2 Peter 2:10 (part 2 of 3)

Without this, Gods hand will as surely overtake us in the punishment, as Satans hand hath overtaken us in the sinne. But for comfort to the wounded soule; There is no sinne so foule, but the bloud of Christ can scowre it off. Vncleannesse is a deep staine, sized into the soule by her dwelling in the body: there is no meanes to get it out, but by the bloud of the Lambe. Even the Rev. 7.14. garments of the Saints need washing; and what can make them white? only, the bloud of the Lambe. It was the Iewish scoffe at Christ, Alios potuit servare, seipsum non potuit: he could save others, not himselfe. Saint Ambrose replyes, Imo ille solus potuit sanare velnera mea, qui negligit sua: he only can heale my wounds, that neglected his owne. Es•. 63.1. His garments were dyed red, to make all ours white. But neither can this be had without faith, nor faith be assured without repentance. It is a happy thing for a man to improve the dayes of his peace, for the prevention of future vengeance: to seeke onely to be safe by being good. Next to this divine providence, our best guard is our Innocence, next to that our repentance. For him that hath fallen, to pray, Lord deliver me; for him that hath not fallen, Lord preserve me, in Iesus Christ. Take here two Characters.

The uncleane person stands like one tormented with the stone in the kidneys; there is not a limbe or joynt about him, but suffers with the distortion of that one part. If some spot or token of his soules infection should breake out and appeare in his face, no leper would change complections with him. If he had a hundred eyes, he could bestow offices on them all, to purvey for his lust. He loves to be a looking on pictures; and when he cannot reach the substance, he courts the shadow. He sends his eye to the market, and money is his Cater. He loves the company but of three; Baud, Whore, and himselfe: only the Devill comes in, and makes up the fourth against his will. The pestilence is in his breath, it infects every place he comes in. His body is rotting apace, but his soule is already fallen to piecces. His Mistresse is his Idol, and he would never learne any prayers; but for doing his devotions to her. For God; he either thinkes or wishes that he could not see in the darke. He is borne to be a womans slave, not her Lord and husband: he dares not marry, for feare (contrary to other mens minds) of being paid his owne debts. If he doe bestow himselfe, he commonly soulders up some crackt piece: and in marriage is more jealous, than before he could be luxurious. He and his strumpet make up a fagot for hell fire; and must burne together in torment, as they have done in turpitude. He so consumes himselfe to cinders, that there is not one drop of moisture left in him, not though a teare could save his soule. Before he dies, he is become all stench: his soule stinkes God, his body stinkes to himselfe, his name stinkes to the world. It is just that he who leaves GOD for a harlot while he lives, should lose God, and his harlot, and himselfe, when he is dead. Reason left him long agoe, and he hath ever since lived beast. Commonly he dies of Hercules disease: a fire in his marrow. He may come to be sory, seldome to repent. At last, he is brought to his couch, or crutch; and there every body leaves him.

The chast is a pure man whether in wedlocke or virginity. If maried, he loves his wife, not because she was rich, or faire; but because she was and is good; because he once loved her, and still loves himselfe in her. All change abhorres; for he married not for recreation, but procreation; not for pleasure, but posterity. It is her soule he sets his love upon; he knowes the body to be but physicke for lust, a shell for progenie: therefore chose her not for that halfe whereby she is a woman, but for the better, wherein she is a man. Sensuall affection lookes only to the shape; rationall hath respect to the soule and minde forgetting the sexe, or leaving to the sense. Soules have no sexes; therefore they that love in soule, (in that part which is not sexuall, wherein both husband and wife are men) their love admits no more impuritie than inconstancie. If he be single, his minde keepes his mortall fabricke sweete: his conscience hath got the better of his concupiscence: he is so farre from doing, that he dares not thinke amisse. His mirth is so cleare, that you may looke thorow it into vertue, not beyond. He had rather seeme not to understand a bad motion, than to hold conference with it. He censures all charitably, and abhorres suspition: he thinkes none should doe ill, because he meanes well. He entertaines none but honest thoughts: if loose ones looke in at the window, he presently shuts the doore. He neither with unseasonable sleepe rusts his soule, nor with immoderate dyet teacheth his body to rebell. He is one of those that be Rev. 14.4. not defiled with women, for they are virgins; and follow the Lambe whithersoever hee goeth. His soule is Christs betrothed Spouse, and he accounts death but a messenger, to bring her home to her husband. He is so cleane, that the Angels love to bee about him here, and hee shall bee received among them hereafter.

Walke after the flesh.] This walking is the Axeltree, whereon the whole frame of the Text moveth. There is no man can walke without lust, but the good man does not walke after lust: if it goe with him, it shall not goe before him. It is the natural mans way, the Christians trouble in the way. If he be enticed out of vertues path, either he doth not give consent, or he doth not give full consent, or he doth grieve for consent. Either he doth not walke, or he walkes not farre, or he walkes against his will, and soone correcteth his steps. The wicked man is taken in his walke, Psal. 119.59. Psal. 68.21. But he that doth purpose before hand not to sin, and in the act doth strive against sin, and after the act is sory for sin; though he step awry weakely but not wickedly, God in mercy spares him, because this is none of his walke. Rom. 8.8. He that is in the flesh, cannot please God, so long as he keepes that way but as water that hath beene frozen with cold, may afterward be heat with fire; so he may come from a carnall to a spirituall course. Things of the flesh are of three sorts: some good, as the knowledge of arts: some indifferent, as honour and riches some evill, as the workes of sinne. We walke in the former, and doe well, keeping the right end: in the middle, not amisse, keeping the right manner: in the last, we goe amisse, and there is no pretence to excuse us. We make the good become evill to our selves; when we imploy our learning to justifie error. We make the indifferent very evill, when we preferre temporalls to spiritualls; as the tongue of the feverish infected with choler, makes sweet things tast bitter. I observe foure things in this carnall walking. 1. Their slavery to it. 2. Their constancie in it. 3. The specification of it. 4. Our remedie from it.

1 Their slavery: to walke is their errant diligence: to walke After it, is their servile obedience. The flesh leads, and they follow like dutifull servants. All servants. All service is from sin, this is the service of sin. If man had not sinned, he should not have served: Gen 9.25. Chrys. Cham was borne of the same Parents; only his sin brought him to a slavish condition. This was just with God: but for man to make his eldest sonne Lord of all, and the rest no better than his servants: if such a tyrannie of custome, (as if hey were all illegitimate) that in the book of God we can find no such distinction. There is a service of Superioritie: the good Prince thinkes himselfe but the highest servant of the common-wealth. He troubles his thoughts, he breakes his sleepes about the businesse of state; sets his shoulders under the weight of government: and his Praesse in ruling it, is but a Subesse to the conservation of it. There is a service of equality; Gal. 5.13. By love serve one another: he that doth not, is like a loose tooth in the mandible, better out than in.

There is a service of Inferioritie; which is either. 1. Voluntary, when a free man makes himselfe a servant; and such a servant may make himselfe free againe. Or. 2. Temporary: he that workes for us by the day, is so long our servant; at night he is free. Or. 3. Pactory; undertaking such a worke, for such a wages, during such a time; in hoc, ad hoc, and huc usque, he is a servant. Or 4. De Civit. 19. cap. 15. Captive, such as be taken in the warres: which Saint Augustine will have called Servi a Servando, because they were saved in slaughter. Or 5. Native, such as are borne servants, being the children of Servile parents. Or 6. Venditive, that have sold themselves; concerning whom Exod. 21. God set downe a Law. 1 King. 21.25. So Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse. But Paul seemes to acknowledge this of himselfe; Rom. 7.14. I am carnally sold under sinne? We answer; there be two wayes of selling unto bondage: one compulsory, as the brethren sold Ioseph: so the regenerate are sold under sinne, but against their wills. The other voluntary, as the wicked sell themselves to Satan for very vanitie; instating themselves upon the flesh, that they tell (without asking) who ownes them, by the superscription of their livery, so that Rom. 7.13. Pareus sin by the commandement becomes exceeding sinfull. As a head-strong and unbroken horse, the more he is curbed by the bridle, the more he breakes out. Wine will enflame any man, but he that hath a feverish body, is more fired with it through his infirmitie. Lyran. There is abuying and felling. Esa. 52.3. Yee have sold your selves for nought, and yee shall be redeemed without money. But this is in a diverse sense: they are sold for nought in respect of God, because he hath no honour by it: and redeemed for nought, in respect of themselves, they paid nothing for their redemption, but not so, in respect Christ, for he bought us deare. But these have wilfully sold themselves to the service of sin.

2 Their constancie in it. Walking is a continued act; and acts continued make habits. Two sorts of Philosophers had their names from walking: the Stoickes, who derived their doctrine from Plato: and the Peripatetickes, Lactan. who had Aristotle for their Prince. Besides, their ambulating life, severing themselves from common society, they had a certaine peculiar and dogmaticall way, whereunto they confined themselves. But all their waies were but fantasies and errant opinions; without any truth of rule, especially without the Rule of Truth. Our blessed God hath given us a blessed way; and Gal. 6.16. as many as walke after that rule, peace be on them and mercie: a perfect rule indeed; which wee have good occasion to seeke, good direction to finde, good encouragement to walke, good reward at the end.

