according to his most just and holy will But there needs no Paraphrase the words speake their owne meaning plainly 3. It is all gathered together and abridged into a short summe Prov. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reigne Princes decree iustice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the earth They are the words of a greater then Solomon the Lord Jesus Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God and they clearely hold forth this truth that All the great men of the earth doe shine in the beames of his Majestie the highest of all exercise authoritie Counsellors of State give advice such as have ashare in the Legislative power make Statutes and Ordinances convenient for the occasions Militarie men manage the Militia the Nobilitie and Gentrie are eminent and usefull in a Kingdome and all that have any hand in the distributing of justice or execution of the law both are and serve in their places in him and by him whether for the land or for correction or mercy as Elihu speakes of the raine Iob 37. 13. But I shall produce no more testimonies of Scripture the rather because this mysterie is not among those deepe things which are hid in God and cannot be discovered otherwise then by revelation for that which may be knowne of God herein is manifest in men for God hath shewed it to them 1. There is a light of it shining in mens minds by nature Whence els was it that the very heathens without God in the world did sacrifice to God make triall by Auguries and consult with the Oracles in all great undertakings and in all difficult and hazardous cases applied themselves to their deities according to their blinde devotions Whence els was it that their Lawgivers pretended to have received all their rules of Government out of some divine hand doubtlesse there was some religion in their superstition and some truth in their very fables Heare one of them speake for all the rest what their faith of this was Flatter we our selves as much as we please yet we have not overcome the Spaniards by number nor the French by strength nor the Carthaginians by craft nor the Greeks by wiles but by Piety and Religion and by this onely wisdome that we have discerned and doe acknowledge that all things are governed by the power of Gods Secondly there is a law of nature concerning it and men shew their workes of that law written in their hearts by an universall abhorrencie of Anarchie and submitting themselves to Authoritie rather Tyranny we say then Anarchy Better live where nothing is lawfull then where every thing neither have there anywhere or at any time beene found such sonnes of 〈◊〉 as have desire to be absolutely without a Ruler among them In the greatest Insurrections and Rebellions nothing more hath beene affected then a change of Government the very Anabaptists themselves erected a government among themselves and made themselves a King Thus the currencie of it through the world sheweth something more then Gods Image and superscription upon it for though possibly the basenesse of some people may have given occasion to some persons to put a yoake upon them or ambition of some Nimrod may have incited him to usurpe Authoritie over others the arts and insinuations of crafty men may have introduced it in some places the pompe and lustre of Magistracie may have set it up in other and the benefit thereof by a benigne and prudent administration of it may have made many willing to beare the burthens of it yet considering what an humour of libertie and Independencie what an itch of being Gods to themselves runs in the corrupt bloud of all man-kinde by nature it is impossible to imagine that all Nations from the beginning nay all men in all their generations should of themselves stoope to government and yeeld it honour and subjection unlesse God were in the judgement It is an Argument like that of the Apostle for the greatnesse of the mysterie of Christ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} without controversie or by universall consent c. Thirdly that diverse kinde or degree of honour which waits upon men in authority according as they use it well or ill speakes something to this purpose Honour goeth alwayes along with Power as the shadow followeth the body but evil men that transgresse in the judgement receive it blended with contempt or hatred or base fear or flattery and with much diminution but such as are good and do good have it cast upon them with love and reverence and abundance of affection Wicked Magistrates and corrupt Officers are worshipped as the devil by the poor Indians that they may not doe them mischief but the just and godly men after Gods own heart are clothed upon with some of the raies of Gods own Majesty Certainly the hearts of men would never after this manner be drawne to or from them that judge in the earth unlesse he that sitteth in the Heavens did judge amongst them more then the needle in the compasse would turn to or from a piece of Iron if it did not act by the vertue of the Loadstone that had toucht it Fourthly this is yet made more manifest as the heat of the Sunn in the reflection by the difference of the spirits of publique persons and private men in the same men in the place of Power and out of that relation Private persons are self centered like clods of the earth and their providence is like that of the Pismire a wise and industrious creature for it self but many times mischievous to the garden or orchard where it is harbored but publique persons are turned into other men and have a publique spirit as Saul when he was anointed to be King and the seventy Elders called to assist Moses to the government I appeal to your selves had you such thoughts such cares such designes your mindes so inclined so resolved so prepared so fixed before you were chosen to be Trusters for your Countries as since you came to sit in Parliament I do not say every man is thus affected the more is the pity but this I say commonly and for the more part there is an affection sutable to the relation And this also sheweth God amongst them Fifthly the raising or sinking the enlarging or straitning of their hearts according to the work of God in hand or about to be done doth as manifestly argue the working of God in them as the unevēnesse of activity in the limbs doth prove the animating and the moving of the body by the soul or the inequality of valour and strength in Shamgar Gideon Samson and other the Iudges and Worthies of old did declare that the Spirit of God came upon them and did move them at times Sixthly there is some further evidence and demonstration of this in the libertie the confidence the peace the triumph the heaven on the one hand and again
