bee amongst us no strife nor contention unlesse which shall bee furthest from strife and contention is there any heart-burnings let them bee turned into heart-breakings Let all emnities and animosities if any amongst you bee laid aside and not resumed till you have another Lord of Atherton who can as this could reconcile or remove them with a word Remember how legions of Devils have agreed in one man Shall not the Christians of and in one Town when sheep But much one against another a storm is approaching Divisions are dangerous disadvantagious and scandalous the windes are very high when the armes of a tree knock one against another Vide Aug. in Psal 133.1 O how good and pleasant a thing is it for brethren to live together in unity so sweet is this saith Augustin that those who could never read the Psalter yet can sing this verse Bee of one minde Psal 24. conc 1. live in peace and though this Worthy bee taken from you the God of love and peace shall bee with you Preserve the Ministry of the Word amongst you Drus in Amos 8.11 it is anima pabulum ad vitam aeternam it is vita victus virtus custodia Luther could live better in hell as hee thought with it than in paradice without it You have done much no Town in England I am perswaded more for it repent not of your good works as Pharaoh did In all places where I record my name Exod. 20.24 I will come unto my people and I will blesse them Precious Promises Hear and your souls shall live There is not so much of duty in the Precept but there is as much of bounty and mercy in the Promise The Ministry of the Word is bonum inestimabile a good never enough prized I would not have you know the worth of it as many do by the want of it I might say of its excellency and necessity as the Rabbines say of liberty If the Heavens were Parchment the Sea Ink and every pile of grasse a pen the praises of it could not bee comprized or expressed There are some things which for their transcendent worth and usefulnesse are said to surpasse all humane understanding As The Love of God Ephes 3.19 The Peace of God Phil. 4.7 The knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 The Joyes of Heaven If the joy of Faith bee unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1,8 what then shall the joy of fruition bee without the Ministry of the Word how can you come to know Jesus Christ and him crucified O lay not violent hands upon your own souls Turn not your backs upon the Lords Ordinances they are of divine institution not of humane invention Expect not mercy without respect had to duty lest you perish eternally some say they are above Gods Ordinances the truth is Gods Ordinances are above them these are spiritual they are sensual carnal c. I know better things of you though I thus speak were ever premonitions prejudicial I give you this advice My Beloved for no by or base ends My trust is in that God who never failed his poor servant If I live Exiguo pane halece contentus erat Luth. Melch. Ad. in vita Luth. p. 166 some place may need mee though an unprofitable despicable obscure creature If I dye I shall need no place My Son God will provide should uphold this base unbeleeving heart A little served Luther can I look for much But this is my fear Brethren this is my fear the removal of the Ministry from you and others too Magistracy and Ministry commonly fall together they are like Hippocrates his twins See Isa 3.2 Lam. 2.6,7 Lam. 4.20 Our sins have provoked the Lord to remove our Magistrates the breath of our nostrils and they will remove Ministers too if not timely and truly repented of It is for the peoples sins that God sometimes strikes their faithful Ministers dumb and dead too Ezek. 3.26 I shall leave one Scripture with you and then commit you to God It is that of Salomon the Master of the sentences where there is no vision Prov. 29.18 the people perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is inter loca tremenda Some render it thus Feriabitur populus the people will keep holy-day they will have nothing to do but weep and wail or they will do nothing that is good Others thus Nudabitur populus The people shall bee stripped naked left as a City without walls exposed to the fury of the enemy as a body without cloathes open to wind and weather And some Manifestabitur populus The people shall bee discovered it will then appear what is within grace or sin what paintings breathings after God in his Ordinances c. Rebellis erit populus Pagnin thus The people will grow barbarous rebellious and doth not experience and observation prove it Others thus Contemptibilis erit populus The people shall bee of no esteem or repute others may pitty them but few prize them And some Dissipabitur populus The people shall bee dispersed scattered and are not families strangely and sadly shivered