a Gift the other conferring the sought Gift or rather declaring that it was to bee conferred on Solomon Parents haue a Fatherly authority ouer their Children to blesse them and are obliged to seeke their good because like Adam and Eue they are first their murtherers ere they bee their Parents And Kings as Fathers ouer their Subjects but Prophets are aboue them both in this point what the former haue by nature and Gods power committed to them that and more had Dauid a Prophet as being priuie to Gods purpose So that this Prayer is not so much a Prayer for obtaining as a prophecie that hee shall obtaine That extraordinar Gift is now ceased in the Church yet euery one should take heede how hee prayes That as the matter hee seekes is good in it selfe needfull for vs and promised so it be sought with confidence and liberty If the Lord so open our hearts to seeke it hee will also satisfie our hearts in granting None knowes his minde nor hath giuen him counsell but when Prouidence is performing his promises hee will giue some notice of his purpose to his owne in these particulars GOD had purposed this blessing to Solomon and now hee moueth Dauid to pray for it as a meanes both to giue his purposed Gift to Solomon and to oblige Dauid the more for obtaining of it by prayer The Blessing hee hath ordained for vs hee giues an heart to seeke it and in the very time of so free and affectuous seeking worketh in vs an hope of receiuing For wee know not what wee shall pray for as wee ought But the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered And hee that searcheth the hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saintes according to the will of God Gods Spirit will not assist vs with a spirituall libertie and confidence in seeking that that God is not purposed to giue for GOD is euer like Himselfe Prayer is on our part a Condition required and a meane to obtaine and on Gods part a sort of beginning and obligeing to giue vs that blessing that he hath made vs to seeke These are both temporary effects of Gods eternall purpose and meanes to performe it This is the couenant of grace to turne the Condition in a promise and then to performe it in vs that as GOD presenteth Saluation vnder condition of Faith and other workes of grace so hee promiseth these conditions and worketh them in vs. Hee promised that they should beleeue who said And they shall not teach euery man his neighbour Know the Lord. Hee promised that they should bee pardoned who said I will bee mercifull to their iniquities Hee promised that they should obey who said I will put a new heart in them Hee promised that they should perseuere who said I will put my feare in their heart so that they shall not depart from mee So then Grace purposeth Grace promiseth Grace maketh vs to pray and Grace performeth the promise in answering our prayers that it may bee seene Wee are saued by Grace This wonderfull disposition of Gods Grace in prayer is summed vp in one verse Lord Thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart Thou wilt cause thine Eare to heare And Dauid on this same purpose Thou hast said That thou wilt builde mee an house Therefore haue I found in mine heart to pray this Prayer to Thee To the KING The second part Of a Monarchie THis much for the Person that prayeth To wit King Dauid the next is for whom hee prayeth and that is the King euen his Sonne Solomon and that for three causes The first is common to Kings whom GOD respâ—cts as his Deputies among men The next is particular to Solomon as beeing designed in Gods promise to be a successour to Dauid The third is typicall because hee was the type of Christ the King of his Church and so had a right to competent giftes for his place for the better typifying of such a truth Heere is the great respect that God hath to Kinges he causeth pray for them marke their businesse and write portions of Scripture for them So Solomons designing to the Crowne gaue vs this Psalme and his Mariage the 45. Psalme and their Acts hath giuen vs manie Histories in Scripture that his Prouidence about them may bee more manifest and his care of them may witnesse his care of all mankind God hath set them vp to bee respected as the Heades of humane Societies and though there bee innumerable people in the World different in Lawes Manners Languages c. Yet hee hath summed them vp in seuerall Societies vnder Princes and prouided not onely Order but also degrees whereof Kings are the Heads Therefore the holy Apostle calleth them supereminent Powers and the primitiue Church expounded that clearly Wee honour the Emperour next to God and lesse than God alone This leads vs to consider in principalitie the Authour the Necessitie the Excellencie and Limitation The Author of Principalitie is GOD the King of Kings either immediatelie designing them as hee did Dauid and Solomon c. or mediately mouing the heartes of people to choose them Hee hath made man a sociall creature delighting in Society and Necessitie and Profit hath confirmed that sociablenes and drawne them together in Societies and Incorporations they know by the light of Nature that Societie is better than Solitarines and that a multitude with equalitie hath confusion and Order without Authoritie is an Anarchie with Oppression Therefore as GOD wisely ordained so they willingly admit these graduall respectes of higher and lower degrees and take on that beautifull Order which hee established Hee appointes an outward Gouernement to mankind and giues the influence of it not indifferentlie to all but to Kings and Princes as the most eminent parts of mankind If wee looke to man simplie as hee is reasonable it is not vnpossible for him to liue without publicke Gouernement but if wee consider him as hee is now with corrupt reason it is altogether impossible Hee could not liue alone without Societie and in Societies hee was worse than alone because of injuries the wealthie oppressed the poore and the stronger the weake so that by time Societies agreed vpon a common Gouernement and set vp some one who excelled the rest to gouerne all and that common consent gaue him power to rule and disposed the rest for more heartie obedience So GOD by his Law written in their hearts led them to Gouernement to deuolue their power in the hand of one for eschewing of injuries and procuring both publicke and the priuate good Societie remeeded Solitarinesse and Principalitie remeeded the iniuries of Societies Some haue drawne Principalitie simplie from the Ambition of men because Cain Nimrod and such like were vsurpers But they should distinguish betwixt mans Ambition and
