Misery because commonly Mammon is the Friend of iniquity Happiness because many times it frees a man from the stroak of Justice Misery because many times it lays a man obnoxious to stroak of Injustice For what made Naboth a Delinquent and put him under a Sequestration but onely because he had a Vineyard too near the Kings House and he was a Rich man Benedixit Deo et Regi He blasphemed God and the King was but a Forgery and a meer pretence of Jezabels as you may perceive in the Context Set two wicked men before him and let them Witnesse against Him Ver. 10. saying Thou didst Blaspheme GOD and the KING where you see Wicked men subborn'd to bear false Witnesse and therefore yon know it was a meer Forgery The true Cause you may read in the other Context Then Jesabel said unto Him Ver. 7. to her Husband Achab Doest thou now Governe in Israel Up eat Bread and be of good chear I will give thee the Vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite Naboths Vineyard lay fit for Achabs Pleasure and fit therefore upon refusal to make him a Delinquent And indeed had Naboth abused his Vineyard unto Drunkennesse he had merited the name of a Delinquent For Drunkennesse is one of those Seaven deadly sinnes which brings a Deliquium upon a Man and ranges him under a Delinquency because by the Commission of that sin he does Delinquerâ— Hominem cease to be a Man and becomes a Beast For this sin this very sin of Drunkenness Noah became a Delinquent and so did Lâ—t and one of Noahs Children C ham by name and Lots two incestuous Children Moab and Ammon lay under a Sequestration for many hundred years But alas Naboth had no such fault laid to his charge All the guilt I find him stained with is 1. He was a Rich man and would not part with his Inheritance 2. He was a Good man and would not yield to an Arbitrary Government Secunda Primae Which is my Secunda Primae and my Third Consideration and thus begins That a Rich man should be made a Delinquent is no great wonder no not in a well governed Kingdom for it is possible there may be ill Governours in a well governed Kingdom Justices and such subordinate Magistrates who from some Puny Divines may suck in false Doctrine and believe That Gods temporal Blessings and the Goods of this world belong onely to themselves because Dominium fundatur in Gratiâ non Naturâ none but the Babes of Grace have right to the blessings of the Earth But for a Good man to be made a Delinquent quâ talis because he is a Good man This certainly argues the Kingdom to be very bad the Government to be ill and the Governours to be worst of all which seldom happens in any but an Apostate Kingdom where the Subjects have resisted their true Governours and parted with their Allegiance under the Pretence of Religion but in truth for Rebellion and Licentiousness And such was the state of Israel at this time 1 Reg. 12.20 Jereboam the son of Nebat rebelled against Rehoboam the Son of Solomon and by that Rebellion got ten parts of the twelve 1 Reg. 15.29 and his Race was finished and expired in his son and next Successor Nadab For Baasha smote them all and left none alive to Jeroboam Elah his son Reigned in his stead and Zimri served him with the same sauce and slew all the house of Baasha 1 Reg. 16.6 not leaving one to piss against the Wall Omri succeeded him by a like Legerdemain onely he had the compact of the major part of the people 1 Reg. 9.11 V. 16. and Achab his son succeeded him By the way I beseech you mark The Kingdom thus got by Rebellion first changed their Religion and their Clergy 1 Reg. 12.27 For whereas before the People exercised their Religion in the House of God at Hierusalem now they exercised it to two Golden Calfes in the house of the High Places and the the lowest of the People took upon them the Priests Office and became as a man might say V. 31. Tub-preachers Next This Kingdom thus gotten by Rebellion changed the Peoples Prosperity into Poverty their Liberty into Slavery and dasht out the Magna Charta of Meum Tuum so that no man could say Any thing was his own For Naboth was therefore made a Delinquent because he layd claim to his Vineyard which came to him by the Inheritance of his Fathers and would not part with it at the will of his King i.e. Because he was a Rich man and would not part with his Estate because he was a Good man and would not yield to an Arbitrary Government And good reason for it For in an Arbitrary Government as was singularly well observed in the late long Regnant never to be forgotten Parliament by that man of Noted Mâ—mory Mr. John Pym Lust becomes a Law Covetousness becomes a Law Revenge hecomes a Law and every sin becomes a Law What his Intention was in that Speech I list not to enquire here but sure I am herein he spake truth For when it once comes to this pass stat pro ratione voluntas when one mans will becomes every mans Law why then the Chaste Wife and Pure Virgine are ravisht before the face of the miserable Husband and more miserable Parent Neutroque contradicente neither the Husband able to relieve the Wife nor the Father to rescue his Daughter from that Villany This was rhe case of pittiful Uriah who durst not relieve Bathsheba and of the more pittiful Absolon who could not rescue his Sister Thamar against the wilful lust of David and Ammon When one mans will is every mans Law why then the goodliest Cities are set on flaming fire and turn'd to Dust and Ashes Nemine abstante the Citizens not daring or altogether unable to resist the ambitious Conquerour This was the case of the most pious City Jerusalem and of the most famous City Troy the one rased to the ground by the Romans the other level'd to the earth by the Greecians and the deplorable Motto to this day stands Jam seges est ubi Troja fuitâ— The Corne grows where Troy stood When one mans Will is every mans Law Why then there is no Charter nor Freedom of the People no distinction of the Magistrate and the Plebeian This was Englands case once when Cade Straw and Tyler durst beard the King and give Laws from their wills It was Englands case again when John Hambden John Pym Oliver Crumwel and such other Patriots had a greater Influence upon the People then King Charles I. I pray God it be not Englands case again in King Charles the seconds time least the Nobles and Peers of this Land be perpetually made the scorn of Coblers ' Tinkers and Taylors When one mans will becomes every mans Law Why then All Priviledges All Immunities cease and cease to every man save to him whose