and shattered Congregations broken in minutula frustula And others Abstrahetur populus They shall bee drawn away with errours either starved or poisoned Once more Desolabitur populus The people shall bee destroyed or perish All conclude it shall go ill very ill with that people FINIS A Postscript to the READER THis is an age in which many are more forward to drink in new opinions and belch out aspersions than pay their old debts Praise and publick honour is a debt owing to every good man yea as Nazianzen speaks it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a debt that of all debts is most due and just Orat. Funeb pro Caesario fratre Commemorative Orations are not uselesse when the persons interred were very useful why should wee not embalme the memories of our Worthies I remembred that saying of Nicias an exquisite Painter Artis pingendi non minimam partem in eo esse positam ut argumentumâ— eligatur pingi dignum quod spectantium oculos idoneum sit tenere Benignitas quae exeretur â—rga mortuos est benignitas veritatis quia nâ—n expectatur retributio and that other of R. Sal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore I was the more copious in the commendation of this deceased Gentleman and yet not so full as others might and would have been had they been the Oratours That some snarled I was informed while I was transcribing this short Sermon cannot much bee admired nor is it at all regarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is tart and unpleasant to fools c. I see the Arabick proverb verified Justus in patria sua est tanquam aurum in fodina sua nullius fere pretii aut valoris and that of Tacitus Non minus periculum ex magna fama quam ex mala a great fame is not lesse
it mainly concerns them to Take heed what they do vers 6. 2 God is with them in the Judgement Jehosaphat tells them no less and I tell you no more and Ergo. 3 There is no iniquity in the Lord your God no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 injustice So the Seventy therefore let there bee none in you and that there may bee none in you or done by you Do it and take heed what yee do I remember a famous passage of holy Bernard That man would have God to bee no God who would have him to bee impotent Vult Deum non esse Deum qui vult eum aut impotentem aut insipientem aut injustum esse Biel in 4. lib. Sentent Dâ—st 15 Qu. 7. Artic. 1. Tertio sequitur unwise or unjust And Biel one of the acutest School-men speaking of accepting and respecting persons hath this passage Deus nullius est debitor nec potest aliquid injuste agere quia eo ipso quod aliquid vult facit juste vult facit sua enim volunt as est regula omnis justitiae It is his will and pleasure that all his bee as hee is Just Now if it please you to consider these words as Jehosaphats Charge to his Judges Then two parts are principally observeable 1 The Substance of the Charge of this before 2 The Circumstances of or in the Charge and they are chiefly two 1 The Person by whom this Charge is exhibited 2 The Persons to whom this Charge is directed Concerning the former viz. Jehosaphat Would time and your affairs permit I should give you a fair Character of him and of his noble acts Hee is described three waies By his Place by his Case by his Grace By his place First By his Office Imployment or Place vers 1. Hee was King of Judah Nulli secundus Rex in suo Regno solo Deo minor was anciently the determination of learned Pen's King This intimates 1 His Dignity 2 His Duty 1 His Dignity Every man is born to a cross Man is born to trouble saith Eliphaz Job 5.7 This is ours by a lineal right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But Jehosaphat was born to a Crown In Judah there was none comparable to him for Greatnesse and Goodnesse 2 His Duty As they say in Law Haereditas transit cum onere So may I here Dignitas transit cum onere great Honours and great Labours may not bee severed the higher men are advanced the more from them is expected you were not born Judges nor were you ushered into the world with that pomp and Majesty as to this place this morning Hath God done great things for you then do you great things for God for his despised Truths Worship People day It is sad to see men that owe most pay least you are not for sight but service God hath done more for you than hee hath done for others and a day is drawing on in which hee will know of you Mat. 5.47 what you have done more for him than others have done such as have but a little must but account for little such are exempted from the burden of great dangers and the discharge of great duties but it is not so with you My Lords and Gentlemeâ— therefore as you out-strip others in the receipt of mercies so ought you to outstrip others in the performance of duties By his Case Secondly By his State