things that are now dark and secret shall be then as clear and apparent as at noon day the fire of that day will make things legible which are written with the juyce of Lemons In that Spring time both wholsome roots and poysonous will be discovered which all the winter of this life were hid The books of Gods Omniscience and mans Conscience saith one shall be then opened and secret sins shall be then as legible as if it were written with the brightest star or the most glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Chrystal Eccles. 12. ult. And it is said to be at night propter improvisionem c. because of most mens unpreparedness for it The destruction of this new world by fire will find men generally in the same careless carnal secure sensual condition as did the destruction of the old world by water Luke 21.35 as the snare on a sudden catcheth the bird so will that day of the Lord seise on such beasts Observe 3. the dreadfulness of it The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent hear and the earth and the works thereof shall be burnt up Well may it be called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Judge will be a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and shall come in flaming fire 1 Thes. 1.6 7. try them by a fiery law Deut. 33.2 before a tribunal of fire Ezek. 1.27 plead with them in flames of fire Isa. 60.15 and condemn ungodly ones to eternal fire O how dreadful is the voyce and noise of Fire Fire in the night how fearful and frightful then will such fires at the day of Judgement be As often as I think of that day my whole body trembleth saith Hierom. Observe 4. the Apostles inference from it What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness as if he had said We had need to have grace in truth that must undergo such a trial We that must meet with so strict and dreadful an examination had need to be holy to admiration What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Surely if any argument imaginable can perswade to purity this terrible day can do it The sound of the last Trump may well cause a retreat and call us off from an eager persuit of the flesh and world Eccles. 11.9 and it may also stir you up to purity if ye would meet Christ at that day in peace The Throne of Christ is a white Throne Rev. 20.11 and O with what trembling heart wilt thou O black sinner stand before this white Throne 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous be scarcely saved not in regard of the uncertainty but difficulty where shall the sinner and ungodly appear Surely the drunkards cup then will be Wormwood not Wine The sentence on the swearer then will be of cursing not blessing as he loved cursing now so then will it come to him the Adulterers pleasure now will then prove poyson and the prayerless man now will then pray hard work in prayer for some ease some end if not a pardon yet a reprieve for one hour at least one drop of water to cool his tongue but he shall work at the Labour in vain and be eternally denyed O look therefore and make sure of true holiness of the power of godliness for the fire of that day will discover whether you are dross or gold look that the rule by which you walk be right even the Word of God for by that you shall be judged for your eternal life or death John 12.36 Ah how exactly shouldst thou live that must be tryed for thine endless estate by so strict a law How diligently shouldst thou keep thy heart knowing that God will judge the secrets of thy heart Rom. 2.16 How carefully shouldst thou keep the door of thy lips considering that of every not only swearing or cursing but idle word which thou shalt speak thou shalt give an account at the day of Christ Matth. 12.35 How wary shouldst thou be in all thy deeds believing that thou shalt appear at the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account of every thing done in the body of flesh whether it be good or whether it be evil 2 Cor. 5.10 So think so speak so act as one that must be judged for all at the great day of Christ This may likewise incite you to work as Gods amongst men because at that day Christ will come and his reward will be with him to give to every one according to his works Rev. 22.12 Your actions now are seed if ye would reap liberally on that great harvest day ye must sow liberally in this seed-time Christ will then demand how ye improved the many advantages and opportunities which he put into your hands for the magnifying his Name countenancing his people propagating his Gospel punishing his enemies and discouraging the workers of iniquitie He will ask you why at such a time when you knew his Name was blasphemed his Day was prophaned his Ministers and Ordinances were trampled upon you never stirred or were zealous for their vindication you thought it was good sleeping in a whole skin you were loth to offend your neighbours or you were unwilling to get the ill will of great ones that under pretence of love to all the people of God would have his blasphemous adversaries spared nay encouraged See whether that Jesuitical tenent That Magistrates must only be second-table men that they have nothing do in matters of Religion will hold water at that day O how exceedingly will such be ashamed of it then who now own it in their principles and practices possibly thou art one of that Heathen Gallio's Disciples that would meddle in matters of wrong but sit still in matters of Religion Acts 18.14 17. Gallio cared for none of those things I must tell thee thou art like then to find Hell hot for thy being so cold in the cause of the blessed and glorious God O think of that day and let it move thee to a faithful zealous discharge of thy duty Zaleucus Locrensis in his proeme to his laws hath these words Let this be often pressed upon men that there are Gods and that an account must be given to them of mens actions Consider the day of the Lord is coming and who may abide it In a word Hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles. 12.13 14. FINIS Hiero. in proae ad Obad. * Hosanna signifieth Save I pray thee or preserve I beseech thee †Allelujah Praise ye the Lord Ego Dixi Concessio est qua tamen oftendit Propheta nihil perversis Judicibus praesidii fore in facta persona quam illis Deus imposuit Calv. in loc. The
