistrate called a Pastor or 〈◊〉 It is true the Minister is called a Pastor and much ado there is in urging thereupon great and extraordinary pains and diligence in him about his flock but seeing the title is as often or ostener given to the Magistrate it is strange that there should be no such diligence required of him for we finde that the Metaphor is given first of all to the 〈◊〉 as to Joseph and David in 〈◊〉 and generally to all rulers who are to be set over the people that they be not as sheep without a Shepherd Now this 〈◊〉 implies three things required in the Magistrates office 1. To gather and keep the sheep together for their 〈◊〉 safety against wolves that they may not stray and to this end to provide them good pasture where they may seed together 2. Because there may be dissention among the sheep and as the Prophet speaks there are fat and lean cattel and the fat do thrust with the side and push the diseased and having fed and drunk themselves do trample the grasse and trouble the water that the lean sheep can neither eat nor drink quietly therefore the shepherd must judge between them I will set up a shepherd over them and 〈◊〉 shall feed them even my servant David So that to keep the fat from hurting and oppressing the lean within the fold that all may feed quietly is the second part of the Shepherds office 3. Because there is a wolf without the fold an outward enemy therefore the Shepherd must watch and protect the sheep against the wolf as well as against the great goat that is the third part All these are to be in the Magistrate and they depend 〈◊〉 follow upon one another 1. Princes and Rulers must feed the flock and not themselves onely they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nourishers of the Church 2. They must procure peace at home by protecting the weak against the strong administring justice equally 3. They must keep out forreign invasion protect them against forreign enemies as appears in the example regis non boni of none of the best kings Saul He takes care 〈◊〉 quid sit populo quod fleat that the people have no cause to weep that they be be not di quieted by Nahash the Ammonite c. Thus we see the ends of Magistracie Now for the duties Of the duties of Subjects to their Princes read a learned discourse of the Author in his sermon on Proverbs 24. 21 22 23. Fear God and the king c. as also what Caesars right is which is due from the people on Matth. 22. 21. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars c. And for the excellency of Regal government and how great a blessing it is to the Church and what miseries and confusions follow where it is wanting see the Authors sermon on 〈◊〉 17. 6. In those dayes there was no king in Israel c. 1. As there was 〈◊〉 in the Ministery by unlawful entrance and intrusion into that calling so is there also in the Magistracy It is said of the people of Laish that they lived carelesse because they had no Magistrate Therefore the Danites fell upon them and slew them and usurped authority over them But to prevent this men are not to take upon them a government 〈◊〉 for as our Saviour in the 〈◊〉 of the Ministerie said I am the door so in the case of Magistracy he saith Per me Reges regnant by me Kings reign and Princes decree justice If once it come to that which God speaketh by the Prophet Regnaverunt sed non per me they have set up Kings but not by me they have made Princes and I knew it not If once God be not of their counsel and they assume this honour to themselves not being called of God as the Apostle speaks or as the Prophet take to themselves horns that is power by their own strength these are usurpers not lawful Magistrates An example we have of an usurper in Abimelech and of his practises to get a kingdom 1. He hireth lewd and vain persons 2. maketh himself popular and 3. committeth murder even upon his brethren And those that had right to it he either took out of the way or drove away for fear For these are the three practises of usurpers as Jotham tells them in his parable This then is the first duty of a Magistrate to come in by a just and right title not to usurp 2. In the next place being rightly setled in charge by God we must consider the division which S. Peter makes into 1. either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the king whom he calls 〈◊〉 or 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are under officers appointed by him as Captains in time of war and Judges in time of peace God gives the reason for under officers to Moses Because one man is not able to bear the 〈◊〉 alone And the very same reason doth Jethro give to Moses when he advised him to take under officers to help him to judge the people So did Moses to the people when the people were multiplied he confest he was notable to hear all causes himself Now concerning under Officers this rule must be observed that there be no more of them then is necessary that the 〈◊〉 of them exceed not so as that they be a burthen and clog to the Common-wealth We see in Nehemiahs time that it was not the supreme Magistrate but the under officers that dealt hardly with the people The more of them the more fees were exacted which becomes gravamen Reipublicae a grievance to the Common-wealth the people cannot bear it and therefore is it neither safe nor stands it with the policy or justice of the 〈◊〉 to admit too many of them 1. The peoples duty about the election of the king or supreme Magistrate where he is elective and not by succession must be such as Quem Dominus Deus 〈◊〉 elegerit thou shalt choose whom the Lord thy God shall choose According to the same rule must be the 〈◊〉 of inferiour officers if the choice be made otherwise it is vitious for the manner but not void Multa tueri non debent quae facta valent Bathsheba urged many reasons to David to declare her son Solomon to be his successor and David nominated him but it seems it was not so much by her perswasion or his own affection but in a solemn assembly of Peers he gives the main reason that as God had formerly chosen himself before all the house of his father to be king over Israel Judah so had God likewise of all his sons chosen Solomon to sit upon the throne of the kingdom And indeed the choosing of a man for his gifts is all