Actuall Transgressions But Originally Corruption He was free from because He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and Actuall Transgressions he was cleared of not only by the Verdict of St. Peter who tell us from the Holy Ghost He did not sin neither was any guile found in his lips 1 Peter but also by the sentence of Pilate himself who told the Jews who importuned to have him Crucified I have examined him but can find no faults in him And Charles the first King of England John Scotland France and Ireland for whose Commemoration and his 8 Anniversary I chose this Text though he was conceived in sin and questionless guilty of Actual transgressions yet not such Transgressions as made him worthy to be Killed and murthered by the ancient Laws of this Kingdom And that 's a wonder A wonder that King Charles I. should rather with Constantine cover other mens Errors and discover His own A wonder it is P. 146.4 that Charles I. would continue an Angel of Reformation when the Devil of Rebellion was up in Arms against him A wonder it is p. 207.1 that Charles I. would rather suffer himself and his to be destroyed then give way to alter a settled Orthodox Religion A wonder it is p. 186.3 that Charles I. would rather chuse the woe of Vae soli and Solitude then of Vae vobis Hypocritae and Hypocrisie A wonder it is p. 127.28 that Charles I. should chuse rather to be reckoned among the Misfortunate then in the black List of irre ligious and Sacrilegious Princes A Wonder it is p. 165.20 that Charles I. should seek to set up Christs spiritual Kingdom by pulling down his own Temporal Kingdom A Wonder it is p. 135.4 That Charles I. should rather ascribe the setling of Bishops to the wisdom and piety of the Apostle then to the favour of Princes or Ambition of Presbyters A Wonder it is that Charles I. should be so judicious to determine some mens Zeal for Bishops p. 141.8 Lands Houses Revenues set them on work to eat up Episcopacy Root and Branch A Wonder it is p. 103.10 that Charles I. should esteem it his greatest Title and chiefest Glory to be the Defender of the Church both in the true Faith and its just Fruitions and equally abhorr both Sacriledge and Apostacy A wonder it is p. 103.21 that Charles I. should rather chuse to live on the Churches Alms then violently to take the Bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths A wonder it is p. 104.17 that Charles I. wounld not repair the Breaches of the State by the Ruins of the Church A wonder it is p. 103.6 that Charles I. should rather chuse Pharaohs Divinity and Joseph's true piety then to sell the Priests Lands A wonder it is that Charles I. should esteem the Church above the State and Gods Glory above his own p. 92.13 and the Salvation of his soul above the preservation of his Body Estate and Posterity And yet a greater woâ—der it is That in none of all these nor any thing else neither Judge nor Jury nor Rable could sind any cause in him King Charles I. But now suppose They had found cause of death in him 2a 1ae yet might they desire to have him killed That my 2a 1ae is to tell you and it tells you No It is not awsul for Subjects to desire to have their King killed though â—hey could find cause of Death in him No God forbid we should desire to have Christ the King killed since he came to he killed for us that we might not be killed A most unthankful part this would be and therefore most abominable to requite so much Mercy with so great Injury Yet so unthankful and so abominable were the Jewes They desired to have Christ killed and I would to God some Christians yes and all Christians were not so abominably unthankful But I must tell you so abominable and unthankful are we all that we daily wound him if we do not kill him yes that we daily wound him and kill him Wound him by our Miseries or kill him with our sins we renue his Agony by our consticts or his Passion by our Guilts We never suffer as Christians but He suffers with us we never sin as Beasts or Epicures but we kill him by those sins We have more need to say Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his Son to be killed on Earth for a time that we might not be killed in Hell for ever and Blessed be God the Holy-ghost who did annoint Jesus to be our Christ and gave him Inauguration to his Crown of Thorns and Blessed though most bloody Function and blessed be our Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself up to death that death might not swallow us up yes rather say we Blessed be the Holy Trinity then to desire that Christ should be killed And God forbid again That we should desire to have that King killed whom I in this Text aim at For it is against the Law against the Law of God against the Gospel of Christ and against the Law of men too 1. Against the Law of God Exod. 27.22 Thou shalt not speak evel of the Ruler of thy people says Moses much lesse mayst thou do evil to him Prov. for says Solomon Against the. King there is no rysing up but to desire his death to desire that he may be killed is both to speak evil of him and do evil to him 2. It is against the Gospel of Christ For Christ himself says Give to Caesar the thing that are Caesar and what things are Caesars St. Paul tells you when he says Be subject to him Give him Honour Rom. 13. Tribute Obedience Take not any thing from him and all this for Conscience sake which argues their little or no Conscience which desire to have him killed for in so doing they take all things from him and St. Peter puts it further home when he says next to Fear God Honour the King which shews and it it as if the Apostle had said They have little or no Fear of God that have so little Honour for their King as to dishonour him by desiring to have him killed or as the Royal Expositor hath it They cannot appear good Christians p. 165.20 that approve not themselves good Subjects Nor can it be safe for a King to tarry amongst those men who shake hands with their Allegiance p. 37.15 under pretence of laying faster hold on their Religion and certainly that is no Religion or a very bad one which allows it lawful for Subjects to desire to have their King Killed But I have spoken at full heretofore That no cause whatsoever in the King though Murther Witâ— hâ—raft Idolatry c. can authorise Subjects to Rebellion from the Law of God from the Gospel of Christ from the Judgement of all
told them on 't by a Dream and Vision as you may read in the Psalmes God spake in a Vision to his holy Ones and said Ps 89.19 I have exalted One chosen out of the people chosen a exalted out of the People by God Not chosen and exalted out of the People by themselves No nor yet by Samuel the Prophet neither For if he had been left alone we had not had King David for the second King of Israel but King Eliab for so he said when he lookt upon Eliab 1 Sam. 16.6 1 Reg. 1.7 Surely the Lords annointed is before me No nor yet Abiather the High-Priest For if he might have had his will we had not had King Solomon for the third King of Israel but King Adonijah No no neither People nor Prophets nor Saints nor High-Priest are King-founders but only God himself and therefore certainly neither King-founders nor King-confounders are of God who lay the Foundation of Kings upon any other then God alone and so God-self tells us saying I have found David my Servant with my holy Oyl have I annointed him Ps 89.20 The words there are Emphatical and worth your marking It is not Reperi I have found him by adventure or I have stumbled upon him by chance but it is Inveni I have taken pains by seeking to finde him out and so it is elsewhere expressed Quaesivit Deus hominem The Lord hath sought him a man and in the Psalm it is Inveni Davidem servum meum 1 Sam. 13.14 I have found out David my servant But mistake not I repeat not these words nor do I comment upon these words to give you leave to think God needed either to seek him or finde him but to let you know How God stood affected to the having of Kings He was so set upon them that rather then not have them Hee would do as we do Take the pains to seek them and find them out and yet not do as we do too often so soon as we have sought a thing and found it by and by to loose it again No but God so sought and found out Kings as to have them continued and therefore it follows in that place Oleo meo sancto with my holy Oyl have I anointed him Were it no more but Oyle why yet that alone were