and commandments of God ought to be the rule and the way wherein every man ought to walke 5. Obs That no command of man bindes the Conscience to be observed that is contrary to the statutes and commandments of God Hosea 10.3 For now they shall say we have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do to us 1. Obs That where a people or a Nation begin to cast off the fear of the Lord that people or Nation desires no King 2. Obs That if England fear the Lord then England desires a King 3. Obs That people feare not the Lord that doe not highly esteeme of and honour their King Hosea 13.10 O Israel I will be thy King thou saidst give me a King and Princes I gave thee a King in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath 1. Obs That God takes the title and name of a King to himselfe 2. Obs That the people of God hath God to be their King 3. Obs That Kings are given and taken away by God 4. Obs That no man hath power to place or displace the King but God himselfe Mat. 17.12 Jesus asked Peter what thinkest thou Simon of whom doe the Kings of the earth take custome of strangers or of their own children yet lest we should offend goe to the sea cast an hooke take a fish open his mouth take a piece of money and pay for thee and me 1. Obs That Christ allows of Kings to be on the earth 2. Obs That Christ will pay custome to Caesar rather then offend Caesar 3. Obs That Christ will work a miracle to pay custome to the Kings of the earth rather then offend 4 Obs That by Christs Example all men must submit to the customes and priviledges of Kings 5 Obs That free children ought rather to submit to the customes of their Kings then offend Mat. 22.20 Mar. 12.17 Luke 20.25 Whose is this Image and Superscription Cesars Render to Cesar the things that be Cesars and to God the things that be Gods 1 Obs That the Authority of Kings may be enquired after 2 Obs That when the Kings Authority is made known it presently must be obeyed 3 Obs That its the command of God to give Kings their due 4 Obs That no man ought to hinder the King of his customes and his dues but render them to him Rom. 13.1.2.7 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 1 Obs That every man ought to submit himselfe to that Authority that is set over him by God 2 Obs That where God sets not Authority that soul ought not to be subject 3 Obs That where Authority commands things contrary to God that Authority ought not to be obeyed by active obedience 4 Obs That no man ought to resist that Authority that is ordained of God 5 Obs That the Authority of Kings is ordained of God and no man ought to resist them 6 Obs That damnation is the reward of disloyalty to the Kings Authority 1 Tim. 2.1.2 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Obs That all manner of prayers ought to be made for Kings and all in Authority 2 Obs That no quiet and peaceable living can be in any Kingdome where Kings and Magistrates are not prayed for 3 Obs That it is a good and acceptable sacrifice to God our Saviour to offer up prayers and thankes for Kings and all in Authority Titus 3.1 Put them in minde to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good worke 1 Obs That people must be put in mind of their duty they are apt to forget it 2 Obs That its the ministers duty to preach subjection to supreame Authority 3 Obs That its the peoples duty willingly to yeild obedience to all Authority 4 Obs That by our good works we shew forth our obedience to supreame Authority and power of the Magistrate 1 Pet. 2.13 17. Submit your selves therefore to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreame or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God Honour the King 1 Obs That the ordinances of man that are made agreeable to the word of the Lord ought to be obeyed 2 Obs That the King is the supreame Governour and his Authority is supreame Authority and his commands are supreamly to be obeyed 3. Obs That governours are sent by the King and have their authority from the King 4. Obs That the authority of governours is to punish evil doers and to praise them that do well 5. Obs That its Gods will that the King is supreame governour and he commands his commands are supreamly to be obeyed 6. Obs That no government ought to be set up neither in Church nor state that is not according to the word and will of God 7. Obs That all men ought to be honoured in that place of authority whereunto God hath called them 8. Obs That the Saints of God upon earth ought to be loved 9. Obs That high and low rich and poor ought to fear God 10. Obs That all men high and low rich and poor noble and ignoble young and old it is their duty to honour the King God save the King God save King Charls Thus gentle Reader have we run through these places and texts of Scripture which hath sufficiently to satifie every mans soule proved unto us painly the worke we have taken in hand to set forth The Kings AUTHORITY And lest any should with the Atheist deny there is a God or a King we will gather up these fragments again that nothing be lost And now view and behold the The Kings AUTHORITY and the Subjects DUTY And so here we may plainly see and observe That the Lord alone hath chosen Kings not man And he hath chosen them to Rule over and to Govern his own people Israel And Kings are the Lords immediate servants his holy ones The Lords Anointed for that purpose to Govern his people their Thrones are upholden by the Lord their AUTHORITY is from the Lord and their AUTHORITY is supreame AUTHORITY over ALL. And yet they owe duty to God as first 1 To see that the house of the Lord be beautified 2 To maintain their Queens against all that shall oppose them 3 To pray to God for themselves and to make God