thoughts of sin and holiness then now ye have Sin will not be so pleasant and lovely nor holiness so mean and unworthy as now it is in your eyes Probably you can hear of death by the reports of others and be little troubled ye can stand it out stiffly against such false fire with We must all die and Nothing so sure God knoweth who shall go next and the like all this while the heart not with seriousness considering of it so as to be preparing for it The soul as much neglected God as little regarded and the affections as much inslaved to fleshly lusts as before But when Death * climbs up to your own windows and entereth into your Chamber and comely with its pale save to your bed side and boldly arresteth you with a warrant from Heaven assuring you by its symptoms on your body that you must in good earnest into the other world and there have all your walkings and workings interpreted and examined by the infinitely pure and righteous God and your souls according to your deeds sentenced impartially and sent immediately to Heaven or Hell then surely your apprehensions of a new Nature and strict Conversation will change and you will wish with all your souls for a little of others oyl for your Lamps will go out The stoutest unregenerate heart alive will droop at last when God cometh to take away his soul then his crest falls and his plumes flag Now possibly thy Cup overfloweth thou hast a large portion of the good things of this world and they have so much of thy heart that thou art little troubled about the things of the other world the Table of thy life now is richly spread with honours pleasures relations possessions and these have the largest share in thy heart in these thou solacest thy self desiring no other Heaven But what wilt thou do when Death shall come with a Voider and take all away even all thy treasure on earth then thou wilt wish thou couldst find a treasure in Heaven that thou mightest die the death of the Righteous and have thy latter end like his But oh Friend thou shouldst then have lived their lives and have had thy conversation like theirs as the Crab in the Fable told the Serpent who when she had received her deaths wound for her crooked conditions stretched out her self straight At oportuit sic Vixisse that she should have been straight in her life time The way to make thy death comfortable is to make thy life serviceable to God and thy soul He that would enjoy true rest when he dyeth must labour faithfully and diligently whilst he liveth It will be like a dagger at the heart in an hour of death to reflect upon the talents misimployed and opportunities misimproved which free grace afforded you for the honouring of God and furthering of your own salvations Sins of omission will wound deeper at a dying hour then most are aware of God hath committed a great trust to you and the day of your lives is the only time of discharging it besides ye know not how few hours ye may have to your day whether it shall be a Winter or a Summer day the shadows of the evening may suddenly stretch themselves upon you and then it will be no longer day therefore work the work of him that sent you into the world while it is day for the night cometh wherein no man can work John 9.4 Is it not sad that our common observation should he so much verified in the practices of great men That Bells strike thick while they are rising but stand still and give no sound at all when they are at full pitch That Magistrates should like the Sun the higher in the Zodiack move the slower The more noble creatures are the more active they are Men more active then Beasts Angels then men One I remember observeth that God would not accept the first-born of an Ass because it was a a dull slothful creature The Spirit of God which is in all that are sanctified is compared to fire Acts 2. therefore they that would not grieve it must not be slothful in business but fiery fervent seething hot as the word signifieth in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Hence it was that the Church of Ephesus got letters testimonial from Heaven Revel. 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour how thou canst not bear them that are evil And indeed the more good a Justice hath in himself the less he will bear with evil in others Augustine hath a true saying Qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous for God hath no true love to God For though love be a passion yet it delighteth to shew it self in acting for the party beloved When Calvin grew sickly some friends disswaded him from hard studying but he gave them this answer Vultisne Christum me invenire otiosum would you have Christ when he comes to me by death to find me idle So do ye think that when sinners Jehu-like drive furiously ye should not like Aegyptians go heavily least death find you idle Observe what became of the idle servant that hid his talent in a napkin Matth. 