one as if God himself had chosen him After these two David and Solomon God appointed their 〈◊〉 to succeed and sit on their throne 2. The next rule is the person to 〈◊〉 chosen king or an officer of a king is to be one of the nation and not a stranger and the reasons are 1. Because he will be best affected to the people among whom he is 〈◊〉 2. Because he is better experienced with the laws and customs of the nation then a stranger can be 3. He best knows the temper of the people as Paul spake of Agrippa in that respect a fit judge For the particular and proper duties and qualifications in a Prince they are these 1. He must not be affected to Egypt that is to a false or contrary religion he must be sound in Religion 2. Not given to pleasures especially the pleasures of wine or women Solomons many wives made him lay many burdens and charges on the Jews which when they could not perswade Rehoboam to lighten they rebelled against their king first and against God afterward and at length were captivated 3. Nor a 〈◊〉 of silver and gold in the same verse in Deuteronomie not covetous onely he must be 〈◊〉 careful as the Heathen directs to lay so much together 〈◊〉 amicos beneficiis obstringere ac indigentibus suppeditare bene merentibus remunerare inimicos jure 〈◊〉 by good turns to binde his friends to him to relieve them that are in want to reward the well-deserving and revenge himself upon his enemies 4. Which is first to be done because it includes all the rest assoon as he is setled in his throne he must provide a copy of the law out of which he must learn 1. To fear God 2. And to see it practised first by himself and then in his Court and lastly by all the countrey 3. He must learn to be humble 4. To do justice to the people and then his throne shall be established for ever Saul being made king had another heart given him 1 Samuel 10. 6. This God gave him when he came among the Prophets Gods counsel to kings is Be wise now O ye kings This Wisdom religion teacheth and it prevents honours and riches and pleasures from drawing aside the hearts of Princes He that is thus qualified is meet for a kingdom 1. Being thus elected and qualified and placed in his 〈◊〉 he is to know that he is not there by his own power but as we see the stile runneth Caesar Dei gratia permissione 〈◊〉 by Gods favour and permission And whereas the law makes this distinction of power there is potestas arbitraria an absolute power and potestas delegata a power delegated by another he is to acknowledge that 〈◊〉 hath onely 〈◊〉 delegatam from God the other is invested in God alone he is the King of kings Lord Paramount Per me reges regnant by me kings reign saith 〈◊〉 The king mustconfesse with the Centurion I am a man under authority though I say unto one go and to another come and they both obey me 〈◊〉 he said I am under Claudius Lysias he under Foelix Foelix under the Emperour and God over rules us all And this even the Heathen did see Regum in proprios reges in 〈◊〉 imperium 〈◊〉 Jovis the government over the people is in Kings and over Kings themselves in God alone I have said ye are Gods saith God by King David in respect of the government of men therefore they must rule as 〈◊〉 God himself ruled personally upon earth and how is that If he did vouchsafe to keep the power in his own hand he would rule by his word Princes then must rule according to this word they must make no laws contrary to this and because perfect skill in the word is hardly to be expected in Princes but in those at whose mouth the law of God must be sought viz. the Priests therefore the Prince is to receive direction at the mouth of Eleazar And this is his first duty The peoples duty answerable to this is to acknowledge that a King is Gods Deputy and to submit to his authority which is done by Gods touching the heart for obedience proceedeth from the spirit of God as well as power from God Our 〈◊〉 gives a good rule in this For there were two 〈◊〉 of people in Jury one that made made an Insurrection with Theudas against Caesar about 〈◊〉 he and his followers would acknowledge nothing due to Caesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits of opposition And secondly there were spiritus aulici too Herodians that would have 〈◊〉 to have all even the things that were Gods And these men came to Christ with the Scribes to tempt him Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not They would try which side Christ would joyn to but he goes in a middle way He condemns the seditious party that denied Caesar his tribute and yet joyns not with the Herodians He saith not Omnia sunt Caesaris all things belong to Caesar but Caesar hath his Quae and God hath his Quae so he goes from Theudas but not to the 〈◊〉 but stayes at Obedience which