Walking intends a perpetuated motion, not for a pace or space, but holding out: therefore, is the wicked conversation called a way; for that’s a mans way, not which he steps into, but walkes and travels. Some have spoken much of the way, but out of the way; while they called every act of sinne, a way: Prov. 4.14. for the Scripture onely meanes it of practicall and habituall sinne. So then, to walke after the flesh, is an addiction to sinne, constate of many lusts. This is a true distinction: Every vice is a sinne, every sinne is not a vice: every wry step is an errour, Omne vitium est peccatum, omne peccatum non est vitium. Arist. Eth. 2. it is not a way, not an heresie in manners. Once being overtaken with wine, makes not a drunkard. Vice cannot consist with vertue, quia ex diametro pugnat: but Peccatum, a vicious act doth not destroy vertue, whether morall or theologicall. Peters deniall did not destroy his faith, nor Davids uncleannesse his charitie. These were their sinnes, they were not their wayes: their usuall walking tooke another course. Actions are done by the powers of the soule and body, but habits have their residence in ipsis potentiis, both of the sensitive and intellectuall part: as wantonnesse or drunkennesse in the former; pride, hypocrisie, diffidence in the other. If wee compare them before God, vice is more grievous than a sinne, because it is habituall malice: if before men, sinne is more haiuous than vice; for vices are not punished by Magistrates, but onely sinnes. But they ever beget one another; many evill actions beget an evill habite, and an evill habite every day begets evill actions.

3 The specification of it: the flesh hath many wayes for them to walke. Take them by couples: there is a Reeling way, and a Railing way. The former is the drunkards walke, that leads him from the lake of wine to the lake of brimstone: this he that never abstaines till he be a thirst, and never drinkes but double, for he must be pledg’d. The other is the swearers walke; that in every place sends up defiance to the Lord of Hosts. He infects all company, as thunder sowres wine; and often dyes raving and blaspheming, that’s the end of his journey. There is a Ruffling way, and a Scuffling way. The former is the proud mans walke: as beggars hang their rags on the hedges, to tell they have beene there; so these leave every where certaine monuments and flagges of their arrogant folly. The devill cannot misse them, for he is sure to finde them in his owne walke. The other is the litigious mans walke; he passes through all the Iudiciary courts on earth, to the infernall court of hell. The way of peace he knowes not: there is no awe in his heart, while there may be any law on his side. And when all his substance is run out in fees to his Advocates, at last (without the especiall grace of Repentance, and resitution) himselfe goes for a round fee to the devill. There is a Burning way and a Turning way: The former is the envious mans walke; anger is but a passionate fit of the irascible part; but malice is an inveterate anger, a fiery habite. Anothers wel-fare is his most capitall offence: yet his envy, like Phalaris Bull, makes that first become a torment to himselfe, which he prepared for others. He fires himselfe before he goes to hell, as if he meant to season and harden himselfe for that unquenchable burning.

The other is the Hypocrites walk, whose religion lies in wait for the inclination of the Prince: standing water, that neither ebbes nor flowes, but according to the Moone, the Time. He is very earnest in what he undertakes, and reviles the opposite; yet he can be of any religion for a need, therefore his heart is truly of none. Of al men, the Ielous and the hypocrite are possessed with a strange madnesse; they are very diligent and curious, yet hope to lose their labours. There is a thorny way, and a myrie way. The former is the deceivers walke: a common Burse, where the fraudulent trader, the pestilent Vsurer, the impudent Churchrobber, every day fetch their turnes: conferring how to turne the common wealth; into a private wealth and to make all Priests of one order, Mendicants. To speak impartially; this is an habite, men walke in it to their graves. A way it is, but none of Gods wayes: an end it hath, but none of comforts ends: an answere it hath, but none of truths answers: a reward it hath, but it is the retribution of vengeance. Men thinke they may doe this without trouble of conscience; but God keepe them from dying with such a conscience. The other is the adulterers walke, but that it is somewhat too fast for a walke: for if his acts could answere the number of his desires, nature could scarce supply him with desired objects. Could his wishes take effect. Popery might have many Nunnes, it should have no maides. The flesh hath many more wayes and walkes, which Paul himselfe is faine to conclude with an Gal. 5.21. &c.

4 For our remedie, first, let us beware of walking in sin, Psal. 1.1. It is dangerous to crosse their way, mortall to walke in it. Looke to the habite of sin, bee sure to mortifie that: it is not enough sometime to forbeare the action: it will be rare, if a bad tree should not yield bad fruit. Cut thy haire, it will grow againe: mow the grasse, it will spring againe: lop a tree, it is a tree still. Not to lust when a man is sicke, not to steale while he is a sleepe, not to quarrell while he in prison, not to sweare while he is at Church; No thanks; the root is still within. If the wicked restraine one evill, the godly will kill ten: if Saul slay his thousand, David will slay his ten thousand. He that strikes at sin, let him be sure to strike home; doe not favour it, for if it scape, it will have no mercie on thee; but be so much the more exasperated, because thou attemptest, and didst not speed it. He that hath wounded this Lion at the heart, shall never feare the strength of his pawes, nor teeth of his jawes, nor hideousnesse of his roaring. Colossi. 3. ver. 5. Mortifie your members that are upon earth. First, he calls them Members, because they be either as deare to you, as your members; or because they are brought into action by your members, or because they are the united limbes of concupiscence, as members are parts of the body. Your, for properly our sins are our owne, and nothing else. Mortifie, apply something that shall make them dead. Let not sin alone till it die of it selfe, but kill it while it might yet live: to give it over when we can no longer commit it, is no repentance. It will put you to some paine: men doe not ordinarily die without paine: and sin hath a strong heart, it is not easily killed. It is one thing to sleepe, another thing to die; with small adoe we may get sinne asleepe; by rocking it in the cradle of indulgence, and lullabying it with voluptuousnesse; till it stirre not in the conscience. But to get it dead, that it may not live in us, this will cost anguish and trouble. Mortifie these wayes for two reasons. 1. They arise not from any noble part in us, from no divine principle or gracious instinct; nothing that can declare greatnesse and true spirit in man: they are but the base and degenerate workes, and walkes of the flesh. 2. They only make us odious to God: it is not meane clothes, nor a deformed body, nor a torne cottage, nor homely fare; but only sin, that makes a man contemptible. Proud of vices? a lazar may better be proud of his ulcers, a beggar of his vermine, or a scavenger of his lay-stals.

Secondly, let us learne another walke, even to walke with God and be perfect. This is no time of sitting; Christians doe not leade vitam seden tariam; it will breed obstructions in the heart. Our Saviour himselfe dearely earned that voice, before he heard it; Psal. 110 1. Sit thou at my right hand. Noe time of standing still; Matth. 20.6. Why stand yee here all the day idle? Why doe yee stand? you have feet, walke: Here, in the beginning of your journey: in the day, the night is for rest, the day for labour: All the day, one houre were too much: Idle, a man may stand and doe some worke; but stand yee idle? There is a Medium betwixt sin and glory, and that’s Grace: Vta Regia, via lactea: walke this way, or expect not this end. God did enough to bring the way to us, who could never else have brought our selves to the way: would we have him bring downe heaven and glory too? We are in the bondage of sin as the Israelites were in Aegypt: Canaan was theirs, heaven is our promised land: if neither of us fall to walking, nor admit a motion and removall; they through the desart, we through amendment of life; neither can arrive at their home. If thou think thy self to good for this journey, God wil think thee too bad for his glory.

God is the God of order, not of confusion: and nature is not suffered to run out of one extreame into another, but by a Medium. Suppose it now midnight, and the Sun with the Antipodes: he does not presently mount up to the height of our heaven, and make it noone-day. But first, it is twilight, then the day dawnes, then the sun rises, and yet lookes with weaker eyes, before he shines out in his full glory. We doe not to day sweat with summer, and be shaken with the fury of winter to morrow: but it comes on with soft paces; the day growes shorter, the suns force weaker; cold deaws, and white frosts, precede the extremitie of hardnesse. Indeed CHRIST is able in a moment, of sinners on earth to make men Saints of heaven; as he wrought upon that one dying malefactor: but he seldome doth so suddenly advance men in the degrees of sanctification. That ordinary way, whereby men walke from the state of sin, to the state of glory, is the state of grace. You have seene some make sudden leaps; and of furious sinners become zealous professors, in a trice. Of such we may be charitably jealous; Non ad altum per saltum: holinesse shoots not up like Ionah’s Gourd, in a night. Few men know the instant of their conversion as the Papists proudly demand the speciall times of their innovations, and who resisted their errors at the first rising? But as Popery crept in part after part, in every part by gentle degrees in every degree with pretence of truth; till it advanced the banners of painted ceremonies, with a mighty noise of excommunications, [lowder] than the cataracts of Nilus: and howsoever it came in, we finde it here. So our conversion is by soft and scarce sensible beginnings, albeit not part after part, yet degree after degree: in every part by gentle soakings in of goodnesse, in every degree by maturitie and growing up to ripenesse: as we cannot see the growing of a tree, yet know that it doth grow, by the magnitude of bulke, and branches and fruits: so we may perceive our conversion to God, which walking on must confirme.

Walking is a good ordinary pace, between violent running and lazy creeping; a moderate course betweene Iehu’s march and Mephibosheths. It is better for a man to goe soft and sure, than for a gird to run himselfe out of winde, and afterwards to stand still and breath him. Walke not slowly, for feare of comming short: not faster than we may hold out to the end, nor slower than we may come in good time to our everlasting rest. Any traveller may be called a side a little, to speake with his friend, or to looke upon a noveltie, so for a step and minute be out; but still his way lies before him: whereto recalling himselfe, and going constantly on in the proceedings of grace, he shall be blessed.