Authoritie as a vigorous life to quicken a Kingdome and then to bind it vp in such agreement that many thousands of different conditions doe submit themselues to one Princes haue this Excellencie of Spirit not so much from their Birth or bodilie temper as from God immediatelie Hee createth in them a reasonable Soule to mâ—ke them Men and giues them a princelie Spirit to make them Kings among Men. Dauid was of priuate breeding but so soone as GOD tooke him from behind the Ewes and set him vpon the Throne hee gaue him an heroicke Spirit Their Birth indeede giueth them great Priuiledges but the royall Spirit is not infalliblie annexed to it GOD reserueth it to his owne free dispensation hee hath set them as Heads of Societies and the Head is plenished with Vnderstanding and with moe Senses than the Bodie for it is the seate of all the Senses and none but the sense of Feeling is diffused throgh the whole bodie that floweth from the Head So Kings by their place should be accomplished with humane perfections aboue their Subjects This hath with it a largenesse of heart to ouer-reach priuate spirits as farre as their place is aboue them and that both in fore-sight to project their businesse and Prudence to manage it And they haue as large affections of ioy and griefe and their fruits answerable in Contentment and miscontentment Their ordinar measure in these things would bee excesses to ouer whelme priuate Spirits Their greatest place occasioneth them greatest humane contentments but lest they become insolent as great miscontentments are annexed So God hath counterpossed these great things in greatest Spirits both to keepe them from extremities and to hold them on the Ballance of Equabilitie Power and Authoritie are inuisible in themselues but visible in their outward signes and the more euident the greater difference they make betwixt Kings Subiects Princes are men as other yet are they farre in dignitie aboue other as the patternes of natiue Nobility that commeth of Birth and the Fountaine of datiue Nobilitie that flowes from Princes fauour Though it fall out otherwise sometimes for iust causes yet in an abstract consideration they ought to bee and vsuallie are the choysest Men in humane perfections A speciall signe is that Maiestie wherewith God stampeth their countenance to tell what Spirit dwelleth in such a Bodie Though they bee but Men yet that Majestie in their countenance equalleth their place This maketh their verie silence to bee awfull and imperioâ—s it confoundeth sometimes the most resolute Spirits and putteth posed wits to precipitation His whispering in his Chamber setteth all his Kingdome on worke and the onelie mouing of his lippes putteth all his Provinces to businesse But if they speake in passion it is like the roaring of the Lyon This can be no thing else but the hand of GOD that maketh so sensible a difference betweene ruling and ruled Spirits in one kinde of Creature Next God hath giuen them foure Ensignes of a kinglie Power The Throne as the ground of their Authoritie vnder God The Scepter the signe of their Law-making or Nomothâ—ticke wisedome by its touchgiuing life to Lawes The Sword to execute Lawes as a token that all the Swords of their Subiects are at their command for Warre and Peace And the Crowne as the signe of Glorie arising of the right vse of all the former God bestowed on Solomon such a royall Maiestie as had not beene in any King of Israel before For the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedinglie Their Place is great indeede to bee Gods Vice-gerents on Earth yet that greatnesse is not absolute but hath the owne limitation Their power is as well bounded as their Persons Mortality boundeth their life so doeth Providence their Power that on Gods part by Communication for the originall and overruling for the vse and on their part dependence on God and subiection to a reckoning hemmeth it in I said Yee are Gods and all of you the Children of the most High But yee shall die like men It is not of themselues but lent of God and not for themselues but for him and his people It carieth in it selfe an obligement to vse it to his glorie whom they represent and a care in that vse to doe nothing that is not worthie of him When Goodnesse and Greatnesse meete in them they are glorious Images of God but when their greatnesse is voyde of goodnesse they are hurtfull to mankinde and make the Name of God to bee evill spoken of So long as they governe aright their governement is acceptable to God but if they abuse their power and follow their owne will and not Gods then hee disclaimes their governement They reigned but not of mee The excellencie of their Calling cannot expiate these faults of their Person but procures a double wrath If they looke onely to their place as comming by Birth or peoples fauour or their owne worth without respect to God they cannot but swell in prid with Nebuchadnezar But