stirre up your minds by way of remembrance that the sorrows of a travelling woman are yet upon us and we stay still in the place of the breaking forth of children what ever Balme or Physician there may be amongst us the health of the Nation is not recovered and whether the wound and the bruise be incurable as refusing to be healed God knoweth Though the Lord hath revived his worke of late very miraculously beyond all expectation and from the beginning hitherto hath mingled mercy with judgement yet one cannot fore-see any thing in the signes of the times whereby we may be able to fore-tell the end of the Lord at least as to the season and manner of it The cloud still hangs and gathers rather then wasteth and there is a sound of abundance of wrath it is not an easie thing to discerne whether the Lord will debate with us in the sending forth of the rod or sword and stay the rough wind in the day of the East-wind that is chastise in measure moderate the punishment not coming to a rigorous account but use the severity of a Father not of a Iudge and give us repentance and remission of sinnes or whether he hath decreed a Consumption and will bring an overflowing scourge and his eye not pity nor spare but destroy us til there be no remnant nor escaping Whether he be striving with us as with the old world before the generall Deluge or carrying on his worke as with Israel in the wildernesse preparing a mercy for posteritie after us the meane while resolved to fill all the earth with his glory in the destruction of the present generation that see his wonders yet tempt him daily murmure against him grieve his Spirit and harden their hearts through unbelief or whether he wil yet have mercy upon England and redeeme us through his greatnesse for his owne Names sake If we looke upwards we may see a filthy steame of noysome sinnes going up unto heaven as the smoake over some great Citie and we may behold the hand of the Lord stretched out still if downward the provocation is not abated but multiplied and aggravated we are like the pot whose scumme is in it whose scumme is not gone out of it there is lewdnesse in the filthinesse of the Land Because God hath purged it and it is not purged he hath smitten it and they have not grieved he hath consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and to returne We are growne deafe at the terrours of Gods judgements and sleep under the sparklings of his fury The providences of God are wrested though they be not very hard to be understood and many abuse them as they doe the Scriptures to the destruction of themselves and others the grace of God is received in vaine or rather turned into wantonnesse the yoake of Ceremonies and the tyrannie of Prelacy hath beene removed and it is free to preach and professe according to the Gospel and this libertie is abused to loosenesse profanenesse and insolencie that which is or should be the better part of the Land that pretends to religion and hath the face or name of the Church it is like a piece of ground that hath beene stirred by the Plough and the tils-man doth not follow on to give it more earths in due season it runs out in weeds and baggage or as a field which is driven and the heart of it worne out what ever seed is cast in it returnes nothing but Carlock and such like raffe all manner Sectaries creepe forth and multiplie as frogs and flies and vermine in the Spring and there is variance hatred emulation wrath strife sedition heresies envyings revilings and the like Every where there is mingled a perversenesse of spirit like the Prophets bottles we are filled with drunkennesse and dash one against another lying spirits goe forth to deceive and prevaile and make us mad upon our owne destruction As to the civill warre it is just now as of old in the contention betweene Vitellius and Vespasian where families were divided and brother fought against brother and father against sonne every man cryed out of the unnaturalnesse of the thing but every man went on still to doe it As to the differences and divisions about matters of Religion they are raised and fomented and maintained with great animositie and of boasting of new light and knowledge but with little or no charitie or meeknesse of wisdome they that pretend for conscience sake to separate from our ordinarie assemblies and keepe their distance from their members yet will not be perswaded to divide themselves and stand aside from those routs of Libertines whom they cannot but condemne in their judgements or declare distinctly openly wherin they dissent from them as from others but all meete in one third and militate under one colours most apparently striving for victorie not for truth and driving a designe by party and faction while they would be thought to set up the Kingdome of Christ the meane while they give overt scandall and offence to them that are without and divide the Church and Kingdome within it selfe and as the Congregations of naughty men of old the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Haggarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek they have holpen the common Adversarie and troubled and retarded the Reformation Alas for the day for the distemper and the distraction is great and there wanteth either power or wisdome or will to remedie or suppresse these mischefes and their fautors Now though we can tell where the fault lieth and whence all this evill ariseth as we may sometimes see from what dunghill or low moorish ground the vapour ascends which afterwards becomes a mist a fogge or a cloud and is dissolved in a storme though we see not the influence of heaven in the exhalation yet because by faith we understand that this cometh of the Lord that he may be known by the iudgements which he executeth We must therefore make our peace with God and returne unto the Lord and heare what he speakes by his former Prophets and follow the light and direction of his word if ever we will have helpe and deliverance or be hid in the times of trouble Let us then leave quarelling and judging and censuring one another this is our folly our disease our mischiefe let us look up to God and judge our selves and make hast and delay not to turne our feete into the waies of his Testimonies We have many base feares and cares and projects wherewith we disquiet our selves it were our wisdome and would be our safetie to cease from men and feare the Lord and betake our selves to him While the State is diligent in finding out the troublers of our Israel and bringing delinquents to punishment let us search our owne hearts and lives and make enquiry after our owne iniquities accuse arraigne condemne our selves and cast out the abominable thing