They despise government.] It is no wonder, if they that follow the flesh, contemne authoritie; and would have no other governor than that of their owne chusing. He that hath set up this Dagon for his God, would have nothing to doe with the Arke, nothing for the Arke to doe with him. It is not enough for Egistus to abuse the bed, but also to shed the bloud, of King Agamemnon. The Adulterer is fit to make a Traitor. Rome hath sent us too many prodigious proofes of this; that have at once lusted after the beauty of our women, and thirsted at the bloud of our Princes. Palpable demonstrations, that the enchantment of adulterie hath begotten instruments of conspiracie. And as a Iesuite is but a new word for a Traitor: so Seminary and seditious are but diverse termes of the same man. Who more despise the Magistracie among us, than the sons of ryot, that take in the fraight of lust at a Taverne, and than with wind and tyde faile to the Brothells? being questioned for this, they turne men of warre, stand at defiance, and rime away the awe of government with the ballads of scandall. A man would thinke, that none who professe the Gospell of Christ, should impugne the ordinances of God: or if they did despise the spirituall ones, as men that have no care of their soules; yet not the visible and temporall ones, as men that stand in feare of their lives. If there were none such, I might well have spared my Sermon, yea the Apostle might have spared my Text. But when this Vlcer comes to be searched, many moe will be found guilty, than be now suspected by others, or suspect themselves.

For method; here be two generall things considerable. 1. The excellencie of the thing despised; Government. 2. The pravitie of such as throw contempt upon it; Despisers. The former will appeare, both by the Authoritie that ordaines it, and by the necessitie that requires it.

Psal. 8. For the authoritie; this is from God himselfe: he gave man a fourefold regiment. 1. Imperium in animalia, over the creatures. 2. Imperium in se; over himselfe: before his fall by a potent freedome of will he governed all his actions; after his fall some relicts of this dominion appeare: reason still retaines some fragments of her regiment over the sensuall part; though here she be but like a Queene in the midst of none but rebells. In the body, some parts are made to governe and direct the rest; as the head: some to obey, as the members. 3. Imperium domesticum, over his houshold: the Master is a little King in his familie, as the King is a great Master in his kingdome. 4. Imperium politicum; whether Monarchiall, of one; or Aristocraticall, of many and those the best: or Democraticall, which is the popular state. All which are mediately or immediately of God, Rom. 13.1. Ioh. 19.11. Thou couldest have no power at all against me, saith Christ to Pilate, except it were given thee from above.

Against this Divine Institution there be some objections; to cleare all which, hold we this distinction. There is the Power it selfe, the Assumption of it, and the Execution of it. The manner of assuming it may be from the Devill: either by bribery, as it is likely Act. 24.26. Faelix came in: so that he could not sell cheape, who had bought deare. Or by crueltie and intrusion,; as Iudg. 9.5. Abimelech ascended the throne by the staires of bloud and fratricide. Or by invasion, as the conquerer makes himselfe King. Or by usurpation, as Athaliah kept the kingdome from the right heire, Ioash. So also the manner of using this power may be from the Devill; as to set up superstition for religion, and crueltie in stead of equity. Here neither the bad manner of acquiring, nor bad order of tyrannizing, are from God: yet the authority it selfe is of God. The hand doth violently extort anothers good, or smite with the sword: these abuses are from sin, but the hand it selfe is given of God. Origen Chrys. The sight is sore, or adulterous, yet the eye is of God. Matrimoniall copulation hath the patronage of God, copulation not matrimoniall is of Satan. The truth is plaine; By me Kings raigne, saith the Lord: let us heare what error objects.

1 Object. Hos. 8.4. They have set up Kings, but not by me: they have made Princes, and I knew it not. Answ. They chose the King without Gods approbation, they set not up the kingdome without his Iustitution. Evill Princes are said to raigne not by God; vel modo gubernandi, when they rule the people not by that Law which should rule the King. Martyr Faius Greg. Vel modo arripiendi, when God calls them not to raigne. Vel sibi, non Deo regnant; they raigne not for Gods honour but their owne humour. God made the member he made not the ulcer: Potentiam Deus distribuit, [elationem] potentiae malitia invenit. When the Israelites chose Ieroboam their King; that treacherous revolting from their lawfull Soveraigne, and rebellious adherence to an usurper, an Idolater, was none of Gods doing, he condemnes it: Hos. 8.5. yet the act was his, 1 King. 11.35. So Ierome saies of Sauls election; that it was errore populi, non voluntate Domini: it is true, the manner was the peoples fault, but the matter was Gods purpose: he meant to raise up a King, only takes the occasion by their headstrong importunitie. So still doth it happen, that bad manners breed good lawes. Without question the thing was good; Monarchie, the best forme of government: but good things may be ill desired. So while they affected a King, 1 Sam. 8.8.•. they rejected the Lord. Therefore seeing they chuse to have a King, God will chuse the King they shall haue. As he gratifies them in the monarchall condition, so he punisheth them in the monarchs person.

2 Object. Saint Peter calls it Ordinationem humanam, 1 Pet. 2.13. an ordinance of man; how is it then of God? Answ. He calls it humane vel subjectivè, because the subject wherein this authoritie stickes is man: or Objectivè, because it is exercised in the affaires of man: or τελικῶς, because it is for mans good. The fruits of the earth are brought forth by the industrie of man, yet they cease not to be the gifts of God. The formes of administration may be of man, the originall institution is of God.

3 Object. If every power, then the tyrannicall, is of God; as the Mahometan, Pontifician, Diabolicall. Answ. The Principalitie is, not the tyrannie. Wealth is alwaies good in it selfe, and Gods gift; yet the unjust acquisition, and miserable usurpation, make it bad to such owners. Riches are not Mala, nisi malis. And were the Pope an orthodoxe Bishop, we would not deny his authoritie to be of God: but his chalenge of universall dominion, is not Potestas, Ioh. 14.30. sed potestatis ulcus: which he hath by his owne ambition, Satans instigation, not Gods Institution. And for the Devills power, it is by Gods permission, not without his limitation; no other than a hang-mans office, to correct and punish whom the Divine Iustice appoints. When he boasted of the kingdomes, Matth. 4.9. they are all mine; this was but his lie, he had not one foot to bestow.

The power of government is then ordained of God, and that in a speciall manner, by direct Precept. Sicknesse indeed and warre, famine and povertie, are ordained of God but not by commandement. Dan. 2.21. Promotion comes neither from the East, nor, &c. Nor from the suffrages of People, nor lives of Ancestors, nor conquest of swords, but from the Lord. By him are kingdomes disposed, Kings inaugurated, Crownes of gold set on their heads, Scepters and states established, Angels with their wings shadowing their Thrones; that their Majestie may be higher by the head than the rest of the people. That one man should rule millions, restraine, constraine, correct, command; how could it be but that God himselfe hath imprinted the characters of a Divinitie in him; 1 Esd. 4.7. but that there is a Divine constitution in a humane person. It is thou O Lord, that subduest my people under me. 1 Sam. 24.4. Saul is in Davids cave, the souldiers would now have him carve his owne revenge; they alledge Gods promise and this advantage concurring: but take it at the worst; Thou mayest doe to him, as it shall seeme good to thee: now, that might not seeme good to him, that seemed evill to God. But their incentive to bloud, David makes a preservative from bloud; The Lord forbid, I should doe this thing to his Annointed. Doubtlesse he had worke enough to defend both himselfe and his persecutor: himselfe from the importunitie of their instigation, his Master from suffering violence. Say, he could rule his owne hands, it is not easily to rule a multitude. What was the Charme to allay the fury of those raging spirits? He is the Lords Annointed: nothing else, this was enough: that holy oile was an Antidote for his bloud. Saul did not lend David so impenetrable an armor, when he was to encounter Goliah: as David lent him in the plea of his unction. Not one of the discontented out-lawes durst put forth a hand of violence against him. The Image and impresse of that Divine ordinance strikes such an awe into the hearts of men, that it makes even Traitors, cowards: so that in stead of smiting, they tremble, like them whose office is to suffer, not to doe. Feare God, honour the King: there was never man that feared God, but he also honoured the Prince.

For the necessitie; without Government wee were worse than beasts: It is the bond of the Common-weale; the life-breath which so many thousand creatures draw: who otherwise would proove a burden to themselves, a booty to their enemies. In the hoast of Heaven there is a Regiment: under God the Supreme, bee orders and degrees of starres and planets; without which composition it could not be called an Armie. There is a Regiment in the body; they are luxate and palsey members, that move not by the direction of the Head. In the Family is a Regiment; the servant acknowledgeth his Master, the child his Father. Among irrationall creatures is a Regiment: the Bees have their King, the Cranes their Leader, and they keepe their night-watches in disposed orders. All the Drove followes the principall beast, and the Sheep are not led by every Ram, but by their owne delected Guide.

