for heaven the world shall stand no longer but the heavens shall shrivell together like a scrole and passe away with a noise the whole frame of this inferiour world shall be turned into a ball of fire the Imperiall Crownes of the greatest Monarchs upon earth shall flame about their eares you that carry now all before you and wallow impenitently in the glory pleasure applause and wealth of the world shall tire the rockes and mountaines with bootlesse cries and intreaties to fall upon you the Trumpet will sound and we shall all come to the Iudgement of that great and last day This serviceablenesse and subordination of all Imperiall Regall and inferiour power whatsoever to the Kingdome of CHRIST King Iames of famous memory clearely intimates and acknowledgeth in his Royall remonstrance when he speakes thus To that GOD that King of Kings I devote my Scepter at his feeete in all humblenesse of spirit I lay downe my Crowne to whose service as a most humble homager and vassall I consecrate all the glory honour splendor and lustre of my earthly Kingdome And what will become of all the power pollicy that opposeth the people of GOD we may see in the second of Daniel ver 34 35 44 45. Those foure strongest Monarchies and mightiest States that ever the Sunne saw shaddowed by Nabuchadnezars great Image setting themselves against the servants of GOD were beaten upon and blasted by the curse of divine wrath and so sunke in their severall times into the jawes of ruine and irrecoverable desolation They blustered a while like mighty winds with much threatning and impetuous rage but presently breathed out into naught and vanished for ever That stone saith the Text which was cut out without hands smote the Image upon his feete that were of yron and clay and brake them to peeces Then was the yron clay the brasse and silver and the gold broken to pieces together and become like the chaffe of the Summer threshing flower and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them And so let all the implacable enemies of IESUS CHRIST perish to the worlds end Selah Thus you see what is the maine end of Magistracy which necessarily requires righteousnes in Rulers For A wicked Magistrate or Minister entering into this place not by GODS doore but by the Devils window as they say which is ordinary with men of ill conscience if they be of a medling and malignant humour sense of his guiltinesse in comming in basely and at a backe-doore enraging him or the curse of GOD for his Symony or bribery justly hardning his heart it is his wont to vexe and fall soule upon honest men to stand for rotten causes to take the worse part without repentance all the dayes of his domineering But if he be of a duller and more unactive spirit and given to the world he is resolved to medle as little as he may to live reservedly make a shew grow rich and there is an end of what temper soever they be if they feare not GOD they are so farre from seeking his Kingdome and righteousnesse in the first place that it is least and lowest in their thoughts Nay doth not every spirituall eye see that they are upon the matter close Agents or publicke acto urs against the power and holy precisenesse of it Their seeking is themselves their serving is the time their heaven is their high place But now give me a godly man indeed and as he would rather lye in the dust all the dayes of his life and dye in obscurity then be advanced by any wicked or unworthy meanes So being pulled into any place of publicke employment his holiest and highest desire ambition is to be as a refreshing comfortable shower in a great drought to every honest man but as a terrible tempest upon the face of every sonne of Belial and hairy-pate of every one that hates to be reformed to stand no longer in his slipery place then he may continue an upright industrious instrument to advance GODs glory promote good causes protect good men ever most willing rather to part with the highest promotion in the world were it crowned with the riches and revenewes of all the Kingdomes upon earth then with a good conscience It was aright noble worthy answer and exemplary of Benevolus to Iustina an Arrian Empres Dike of Cons. pag. 140. offering him preferment to be an instrument in some vile service what saith he do ye promising me a higher place for a reward of iniquity Take this away and welcome which I have already so that I may keepe a good conscience and thereupon threw at her feete his girdle the ensigne of his honour Thus undoubtedly will a good conscience trample under foote the highest preferment to preserve its owne integrity Secondly The righteous man onely will be thorowly and universally resolute for he knowes full well and feeles that he cannot possibly have any higher preferment then IESVS CHRIST whom he already happily possesseth in the armes of his faith nor any greater crosse then a wounded conscience and therefore he dare by no meanes either hurt the one or hazard the other Hence it was that Moses casting the eye of his faith upon the recompense of reward refused to be a favourite in Pharohs Court and that Ioseph did so invincibly withstand the impure and impudent sollicitations of his wicked and wanton Mistresse he clearely foresaw what horrour was like to scaze upon his heart by so sinning against his GOD. Now the reason that the righteous man is so resolute is the sense of his reconcilement to GOD and the clearenesse of his conscience and the cause that every wicked man is a coward and will so conforme to the current of the time is his ill conscience The wicked flee saith Salomon when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28.1 