enough to show both the Sovereignty and perpetuity of Kings For mingle what you will with Oyle it will be uppermost and though those Colours which are laid in water fade by and by yet the Colours of the Crown being laid in Oyle it is to let us know They should yea and notwithstanding the craft of Royal Horse-leeches they shall last and hold out all weathers Yea and to let them know too Kings themselves what they should be smooth gentle and supple as Oyle no Acrimonie in them at all If it were no more but Oyle We should learn so much and They should learn so much We That Kings should continue and live out their dayes because they are annointed with Oyle not with water They that they should be gentle to their Subjects because they are annointed with Oyle and not with Wine But it is more then Oyl It is holy Oyl Gods holy Oyl and this is to tell them Kings That they should be holy and as they bear an Image of Gods power in the sublimity of their places so they should also of Gods purity in the sanctity of their persons And this again is to tell us That their Function is like their Unction Holy and therefore not to be touched with the hand of violence by any They that offer violence to Kings offer violence to God himself because God finds them and makes them Kings because God annoints them and sacres their persons This happily may be granted for David and such good Kings as hee was who with the Sanctity of their Functions received also Sanctity into their Persons But is it so with bad Kings too Are they found out by God and annointed by God Yea that they are and this I shall shew you first in Generall and secondly in some particulars First in General Per me Reges regnant By me Kings Reign Per me Ia. Iae. Prov. 8.15 By me not per lumina by the Position of the Stars By Jupiter or Venus or some other good Planet in their Ascendent Nor is it per se By their own Bow or Sword Adonijahs regnabo sail'd him But it is Per me By me and that is By God himself In 13. al Rom. and therefore saith St. Chrysostome Reges quòd sunt per Deum sunt Kings are Kings by God and it was once the usual style of Popes themselves in writing to Kings to wish them health In co per quem Reges regnant In him by whom Kings do Reign and that was neither Saint nor Angel nor Pope nor People but only God A Deo saith St. Paul The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. Per me says Solomon By God Kings Reign And this per here is not only Permissivē by way of Toleration only though the Latine will bear such a construction as Per me licet you may if you will for all me I hinder you not And so some Priests of the Latine Church and some Presbyters in the English Church The Priest there and the Presbyter here is a solo Deo et Jure Divin◠by Divine Right and of Gods constitution But the King is ex importunitate Populi That there be Kings and that Kings Reign it is upon the Peoples importunity and God only bears them or rather bears with them and so They make Per me Reges regnant permissivé only and at no hand Positivé and yet the Apostle says expresly Rom. 13.2 It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ordinance of God himself and so of Gods Institution Indeed however per in the Latine may bear it yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek cannot the Idiome of that Tongue rejects permission and says clearly Kings are of Gods Ordination and Institution By the Institution of his Power so is the Context I have strength By me Kings Reign By the institution of his Will Prov. 8.14 1 Pet. 2.13.15 Haec est voluntas Dei says St. Peter This is the Will of God that ye submit your selves to the King By the Institution of Gods good Will and Love Because God loved his People 1 Chro. 2.11 says Hyram King of Tyre he hath made thee King And this per me is as well for Saul a bad King as for David a good King as well for Cyrus an Heathen King as for Solomon a Jewish King as well for Constantine a Christian King as for any of the rest and so for all other Kings whether Jewish Heathen or Christian Good or Bad. That in Generall Secondly in particular Saul was as bad a King as well could be a Monster rather then a Man There were not many sins against God or
â—eÌ„ non digné operis ex eâ substractâ Gratiâ magis time quia te reliquit custodia tua si redirit gratia multò amplius time ne forté contingat pacis excidium If Grace be present Fear lest thou answer not the expectation of that Grace If Grace be absent Fear more because thou art left unto thy self If Grace return again Fear much more least thy Security ruine thy Peace And if Fear be so necessary a Vertue by the Verdict of so many Fathers and grave Authors what means King David here to give the blessed man this Character He feareth not Do but you distinguish of the Subject Fear and look upon the Object what the blessed man fears and you will presently confesse There is neither Adaxie nor Paradox neither Absurdity nor Ambiguity in this Character He feareth not Some have made six sorts of Fear 1. Natural which respects Beeing and this is in all Living creatures 2. Humane which respects Life and this is in all men 3. Mundane which respects Riches Liberty Beauty Honour and the like and this is in all covetous and cowardly wretches 4. Servile which respects pain and punishment and this is in Slaves Reprobates Rebels and Devils 5. Initiall which respects sin and this is in all good Christians and Loyal Subjects who chuse rather to suffer in Gods cause then to participate with the sins of a more successfull party 6. Filiall which respects God and this is in all Noble Martyrs and Glorious Saints who therefore fear to sin because they will not offend God You may contract these six into these two Filial Servile because under Servile may be comprised Humane and Worldly and under Filial Initial and Natural fear Filial fear looks upon God as a Father and honours him and is resolved to honour him though there were neither Heaven to reward him nor Hell to torment him Servile fear looks upon God as a Judge and shuns him and if now and then in a Fit he yields God any obedience it is Formidine paenae onely for fear of punishment Filial fear is an Ornament and Vertue of the Soul Servile fear is a Passion and Distresse of the Soul Filial fear is in the Regenerate both in the Church Militant and Triumphant but in several considerations Here by two Actions Evitando malum et faciendo bonum by eschewing evil and doing good There only by doing good Perficitur in Patriâ non abolebitur reverentia Timoris says St. Augustine Reverential fear shall not be diminished in Heaven but encreased It shall not be abolished but perfected Servile fear is not in them not in them at all so far as they are Regenerated As men they may fear their Lifes as covetous they may fear their Estates as Carnal they may fear their Liberties But he that fears either or the losse of either Liberty Estate or Life can never be good Souldier or Loyal Subject can never be good Christian or Gods servant He may fear God as God is just and so Fear is a Passion Distress of the Soule He doth not fear God as God is good for so Fear is a Grace and Ornament of the Soul As Fear is a Passion of the Soul you may understand that speech of St. John Many of the Rulers believed in Christ but for fear of the Jewes they did not confesse him least they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God I may add They feared the Injustice and punishment of men