when they take them as out of Gods hand they will reverence him and vse them to his glorie and that wise imployment shall proue a way to a better Crowne in Heauen They are indeede aboue their Subiects yet God is aboue them the most High and higher than the highest David knew that he both iniured Uriah and his people that they could not correct him for his offence yet hee saw the punishment in Gods hand and beeing afraied thereof cryed out Against thee against thee onelie haue I sinned Hee confessed himselfe guiltie to God alone because he had no man who might iudge his fault Of all that is said ariseth a confirmation for a Monarchie a RefutatioÌ„ of some errors And a Direction in some dueties For a Monarchie this Text is plaine because it speaketh of a King appointed allowed of GOD in mercie Sundrie sorts of Governement haue beene devysed as Monarchie Aristocracie and Democracie and these either simple or in diverse mixtures but so that some one forme did preponder the rest gaue the name to the whole Though all bee good in themselues and God can serue himselfe of any of these yet they all point at a Monarchie as the best For supreme power is to bee found in them all but the difference is in the number of the Persons For that same supreme Power which Monarchie hath in one Person Aristocracie hath it in some few of the best and Democracie in the multitude of the people so that euery one of them is a Monarchie indeede diversified in the number of Persons As for their Practice when moe ruled they feared the vsurpation of some one and vpon that feare as they saw any excell the rest in Riches Wisedome or Friendship they serued him with an Athenian Ostracisme or a Syracusian Petalisme and for one yeeres ruling cast him in ten yeers banishment But by time they saw
Monuments of his ingrne and speciallie in that Basilicon Doron they turned their hopes in dispaire took them to plot his debarring from England and when the Pope had written Brieues for that end and all men looked for wars God in mercie according to the right of Succession gaue him a peaceable entrie to that Kingdome and keeped this Yland from the invasion of strangers and factions within They found their former peace continued when God had provyded him one who could as well by his Tongue and Pen mainetaine the Truth as by his Sword But wee neede not dispute where God hath determined hee promised to the King of Israel that if hee would adhere to him in his governement hee should prolong his dayes and the dayes of his Sonnes in the midst of Israel And when hee had sette David on the Throne hee stablished the Crowne in his Line by Succession put it in a promise as a blessing When thy dayes shall bee fulfilled and thou shalt sleepe with thy Fathers I will set vp thy Seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy Bowels and I will establish his Kingdome Therefore all things beeing duelie considered Succession is the best way to come to a Kingdome The next point is Davids acquiescing to Gods designation testified by this prayer for his Sonne Heerein hee found sure grounds for rest Hee had obtained a great blessing hee reioyced and prayed for the continuance of it and thankes God for giving him such a Sonne as was able for so great a Kingdome Shall not a soule rest in the sense of Gods mercie in a ioyfull praising and confident praying for moe It is kindlie to a Father to reioyce in his Sons succeeding and a worke both of sound Nature and of grace Nature maketh them loue the Child who is another themselues and Grace maketh them reioyce in Gods ordinance Where can it fall more pleasantlie to them then in their Sonne who is not so much another person as themselues and that not decaying or dying but waxing and surviving Some Kings haue beene so vnnaturall as to cut off their Sonnes in â—ealousie as Solyman did to Mustapha and some write that Constantine moved with Calumnies killed Crispus his Sonne though other deny it but let that crueltie byde with Barbarians Barbaritie is the dreg and vre of Humanitie till it bee refined by Letters and Sustition and false Religion makes them more vnnaturall So soone as the father dyes the most powerfull Brother embrues his Funerals in the blood of all the rest of his Brethren but there the father bathed himselfe in the funerall of his sonne Gods feare teacheth Christian Kings to rejoyce when they see their Sonnes in their Thrones but Tyrants as they desire none to reigne with them so they wish that the Kingdome and world ended with them Of all this second point is manifest that a Kings Son is a great blessing hee is a pledge of Gods loue both to his Parents and people and a band to tye all their hearts to God and amongst themselues Kings are the more bound vnto God that giues them that fruite of their Body and the more tyed to their people also because a Sonne is the best Pawne of their loue to people Hee is also a strong motiue to moue them to a loving peaceable Governement that thereby they may endeare him in the peoples affection The Sonne of a good King is pretious to a good people and what ever loue his personall worthinesse deserues it is doubled for his Fathers cause There is no such Rhetorick to perswad a people to loue the Kings Sonne as the good governement of his Father Their loue to the Sonne diminishes not their loue to the Father but rather augments it and the increase of the Obiect increaseth loyalty It was the error of some to worship rather the Sunne rysing than going to But Christian Subiects are taught of God not to make them opposite Obiects of their affection but in a Christian loyaltie to loue each of them the more because of other Our new borne Prince then is Gods great Blessing to this Yland Hee is a Guarde to his Father and a comfort to the