is in medio 2. The second duty of kings is because God hath been so liberal to Caesar as to make him his 〈◊〉 for quicquid 〈◊〉 de Deo creaturis derivatur a 〈◊〉 ad creaturas whatsoever is spoken of God and his creatures is derived from God to 〈◊〉 treatures and so that Supremacy which is in kings is derived from God who is supreme over all he was able to have done all alone and if 〈◊〉 had followed the course of the world conceiving that author alienae potentiae aufert de 〈◊〉 or perdit suam he that is author of another mans power takes from or loseth his own He would not have bestowed any part of his dignity upon another as we see he hath imparted to Caesar. Now Caesar must not 〈◊〉 him by breaking into the pale of Gods power which he hath reserved to himself for as we see there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a division Christ makes a distinction between quae Caesaris and quae Dei therefore he must be careful to leave God his own he must not dominari 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the conscience for none keeps court in the conscience but God alone Therefore he must not command any against his allegiance to God sealed in 〈◊〉 He must not command any thing against the word for as S. Jerome saith what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paid to Caesar against the word is not not Caesaris vectigal Caesars tribute but 〈◊〉 the Devils He knowing Gods glory to be his end must onely be custos leg is the keeper of the law that 〈◊〉 of all the works commanded in the law by prohibiting outward violence against the law of God The Minister can but exhort and perswade and do he what he can some will use outward violence to restrain
which is the proper work of the Magistrate When there was no king in Israel every man did what was good in his own eyes which is proved by Micha's attempt making a Teraphim and by the robberie of the Danites Chap. 18. and the ravishing of the maids by the Benjamites Chap. 19. Therefore for defending from external injuries he must be custos 〈◊〉 tabulae keeper of both tables S. Augustine saith Reges si in suo regno quae bona sunt jubent mala prohibent faciunt non solum quae ad humanam societatem attinent sed ad divinam religionem If Kings command their Subjects good things and forbid them evil they do not onely that which belongs to the preservation of humane society but Gods service also And again In hoc sciunt reges a Deo praecipi 〈◊〉 Deo inserviant in quantum Reges Kings must know they are to serve God as they are kings They are then to be Gods servants as they are kings but not to exceed the power given them by God their supremacy must not extend to what God either reserved to himself or committed peculiarly to the Priests Vzziah took on him by his supremacy to burn incense in the Temple which belonged onely to the Priests but God stroke him with leprosie 〈◊〉 on the other side by his supremacy would order matters of Religion but how not as the former did or as a late King who would have whatsoever he proposed to be good Divinity but he commands the Priests and Levites to do what belonged to their office he usurps not their office but makes them do their duty and this is the supremacy which a Christian Prince ought to have Their care must be to provide for religion and Gods service to see all done by those to whom it belongs not to act themselves King Asa whose heart was perfect as the text saith removed not the high places He did jubere bona sed non 〈◊〉 mala King Ezekias did both And under this we comprehend that kinde of compulsion which we see in the Gospel Compellite ut introeant compell them to come in there must be foris necessit as ut sit 〈◊〉 voluntas a necessity abroad to make a will within In S. Augustines time there were divers Donatists that by compulsion were converted and thanked the Emperour for compelling them 3. Another part of the duty of a Prince is as he is the head of the People to be careful to feed them The Tribes of Israel tell King David that the Lord told him when he made him King That he should feed his people Hot histriones or canes but subditos as a Father speaks upon Hosea 7. 5. We have the description of a 〈◊〉 by Samuel at large He accounts all as born to be his drudges and slaves and the Wise man calleth such great oppressours and the Prophet evening wolves not Pastors and roaring lions He must not be of their mindes but like Aristides of Athens who was so careful of the Common-wealth that he used to wish that either his house were the Common-wealth or the Common-wealth his houshold So was it with Joshua his care was in the first place to divide portions for the Tribes and afterwards had his own portion Not like some Rulers that choose first and serve others last And Nehemiah though he had an hundred and fifty at his table and that the precedent governours had taken much money from the people yet did not take so much as he might for the space of twelve years together Now this provision must begin with care for the soul as Jehoshaphat did who sent the Levires thorowout the kingdom with the book of the Law to teach the people and to this end that there may be a perpetual supply of this food there must be a Naioth in Ramah persons educated as in Bethel in Mizpeh the schools for the Prophets and children of the Prophets from whence Teachers are to grow up one under other 2. The next care must be for the body Pharaoh laid up corn against a time of dearth And not onely so but he must send ships for forreign commodities