Thus Nature teacheth, that we are all bound to subject our selves to Government. Man is a sociable creature, but there would be harsh society among them without a Ruler. None could say, This is mine; and Cheape-side would not be safer than Salisbury-plaine. The first rule that Nature dictates to man by experience, is to seeke a Ruler. We may say of all other creatures, Nascuntur artifices, they are borne their crafts-masters: Nature it selfe was their Tailour and Tutor, they came in apparell’d and armed; and by their estimative faculty, they are their owne Cators and Cookes, Physitians and builders. They can at first enterance choose their owne meates, build their owne nests and burroughs, and being distemper’d, skill their owne medicines. But man came in without a rag to his back, or a dinner drest to his belly, or a house to put his head in; no weapons, no ablenesse to use them: his understanding like white paper, nothing written on it: all which really teach him to seeke a protector. Therefore a common-wealth without a Governour, is like a body without a soule: where is no King, they are all kings. It were strange, if every member of the body should move by a severall soule: how long could that man hang together? The sonne hath a great losse in the death of his father, the wife of her husband, the servant of his master: but in the Funerals of Princes the whole land reads not so much the Princes; as their owne mortality: Et in una morte plares agnoscimus, Hectora flemus. One sayth truely; Dum mors insignes percutit, [omnes] petit. I know their fame is immortall, their goodnesse immortall, their soules immortall; but their bodies are mortall: there is so much of man in them, that they must dye. They are lent to us for our sakes, but wee must restore them againe for their owne sakes.

Rom. 13.4• Hee is the Minister of God to thee for good. Either for our naturall good, preserving our lives, which bloudy-men would soone ruinate, who feare not so much hell as the halter: like beasts that are more afraid of the flash of the powder, than of the bullet. Or Civill good, preserving our goods and possessions; else robbery were law, and men like dogges, would trie all right by the teeth. Or Morall good, in commanding and commending Vertue, which hath praise of the Power: or in punishing vice, Hee beares not the sword in vaine. Or [Spirituall] all good; the Magistrate by coactive power enforcing men to the duties of godlinesse. These seates would bee empty, the Preacher wants his relative, hearers; the Sacraments would be vili-pended, the Service of God resigned to the service of Satan; but for Government. The Sabbath would not be distinguished from common dayes, the markets be fuller than the Temples; the wicked, like sullen children, would not forsake their play for their meate, but for the rodde of correction. Many Saints in heaven might now confesse, that they had not knowne God, but for the King. First, compulsory meanes brought them to the feast, whereof once tasting, they would never leave it. t Compell them to come in &c. Luk. 14.23. It is a good storme that blowes the wanton and secure Mariner into the haven. Wee could not converse together, had not God set authority over us, to represse our mutuall violences.

Lewd wretches have not the feare of God, therefore God brings them under the feare of man: that being subjected to Rulers of their owne kinde, their outrage might be sent from temporall death to eternall. In that notorious apostacy of the Iewes, when so many execrable enormities were committed, the Spirit still prefixeth; Iudg. 17.6. At that time there was no King in Israel. We read of a poore Levite wanting meanes; why? there was no King. If God had beene their King, his Law had provided for the Levite. If Moses had beene their King, his sword would have cut out a portion for the Levite. We are beholding to government for order, for peace, for Religion. For order; where is no King, every man will be his owne king. For peace, he that is his owne king, will be anothers Tyrant. For Religion; every Micha would have a house of gods, beside Gods house. We are worthy of nothing but confusion, if we doe not blesse God for Regular dominion. No wonder, if the Levites goe a begging, while there is no King in Israel. The Tythes and Offerings were their due; had these been payed, none of the holy Tribe needed to wander for maintenance. Where both Legall and Regall authoritie appoints the Levite his right, the wickednesse of man will defraud him. But what should become of the Levites, if there were no King? And what of the Church, if there were no Levites? No King, no Church: no civill government, no Ecclesiasticall. How should the impotent child live without a nurse? It was Gods promise unto his Church, Kings shall be thy Foster-fathers, and Queenes thy Nurses. How should not the sheepe be a prey to Wolves and Foxes, but for the Shepheard? What life or temper can bee kept in the body that is head-lesse? Therefore, that the riches we have gotten by honest industry, may bee assured to our posterity; that wee may sit under the shadow of peace, and teach our children to know the Lord; that the lampe of our lives be not snuffed out with violence; that the good man may build up Temples and Hospitalls, without trembling, to thinke of savage and barbarous sacriledge to pull them downe: that our devotions be not molested with uproares, nor men called from their callings by mutinies: that our temporall estate be kept in libertie, our spirituall estate improved with pietie, and our eternall estate to be given in us glory; that our lives may be preserved, and our soules saved; for such a King of men, blesse we the God of the Kings.

This truth is plaine enough, no reasonable man would looke for impugners: yet we must be content to heare what the Synode of hell can plead for disobedience.

1 Object. Subjection came in with sinne; but Christ hath taken away sinne, therefore also subjection. Innocencie knew no Superior but God: and the subjection of Eve was her punishment, this could not antecede her sin. Nomen Servi culpa meruit, non natura. Answ. Subjection is twofold; Servile, and civill. Agu. The Vassalage of a slave, bound only to seeke his Masters proper good, was not before the fall: civill obedience for the common good, was. The former is a curse, such a one as Noah bequeathed to his impudent Sonne: not in it selfe considered, but by reason of the feare and sorrow united to it, which Innocency knew not. Civill subordination was before the fall: Encrease and multiplie; this did put a plaine distinction and inequality betwixt the father and the sonne. Eve was subject to Adam, before either of them was subject to sin. Shee might have Imperium apud virum, but he had Imperium in uxorem. Not that the Salicke Law accords with the Divine Law; as if no Queene might governe a kingdome: for the GOD of spirits hath often put great spirits into that sexe. The Queene of Sheba was a famous Governesse; and that masculine vertues may shine in a female head, this land cannot forget the memory of so long and sweet experience. Yet this hinders not, but that man is fittest to governe. Lev. 4.22.27 The Ruler was to bring for his sinne-offering, Theodor. a Hee-goate: the private offender, a Shee-goate: to shew that the Male sutes the Ruler best, and the Female the ruled. Thus Innocency had a superiority.

2. Ob. Every Beleever is even now in the Kingdom of Heaven; but in Heaven there is no King but Christ. Answ. In this respect they are also called kings, yet the King that doth not finde them subjects, judgeth them traitors. There is a spirituall regiment, Rom. 14.17. standing in grace, peace and joy: here is no distinction of persons; neither father nor sonne, master nor servant, King nor subject, but Christ is all in all. There is a civill regiment, which cannot consist without distinctions and orders; here must be masters and servants, &c. If all were Commanders and rich, every man must be driven to curry his owne horse, and cleanse his owne stable. As it is but a Trunke which is all body, no head: so it is a monster, which is all head, and no body. But they say further; The faithfull have Gods Spirit their guide, therefore need not humane direction. Answ. It is one thing what we doe, another thing what we ought to doe. Yet could we live without transgression, we could not live well without protection.

3. Ob. Mat. 17.26. The children are free; now if free from tribute, then from subjection. Answ. Christ there spake of himselfe, who was by birth heire to the Crowne, therefore free: yet to avoid offence He paid it. Gal. 5.1. And the freedome that hee gives us is from the law, from sinne, death and hell: a liberty of conscience, a spirituall enfranchisement; not an exemption and immunity from civill obedience. Licentiousnesse is not liberty, but slavery: this makes the wicked to affect their owne insensible bondage, and to dote on their owne libertine delights; as a mad man loves his chaines, because they rattle, and (as he thinkes) make a brave noise. He that made us free, taught us another rule by His owne example: He obeyed his Parents in the flesh with humility, the Emperour with piety, the law with integrity, His heavenly Father, usque ad mortem, to the death. So the Christian is Inimicus nemini, Tertul. multo minus Imperatori.

4. Ob. Civill government is full of cruelty; and the sword of Iustice not onely spills the life, but often kills the soule, but cutting off the time and means of repentance. Answ. Nay rather, the malefactour that is not moved at the sentence of death, despaires the possibility of amendment by longer life. Theevish Achan had suffered his sacriledge to lye fretting into his soule, had not the lot discovered him to death. Leasurely sicknesse and languishment is but the coachway to repentance, legall doom is the post-horse. How easie is it for men to delay the preparation for death, so long as they have hope of life? Sooner doe you heare of a malefactours contrition at the gibbet; than of an Vsurers in his bed: as a violent fire can thaw that yee, which lies long unmelted by a winters sunne. Cataplasmes and fomentations draw not out the pleurisie, letting of bloud does it. He sees, by the evidence of the fact; Intelligence of the Iurates, truth of the witnesses, impartiality of the Iudge; an Image of that higher Tribunall, whither his sinne will send him, when they have done with him. Here the Gaole can hold him but to the Session, the Session is not long ere it come to sentence, the sentence is soone answered with execution, the suffering of death is short; all these passages take up no long time. But then comes another Iudgement, where his conscience gives in testimony, all his crimes appeare upon record, Satan solicites Iustice, God cannot be unjust, the doome is certaine, the execution eternall. Therefore with an humbled soule and broken heart, he cries for mercy before he comes to the seat of Iustice; beseecheth Christ to procure him a pardon, and God to accept his Sonnes satisfaction. In this assurance he smiles death in the face, is free in prison, and never felt himselfe truely to live, till he is come to dye. Thus he that could not live innocent, dyes penitent; and seeing his body cannot be saved alive, he endevors that his soule may be saved in death. As he hath followed Satan our common enemy in sinning, so hee now defies him in repenting; and by his unfained teares disappoints that murderers hope of his damnation. Moe malefactours than that one have gone from the Gibbet to heaven; and from an ignominious place, after a more scandalous fact, been received up to glory.