more then the Justice and Judgment of God and therefore says Christ Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell Mat. 10.28 The words in the Original are worth the marking Fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that kill the Body it is not them that can kill the body they do it by a permissive power They cannot do it by any Inherent power of their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Soul they neither may nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather fear him who hath power to destroy Soul and Body in Hell I wish the late Renegado's had seriously considered these Texts Those men I mean who served the late King and tarried with him so long as the Sun shined and the weather was calm but so soon as ever the Rain began to fall and the Winds to blow they presently ran away to compound and save something a little wealth and some few dayes but they did forget that God could Luke 12. and it may be will cast both Soul and body into Hell And then as Christ says Fools whose shall these things your Riches and your Daies be Yes He both can will without a great deal of Repentance For their Sin was far more desperate then the first Rebells They ran into the Sin out of Rashnesse and Inconsiderately But these men put God into one Scale and the World into another and therefore to them especially belongs that fearfull doom The fearful shall be cast out Apoc. 21. i. e. Such men as fear the losse of their Estates more then the losse of Gods favour and the losse of their momentary Lifes more then the losse of their Eternal Lifes They forsook their King and God will forsake them And God have mercy upon us all and forgive us our following the Apostles in their worst Act and forsaking our Soveraign upon the Scaffold as they did their Saviour upon the Crosse and give us grace to redeem that fault by living for the time to come Loyal Christians and dying stout Romans to continue obedientially and not fear man who can kill but our Bodies and dye couragiously in the fear of God that we may not fear any evill tydings It is my second consideration Pars. 2. Quid non timet timens Dominum what he fears not that fears God Ab auditione malà non timet Ab auditu malo non timebit He is not afraid He shall not be afraid of any evil tydings At first sight again this Object encreaseth my wonder Fear not any evill tydings Why the Kings wrath is evil tydings for it is the messenger of death And shall I not fear him Solomon says Fear God and the King St. Peter it at the same Prov. 1 Pet. 2. Fear God and Honour the King St. Paul is at it for conscience sake Be subject to the higher powers not only for wrath but for conscience Rom. 13.5 And is the Son of David against either Fear not them that kill the Body Or is the Father of Christ against either Fear not any evil tydings not the wrath of Kings No at no hand This is no Absolute no General Prohibition but only a Relative and Comparative God is to be feared and the King is to be feared where their commands are not in opposition Fear belongs to them
kill why 2 a. 2 a. that my secundae secundae shall tell you and it tells you It is lawful for some men to kill in some Cases but it is not lawful for any man to murther in any Case Clamitat in Goelum vox sanguinis Murther is the first and loudest crying sin of the four and who dare say It is lawful to have a Scritch-owle in ones Conscience Diabolum habet Patrem The Devil is the Father of it as appears by that Increpation of Christ upon the Jewes when he told them They were of their Father the Devil who was a murtherer from the beginning Et quis occidit John 8.44 And who dares say It is lawful to be the Devils Son The Discoveries of it are many and wonderful commonly the Wound it self bleeds a fresh in the Presence of the Murtherer and in a manner cryes out for vengeance Apoc. How long Lord how long dost thou cease to be avenged Jacob would not part with God without a blessing I will not let thee go except thou blesse me Gen. 32.16 Murther will not part with God without a curse The voice of thy Brothers Bloâ—d cryeth out unto me from the ground Gen. 4.10 and now thou art cursed from the Earth Et quis occidet and who dares say It is lawful to deserve a â—urse Murther is most severely punished of all other sins Adams sin was not so severely punished as was Cains For the Earth yielded her strength to Adam upon his good hâ—sbandry but to Cain though he did till the Earth it did not Adam for all his sin had leave to eat his bread in the sweat of his face Gen. 3.18 but Cain was a vagabond Gen. 4.12 had neither leave nor leasure to eat his bread In a word Murther is a sin against Nature For Omnia appetunt esse Nature seeks her own preservation Murther deprives her of it It is a Beastly sin Ferina Rabies est sanguine et vulnere delectari None but Beasts delight in Bloud It seeks to annihilate God and to destroy his very Essence In the Image of God God made man and therefore he that kills man unlawfully does the best he can to kill God As Phydias painted the Image of Minerva and his own so cunningly together that be said whosoever should marr the Image of Minerva should marr the Image of Phydias and whosoever should marr the Image of Phydias should marr the Image of Minerva so hath God so place his Image in man that whatsoever defaceth his Image defaceth man and whosoever killeth man killeth his Image The Image of God I confesse is in the Soul tanquam in proprio objecto and that cannot be killed yet it is in the Body too you will not deny tanquam in Orgaâ—o and in the Blood tanquam in copula et per concomitantiam both which are destroyed by Murther And because the Soul depends upon the Sences and the Sences upon the Vital Spirits and the Vital Spirits are carried by the Blood Therefore he that taketh away the Bloud causeth the Vital Spirits to fail He that takes away the Vital Spirits causes the Sences to fail He that takes away the Sences causeth the Reasonable Faculty to fail and he that causeth that to fail destroyeth the Image of God so doth every Murtherer and so did Achab. Achab the Magistrate the King did better acquaint himself with θ to take away life against his Duty then with ζ to preserve life which was his Duty And that which adds â—o his sin he did not do it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interficiendo which a King may in some cases do but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trucidando which a King may not do in any case No may â— might not Achab a King shed blood yea he might so he did it as he might and there are 4 grounds that make it lawful Si ex justâ— causâ If the occasion be just and the Crime so requires I instance in this particular whosoever shedeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9.6 not that every man may be his own Judg but in necessitate instanti as Moses tells us If a thief be breaking up a house in the dark and he be smitten that he dye In this case God requires not the shedding of blood for him Exod. 22.2 The same Rule holds in the defence of our lifes when it once comes to this push either kill or be killed else if there be not a Necessity an Absolute Necessity It is unlawful Nay though there be a Necessity an Absolute Necessity yet in some Cases it is not lawful I propose the Case of Duels Rebels Tyrants 1. Duels that for private Revenge shed the Blood of Peace in War 2. Rebells that for Publick Revenge shed the Blood of War in