Condition and Case Hee returned to his house in peace verse the first Jehosaphat going to see Ahab King of Israel i.e. of the ten Tribes which revolted from Rehoboam the son of Salomon and adhered to Jeroboam the son of Nebat going I say to see Ahab by way of courtly visitation was cunningly catcht and cast into the confederation and society of an unhappy war whereby hee plunged himself both into spiritual miseries and temporal mischiefs both harmed his conscience stained his royal reputation and hazarded his life hee was exposed to the fury of the whole Syrian army Yet to Jerusalem hee returned not slain nor wounded as hollow-hearted Ahab was Jehosaphat prayed and the Lord heard and helped diverted them delivered him Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit as hee said of Luther it was a miracle of mercy foâ— him to return in safety Vatabl. in vers 1. obiter innuit miraculum quo evasit incolumis saith Vatablus on it This was his Case By his Graâ—… Thirdly By his Grace as hee was a man of quality and so also of piety Erasm Encnir Canon 6. Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus Juvenal This is it my Lords that makes honours honourable nobility noble and such persons truly illustrious and their posterity famous Nobilitas suprema est filium haeredem esse Dei c. nothing doth so adorn and nobilitate as grace Angels in respect of their nature are all alike and Philosophers say of rational souls that they are equal in ratione specifica quam omnes ex aequo participant Souls have no sexes but grace puts a notable difference Jehosaphat was a man of sincerity though not without his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and humane frailties Mention is made of his infirmity vers 2. Hee helped Ahab whom the Lord abhorred of twenty Kings of Israel you shall not finde above one if one good one of all the twenty Jehu none comparable to this King Ahab for vileness Hee did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him 2 King 16.30 and in the following verses Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the Kings of Israel that were before him There was none like unto Ahab who did set yea sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord Ut in pessimis aliquid boni ita inoptimis non nihil pessimi Tert. This was the man that Jehosaphat helped and this hee did not only before hee knew Gods pleasure in the matter but after that the Prophet had acquainted him with the will of God To this adde further Jehosaphat rose not up in defence of the Lords Prophet Micajah against Zedechiah's insolency and Ahabs tyranny Bersabe erat mulier Uxor aliena cum dolore dicimus tremore sed Deus noluit taceri quod voluit scribi dicam ergo non quod vâ—lo sed quod cogor non exhortans ad imitationem sed instruens ad timorem Aug. Ennar in Psa 51. Titul who committed him for speaking the truth All great and foul infirmities cum dolore dicimus tremore sed Deus noluit taceri quod voluit scribi as Augustine speaks of David and Bathsheba It is good to help the Lord against the mighty but not so to help the mighty against the Lord nor to joyn hand in hand with them whom the Lord abhorres Jehosaphat was but a man at the best if hee or wee bee left
finde Drexelius hinting at the reason Forsan ideo non ulcerosam habuit linguam ut eam in querelas laxaret ut coelum omnesque caelites execraretur c. It was Satans desire and grand design to move Job to curse God and charge him foolishly and therefore hee spares his Tongue Lingua non frustra in udo est said Augustin Of all the parts and members of mans body there is none kept oyl'd so moist and glib as is the Tongue and thereupon hee counsels Perpende quod dicturus es examina consule interiorem veritatem sic profer ad exteriorem auditorem hee is not saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beginner but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good proficient in Religion that can curb his tongue Lingua plâ—rima certa satis praecipue in Febribus signa exhibâ—t As Mettals are known by their tinkling so are men by their talking and Physitians say the nature of diseases is known as well by the tongue as by the pulse or urine The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdome and his tongue talketh judgement Morhi natura ex lingua non minus quam ex urina cognosci potest Senneâ—t Instit lâ—b 3. cap. 16. Hyppoc Aphoris 13 15 16. for the Law of the Lord is in his heart It is quaeri'd in the Schools what was the first sin of the first Angel that fell for they assert that one fell first and then the rest Estius in Sent. lib. 3. Dis 6. parag 8. Sex varias proponit ententias unus caeteris author suasor fuit transgressionis as Estius speaks Nine or ten several opinions of theirs I remember I have read some say it was envy others discontent