people blesse them when they were dead their memories were more enbalmed then their bodies and they were shrined more in the hearts of their people then in their Sepulchres their names were honoured and their ashes were pretious their wisdome left so many Charters of infranchisements and liberties that such Princely Donours could not be forgotten After-ages still cry to them and weep at the thought of them saying these were the Princes which set up Monuments before their departure and wrote out their own Epitaphs in the brests of their people with a pen of never-dying fame Oh how were their Kingdomes then Triumphal Arches and Theaters of wonder their people smiled in one anothers faces their whole land was a Banqueting-house they had the table of Alcinous and the talents of Pelops amongst them their own Nation vvas in a trance for their felicity and all Nations admired their flourishing State Oh honour to such prudent Governours ecchoes of praise and veneration to such wise Princes So then the darling of people the glee of Nations is an expert and judicious Ruler the man of understanding and knowledge But by a man of understanding and knowledge But how should a Prince be a Man of understanding how a Man of knowledge He must be a Man of understanding in heavenly things and he must be a Man of knowledge in temporal things First he must be a Man of Vnderstanding in Heavenly things For what hath a Prince more to look after then Religion Is not the Scripture the Volume which he must be continually perusing yes When the King shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdom then this Law shall be written out for him by the Priests and he shall read therein and it shall be with him that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the Words of this Law and the Ordinances for to do them Deut. xvii 18,19 A miserable thing it is when a King doth become neglective of his God and makes Religion but a meer formality and superfluiâ—y Prophane to this Day is Hâ—stilius for saying he could not indure to be much addicted to ceremonies and sacrifices and Chaeâ—ps King of Aegypt who locked up all Temples that there might be no Prayers nor Oblations Is there any King in Scripture mentioned with Honour who was not religious no there the Glorious Prince is the Pious Prince As a King is next unto God so he should maintain most familiarity with him as he doth take his Crown out of God's Hand so he should wear it for his Glory as he is the Lord 's Anointed so his conscience should be most sâ—ppled with his fear and service If Religion were lost in the whole Nation the King's breast should be the Treasury where it should be preserved Princes I confess may have their Royalty Superiority must have some pomp attending upon it a Prince was never ordained to be an Anchâ—rite but their chiefest Majesty should be to Glorify their Maker A Prince is never more mighty then when he is Bowing in a Temple nor more Glorious then when he is sacrificing at the Altar nor more Triumphant then when he is highest in his Spiritual solemnities the hearing all his Judges and Honourable Counsellours is not like to the lending his ears to his Prophets and Messengers which speak out of the mouth of God Let the Throne then be Burnished with Piety let thaâ— carry a sulgâ—ur through the whole Kingdom let the Sun shine and let all the Stars participate of his Brightness Oh! it is a rare thing to see the Baslick Vein run with the best Blood and the sweetest Fruit to hang upon the top-Brarch A King which is true to his God is the man of understanding But how should a Prince declare himselfe to be a man of Understanding concerning Heavenly things First in preserving a pure Faith For if Kings ought to be Nursing Fathers to the Church Es xlvii 22. then what ought they to cherish more in their Nation then the sâ—ncere Faith How memorable was that of Asah he that commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their Fathers and to do according to the Law and the Commandment 2 Chron. xiiii 4. And of Jehosaphat that he walked in the first ways of his Father David and sought not Baalim but sought the Lord God of his Fathers and walked in his Commandments and not according to the trade of Israel 2 Chron. xvii 3,4 And of Josiah that he stood by the Pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord to keep his Commandments Testimonies and Statutes and that he caused all that were in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it 2 Chron xxiiii 31,32 Constantine the great Justinian the great Theodosius the first Justin the first Marcian Valentinian how have they for this eternised their names How ought every good Prince to be as carefull of Religion as his Crown-land and of the purity of the Faith as his Royal Prerogative for with what joy can he Reign if Sathan doth set up his Throne in his Kingdom how can he look up to Heaven with comfort if his God be blasphemed Shall God promote him and shall not he promote the Gospel Shall God preserve him and shall not he preserve the Truth Yes it is the Obligation of his high Office the homage that he oweth to his Lord in chief God for this hath made him his Deputy God for this hath given him a Crown If he be a Shepheard he must take heed that the Wolf doth not break into his Flock if he be a Physician he must beware that this Gangren doth not Spread He is never surer of God's target then when he doth protect sound Doctrin nor hath a greater confidence in his people then when they are knit to him in Religion To what end is his Scepter if Seducers and False-Teachers may have liberty to vent their wares and have a free Mart in his Nation No the pure God and the pure Angels the holy Scriptures and the holy Church the Blood of Christ and the Blood of Martyrs his own Peace and Honour Oath and account do require otherwise at his hands Religion then is high and Flourisheth in the Nation when a King beholdeth the Cross sâ—anding above his Crown and doth make Religion his main charge Secondly in preserving pure Worship For God is as strict about his service as about his belief Worship is oftentimes the trial of Faith noâ— onely the true God must be acknowledged but the Golden Calves or Groves must be avoyded yea God is angry not onely with gross Idolatry as in pleading for Baal offering the seed to Mâ—lech weeping for Tamâ—z or in having the Star of Râ—mpham seâ—… but with a little leven in worship a little strange Fire For whereas adoration is Recognitio dominii Aquin. the recognition or acknowledgment of God's Deity and Dominion God will not be doubled with in a thing that is so high so nigh so