Peace 3. Tyraâ—ts that for publick or private Revenge shed the Blood of Innocence by turning Peace into War no pretence whatsoever can make shedding of Blood lawful in these cases To affect Magnanimity is Heroical and lawful but to forget Christianity is Diabolical and unlawful let Duellists remember Cain Gen. 4. Kill and Despair To affect Liberty is Generous and Lawful but to purchase it by disloyalty is odious unlawful Let Rebels remember Corah Absolon Num. 16.2 Sam. Rom. 13.1 Sheba Resist the Powers of God and receive damnation To settle Crowns becomes Kings and argues spirit but to do it by Cruelty and Injustice becomes not Kings and argues an evil spirit Let Tyrants remember Pharaoh Achab Heâ—od secure their Crowns by Blood and loose their Souls for ever The King himself sins if he kills sine justâ causâ It was King Achabs fault For what cause in Naboth that he should be killed Capiat qui capere potest And secondly Si sine ordinariâ potestate If his Power be not Good and Right and such Power is only in the Magistrate in the Supream Magistrate and such as are delegated from him None but the Supream hath the Sword borne before him No may he for all that Sword take away every mans life Rom. 13. The life of the Innocent he may not the life of Malefactors he may and must Solomon was not Reus homicidiâ— guilty of murther for shedding Adonijahs though his Brothers Blood because he was a Malefactor the worst of Malefactors a Rebel But Achab was guilty of Murther for shedding Naboths blood though his Subject because Naboth was Innocent and guilty of nothing that we read of but his Inheritance which made him a Delinquent and merited a sequestration and his goodness in not yielding to an Arbitrary Government which made him a Malignant and merited a Trucidation And thirdly Is he guilty of murther who kills sine justo ordine without true proceedings and herein was Achab guilty again Due proceedings I confesse he observed by way of Formality For the Court was erected and Naboth was Arraigned but Due proceeding there was not
is that Provokes him Part. 3. It is my third Consideration in revealing that Question wherewith or by what did they Provoke God to Anger Operibus suis so Calvine and Molleras by their works wicked works they were facti suis so Amesius by their Deeds Evil Deeds they were Adinventionibus suis so St. Hierome which our Translation followes by their own Inventions What those Inventions were the former verce tells you they joyn'd themselves to Baal Peer and ate the offerings of the Dead But in that verse verse 28. they are but succinctly set down you may read their Inventions more at large in the book of Numbers They committed VVhoredome verse 2.3 with the Daughters of Moab Cap. 25. They ate the Sacrafice of their Gods i. e. the Dead and they joyn'd themselves to Baal Peer of which I shall give a Compendious and short Paraphrase that you may understand what their sins were and would to God we had not found out worse Inventions our selves 1. Fornicatus est populus They committed VVhordome and an Invention this was and an Invention of their own too For it was against Gods Proscription He proscribed it in his 7th Commandement Non Maechaberis Thou shalt not violate that good order which should be between Person and Person by unruly Lusts by unclean Deeds The Consequences of this sin are commonly a Diseased Body an empty Purse a shamefull name and without Gods great mercy a Damned Soul For Harlots are the high way to the Devill when you look upon them with Delight you begin your Voyage when you chat with them you make haste when you lie with them you are at your journies end In this age it is called a trick of youth But I pray God have mercy upon us and forgive us the sins of our youth and encline our hearts to keep this Law Thou shalt not commit VVhordome least we Provoke God to more VVrath by our Invention 2. The second was Commederunt sacrificia they at the sacrifices of the Dead and they were called the Sacrifice of the dead either because the Gods of the Moabites were dead Gods to whom the Sacrifices were offered so Musculus or else because they were offered for dead men so St. Austen or else They were Oblations devoted to Gods service to God-self by men that were Dead whilst they lived And they ate them i. e. They devoured them by sacriledge and robbed God of them Either of these Expositions is an Agravation of their sin For whereas the Israelites were fed with those Sacrifices which were offered to the True God and thereby put in minde that the Covenant betwixt God and them was as firm and familier as betwixt Man and VVife who eat at the same Table They did hereby divorce themselves from the True God and marry themselves to a false and confirm it by eating the Sacrifices of the Dead A meer Invention This The third was Copulati sunt Baal Peer they joyned themselves to Baal Peer and what was Baal Peer Baal Peer was a false God an Idoll not such a God quem Deus fecit nor so good neither which God made of whom He saies himself Dixi Dij estis I have saied yea are God but a God Psal 82. quem fecit homo which man made of whom the man of God saies they are no Gods but the works of mans hands They call'd him Baal for his honour for Baal signifies a Lord Psal and Peer they call'd him for his Residence for his Abode was upon the Hill or Mountain Peer so Lyranus Others and amongst them Justinianus saies that Baal Peer is Idolum Ignominie by way of contempt the blind God he had eyes but he saw not he saw not his Preists launcing themselves he had ears but he heard not he heard not Elias mocking him nor his own false Prophets crying unto him Others says Baael Peer signifies Deum hortorum the Garden God Whatsoever it signifies sure I am it was a meer Invention this For Gods injunction was Thou shalt have no other Gods but me You see what their Inventions were I wish they were not a Map of ours yes I wish we did not outvy them in Inventions So many are our Inventions that I cannot give you the Tythe of them and in that word Tythe there lyes one of our Inventions 1. Come let us make the Lease of this House for 6. l. per annum Rent but let the Income by another Indenture be 16. l. per annum more A meer Invention this for saies God Bring ye all the Tythes into the Store-House Malac. 3.10 that is one Invention 2. Come and let us goe and play the Good Fellowes and drink an Health or two A meer Invention this for saies God VVoe be to him that is strong to power in strong drink and again in the New Testament Isa Be not overcome with VVine wherein is excess That 's a second Invention 3. Come let us goe and play a Trick of Youth and lie with yonder VVench Exod. 20. a meer Invention this For saies God Thou shalt not commit Fornication Mat. 5. 1 Cor. and again Thou shalt not look upon a VVoman to Lust after her and again Thou shalt not touch a Woman that 's a third Invention 4. Look yonder goes a Reprobate a meer Invention this for God made no man on purpose to Damne him because God selfe saies 1 Tim. 2. He hates nothing that he hath made and St. Paul from God saies God would have all men to be saved that is a fourth Invention 5. A Child of God cannot sin a meer invention this Jac. 1 Joh. 1. For saies St. James In many things we sin all For saies St. John If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us That is a fifth Invention 6. Come saies the Merchant let us ingross this Commodity and raise the Rate a meer Invention this For saies God The people shall curse him that with-holds the Corne that 's a sixth Invention 7. Sirrah saies the Shop-keeper to his Apprentice pare that Yard a meer Invention this For saies God Thou shalt not have a short measure Deut. that 's a seventh Invention 8. Christ did not descend into Hell a meer Invention this For saies David of Christ to God Thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell and saies Athanasius VVhosoever beleives not this Psal 16. that Christ went down into Hell without doubt he shall perish everlastingly that 's an eighth Invention 9. No Necessity of Baptizing Infants a Meer Invention this For saies Christ Suffer little Children to come to me Man 10. and saies St. Peter Be Baptised every one of you for the promise is made to you and to our Children Act. 2. and saies the Counsell of Milevitary Placuit ut quicunque parvulos recentes ab ut reteris matrum baptisandos negat Anathemasit whosoever denies Baptisme to Children let him