and some suppose it was their refusing to undertake or take up the charge given Scotus lib 2. Dist 6. qu 2. Art 2. or to bee given them about man Scotus thinks it was a certain spiritual luxury And some Vide Othor is Casmanni Angelo graphiam in parte 2. cap. 10. q. 4. p. 395 Non per os serpentis sed locutio quaedam spiritualis ut blasphemia in Deum Estius ubi supra parag 6 7. with many of the Ancients Angelos amore mulierum captos per libidinem peccasse Others ingratitude The most and best say pride but wherein that Pride consisted is not easily determined nor by them unanimously resolved by some it is as confidently asserted that it was a sin of the Tongue but what ever it was you know they suffer eternally and deservedly for it and it concerns us all to set a watch before the doors of our lips a tongue that is set on fire from Hell is in danger to bee set on fire in Hell Let none say words are but wind Quot tibi possim dicere qui sub Tyrannis sensuum suorum paenas luerunt propter incautam linguam Lips de Constin c. 25. p 181. small trivial inconsiderable things certainly they weigh heavy in Gods ballance the least idle word is damning in its own nature The Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men die for coyning single pennies contrary to Law as well as Jacobus peeces Physitians say Worms in children may turn to the Fever and that into the Plague Aug. Ennar in Psal 128.1 And the Father excellently Dicis minora sunt minuta sunt verba vana sed congere minuta faciunt ingentem acervum ignis gehennae non est parvus It was Zenophons wish to have all speeches writ Melius est hanc artem â—…ire quam esse regem Diademate coronari Chrys Tom. 5. Hom. 33. mihi p. 260. it would make us more serious Of Taciturnity I may say as hee did of Charity It is better to learn this art than to bee a King and crowned with Diadems Latimer when some were taking his Examination hee took more deliberation hearing a pen walking behinde the Curtains There is a book of remembrance in which all our words are recorded the consideration of it should work us to more warinesse There are five or six things which every man hath to keep which if hee do they will keep him doing all the daies of his life hee hath the Faith to keep 2 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.7 Hee hath a good conscience to get and keep and hee hath his heart to keep Prov. 4.23,24 his eye to keep his foot and his tongue Pro. 4.25,26 Myriam was smit and Myriads smart for the abuse of their tongues a learned Author delivers his judgement of Tully and Demosthenes Si muti fuissent diutius vixissent suavius obiissent Senco Ep. 10. in fine For every idle word wee must account to God The meekest man that ever the Sun saw or the earth bare spake unadvisedly with his lips so may you and so have I too often Let us therefore take up Davids resolve Vide Chrysost Tom. 1. hom in Psal 140. mihi pag. 1038 Tom. 2. hom 46. in Mar. c. 13. mihi p. 386 Tom. 5. hom 52. ad pop Ant. p. 297. Tom. 4. hom 15. in Ephes â— p. â—…5 Tom. 1. in cap. 1. ad Gen. p. 20. Leonardus Rubenus de Aurea lingua cap. 59 To take heed to our waies that wee sin not with our Tongues I have been too long on this yet not without warrant such a digression is no transgression I shall crave leave to acquaint you with a memorable passage of Rabbi Jehuda And then passe on to the last and great Observation Drexelius Tells you that Rabbi Jehuda openly proclaimed in the Market-place that hee had at home a certain golden water which was of choicest vertue and highest value very useful for all persons for all constitutions Excellent for the prolonging of mans life Many hearing this solemn proclamation amongst the rest a little Daughter of another Rabbi acquainted her Father with the summe and substance of it who addressing himself with thousands more to see those strange waters and offering great summes of monyes might they have some of them Drexel Orbis Phaeton 1. 2. p. 515 The Rabbi opens his Bible and turns unto the 34. Psal 13 14. What man is hee that desireth life and loveth many dayes that hee may see good Keep thy tongue from evil c. Et haec est illa aqua vita aurea saith hee this is that golden life-prolonging water Come taste and try come near and buy this My Lords and Gentlemen and you beloved Brethren But hee said unto the Judges Take heed what yee do Tenthly Observe That it is the duty and discretion it is the part and prudence of Judges to do justice and judgement and in the administration thereof to take heed what they do i.e. from what principles by what rules in what manner by what authority and in a word for what ends they act Arist 2. Polit. Scaliger Exer. 307. Sect. 3. God is rich in Knowledge 1 Sam.