he should fight a good fight 1 Tim. i. 18. and a prophecy that forbad him to Preach with Saint Paul the Gospel in Asia Acts xvi so by the laying on of the hands of Prophets he might at first be called to the Ministery so Primasius Oecumenius upon the place say expressly and say not onely that he was called to the Ministery by the Prophets but that he himself was a Prophet For the thing it self Theodâ—ret in Tim. â— â— is clear that Timothy received that order by Divine Revelation and Saint Chrysostome Hom. 5. in 1 Tim. c. 1. saith that as the Holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas so was Timothy chosen yea he saith it was a common custome or raâ—her a general Blessing that in the infancy of the Church the Prophets named what Ministers should be choseâ— Tunc quia niâ—il fiâ—bat humanum Sacerdotes ex Prophetia veniâ—bant Quid â—st â—x Prophâ—…ia ex Spiritu Sancto And Eusebius l. 3. c. 23. sâ—iâ—h baâ—…aâ— nâ— John at Ephesus and thereabout made many Ministers so somewhere supplying the Clergy with such as the â—piâ—it mâ—…d â—…drawing lots for such as the Spirit signified Seeing 〈◊〉 so many Expositions are given of this intricate Place and that by â—he 〈◊〉 learned which ever wrote Presbytery which in these days is asserted can scarce finde in Scripture a root from whence it should branch No as the lay Presbyter from 1 Tim. v. 17. may say I was never here grafted so the Spiritual Presbyter from the 1. Tim. iiii 14. may say I was never here planted yea they may be fellow-Mourners and sob together saying We that would have all things attested by Scripture have not a clear Scripture either for the one's Binding of hands or for the other's laying on of hands for these onely places are nonely places neither pregnant nor perspicuous But to leave the Lay Presbyter as one saluted by the way and to talk a little more freely to the Spiritual Presbyter as the person to whom this conference is intended Can Presbytery of it self create a Ministery Scripture doth not affirm it will Antiquity avouch it I doubt not or without doubt it will nor Epiphanius saith that Aerius the Arian was the first which gave Presbyters power to ordain Ministers but saith he this cannot be for the order of Bishops doth beget Fathers to the Church but Presbyters do but onely beget Chidren by the laver of regeneration and not Fathers or Doctours Episcoporum enim ordo Patres generat Ecclesiae Presbyterorum vero non potens generare patres per lavaâ—cri regenerationem generat filios Ecclesiae non tamen Patres aut Doctores Et quomodo posâ—ibile erat Presbyterum constituere non habentem manuum impositionem aequalem Episcopo Epiphan Haer. 75. how is it then possible that a Presbyter which hath not the power of imposition of hands should be equal to a Bishop Oecumenius in c. 5.1 ad Tim. saith that where Saint Paul commandeth Timothy to lay hands rashly on no man he treateth of imposing hands because he wrote to a Bishop as if it were peculiar to him Saint Chrysostome saith that onely in laying on hands Bishops go beyond Presbyters and have that onely thingmore then the Presbyter Chrysostom Hom. in c. v. 1. ad Tim. Saint Jerome saith the self same in his Epistle to Evagrius The Councel of Antioch saith that the Bishop shall have power within his own Diocess to ordain Presbyters and Deacons C. Antioch can 2. The Councel of Nice saith the Ministers of the Paulianists must receive imposition of hands from the Bishop of the Catholick Church C. Nicen. c. 19. And is there not reason for this when Bishops are the direct Successours of Apostles for if Christ said that I will be with you to the end of the World Matthew xxviii 20. the Apostles being dead where is Christ's perpetual Providence if there be not a perpetual succession the Ministery in General cannot prove this for the Apostle's were superiour to the seventy Disciples so there must be some to represent the Apostles which must be superiour to other Ministers and that the Bishops are those persons it may appear because they have often the honourable title of Apostles James the Bishop of Jerusalem who was not James the son of Zebedee for he was one of the twelve Apostles but James the Just who is usually called the brother of the Lord being no immediate Apostle but a Bishop Com. in Es for his very office sake is called an Apostle 1 Gal. xix and by Saint Jerome called the thirteenth Apostle Theodor. in 1 Tim. 3.1 Theodoret doth call Timothy the Bishop of Ephesus an Apostle Ruffin de adult lib. Orig. Clemens is said by Ruffin to be almost an Apostle and by Clemens Alexandrinus he is expressly called Clement the Apostle Ignatius by Saint Chrys encom Ignat. is stiled both Bishop and Apostle Rab. Ms in Tim 4. Rabanus Maurus saith that Bishops ruled whole Provinces being call Apostles Theodor. in 1 Tim. 3. And Theodoret saith that those which they now call Bishops they did formerly name Apostles I know it is Objected that the Apostolical Order being extroardinary it is not perpetual but that is not so for the calling of Aaron was extraordinary at first yet it was perpetuated in the succession so likewise the calling of the Apostles for though it be not perpetual in respect of that which was extraordinary as the gift of tongues healing and discerning of Spirits yet it is in respect of the ordinary offices else I cannot see how any Minister could at this day Preach or administer the Sacraments For as inferiour Ministers do derive from the Apostles the use of Preaching and Sacraments so do Bishops both these and Jurisdiction and the power of Discipline But it will be said that a Presbyter and a Bishop in Scripture is all one and so a Presbyter hath as much power in the Church both for ordaining and exteriour regiment as the best Bishop parcius istis Credat Judaeus Apella If it were so I am but a Presbyter and no Bishop and would faine be at work next to the creating of a race of Penitents I would be creating a race of Preachers and next to wrastling with Principalities and Powers would be delivering up men to Sathan I do not know but my heart might be as Ambitious and my hands as Pragmatical and my tongue as Devouring as any others but I read that we must not stretch our selves beyond our line nor be many Masters lest we receive the greater condemnation James iii. 1. The Lord will be sanctified in them that come near Him Levit. x. 3. No man must take this Office upon him but he that was called as Aaron was Heb. v. 4. I finde no calling for these things therefore I have no comfort in them nor courage towards them Pride is odious in a Lay-man it is execrable in a Clergy-man all men must