5 Ob. But how if the Prince be bad, an enemie to truth and goodnesse, a ravisher, a persecuter, raising powers for the extirpation of the Gospell? Here, if ever, a subject may renounce all allegiance: for here is power against power, man against God, and the subject of both left to follow either. Answ. In this strait some, for feare of the King, shipwracke their faith, and these are traitors to God. Others by a defensive sword in their hand rebells to the King. There is no question, but God must be obeyed even against the King, when the King commandeth things against God. Hi carcerem, Ille gehennam minatur. What then? Aug. shall we resist him with violence? No, God never warrants that practise, no not against a Prince that denyes him. There is an Active obedience, and a Passive. I may not execute his impious commands, I must suffer his unjust punishment. Obedire oportet malis Imperaoribus, non mala imperantibus. The vices of men cannot frustrate the Institution of God: be he never so ungracious, honour must be given, if not Principi, yet Principatui. Peruse Matth. 5.44. and Rom. 12.17. this will tie the hands of Christian subjects. Samuel offered not to depose Saul, though the expresse sentence of God had cast him off, and he was excommunicated by a higher power than ever came from Rome; Saul lived and dyed a King.

The captive Iewes in Babylon, wrote to their brethren in Ierusalem, to pray for the life of Baruch 1.11. Nebuchadnezzar. This was Ier. 29.7. Ieremies counsell, and Dan. 4.19. & 6.21. Daniels practice: all his speeches savoured of most perfect obedience, even to a King that not so well intreated him. Let him be a Darius, and make a decree against God; then he will enter into his house and pray, open his windowes and pray, not passe many houres but pray; though every haire on his head were a life, ready to redeeme his duty to God with the losse of them all. What resistance did the primitive Christians make to those barbarous outrages? but praying for the Emperors life, when under the Emperors command they were bleeding to death. Neither did they suffer because they were not able to resist: but it was their doctrine, Occidi magis licet, quàm occidere. Vis nobis non deest vel nummorum, vel numerorum; Tertul. we have meanes sufficient: they filled all places of that Idolatrous Empire, Ilands, Cities, Castles, all but the profane Temples. One night, and a few torches, could have offorded them an ample revenge. Mercie on us, had but the Iesuites such an advantage! Tertullian to these pagan tormentors; Noster est magis Caesar, the Emperour is more ours than yours: as being appointed by our God, and upheld by our prayers and obedience.

Christians never prove losers, but when they unjustly fight for their owne preservation. Provide we Scutum, non gladium, the buckler of patience, not a sword as ready to give as ward the blow. Mat. 10.39. Hee that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it: heare is the way, either to die by living, or to live by dying. When the decree was gone out by Esth. 3.16. Aug. Ahasuerus, this was their refuge; Preces & lacry ma. Potero stere, potero gemere. Rogamus, Auguste, non pugnamus. The Apostles could worke miracles, yet they resisted not the ordinate powers. Rom. 13.1. This charge Paul imposeth on the Romans, even while tyrannous Nero was their Emperor; a monster, whom diverse held to be Antichrist. Saul is in Davids cave; the souldiers thinke that God sent him thither on no other errand, but to fetch his death. If Saul had seene his own danger, he had given himselfe for death, and expected to receive what he meant to bestow. But wise and holy David gives way neither to his owne passion, nor his souldiers sollicitation; but only makes this use of it; the tryall of his loyaltie, and the meanes of his peace. It had beene as easie to cut Sauls throat, as his garment: but his coat only shall be the worse, not his person. Nor should the cloke have beene maimed to seeke his owne revenge, but for a monument of his Innocence. The very piece of his garment shewes, he meant no hurt to his Person; yet this violence strikes 2 Sam. 24.5. Davids heart. He feeles remorse for touching that, which did once touch the person of his Lord. How unlike are those spirits of Rome, that teach and practise, encourage and reward, yea, canonize the violation of Majestie it selfe? David regrets for cutting a royall robe, they make no account of shedding the royall bloud; sheepe to cut the throat of their Shepheard.

Evill Princes are indeed a punishment; Hos. 13.11. Dedi in furiore. How miserable it is to have an intemperate Ruler, appeares by the wisest Preacher. Ecc. 10.16. woe to thee o Land, when thy Princes eate in the morning: following the pleasures that attend on Majestie, and not the paines whch belong to Magistracie. There is a miserable dedesolation threatned to Israel; the staffe of bread, and stay of water, the man of war, and the man of peace, the Iudge and Prophet, the honourable and ancient, the cunning artificer, the eloquent orator; all shall be taken away. How comes it? Esa. 3.4. I will give children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them: there is the Iudgement fulfilled. Psal. 109.6. Set thou a wicked man over him: among all other curses which hee calls from heaven by the Spirit of Prophecie upon his malicious adversaries, running like oile into all the joynts and bonds, of themselves, their wives, and children; this leads the army, as Iudas led the souldiers; Set a wicked man to rule over him. They that were weary of Salomon, Greg. were wearyed with Rehoboam. Secundum merita subditorum, disponit corda praepositorum. Yet must not all this expose them to contempt: Samuel would not pray with Saul, he would grace him before the people, to continue credite to the Magistracie. There is some good attained to under the worst Prince. Ordinary Glosse on Iob. 34. Even by the power given to the devill, Iob probatus est ut justus appareret; Petrus tentatus ne de se praesumeret, Paulus colophizatus ne se extolleret, & Iudas damnatus ut se suspenderet. Iulian sent his subjects to heaven in earnest, while himselfe went to hell merrily and in jest. But blessed be our God, we have no cause to complaine: we have such a Prince, whom whosoever praiseth not, vel non diligit, vel non intelligit. Only let us blesse him, and blesse God for him, that we may all be blessed in him.

Conclusion. That religion then cannot be right, that pulls downe Princes: seeing neither Moses in the old Testament, nor Christ in the new, nor Levite nor Prophet, Apostle nor Disciple, either counselled or practised against Government. Which should decide the point, that hath cost the lives of so many Christians, and still threatens more tragedies to come. They that in this argument found the weakenesse of their pens, have fallen to their penknives, multiplied the Schoole into a Campe, arguments to armies, teaching all their Proselytes dismall conclusions. Thus they fight against God in his Lievtenant, and the root of all civill order they desire to roote out. They complaine of us for suppressing them, that will not let us live in quiet by them. What security can Sara with her Isaac have in the house if Hagar and her brat be not beaten out of doores? The peace of our state, nor scarce of any state in Christendome since Charlemaines time, hath not beene violated, but the Pope or his Ministers have had a hand in it. To say nothing of their private turbulencie, what pestilences they be to the houses that harbour them, where they rule all with the Lady; it is their sawcinesse with the Crowne which our state suffers under. They doe but turne the Text; Luk. 22.15. Kings over subjects, and they over Kings. They will be Donatists, Anabaptists, Libertines, Pagans, any thing, so they be not subjects. How did they more than despise, even despight that Queene of blessed memorie? whom strangers came to see, as the Queene of Sheba did Salomon; forraigners reverenced, subjects loved, all Princes living admired and themselves outwardly flattered. By whose gracious hand God wrought those wonders, that the most potent Kings can hardly reach. Honour filled the circle of her Crowne, her brow with Majestie, her heart with pietie, her hands with pitie, her lap with plentie, her throne with equitie. All those vertues centred in her brest, which severally had commended the great Ladies of the former world. Yet how execrable were the treasons at home, the rebellions and invasions abroad which they contrived against her? Now when she is in glorious peace, have they not raked into her grave, and railed on her royall Name? She that lies buried, not in cold earth, but in the warme and living monuments of all religious hearts among us, is still persecuted by their barbarous violences. But as all their malice could not harme her Person while it was mortall on earth; much lesse can it reach her soule, which is now immortall and blessed in heaven. Lord, they have not despised her, but they have despised thee: revenge thine owne cause; confirme the diadem where it is, and let not the man of sin pull downe, what thou the God of righteousnesse hast built up.

Despisers.] The maine antagonists of Soveraigntie are the Anabaptists and Papists: who, howsoever otherwise they dart fire one at another, yet here like Herod and Pilate, they shake hands, or those seditious Captaines in Ierusalem, fight against the Magistrate as their common enemie. Thus Sampsons foxes have averse heads, but are coupled together by their tailes.

1 The Anabaptists did strike at the head of all Government; and with the sword in their owne hand, sought to wring the sword out of the Magistrates. They inveighed against authority, and yet tooke authoritie upon themselves. As I have heard a man reproved for swearing, presently rap out an oath that he would not sweare. It was Muncers ordinary doctrine, that he had conference with God about it: that he charged him to kill the Magistrates, to destroy the wicked, and constitute a new world. These cry downe all rule; as the heathen against Gods Annointed Sonne; Psal. 2.3. let us breake their bands a sunder, and cast away their cords from us. But at last finding themselves fooled by themselves, and that Kings would not be disputed out of their dominions; yea, that themselves could not be kept in order without some Prelation, they began to qualifie the matter: as men that can get nothing by Law, will come to composition. Regiment they will allow, if Magistates will be content with their allowance; which is not only like Davids Ambassadors, halfe their Regall robes cut off; but authority it selfe grub’d to the skin: not only lopping off the superfluous branches, but hewing the root till it bee past all growing. That he hath his institution from God, his constitution from the people: Regnat a Deo, sed per & propter populum. Thus with a paring knife they so shred his Government; till like the coozening Tailor that shrunke a freeze gowne to a doozen of buttons; they leave him only a titular Prince, and keepe the Principalitie to themselves. Let all their refutation be but a meere hissing at.