charged us we cannot deny but that we are therefore Reprobates we hope not For what we have done hitherto we have done ignorantly we knew not our sins to be so Capital and we trust God will wink at our sins of ignorance Nay says St. Paul you cannot plead ignorance For you know the Law of God and that they which do such things are worthy of death and yet you did them Yes truly they reply we have committed those sins against our knowledge but what then must we needs be damn'd for that will not God pardon the frailties of our youth though we have not done these ignorantly yet we have done them of infirmity Nay says St. Paul by your leave that you have not neither For if you had committed these sins by way of infirmity in your selves you would then con demn them in others but you not only do them your selves but you also take pleasure in them that do them Before I proceed give me leave to wish that those Inditements were not as justly chargeable upon a great part of English Christians as they were upon the Roman Gentiles not upon all no there are many Chast Plous Religious Meek Patient and Loyall Souls amongst them who are not liable to any of St. Pauls enditement in this Chapter nor yet upon the Parliament neither that long Parliament no God forbid I should have or haâ—bour such a thought of Parliament of a true Parliament which represents the blessed Trinity in Power Wisedome and Sanctity where the King as Head directs the Lords Spirituall and Temporall as heart enlivens and the Commons as the inferiour Members put all things into execution I speak only of a Faction in that Parliament who by their Serpentive sedulity and subtlety engros'd the power of all cut off the Head of the Head the Kings Head and voted down or rather out the Heart of the Hearts the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and did not only do these things themselves Malignity Murther Deceipt Debate but also took pleasure in them that did them and vent one degree further commanded others to do them too In which words the Apostle 1. Accuseth them for doing things worthy of death 2. Aggravates that fault And were blessed St. Paul now living he would further aggravate it 1. From their knowledge of Gods Law 2. By delighting in others for doing the same 3. By Commanding all others and compelling many to do the same witness the 1. Engagement 2. Oath of Abjuration 3. Subscription against the common Enemy King Charles the second I begin with the first Agravation so the Accusation is too plain indeed too plain that who so runs Psal 1. may read it and the Observation thence is this Knowledg Aggravates Sin Joh. 9.41 For saies Christ If yea were blind yea should have no sin i. e. Nullum non simpliciter sed nullum Comparative None not simply but no sin Comparatively and when Christ extenuates their sin that crucified him he prays thus for them Father Luke 25. forgive them for they know not what they do and if I if you am that Servant which knew my Masters will and prepare not my self to do according to his will I yes and you yes and they whosoever they are shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. If Christ had not come and spoke to you and them and me Joh. 15.22 we had not had sin but now because Christ hath spoke to us all we have no Cloak for our sin If you and they Joh. 4.17 and I know how to be good and do it not know how to abstaine from sin and abstaine not to us it is sin If I sin of Ignorance only I want both knowledge and good will having a will only to the deed not to the sin but if I sin willingly I want both good will and inclination to leave my sin having a will at once both to the deed and sin and therefore the more sinfull because when I knew the deed to be sin yet I would do it More sinfull therefore I am then other men because my knowledge makes my sin a willfull neglect of Gods Authority He is the immediate Law-giver and hath revealed it to me as well as to Adam and Eve as well as to Moses and Aaron as well as to the Prophets and Apostles More sinfull therefore I am then ignorant people because my knowledge makes my sin a Prophane Contempt of the Law-givers Authority and He hath revealed it more to me and you and them then to the Gentiles Yet may no man hence more prophanely in far welcome Ignorance for though ignorance lessors both Sin and Damnation yet it makes not my sin to be no sin and it is but a miserable comfort for a Soâ—omite to think that a Capernaise is worse then himself when he is in the burning Lake for he too is damned everlastingly Luk. 12.46 though less tormented Science in the knowing sinner shall have the more stripes yet no more stripes then his sciene is capable off Ignorance in the unknowing sinner shall have fewer stripes yet no fewer then his Ignorance is capable off As the tender and soft flesh is more sensible of the sharpness by incision or stripes then the tough and hardned flesh yet they both have enough though not equally the same Nessire to be invincibly Ignorant is damnable simplicity Nolle scire to be wilfully Ignorant is hainous Impiety Scire et nolle facere to know good and not to do it is intollerable Obstenacy or scire et contra facere to know good and yet to do the contrary against the light of that knowledge is a very near borderer upon that unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven This is the Aggravations of the Gentiles sins they knew those severall acts to be sins yet they did the sins Now before we go on let us examine whether some of our English Christians did not know the Dethroning the deposing the killing the Murthering of King Charles the first were not a sin and a great a very great sin Certainly they did know it they knew it 1. By the Law of God they knew it 2. By the Example of Christ they knew it 3. By the Native Positive and Statute Lawes of this Kingdome all which they were bound and sworn to observe to follow and yet against their knowledge and Oath both They quod horrendum est dicere quod infandum est renovare They dethron'd him depos'd him kill'd and Murthered him 1. They knew it by the Law of God It is expresly said Thou shalt do no murther but this it may be is too generall what think you then of that particular prohibition Nolite tangere Christis meos Touch not mine Annointed Doeth not this concerne Kings in particular For they were Annointed or rather doth it not concerne you in particular that howsoever you touch other men yet you would forbear to touch Kings i. e.