CERTAINE OBSERVATIONS UPON Some Texts of SCRIPTURE GATHERED TOGETHER FOR THE SETTING FORTH THE KINGS AVTHORITY AND THE PEOPLES DVTY Col. 3.16 And now brethren let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life and they are they that testifie these things Printed in the year 1648. To the READER GEntle Reader J finding the worke hereof to be very beneficiall for the publike it being a publike worke durst not wrong mine owne conscience so much as to conceal it for mine owne use wrap up my talent in a napkin without imparting it to the good of others J desire therefore nothing more then your Christian patience because you must not expect the ensuing matter as a discourse from the learned but accept of it as a poor gift freely bestowed upon the Kingdome from a weake Lay-man who had rather speake five words with understanding then ten thousand in an unknown tongue And whose wisedome was not able to dive into any further discourse but to take up and gather together severall Scriptures and from thence plain truths as are revealed in the Scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testament that so they may be more fully made known to this end that we may all in this Kingdome more speedily put them into practice which is the prayer and desire of Your friend and servant T. M. IF there be any that be desirous with Enoch to walk with God and to please him Or with Abraham the father of the faithfull to walk before God and to be upright Or with Zacharias and Elizabeth the righteous servants of the Lord to walk in the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Then with the Prophet Micah 4.2 Let them go to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach them of his wayes if they will walk in his paths And with the Prophet Jeremiah 6.16 Let them stand in the way and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and they shall find rest for their souls And as many as walke according to this rule peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 And let us now hear what God the Lord speaks Psal 85.8 As by the mouth of all his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Luke 1.70 For if they will not beleeve Moses and the Prophets neither will they beleeve though one arose from the dead Luk. 16.31 And first what they speake for The Kings AUTHORITY ANd let us now begin our work in the name of the Lord and intreat his blessing upon it and hear what the Lord God himself saith who is the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our fathers Numb 12.8 Wherefore then were ye not afraid Aaron and Miriam to speak against my servant Moses marrying an Ethiopian woman vers 10. Miriam became Leprous white as snow 1. Observation That neither high nor low ought to speak against Supreame Authority no not Aaron though the high Priest Eccles 8.4 Who may say unto him what dost thou They are the Lords servants 2. Obs That a Leprosie or some other judgement shall befall them that speak against supream authority though in marriage S. Jude cals them filthy dreamers that despise dominion and speak evill of dignities v. 8. Judges 17.5 Micah had an house of gods and consecrated one of his sons to be his priest And in those dayes there was no King in Israel but every man did that which was right in his own eyes 1. Obs That where no King is to rule a Nation that Nation and people is ready to consecrate priests to themselves Heb. 4.5 No man ought to take this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron to be an high priest 2. Obs That where there is no King in a Nation though Gods own people Israel yet Israel walks according to their own wayes and contrary to the wayes of God Lev. 26.21 If ye walk contrary unto me I will walk contrary unto you and bring seven more judgements upon you for my wayes are not your wayes nor my thoughts your thoughts saith the Lord. Isay 55.8 1 Sam. 8.4 When the Elders of Israel perceived that the sons of Samuel though Judges walked not aright but followed lucre and perverted judgement They came to Samuel and said unto him make us a King to judge us like all the Nations 1. Obs That the Elders and rulers the heads of the Tribes of Israel desire to have a King for to rule them and judge them 2. Obs That no Elder or ruler ought to dis-throne a King from ruling or judging 1 Sam. 10.24 And Samuel said unto the Elders and to all the people See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen that there is none like