Subiects in stopping their perplexities about Succession and the plots of factious and ambitious men This Land for almost eleven Ages was ruled by electiue Kings Thereafter for some eight Ages it hath beene ruled by Succession And the race of Stewarts aboue two hundreth yeeres hath succeeded one another and the new borne Prince whom God preserue is the eleventh of that Name and the hundreth and ninth of the never interrupted Line of Fergus the first The third part Of the royall Gift And first of Iustice. Thy Righteousnesse and Iudgements THe third thing in this Text is the Blessing that hee craâ—es to Solomon and that in three thinges The Gift the worke of the Gift and the Fruite of that worke The gift is Righteousnesse and Iudgement wherein wee shall consider the Nature the Necessitie and the Extent of it I will not trouble you with Schoole distinctions of these words because the excesse of Affection is impatient of Subtiltie For Ioy ever hasteneth neither can Gladnesse suffer delayes And I must say with one that your Affection hath preveened my words so that I cannot satisfie you yet with another I promise to speake briefely least in such a solemnitie the length of speach burden your Devotion In a word heere is meaned the gift of Kingly governement in the Spirit of righteousnes prudence So David exponeth it in his prayer to God for Solomon O Lord giue Solomon a perfect heart And in his Blessing of him The Lord giue thee Wisedome Vnderstanding And Solomon cleareth it by his desire when God â—ade him chuse what he would he chused not Riches or honour but a wise heart even the heart of a good King Giue thy Servant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwixt good and bad and this is iustice an habite of the minde keeped for the good of the common giving everie man his due It looketh to Ius or Right as the obiect to Iustice the Habite or Vertue and to iudgement the sentence or fact flowing from both containeth three things The first is a discerning knowledge to vnderstand exactly and judge betweene right wrong together with a conscience to temper the rigour of right with equity in some coÌ„siderable cases This is as the Eye of the Iudge The second is puritie of the Will and Affections flowing from that knowledge that they loue the knowne Right though it were in cause of their enemie and hate the knowne wrong though in the cause of their Friends This keepeth the Heart free from the base affections of feare or hope The third is Courage cled with Authoritie both to pronounce and execute according to that knowledge A private man may haue exact knowledge
meanes to hyde the truth If Aequivocation had place in Iudgement God had never ordained Oathes for ending of questions though the Iesuits haue perfected that coloured periurie in our time yet it is naturall to man who is a liar It confounded all Iudgement so that neither the oath of calumnie in the parties nor the oath of veritie in the Witnesses wants the owne suspicion But possiblie betime Iudges will bee forced to invent a third sort of oath occasioned by Aequivocation to make parties and Witnesses sweare that they sweare truelie Moreover though Knowledge and Experience in Iudges overcome these difficulties yet their frailtie of affection is inclinable to the Parties Therefore it was a good devyce to pleade causes without designing the names of the parties but vnder the fained names of Seius and Titius c. And that suffrages should not bee given by Word but by Notes on a Table or by White-stones for assenting or blacke-stones for dissenting So a way was provyded for libertie in votting and for securitie from challeng for that libertie But the absolute best remeede for Parties Pleaders Witnesses and Iudges is to set God the supreme Iudge before them and to remember that God sitteh in the assemblie of gods and to proceed as in his sight When cause is simplie compared with cause and reason with reason the sentence will easilie ryse according to right and equitie But this difficultie is greatest in criminall causes and hath brought on the necessitie of torture which is a sort of torment to a pittifull Iudge It is a miserable supplie of the want of probation and so insufficient that the vrgers of it permit the sufferer after torture to goe from his deposition or byde at it It was first devysed by Pagans and is iustlie called a Tarquinian crueltie They had not spirituall and divine motiues taken from GOD or Heaven or Hell c. to presse the Consciences of the guiltie therefore they tooke them to that brutish motiue of a bodilie paine Man is reasonable and truth should bee sought out of him by reasonable motiues which choppe on his reason and Conscience and that in the respects of eternall reward or punishment But the way by bodilie paines is more fleshlie and the order is preposterous by the bruising of the flesh to open the minde An extorted confession is but a bastard confession as fire forced out of the flint It is lamentable that among Christians there is as great necessitie of torture and as small fruite of it as among Pagans What ever bee the lawfulnesse of it the minde of he Iudge is tortured Hee would know the Truth and must vse such a meanes to search it Hee knoweth not whither the sufferer bee guiltie or not yet must hee suffer as suspected of obstinacie in denying lest hee die as guiltie and in avoyding death hee suffereth death in torments hee suffereth not because hee hath done the crime but because it is vncertaine if hee haue done it And so the vnavoydable ignorance of the Iudge is the calamitie of the Innocent and the more hee presse to helpe his ignorance hee hurteth the innocent the more This is lamentable and to bee washeth with floodes of teares that while the Iudge tortures the suspâ—ct