25.30 He was punished with an eternal long night who would not work in his short day 3. Consider the day of Judgement God will then search and sentence you discover and reward you according to your works Ye that examine and try others shall then be examined and tryed your selves and ye that acquit or condemn others shall then be acquitted or condemned your selves How should this thought move you to walk exactly since your hearts shall be anatomized and your lives manifested before God Angels and men Could ye but as Jerom hear the sound of the last trump always in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement surely ye would he holy Judges and Justices indeed Peter maketh this argument a strong enforcement to holiness 2 Pet. 3.10 11. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Observe the certainty of it The day of the Lord will come If it were doubtful it would not be so dreadful but it will come surely though it come slowly therefore men had need to be holy Tertullian observed of all those that profest Christianity in his time none lived so loosely as those that did not believe the certainty of the day of judgement But observe 2. the suddenness of it The day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night when men at midnight are securely sleeping they dream not of nor prepare for a theif It is sometimes called a day Matth. 25.13 propter revelationem secretorum
Gods Have said How God speaketh is a point almost unspeakable God speaketh or saith as well as man but not after the same manner he doth not form a voyce by such organs or instruments of speech But when God speaketh He doth either create a voyce in the air as Matth. 3.17 or declare and make known his mind sometimes secretly and immediately to the spirits of the Prophets so that phrase The word of the Lord came unto me so frequently used in Scripture is to be understood sometimes publickly and mediately by the Prophets to the people So then I have said that is I have in my Word manifested this to be my will That ye should be Gods amongst men Exod. 21.28 I that speak and none may or who dareth disannul it I who said Let there be light and there was light I who appointed the Sun to rule the day the Moon and the Stars to rule the night I have said Be ye Gods and ye shall be Gods I have appointed you in power and dignity to excel others and to rule over them on earth as the greater Luminaries do the lesser in the Heavens Ye are Gods That is in my place and stead amongst men To receive honour from them both of reverence and obedience To distribute justice amongst them both zealously and impartially To be terrours to evil doers and encouragements to them that do well To govern from love to my Name according to the rule of my Law for my honour and praise as likewise the good and profit of the people The word God is taken diversly in Scripture 1. Properly and so it is given only to him who is Essentially and by Nature God Who is an Infinite being of himself and from whom all others have their being And in this sense it is mentioned sometimes Generally without any Limitation to a certain person as Heb. 12. ult. John 4.24 sometimes Singularly with a Determination to one person as to the Father John 3.16 to the Son Rom. 9.5 1 Tim. 3.16 to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 2. Improperly and so it is given to them who by nature are not Gods As 1. To the Devil in regard of his unjust usurpation and wicked mens corruption 2 Cor. 4.4 He is called The God of this world He usurpeth the honour and Soveraignty of God Matth. 4.9 and the wicked world obeyeth him as if he were a God John 8.44 The God he is not of the world simply but of this world of this sinful world that lyeth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 2. To Idols in regard of the false perswasion of degenerate man 1 Cor. 8.4 5. There are Gods many and Lords many that is in their conceits who were Heathen They worshipped stocks and stones any thing yea almost all things though an Idol be nothing in the judgement of a Christian It is nothing saith the Apostle i. e. formally the thing signified is nothing yet materially it is something as made of wood or brass or the like 3. To Magistrates Exod. 4.16 who have their Commission from God Rom. 13. who do the work of God 2 Cor. 13. Rom. 3.4 who ought to do all for God 2 Chron. 19.6 And all of you are children of the most High It was no wonder that they were called Gods for here they are the children of the most High Now children are called after their Fathers Name This term Son of God or child of the most High is attributed 1. To Christ because of his Eternal Generation Psal. 2.7 He is the only begotten of the Father John 3.16 2. To Angels both Because of their practice they serve God not as slaves a Master but as children a Father chearfully heartily with filial alacrity and delight And because of their priviledge God useth them not as slaves but sons They are near him alwayes beholding the face of their Father Matth. 