His People a Fortunate Prince the whole STATE fares the better for Him His Virtues purifie his own Heart and bless a Nation Aug. lib. 1. Confes cap. 11. Nescit virtus mensuram sed vult Cumulare Virtue doth know no measure but it heaps up Welfare This is the Latitude of success that doth come by a good Prince's Reign The best Omen to a State is to have such an one placed in Authority for what can a People desire more then to be generally happy Liv. Decad. 4. lib. 6. Communis utilitas est societatis maximum vinculum Common Profit is the greatest Bond of Society Raul in 4. Serm. Parva vasa contemnuntur Little empty Vessels which hold but a small quantity are contemned but every one love those Vessels which are brim-full of State-Privileges A good King doth desire to exceed all his Predecessours in Princely Favours and to write a fairer Hand then all his Predecessours in Royal Bounty Thus He doth sign His Grants or if ye will this is his court-Court-Hand He would have none to match him in these Throne-Characters as Philip told Philo the Theban Plut. Apoph Nunquam beneficiis victus fuissem I never knew my self overcome in Benefits Taxiles the King of India thought this to be a Prince's Emulation and Ambition to out-vy all his Fellow-Rulers in Courtesie Q. Curtius Si sis me inferior accipe beneficium Si sis me superior redde beneficium If thou be'st Inferiour to me take a benefit if thou be'st Superiour to me bestow a benefit As if Superiours must be beneficial with an Eminency for this is to imitate God who being the Objective Perfection of all he doth account them to come nighest to him who do give the most compleat Perfection or to the most that being the truest good which is most communicative where there is not onely the greatest inherence of Goodness but the most influence He is the Conspicuous Prince which is a Derivative Prince which doth not keep all his Perfections to himself but his People have them by Redundancy That King doth make good his Institution for wherefore is a King Ordained but in commune bonum for the common good These worthy Rulers therefore have their Authority reach as far as their Dominion and the Fruits of their Prudence as the Extents of their Dominions They are National Triumphs Common-Wealth Rhapsodies the effect of their prudent Government doth gladden a whole State But by a man of Vnderstanding and Knowledge the state thereof Application I. First this doth shew That that Kingdom is stript of her Ornaments which is deprived of the State thereof For what is a Kingdom without State when it doth want either Power to defend it self or free execution of Justice for every one to enjoy his Propriety or degrees of Honour to make a distinction betwixt Noble and Ignoble or liberty of Traffick whereby the Wealth and Dignity of a Nation might be preserved No a Kingdom thus abased is like unto a Vessel wherein is no pleasure Jer. 48.38 like an Oak whose Leafe fadeth Es 2.30 like a Lamp put out in obscure darkness Prov. 20.20 like choice Beauties which have Dung spread upon their Faces Mal. 2. â— Such are said to have their Horn cut off their Heels made bare broken from being a People the Worm is spread upon them and the Line of Confusion stretched over them Athen. Deonis lib. 6. cap. 7. they are like the Chians which once lived in all manner of Liberty and afterwards had their Hands bound by their own Servants There is nothing of Honour in that Nation but there is onely the Bran Parings Fragments Cinders Snuffs Tatters Fins and Skins of their former Dignity And were not we lately brought unto this disaster Was not this all the Glory of the Nation Were not our hands bound by our own Countrey-men and by many the meanest and contemptiblest of the Nation Were we secure in the safest place of the Land No we were much like Aristotle Plut. who durst not stay at Athens lest they which had killed Socrates should kill him also What Stumps of the English Glory were there then to be seen No we were much like the State of Rome Sigon lib. 14. Occid Imp. that when Odoacer had conquered Augustulus it is said that All Imperial Dignity ceased What Power had we to defend our selves when we were so disarmed that we had not a Weapon to preserve our Lives but were in danger to have our Throats cut by every braving Enemy What free execution of Justice was there when the Tribunals were filled with such Judges that there was little Right to be had but for the Saints of the Cause What Degrees of Honour were there when every Mechanick would insult upon a Noble as if he were the better Peer What Liberty of Traffic when Artificers were driven to those Exigents that they were ready to turn Vagabonds Not a Meeting there could be but it was suspected to be a Conspiracie Not a Conference but a Spy was at hand to take Notes of the Discourse Those which were not slain in the Field were thrust into Gaols The Land after it was Plundered in despight of all Articles Covenants and an Act of Oblivion was Decimated Was not the best Cap of Maintainance a Steel-Bonnet and the best Robe of Honour a Buff-Coat What was there to be seen in the Nation but Warrants and Examinations Committees and High-Courts of Justice Chains and Gibbets Friends durst scarcely salute one another Every one was amazed at his Neighbour We durst not complain openly of our Oppressions No we were so danted that like the enslaved Subjects of Dionysius the Tyrant we durst scarcely groan concerning them Our Birth-Rights were taken away and yet we were commanded to reckon from the first Year of The English Liberty restored We were Slaves and yet we must call our selves the Free-born People of England Nothing but Schisms and Heresies in the Church and yet we must stile our selves the most Refined and Reformed Protestants Nothing but Designs to ruine Churches and Vniversities and to Sequester and Silence the most accomplished Teachers of the Land and yet people must be taught to cry up this Age as the Blessed Season for the Propagation of the GOSPEL Oh! sorrows that We might yet feel with Convulsion-Fits Oh! miseries that We might yet think on with an Agony Where was then the Majesty of the NATION Where was the STATE No This was rather a Stitch then State a Fate then a State Oh! Sin not against GOD to drive him once more to take down the Rod. Revive not your old Errours lest ye renew your old Judgments Consider what Corruptions ye have mortified what Abominations ye have taken away from the sight of GOD's jealous Eyes Recount with your selves whether the late Potion hath throughly purged you whether it hath cleansed your Members from Vncleanness your Throats from Riots your Lips from Blasphemies your Hands from