2 The Papists are more moderate in shew, little lesse pestilent in deed Their laitie shall bee subject to a Magistrate; but to one of their owne chusing, and that onely till their refusing, so authority is no sure knot but as Iugglers, they play at fast and loose. And upon the least exception to the pietie, yea obedience of the Prince, (a strange Catechisme, or Catachresis rather, that teacheth Kings to obey their subjects) they cast him out from his royaltie, discharge and absolve the people from their allegiance. This practise is according to their common distinction, not differing from the former of the Anabaptists; Principatus a Deo, Princeps ab homine: therefore they dare doe any thing in Principem, against the King; nothing in Principatum, against the kingdome. Execrable sophistrie! as if he that opposed the governor, did not oppose Government. Would this answere passe in Rome: the Popedome, as it is the succession of Peter, is of God: but the present Pope is of man? Or this, God forbids me to wrong my neighbour, yet (Iesuite) I may wrong thee? This was fit doctrine for Machiavell himselfe would not have beene ashamed of it. But Daniel, that was a counsellor of State to two Monarchies, and a Secretis, to foure Kings, ascribes this power of translating or entailing crownes to a familie, to none but God: it is Dan. 5.21. He, not the Pope.

By their rule the Pope indeed is King, and all Kings but his vice-royes, to be placed and displaced, according as they please or displease him. And for their Clergie, they shall know no civill obedience at all. But were the sword as well able to plead the causes of Kings in the field, as the pens of Divines are in the Schoole, their Crownes would sit more quietly on their heads. Rom. 13.1. Let every soule be subject to the higher power. Si omnis, & vestra, saith Saint Bernard to an Archbishop: who hath exempted you from this universality? His conclusion is, Si quis tentat excipere, conatur decipere. Why did our Saviour submit himselfe to Caiphas, to Pilate, pay tribute to Caesar; and Paul appeale to his Iudgement seat? Is Christs Vicar started above his Master? Peters Successor better than Paul himselfe? What an alteration did Iosiah make in the face of the Church, purging the Idolaters, changing the office of the Levites, commanding a passeover? Hilkiah was the high Priest, and executed these things under him; but all was done Iuxta praeceptum Iosiae. Was Iosiah such a King in Israel, and is not our King in England! What hath the Hilkiah of Rome to doe here? So Constantine said to his Bishops. You in the Church are Bishops, I in the Church am King: you for the word and Sacraments, I for authoritie and presidence: you overseers of the people, I the overseer of overseers. The one to preach the word, the other to beare the sword: as Paul calls the Magistrate, the Lords Sword-bearer. He holds his prerogative in capite, given him from above. What one word of Christs commission to his Disciples, favours of encouragement to rebellious attempts? Goe into the world, preach, baptise, bind and loose, remit and retaine, feed, take the keyes, receive the Holy Ghost. Goe into the world, not over run it, shaking the pillars of it with conspiracies, the foundations with seditions. Preach peace, not proclaime wars: Build up, the kingdome of heaven, not thunder ruine to the kingdomes of earth. Baptise to repentance, not wash the people in their owne blouds with persecution and vengeance. Binde and retaine not with shackles, prisons, and wards. Feed the Lambes, not fleece them, nor flay them, making massacres of King and subjects. Take the keyes, not Princes Crownes. When he sayd Yee shall be brought before Governours and Kings he did not meane that Governors and Kings should be brought before you; that Emperors should kisse your feete, waite at your gates, in weathers stormy enough; but not more stormy than the Pontificall browes: that they should take their Crownes, (I say not at your hands, but) at your feet; holding your stirrups while you mount your Palfreyes, and eate bread like dogs under your tables. Christ refused to divide an inheritance, yet these men will undertake to divide kingdomes. Luk. 12. But there is a divider over them, that hath written in the booke of his Prescience, the finall division of their universall Supremacie. And as it is true of their persons; Petrach. Brevis est hominum vita, brevior Regum, Pontificum brevissima. So let the like breach fall upon their successions, till the seat of Antichrist be rased to the ground.

3 Proud and ambitious selfe-admirers, thinke themselves fitter to rule than obey; these despise government. 1 Sam. 20.27. Saul is chosen King, the most and best applaud the choice: yet some sonens of Belial murmure against it. It was not the greatnesse of his parents, the goodlinesse of his person, the selection of his Lot, the approbation of Samuel, the sound proofe of his courage; that could shield him from contempt, ot winne the hearts of all. They saw hee chose not himselfe, they saw him unwilling to be chosen, they saw him worthyto be chosen: if the Election had beene carried by voices, and those voices by their eyes, Saul had beene still the man: yet they despise him. His parentage was not inferiour, his state equall, his person above his estate, his mind above his person; yet they despise him. But dogs will barke at the Moone; and what all men commend, you have some Thirsytes take delight to blast, Malcontents will devise slanders, if they can finde none like Coistrells, that first fill themselves with wind, and then flie against it. Their bloud is of a yellowish colour, like those that have beene bitten by vipers: their gall flowes in them, thicker than oile in a poysoned stomach. But the best is, their owne malice suckes up the greatest part of their venome, and therewith they burst themselves. There was never Prince, to whom some Belialists tooke not some exceptions: it is not possible to please or displease all men; some being as deepely in love with vice, as others are with vertue. It were ill with Princes, if their state depended on the good liking of their subjects. But there be none but base, that are thus censorious: and the Sun will shine never the lesse glorious, though such sullen eyes scorne to looke upon it.

4 Denyers of due homage, are Despisers; as, 1. Prov. 24.21. Ambr. Feare; not slavish feare. Alied est timere quia peccâsti, aliud timere ne pecces: illîc formido est de supplicio, hîc sollicitudo est de praemio: this feare is reverence. If any man feares not the King, the King hath cause to feare him. 2. Honour; not such as shall make a god of him, like Herods flatterers, and their successors, the Popes Sycophants: yet enough to advance him above all other men. 3. Fidelitie, such as 2 Sam. 15.21. Ittai bare unto David: that is an ill hand, that when a blow is comming, will not lift up it selfe to defend the head. Salus capitis, caput salutis. The King is the light of our eyes, the breath of our nosthrills, even the life of our lives: any man will hazard a joynt to preserve his life. Subjects unfaithful at the heart, may be without suspition of their Prince, but they be held rebels in the Court of heaven. We are bound to be subject, Rom. 23.5. not only for wrath, but for conscience sake. In all the time of Davids prosperity, there was no newes of Shimei; he lookes like a faire subject. But he that smiled on David in his throne, curseth him in his flight: now his unsound and trecherous heart discovers it selfe, in a tongue full of venome, a hand full of stones. Prosperous successe hides many a false heart, as a drift of snow covers a heape of dung: but when that white cover melts, the filthy rottennesse will appeare. There is no security in that subjects allegiance, that hath not God in his conscience. The nearer such are to the Governour, the more perilous: and as no favourite of greatnesse can be without envie, (as in Chesse, the pawne that stands before the king, is most set upon) so the good one, like Ioseph, so endeares himselfe to the King of Aegypt, that he may be gracious with the King of heaven: and the bad one, like Haman, makes use of his power to mischiefe; till by plotting against the Church, he lose all comfort by the Church. All this mans glory shewes on him, but as if the Sunne shone in a puddle. 4. Iosh. 1.17. Obedience; to doe what he commands, and goe whether he sends. The servant that does not what he is bidden, despiseth his Master. The Law is mutus magistratus, the King lex [animata]: he that disobeyes the one, despiseth the other. 5. Paying of tribute: Rom. 13.7. Render tribute, &c. Render it; it is not a gift, but a payment. A man feedes the stomach, that it may nourish his whole body. Solvatur subsidium, ne contingat excidium. He that faineth himselfe poore to avoid a Subsidie, is worthy to be made as poore as his Subsidie: because he would not restore him a part, by whom he keepes all. 6. Prayer; 1 Tim. 2.2. Let prayers and supplications be made for all men, especially for Kings. The heavyer burden requires the more strength: Aaron and Hur must hold up the hands of Moses, if they would prosper. We have cause to desire that that river may never want water, which must relieve the whole countrey. No army but would have their Generalls good successe. We call our peace, the Kings peace: our peace is but the effect of his, as his Majestie is a resultance from Gods Majestie.

What shall then become of them, that turne their prayers Exod. 22.28. into curses? though their wishes be but whirlewinds, which breathed forth, returne upon themselves. This was an unwilling error, that Act. 23.5. Paul willingly recanted. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought: for a bird of the aire shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. With the mouth a wicked rebell dares not curse him, for feare of the lash; but thought is free: such is his thought, but not Gods, to whom the conscience is a legible booke. The birds of the aire shall discover it; either by some miraculous demonstration, as just revealers: or by pecking out his eyes, as just executioners: or that Iudgement shall be swift against them, as if it had wings. Shimei curseth his King, is pardoned by succession, by Salomon after his father: he hath now quite forgotten his sin. But at last it comes home, by his going abroad: and the tongue that cursed the Lords Annointed, now payes the head to boote. The vengeance of Traitors may sleepe, it cannot die. 1 Sam. 11 12. Saul had gotten victorie of the Ammonites, which made him a complete King: and now the thankfull Israelites enquire after the discontented mutiners, that refused allegiance to so worthy a commander. Their sedition deserved death, how ever Saul had sped at Gilead: the very purposes of treason must not escape impune: that God, who hinders the action in his mercie, will punish the intention in his Iustice. But that happy conquest whetted them to a more eager desire of this just execution.