18.10 3. To men and that in regard of the purity and holiness in them they resemble God as a child his Father or in regard of the grace and favour God bestoweth on them in these respects all believers are the children of God Or in regard of their power and greatness they are priviledged to be higher then others in place as sons are before and above servants And they are like him in their Dignity and Authority so Magistrates The Chaldee paraphraseth As the Angels of the high God because Magistrates should be like Angels for wisdom 2 Sam. 14.24 The words being thus opened will yeeld us this Doctrine Doctrine That the God of Heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth He is God by Nature and he hath given them to be Gods by Name The Deity was by Incarnation cloathed with the Humane Nature and Humanity is here by Gods designation cloathed with the divine name I will praise thee before the Gods saith David Psal. 83.1 that is The tune of my heart shall be high in singing thy praise even before them that are by thy command highest in place The Sun in the higher world shineth most gloriously yet he communicateth some of his light to the Moon whereby she surpasseth and is as Queen among the glittering Stars So God the true Sun is infinitely above all he shineth eminently with his own native light and lustre yet he bestoweth of his beauty and brightness on some men whereby they excel and are above others in this lower world For the Explication of this truth I shall only shew in what respects Magistrates are called Gods and then proceed to Application Magistrates are in a two-fold respect called Gods 1. In respect of their honourable dignity 2. In respect of their answerable Duty It speaketh that their priviledge is high and that their practices should be holy 1. In respect of their Dignity God speaketh the nature of Magistracy to be honourable by the names which he giveth to the Magistrate Government is not a mean employment but a great preferment Magistracy is here by God himself invested with Majesty It is observable that God ascribeth to Magistrates the most honourable names among men Great men 2 Sam. 3.38 Nobles 2 Chron. 23. 30. Princes Psal. 83.11 Kings his Kings Psal. 18. ult. Fathers 1 Sam. 29.11 Chief of the people Judg. 20.2 Heads over the people Exod. 18.25 Dignities Glories Jude v. 8. The Ancients of the people Isai. 3.12 not only because aged persons were ordinarily elected for with the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes understanding Job 12.12 but also because aged persons are honourable persons Men are commanded to bow down before the hoary head and reverence the Ancient Levit. 19.32 Nay God giveth Magistrates not only those names which are in most esteem amongst men but the names of Angels Angels are the perfection as it were of the Creation the top-stone of this glorious building When the Spirit of God would speak a thing or person to be excellent it doth resemble them to Angels My Lord
you shall not be afraid of the face of man for the judgement is Gods Papiniaenus is worthy of eternal memory who chose rather to die then to justifie or excuse the fratricide of Bâ—ssianus the Emperour Holy Job as he was eminent for fearing God so likewise for not fearing men Job 29.17 I brake the jaw of the wicked and pulled the spoil out of his teeth Great men oftentimes are like Lions or ravenous Beasts that prey on others without fear or pitty Now the care of this pious Magistrate was to secure his people against such oppressors When David kept his Fathers sheep and there came a Lion and a Bear and took a Lamb out of the flock David rose after the Lion and smote him and took the Lamb out of his mouth 1 Sam. 17.34 Every Magistrate is or should be a Shepherd God saith of Cyrus He is my Shepherd Isa. 44. ult. The man after Gods own heart was called to feed his people Israel Psal. 78.70 71. Homer calleth Agamemnon {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the shepherd or the feeder of the people And when Lions or Bears men that are great and strong come to devour their flock they ought to protect or defend them He is a base hireling that hides his head when the Wolf cometh in the night though he endeavour to preserve his sheep from injury by the flies in the day For one Wolf will do more mischief in a night then a thousand flies in a year As the day of judgement will make no difference between great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble for then the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men will hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountains and will say to the Mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.15 16. so should not the day of executing justice in this world * The impartiality of God and also of the Gods consisteth in not taking gifts God is no taker of gifts 2 Chron. 19.7 Riches prevail not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 Neither silver nor gold can deliver them from his indignation Zeph. 1.18 Thus should Magistrates resemble his Majesty not perverting justice either for having or for hope of a reward A bribe received or expected clogs or obscures the course of Justice A golden pen must not write the discharge when the hand of a Judge is greased with gold it cannot hold the sword of justice but will let it slip at least strike very partially Thou shalt not wrest judgement thou shalt not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16.19 The Roman story telleth us of two persons that were Competitors for some place of preferment and that a Senator being asked for which of the two he would give his voice answered For neither because saith he One hath nothing and the other hath never enough He knew that poverty and covetousness are both unmeet qualifications for a Ruler The former maketh Magistracy obnoxious to contempt and derision and the latter prompteth the Magistrate on to injustice and oppression A Ruler that is a bribe-taker is a Thief in Robes and is only differenced from those that are in rags by this that the height of his place doth increase his sin and aggravate his condemnation I come now from the Explication to the Application of the doctrine This truth will be usefull First by way of Information If the God of heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth it informeth us that Magistracy is of divine Authority Government is not an invention of some men who