readier passage for them to break in amongst us then by your old corruptions If we would preserve the Man of understanding and knowledge can there be a surer means of prevention of misery then by taking the right Antidote against Transgression For can Transgression be prolonged and the State prolonged no Contraries do expel each other If the distemper be continued the disease may renew Our incorrigible sins may endanger your Majesties Royal person and shed your Royal bloud I do not fear so much the Malecontents at home or the Machivilians abroad as these Miscreants of impiety and impenitency Some call their selves your Majesties good Subjects some your best Subjects I would they would try their degrees of comparison by a superiority of repentance Repentance what should we repent of Some think onely of carnal sins but carnal sins are onely greater for turpitude and infamy Tho. Aq. 12 q. 72â— art but spiritual sins are the most hainous for deordination and irregularity and that in respect of subject object and motive Well both the black and the white Devil had need to be dispossessed Your Majesty therefore did wisely to publish your pious Proclamation to call home all to a religious life I call it a pious Proclamation because if men had listened to it they might have been made not onely happy but holy under you A divine sentence was in the lips of the King when that was sent through the whole Nation it is a rare thing to hear a King upon the Throne to teach all the Kingdome virtue such a King may be sirnamed Ecclesiastes such a motion is able to sanctifie a Land especially when it is not onely mandatory but exemplary edged with as much piety as authority whereby all your people might ascribe to you your attributes of Gratious Soveraign and Sacred Majesty Your Majesty have done your part freed your own soul and endeavoured to cleanse ours But I beseech you my dear and dread Soveraign what operation have you found by that Masterpiece of your government how many Royal Converts have you to rejoyce in If you have I will say that Majesty doth carry some Soveraignty with it and that your Crown is not more glorious then your Scepter awfull you are then a potent King and have true loyal Subjects then all Nations will flock hither more to see your virtue your efficacious virtue then ever they did to hear the wisdome of Solomon and say that here do dwell the people of holinesse and that you do reign in a Kindome of Saints which is not onely your proper Territory but your proper Sanctuary a Temple which you have consecrated by your own graces yea then as Cyprus was once called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the happy Island Knolles Turk hist so we shall be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the religious Island Doth your Majesty find by experience that your physick hath wrought and that your Patient hath voided his ill humours is your Court purged is your Land cleansed hath the Goddammee-Blade filed his blaspheming tongue hath the riotous Carowser left drowning himself upon dry land hath Felix given over his groping for bribes hath Shebah laid down his trumpet have the Monichangers pulled down their Tables what are all rough places made plain and crooked things made streight Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth be brought forth in one day or a Nation be born at once Es 66.8 Oh regenerating King then Oh converting Proclamation If men be thus really renewed it is pity that they should be reproached with any of their former errours for none but a sordid spirit will gather up that filth which repentance hath washed away When the bond is cancelled the former debts are no more to be required the reformed man is no more to be called a scandalous person for then what comfort should any man have in his change or in striking the mortifying nail into his brest it is as great a sin to censure a Penitent as to flatter a Libertine Repentance doth give the exequies to all former crimes mortified crimes are to be buried aswell as dead corpses There are none but Necromancers which will call up the spirits of the deceased to work their Magicall ends withall there are none but ravenous dogs which will satisfie their greedy appetites with such Carrion for what can God or man require more of the greatest Sinner then reformation Were it unpriestly unchristian unmanly in me to call any man Rebel who is become a Loyal Subject or him an Heretick or Schismatick who is turned Orthodox in doctrine and discipline then how ungodly and inhumane is it in any to call them profane who have declared themselves Converts Mary Magdalen Peter and Paul would never have been called Saints by these spiritual Murtherers of reformation but repentance hath so rinsed a Penitent that he is never after to be called filthy Pâ—nitentia revocat omnes defectus restituendo hominem in pristinam gratiam Dignitas amissa per peccatum restauratur per poenitentiam Aquin. 3. q. 9. art 3. for it is an expulsion of all former defects and a restitution into a state of grace The dignity that was lost by sin is restored by repentance If your Majesty therefore doth meet with such esteem them and embrace them prize them and prefer them they are the lustres of your Nation and the Supporters of your Throne But I doubt that your Majesty upon due search can find few of these Proclamation-men they may read and magnifie but not loath and cleanse That Witch of Religion I am afraid did more good with his redhot iron then you can do with your Imperial Edict They which make a foul shew in the flesh and they which make a fair shew in the flesh they whose course is wholly sinne and they whose cause is wholly sinne antiquum obtinent Now are these likely to fortifie your Title or to establish your greatnesse no God send you better Champions three righteous Saints were better then Myriads of such Heroes they may have the brawny arms of Giants but they have no good sinews their sins will never suffer them to fight with a conquering hand If they will not expresse their selves truely vertuous how do they reverence your person or cordially desire your preservation no they do but live under you to confirm their interests and in effect care not whether you live or die prosper or perish if they did they would shun those transgressions which they know will cause the bloud-draught of Princes If they will not wash I will go to the Laver my self and endeavour to cleanse my self and as many as I can that there may be a race of your Proclamation-births to guard your Royal Person in all exigents Thus beseeching your Sacred Majesty to cast your benign Princely eye upon these unpolished Sermons which are principally intended to second your Proclamation blessing God Almighty that he hath restored
shall be to preserve our dear Country and to support Monarchie we have been scourges to the Land we will be Targets we have been Batterers we will be Bulwarks wee have been Butchers we will be Foster-fathers we have been Depopulators we will be Patriots have we a King again we will acknowledge him to be a King honour him as a King give him reverence give him his right blesse his name preserve his person fear his power submit to his Lawes admire his virtues give him fealty give him tribute give him our hearts pray for him fight for him live and dye for him we will have nothing but a King in our eyes and our lips we shall rejoice to see him great and we will endeavour to make him illustrious our studies shall be for him our songs shall be of him and our satisfactions shall be in him As a penitent thinks he can never do enough for his God so a State-convert thinks he can never do enough for his King he was never so much for his own State as he will now be for Majesty Thus if these many Princes can but have their eyes opened they will have their hearts changed they were never so destructive to their