person least hee kill an innocent hee killeth that innocent whom hee tortureth lest hee should kill him And when their paine maketh them chuse to die rather than to bee tortured they confesse the cryme that they did not and so are innocent both in torture and in death And yet when they are execute the Iudge knoweth not whither they be guiltie or innocent And so oftimes both tortureth and killeth an innocent while hee laboureth to eschew it By these things a wise Iudge is drawen on not by desire of hurt but by necessitie of ignorance and yet since humane Societie craveth it by necessitie of Iudgement This is contrare to the tortures of the olde persecutors they tortured confessing Christians and let them goe free if they denyed but the criminals torture that they may confesse and destroyeth them for their confession On the other part how oft doe the guiltie endure torture with obstinacie and harden their hearts to conceale the truth Such obstinacie at the first is resolved but if it turne iudiciall by a wilfull denying with cursings and execrations then it worketh either a stupifying senselesnes in their flesh or else by way of diversion fasteneth the minde so vpon losse or shame that followeth a confession that it lets not the flesh feele paine Sathan can stupifie his martyres in maintaining lies that hee may play the Ape to GOD who mitigateth the paines of his martyrs by spirituall comforts It is not therfore for nought that God tooke of the Spirit of Moses and put vpon the Elders because they had a Calling full of difficultie In all which cases it is best for a Iudge to looke to God and that eternall Law in him and withall to craue his direction that hee erre not in Iudgement and cry Deliver mee O Lord out of all my necessities But there is no better spur than Iehosaphaâ—s exhortation to Iudges Take heede what yee doc for yee iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heede and doe it For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts Of Princes difficulties dangers IT lyeth then on Princes to exercise their Gift as they would proue the liuelinesse of it and this brings on them a world of difficulties There is none in their Kingdome of a more laborious life The Head that moveth all must haue action in it and the heart is in a continuall motion to furnish fresh Spirits to the bodie Great is their taske to know the state of their Subjects to heare the plaints of the poore to represse the insolencies of the proude by causing minister Iustice to all God hath set them aboue their Subiects but that same exalting in some sort putteth them vnder because they are servants to their Subiects in that they watch for their weall and safty I herefore the Apostle in that same place where hee calleth them supereminent powers calleth them also the Ministers of God to minister Iustice for hee is the Minister of God to thee for thy good They are Gods Ministers attending continuallie vpon this verie thing They haue supreme power bowing downe to a Ministeriall worke and a Ministerie cloathed with supreme power Many are quicke-sighted to see the defects of Governement who will not see the difficulties and dangers of it for beside the weight of such a Calling the most lawfull vse of their coactiue power beareth them on many dangers either in punishing the vniust or affraying them that would bee so Every curbed humour by feare of punishment
in God to repent their sinne and sinde remission in Christ that is the way to Gods Peace Being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God No faith iustifieth but the true Faith no Religion informeth men in the true Faith but the true Religion As it leadeth vs in a sure way to peace in Christ so it leadeth vs to keepe that peace in sincere obedience In which respect when God getteth his due hee blesseth vs with his Kingdome within vs. For the Kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This is the peace that no Kingdome can haue but such as haue a true Religion they may haue a civill and politicke peace amongst themselues but none of this peace with God The second is a civill peace with man when every one keepeth his place and doeth his duetie as hee standeth bound the body is then in good plight when everie member is whole and exerciseth the functions in order So in a Kingdome when everie one in his calling doeth his duetie with a loving respect to other there is peace or if any bee not peaceablie disposed their broyling humour is hemmed in by Iustice that they trouble not the peace of their Neighbour This is a civill peace the health of the civill body and a comely beautie in it when everie one brooketh another in loue and worketh to others hands And thogh there were innumerable men in callings places offices c. Yet they seeme all to be but one man with one minde seeking the good of other and of the common bodie As in Musicall instruments sounds are diverse and contrair high low c. and yet make a sweete harmonie so in a Kingdome are diverse estats rich and poore c. Yet they haue an harmonie and concord and that concord is peace That rule is generall for all things Let no man seeke his owne but everie one anothers good The third is a particular peace of our Lotte when every mā brooketh his lot peaceably without oppressiō either violent or coloured by Law This is as the life of our lot whē our right and possession haue a peaceable vse following and every man may eate vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figge-tree It is the verie lotte of our lotte and a pleasant sawce to sweeten our vse a sort of fruition of our Lot the fruite of that fruition a way to Contentment and the verie prosperitie of prosperitie The fourt may bee called a Kinglie peace when people are in loue and peace with their