desire to Lord it over others but it it the Institution of God I have said ye are Gods The Schollars of Pythagoras counted his Ipse dixit to be sufficient Surely then Gods saying it must be an establishing it to us If where the word of a King is there be power Eccl. 8.4 then questionless where the word of a God is there is warrant enough for any Office Now this is the Word of God which cometh to the Magistrate as Christ saith John 10.35 authorizing him and appointing him to that Ordinance The Magistrate is therefore called the Minister of God Rom. 13.4 As Justices are called the Kings Justices because they act by Commission from him so Magistrates are called the Lords Ministers because they rule by authority derived from the Lord Coin is carryed to the Mint and there stamped with the Superscription and Image of the chief Magistrate and then called his Coin because currant by his authority Governours are not of the Devil as Satanical spirits have affirmed nor of men as others have asserted but of God Rom. 13.1 As in the waters there be some greater some smaller fish and in the earth there be Mountains and Hills as well as Plains and Valleys and in the Heavens there are Stars differing from each other in glory so amongst men there are some greater then others in power higher in place and excelling them in authority and glory As the natural body is distinguished by God himself into comely and uncomely parts 1 Cor. 12.23 24. so is the Political body into members Noble and Ignoble The Bees in their Common-wealth as is reported have a Commander in chief a Master Bee The Lyon claimeth a command and superiority among the Beasts of the field The Angels in heaven have a chief Michael the Archangel Jude 9. 1 Thes. 4.16 The School-men indeed being more bold then they ought do divide the Angels into three Hierarchies and each Hierarchie into three several orders The first Hierarchie they say comprehendeth Cherubims Seraphims and Thrones The second Dominions Principalities and Powers The third Mights Archangels and Angels As also they assert the reason of these several names But the more modest and learned Expositors who joyn not in the aforesaid presumptuous division do yet generally conclude an order distinction and preheminence amongst Angels from Ephes. 1.21 Col. 1.16 Dan. 10.13 Nay there is a government amongst the very Devils there is not only a Prince of Angels Dan. 10. but Beelzebub a Prince amongst Devils Matth. 12.24 They that cause so much disorder amongst others yet have some order among themselves We read of the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 There is a kind of government in Hell though some would turn all out of the earth The Apostle Peter indeed calleth Magistracy an ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.13 though Paul assureth us it is of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 And the Magistrate is the Minister of God vers. 4. Magistracy is an ordinance of man in a fourfold respect 1. Subjective As man is the subject thereof by them it is executed Our Princes as well as our Prophets are men of like passions with
and him that hath none to help They are eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Fathers to the poor and helpers to the needy Job 29.11 15. They are born not for themselves but for the good of many as Bucers Physitian told him And they govern not seeking their own wealth but the Common-wealth as Aelius Adrianus Emperour of Rome would say They are as Trees whose leaves are fair whose fruit much and in them is meat for all in their shadow the beasts of the field dwell and in them the fowls of the heaven have their habitation Dan. 4.12.21 They are the keepers of our liberties the preservers of our lives the safety of our persons the security of our possessions the terrors of sinners the defence of Saints the Nerves and Sinews yea the Vital spirits of the body Politick without whom all things would run to ruine and quickly fall to confusion How much then do they for us and how much then should we be subject to them Surely as little as many value them they will find much cause to celebrate the funerals of these civil Fathers with many tears Our comforts as well as our consciences call upon us to be subject To wish them harm that watch to be our helps is horrid ingratitude Cicero saith he that killeth his Father committeth many sins in one because he sinneth against many obligations His Father begat him nourished him brought him up Magistrates are the Fathers of their Countrey he that resisteth them or doth violence to them committeth several sins in one because he sinneth against so many engagements to subjection We owe all the comforts we enjoy for this world nay somewhat of them that relate to a better world under God to the Magistrate We could not sleep quietly in our beds one night we could not eat one meal peaceably in the day without them we could not call either children or estates or lives our own without them we could not enjoy such liberties for our souls such frequent communion of Saints without them How great then is our obligation and how great should our subjection be to them These many cords of kindness should bind us to them He was possessed with a Devil whom no cords would hold Mark 5.3 and surely they are little better that against the Law of God and this protecting love of the Gods will not learn to be loyall Trees receive moisture from the earth and within a while pay it back in those leaves that fall to the earth again the Rivers receive their waters from the Ocean and they acknowledge it in emptying themselves into it Sheep that are fed by us acknowledge it in