Countrey as they will be beneficial they were never so treacherous to their King as they will be his trusty and true hearted Leigemen Every way they will make compensation for injuries satisfaction for demerits and reparation for former disobedience Thus now then I have handled the sad disease a sad disease indeed for wo to that Land that is sick of many Princes we may think that there hath been transgression enough in the Land when this Iudgement doth enter the Land we then which have been thus visited it is fit for us to think of the peccant humour it is meet for us to take notice of it and to have our hearts ake with it as it hath made the Land to ake that we might feel as much of our transgression as we have felt of the many Princes We cannot justifie our selves for our plea of innocency is taken from us if we had been a righteous people we should have been an happy people but we have been a wicked people for we have been made a miserable people we have suffered as Malefactors been punished as the most grievous sinners we have exceeded the nature of transgressours for vengeance hath been more heavy upon us then upon other transgressours War hath been in other Nations but not such a War Iudgement hath been in other Lands but not such a Iudgement they have had many distractions many confusions but we have had many Governments many Princes Is it not time then to lay our sins to heart yes and it is expedient and necessary that they should gripe our hearts fore will we still talke of the holy merrinthe Nation the praying weeping cleansing people that are amongst us no let us speak sparingly of them for though I believe that there are many Saints in the Land yet I see that the sinners do out-number the Saint the indevotion of the one doth exceed the Prayers of the other and the remorslesnesse of the one the tears of the other the sensuality of the one the sanctity of the other The sinners are more numerous for they were more forcible to bring in Iudgement then the Saints were to prevent it our Armour might be Saint-bright but it was not temper'd enough for defence it was not Saint-proof Gods Arrow shot through our Target Gods Poll-axe beat through our Head-piece for all our Saints we were judged like sinners Job Noah Daniel could doe us no good we had so few Saints that we had the many Princes Oh therefore if it be possible let us destroy sin however let us diminish it that if God come to correct us again he may but chastise us with the rod of men and not lay the iron rod upon us let us not so trespasse as to sin a King out of his Throne for assure your selves that a Land cannot have a greater Iudgement inflicted upon it from heaven then for the height of transgression in it to be deprived of the lawfull Prince and in his stead to be punished with many Princes For the transgression of the Land many are the Princes thereof c. PART III. Now let us come to the happy Cure But by a man of understanding and knowledge the State thereof shall be prolonged In which words observe these parts 1. An hope of recovery But. 2. The rare Physician a man by a man 3. His singular compound understanding and knowledge 4. The Patient that is to have the benefit of the Physick the State the State thereof 5. The lastingnesse of the cure shall be prolonged First For the hope of recovery But. From hence observe that misery is not incurable For the transsgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof But that is a change may come these many Princes may have their last day dawn their imperious reign may cease there may not be one of these new-made self-made time-made vote-made art-made sword-made insolent fuming fukeblown fleerblown lyblown flyblown Antick Phantastick Princes to shew an head these Many Princes had their many vicissitudes theirmany State Princes State pranks But. To that trials have their prefixed limit's the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous Psal 125.3 The Aegyptians whom ye have seen this day ye shall never see again Exod. 14.3 Oh! what great troubles and adversities didst thou shew me yet didst thou turn and refresh me Psal 17.18 Bread Corn when it is threshed he doth not alwayes tresh neither doth the wheele of his Cart still make a noise Esai 28.28 I will restore health unto thee and I will heale thee of thy wounds because they called thee the castaway saying This is Sion whom no man seeketh after Ier. 30.17 After two days he will revive us and the third day be will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hos 6.3 Though they be quiet and also many yet thus shall they be cut off when he shall passe by I will afflict thee no more For now will I breake his yoke and will burst his bonds in sunder Nahum 1.12,13 It shall come to passe as ye were a curse amongst the Heathen oh house of Iudah and house of Israel so will I deliver you and ye shall be a blessing fear not but let your hands be strong For thus saith the Lord of Hosts as I thought to punish you when your Fathers provoked me to wrath and repented not So again have I determined in these dayes to do well unto the house of Ierusalem and the house of Iudah fear ye not Zach. 8.13,14,15 So that there is a time for all things a time to slay and a time to heal a time to break down and a time to build up a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance
Heraclius and having his hands feet shoulders and privities cut off was at last deservedly beheaded What should I speak more of Belisarius Bomilcar Calippus Cleander Orgefforix Procopius Gildo Stilico Felicianus Zaacius Murziphilus Massaeus Bujamundus Theupolus Marinus Falerius and a thousand others which got great estates by tyranny and lost them with terrour How do ill gotten goods melt out of the hands of the Possessors How many are torne in pieces by their own Blood-hounds Oh that they would hear this observe this lay this to heart which care not how they pile up means and beget a breed of riches out of the womb of a Concubine cheats being as good to them as lawful gaines and slippery devices as the just Fruits of their Callings How few can look upon their means with a comfortable eye or bless Divine Providence as the Root of their florishing Estates VVhat think you of them which have advanced themselves by the short Yard-VVand and the scant measure by varnishing and glozing mingling and sophisticating by blowing and stretching by the narrow Slay and the deep Toll-dish by decoying and trappanning by pimping and pandoring by broken Titles and False Witnesses by suborning and sycophantizing by insinuating lies and insnaring oathes by breach of Promises and breach of Covenants by Usury Forgery Perjury Bribery biting Prices griping Fees Simony and Sacriledge oh the sordid spirits that many men have to raise Fortunes men of high parts and lofty preferments insatiable and imprudent in wresting in advantage not only we cannot eat drink or wear any thing but there is cheating and cousenage