Fautors Patrons Proctors of it Who stiffly defend and maintain it as necessary lawfull meritorious of a plenary pardon of sin and which is more than so of the highest degree of happinesse (y) Non licet Regem tolerare Haereticum Bellarm. lib. 3. de Rom. pontif c. 7. Praecipimus singulis subditis ne Elizabethae obedire audeant Bulla Pii quinti adversus Elizab. It is not lawfull to tollerate a King that is an Heretick They are the words of Cardinall Bellarmin that great Champion of Rome We will and command that from henceforth none of Queen Elizabeth's Subjects shall presume to obey her It is the tenor of the Bull of Pope Pius the fifth against Queen Elizabeth And that blasphemous Letter of Cardinall Como to Parrie that welsh Assassinate is never to be forgotten Who after a tedious conflict of doubtfull thoughts being at last resolutely determined to dispatch the Queen he impiously acknowledges and owns it as an heroicall motion kindled in his heart by the holy Spirit wisheth him not in any case to quench the holy fire within his brest and assures him of Heaven for the recompence of reward What is this but to make God the Author of sin Wherewith they most impudently calumniate the Doctrine of the Protestants Surely the Heathen shall rise in judgement against the men of this generation and shall condemn it Well fare honest Papinian who was a better Christian than they who being charged upon his Allgiance to undertake the Apologie of the Emperor Caracalla in the case of fratricide the butchering of his brother Geta could by no means nor menaces be perswaded to it But put it off with this return (z) Idioque vir immortali gloria dignus securi percussus est quod Cauram injustam defendere noluisset Ael Spartian in vit Caracal Non tam facile esse parricidium excusare quam patrare That it was not so easy a matter to excuse parricide as to committ it The Traytor Zimri in the text slew King Elah that was all he did not argue nor plead for it no way justifie and maintain it much lesse boast and glory of it But as for our Romish Zimries the Jesuits they are as much before him in that diabolicall art and Doctrine of King-killing as they come after him in time Yea they are a note above Elah who fell by the Sword of Zimri And as the Apostle speaks of the abominable wickedness of the Gentiles Rom. 1.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Schol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not onely do the same but have pleasure or applaud those that do them A second Corollary or Cocnlusion deducible from Zimri's fact may be this The second Corolary Wicked men have a just title to earthly blessings That wicked and ungodly men such as Elah was have a just right and title to these outward blessings I say not barely that they have a spirituall right in the Court of Conscience and in the sight of God who out of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the general and common love which he bares to men as his creatures Makes his Sun to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Mat. 5.45 God collates and confers them as a free gift of his meer bounty and goodnesse and what is so bestowed is usually accounted and reckoned as our own For if Dominion be founded not in grace but in Divine providence And there is no Power but of God Rom. 13.1 Then wicked Rulers must needs have a good right to that power and Authority wherewith God in his generall providence doth instake and invest them But I shall onely touch and not handle that thornie question touching their spiritual title And yet doubtlesse they have a civil right in the Courts of Justice among men founded in Inheritance Purchase or Conquest and that confirmed by praescription of a long continued possession and injoyment and cannot be disseised nor deprived of it without a violent violation of order and government in lawfully established Polities and Commonwealths And so King Elah though an usurping Tyrant if not in his first enterance into the Kingdom which descended upon him as the next Heir but in the after administration and exercise of his power yet he might have a rightfull claim and title (b) This may serveto reconcile the seeming repugnancy of those Texts of Scripture I gave them a King in mine anger Hos 13.11 which is meant of Gods providential will They have set up Kings but not by me Hos 8.4 which is spoken of his will of approbation Reigning by Gods permissive and providentiall dispensation at the least though not the will of his approbation and good pleasure Otherwise it had been no robbery nor Treason in Zimri to dispoil and dethrone him to shoulder and justle him not onely out of Empire but life A third Conclusion that may be collected from Zimri's fact is this The third Corolary Outward successe is no good evidence and assurance of a just plea and title That outward prosperity and successe is no sure and sound argument of a just and equitable cause I say no sure and sound yet a very plausible and prevailing argument that winneth and gains much upon the the vulgar sort giddy and shallow people who wanting the depth of judgement to search into the causes and dive to the bottom forthwith conclude in a precipitate and headlong manner That to be lawfull which