to touch them with any hand of violence He whosoever he be that doth it commits no less sin then Crimen laesae Majestatis High Treason Touch not mine Annointed is all one with Prov. Job lay no violent hands on Kings no nor tongues neither speak not irreverently of them no nor hearts neither think not unworthy of them But it may be some have got and others follow the new gloss of these words Touch not mine Annointed i. e. touch not my Prophet touch not my Saints touch not my holy ones Prov. This concernes not Kings Well be this admitted though it be not granted yet what say you to that of Solomon Fear God and the King and that in respect of the Oath Is not this home to this particular The King next to God and the King joyned with God in the duty of Feare q. d. If you fear not the King when you have seen you fear not God whom you have not seen and is not that Aggravation of the sin in not fating God for want of fearing the King and an Aggravation of another sin in not fearing the King for want of fearing God But the Aggravation is yet further and higher and that in respect of the Oath Take the Oath which way you please eitheir the Oath of Universall obedience to God wherein the King is not left out or the Oath of particular Allegience and Supremacy to the King wherein the King is especially put in and yet God not left out for the Oath is to the Kiâ—g bâ—fore God and that God before whom you took this Oath will be a most severe revenger upon you that have broke this Oath of Allegiance to the King before God and the Oath of Obedience to God before the Church 2. They knew that Murthering of King Charles the first was a sin and a very great sin by the Example of Christ when he was upon the Earth Cloathed with the Garment of our Humanity Having at his Command and beck twelve legions of Angels for his assistance and rescue Joh. 19. and Pilate told him he had power to loose him and power to Crucifie him Christ was so far from Commanding his Angels or to resist Pilates power that he commanded St. Peter to sheeth that sword which he drew in his defence and said no more to Pilate but thou should'st have no power over me unless it were given thee from above therein acknowledging all Royall Power on earth to be a Dorrative and Derivative from Gods power in Heaven therefore to be feared obeyed and submitted unto at no hand to be resisted But whether the Murthering of a King be the resisting of Regall Power and a sin yes and an Aggravation of that sin because they knew it Judge your selves Again from Christs Example Mat. when these Crafty and Fox-like Pharisees come to Christ that they might entangle him and therefore demanded whether it were he asketh whose lawfull to give Tribute unto Caeser or no superscription was upon their money and when he heard it confessed from themselves that it was Caesers why then quoth he give unto Caser the things that are Casaers and to God the things that are Gods thereby denying God and the King to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Incompatible and commanding us as well to give the King our Goods and Bodies to him service as to do give God our Souls and Bodies in his service And doth not this Aggravate their sin who against their knowledg are so far from paying or giving the King his Tribute that they plunder him of his life 3. They knew that Murthering of the King was sin a great sin a very great sin by the Native Positive and Statute Laws of this Kingdome All which Lawes do say It is High Treason to Imprison the King certainly then much Higher Treason to Murther the King And this last Aggravation of their sin concerning their knowledge that Murther'd King Charles the first at his own Royal Pallace-Gate Jan. 30. 1648. and I conclude it with this prayer for you and my self Give us grace O God to labour for knowledge Joh. 13.17 and give us more grace to add practise to our knowledge that we may be blessed in knowing good and doing well through Jesus Christ Amen Cursed am I if I know and will not do not because I know but because knowing I will not do what I know and so sin against my knowledge as these Gentiles did They knew the Law of God This was the object of their knowledge some Translations read the Righteousness of God some the Judgement some the Justice of God They all come to one so I here understand by the Law not the Law written either Morall or Judiciall for this was the Jewes Prerogative but the Law unwritten whereby every man knowes in generall what is good what is evil what is to be done what is to be forborn and this was a priviledge which God vouchsafed the Gentiles and that three waies 1. By the light of Nature which Philosophers called the Law of Nature Lex and Lux not differing much either in Signification or pronuntiation E. and U. In pronuntion light i.e. the light of the minde which direct and Law the Law of the minde which perswadeth 2. By Conscience which is the lights light or the Lawes Law and is therefore quiet and commends the minde for well doing but is restless and condemnes the mind for ill doing and so the next Chapter tells us their Conscience or thoughts accusing or excusing accusing when any thing is done coâ—tra scientiam against knowledg excusing when the mind thinks or the mouth â—peaks or the hand doth cum scientia according to knowledge ever writing like that Lex Acilia among the Romans one of these letters to be read either A. or C. if A. it was Absolution if C. it was Condemnation 3. By examples of Vengeance upon evil doers which may be called the judiciary Law of God and so is the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness Law or Judgment injusti facti Correctio the punishment of an unjust act especially of that which is the unjustest of unjust Sects whether it be Homicidium Parricidium or Regi-cidium â—urthering of a man which is bad or the murthering of a Father which is worse or the murthering of a King which is worst of all Had we been before Christ or were we now without Christ yet we should have the Law at least the knowledge of the Law of God and this the Apostle proves to every one of us two wayes 1. A Facto by Fact 2. A Testimonio by Witness 1. By Fact thus Though they have not the law yet by Nature they do the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 by Nature by the light of Nature For by the light of Nature Plutarch thus justifies the first precept of the Decalogue saying Omnes hoc uno ore dicunt esse Deos In amator in Tim. 3. pag. 416.