in it but not an Office can be procured nor a Sentence at Law obtained but men know the prices of them to purpose both Court and Courts of Justice have a sad complaint concerning them I blush and bleed at what I hear and men feel Oh that men of admired wisdom should be so blinde about cursed gain That men that can talk in the highest accent about Religion should be so anomolous in matters of Equity I particularise none and it doth trouble me that so many should know their names yea it doth grieve me that under a gracious Saviour there should be so little Conscience and under a pure Prince so much corruption The Brokers-shops and the very Stews are scarse more infamous yea God grant that Publicans and Harlots do not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Do Heathens and Infidels onely commit such things no Et Roma habet suum Hannibalem as Hannibal said of Fabius Rome hath her Hannibal so the Reformed Church hath her rapacious crew the whole World is full of little else as Saint Anthony dreamt but snares and gins Yet these men are under my Prayers and my soul doth weep for them in secret for they cannot but be convinced of the erroneousness of their actions and so I trust there is some hope of their conversions But there are a generation of men which seem to be twofold more the children of Hell and I am not certain whether Prayers or Tears will do them any good a man would almost think they were past conviction and shame they have gotten estates injuriously and justifie the possession of them insolently they hold them as good as birth-rights and no gains of a lawful Trade seem to be more comfortable As Naboths Vineyard was as good Freehold to Ahab as his Crown-land and Achans Babylonish Garment and Golden Wedge was as good purchase as his Fathers Carmies Tapestry or the best Jewel in his keeping so what these men have gotten by the lurch booty is as lawful Revenue as a Patrimony It is no matter how they came by it so long as they have fingered it What say you to them which have risen from being but Handicrafts men to be now râ—ght good Gentlemen and from Mechanâ—cks to shoulder it with Peers and Potentates and how by Wastes and Spoyles Rents and Ruines Depradations and Depopulations Free-plunder and Free quarter Tears and Blood which have broken up Houses and rifled Families adorned their rooms with other mens hangings and decked their new Ladies with the old Ladies Jewels which felled down Woods after they had felled down Men and sold Beasts out of the Pastures after they had imprisoned the Owners in Dungeons like Beasts which entered inheritances by the beat of the Drum and fetched home revenewes by the swords point Soldiers of forcune indeed which fought for halfe Crownes and whole Crownes too which lived upon Sequestred Meanes Delinquents Estates Kings-land and Church-land men that studied a new Art as famous as Baltazars Academy very liberal Sciences they proved to them or if ye will set up a new Merchandise created a new Corporation Freemen of the politicks which trade in Goldsmiths Hall Haberdashers Hall Camden House Darby House Worcester House Somerset House the pirilous Court of Indempnity the pernicious high Court of Justice which have been Messengers Informers Flies Spies Committeemen Excisemen Keepers of Jayles Keepers of Liberties any vocation to thrive and get commodity by And yet these men tell the world that they are neither Jewes nor Mores for they have Bibles in their hands and cry aloud to have the Lord Jesus set upon his Throne Well what shall I say that these are inspired stilts for Religion to walk upon or hallowed nets to catch erring soules no neat inventions to crutch up broken fortunes or holy frauds to baite angles with to hook up silly fish But can these men perswade themselves that goods so gotten have in them any good cement to uphold a building Truly I should have thought that if I hâ—d been Officer or Commander Chafferer or Chaplain under such a State that I should have exposed my good name to infamy my conscience to the Furies and my Estate to be torne in peeces by the Bandogs Is there no lightning in the sky to blast such unjust gaines are there no Thunderbolts in Heaven to strike down such loftly Turrets built up with Rapine a man would think thâ—t the cries and curses of the poor were enough to demolish and dismantle such structures Howsoever if God be the God of recompenses he will render to them in time all their wickedness and take vengeance of them sevenfold Though the good Prince or the great Council may pardon them yet I doubt whether the just God will cover their iniquity and wash away their blood They know who was their Protectour in all their violences and who it was which gave them Commission to prey upon an innocent people but where is now the rage of the Oppressour Es 51.13 Where is the Lyons dwelling and the pasture of the Lyons whelpes where the Lyon and the Lyoness walked and the Lyons whelpe and none made him afraid The Lyon did teare in peeces for his whelpes and worried for his Lyoness and filled his holes with prey and his dennes with spoyle Nahum 2.11.12 Is your Protector yet living and with his Vulcans face and Hercules club able
of the dungeon hath freedome no trances no extasies yes Let us praise the Lord who hath remembered us in our base estate for his mercy endureth fâ—r ever And hath rescued us from our Oppressours for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136.23,24 What people once more miserable what people now more happy magnifie your God and kisse his present extol his mercy and be ravished with his Man We have had enough of the Many men here is the one and the Onely Man we have had enough of the intruding men here is the interessed man we have had enough of the self ended man here is the genraell-ended man the right republike man the true and great Statesman a Man that doth mind nothing but the common good that doth preferre the welfare of the Nation before the splendor of his owne palace a Man that is naturally ours a man that is cordially ours a Man that is wholy ours the Man of the Kingdom the Man for the Kingdome a Brittish man the Brittish glory what would ye expect in man that is not to be found in this Man what would ye desire in man that is not eminently in this Man I am unwilling to call him Man doubtlesse he is celestiall or let him be Man but withall call him Mirrour A Prince of constellations a Prince of the Sunne a Prince that hath in him the influence of the third heavens yea I might say the inspiration of Gods own brest the Prince of Gods right eye and Gods right hand Blessed Prince that enjoys such a God happie Land that enjoys such a Prince Since the Foundations of the earth all things considered when were there so many mercies and miracles shewn in one Prince I admire them and almost adore them sure I am I may God for them This Age hath the fruit of them after ages will have the bruit of them that we had judgement