offereth praise glorifies mee Psal 50. ult 4 By your Fruitfulness under the dews and droppings of his Word under the whippings of his Rod John 15.8 the more graces are multiplied the more God is glorified 5 By your Faithfulness in sufferings and in services 1 Pet. 4.14.16 To give up your names to Christ and afterwards to make defection and apostatize from Christ is matter of dishonour to him if any man draw back his soul hath no pleasure in him Christus ipse tacite accusatur quasi iniquus but not to stand on these 6 By your contentednesse with him alone and your unsatisfiednesse with any thing you have from him while you are without him This sets the Crown upon his head 7 By your forwardnesse to and uprightnesse in the Administration of Justice and Judgement when the Angels came with power to judge Babylon Vide Rib. in loc Rev. 18.1,2 It is said the earth was lightened with his glory There is so much beauty and brightnesse in works of Justice and Judgement that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 God was glorious as well in destroying the Egyptians as delivering the Israelites 8 God himself hath commanded it peruse the Text Do it vers 7. Here is his Sic volo sic jubeo his will is the rule of all reason It is disputed in the Schools whether God doth at any time give out a command which hee himself would not have obeyed and why hee doth so is queried as in Abrahams case Gen. 22. Estius in Sent. lib. 1. Distinct 47. Parag. 3. Lombard produceth another which Estius rejects as impertinent They conclude it with a non modo fatendum est non omnia fieri velle deum quae praecepit sed interdum cum velle non fieri quod praecepit atque ideo praecipere ne fiat Certainly what here concerns the execution of Justice ought conscionably to bee obeyed because by him commanded that was a prerogative command but this is not and his Will is reason sufficient why you should obey Authoritas praecipientis est ratio praecepti Hee said do it who hath authority to command you to do it and ability to consume you if it bee not done hee is resolved Justice shall bee done and highly provoked if Justice bee not done this is the Will of God Et sufficit pro universis rationibus Deus Vult Reason 9. 9 Justice must bee executed that your oathes may not bee violated To fear an oath is the character of a good man The violation of an oath is so hainous a transgression that some of the School-men peremptorily conclude Perjury a greater sin than Homicide Biel. lib. 3. Qu. 39. Dub. 4. or Murther though Biel doth not assent thereto yet hee confesseth it is a sin to bee punished by the Judges especially then in Judges Heathens dare not adventure to infringe or violate their oaths though guided only by the pur-blinde light of natural conscience Attillius Regulus preferred the obligation and observation of his Oath before the safety and preservation of his life hee made choice of that which was indeed more eligible to bee punished than to bee perjured The Carthaginians being ingaged to the Romans chose rather to entombe themselves in flames of fire which they had kindled in the Market-place than to break their sacred vows Notable is that of Pocylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But once more and then wee shall let this branch passe Reason 10. 10 This is the end for which you are impowred and constituted The Queen of Sheba though an Heathen could tell that therefore God made Solomon King because hee loved Israel and that this was his work to do Justice and Judgement 2 Sam. 8.15 2 Chron. 9.8 shee was convinced that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him Kings raign and that for this very end Salomon was set on the Throne of Israel to dispose of the affairs of his Kingdome with Judgement wisely and in righteousnesse justly Judges that will not do judgement have nomen inane and are guilty of crimen immane Such sin against the very nature and end of their function Remember then my Lords that Instrumentum eatenus est Instrumentum quatenus est inusu And as the Philosophers speak Frustranea est ea potentia quae non reducitur in actum i.e. quando debet quando potest you have authority put into your hands to do judgement and you have one opportunity more to do judgement up then and bee doing receive not that power and authority in vain 2 Branchâ—… In the Administration of Justice you must TAKE HEED what yee do do it exactly This is the second Branch of the Observation 't is de modo how you are to dispose and dispatch manage and transact the affairs in hand Not to multiply Arguments Take these ten why you should Take heed what you do and do all exactly Reason 1. First Because you are the Deputies the Vice-gerents the Ministers of a most holy just jealous and exact God Hee is exact in all his wayes Vide Tirin in locum works promises as fearful in praises so faithful in promises both in making and in keeping them