The word in the originall signifies a young Lion which as a Lion feares neither man nor beast great nor small he turneth not away for any Prov. 30. But as young by the fresh and furious boyling of his abundant native heat is more audacious and undaunted for any adventure then other Lions so lion-like bold should every Magistrate be for he must pull the prey out of the Lions mouth and rescue the oppressed from the man that is too mighty for him he must not be afraid either of mortall or immortall adversaries he must not feare the face of man or frownes of greatnesse the losse of preferment present or promised he must hold to the death such principles as these Let Iustice be done and let the heavens fall if I perish I perish Should such a man as I flee and bee faint-hearted lively-hood liberty life and all for a good conscience c. And so bold can a Ruler never be unlesse he be righteous and reconciled unto GOD. It is the comfort of a good conscience alone which is able by a secret and
muddinesse imperfection and infirmity Who doubts then but when we spy these last muddy streames to crosse the current of the divine Law we must have recourse unto the well-head Divine Lawes do bind the conscience primarily as they say properly and by themselves GOD is the LORD of the conscience and onely able to damne and save the soule for the breaking or keeping of his Lawes and therefore he alone hath an absolute and soveraigne power to binde the conscience If humane Lawes even that are just doe any way it is by the power and precept of divine Law See Rom. 13.1 c. I meane meerely humane For that is false which Bellarmine hath De laicis Cap. 11. Par. 5. that every just Civill Law is either a conclusion or determination of the divine Morall Law Iunius as all along in his Animadversions so here he hath also nobly conquered and confounded him And therefore as we would preferre the keeping of a good conscience before the sleeping in a whole skin and the feare of him which can destroy bondy and soule in hell fire before him that can onely kill the body let us cleave unto the commandements of GOD against the contradictions of the whole world Yet notwithstanding the mis imployment and the errour in the exercise of it Authority is still venerable in the originall and to be reputed GODs creature else had Daniel never spoken thus to Nabuchadnezzar an ungodly King and scourge of Nations Dan. 2.37 Thou O King art a King of Kings for the GOD of heaven hath given thee a Kingdome power and strength and glory And hence it is also De Civitate Deili 5.6 21. that Austin that renowned Father tells us Hee that gave Soveraignety to Augustus gave it also to Nero. Hee that gave it to the Vespasians father and sonne sweetest Emperours gave it also to Domitian that bloody monster In a word saith he hee that gave it to Christian Constantine gave it also to Iulian the Apostata That infinite wisedome of GOD which hath distinguished his Angels by degrees which hath given greater and lesse light and beauty to heavenly bodyes which hath made difference betweene beasts and birds created the Eagle and the Flye the Cedar and the shrub and among stones given the fairest tincture to the Ruby and the quickest light to the Diamond hath also ordained Kings Dukes or Leaders of the people Magistrates Iudges and other degrees amongst men Reason 2. Secondly Government is the prop and pillar of all States and Kingdomes the cement and soule of humane affaires the life of society and order the very vitall spirit whereby so many millions of men doe breath the life of comfort and peace and the whole nature of things subsist Let the heart in a man surcease from the exercise of its principality prime motion and the wholebody would presently grow pale bloudles and livelesse If that glorious Giant in the sky should retire his light into himselfe and through a languishing faintnesse stay his course and the Moone should wander from her beaten way whom GOD hath appointed rulers over day and night the times and seasons of the yeare would blend themselves by dis-ordered and confused mixture This goodly frame of the world would dissolve and fall into confusion and darknesse Proportionably take Soveraignety from the face of the earth and you turne it into a Cockpit Men would become cut-throats and Canibals one unto another Murder adulteries incests rapes roberies perjuries witchcrafts blasphemies all kinds of villanies outrages and savage cruelty would overflow all Countries We should have a very hell upon earth and the face of it covered with blood as it was once with water Reason 3. Thirdly It giveth opportunity by GODs blessing for the free exercise and full improvement of all humane abilities to their utmost worth and excellency Trades traffike lawes learning wisdome valour policies of State religion all Arts and excellencies thrive and flourish with much happinesse and successe under the wings and warmth of a godly government Some shadowes of these notable and worthy effects appeared even in the Heathenish State as in that of the Romanes to what a matchlesse noone tide of earthly glory and greatnesse to what an incredible and uncomparable height of humane felicity did that people aspire by managing their mysteries of State and guiding the raines of their commanding power by a faire ingenious and noble hand and that out of the meere illuminations of reason and principles of naturall policy But I must tell you by the way they were notably assisted in this Imperiall rise by their strict and severe lawes against those two grand impoysoners of the strongest See