enough to prize them or thankfulnesse enough to honour them Oh that this should be the Prince that God in the sight of the whole world would Crown with his own right Hand That this should be the Land where such a Darling of Heaven should raign To speak much of him is but his desert to speak all of him is beyond my All. It had need be some Appelles that should draw this Picture or some Thamiris the sonne of Philammon whose songs were said to be composed by all the Muses which should be the Precentor in this Dittie Yet thus much I can and will say of him and that not only for to shew my Princes honour but the peoples happinesse that his birth is Royal and blessed art thou Oh Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles Now where is there a Prince in Christendom which can derive such an ancient Linage Secondly That his puissance is proved and approved his valour being the fame of all Nations Thirdly That his patience is renowned he having shewn himself the suffering Anvile both of necessities and indignities What should I speak of more his Temperance is an Example and his clemencie is beyond Example Should I set out his other perfections and break a string in the expressing of them some Grashopper or other would be so kind as to leap upon my Instrument and sing out that which I might be defective in Strabo l. 6. as it happened to Eunomus when he contended with Ariston For his Eminencies are so well known that they are the daily speech of the vulgar To abridge therefore much that might be spoken I shall only give him the just praise of my Text and say that whatsoever a rare Man he be in other things he is a proper Man I mean a proper man to cure a Diseased and perishing State for he is a Man of Understanding and Knowledge Briefly to descant upon both these First He is a Man of Understanding in heavenly things he will own no Faith but that which is inspired nor no Worship but that which is Primitive nor no Ministry but that which is Apostolical nor no conversation but that which is unblemished He doth desire a bright Church more then a glorious Court Secondly He is a Man of Knowledge in temporal things He that in his greatest extremities beyond-Sea hath wronged none but hath preserved the honour of his justice will not come come home to his own to feed upon his peoples Birthrights there is nothing in him that doth seem like a claw For matters of Judicature the Administration of Justice is like to be as free under him as the light of Heaven for as he hath the ablest Judges so he will make them the faithfullest he that caâ—…ies such an eye over his Bishops will likewise watch over his Judges that there may be no remissnesse partiality nor corruption in them He doth set up his Royal Standard to the whole Nation and if those which were entrusted by him do not weigh out justice to his people he will as soon punish a Judge as a Judge should a Malefactour or an Oppressour howsoever if any thing should escape that way for want of his priviâ—y it shall be the sinne of the Judges and not of the Prince For the advancement of the welfare of the Nation ye need not doubt it for as he is a King so his Kingdom doth lye close under his Eyelâ—…â—…ea it is deeply engraven into the bottom or â—his 〈◊〉 the benefit of his people being as dear to him 〈◊〉 the Râ—… of his Crown-land His Presence hath â—…ken aâ—…ly 〈◊〉 hindrances to obstruct Trade and His Princely care shall be to add all furtherances that all Callings both by Sea and Land may prosper for he is very sensible that his Subjects stock is his Bank it being impossible if there be not the height of tenaciousnesse and ingratitude that there can be a wanting Prince where there is a flourishing people In point of knowledge I do fear him but in one thing and that it the first the preserving of his own Rites but that he will not fail in for want of Knowledge but through abundance of good nature for I hear that he hath a heart so great and an hand so liberal that he will give Royalties to expresse Bounty but this perhaps may be but a particular mans fear my wise Prince in time may prove as great an Husband of his Rights as others would have him a boundlesse Distributer But if this should be his errour it were but his own injurie and an exuberancy of an heroical and magnificent Spirit Thus then I have now shewn you what your Prince is and it is fit for every one to know the worth of his own Jewel to honour a Prince is a part of loyaltie Give honour to whom honour belongeth Fear God and honour the King Honour me before the people said Saul and Samuel did not refuse it To ascribe more to a King then is due is flattery to substract from a King what he doth deserve is Felony And as there may be many Parasites so I doubt there are a great company of Crown-plunderers What I have uttered I intend rather for an Alarum-bel then a Trumpet for an Incentive then a Panegyrick to quicken your thankfulnesse then to decipher my Princes perfections and this I think is both duty and conscience If he be such a Prince then affect him admire him value him reverence him Think whit a miserie ye had what a blessing ye have oh strange alteration Oh blessed change Have ye a King and such a King then do nothing to diminish his Worth to disturbe his Government to prejudice his Rights to injurie his person Malicious is that eye which coth look upon him with spight Venomous is that heart which doth envie his Government and cursed is that hand that would assault his person Would any one throw down that dish by which he should be fed Pluck out that eye by which he should see Bruise that foot by which be should walk Clip out that Tongue by which he should speak Stamp under foot that evidence by which he should inherit Rend in pieces that Garment wherewith he should be cloathed Burn that house wherein he should dwell abase scorn scandall maligne mischieve murther that King that should make him happie both for bodie and soule Is this the subjection to a King Is this the obedience to a Man of Understandidg and Knowledge God deliver us from such loyal Subjects here is horrid Allegiance I beseech you therefore by the remembrance of the Many Princes ye have had and of the one Prince ye have by the men of violent spirits and politick heads and by the Man of Understanding and Knowledge by your former slaverie and your present libertie by your Kings Right and your Kings Graces by your Countrymens welfare and your Enemies watchfulnesse by the honour of obedience and the shame of Rebellion by the names of Subjects and the Noblenesse of Saints by the obligation of Oathes and the commination of Gods Lawes by the impartial Judges which ye feel in your own bosomes and the incorrupt Judge which ye will meet with at the Throne by the fruit ye desire under the Ministery and by the comforts you expect upon your death-beds that laying aside all jealousies irefull passages exasperated passions humours and tumours motions and commotions ye do bow before such a King and blesse God for such a Man Know his just Claim and acknowledge his Perfections pray for his prosperous Raign and do what ye can to preserve his precious and sacred Person so may the King have safety thy Kingdom prosperity Religion Honour the Church Unity the Gospel propagation Faith Purity the Nation may be preserved the State may be prolonged and Upon all the Glory there may be a Defence All which God grant for his mercies sake Amen Amen FINIS