King They are his bodie and hee their Head vnder whose shaddow they haue these peaces The vse and enjoying of them will reflect vpon him as a procurer and maintainer None can finde comfort of a true Religion in libertie and peace but hee must loue and pray for him vnder whose governement hee hath that great blessing None can looke on that publicke peace the health and beautie of the civill bodie but he must loue and honour that Head from whom the influence of the publick peace floweth And none can enioy the private peace of his Lot lying downe rising in peace but he will loue the preserver of it Yea that peace that floweth from supreme Iustice is a natiue and kinde Daughter and so iust as to make vs honour him who ministreth Iustice for the procuring of peace All these are strong bands to ty the hearts of good people to such Princes by whose governement God blesseth them with so inestimable blessings This order is in the Angels Song Glorie to God in heaven peace on earth and towards men goodwill When man giveth God his glorie worshipping him in Spirit and truth then God giveth Peace to man beeing reconciled to him in Christ and the ground of both is Gods good will towards man whereby hee elected him in Iesus Christ that good will sendeth downe true Religion to man to direct him in the obedience of Gods revealed will These are the fruites of Iustice in their severall branches The first is Gods peace in our minde The second is mans peace in the civill body The third is Peace of our Lotte And the fourt is a peace with the Head of the common bodie The first appeaseth the terrours of our Conscience The second stayeth sactions and divisions amongst Subjects The third privat oppression And the fourth Rebellion against Princes And all of them are our ends in their severall kinds when God dwelleth in vs and maketh vs enioy him in his peace then hee maketh vs brooke one another and our selues in him Where Iustice is not these fruites of peace cannot bee found Where God getteth not his due honour in a true Religion there can bee no peace with him but hee sendeth warre or other calamities to trouble their peace and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant As long as Israel worshipped him a right matters went well with them but when they fell to idolatry he raised vp bordering nations to punish them In like manner hee can punish iniustice among people Lawfull Governement ministreth Iustice and Iustice bringeth peace so want of Iustice bringeth confusion and confusion breedeth discord Heerevpon also commeth the losse of particular Peace when by tumults no man can securely possesse his goods his blood or life Where violence rageth there reason is not heard and the Lawes are silent more where Armes doe speake Iustice well administrate is a great preservation to a Land It purgeth it from sin committed by punishing the sinner keepeth many from sin that they would otherwise commit and so holdeth off Gods anger and procurreth his blessing But neglect of Iustice is crueltie and not clemencie or rather a cruell mercie it fostereth sinne and hasteneth Gods wrath when grievous sins are committed they defyle the Land and the Land defyled can not be expiate but by the punishment of the malefactor What shall God doe but powre out his plagues and mak the Land spew out her Inhabitants where sinners will not repent and the Magistrate will not punish These two then Iustice and peace goe in others hands in a well governed Kingdome Iustice without Peace is a fruitelesse severitie and peace without Iustice is a conspiracie against God Iustice is Gods arrestment layed vpon mans corruption and peace is the quietnesse that followeth that arrest Both the necessitie and difficultie to keepe peace are as great as to purchase it for peace bringeth wealth and wealth because of our wickednesse bringeth insolencie and insolencie bringeth violence so that the daughter Peace would devoure iustice her mother except Iustice did her second service to keepe men from violence Her first service is to giue every man his due and her second is to secure him in it Peace of her selfe is a thankfull daughter to her Mother Iustice but our corruption that abuseth all can abuse her also and Ieshurun waxing fatte will kicke against his
wisedome not to the equitie or iniquitie of the meanes but to their possibilitie to bring his evill purpose to passe And commends to him joyntlie the crueltie of the Lyon and craft of the Foxe Both good and bad may possiblie bee alike in desiring dignitie but they are not alike in the acquiring of it The first goeth Gods way in righteousnesse and vertue The other taketh him to by-wayes with craft and crueltie Secondlie for disposition Hee forbiddeth his Prince to bee religions indeede but to seeme so the shew of it is enough to do his turn with man whom he alone respecteth and that onelie to deceiue him Hee knoweth that men are caried with outward shewes and though they who are neere to him know his piety to be fained yet they dar not resist the common opinion of people who count him to bee godlie indeede He counteth the Conscience and feare of God the care to please him and to bee approved in the last reckoning and such other practicke pointes of Religion to bee as many cut-throates of his politicke designes If these thoughts fall in his heart they but drowne him in perplexities and suffer him neither freelie to intend his wickednesse nor cheerefullie to follow it out Therefore hee holdeth them all at the doore of his heart as odious stranglers of his spirit and setteth vp Atheisme or deepe Hypocrisie in their place Hee leaveth Religion to such as hee counteth base spirits who delight as hee thinkes profainelie to terrifie themselues needlesselie with the conscience and