him amongst the people And all the people shouted and said God save the King 1. Obs That Kings have their originall choice from the Lord. 2. Obs That no man ought to be compared to the King 3. Obs That no man ought to think slightly of the King but to rejoyce in their King 4. Obs That its the peoples duty to pray for the King God save the King 2 Sam. 16.16 Hushai being sent from David said unto Absolon God save the King God save the King 1. Obs That dissimulation hath a cloak for every action 2. Obs That prayer is made a cloak for dissimulation 3. Obs That fair speeches and the stronger party is made a maine cloak for dissemblers 18.19 1. Kings 1.39 And Zadok the priest Anointed Solomon King and they blew the trumpet and all the people said God save King Solomon 1. Obs That Kings are the Lords Anointed 2. Obs That great triumph ought to be made at the Anointing of Kings 3. Obs That its the peoples duty to pray for their King by name King Solomon King Charls 1 Kings 20.31 And Benadads servants said the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings let us put sackcloth on our loyns and ropes upon our heads and go out to the King of Israel peradventure he will save our lives 1. Obs That the councell of servants ought not to be rejected 2. Obs That Kings ought to be mercifull 3. Obs That its the duty of the people to be humbled and submit their lives to the Kings mercy 4. Obs That where there is no humiliation there ought to be no mercy 5. Obs That Kings have power in themselves to pardon great offenders 1 Kings 21.13 Children of Belial witnessed against Naboth Naboth did blaspheme God and the King And they stoned him with stones that he died 1. Obs That blasphemers of God and the King ought to suffer death 2. Obs That we ought not to have an evil thought of the King Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in
thy thoughts Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people 1 Chro. 28.4.29.1 And David the King said unto all the congregation Solomon my son whom alone God hath chosen is yet young and tender 1. Obs That God alone chuses Kings 2. Obs That God may chuse Kings when they are young and tender 3. Obs That it is not in the power and will of man to chuse Kings Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reigne 4. Obs That the congregation ought to take notice how the Lord alone chuses Kings 2 Chro. 30.12 King Hezekiah and his Princes tooke counsell together to keep the passeover And the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the King and the Princes by the word of the Lord. 1. Obs That Kings and Princes are to councell together 2. That Kings and Princes ought to councell together for the establishing of Gods worship the Church Government 3. That it is God that unites the hearts of the people to do the Kings Commandement 4. Obs That the King and his Princes ought not to establish any worship but according to the word of the Lord. Ezra 6.10 King Darius made a decree and gave to the priests to offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and his sons 1. Obs That all sacrifices are to be offered up unto the Lord. 2. Obs That in all our spirituall sacrifices we ought to offer up our prayers to the God of heaven for the life of the King and his sons Ezra 7.26 Artaxerxes King of Kings said unto Ezra the priest And whosoever will not do the law of thy God and the law of thy King let judgement be executed upon him speedily whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment 1. Obs That we all ought to be obedient to the laws of God 2. Obs That all we ought to be obedient to the laws of the King 3. Obs That punishment ought to be inflicted upon the transgressors of the laws both of God and the King whether death banishment confiscation imprisonment according to the Kings mercy Ezra 7.27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem 1. Obs That the priests and the scribes of the law of the God of heaven ought to blesse the Lord for the house of the Lord. 2. Obs That the Lord ought to have his house at Jerusalem the Metropolis 3. Obs That the Lords house ought to be sought unto and to be beautified Micah 4.2 4. Obs That they ought to be punished that goe about to deface the house of the Lord. 5. Obs That its the Kings duty to see that the house of the Lord be beautified Neh. 2.3 Nehemiah who was the Kings cupbearer said unto the King Let the King live for ever 1. Obs That Godly rulers ought to pray for their King 2. Obs That Godly rulers ought to pray for the long life of their King 3. Obs That Godly rulers ought not to think slightly of their King but pray Neh. 2.6 And the King said unto me the Queen sitting by him for how long shall thy journy be 1. Obs That there hath been Kings and Queens to rule and govern the nations 2. Obs That no man ought to seperate those that God hath joyned together Esther 7.5 King Ahashuerus said unto Queen Esther who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so 1. Obs That Kings ought to maintain their Queens and make enquiry after those that oppose them 2. Obs That all those that oppose