is lucky and holy what from experimented successe they find to be happy And now we call the proud happy Yea they that work wickednesse are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered Mal. c 3. v. 15. (c) Prosperum ac foeliae scelus virtusvocatur Seneca Herc. fur Honesta quaedam Scelera successus sacit Sen. Hippoi Happy villany is cloathed in Scarlet and Christened with the name of vertue And hence it was that the Sicilian Tyrant and arch Church Robber Dionisius having pillaged the Temple of Apollo at Delphos and forth with sayling into his Countrey with a prosperous gale of wind he laught in his sleeve and let fall that dry frump and jeer See how the Gods love Sacriledge Wene successe a concluding argument it might very well be pleaded by Cutters and High way men The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure into whose hand God brings abundantly Job c. 12. v. 6. An argument that might be produced by those of Zimri's gang Rebels and Traitors whereof holy Jeremiah complains very pathetically Jer. c. 12. v. 1. Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are they all happy that deal very treacherously And if we inquire and search after the cause why the course of this world is carried on in a tumultuary huddle and in a confused and disordered manner Perhaps this is in the number of those misterious Counsells and purposes of
Zimri's Peace OR THE TRAYTOR' 's DOOM DOWNFALL Being the substance of TWO SERMONS PREACHED AT APETHORP In the County of NORTHAMPTON By JOHN RAMSEY Master of Arts and Minister of East-Rudham in the County of Norfolk Now the rest of the Acts of Zimri and his Treason that he wrought are they not wrtten in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel 1 Kings c. 16. v. 20. Si totus orbis adversus me conjuraret ut quippiam moliar adversus Regiam Majestatem ego tamen Deum timerem ordinatum ab eo Regem offendere temere non auderem Bernard Epist 170. ad Ludovicum Franc. Regem LONDON Printed for Charles Adams at the Talbot in Fleetstreet near St. Dunston's Church 1660. C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENCE DIEV ET MON DROIT POTENTISSIMO SIMVL AC PIENTISSIMO PRINCIPI CAROLO Secundo Magnae Britanniae Franciae Hiberniae Regi Fidei Defensori Integerrimo indefesso Geminas hasce easque Gemellas Conciones multis abhinc annis publicè è suggesto Honoratissimi Comitis Westmorlandiensis summéque Honorandi Mecoenatis Horatii Townsendi Militis Baronetti Auribus instillatas infusas Nunc vero Typis excusas oculis omnium obvias expositas Horrendae Proditionis et quam Sol unquam vidit Conjurationis Sacerrimae in hisce Angliae Oris non ita pridem proh Dolor longe latéque grassantis Indices simul ac vindices Ministerii sui qualis qualis exile quidem Levidense Testimonium Votivae tamen pacis Arram debitae Fidelitatis Tesseram Subditorum minimus Orator Humilimus D. D. C. Et unà cum seipso Commentationes conciones istas ad sacrae Majestatis pedes devotissimè devolvit JOHANN RAMSEYVS The Traytors Downfall 2 KINGS Chap. 9. Verse 31. And as Jehu entred in at the Gate she said The Text. Had Zimri peace who slew his Master THese words are part of a Story The Introduction and History is a Relation of things past done or spoken a rehearsal and recital of the deeds and sayings of the Sons of Men. Such a Story we find here in the Text a commemoration of that Salutation and greeting which was interchanged betwixt Jezebel and Jehu and of the nicking and nipping speech wherewith she entertains and welcoms him as he comes riding in his triumphant Chariot with his pransing Coursers in the streets of Jezreel But seeing (a) Hilar. de Trin. Lib. 4. Intelligentia dictorum ex causis dicendi est monstranda as Hilary speaks And one special means of opening and unfolding Scripture is the observation of the context the connexion and coherence of the fore-going and following passages It will not be labour in vain or time mis-spent to recourse and look back to the beginning of the Chapter And if we cast our eyes upon the first six verses we shall there finde one of the Children of the Prophets dispatcht and sent by the Prophet Elisha as the Father of the Society and Master of the Colledge with a very important errand and weighty message touching the annointing Jehu King over Israel And that first given in command and charge in the three former and then accordingly acted and executed in the three latter verses And he arose and went into the house and he poured the Oyl on his head and said unto him Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I have annointed thee King over the people of the Lord even over Israel v. 6. Nor was this annointing of Jehu a bare external rite and empty Ceremony or Symbâ—lical only and significant but energetical and operative after a sort by divine dispensation and benediction accompanying his own Ordinance God pouring in the spiritual Oyl of Sovereign excellencies and Regal Endowments and Abilities into his Heart at the self same time that the material Oyl was poured upon his Head No sooner was Saul annointed by Samuel to be Captain over God Inheritance but God gave him another heart 1 Sam. c. 10. v. 9. Such a sudden change did this unction work in Jehu who was thereby