hee is ever as good as his word sometimes better exact in rewarding in punishing in all his understanding is infinite hee knows what to do when and how to do all things Now then my Lords A Lapide in locum you are his Ministers non tam mei quam Dei est is vicarii a Deo scilicet per me constituti Judices est is populi sui and therefore it highly concerns you to take heed what you do read the seventh verse There is no iniquity in the Lord your God All Righteousnesse is in him nothing at all of unrighteousnesse in him let there bee none in you All his officers shall bee peace and his exactors Righteousnesse it is in the abstract and you know Abstractum est forma concreti it hath more in it and carries more away with it It is his pleasure that all his should bee like him It is your duty to meditate frequently on and to conform your selves to that perfect pattern of your soveraign Lords exemplary Justice This should bee the first step of your care Vasquez disput 116. cap. 4 5. Suarez Metaph 30. Sect. 6. it will bee the last rise of your honour The divine Attributes are neither really distinct from the divine Essence nor one from another his mercy is the same with his Justice and both God himself A man may bee a man and yet bee unjust Justice is not quid constitutivum but should the most high bee unjust hee could not bee God Justice is no quality in him but the very nature of him There is a Maxime of state The King can do no wrong Certainly they may and in some respects did Thom. Bradw lib. 1. de causa dei God can
Ep. ad Spulat Melch. Adam in vita Luth. p. 130 and not to defend it against Impostors It is peccatum irremissibile c. a sin bordering upon that sin of sins for Magistrates to lye dormant and Ministers to be silent at such a time and in such a Town as this Pace nihil est optabilius silere autem perpetuo non est integrum c. Excellent is that passage of Luther to Staupicius a German Divine whom hee dearly loved Vide Melch. Adam in vita Staup. pag. 20 calling him HIS Staupicius Non hic tempus tacendi nec timendi sed clamandi ubi Christus damnatur blasphematur Inveniar sane superbus avarus adulter immo omnium vitiorum reus c. Let mee rather be called a mad man a proud man and guilty of the greatest vices than guilty of cursed silence when Christ and his Truth are suffering It is damnable silence to see and say nothing To hear and do nothing against damnable Heresies Maledicta sit illa charitas quae servatur cum jactura doctrinae fidei Luth. in Gal. They are the basest cowards breathing who will not maintain the Truth and contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Doth it not grieve your spirits to see and hear them thus grieving the Spirit of God Res delicata est Sp. Dei His Spirit is grieved When the Motives of the Spirit are resisted When the Gifts of the Spirit are perverted When the Warnings of the Spirit are neglected When the Precepts of the Spirit are dis-obeyed When the Promises of the Spirit are distrusted When the Testimonies and comforts of the Spirit are undervalued when hee is dishonoured how is hee grieved how is an honest man grieved when his reputation is stained and bastards father'd on him which are none of his The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Truth a Spirit of Light a Spirit of Love a Spirit of Liberty not freeing men from the conduct or command of the Law but from the curse of the Law not from duty but for duty and in duty a Spirit of power and peace a Spirit of supplication and sanctification but they bring their brats to his door Father their errours and heresies on this blessed Spirit they have much of the Spirit in their words but little of the Spirit of God in their works They 'l tell you of a Light within and a Spirit within but if the dictates of the Spirit within accord not with the directions of the Spirit without If the spirits in their breasts speak not the same things which the Spirit of God speaks in his book it is a lying seducing spirit The Apostle tells us that notwithstanding the glorious light of the Gospel shine bright in our eyes and the sound thereof be loud in our ears Ephes 2.2 yet there is a spirit working efficaciously very strongly and very strangely in the children of disobedience This is the spirit which rules in these unruly persons The Spirit of God puts men upon nothing that 's against the Principles of Nature sound reason and the Word of God The Spirit of God is no Sacrilegious blasphemous Antichristian Antiministerial Anti-scriptural Spirit Plato would not permit in his Republick any such persons as asserted and maintained that God was the author and actor of all their impieties of all the evils which they committed Such miscreants there are amongst us Aug. Ep. 61. ad Dulcit Augustin would have such executed in his Epistle to