as Solomon did To prevent and end injuries and contentions at home Judges must be appointed after Jehosaphats example Lastly to preserve them from forreign invasions he must with the same King set garrisons in his own cities and have captains and souldiers as he had in some cities of Ephraim taken by his father 1. The first duty of the people answering to these is as the Wise man counselleth 1. Fear God and the King 2. Not to meddle with those that are given to change that is with rebels and seditious persons who would change Laws Religion and Government There are divers shires and corporations in the kingdom and every of them have their several Magistrates and 〈◊〉 over them but they are all under one Prince like as the Kings of the earth are as so many justices of peace in several kingdoms all constituted by one God who is over all Now if any of these subordinate Magistrates rebell against their Prince he is a Rebel both to the Prince and to God and so are all that hearken to him or joyn with him Therefore as we must not obey Kings against God so must we not obey any inferiour Magistrate against kings ut omnia cooperentur in bonum that all things may work together for good as the Apostle speaks 2. In regard of their care over us we are to follow Christs example in obedience and to know that we are according to the right sence of his words not dare but reddere 〈◊〉 quae sunt Caesaris to render not to give to render his due for we know it is the rule of Justice 〈◊〉 reddendum quod suum est to render every one his own We have 〈◊〉 of theirs in 〈◊〉 hands and 〈◊〉 illicita 〈◊〉 dummodo quae sunt requirit it is no unjust demand in any man when he requires but his own As in regard that he secures out tillage he must have tribute out of our lands for keeping the seas peaceable he 〈◊〉 to have vectigal custome and in time of necessity and wars he must have subsidies Besides that which Nehemiah calls the governours bread 〈◊〉 3. The third duty of the Prince is in cases of appeale called Canon Regis or Regni to do justice to all It is justice that establisheth the Throne Saint 〈◊〉 saith just 〈◊〉 Regis pax est 〈◊〉 tutamen 〈◊〉 c. The justice of a King is the peace of the people and 〈◊〉 of the kingdom And Saint 〈◊〉 sine justitia magna 〈◊〉 nibil aliud sunt quammagna 〈◊〉 without justice great kingdoms are nothing els but great dens of theeves And in the administration of justice he must be careful ut osejus non 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 that his mouth transgresse
not in judgement and in so doing his kingdome shall be exalted and the rather if in his time he take care 1. That the righteous flourish if good men be encouraged 2. And that the evill be scattered that the innocent be not oppressed or kept under 〈◊〉 that the wicked have their desert his eye must not spare them The drosse must be taken away from the silver Take away the wicked and the kings throne shall be established in justice The peoples duty in regard of this Justice is to feare him we must fear him if we do evill for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil as the Apostle tells us If we do well fear not with a servile but a filial feare for ruler are not a terrour to good works but to the evill to whom the Kings wrath is as the roaring of a lion Prov. 20. 2. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good 4. The fourth and last duty of Kings which procureth both fear and honour is their humble and meek behaviour in government and using their power Not bragging of their power as Saul Cannot I give to every of you fields and vineyards and make you captains c. Nor 〈◊〉 of their power as Pilate to Christ knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee or to release thee this comes to passe because they cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 digest that great happinesse they have but forget that rule of the Apostle that all is given them for edification not for destruction no man hath received power to do hurt but onely to do good Haman could not digest the power he had but all the 〈◊〉 must know of it Saint 〈◊〉 gives a good rule to magistrates Talis debet esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut is qui praeest ease circa subditos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quatenus 〈◊〉 timeri aebeat iratus amari 〈◊〉 eum nec nimia lenitas vilem reddat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severitas odiosum Such should be the moderation in government that he which ruleth should stand in such termes with his subjects as that they may feare him when he is well pleased and love him when he is angry that neither too much lenity make him contemptible nor too much severity bring him into hatred The Heathen man makes this distinction between a Tyrant and a good King The good king will say I am to do this I pray pardon me it is my duty The Tyrant saith I may and will do it Therfore his counsel is that though they may do it all 〈◊〉 yet it will be prudence in them to take others along with them that thereby their authority may be the lesse envied and that they do sometimes depart from their right and not urge alwayes 〈◊〉 jus For as the Preacher saith better is a poor wise child then an old foolish king that will take no counsel Naaman took his servants counsel 2. King 5. 