Queens ought to have the wrath of the King stirred up against them 3. Obs That all those that provoke the King sin against their own souls Prov. 20.2 Job 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly 1. Obs That no man ought to speak evil of the King 2. Obs That all men ought to strive to maintain the Kings honour and the Princes innocency Psal 18.50 Great deliverance giveth he to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and his seed for evermore 1. Obs That we ought to pray for deliverance for our King 2. Obs That we ought not to imprison our King 3. Obs That Kings are the Lords Anointed 4. Obs That we ought to pray for the King by his name David Charls 5. Obs That we ought to pray for the Kings seed for evermore Psal 72.1 Give the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings son 1. Obs That we ought to pray to God for the King 2. Obs That we ought to pray to God that judgement and wisdome and understanding may be given to the King for government 3. Obs That we ought to pray that the Kings seed may be endued with righteousnesse 4. Obs That we must all strive to maintain the King in judgement and his seed in righteousnesse Psal 84.9 Behold O God our sheild and looke upon the face of thine Anointed 1. Obs That its the duty of Kings to rely upon God and make him their shield 2. Obs That its the duty of Kings to pray to God for themselves 3. Obs That Kings in their prayers may set out their prerogatives before God Anointed Psal 89.18 For the Lord is our defence the holy one of Israel is our king I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant with my holy oyle have I Anointed him 1. Obs That Kings ought to rely upon the Lord for defence 2. Obs That Kings must not put confidence in man for defence but in the Lord. 3. Obs That Kings are the holy ones of God 4. Obs That Kings are exalted and set up by God 5. Obs That Kings are chosen out of the people by God 6. Obs That Kings are the Lords servants 7. Obs That the oyle wherewith Kings are Anointed is an holy oyle Prov. 8.15 By me kings reigne and princes decree justice 1. Obs That the reigne of Kings is by the power of God and their authority is from the Lord. 2. Obs That no man hath power to subdue the King in his reigne 3. Obs That Princes ought to decree nothing but that which is just 4. Obs That Kings and Princes ought to make no law nor decree but that which is according to justice according to the word of God Prov. 16.10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king his mouth transgresseth not in judgement 1. Obs That the sentences of Kings ought to be highly esteemed as the oracles of God 2. Obs That in the judgement of a King is no transgression 3. Obs That we are to yeeld to the Kings judgement and not stand upon our own judgement Prov. 16.15 In the light of the kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud
of the latter raine 1. Obs That the life of a good subject is the chearfull countenance of the King 2. Obs That the favour of the King is like the former and the latter raine upon the ground in his due season 3. Obs That Kings ought to shew their respects to their good subjects 4. Obs That no subject ought to provoke the King to make him frown Prov. 20.2 The feare of a King is as the roaring of a Lion who so provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul 1. Obs That men ought to be afraid and tremble for fear of the Kings anger 2. Obs That no man ought to vex the King or provoke him to anger 3. Obs That subject sins against his own soul that provokes the King to anger 4. Obs That we must use all our power and industry to preserve the King in his integrity Prov. 20.28 Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy 1. Obs That the preservation of Kings is upheld by upholding the attributes of God 2. Obs That the thrones of Kings are upholden by holding forth the word of truth and the works of mercy 3. Obs That the Kings care ought to be to shew mercy 4. Obs That Kings are made glorious both in the eies of their subjects and to other Nations by holding forth the works of mercy And here see King Charls glorious 1. In his shewing mercy to his enemies 2. In preserving the truth from errour 3. In praying for his persecutors 4. In his desiring of peace in all these wars 5. In his joy in all his afflictions 6. In his patience in the want and injoyment of his desired Consort and comforts 7. In his manifesting all the fruits of the spirit to be in him his love to God to the Kingdome to his Subjects his joy in tribulations his desire of peace his long-suffering his gentlenesse his goodnesse his faith his meekenesse his temperance these have made him glorious and this is his joy and crowne of rejoycing and by these his Crowne is upholden Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change 1 Obs That none can fear the Lord but he that fears the King 2 Obs That unlesse we honour the King we cannot truely fear the Lord. 3 Obs That changelings are not to be trusted unto nor to have any dealing withall Prov. 30.31 And a King against whom there is no rising up 1 Obs That no man ought to rise up against the King not by thoughts to thinke evill of him not by words to curse him nor by weapons to war against him 2 Obs That we all ought to lay down our evill thoughts our wicked words our ungodly weapons and to submit unto him 3 Obs That we all ought to labour in our thoughts words and weapons to preserve and defend the King and his seed after him for evermore Eccles. 