a farre off hearing and seeing imperfectly at a distance nor receiveth information by his Spie and Intelligencer within you though such an one there is but himselfe without any breach of your Priviledges is in your house in your thoughts in your hearts As sure as God is in heaven He is among you yea within you There is no an Act that ye doe not a word that ye speak not a thought that ye think not an aime that ye have not a designe that ye drive but he knows it better then you your selves when he makes inquisition he shall not need search the Parliament rolls look your journall bookes breake open your studies send to search your pockets He himselfe is more in the midst of you and within you every of you then you your own selves If any man among you should have taken the covenant with his lips his heart not consenting should pretend for God and intend for himselfe looke to Westminster and rowe to Oxford give counsell here and intelligence there should cast in any thing to trouble your proceedings retard the reformation or spinne out the Warre c. doth not God know it I beseech you in the feare of God consider this and regard it as the most fixed and resolved truth that ye may not trespasse against God in the judgement either within doors or without God standeth in the assembly of the mighty Secondly There are two or three more folded together in the Text two offer themselves in the translation He iudgeth among the gods First All your Counsells and all your workes move by his influence The whole disposing thereof is of him the guidance and successe of all your actions depend upon the Lord and they are cursed or blessed according to his pleasure looke as they crosse or comply with him so they prosper and so will the issue be There are many dâ—â—â—â—…s in a mans heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand If any man or men consult or goe against God his Church his Cause his Way his Word his Ends they imagin a vain thing disquiet themselves in vain There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsell against the Lord no weapon that is formed against him or his shall prosper They consult shame to themselves and sinne against their owne souls The Lord is knowne by the iudgements which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his owne hands Let them multiply their party and joyne heads and hands they are never the nearer Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces take counsell together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us The Machiavillian is the most errant fool in the world and so are they that take counsell but not of God and cover with a covering but not of his Spirit or trust on meanes because they are many on helps because they are strong and looke not to the Holy One of Israel neither seek the Lord yet he also is wise and will bring evil and will not call back his words Let them try the conclusion when they please they shall know whose word shall stand saith God mine or theirs Againe if ye concurre with God in his Way and in his Ends who shall harm you If God be with you who shall be against you Piety is the best policy they are on the sâ—â—â—â—… side and have more then winde and tide the winde and the Sunne that have God on their side Receive it I beseech you as an incouragement to follow on to seeke and serve the Lord in the work of Reformation and what tends to it the Work is not so much yours as Gods and is carried on not by your might nor power but by his spirit Mountains shall become plaines before Zerubbabel the agent whom God sets on worke and he shall bring forth the Head stone thereof with shouting Grace Grace unto 〈◊〉 Possibly your hands that have laid the 〈…〉 also finish it Deal couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good Thirdly God is concerned in the Government and the manner of the carriage thereof by men What is done by them among whom be iudgeth is to the glory or dishonour of his name who iudgeth among them If good motions should be smothered or diverted the weighty and necessary concernments of the Church or the Common-wealth be neglected or retarded matters in debate carried by party and affection not by judgement and reason if the just complaint and cry of the poore should not be heard if justice should not be done or there be unrighteousnesse in the non-discharging of debts or unfaithfulnesse in the deceiving of trust or any such like which God forbid the damage indeed will be to the Publike or to this or that man but the sinne is against God and his Name is polluted thereby the reproaches that fall on them that doe such things fall also upon him in whose stead and place they are which doe them through them he is evil spoken of Take heed therefore what ye doe for ye iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the iudgement Fourthly There is another argument may be found in the various reading of the Text He will iudge the Gods openly There is One in Authority over them that are in authority over others and they which judge others must bee judged themselves and yee know what hee saith Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Many times God performs it in this World our eyes have seen it Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth how much more the wicked and the sinner But there is no escaping the judgement to come for the time cometh the day is appointed wherein he will judge the World in righteousnes the small and the great must stand before God and be iudged according to their works Foresee therefore and fore-consider the terrour of that day thinke the thoughts of Job When God riseth up what shall I do and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear reioyce with trembling Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him We may yet espy one Motive more in the last verse of the Psalm Arise O God iudge the earth There are prayers for or complaints of you daily sent up to heaven and these like the vapour that ascends will be dissolved either in a shower or a storm will blesse or blast their persons and their wayes for or against whom they are directed How lightly so ever men regard prayers or