14. The conclusion of both is panciora licent ei quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He should take the least liberty of all other who hath liberty to do what he lift Thus he ought to think and thus to think is a great part of that humility and meeknes which ought to be in Princes otherwise as the heathen saith this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear may bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flattery but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearty good will to him 1. The duties to answer this is 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to fear him so much as to be afraid of him lest any hurt should come unto him The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not let David adventure himself in a dangerous war against his rebellious son and their reason was thou art worth 10000 of us So again in the war with the Philistimes they sweare Thou shalt no more go out with us and why they esteemed him as the light of the kingdom and say that thou quench not the light of Israel if he should miscarry they accounted themselves to be but in darknes 2. Another part of their duty is to beare with their Princes infirmities if they fail at any time to cover their failings and to bury them in silence the contrary to this is when men blaze abroad the faults of their governours and speak evil of them a thing severely forbidden in scripture which counts it a kinde of blasphemy to speak evil of those who are in Gods place They have blasphemed thee and standered the footsteps of thine annoynted saith the Psalmist Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the ruler of thy people saith God And Saint Peter notes it as a high degree of wickednes in the sectaries and 〈◊〉 professors of his time that they despised government presumptuous they were self-willed and were not afraid to speak evil of dignities c. And the preacher goeth home forbidding even to wish evil to the King though it be in thy thought much 〈◊〉 openly It is true Elias when Ahab became a troubler of Israel by permitting Jezabel to murder Gods prophets and set up the worship of Baal told him from God that he was the troubler of Israel and thereupon this extraordinary prophet convinced the kings errour put to death the 〈◊〉 prophets and left Ahab to Gods judgements if he amended not this he did by 〈◊〉 and immediate commission from God which others cannot follow unlesse they have the like warrant Now for under officers what their duties are The duties of under officers are 1. They must be men of courage able men not drawn by favour or power of great men They must not be drawn aside by fear or favour of any Now how may that be if they fear God This takes away all vain fear of men and corrupt affection and makes them constant in their way 2. They must be true and just not wresting judgment for 〈◊〉 3. They must be wise having not onely prudentiam in general but prudence to know how to apply general rules to particular cases and when to use equity and moderation Where this is not but fooles are preferred to bear rule it is as Solomon saith as if one should guild a potsherd or as if a precious stone should be buried in a heap of stones Where this prudence is wanting power is like a sword in a mad mans hand he is like a fool that if he have a pellet in his crosse bow cries have at you and so lets it fly at any without distinction If this be not fit in kings much lesse in those which are subordinate to him And that these qualities are in him must be known to the tribes to those he lives amongst 1. If he be not couragious he will be scared with si non facias non es 〈◊〉 Caesaris and so he will be
not his brother hanged his look his countenance fell Laban upon displeasure taken against Jacob altered his countenance it was not to him as before S. Jerome upon the 16 verse of the 80 Psalm saith there is 〈◊〉 increpationis a chiding countenance and 〈◊〉 detractationis a countenance that can detract which is as the Wise man saith when one doth harden his face or put on a bold face when he is rebuked or hath as David saith a proud look whereby he doth as much as in him lies 〈◊〉 laedere dishonour him by his looks Elisha saith that if he had not reverenced the face of the king of Judah he would not once have looked upon Jehoram intimating that to Superiours especially being godly reverence must be shewed and that it may be shewen even in the looks For Superiours because as they say their power is bottomlesse so their abuses are bottomlesse therefore there are certain signes of a good government 1. The Prophet tells us that in a good government the eyes of them that see shall not need to wink and the mouth of them that can speak shall not need to be silent a man may speak the truth freely without danger or controll a flagitious man shall not be called Good Sir and as it is verse 5. the base shall not be called liberal nor the churl bountiful He gives us to understand that in an ill government a man must see and not see as the Poet said Quod scis 〈◊〉 We may see this in the examples of Esay and Amos. Amos lived in the dayes of Vzziah and Jeroboam and he tells us that then it was a time for the prudent to keep silence because it was an evil time A wise man must hold his peace lest it should fare with him as with the Levite when the Danites cried Tace hold thy peace which he was forced to do lest they should have slain him It was certainly no signe of good government when our Saviour for saying he was not bound to accuse himself before Caiaphas was 〈◊〉 on the face by a Catchpole and when Ananias commanded S. Paul to be smitten on the mouth because he pleaded his own cause whereas Esay