into a dry skin and travayl thy self into a Cripple that dost think that thy warded hands shall fetch in an estate and that thy sur-beaten feet shall stamp up a fortune Alas thou art in a Frensy troubled with the Simples yea thou art out of thy wits for not onely he that maketh hast to be rich shall not be innocent Prov. 28,20 but he that with an evil eye maketh hast to be rich shall come to poverty Pro. 28.22 Poverty Not power but poverty not plenty but poverty goodly industry that bring nothing but poverty with it a very Nonsence might shew as much wit for here is hast to hindrance hast to heaviness hast to hurt hast to hardship sure I am more hast then good speed more hast then happinss for the man doth make hast to be rich and he doth make hast to be a begger Either hee himselfe shall end his dayes in a Clinke or become a Parish Charge or his heir shall turn vagabond or dy in an Hospital Therefore travail not too much to be rich but cease from thy wisdome Proverbs 23. thy bruitish wisdome which thou mightest have learned of crafty Wolves and subtill Foxes all the beasts of prey have such ripe heads every Borough and Den could have taught thee this skill What now then is the Gather-good the standing stable rich man Can plotting and projecting pushing and pinching ever perpetuate meanes No God doth devide such Ho he that coveteth an evil covetousness to his own house to set his nest on high to escape from the power of evil he hath consulted shame to his own house Habakkuck 2.9.10 Not same but shame shame Yea shattering for the stone out of the wall shall cry and the beame out of the timber shall answer it Wo unto him c. Habakkuck 2.11,12 the stones of his own walls shall yell down his greatness and the beams of his own timber shall rattle down his house he shall fall with a shrike and come down with a vengeance a Wo and how can it be otherwise for will God ever suffer men to sacrifice to their own yarne when they have fished in estates or kiss their own hands when they have catched meanes No he will make them sacrifice to the true Deity and kiss the right hand or else he will spred the dung of their sacrifices upon their faces and beat their kissing lippes black and blew for making Numens of their rotten yarne and their filthy fingers their rich gayns shall never prosper for God will blow upon them what they have gotten shall be put into a broken bag their wealth shall melt away like the fat of Lambs though there be no end of their travaile yet there shall be no fruit of their travaile though with timely labour and broken nights rests and many a parsimonious meal they have forced in a livelyhood yet all shall be in vain It is in vain to rise early and to go to bed late and to eat the bread of carefulness Psal 127.2 In vain Then why do they not call their selves vain Wizards for do not Sooth-sayers much after this manner is it not a kind of conjuring up estates and fetching in maintenance by familiar Spirits Are not the arts of Worldlings next to the black art There is little of God in them and I am afraid too much of the Devil though they do not consult or compact with him yet their works are the works of darkness and they have the depths of Sathan they are malefici Now will not all these Magicians end miserable Creatures and all these Witches worse then the white Witches end needy wretches Yes ye shall see them stand with stamping feet and staring eyes to see their goods wither away like the grass upon the house toppe and their riches take them wings and fly away Oh pains mis-imployed Oh time mispent Assure your selves whatsoever heads they have gathered together for the present they shall not purse up much at the last reckoning Have ye not presidents of this yes dismaying examples Adonibezek which for a time cut off Thumbs and Tooes to get means at last eat his bread like a Dog under the table Shehnah the great Treâ—surer Esa 22. who hâ—d crept into Court and thrust Eliakim out of his place and by cunning artifices had raised himself to an height of greatness insomuch that he rode in his Chariots of glory yet at last he was driven from his station and saw Eliakim clothed with his own garments and he himself was sent to wander in a foreign land and to roll and turn like a ball in a strange Countrey Zimri that by subtile policies was come to an high degree of command for he was Captain of half the Chariots of the Kingdom by which means he deposed and destroyed his own Prince yet had Zimiri peace which slew his Master No he reigned but seven days and at last burnt himself Haman that was the wonder of his age the Darling at Court who had the Kings ear and the Kings seal at command yet at last he had his face covered his goods were confiscated and he himself ended his life upon a Gibbet Cic. l. de divi Accius Navius which had gotten infinite wealth under Tarquinius Priscus yet at last he came to be so poor that he fed Swine Pont. l. 2. c. 5. de fort domest P. Scipio after all his pomp died so poor that he had not money enough to defray his funeral charges Bons l. 10. c. 3. Telephus the great Soldier and waster of Countries at last had not stock enough to buy himself necessaries but went up and down the streets with a Basket begging relief Nero that had the most sumptuous Palace which ever was beheld which was called the Golden House yet at last he was adjudged by the Senate to whipped to death Sueton. and flying from his Court he could get nothing to eat but black bread nor nothing to drink but puddle water and having neither friend nor enemy to dispatch him trying the points of two Poniards at last he was his own fatal Executioner Sejanus that was the great Favourite of Tiberius Zonarus and under him ruled all for a while throughout the Empire yet at last he had his head strook off and when his body had layn three days unburied it was cast into the Tybur Attalus which had committed horrible outrages in Africk Cuspinian and gained great spoil being taken had his right hand strook off by Honorius and his left hand by Constantius and after he had been exposed many dayes as a publike Spectacle of scorn and horror at last he died ignominiously Cedrenus Phocas having by art and treachery seized upon the Palace of his good Master Mauricius and killed his wife and children before his eyes and afterwards in a most barbarous manner murthered him flowing in all the delights and pleasures for a time which such a vast Empire could afford him was at last taken by