Notwithstanding all the tentations of the Devil to perswade men like Diagoras Theodoras and others who made a profession of Atheisme to say there is no God yet upon better consideration they were compell'd to confess with one mouth as it were De nat Deer lib. 2. pag. 203. De leg lib. 1. pag. 313. That there is a God and Cicero that Eloquenâ—'st of Orators to the same purpose Omnibus innatum est quasi insculptum esse Deos De leg lib. 1. pag. 313. It is naturally engraven in the mindes of all men to beleive there is God and elsewhere Nulla gens neque tam immansneta nequetam fera barbara est quae etiamsi ignoret qualem habere Deum deceat tamen habendum sciat There is no people so feirce so uncivil so barbarous though they be ignorant what God to have yet they are perswaded they ought to have a God and with the Athenians rather then they will have none they will sacrifice Ignoto Deo to an unknown God and Cato tells us Act. 17.25 that God is a Spirit and therefore pura mente colendus to be worshiped with a pure mind De bello persio contra Gravos By the light of Nature Strabo justifies the second precept which is an Inhibition of Idolatry when he tells us The Persians in detestation of such impiety pull'd down and burnt the Images of the Grecians in their Temples and Cornelius Tacitas reports that the ancient Germanes held it very absurd to immure the incomprehensible Majesty of an Immeasurable God within private Walls and to paint the Invisible Godhead by any Humane shape And Plutarch tells us that Numa Pompilius the second King and first institutor of Religions Rites amongst the Romanes held it hainous to worship God in or by any Image 3. By the light of Nature Theophrasâ—us justifies the third precept which is a prohibition against Blasphemy when he tells us that Paricles was an irreligious fellow because he used Charmes thereby to invocate and abuse the name of God and Tullush Hostilius as we are told was struck dead because he Blasphemed the name of Jupiter 4. By the light of nature both Thomas Aquinas and Dr. Bird from the very Heathen justify the fourth Commandement which Commands the Sanctifying of the Sabboth when they both tell us that the Heathen had many Lawes to sever certain daies from their worldly affaires as to dedicate them to the service of God and deputed a certain time to refresh and feed their soul by their service to God and they did every day nourish and feed their bodies by food and sleep and howsoever they could not or did not hit upon the right day yet by the direction of meer naturall reason they acknowledged a day ought to be sequestred from common business and consecrated to God worship 5. By the light of Nature Menander justifies the fift Commandement which is to honour our Parents when he tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have thy Parents in all honour 6. Romulus by the light of Nature justifies the sixt Commandement which forbids Murther when he accounted it of that execrable Nature with Parracide and devised such exquisite punnishments to be inflicted upon Homicides and all man-slayers that if Halicarnassus his report be true there was not a man slain within the Walls of Rome for above 600 years 7. By the light of Nature the very Peot justifies the seventh Commandement when he saies Nupta virum timeat rata sit custodia nupta Hoc decet hoc leges jusque pudorque jubent The Lawes Common Right and Honesty teach all men and women to live Chastly and to keep their Faith each one to another and so another by name Tibullus ah pereat didicit follerâ— siqua virum Let that Wife perish which deceives her Husband yes and that Husband which deceives his Wife and so the great Philosopher Non debet homo sanae mentis ad quamcunque mulierem mittere semen suum No man of a sound mind may defile his body with a strange Woman and Geraldus tells us that among the Spartans they were so chast that it was almost incredible that any Adulterer should be found amongst them 8. Cicero by the light of Nature justifies the eight Commandement which forbids theft or stealing when he saies Detrahere aliquid alteri To steal or take away from our Neighbour to increase our own wealth and decrease his Magis est contra Naturam quammors quam dolor quam caeter a quae possunt aut corpori accidore aut rebus externis it is worse then death and more against Nature then Greife or any other externall thing and Draco the Athenian Law-giver punisht Theft with Death 9. The Poet again by the sight of Nature justifies the ninth Commandement which forbids false-witness-bearing when he saies Non bene conducti vendunt perjuria testes they very much offend that sell or hire themselves to testifie any falshood and therefore such Lawes were made to hinder all false testimony that none should be a Witness in his own cause that none should be admitted to testifie against his Enemy that if any man should thrice bear false Witness and presume again to testifie any thing before a Judge he should be condemn'd to dye 10. By the sight of nature Sophocles justifies the tenth Commandement which forbids us to Covet another mans good when he saies This very affection is a most furious Commander and when Xerxes would have perswaded Leonides to this sin he answered if thou knewest what were honest thou would'st forbear to Cover what is another mans for my part I had rather dye then do it All these things the Gentiles know by the light of Nature only and yet for that the Apostle aggravates their sins because they know it and yet did it first by Fact Secondly by Witness Kom 2.15 for so in the next Chapter againe he saies Their Conscience bearing Witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another and elsewhere he saies God left not himself without Witness in that He did good and gave us raine from Heaven Act. 14.17 and fruitfull seasons and filling our hearts with food and gladness and this the very Heathens called Haeriditaria fama omnium mortalium the Inheretance of all men Take you and my self therefore heed of that Religion which grants dispensations for Murthers and marrages within degrees prohibited and makes them not only commendable but in some cases also meritorious yes worthy of Canonization too For it is a Transgression of the Law of God because of the Law of Nature both which the Apostle here makes all one And againe take you and my self heed how you or I lay the guilt of our sin or the paine of our Condemnation upon God let us not charge him with Cruelty but our selves with folly and impiety The Law of God teaches you and my self when we are idle in the Pismire to provide in Summer against Winter