living in the dayes of Hezekiah a good king durst say to Shebna Who are you whence come you and God deal thus and thus with you 2. A second signe of evil government is when men cannot have justice but are delayed by those that should right them S. Paul notwithstanding his appeal to 〈◊〉 could get no justice because Nero being upheld by his under governours must also uphold them Achish could confesse that David was upright yet he told him he must not go with him for fear of displeasing the Lords of the Philistims 3. Another signe is by their speech which the Heathen observed A good Governour saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is my duty and I must do it An evil Governour will say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have power and I may do it He boasts with Saul I can give you vineyards c. and with Pilate I have power to crucisie thee and power to let thee go 4. A fourth signe is out of Menander when their eye-brows swell so that they will refuse to amend what is amisse If there be any fault and if you tell them not of it they will say Why did you not tell me of it and if you do they will say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will consider of it and then it shall be as much amended as if it had never been mentioned and also you shall when opportunity serves be remembred with some mark of displeasure as one too busy or pragmatical When one told Joah of Absaloms hanging in a tree he asked him why he did not kill him but the other replied that considering the kings strict charge to the contrary Joah himself if the fact had been done by another would have been ready to accuse him to the king and to have him punished 5. It is a signe of ill government when Religion is pretended to stop justice It was much practised in the primitive times and oft complained of by the Fathers If any of the Rulers or Officers had wronged a Christian Bishop and he had complained to the Emperour who promised justice and appointed a day for hearing then would the Deputy come and say This man is a Christian he ought to be patient and to forgive injuries and not to go to law it s against the principles of his religion And thus they were dismissed without justice and reproached for their labour So it is often with others especially if any Clergie-man seek for justce 6. Lastly The thriving of the righteous is a good signe In his dayes saith the Psalmist shall the righteous flourish But on the contrary when as the Heathen observed The flatterer is chief in esteem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Sycophant the next and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lewd and naughty person is the third This is a signe of ill government Such a Sycophant was Doeg who accused David to Saul and made him pursue him his crime was such that there was no sacrifice appointed by the Law to 〈◊〉 it and therefore David said Let him be cursed before the Lord. It is reported that when Caesar first entred upon his tyrannical government he gave preferment sic 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamen inquinaret ornamenta so that the men had no honor by them but dishonor was brought upon the preferments and these places of preferment are discredited when unworthy men as Sycophants and lewd persons are placed in them by governours 6. The sixt rule for expounding the precepts is that we do not onely observe them our selves but cause them to be observed by others According to this we must not onely honour our Superiours but draw others to this duty The negative precept is given by the Wise man My son Fear God and the King and 〈◊〉 not with those that are given to change c We must neither be principals nor accessories in any rebellious course against our Soveraign neither do any thing of our selves nor draw others to joyn with us in any such unlawful course An example we have in David when he had Saul at 〈◊〉 he would not hurt him himself nor would he suffer Abishai to destroy him for who saith he can stretch out his hand against the Lords anointed and be innocent And as they contain a dehortation from disobedience and rebellion so e contra we have an exhortation for obedience and subjection Gedaliah as he was willing to submit himself to the Chaldees so he exhorts others Let us serve the king of Babel and it shall be well with us When any shall rise in the gain-saying of Corah against Moses or Aaron we must not onely not joyn with them but withdraw others from them and say with Moses
female this sin is committed and that either with more then one or with one alone with more either without law or with colour of law That without all colour of law is called Scortatio Whoring and this is not only forbidden but in the next verse the Whore is resembled to a Bitch and Whoremongers to a company of dogs For the punishment of it by the light of Nature it was punisht with Death the offenders were to be burnt as we see in Thamar And because the civil laws of men inflict small punishment for this sin therefore God himself will punish it Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge yea God will judge it both in the world to come for the whoremongers are 〈◊〉 among those that shall have their portion in the fiery Lake and also in this life with strange and extraordinary judgements as Lue Gallica with the French Pox an abominable and filthy disease not heard of in former Ages 6. Under colour of law or pretext of mariage comes Poligamy a fault wherewith sundry of the Patriarchs