strangely metamorphosed and transformed into another man furnished with the spirit of wisdom and strength the spirit of courage and resolution all those Heroical parts and Arts which might any way qualifie and enable him to those high Designs and Atchievements wherein he was imployed and engaged The utter destruction and ruine of Ahab 's Posterity Root and Branch Head and Tail (b) Cum necaretur maximi filius acclamatum est ex pessimo genere ne catulum quidem habendum Jul capitolinus Et expessimo genere ne minimum catulum relinquendum as the Romans spake of the butchering of Maximinus and his Family leaving not so much as one Whelp alive of such an untoward and unlucky Litter This was God's Commission to Jehu 2 Kings 9.7 8. And thou shalt smite the House of Ahab thy Master that I may avenge the bloud of my Servants the Prophets and the bloud of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezebel For the whole House of Ahab shal perish and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel And having received his Commission he doth not demur and pause upon it and consult with flesh and bloud He doth not the work of the Lord negligently non keep back his sword from blood and so incur the penalty of a curse Jer. 48.10 But he forthwith buckles and girds himself unto the work he makes post-haste and yet not more haste than good speed Secrecy and celerity are the two wheels of great actions Jehu's Chariot was carried on with both these and marched faster to Jesreel than same could flie whose wings he had clipt by stopping all intelligence that so at once he might be seen and felt of his enemies He drives furiously v. 20. Draws his Bow with his full strength smites Jehoram betwixt his Arms the arrow comâ—s out at his heart and be sinks down in his Chariot v. 24. commands Bidkar his Captain to take his dead corps and cast it in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jesreelite v. 25. Pursues after Ahaziah King of Judah who attempted an escape by flight is smitten at the going up to â—â—ur and dies of Megiddo v. 27. And having removed and made away a pair of wicked Princes conjoyned in their deaths as they consorted together in their Idolatry Jezebel being startled and staggered at the first report and rumour of so astonishing and amazing news she painted her face and tired her head and looked out of a window v. 30. And with a coloured and painted speech bespeaks him in this manner upon his incursion and in road into Jesreel in the words of the Text. And as Jehu entred in at the Gate she said Had Zimri peace which slew his Master The Text presents two Persons at one view Jezebel the Queen Mother of Jehoram the King deceased And
Jehu the surviving King who reigned in his stead together with the speech of one to the other The parts of the Text are two The Division of the Text. 1. The Speaker Jezebel in the Pronoun She. 2. The Matter of the Speech Had Zimri c. The Speaker in the Text is Jezebel 1. The Speaker Jezebel she in the Pronoun She Acursed Woman as Jehu stiles her v. 34. cursed in her death Thrown out of a window by the Eunuch trodden under foot by Jehu 's horses and her forlorn Carkas devourâ—d by Dogs to a very small reversion of her skull and â—eâ—t and the palms of her hands v. 33 34. as if an head that plotted and hands that practised so much mischief and seeâ— so swift to shed â—lâ—od were not meat good enough for Dogs to eat Nâ—â—â—her was she more accursed in her death thâ—n life A notorious Idâ—laâ—â—r the Daughter of Ethbaal King of the Zidonians and a Zealous Worshipper and server of Baal 1 Kings 16.31 A cruel and bloudy Persecutor that slew the Prophets of the Lord 1 Kings 18.13 Threatned Elijah with the loss of his head and made him flee for his life 1 Kings 19.2 3. And yet this Idolatrous and bloud-thirsty Jezebel le ts fall and drops down a sound and wholsome speech touching the certainty and equity of divine vengeance which pursues Murtherers and Usurpers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it traces them hard at heels and even hunts them to destruction An Observation noted upon he qualification of the Speaker A wicked person may somtimes speak well Observe then from hence (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus Diphue sophist lib. 5. That a wicked person may sometimes speak well I say sometimes but not alwayes (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. lib. 1. cap. 6. for One Swallow maketh not a Summer nor doth one speach or action though never so holy and good infallibly demonstrate or clearly evidence the unspotted innocency and unstained integrity of the Party The true and faithfull Servants of God are habitually good and yet actually bad as were Noah David Peter and some others they tread awry now and then and in some things do amisse And it is most true of them who though sound at the Core yet have some specks and spots of corruption which is noted of the Pomegranate (e) Non est malum punicum in quo non est aliquod gratum putre There is none so clear and sound wherein there is not a rotten kernel Wicked men on the other side are sometimes actually good and habitually bad And so was King Abimeleck in taking Sarah into his custody and so far justified