Certainly, of all nations in the world, we have cause to despise the despisers of our Government. We that have a King, not more noble than wise, not more wise than good; how can we wish other than punishment to his contemners? We have usum & fructum communis pacis; 1 King. 4.29. dwelling safely under our own vines; the benefit of those riches wch make a wel-govern’d State glorious. What do we want to the consummation of our prosperity, but thankfull hearts? For me to measure it, were to shew you the Image of a great Mountaine in a small ring. Religion, peace, honour, security; those foure cardinall blessings to uphold a State, as the foure cardinall vertues uphold a man. Now to disgrace authority, is the meanes to overthrow all felicitie. Tribute is given to Tyrants, commendation onely to good Princes. The Iustice of our Governour hath not spared the greatest offenders; yet his mercy hath made us more indebted to him than his Iustice. May his mercy never hurt himselfe, wee have to cause to complain. Even to his enemies he hath been pitifull, striving to overcome their malice by his goodnesse. Yet like those people, that in a daily ceremony, goe out of their doores, with their faces into the East, and curse the Sunne, which gives them light and preserving influence. So his adversaries, beside their cursed writings, base calumnies and blasphemies of his honour; have sought by trechery to stock up the root whereon themselves grow; sacrifising their Sacraments, Religion, Prayer, and the holiest things they have, to execute Satans will, and expiate Antichrists fury. They have turned Massing into massacring, Patres in patricidas, ghostly fathers into bloudy murtherers.

The huge and supereminent Colossus of all, was the Powder-treason; the utmost point of all villany; beyond which, it is terra incognita: no man can devise what should be between it and hell. The butchery over all France of above sixty thousand Protestants, might be pictured in the Popes Palace by the Painters art: but what colours could have expressed this confusion? As a learned Divine hath amplified it. What staine could shadow the bloud of so royall Princes? What red describe the goare of so noble Christians? What black, the darknesse of that day? what azure, the terriblenesse of that fire? What invention imitate the noise of that infernall blow? Lowder than many Cannons, and the shriekes of so many innocents, with the misery of infants yet unborne? This was a death never to be painted to the life: nor Pen, nor Pencill, nor Art, nor Heart can comprehend it. What an infamy strikes upon our age, to beare the date of such impieties? To have it recorded to posterity, in such a time was such a treason? The earth shall not hide it from the heavens, nor the heavens abtract it from the earth; it shall be the detestable hatred of all Generations to the end of the world.

Yet still hath the Lord protected our government, by preserving our Governour; even against the malice of our enemies, and (which is worse) the wickednesse of our selves. Therefore let us praise God for our Government, and we praise him for all: let us love and serve our Governour, and we love and serve God who hath given us all. Let us serve him with our fields and Vineyards for his maintenance, with our lives and strengths for his defence, especially with our prayers and supplications for his safety.

PResumption is a deliberate and wilfull sinning, against conscience, example, Definition. Matth. 26.74. 2 Sam. 15.11. 1 Tim. 1.13. 2 King. 1.12. or warning. Deliberate, with premeditation; for every rash act or word is not presumption. Wilfull; not when we are overborne by compulsory meanes. Against Conscience; not when our perswasion apprehends the thing (that is evill) for good. Against example, when men see others plagued for such offences. Against warning, as Pharaoh after so many admonitions would not dismisse Israel. This is to presume. Some man sinnes, and thinkes not of it; which is to stumble and fall on plaine ground. Some man sinnes, and knowes not of it; as hee may have a moule on his backe, and yet thinke his skinne cleare. Some man sinnes, and is forced to it; this is, as when hee rowes upward, and the streame carries him downeward. Another sinnes, and is perswaded hee does well; as children are sent abroad in such frosty mornings, as rather obstruct than purifie: so the silly Papist does his devotions before a crucifixe; and too many robbe the Church, to relieve the poore. There is a mischiefe done on set purpose; Hee that presumptuously slayes his neighbour, Exod. 21.14. thou shalt fetch him from mine Altar that hee may die. Plucke him from the Altar, his booke shall not save him.

Presumption hath been no rare sinne among men. Examples. The first stone of which demonstration, we lay in the Tower of Babel: where mortall men in the face f heaven, did dare to the combate omnipotency it selfe. Multitudes and combination give encouragement to presumptuous attempts, and every one is proud to be forwardest; Come let us build us a Tower, whose toppe may reach unto heaven. Gen. 11.4. They were but newly come down from the hill to the plain, and now in the plaine they purpose to build up an hill. They were as neere to heaven in the mountaine of Armenia, as their tower could make them in the valley of Shinar: but as if the benefit of nature were too contemptible, their ambition must have an artificiall mountaine of their owne raising. Come let us build: fondly reckoning without God; as if nothing could hinder, what they intended to doe; as if both time and earth had beene theirs. Build a Citie, if they had taken God with them, this had beene commendable: a Citie is the seate of order, and so could not displease the God of order. But a Tower reachable to heaven? how sottish was this arrogance, how impious this Presumption? who would thinke, that little Ants creeping on this greater molehill, should thinke of climbing to heaven by multiplying of earth?

Corah conspires against meeke Moses, Numb. 16.26. hee had seene others fearefully plagued for such rebellions; himselfe had particular warning to decline it; the people were charged to depart from their tents: who would not hope, that those mutiners, seeing their adherents flie off, as from monsters, would now relent? yea, when God proclaimes a strange and immediate vengeance, howsoever before they set a face on the matter, one would thinke their hearts should now have misgiven them, yet as if Moses had never wrought miracle before them, as if no Israelite had perished for rebelling; they stand in their doores, impudently staring, as if they would outface the revenge of God. Heere was high Presumption: so doth pride and infidelity obdure and blind the heart; that those who are naturally cowards, become unnaturall rebels. So Pharaoh being tyred and undone with succession of Iudgements, at last lets Israel goe: gone they are, and Aegypt seemed so glad to bee rid of them, that they hired their departure. Yet no sooner were their backs turned to goe, than Pharaohs heart was turned to fetch them backe againe. It vexeth him to see so great a command, so much wealth cast away in one night: and he will redeeme it though with more plagues. There is no remedy, this Presumption will not let him be in quiet; he must after them, to fetch his owne destruction. Iudg. 20.3. Who would not have looked, that the hand of Benjamin should have beene first upon Gibeah, and requited the morsels of the abused concubine, with the heads of the ravishers? yet in stead of pursuing the sinne, they defend the sinners; and will rather perish in resisting, than live in doing Iustice. How horrible was this Presumption, to defend a rape unto death, with armes unto blood? As if they were in love with villany, and out of charity with God, they are champions for Belial.

Instances. 1 There bee some that Presume of safety in sinne, not doubting to fare well, while they feare not to doe ill. As if this world were to last ever, and the come and tares were never to be parted; Eccl. 9.2. because the same ground feeds, and winde blowes on them, for a time. But, say they, God is mercifull. Hee is infinitely mercifull, but withall infinitely just. He is just even to those humble soules that shall be saved; and hee will bee mercifull, while Presumptuous sinners goe to hell. It is to be feared, that many die with a fond Presumption of mercy in their mindes, as the Israelites with meate in their mouthes. But Christ dyed for us, wee put all on his reckoning. Answ. But they for whom hee payes, will not presumptuously lavish on his skore; not caring what they spend, because hee is able to pay for all. His blood is a charter of pardon, but withall a Covenant of direction: Crux Christi pendentis, Cathedra magistri docentis: hee that refuseth to live as that Covenant prescribes, hee may perish as a malefactor, that is hanged with his pardon about his necke. But Repentance makes all even, otherwise God is not so good as his word: At what time soever a sinner repents. This the common people make their necke-verse. Indeed there is that and many other gracious promises made to Repentance: but in the whole Booke of God, which is now published complete, and promises no second edition; wee find no infallible promise of Repentance. Hee that hath this Oile in his lampe, shall enter in with the Bridegroome: but hee that forgets this oile, and can buy none, must bee shut out. Ioseph and Mary lost Christ not a full day before they missed him, yet were foure dayes ere they could finde him: some lose him forty or fifty yeares, yet when they are sicke, hope to finde him in halfe an houre.

2 There be some that attempt things without warrant, or expect things without promise; this is the common Presumption of the world. And they that know they cannot live without feeding, nor change places without moving; yet will hope to be saved without practicall obedience. Nor let us secure ourselves from this assault, for the divell hoped to have fastened it on our Saviour himselfe; Matth. 4.6. perswading him to shew a tumbling tricke, for the winning of faith and credit. As if hee had said, Heere thou art in a famous city, on a glorious temple, upon an eminent pinacle; all mens eyes are fixed on thee; there can bee no readier way to spread thy glory, and proclaime thy Deity, than by this precipitation. All the world shall see and say, there is more in thee than a man: and for danger, there can bee none; what can hurt the sonne of God? have not the Angels charge by Divine commission, to guard thee? Christ scornes to gratifie him in this; but beates him with his owne weapon snatch’d out of his abusive hands; It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord. True, God hath taken this care, and given this charge; hee will have his children kept, but not in their sinnes: they may trust him, they may not tempt him: hee meant to encourage their faith, not to embolden their Presumption. When there be mediate meanes, to cast our selves upon an immediate Providence, is not faith, but audacious disobedience.