Godwin de Ro. Leg. pag. 161. and most flourishing States first Bribery secondly basenesse in comming to high roomes They had many lawes De ambitu de pecunijs repetundis If a Senatour were found to have used unlawfull meanes for the attaining of any Office he was to suffer ten yeares banishment and so proportionably of bribery No Kingdome under heaven harbouring these two cut-throates can stand long without basenesse or ruine If Government then hath such power and workes such wonders in Pagan Kingdomes what heavens upon earth what worlds of happinesse by GODs mercy may be comfortably expected when it is seasoned and sinewed with the truth of Religion and power of Christianity which is the chiefest top and well-spring of all true virtues even as GOD is of all good things For all other ornaments and excellencies of Nature Art Pollicy are as but a dead and livelesse carkasse except they be animated and quickned with the true feare of GOD and religious forwardnesse for his glory Nay a gracelesse Magistrate is a grievous plague for when he followes the publique administration of Iustice onely as a trade with unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gaine and attaining his owne ends being not in heart perswaded that Iustice is GODs owne worke and himselfe his Agent in this businesse the sentence of right GODs owne verdict and himselfe his Minister to deliver it Formalities of Iustice doe but serve to smoother right and that which was necessarily ordained for the common good is through shamefull abuse made the cause of common misery which is too manifest by too many wofull experiences See Bacons aduancement pag. 3â— But now for instance of those happy fruits and excellencies springing by GODs blessing out of Government sanctified by the effectuall and powerfull Majesty of true Religion I will goe no further then our owne State since that peerelesse Princesse Queene Elizabeth of sweetest and dearest memory the happiest instrument of GODs glory of her sexe since the most blessed Virgine I say since she rose into the Imperiall throne what a deale of glory and light admiration and honour what miracles of unparalled deliverances and preservations have crowned this famous Iland To say nothing of temporall felicities for which purpose instance might be given in some
of murderous complotments as no age or story can possibly parallell Whereas on the other side that knife that could but strik out the teeth of Henry the fourth while he stucke to the truth of GOD and true Religion upon the pulling downe the Pyramis for their gratification and admitting againe those bloody firebrands and cut-throats of Christendome the Iesuits had power to take away his life Secondly consider that counsell given to great ones Psal. 2.10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed yee Iudges of the earth serve the LORD with feare and rejoyce with trembling Risse the Sonne least he be angry Here Princes Iudges and all that beare Authority are charged to lay hold both upon imputed and inherent righteousnesse Kisse the Sonne entertaine and embrace IESUS CHRIST blessed for ever bleeding upon the Crosse for your sinnes and sakes and sweetly and amiably offering himselfe to all broken hearts in the armes of your faith love and everlasting affection And serve the LORD in feare Let the feare of GOD be ever before your eyes in all places at all times about all affaires and thereupon neither thinke nor speake nor doe neither judge nor plead nor being in verdict c. But so as you would be content when it is new done to goe immediatly to give an account of it before the high and everlasting Iudge otherwise this Sonne whom you should Kisse and to whom all Iudgement is committed Iohn 5.22 will be angry and if once a fire be kindled in his anger against an impenitent wretch that hates to be reformed it will burne unto the bottome of hell and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines And howsoever you may carry things faire to the worlds eye in the meane time yet assure your selves very shortly for that day hasteneth apace all the judgements pleadings sentences verdicts which have passed against IESUS CHRIST the truth any good cause or a good conscience they shall all be reversed and repealed before that last and highest Tribunall in the face of heaven and earth before Angels men and Devils and there and then you shall be horribly universally and everlastingly shamed be then advised before hand and in the Name of GOD take heed what ye doe Thirdly for our purpose let us ponder well those properties which the Scriptures require in a man of place Exod. 18.21 Deu. 1.13 They are seven in all foure in the first three in the second place I name them not in their order you shall finde them all in the Text Magistrates should be First Able men apt to fill the place with some competency of parts and equallity of worth to answer and sustaine the heat and burthen of it with a fit sufficiency of endowments ability activenesse and industry There ever ought to be a convenient correspondency betweene the importance of the place and the capacity of the party It is a thousand pitties to see in a Church and Common-weale many places full and yet so few filled when there is no proportion nay a vast distance betweene the height or rather the weight of the place and the weakenesse worthlesnesse if not the notorious wikednesse of that unworthy person who either by a golden violence or temporising basenesse hath most impudently thrust himielfe into it Secondly Wise sapient men Such as are skil-full in the Theory nature mystery and meaning of the place and Office