serving us with their flesh and fleeces And shall man be more brutish then the beast I shall end this exhortation with the words of the Holy Ghost a little varied Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your bodies as Ministers for your soul as they that must give an account Heb. 13.17 My second Exhortation will be to the Gods If the God of heaven have appointed you to be Gods on earth then it may exhort you to walk as Gods and to work as Gods amongst men First Walk as Gods among men your calling is high and therefore your carriage should be holy Every calling hath a peculiar comliness belonging to it A Courtier hath another manner of behaviour then a Countrey man a Scholler then a Scullion a Prince then a Peasant The greater your priviledges are the more gratious your practices should be Remember whose livery your wear whose image you hear whose person you represent whose place you stand in and walk worthy of that calling whereunto you are called Eph. 4.1 Some would have us give no names to children but such as should mind them of their duty The spirit of God hath given you a divine name which should mind you of the divine nature Since your compellations are according to God surely your conversations should be according to the Gospel The several Titles given to you call for sanctity and strictness from you The spirit of God calleth you Kings 1 Sam. 8.9 and Princes Josh. 8.33 Now is it seemly or sutable to see Kings or Princes padling in the mire or playing in the dirt with every beggars brat Doth not every one expect that their Linen should be in print their cloaths clean without the least spot of dirt And is it comely or consonant to see Magistrates honoured with a commission from heaven wallowing in the mire of sin and pollution with every heir of hell Do not all expect that as your places are god-like and honourable so your practice should be godly and answerable that your linen should be white your garments undefiled and your persons higher then others not only in place but piety When King Porus was taken prisoner and demanded by the Conquerour how he would be used he answered Like a King and being three times asked the same question he as often returned the same answer And if you ask me how you should demean your selves I would answer Like Kings Every one resembling the behaviour of a King Prov. 31 3 4. It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink least they drink and forget the Law Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Drunkenness and Uncleanness are sinfull and unwarrantable in subjects but they are most sordid and abominable in a Soveraign They are so much worse then others by how much they ought to be better then others A disease that surprizeth the head or heart is more dangerous then those that infect the exteriour members A spot in silk is far worse then one in sackcloth A Flie in a barrel of pitch doth not the harm which it doth in a box of Ointments When Scipio was offered an Harlot he said Vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not a General an Emperour Should such a man as I flie said Nehemiah So should a Ruler consider Should such a man as I be unclean I that punish such sin in others should I commit it my self Should such a man as I swear be lascivious in my language or unsavoury in my speeches A divine sentence is in the mouth of a King Prov. 16 10. I whose words are Laws and Oracles should speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 Should such a man as I prophane the Sabboth associate with sinners be prayerless in my family or venture upon any iniquity It is an abomination for Kings to commit wickedness Prov. 16.12 Peter Martyr told Queen Elizabeth that Princes were doubly bound to God as Men and as Princes or chief men Their sins are sins against more obligations and therefore are sins of more aggravations then others A great man cannot commit a small sin yet a great man is seldom a good man Godliness in a
Ruler is like a Diamond in a golden Ring which shines radiantly but there are few Jewels so set Among all the Kings of Israel not one godly man Among the Kings of Judah very few * Men in high places are apt to have their heads giddy and thereby are in great danger of falling Of one only Roman Emperour Titus it is said that he was the better for his honour most are worse The Spirit of God calleth you the children of God And all of you are children of the most High Now how exactly how circumspectly should the children of God walk Much obedience may be expected from servants but more from sons their preheminence is more and therefore their obedience should be more The fathers of the flesh look for much dutifulness from their children but surely the Father of Spirits may look for more from his children Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Ye that are Gods sons are appointed to blame others that do evill and therefore it behoveth you to be blameless your selves Qui alterum accusat probri c. but blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke The sons of great men should be without riotousness or rebellion but the sons of God should be without suspition or rebuke that is walk so strictly as that they should do nothing blame-worthy If God be your Father where is his honour Mal. 1.6 Do you honour him in your hearts by giving him your superlative love and fear and trust and esteem Do you honour him in your houses by causing all within your charges to worship him according to his Word Are your houses houses of holiness praying reading singing catechising houses are they examples of Religion to your neighbours Is holiness to the Lord written upon your selves your children your servants your estates and upon all the belong to you Do you honour God in your lives by walking as he walked Are ye followers of him as dear children Ephes. 