8.2 I councell thee to keep the Kings Commandement and that in regard of the oath of God 1 Obs That wherein the King Commands the people are to obey 2 Obs That the Kings Cammands ought to be according to the oath of God 3 Obs That the oath of God and the Kings Commands are to be kept Eccles. 8.4 Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him What doest thou 1 Obs That the words of Kings ought to be powerfull words 2 Obs That no man is to controle the King nor to speake against him 3 Obs That the works of Kings ought all to be righteous works Eccles. 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thoughts and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the aire shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter 1 Obs That we ought not so much as in our thoughts to think evill or to curse the King 2 Obs That we ought with our lives and estates in our thoughts words and works to maintaine and uphold the Honour of the King 3 Obs That no man in Authority ought to be cursed 4 Obs That we ought to pray for Kings and for all in Authority 5 Obs That the Lord will reveale the secrets of mens hearts even of those that curse the King or any in Authority Isaiah 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers 1 Obs That its the duty of Kings and Queenes to be tenderly affected towards their subjects 2 Obs That its the subjects duty to preserve and maintaine their Kings and Queens with all fitting maintenance for their places 3 Obs That Kings and Queens ought to live together to be aiding and assisting one to the other As fathers and mothers Jer. 27.8 It shall come to passe that the Nation and Kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon will I punish with the sword with the famine and with the pestilence and hearken not to your Prophets for they prophesie a lye unto you bringing your neckes under the yoak of the King of Babylon and serve him and his people and live why will ye die thou and thy people by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence as the Lord hath spoken against the Nation that will not serve the King of Babylon 1 Obs That Nations and Kingdomes are to be governed by Kings 2. Obs That though a King be a wicked King yet he must be served 3. Obs That the punishment of a Nation or Kingdome whether by sword famine or pestilence follows the disloyalty to the Kings commands 4. Obs That if Prophets prophesie disloyalty to the Kings commands we are not to hearken unto them they prophesie a lie 5. Obs That its the subjects speciall duty to obey the Kings command 6. Obs That all those that disobey the Kings commands shall be punished by death with sword by famine by pestilence 7. Obs That its the Lord that brings his punishments and inflicts them upon a disloyall Nation or Kingdome where he pleaseth Jer. 30.9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them 1. Obs That the Lord God is to be served 2. Obs That David their King is to be served 3. Obs That they are joyned together to serve the Lord God David their King so serve the Lord God Charls their King 4. Obs That the Lord raises up Kings and commands all their subjects to serve them Ezek. 37.24 David my servant shall be King over them and they all shall have one shepheard and they shall walke in my judgements and observe my statutes and do them 1. Obs That all Godly Kings are the Lords immediate servants 2. Obs That where a Godly King Rules there they have all one Godly ministry one Godly government one faith one baptisme 3. Obs That no liberty ought to be given to tender consciences to walke contrary to Gods statutes 4. Obs That the judgements and statutes
their defence and shield and not put confidence in man 4 To make all their Lawes and decrees and ordinances according to the Lawes of God and their sentences and words to be as the Oracles of God 5 To shew a cheerfull countenance and their due respects to their good subjects And to hold forth the Attributes of God according to the word of truth and to shew mercy and to do righteous works 6 To endeavour to have all one godly Ministry one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one union in Religion and Church Government and no liberty if they walke contrary to God 7 To appoint Governours and to Authorize them to punish evill doers and to praise them that do well And let us now see the duty of Godly Rulers to their King 1 GOdly Rulers and Elders must desire to have a King to Rule them and to Govern them 2 Godly Rulers have no power to chuse a King to dis-throne a King or to imprison a King 3 Godly Rulers ought to pray for the King to pray for the long life of the King and not compare themselves to the King nor thinke