into which they are to be preferred A man can never happily execute and successefully any function office or Art which is not learned in the speculative part before he descend unto the practicke Is it fit thinke you for a man to plead at the Barre before he hath well studyed and profitably passed thorow the course of the Common-law If a Physician should fall to practise before he be skilled in Hypocrates Galen in the natures causes signes symptoms prognosticks and remedies of diseases he is like enough to kill all before him Proportionable miseries and mischiefe may be expected and ensue when important places are prest into and undertaken without habituall understanding and speculative skill what belongs unto them It is a pittifull thing when a man will needes thrust into publicke imployments onely for the gaine and honour and depend upon others for the discharge of them or else doe them beastlily Thirdly Prudent So fitly rendred by Iunius approved also by Vatablus that great Professour of the Hebrew tongue They must not onely be Sapient if I may so speake and it cannot possibly be otherwise exprest in the English tongue but also Prudent endowed with a practicall dexterity and discretion to order wisely all the particulars in the execution of their place This prudence which is as the Moralists speake the generall Queene superintendent and guide of all other vertues Auriga virtutum without which there is nothing good beautifull fit and decent being sanctified especially will enable them by comparing one thing with another by well weighing all accidents circumstances appurtinances times persons places c. to guide and manage all the severall passagâ—â—f their publicke charges with wisdome equity and impartiality It consists principally in three things which are all of one ranke to consult deliberate well to judge and resolve well to conduct and execute well It hath a chiefe stroke in affaires of judicature to moderate rigour with equity That you may more clearely apprehend the necessity of adding this to the former requisite in a good Magistrate take an instance or two It is not enough for a Minister of GOD to be a good Scholler and preach generall truths though I confesse a great deale of learning is required in euery Minister of our times I say besides his speculative Divinity and ability to preach he must exercise a prudent zeale to winde himselfe by the Word into the consciences and affections of men to convince and cast them downe and so conduct them thorow the pangs of the new birth into the holy path he must labour to adde to the excellency of learning the art of converting else woe unto the people that are under him It is not enough for a Iustice of Peace to have a good revenew and rich attire and to present himselfe solemnly upon the Bench every Sessions and Assize but he must be skilfull in the duties of his office and Statutes so farre as they concerne it other wise he will sit but as an Idoll or cipher upon that Tribunall which requires a great deale of understanding and action Nay and not onely so knowledge in the duties of his place though never so univerâ—â—â—l and exact will not serve the turne except he be also active and imployed Being thus furnished with speculative abilities and wisdome for that purpose he must take to heart the good of the Country out of conscience labour and pray for an holy dexterity to discover and dive into the depth of the Devils Agents their combinations haunts and hypocrisies to search businesses that are brought
before him to the bottome and that with gravity and in earnest out of a spirituall prudence to take all advantages and fit opportunities to suppresse the flouds of Belial to disgrace a gracelesse and honour an honest man otherwise he will be so farre from being a good Patriot that he may prove a very plague to the Country There is not a more notorious villany there can be no greater wrong and greater indignity offered to an ingenious and free people then to have a Magistrate set over them which adding craft to his power and skill welds them all three to worke his owne ends and practise his private revenge from time to time upon his supposed opposites Fourthly Men of of truth Let them be true-hearted Nathaniels in their private and personall conversation let them prize and preferre the truth in all causes that are brought unto them and all matters they medle with before gold or friend favourite or richest fauour There is a truth in things when they are conformable to the divine Idea There is a truth in the mind when there is an adequation betweene the conceit and the thing apprehended out of the understanding There is a truth in the tongue when there is an agreement betweene the speech and the thought There is a truth in the action when there is a correspondency betweene a mans word and deed let me adde a fist fittest for the present to make you compleatly true There is also a truth let them consider of it seriously whom it neerely concernes when the verdict answers exactly and punctually to the evidence and the Sentence to the true meaning of the Law Fifthly Haters of covetousnesse For assuredly if these Kite-footed corruptions domineere in the Magistrate all is mard then must his high place honour friends favourites servants dependants officers all occasions circumstances advantages wit pollicy nay religion conscience and all be made to serve and feede this unsatiable daughter of the horse-leach Sacriledge that monstrous incongruity of Laymens taking Titnes and not preaching to the people Isa. 59.14 Symony bribery turning of judgement away backeward temporising