Dulcitius Though Saul after hee was anointed King had the supream power in his hand yet Samuel as long as hee lived exercised the power of a Judge he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel from Bethel to Gilgal and thence to Mizpeh from Mizpeh to Ramathaim some of the learned give this reason why hee went this circuit from year to year To see if hee could finde any Idols of the Gentiles graven images carved works any Idolaters c. I humbly crave leave to tell you My Lords if there bee any Idolaters or seducers in your circuit it is your duty to take special cognizance of them and according to Law to proceed against them Pereant impii magistratus pereant impiorum dogmatum patroni pereat totus mundus said Luther ut servetur Deo sua gloria suum verbum cultus Weak consciences are to bee tendred errours of weakness with much gentlenesse and meeknesse to be handled yet Divines say there are four kindes of errours which are not to be suffered Such whereby the peace of the Common-wealth is evidently disturbed such whereby Faith and Godlinesse are perverted such whereby Civil Government is destroyed Vide Synops pur Th. dispur 50. fig. 60. 61 such opinions as are destructive to the state may be destroyed by the State and such whereby God blessed for ever is highly dishonoured as Blasphemies Idolatrie c. Are there none such Peace-disturbing Faith-subverting State-desolating and God-dishonouring opinions amongst us with what faces can men in power punish such as abuse their names disobey their commands and suffer Gods name to bee blasphemed his day prophaned c. Arise Arise Stand up for the Truth whilst others bend their Tongues like bows for lyes bee you valiant for the Truth of God upon the earth as the least filings of gold and shreads of Scarlet Vide Melancthonis Epist ad Picum Mirand so the least Truth is very precious Do what you can to stop the mouthes and stay the pens of such as are seduced and do indeavour to seduce others P. Martyr in 1 Sam. 23 Non semper infirmis cedendum est si enim abutantur patientia Dei aut si fides infirmetur aut dogmata laxentur fortiter agendum est The three things which God mindes most and loves best below Heaven are his Truth his Worship and his People The Heathens animated their Martial Spirits with an Estote viri libertas agitur May not I excite and quicken you with an Estote viri Veritas agitur Absit ut excisa Farre bee it from mee said Anchises that I should think to out-live Troy or Truth For the Lords sake for the Lands sake for your own and others souls sake that are this day in danger to be corrupted For the Truths sake which is strong and shall prevail maugre the malice of men and rage of Devils be more active It is said of Scanderbeg who was Turcarum Clades Othomanni Nominis horror Epiri tutela that hee was somesomes so earnest in the cause of Christ Melch. Adam in vita Zwingl p. 37 that his very blood would spin out of his lips O that you and I had the noble Spirits of Castriot Luther Zwinglius who dyed in the open field fighting valiantly bee valiant for the Truth of God of you may miserably fall under the wrath of God I shall crave your honourable attention to that of the Leyden Divines speaking to the
is not and shall the hopes of these worthy Families go too all these things are against us Shall I call on you Worthy Gentlemen of his dear Relations to take notice of this sad providence this invaluable and almost irreparable losse it is your wisdome to study these dispensations and to bee sensible of the Lords displeasure weigh your losse in the ballance of the sanctuary Vide Pos in vita Aug. Weep O Weep yee Inhabitants of Atherton As Augustin did by Davids penitential Psalms even so do you by the words of my Text Hee caused them to bee drawn upon the walls of his chamber that hee might read them as hee lay in bed hee read and wept and wept and read it may bee our iniquities have provoked the most high in much displeasure to take him from us and put a period to his daies that so hee may bring upon us the judgements long since deserved and now much feared He was a Star of the most benigne influence that hath risen in our Horizon within the memory of any now alive the more therefore by us to bee lamented let not that bee our sin which was their Judgement Jer. 16.5 Ezek. 24.23 I remember Seneca reports of Senecio Cornelius that hee was a tenacious Ep. 10 covetous man care who would for their souls hee was only solicitous about his body and his mony when hee had all the day long waited on his dying friend and his friend was dead hee returns to his house sups merrily comforts himself quickly goes to bed chearfully his sorrows ended and time of mourning expired before his friend was interred Let none of us follow his example and practise Let us lay this Great mans Death close to and keep it long on our hearts let us lament over him saying Ah Lord Ah his glory let us fall down upon our faces as Ezekiel did when Pelatiah the son of Benajah died and deprecate the processe of his Judgements that no more breaches bee made upon us In wrath O Lord remember mercy 3 Observation It is a lawful and needful thing to speak honourably of Great men at their Falls and Funerals We may say good of when dead whose constant work and practise it was to do good while they lived It is lawful thus to do the practise of the Spirit of God is warrant enough it was the Holy Ghost who writ Jehoiadaies Epitaph They buried him in the City of David 2 Chron. 