5.1 Do you resemble him as children their Father Are you holy as he was holy in all manner of conversation Was your everlasting Father when he walked in your flesh upon earth ever guilty of cursing or swearing or lying Did any rotten communication ever drivel out of his lips Was he ever guilty of oppressing the poor or despising the needy of seeking himself or of doing his own will Did he ever neglect praying and instructing his Family of the Apostles or supplication by himself Was not he at prayer early in the morning a great while before day and was not he up at it all night Was it not his meat and drink to do the will of his Father and to finish his work Did not he go about doing good glorifying God upon Earth and doing what was well pleasing in his sight Surely ye that are the sons of God by nature and office should resemble the Son of God by nature O Sirs Think of it ye that are the sons of God by deputation should resemble this Son of God by generation Be not as Eli's and Samuel's and Davids children a disgrace to your Father But as Constantines sons resembled their Father in his good parts and practices so be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect Mat. 5. ult. Davids daughters were known to be his children by their garments 2 Sam. 13.18 Do you make it known to others that you are the children of God by not defiling your garments by keeping your selves unspotted from the world by looking to your cloathes that they be not defiled though ye walk in dirty streets be as the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Consider the Devil is ever watching for your halting and like some unkind servant he blabs presently to the Fathet what a dirty pickle his children are in Suppose he seeth the dirt of drunkenness of uncleanness of squeezing tenants of prophaning the Sabboth of scoffing at godliness of irreligion and atheism in your houses and immediately carryes your cloaths to God as the Patriarchs did Joseths coat For he accuseth men before God day and night Revel. 12.10 Saying Lord is this thy sons coat Know now whether it be thy sons coat or no Gen. 37.32 Do thy children use to carry themselves as my children Surely these are of their father the Devil Can you imagine that God should own you No certainly as the Pope disowned the Bishop when the Emperour had sent the Buffe-coat in which he was taken prisoner and delivered him up to justice he will not dishonour himself by owning you Nay how can you expect but that Jesus Christ who sitteth by and heareth the indictment against you who useth to appear as an Advocate for others when the Accuser of the Brethren pleadeth against them should even second the Bill against you and say to God as Moses Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of Gods children they are perverse and crooked persons Father these are sins not of weakness but wickedness they are not infirmities but enormities they are not the spots of thy children Those that cast thee out of their hearts and let the flesh have the Supremacy there that cast thee out of their houses and let the world have the Superiority there Those that make no conscience of thy day and their duties whose whole care is to be honoured and enriched whose heat and fervour is for credit and profit and put thee off with a few fragments of time and a few scraps of their estate which they can spare from the world and flesh those sin like wretches like rebels not like Saints like sons Their spots are not the spots of thy children There are spots which may be and spots which cannot be the spots of Gods children All sins are unsutable to but some sins are inconsistent with sonship yea the preheminence of Adoption doth absolutely deny the predominancy of any corruption When Antigonus was to go to a place that might probably prove a temptation to sin he asked counsel of Menedemus what he should do He bade him only remember he was a Kings son So say I to you that walk every day in the midst of many snares of temptations and therefore should have the greater care and circumspection Remember that ye are the sons of the King of Kings and do nothing unworthy of the name by which he calleth you or the place to which he hath called you It might have been a cutting word to the heart of Brutus whose hand was then stabbing Caesar What thou my son Brutus I could not have expected better from a slave but little looked for this from a son How think you can the Lord take it that you who are his children should wound the Body of his Son with oaths and curses his sacred laws by
but with Kings are they on the throne Job 36.7 He is totus oculus all eye he seeth you through and through his eyes are with Kings on the throne to observe what the King doth there to see whether Justice and Judgement are the habitation of his throne whether the Scepter of his Kingdom be a righteous Scepter whether he be cloathed with grace as with a garment and arrayed with purity as well as purple to see whether the zeal of Gods house do eat him up Psal. 69.9 and he prefer the Spiritual before the Temporal good of his people to see whether he will suffer them to be lawless in Religion and allow out of hellish policy that which is destructive to Piety even a cursed Toleration Gods eye Sirs may well make you look well to your walking to your hands and hearts Are uncleanness injustice oppression lukewarmness atheism bribery fit objects for Gods eye It was ordered in the Law of Moses that when any went forth of