betraying the truth and good causes selling of offices benefices Iustice silence sharking of under officers c. are the filthy vermine that breed onely in this Burrow Excellent then was the counsell of * Praees ut de subditis crescas nequaquamsed ut ipsi de te Bernard to Eugenius So rule that the people may prosper and grow rich under thee and not thou wealthy by them Sixtly Such as feare GOD Here is the life and crowne which gives a spirituall being and gracious beauty to all the rest which were it possible a man could possesse in perfection yet without this they would be but as matter without forme a body without a soule a soule without IESVS CHRIST Nay in this case the greater sufficiency would prove but as a sharper sword in a madder hand ever the greater man without grace the greater beast as a good Divine concludes from that Psal. 49.20 Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish If the feare of GOD be not planted in the heart to season and sanctifie the other severall endowments They will all degenerate wisdome into craft power into private revenge valour into violence prudence into plotting for his owne ends courage into foole hardinesse to uphold a faction pollicy into putting faire pretences upon soule businesses all his abilities and sufficiencies into setting foreward and securing his owne temporall happinesse If this holds him not in and serves him as a load-starre to steere still aright we cannot looke for an universall uprightnesse and constancy of just dealing in any man of place but sometimes at least especially in time of some great tryall and when he is put to it indeede he will slinke and fall off A great man his friend his enemy his feare cowardlinesse affection faction covetousnesse malice or something will ever and anon transport inordinately and sway him away So that he will be in great danger of turning judgement into gall and righteousnesse into hemlocke Seventhly Men well knowne And that two wayes principally for the present purpose 1. To be honest in their personall conversation if there be but any one sinne that corrupts their conscience staines their life or disgraces their calling to which they give allowance in themselves it will not onely hinder and discourage them from drawing the sword against that but also the sence of its guiltinesse will put such an universall faintnesse in the arme of Iustice that they will be much disabled from a resolute execution of their place and cordiall punishment of sinne 2. To rule well their owne house 1 Tim. 3.5 If a man saith the Apostle knoweth not how to rule his owne house how shall hee take care of the Church of GOD or indeed any publicke charge at all Is it fit thinke you for one to be a Iustice of Peace who is a swearer himselfe c. and harbours under his roofe drunkards swearers scorners of Religion Papists c. Is such a man fit or like to execute with any heart or resolution those excellent acts against swearing drunkennesse Recusancy c. upon offenders abroad Is it fit for a man to undertake any Ministeriall charge who is an haunter of Ale-houses a fashion-monger an idle fellow himselfe and a patrone of good-fellowes and if he hath a family had never any care to pray evening and morning sing Psalmes c Is such a companion like to lift up his voyce like a Trumpet against the sinnes of the time and stand at swords point against the severall corruptions all the sinfull prophanations of his Parish himselfe being a notorious delinquent A Magistrate thus endowed as the Scripture appoints is a man after GODs owne heart and a starre in his right hand he that wants any of these is but a blazing Comet how high soever he seemes to soare 2. By Reasons The first may be taken from the maine and principall end of all government Regall or subordinate To wit the advancement of the Kingdome of IESUS CHRIST and the cherishing of his Children For let men of the world which have their portion onely in this life thinke and say what they list it is for the sakes and safety of the Saints alone whom they looke upon so disdainefully themselves being extremely contemptible and would if they might have leave trample them into the dust with the feet of pride malice who ordinarily become the drunkards song a by-word to men viler then the earth and Musicke at the tables of gracelesse great ones I say it is onely for them that the mighty LORD of heaven not onely supports and preserves all the States and Monarchies all the Common-weales and Kingdoms of the earth but even the world it selfe Assuredly when the last of these Elected ones whom GOD hath everlastingly loved from before all worlds shall be called converted and fitted
and strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked way by promising him life As it is in the last verse but one of that Chapter Thirdly By tampering with our Articles of Religion as sound and orthodoxe for any thing I know as any since the Apostles times which make our Church as happy at this day as any under the cope of heaven If we be so happy as to hold them in that purity and true sence as we received them of our predecessours and as they came streaming downe to us in the blood of our glorious Martyrs by labouring to put false glosses upon them talking of some reconcilement of our Church to the Romish Synagogue which is as impossible as to reconcile CHRIST unto Antichrist Besides the concurrent judgement of those uncomparable and renowned Divines in Queene Elizabeths time our present orthodoxe Divines and Doctours apprehend aright and acknowledge the infinite antipathy and utter impossibility speaking thus Roma is irreconciliabilis