slightly of the King 4 Godly Rulers ought to strive to maintain the Kings Honour the Princes innocency and not to seperate the King and the Queene 5 Godly Rulers ought to punish evill doers and to praise them that do well And here next behold the Prophets duty 1 ANd they are to Prophesie Loyalty and Obedience to the Kings commands 2 They are to offer Sacrifice to pray for the King and his Sons 3 They are to preach to the people subjection to supreame Authority And because we will have compassion on the multitude and not let them depart without a blessing we will shew them their duty And here observe now and behold the peoples duty to their King 1. THe peoples duty is to pray for wisdome and understanding for the King 2. The peoples duty is to pray for the King by his name God save King Solomon God save King Charls 3. The peoples duty is to pray for the King and his seed for evermore 4. The peoples duty is not to compare themselves to the King nor thinke slightly of the King nor curse the King 5. The peoples duty is to maintain and uphold with their lives and estates the Kings honour and to humble themselves and submit their lives to the Kings mercy 6. The peoples duty is to obey all the Laws and commands of the King 7. The peoples duty is not to provoke the King to anger nor to controle the King nor to rise up against the King by thought by word or by weapon 8. The peoples duty is to serve and obey the King lest the punishment of disloyaltie to the Kings commands befall them as sword famine pestilence 9. The peoples duty is to pay customes or tributes to their King Caesar 10. The peoples duty is to observe the duty for fear of a greater punishment damnation is the reward of all those that resist the Kings supreame AUTHORITY blessednesse is the reward of all those that submit unto and obey the Kings supreame AUTHORITY And thus having laid ten commands upon the people to which they must all submit and obey Let us againe view and behold England And here by these commands of God by his servant Moses and by all his holy Prophets by the practice of Jesus Christ and by the commands of his holy Apostles Let us now with Moses the servant of the Lord call Israel to a reckoning and with Israel England and see what God could have done more for Israel England then he hath done Deut. 10.12 And now O Israel O England What doth the Lord thy God require of thee to fear the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes and to doe that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God Deut. 12.28 for it is true which S. Luke saith Luke 12.47 He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And to this Christ himselfe saith Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Therefore I shall desire you with the Noble Bereans Acts 17.11 to search the Scriptures daily whether these things be so or no that ye may beleeve and in beleeving have everlasting life But withall I must admonish you according to that of 1 Jo. 4.1 Beleeve not every spirit but trie the spirits whether they be of God or no for false Prophets are gone out into the world And behold they come unto you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves and if it were possible they would deceive the very elect Mat. 24.24 But by their fruits you shall know them And if you desire to know them then I shall exhort you as 2 Chro. 20.20 Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall ye be established beleeve his Prophets as Jam. 5.10 that have spoken to you in the name of the Lord so shall ye prosper 1 John 3.23 And this is his commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another for there is no Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved but the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 4.12 Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father Mat. 3.9 or we are great or rich or have this priviledge or other God is greater and able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham But now the ax is laid to the root of the tree Therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire By their fruits therefore ye shall know them for now is the time of envying strife and division 1 Cor. 3.3 Now is the time of confusion and every evil work Jam. 3.16 Now then this is the time as Jam. 5.16 That the fervent prayer of the righteous man should availe much with the Lord. And therefore shall we with Abraham the father of the faithfull shall we follow his example Gen. 18.23 stand and draw neere before the Lod and intercede for Sodom for England and pray peradventure there be fifty righteous within England wilt thou also destroy and not spare the Kingdome for the fifty righteous that are therein Shall we follow the example of Moses the servant of the Lord Exod. 32.30 Goe up unto the Lord and make an attonement for the Kingdome and say this people have sinned a great sin They have denied the Kings AUTHORITY Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of the Book thou hast written And likewise shall we follow his example againe for a good example cannot be too much followed As