reverence of a God-head Thirdlie for his Governement hee ady viceth him to haue sufficient wit of himselfe at least to thinke that hee hath it and so turneth him in a Pope with infallibilitie of iudgement To bee jealous of all and keepâ— close his intentions that the imparting of them to other were they never so godly wise or trustie may discover and frustrate his purposes If hee could bee another himselfe in another Person hee would suspect and decceiue that other himselfe and hee would rent his inner Coate if it were privie to his plots Fourthlie for account of his Subiects hee directs him not to count them Gods people but his owne and that not as free-men but as slaues Hee is a slaue to his owne humour and thinketh them for none other end but to serue him in serving it Hee taketh neither the relation or affection of a Father but his actions are full of tyranny Lastlie for his end hee adviseth to keepe his people in continuall discord and to expone their concord a conspiracie against him There is nothing so terrible to him as good correspondence in the mutuall intelligence of their affaires If the feare of God and loue of equitie keepe them in peace hee will cast in the apple of strife and put them in factions Hee seeketh more their goods and service than their hearts and like Nero careth not they hate him so they feare him So hee filleth all with feare and most himselfe for hee that will bee feared of all must feare all that feare filleth him with suspition and suspition drawes him to crueltie which maketh his kingdome a tragicall stage This is Machiavells godlesse direction whereof hee was not so much the inventer as a polisher the pieces of that policie lay scattered in Histories but hee put them together in one forme as hee saw them acted at the court of Rome vnder Pope Alexander the sixt and from the practice of such a father directed Borgia his Sonne an evill egge of an evill Crow What could the world looke for of him who was the Sonne of such a Father as Alexander and the pupill of such a Tutour as Machiavell Hee tooke him as the object and Center of all his wicked devyses and setteth him out to the world as a most perfect exemplar to bee followed Italie was then desirous of some one Prince to restore her to libertie and the Court dreameed that this one should bee Caesar Borgia Hee began his Monarchie with the killing of his elder Brother and of a Cardinall would bee a commander of an Armie and went on till God made him and his father spectacles of his wraâ—h They had plotted to poyson some Cardinalls for their estate but God by the errour of a Cup-bearer made them fall in the snare they had prepared and drinke the poyson appointed for the other Heere was a time to repent but when hee saw all his devyces disapointed hee blasphemed and called that worke of Gods justice an extraordinar malignitie of Fortune This is the temper of godlesse spirits to plot wickednesse boldlie and when they are disappointed rather to raile against God vnder the name of Fortune than to acknowledge his Iustice repent Such blasphemie is worse than the calamitie it selfe Borgia was never so right placed as when hee was put in the belly of a Mulet to draw the poyson out of his body Heere was a fit place for Machiavells darling hee was never more sutable cled than with such a carkase and that bellie was never worse filled than with such a Monster Heere was such lippes such lat tuce and a worse kernell than the shell Hee was a compleete circle of Fortunes turnings First her darling in his exaltation next her ludibrie or mocking-stocke in his downe-cast And lastlie a document of her futilitie and waikenesse This was an example of Gods just Iudgement to all Tyrants who will conquer and rule a state in contempt of God All this is called wisedome in the world but it is extreme madnesse For beside their sinne which they misregard even in sound naturall wisedome they procure their owne ruine by these same meanes which they choose for their stablishment Hee is a foolish builder who chooseth for the foundation of his house an hollow ground full of Caues and these caues full of powder and other matter meete for fire or earth quacke then dobbeth the walls with Pitch or Brimestone Such is the building of Machiavilians they lay the grounds of pride and Atheisme in themselues and of feare and Hatred in their people They build vp their worke with Hypocrisie crueltie and craft Therefore the least sparkle of Gods anger shaketh their building from the foundation They beginne with impiety contemning God they goe on with iniquitie oppressing man and in end some tragicall calamitie destroyeth them and their state So the Lord catcheth the craftie in their craftinesse But hee is not content to set out his Tyrannie to the world but reflects also vpon Christian Religion and Princes as though it made them effeminate and brake their courage because it teacheth them to seeke the heaven and contemne the glorie of the world And so preferreth Pagans religion and Princes to them both Here hee playeth the Atheist in mocking the life to come and bidding men range like beastes for present contentment Hee