saith the Bishop of Exceter Light and darknesse may meete saith another in the twilight but mid-day and mid-night can never possibly come together and such is Popery and Protestancy The truth is saith Doctour Worship such is the antipathy betweene a Protestant and a Papist as there is betweene the two birds in Plutarch the Siskin and the Muskin which will fight eagerly alive and being dead if you mixe their blood it will runne apart and dissociate They are like the two poles of heaven saith another which stand for ever directly and diametrically opposite If any by the way marvell why I meete with Ministers let them know First That many of my Breethren are in mine eye and a worthy part of this great Auditory Secondly That the Civill Magistrate may see whereas we preach impartiallity to them we are not partiall towards our owne Tribe As we desire to deale faithfully with them so we spare not our owne Coat And that all the world may know that we approve no Ministery in this Church but that which is honest orthodoxe and painefull Thirdly Ministers lye directly within the verge of my Text. For we are called Rectours Rulers and our Personages Rectories See Case lib. 3. â—ap 3. pag. 215. Even honest Politicians require righteousnesse in Rulers for many reasons 1. Because they are as it were earthly Gods and represent the person of GOD himselfe in their places of Authority and upon their just Tribunals 2. For the eminency of their honour which is due not to the man but to his vertue 3. For imitation to those who shall succeede them in their places who will looke backe upon them as paternes and presidents for themselves to follow 4. For feare of scandall and giving offence which inferiours will be very apt and eager to take 5. For the universall good of those they governe which is the end of all Authority over others This point thus proved by Scriptures and Reasons I come to the Use of it which may be three-fold 1. For Reprofe 2. Instruction 3. Exhortation The time runnes away so fast that I can but onely name the two first because I desire to insist the longer enlarge my selfe the more upon the last First Reprofe to all unrighteous Rulers Ministers Magistrates or whatsoever they be Many now a dayes runne a madding after promotions and serve themselves Vijs modis into Offices Benefices preferments high roomes and being most unworthily advanced they hold in a speciall happinesse to have an hand over men farre worthyer then themselves Let them alone this is their day a day of domineering and of their fooles Paradise and serving themselves sensually but assuredly without speedy repentance turning on the better side taking GODS Childrens part There is a day a comming upon them it is neere Zeph. 1.14.15 it is neere it hasteneth greatly saith the Prophet when the mighty man shall cry bitterly That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thicke darkenes they are the words of the holy Ghost which no earthly glory no glittering of outward pompe no shining heapes of gold and silver not the Prince of all the lights in heaven nor the whole starry Firmament shall ever be able to enlighten or refresh though they swell never so bigge with pride and disdaine looke they never so high should they exalt themselves as the Eagle and set their nest among the starres they shall certainely downe with a vengeance GOD shall suddenly shoote at them with a swift arrow it is already in the Bow even a Bow of steele shall send forth an arrow that shall strike them thorow shive off their gall as Iob speaketh throw them downe into the dust Their pride and their power shall be overthrowne in the turning of an hand then must they lay downe their cold carkases among the stones of the pit at the rootes of the rocke and their poore sinfull soules must presently be presented at that last and stricktest Tribunall where never bribe or bigge looke gold or greatnesse beares any sway O then they will gnash the teeth and roare and wish that they had lyen in the dust all the dayes of their life and never knowne what preferment had meant when they shall finde by wofull experience but too late that to mighty men there are mighty torments prepared and that they shall be horribly plagued proportionably to the pestilent abuse of their high places and those publicke employments into which they have corruptly thrust themselves without cleare entrance and due calling Then will they tremble Isa. 51.20 Isa. 33.14 take on as wild Bulls in a net as Isaiah speakes full of the fury of the LORD and cry out with those sinners in Zion Who amongst us shall dwell in everlasting fire who amongst us shall dwell in everlasting burnings The day of recompence is now come upon them They have had their heaven in this world and therefore they must now have their hell in another They have domineered for a while upon earth done what they list and had what they would yet now must they downe into a land of darknesse of horrour and confusion whence they shall never rise up againe Onely repent and you may prevent all this but doe it to day we little know what sad newes the evening may bring If thou die in an impenitent estate thou art damned everlastingly and in this passage I value all men alike of what cloath soever his coate be made He that layes his foundation with fire-worke must looke to be blowne up at last he that doth not confesse his sinnes forsake them enter into the narrow way lead a new life stand on CHRISTS side love the Brother-hood he can never be saved I know not how my words be taken or mistaken yet sure I am before any man can deny this to be true or say any thing