and acquitted by God himselfe Gen. 20.6 I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart There may be the innocency of a particular speech or action where the person is extreamly vicious and abominable (f) Aug. de Baptismo contra Donatistai lib. 6. c. 2. Quicquid verum à quocunque dicitur à Spiritu Sancto dicitur Ambros 1 Cor. c. 12. v. 3. Omne verum à veritate verum est est autem Deus veritas Augustin lib. 83. quaest q. 1. Cur Deus famulum suum cum quo ipse tanta talia loquebatur ab alienigena passus est admoneri In hoc Scripturo nos admonet per quemlibet hominem detur consilium veritatis non debere contemni Augustin lib. Quaest supra Exodum q. 68. In arundine sterili solet uva pendere We may happily though rarely meet with a sweet and pleasant Grape upon a dry and withered stalk as Augustine speaks of the Donatists For howsoever our Saviour tels us Mat. 12.35 A goâ—d man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things yet doth it not necessarily follow that who so bringeth forth this good treasure of works and words should ipso facto aut dicto be forthwith a good man There was not any of the true Prophets that had clearer Visions and Revelations of Christ than the false Prophet Baalam who is marked out by S. Peter to have gone astray and loved the wages of Iniquity 2 Pet. 2.15 Vbi benè nemo melius ubi malè nemo pejus An Angel of Heaven could scarce speak better nor the Divel himself do worse Cunning Caiaphas spake he knew not what like St. Peter in the Mount and yet being High-Priest foretold the expediency of Christs death John 11.50 51. wherennto himselfe was accessary by consent and counsel and so was a Prophet and Murtherer both together Sunt in impiis quandoque Dona Dei sine Deo Wicked men may have the spirit of Prophecy and many shall say unto Christ at the latter day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name Mat. 7.22 They may have besides I say not the spirit of prayer which consisteth in the fervor and ardency of spirit and is an inseperable effect and fruit of the Spirit of Adoption Galat. c. 4. ver 6. Yea they may have a rare and extroardinary gift of prayer so as to expresse their own and other mens desires to God ex tempore and a sudden with volubility of tongue fleetnes and fluency of language varietie and quaintnesse of expressions inlarged and lengthned devotions to the admiration of others and sometime to the deceiving of their own souls There is a Spirit of prayer which is the portion of Gods children and the gift of prayer a common and a general gift and no way concludes a sincere and sound Christian Such graces as these Gratiae gratis datae non gratum facientes as Divines stile them that are freely conferred upon us not in reference or order to our own salvation but for the instruction and edification of the Church the common good and benefit of others These These I say are to be found in wicked and ungodly persons The subject of the Text Jezebel an Heathenish Idolater and outragious persecutor le ts fall a pertinent and pithy speech That is the second generall part of the Text. 2. The matter of the speech The matter of the speech Had Zimri c. That may be considered two manner of ways 1. First in Thesi simply and absolutely in it self 2. Secondly in Hypothesi in reference and relation unto Jehu to whom it is here applyed 1. 1. In Thesi Observe we in the first place the matter of the speech in Thesi and so it affords us these three specialties 1. Therein we have three specialties The Traitor Zimry 2. The Treason slew his Master 3. The successe and issue of his Treason and that laid down by way of interrogation Had he peace The first circumstance that presents and offers it self in order is the Traytor Zimry and may be looked upon in a threefold relation 1. 1. The Traitor in a threefold relation As a Servant to his Master 2. As a Subject to his Sovereign 3. As a Captain to his Generall First 1. As
Ideo mala omnia rebus humanis quotidie ingraevescere quia Deus hujus mundi effector Gubernator derelictus est Quid susceptae sunt contra quam fas est impiae religiones Lactan. Institut l. 5. c. 8. Toleration of religions is in Gods account and estimate a sin intolerable And being a just and jealous God of any Rival Competetour or Co-partner who will not give his glory to another it will not it shall not passe vengeance proof nor escape unpunished The third specialty III. The Third circumstance of the Tert The successe and issue of Zimri's Treason considerable in Zimri's treason pointed out in the speech of Jezebel is the successe and issue of it and that laid down by way of interrogation Had he peace which hath the force and strength of a pure negation a positive and peremptory denial wherein there is a kind of amplification and heightning of the speech and there is more intimated and implyed then mentioned in formal words and it is all one in effect as if Jezebel had expressed her self in proper and emphatical termes Zimri had no peace at all he was far from injoying it (h) Nemo unquam imperium flagitio quaesitum bonis aâ—â—bus exercrit Tacit. Histor l. 1. p. 417. His feet were swift to shed blood Destruction and misery were in his wayes And the way of peace had he not known Rom. 3.6 