saw and Uespasian the reformer of Neroes wickednesse pulled downe the golden Head hee had set on the Collosse and in stead thereof placed the image of the Sunne It were good service to God to pull downe that head that hath lift it selfe aboue the Church and is the life of heresie and schisme the impediment of reformation and of peace in Europe and in his place to make the Gospel the image of the Sunne of Righteousnesse to shine cleerelie Saint Austine telleth you from your owne Lawes that they who will not in peace worship the God of peace nihil nomine Ecclesiae audeant possidere And thereafter If Princes doe not so Quo modo possunt Deo rationem reddere How shall they giue a count to God But Baronius is more legall Eijciendus vt Latro hee is to bee cast out as a thiefe who in an evill conscience possesseth that which is not his owne Io. de Rupe scissa telleth you the way in his Parable that when a naked bird was busked by other birds shee became proude and beate them Therefore they tooke back their lent feathers and left her naked Take backe againe your profuse donations wherewith you haue busked the Pope and then moveat coruicula risum furtivis nudata coloribus If hee bee redacted to an Apostolicke Preacher his Cardinals wil return to their primitiue charge in sepeliendis mortuis in celebrating the Funerals of the defunct popish Synagogue Rome hath beene twentie times taken since Christs dayes And Charles the fifth tooke it last in show for a Revenge but indeede to found his Monarchie Why may not ye in the zeale of God destroy the whoore to vindicate your owne Monarchies God hath foretold Babels destruction and it will certainlie come to passe The time thereof is both fixed and knowne of God alone And at that time hee will not want instruments for hee will put it in the hearts of Kings to fulfill his will For they will make bright arrowes and gather the shields because the Lord hath raised vp the Spirit of the King of the Medes For his device is against Babylon to destroy it because it is the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of his Temple To the Pope and his willfull adhaerents I speak as Cyprian did to Demetrian Provide for your securitie and life while you may Wee offer to you the whole some gift of our counsell And wee exhort you while yee haue occasion and are aliue to satisfie God and come to the pure light of the trueth out of the deepe and darke night of Superstition VVeâ— envy not your prosperitie wee render you loue for hatred and shew you the path of life in recompence of these torments yee inflict vpon vs. Belieue and liue that yee who persecute vs for a time may reioyce with vs for ever I close with Gods command to the elect people who for a time are captivat in Babylon Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins that ye receiue not of her plagues And his command to you Kings Reward her even as shee hath rewarded you and double vnto her according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her the double Therefore let her plagues come in one day that as the Angel speakes Great Babylon may bee throwne down and found no more as a milstone cast into the Sea That all the Saints may haue matter to sing Halelâ—iah Salvation and glorie and Power vnto the Lord our God For true and righteous are his Iudgements for hee hath iudged the great wheâ—re which did corrupt the Earth with her fornication and avâ—â—ged the blood of his Servants at her hand AMEN Do illis eruditionem Do doctrinam Sed fidem religionem â—â—â—quam coluerunt Cicer. de Graec. Rom. 13. 1. Proverb â— â—6 Micah 5. 2 Luc. 2. â— Matth. 16. Iohn 10 â—â—bros de dig Sacerd cap. â— Ibid. cap. 2. Vtrum maiâ—r dignitas pradia dividendi an peccata diâ—â—ittendi Coâ—â—â—d lib. 1. August Cavit 2â— 6. Vniâ—uâ— in orbe Iâ—p Rex â—â—â— niumque Principâ—â—â— sâ—â— prâ—â—um c. Marta Iâ—ris Epist dediâ— Paul 5. Suarez defen 6. 6. â—ellar Apol. Cypr. de Ieâ—uâ— Revel 17. a Innocen 3 b Leo. 10. Bull. 12. Card. Lothar Practic Cancell Hisp. Aphor. Card. 16 22. Iâ—d 9. 20. Virum negotiosisâ—imum in Repub. Epist. 54. Psal. 21. 6 Psal. 33. 1. The Birth of the Prince May 29. An. 1630. Polydor hist. lib 5. Azor. inâ—â—st tom 2. lib 10. cap 1. Ecbertus totâ—â—â— insula Monarcha Edmundus Laâ—francus totius Insula Britaniae Primas Concilium Angl. Anno. 1085. Binius tom 3 part 1. pag. 395. Fasting and thankesgiuing two od solemnities Thankesgiving is more pleasanâ— Sicciâ—e exprimitur publicum gaudium per publicum dedecâ—â— Tertul. Apolog. 35. The summe and order of the words King Dauid a Supplicant Prius peremptores quam parentes Bern. hom 2 super missus est Parentes sensimus peremp tores c. Cypr. de lapsis Sect. 7. Amos cap 3 5 CuÌ„ ipse Pater qui largitur ista suggerat peti c. Cypr de ascens cap. 4. Rom. 11. 34. Rom 8. 27 Grace compleats all the parts and degrees of our happinesse Credituros promisit qui dixit non docebit â—nusquisq proximum suum Reconciliandos promisit qui dixit propitius ero inquit atibus eorum c. Prosper de Vocat Gent. lib 1. cap. 9. Ephes. 2. Psal. 10. 17 2. Sam. 7. 27. 1 Chr. 17. 25. Solomon prayed for Gods great respect of Kings Rom. 13. 1 Colimus imperatore 〈…〉 c. Tert. ad Scapul cap. 2. 1 The Author of Principality is God Cum res sit praestaÌ„tissima ordo politicus c. Calvin in hunc locum 2. The necessitie of principality Chessan Catal. part 5. cons. 1. Prover 8. 8 Dan. 2. 11. Divina providentiâ regna constituâ—ntur humana Mans necessitie Gods supplie by Callings Eccles. 5 9. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 2. 16. Gen. 4. 2. Gen 4 22. Gen. 4. Gen. 4. 26. Governement founded in Adam Princes giue a civill life to a Land 3. The excellencie of principality The kindlie and sweete relation betwixt Prince and people The Character of Principality is of GOD immediatelie The signes of principalitie 1. In their couÌ„tenance Quantus motus sit ad unaÌ„ iussionem imperatoris Aug hom 16. Prov. 19. 12. 2. In their Ornament Aut capite Diadema aut in manu Sceptrum Tertul. advers Iud. cap. 10. 1 Chr 29. 25 2 Chr. â— â— The limitation of Princes Psal 82. 6. 7. Sciunt quiillis dederit impertum a quo sunt secunds post quem primi c. Tertul. Apol cap. 30. Hos. 8. 4. Ecclesâ— 5. 9. Psal. 51. Soli Deo reus quia hominem non habet qui â—ius facta dâ—â—udi cet Cassiod ibid. 1. Monarchie is the best sort of Governement Tum Resoub id est res populâ— bene ac iuste geritur