Deut. 9.25 Shall we fall downe on our knees and pray unto the Lord and say Oh Lord God destroy not this Kingdome this people thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed through thy greatnesse and brought out of Egypts darknesse with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arme Remember thy servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob and look not upon the stubbornnesse of this people nor to their sin Shall we follow the example of Joshuah a Ruler full of the spirit of wisdome Ioshua 7.10 Unto whom the Lord said Get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them for they have even taken of the accursed thing and they have also stolne and dissembled also and they have put it even among their own stuffe A goodly Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight A goodly thing to destroy the soule England be warned by this for what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his owne soule Shall we follow the example of David a man after Gods own heart who exhorts us Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and bow downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker lest he be grieved with us forty yeeres as he was with that generation and sware unto us in his wrath we should not enter into his rest Shall we follow the example of Solomon who 1 Kings 8.22 stood before the Altar of the Lord and kneeled upon his knees and spread forth his hands towards heaven and said If Israel sinned if England and they would turne againe and confesse their sin and make supplication then he would heare in heaven and forgive their sin and heale the Land Shall we follow the example of Daniel Dan. 9.3 who set his face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and prayed unto the Lord and made confession saying We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have rebelled and departed from thy precepts and from thy judgements And have not harkned to thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings our Princes and our fathers and to all the people of the land Hearken now and be no more rebellious Shall we now take the example of all examples and follow Jesus Christ who in Mat. 26.39 fell on his face and prayed Mar. 1.35 Who departed into a solitary place and there prayed Luke 22.41 Who withdrew himself from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed Joh. 17.1 Who lift up his eyes to heaven and said Heb. 5.7 Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared And withall take a caveat here with you not to follow the example of the hypocrites who Mat. 6.5 love to pray standing in the Synagoges and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men And Mat. 23.14 Who devour widdowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers but these shall receive greater damnation Having thus finished our course and now brethren being thus compassed about with such a cloud of examples of witnesses that shall all in the last day rise up in judgement against us for heaven and earth shall passe away but not one tittle of the word of God shall faile Let us follow Jesus preaching and saying Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand Mat. 4.17 And Luk. 13.3 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And Luke 21.36 Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man And let us follow S. Peters rule 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the divel as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour And with the author to the Heb. 12.1 let us now look about us Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us We have a good example Looking up unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God from whence he shall come in the glory of his father with all his holy Angels and he shall reward every man according to his works according to that he hath done in his body whether it be good or bad no shifting from him in that day For before him all nations shall be gathered together and he shall separate them one from another as a sheepheard divideth the sheep from the goates Mat. 25.32 And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand but the goates on the left Then shall the king say unto them on the right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For ye are they that have obeyed my word my servant Moses my holy Prophets and Apostles and have obeyed the Kings AUTHORITY delivered by them But unto the goates on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for ye are they that are disobedient and rebellious against the word of the Lord against the holy Prophets and holy Apostles and against the example and commands of Jesus Christ himself who commands obedience to Caesar Submission to the Kings Supreame AUTHORITY Now these things have I written unto you according to the power which the Lord hath given me for edification 2 Cor. 13.10 In hopes the better learned will amend it And brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind fear God honour the King Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen The End