24.16 among the Kings because hee had done good in Israel both towards God and towards his house It is said of Josiah in his commendation like unto him there was no King 2 King 23.25 Moses and Mordecai Hezekiah Saul and Jonathan with Abner in the Text after their deaths have their due praises In Fest om Sanct. Serm. 5 It is useful thus to do plane quod eorum memoriam veneramur nostra interest non ipsorum as Bernard speaks Eâ— sanctorum commemoratione gestorum ad omnes provenit utilitas Use Cave ne lingua tua feriat collum tuum Scalig. Arab. Proverb Let this silence the detractours of our times and territories no sooner is dust cast upon the heads but they throw dirt in the faces of our Worthies Augustin fitly compares such to Dives his Dogs they lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores his sounder parts they never medled with It was one of Solons Laws that none should dare to speak evil of the dead and Plutarch tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Poplic p. 102 it was highly commended and duly observed It is not so with us in this censorious age veterum mos fuit saith one neminem sepelire nisi prius laudatum c. The Tongues of many are like the Duke of Medina Sidonia's sword it knew no difference between a Catholick and an Heretick but that hee came to make way for his Master Qui regit signum est in quod Satan omnia jacula dirigit Luth. It was the custome of old to lay none in their graves till some Oratour had given the by standers a full account of the deceaseds virtues but tempora mutantur nos It is recorded to Vespatians honour that hee was more ready to conceal the vices than the virtues of his friends such commonly are best acquainted with others infirmities who are least observant of their own iniquities and irregularities To trample upon the reputation and stain the glory of the dead argues thee to bee a kin to Fleas who bite most when men are asleep or as the Poet speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectus ordo requirit saith Bernard in his Epistle to Bruâ—o ut prius propriam deinde alienas curare studeas conscientias The charge is Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise reprove him by no means reproach him Observable is that of our blessed Saviour Luk. 7.37 Vide Maldâ—naâ— in Luk. 7.37 Constans omnium vererum authorum opinio est fuisse meretricem si non vulgo prostitutam parum certe caste viventem There was a woman in the City which was a sinner no wonder what woman is not wee may guess both who the woman was and what the sin was and which City it was but hee neither names the City nor the sin nor the sinner seeing her reformation hee consults her reputation Go and do likewise Omit no opportunity of speaking well of others do not ever speak evil of others when you have opportunity and just occasion it is a greater commendation of your goodnesse that you might and would not Posse nolle nobile est For us to bee ill spoken of and not deservedly is neither our fault nor our case alone A pimpled face discovers a distempered Liver a stinking breath corrupted Lungs and a back-biting tongue a base rotten heart it is a comfort that ill tongues cannot make ill men Nemo est tantae faelicitatis qui dentes semper evadet malignitatis It was said Christ was a wine-bibber and Paul mad It is an ill property never to requite any courtesy ever to revenge an injury upon men living it is basest when dead but to conclude this Use let the Motto which was fixed upon the door of a certain Senate-house Drex Orbis Phaeton bee in every detractours eye Si quem laudare non potes ne vitupera It was matter of sharpest censure to the Grammarians that they were better acquainted with the evils of Ulysses than with their own Use 2 Let mee exhort you all high and low to know and do your duty Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Render to all their dues honour to whom honour belongs To practise my self what I presse on you is your expectation I shall do in this what I can though I cannot do what I would And not only at this time but when ever just occasion is offered I shall do it of others Foolish and sottish