v. 15 16 17. This was the success of Zimri's treason and hints and and holds forth unto us a fourfold punishment A fourfold punishment of treason The first punishment of treason is the horrour and terrour of an unquiet and restless conscience A want of that inward and spirituall peace the bird in the breast The first punishment The horrour of an unquiet and restless conscience that sings so sweetly the Garden of Eden a spiritual Paradise and an Heaven here upon Earth An inward peace which is as much to be preferred before the outward as that above all external and temporal mercies Nor is it a want of peace only but is likewise accompanied with astonishment and amazement of mind anxiety and anguish of heart confusion of thoughts jealous apprehensions ghastly fears the raging and roaring of a perplexed Spirit Like unto so many racks and strappado's that distend each joynt and rend and tare one limb from the other There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa c. 57 v 21. No tranquillity and calmness of mind No serenity and smoothness of Spirit And if there be any at all Ipsa tranquillitas tempestas est The very calme is a weather-gall and the breeder of a storm These fears and terrours are multiplied and increased according to the several kinds and degrees of mens wickedness and are most extreme and intolerable in notorious and flagitious sinners as Traitors and Tyrants (i) Si reclâ—dantur Tyrannorum mentes posse aspici laniatus ictus quando ut corpora verberibus ita saevitiâ libi line malisconsultis animus dilâ—ceretur Tant Annal. l. 6. p. 190 â—uos diâ—i conscia facti mens kabeâ— aâ—tonitos surdo verbere caedit Ocul um quatiente animo tortore flâ—gellum Juv-Satyr 13. whose bowells if they were ripped up and laid open there are nothing to be discerned but blows and butcherings as the Historian speaks of them who are lashed and scourged with deaf stroaks haunted with Fiends and Furies and hunted as with greedy and yelling blood hounds to their own destruction Evill shall hunt the violent Man to overthrow him Ps 140. v. 11. An eminent example whereof we have in Theodoricus King of the Goths Who having barbarously butchered Symmachus and Boâ—taus the splendor and glory of the Roman Senate in a most immane and inhumane manner such was the strength of his imagination or rather the force of his guilty conscience that he conceived and fancied the head of a very great fish that was served up to his table at supper (*) Prosâ—pius in Gothecis some few dayes after to be the head of Symmachus whom we had so lately made away gaping upon him with a wide mouth the teeth hanging over in the neather jaw the eyes wildly staring in a grim and stern manner and threatning him with dier â—ull and dreadfull vengeance And being affrighted with the strangness of the monster shaking and quaking in all his joynts he betakes himself into his inward chamber throwes himself down upon his (k) Namque animus impurus neque vigiliis neque quietibus sedari poterat ita conscientia mentem excitam vexabat Salust of Catiline Bell. Catil p. 22. bed commands a great pile of cloaths to be heaped upon him And having confessed and bewailed to Elpidius his Physitian the horridness of the fact which did so much remorse and afflict him after a little pause and rest The second punishment of treason Unsetledness and distraction of Government he soon ended his miserable and wretched life A second punishment of treason is (l) Quibus quieta movere magna merces videbatur ll cat p. 30. unsetledness and distraction of Government Sudden and boisterous changes like violent Earthquakes in nature causing strange shakings and tremblings a good while after and it is long er'e it setleth upon the old basis and stands firm and sure as before Such shakings and tremblings we may observe in mens Spirits upon the tumultuary ejection of lawfull Soveraignty and the forcible entry of Tyrants and Vsurpers repining and murmuring at the present power Othoni compositis rebus nulla spes omne in turbido consilium Tacit. Histor lib. 1. p. 412. to the height of impatience and discontent and greedily longing after that which is past bringing it back again in their affectionate wishes with an Antigonum refodio and if it were possible they would dig up King Antigonus out of his grave and see him once more upon his Royal Throne These are but the beginnings of sorrowes intestine quarrels and garboiles are set on foot open wars are commenced one pitch'd battell fought after another and much blood shed on both sides as it was in the civil wars of England betwixt the two houses of York and Lancaster the white and the red roses Till that red rose became white with the blood which it lost and the white was died red with the blood which it shed Aut bellum aut bello pax ea deterior Such a confused temper of government as was sometimes in the Kingdom of Israel 2 Chron. c. 15. v. 5 6. A third punishment The brevitie and shortness of their reign And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries And Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City For God did vex them with all adversity A third punishment of treason and Traitors is the brevity and shortness of their reign And hereof we cannot have