and others were intangled yielding to the corrupt customs of the Countreys about them not enquiring after Gods will But nature it self might have taught them that where the care of both sexes is requird for education there the very beasts of the field and fowls of the air are coupled but one with one but where the dam alone or female may bring up the young there it is otherwise This is plain even from the Creation where it is said male and female created he them but more plain from that of our Saviour And they twain shall be one flesh where we see the number set down expressely as also from another speech of his whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery In the Law it is forbidden Thou shalt not take one wife to another or take a wife to her sister The terms of brother and sister are applyed to any thing that is alike even to inanimate things as if to one half of a thing the other half be added it might well be called the brother or sister of it therefore by sister may here be understood another wife but whether it be so to be understood or no yet the reason added there lest thou vex her is sufficient The very vexation and trouble in the house This what it was we see in Abrahams house while Hagar remained in it and in Jacobs while Rachel envied Leah and lastly in Elkanahs between Hannah and 〈◊〉 So that the inconvenience which hereby arises in hindering bonum oeconomicum the peace of the family is reason strong enough to evince the inexpedience if not the unlawfulnesse of it But it is objected that it was lawful at the first for the increase of 〈◊〉 and propagation of the world In answer whereof we say That indeed if ever it had been lawful or allowed it had been so in the begining But the Prophet Malachy calleth men to the beginning in this very point and tells them as our Saviour told the Pharisees ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic from the beginning it was not so and that God having plenty of Spirit and power to have made more yet made but one one Eve for one Adam and wherefore one because he sought a godly seed And therefore Polygamie was unlawful from the beginning and much more in all ages that should follow 〈◊〉 Again the first that the holy Ghost noteth to have had two wives was wicked Lamech of 〈◊〉 race and though Jacob had two also yet he learnt it in 〈◊〉 Aram among the Idolaters The Prophets therefore having spoken against it and Christ also And the Apostle directing let every woman have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 husband have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own wife whatsoever 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 have been devised to defend it it is utterly unlawful In Matrimony this sin is committed uxore propria with ones own wife for we 〈◊〉 to not left to our selves in Matrimony to use our liberty as we please 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambrose and others of the Fathers use often a saying of Sixtus a Philosopher that 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 uxor is suae ferventior 〈◊〉 man may commit adultery by too much 〈◊〉 of love to his wife This 〈◊〉 was forbidden by the Law and punished There ought to be no approaching 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 no not to a mans own 〈◊〉 if it were both parties were to be cut off from among the people But because here we may fall into infinite questions about marriage and not very pertinent to this place we will therefore here content our selves onely with these few considerations because we have spoken of them more largely already 1. We must have Abrahams care not to match with the Canaanites with the wicked but as S. Paul directeth in Domino in the Lord. 2. Secondly consent of parents must be had Speak to the King saith Tamar to Ammon for he will not withhold me from thee 〈◊〉 thereby that she had not power to bestow her self 3 As God brought Eve to Adam and gave her to him so must we desire that our wife may come by the hand of God and he to make the match which is when the marriage is made by the Priest Gods deputy in the face of the Church 4. Which more neerly concerns this place In marriage we must so behave our selvs in having wives as if we had none and to be content to master our lusts so that for the duties of Christianity we may separate our selves for a time 5. We must not depart or divorce our selves but onely in case of Adultery according to our Saviours rule 6. After we are divided by the death of one party so to abide if we can or at least not quickly to wax wanton and marry again but to stay for a time til the body of the party deceased be dissolved into earth from whence it came Out of matrimony we commit this sin 1. Either with one allyed to us Or 2. with a stranger 1. If she be allyed to us either by father or mother as agnata or cognata it is called incest and is forbidden by the Law and punished with death It is set down as a principle Thou shalt not discover the shame of thy mother because she is thy mother nor of thy sister because she is thy sister as though by the light of nature the very naming of mother or sister were enough to keep us from medling with them No man was hotter against this then 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet this sin 〈◊〉 a time was winked at But the land 〈◊〉 out the 〈◊〉 and the Perizzites for this abomination And 〈◊〉 before the Law for this very sin of incest forfeited both his right to the kingdom which went from him to 〈◊〉 and