We have some that be called The Wits: they disdaine to heare a Sermon, unlesse the Preacher can teach them some abstruse learning: as if they were only to be made Philosophers, not Christians. It is a wonder if they ever come to the Lords Supper, because they see no more dainties, but Bread and Wine. Sure, if they had knowne of it, they would not have been baptised in the Church, because they had water enough at home. Presumptuous men, are they wiser than God? Faith comes by hearing, and Salvation by Faith: Rom. 10 14. these be the staires for them to clime Heaven, or all their wit shall never bring them thither. They know a shorter cut, have found out a new way in their wisdome; but God keepe us from that wisdome. Some vulgars, not out of an opinion of their owne knowledge and sufficiencie, but for meere tarditie and aversenesse from the labours of Religion; make their chamber or the field their Church; because the Preacher can say but this; Repent, and beleeve; and this they doe, therefore hope to be saved as well as the best. Senselesse presumption! as if they hoped to keepe, what they willingly cast away: as if the soule which hath been so many yeeres gathering rust, should be found bright when death drawes it out of the scabbard: or that land could beare wheate, which was never tilled? Nay, but heare, reade, pray, meditate; and that with frequencie, with fervencie: presume not to be good by any other way than God hath promised to make thee good: lest thy soule going out of thy body, finde with wonder and amasement, how it was mistaken in the body. We may chalenge God on his promise, we may not straine him beyond it: Presumption is the enemie of faith.

3 There be some that take their salvation without all question, and are so sure of Heaven that they never doubt the contrarie; and this is Presumption. Every good grace hath the counterfeit: if in the faithfull there be a modest but infallible assurance of their blessednesse in Christ; the carnall will be blowne up with an impudent arrogance, as if their footing was as sure in Heaven as any mans. Which way went the Spirit of God from mee to thee, 2 Chron. 18.23. said a false prophet to a true? and smote him withall. Which way? Even by that injurious blow, by that proud speech it departed, if it had been there before. God I thanke thee, Luk. 18.11. that I am not as other men: as if there were no question, but the Pharise was one of Gods speciall favorites. Will he accept of heaven, without intreatie, trow we? Or change places with any Saint there, without boote?

That we may not be coozened with this imposture, observe some differences betwixt Presumption and Assurance. First, Presumption is naturall, this Assurance is supernaturall: we were borne with that, we are new borne to this: that was the legacy of Adam, this of Christ. Secondly, Presumption submits not it selfe to ordinary means; assurance refuseth no means of being made better. Thirdly, Presumption is without all doubting: assurance feeles many perplexities: hee that doubts not of his estate, his estate is much to be doubted of. Fourthly, Presumption is joyned with loosenesse of life: perswasion, with a tender conscience: that dares sinne, because it is sure: this dares not for feare of losing assurance: that makes no more of sinning, but at once get a pardon for the old, and a licence for the new: this is like some soveraine waters, which not only mundifies the ulcer, but cooles the heate, staies the infection, and by degrees heales it. Perswasion will not sinne, because it cost her Saviour so deare: Presumption will sinne, because grace doth abound. The one turnes grace into wantonnesse, the other turnes from wantonnesse to grace. Humilitie is the way to heaven; the Publican went away rather justified: Qui dum non auderet oculos aperire ad coelum, coeli oculos aperuit ad ipsum: While he durst not open his eyes to looke up unto heaven, he opened the eyes of heaven to looke downe upon him. They that are proudly secure of their going to heaven doe not so often come thither, as they that are afraid of their going to hell.

Let us come to particulars, that pointing the finger, we may say, this is a Presumptuous man. Nathans Parable made David sensible of the sinne, but he found not the sinner in his owne bosome, Luk. 18.2. without a Tu es homo. Presumption hath neither Timorem Domini, nor Pudorem Seculi; it feares nor God nor man: and is here fitly ranked with Despising of Gouernement. If Samson breake the citie-gates, what Withes can hold him? Those whom conscience cannot binde, mans law will hardly hamper; God knowes how, when, and where to revenge his owne cause: but man, whose eyes be limited, must be informed of offences, before he can finde matter for justice: therefore Preachers are not onely to teach men obedience to God, to save their soules, but also to Governours, to save their bodies and estates. I will therefore, for a tast, single out some instances of Presumption.

1 Incorrigible Beggars, such as make themselves a Non obstante, and in spight of all lawes will not bee confined to any regular course. Presumptuous wretches, that have set themselves, both without the covenant of God, and the governement of man: silly officers are afraide to meddle with them, because they are poore: but they be deceived, for these be not the poore, but the worst robbers of the poore that be; we may ranke them with Usurers, Enclosers, Engrossers, and oppressing Landlords: this is the reason that the poore indeede doe want it, because these counterfeits snatch it; men that labour hard, often lacke bread for their families, whilest these that refuse all worke, are full. I speake not against the poore, but for the poore; not to harden your hearts, but to rectifie your hands: give and be blessed for it, but not to maintaine impietie, and dishonour to your Countrie; give to the poore, not to them that rob the poore, let me dissect this carcase of Presumption.

1 There is no likelyhood that many of them were ever Christened; if they were, scarce any of them ever come to know what Christianitie meanes: the Church and they are everlasting strangers, neerer than to the doores, at some dole or funerall, you shall not have them: they name not Christ, but when they begge of you, and know it not for any other purpose; they can marrie without a Priest, and divorce themselves without a Canonist: there neede no Ecclesiasticall censures, they excommunicate themselves from all Churches: no Minister hath the charge of their soules, for they are of no parish; all the articles of their faith be the termes of their canting language; thus they live without Christ in this world, and without him, perish in the world to come.

2 Vagrants they are, and will so remaine, it is a death to them to be confined to any set dwelling: aske them where they dwell, alas, they say, they have small dwelling; yet they have the largest dwelling of all, for they dwell every where to keepe one towne, is their bondage; their libertie to rome abroad: worse than the harlot, Prov. 7.11. she cannot abide long in her owne house; they can abide long in no house. Birds flie abroad all day, but so that they may come to their owne nests at night: the horse knowes his owne stable, dogges their owne kennell; these beasts onely take up the next barne; no men can make a truer description of the kingdome, were they learned, for they have travelled it over and over.

3 Governement they know none, but a rebellious one of their owne ordaining; to pay tribute or custome to the grand Rogue more truely than Subsidies are paid to the King: to sweare by their Salomon, and then not to breake their oath: but to teare Gods Name in pieces, is no breach of their Religion not to begge out of their limits, though they starve.

4 All their end of this idle life, is but because they finde profit and sweetnes in it; therefore they wander, because they would not worke. He that before he gives them releefe, sets them to labour, shall never after finde them at his doore. Now considering Gods Law, that every man should eate his owne bread, and that our indulgence is the nurse of their idlenes, who get more by lying still in a corner, than an honest poore man doth by his labour; we make their sinne, our sinne in maintaining them: almes are good, but they must not be given to the dishonour of Christ; Luk. 14.15. he commends to us the maimed, the lame, the blind, the aged and impotent, the widow and fatherlesse; to releeve these shall make us blessed. But they that looke for a reward for maintaining the dissolute; shall be answered with, Who required this at your hands? Where finde they more cherishing than in popish houses? Not to merit of God, as they teach, and we might suppose: but to make them their owne against a day of rebellion, when they should use them. But as a finger being cut off from the hand, is of no use; so no possible good can come to the common Body by them. They laugh at others, who take great paines, to leave their Children small portions; whereas these leave theirs all the world to rogue in, and all the people for their fathers.

5 The curse of God is visibly upon them, whereby they are given over to all licentiousnesse. To theevery, they come to pilfer, not to begge; and onely then begge, when they cannot pilfer. To horrible uncleannesse; they have not peculiar wives, nor range themselves into families; but in this are very beasts. To be a vagabond, was Cains plague, and is in its owne nature a curse; Gen. 4.12. Psalm. 109.10. yet these turne it into a blessing. Let his Children be vagabonds, and begge; let them seeke bread out of their desolate places. In this curse they bring up their children. This is such a stragling Presumption, as will not be confined but in hell. They delight to goe ragged and naked, not so much in a voluntary penance, as to move compassion. But turne your charitie from these, and seeke out Gods poore, not the divels: impotent poore, not impudent poore: and rather give to those that worke, and begge not; than to those that begge, and worke not.

2 Popish Emissaries, the Intelligencers of Rome, and the Factors of Antichrist; that know themselves sent on the errand of hell, designed to treacheries, set in the vanguard of conspiracie, like lost men in the forlorne hope; what are these but presumptuous sinners? I deny not other attractives and inducements; but they are all the hand-maids to presumption. Whether it bee the opulencie of our land, or the beautie of our women, or the malice they beare our nation, or the foolish affectation of martyrdome, and to be registred in the Romane Rubricke. It is not unlikely, they are tickled with that advantage, which the Fryar told his Novice, their Priests had over their Laitie; according to their old grace, Deo gratias, qui nos satias, &c: We keepe their counsels, they keepe none of ours: we have part of their Lands, they have none of ours: we have charitie towards their wives, they toward none of ours: they bring up our children, we bring up none of theirs. It is reported to be the saying of a great Marquesse; that he had in his Countrey three Monasteries, which were three miracles: one of the Dominicans, which had abundance of corne, and no Lands: another of the Franciscans, who were full of money, and received no rents: a third of Saint Thomas, whose Monkes had many children, and no wives. But what temptation soever brings them, treason cannot be without presumption. Their Supreme Head sends them like base members on such desperate services; and they must obey him, whatsoever Christ sayes. If He bid them seale their treason with a Sacrament, they must eate their God upon a bargaine of blood. Saint Peter saies, Feare God, honour the king; his usurping Successor saies, Feare God, kill the king. All their labour must be spent, to make Christs coate fit to their Body politicke. Their vowes may seeme heavenly, but their imployment is earthly: in medling with the businesse both of Church and State, they mingle together heaven and earth.