the Camp to ease Nature they should dig an hole with a Paddle and cover it and the reason is given For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp therefore shall it be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee Deut. 23.13 14. This Law noteth how the presence of God should keep us from polluting our selves Sin is the souls execrement Gods walking among us should work in us an hatred of such defilements Gods eye may make you work as gods among men Cesars Souldiers were prodigal of their blood when he beheld them How bold should ye be in the discouraging the sturdiest stateliest Offenders How forward in the countenancing the poorest pious Christian considering that God beholdeth you Epaminondas rejoyced much that he had done noble exploits his Parents being alive to take notice of them What noble acts soever are done for the promoting Godliness for the stopping the mouth of wickedness by the children of the most High are all known to the everliving Father who recordeth them faithfully and will reward them bountifully be therefore exact in your walkings and zealous in your working since your labour shall not be in vain for the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult. Secondly Consider the day of your dissolutions is hastening While ye are creeping only in Gods way or doing negligently Gods Work death is posting with speed towards you Consider the verse following the Text though he hath said Ye ars Gods and called you children of the most High yet ye must die like men Your honours and your worships your Majesties and your Highnesse must shortly lie in the dust and be as low as the meanest Diseases spare none for their fine Cloaths high Places or great Estates And the Cannon of death doth as soon hit the great Commanders as the Common Souldier it maketh no difference Charles the great Pompey the great and Alexander the great were all little in Deaths hands Men in places of greatest power are not persons privileged from the Arrest of this surly Sergeant Ye that are Divine in name have human mortal natures and as ye are Shields of the earth so ye are earthen Shields What is said of the Duke of Parma's Sword is true of Death it maketh no difference between Robes and Rags between Prince and Peasant It is the way of all the Earth Josh. 25.14 The great Road in which all Travell and the end of all the living Job 30.23 The great Inn to which all travell There is no man saith Solomon that hath power of his Spirit to retain it neither hath he power in the day of death there is no discharge in that war Eccles. 8.8 It is storied of Alexander that having heard of Paradise he was very eager of seeking it out and for that end came into the East part of the Earth where an old man meeting some of his Souldiers bad them tell Alexander that he sought Paradise in vain For the way to Paradise was the way of Humility which he did not take but saith he Take this stone and carry it to Alexander and tell him that from this stone he shall know what he is Now the stone was a precious stone and of such a quality that whatsoever thing was weighed with it that was still the heavier only if it were covered with dust then it was as light as straw thereby signifying that though Alexander and men in Authority out-weigh others in life yet when they are covered with dust when death cometh they are as light as others all their greatness cometh to nothing O how little Earth containeth Great Men when they die who will not be contented with much while they live If then ye must die shortly doth it not behove you to live strictly If your time be little should not your work be great for God and your souls Whether thou wilt think of it or no death is approaching thee the Sun doth not move faster in the Heavens then thou art moving to the earth The glass of thy Life for ought thou knowest is nigh its last sand Sure I am thou art now nearer thine unchangeable estate then ever thou wert and doth it not concern thee to walk exactly among men and to work industriously for God! O how much wilt thou wish at an hour of death that thou hadst walked humbly with God and wrought hard for the Lord all the time of thy life T is observed among the Papists that the Cardinals who think their Cowle and other Religious Habits ill becoming them in their health yet are very ambitious to die and be buried in them And I have taken notice in several Churches where are the Monuments of great persons that their Effigies must be erected kneeling with a Bible in their hands holding their hands up to heaven and looking very devoutly with their eyes up to the same place when I have heard of some of them how Prophane and Atheistical they were in their Lives that they used the name of God often in swearing but seldom in praying and prized a Romance or a Play Book above and read them oftner then the Bible Truly thus it is Piety that is trampled under feet by you now in your health and life believe it will be a pearl of great price with you in your sickness and death then you will think the holiest man the happiest man the Precisest Christian in the most blessed condition then you would willingly change states with them which are now Objects of your scorn then you will wish that you had denied your selves crucified the flesh glorified God and walked after the Spirit that you had spent that time in Praying and Reading which you have spent in Carding or Dicing or vain Recreations that you had improved that wealth and strength in the Service of your Saviour for the honour of God and welfare of your soul which have been laid about the World and your lusts O Sirs when this time cometh you will have other