56. Pietie and Prudence the Remeâ—de of their Difficulties 59. 2. People the Subject of Government 62. Man is most obliged and most disobedient 64. Gods Church most easily governed 66. Kingâ— governing of themselues 67. Of their Courts 69. 3. The fruite of good Government Peace 73. Of the fruits of Peace 74. Of Warres 78. The Puritie and peace of true Religion their greatest task 81 It is the greatest blessing of Mankinde 82. No Mixture with a true Religion 84. Reconciliation with a false religion is impossible 85. Confusions of Holland 86. Domage of schisâ—â—es 89. Three sorts of Kings 1. Of Gods King 90. 2. Machiavells Tyrant 91. 3. Of the Popes Vassall 97. The pourtrate of â— perfect King 98. Tyrants both affright and are affrighted 102. Peoples hearts a Kings greatest conquest 102. Their loue his best Guard 103. An happie land 105. Scotlands happinesse 106. Great Brittaines Happinesse 107. Speach to the Nobilitie 108. To the colledge of Iustice. 108. To Edenburgh 108. Aprayer for the King 109. For the Queene 109. For the Prince 110. For the Subiects 110. True Thanksgiving is true oâ—â—dience 111. ERRATA Pag. Lin. â—ault Mend. â— in Marg. Peremptores Paâ—eicidâ—â— 44. â— doe more Doe no more 47. 2. the their â—â— â—1 is best is most 76. 21. more dele 86. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A LOOKING GLASSE for Princes and people Deliuered first in a Sermon of thanksgiuing for the Birth of our hopefull PRINCE CHARLES c. In the great Church of EDINBVRGH c. The Preface REIOYCE in the LORD yee righteous saith the Prophet for praise is comelie for the vpright I presume so farre of your Christian affection Dearly beloued in the Lord that I need not exhort you to joy The cheerefulnesse of your Countenance testifies the great joy of your heart so that it shall onely be necessar to direct you in the vse and expressing of so just and great a ioy The Lord hath blessed vs in great mercie with the birth of a Prince on Saturnday last and refreshed vs yesternight with these good tydings That blessing hath manie blessings in it A Child a Male Child and a first borne Male Child that came to perfection A Sonne to a Father that hath no Brother the apparent Heire of all these three Kingdomes and I may say The first borre Heire that euer They had Some Histories wrongouslie affirme that some Kings were Monarchs of this whole Yle and that same errour did creepe in the Councels speaking of Primats But the first spake as they affected and the other followed that errour in simplicitie They borrowed that style of a Monarch of the whole Yle from Severus time and tooke the march of it from his wall Some haue beene borne Heires of seuerall Kingdomes in it but till now wee finde none borne Heires of them altogether and that to a King standing in the iust title and peaceable possession of them all These are Gods great mercies to vs and the greater if wee consider what our sinnes deserue They cry for judgement and our Conscience tells that wee deserue it more than other Nations that are scourged beyond Sea but behold when hee might showre downe deserued plagues Hee sendeth vs vndeserued Blessings Gods worship hath two odde solemnities of Fasting and Thankesgiuing but it is more pleasant to haue the occasion of solemne thankes for Blessing receiued than of mourning for plagues imminent or incumbent And better to heare now our Drummes in the streete and Canons in the Castle by their sound calling vs to these joyfull meetings than to heare them in the feates of Warre There is no Affection so pleasant to the heart as Ioy it was created in vs as a power to make vse of good When the heart hath desired and hoped for good it cannot but rejoyce at the obtaining of it and in all these actions about good it abydeth most gladly in it selfe Wee brought euill in the World by sinne and so a necessitie of sorrow In griefe the heart is closed within it selfe and hath a selfe-consumption for its owne folie No temporall good entreth into our heart but the joy for it filleth it and then it delyts to dwell in that Ioy as the owne Element and dilateth it selfe to vtter that joy conceiued As the Eare is opened wyde to heare good and the Eye to see it so the Heart to enjoy it and the Mouth to expresse that Ioy. And what better expressing than to powre out our heartes on GOD by thankesgiuing That as Hee is the Author of our joy so it may returne to Him againe A well expressed Ioy maketh a sweete Sacrifice to GOD and bringeth downe a new blessing but excesse of joy eâ—anishing in fleshlie insolencies and not reflecting on GOD prouokes him whom we should please Such was the rejoycing of Pagans in their solemnities but Gods Word directeth vs better Wee ought therefore to praise Him for the Blessing receiued and pray for a blessing to that Blessing that his Mercie there in may euery way appeare And because of our selues wee cannot doe this as wee ought let vs call on the Author of the Blessing and craue such direction from his Word that in this solemne and publicke Ioy wee may approue our selues to Him The Text. Psal. 72. 1. Giue the King thy judgements O GOD and thy righteousnesse vnto the Kings Sonne 2. Hee shall judge thy people with righteousnesse and thy poore with judgement 3. The Mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousnesse The first part K. DAVID a Suter LOOKE not Beloued in the Lord for a ful explication of euery part of this Text with their doctrines and vses as wee doe in Sermons but onely for such points as this occasion craueth In summe it containeth a prayer of King Dauid for his Sonne Solomon and offereth three things to our consideration The Suter who prayeth is King Dauid Next for whom hee prayeth it is for Solomon And thirdlie the thinges that hee suteth which are three First the Gift of Kinglie wisedome verse 1. 2. The vse of that Gift in righteous Iudgement verse 2. And thirdlie the fruite of that Gift so vsed Peace and Tranquillitie verse 3. For the first the Suter is King Dauid a Father for his Childe a King for his succeeding Sonne and a Prophet for one that GOD was to blesse Nature might moue him as a Father to seeke the good of his Sonne and Civilitie as a King a greater Father of a Kingdome to seeke the good of his Successour But as a Prophet hee is moued diuinly to sute that which GOD had showne him hee was purposed to doe In the first two respects hee had an ordinary grace as a Father and a King to seeke this Blessing In the thrid hee had an extraordinarie gift to augment the former two beeing priuie to Gods mind in this particular Therefore it is not onelie a Prayer but a Blessing The one suting
Monuments of his ingrne and speciallie in that Basilicon Doron they turned their hopes in dispaire took them to plot his debarring from England and when the Pope had written Brieues for that end and all men looked for wars God in mercie according to the right of Succession gaue him a peaceable entrie to that Kingdome and keeped this Yland from the invasion of strangers and factions within They found their former peace continued when God had provyded him one who could as well by his Tongue and Pen mainetaine the Truth as by his Sword But wee neede not dispute where God hath determined hee promised to the King of Israel that if hee would adhere to him in his governement hee should prolong his dayes and the dayes of his Sonnes in the midst of Israel And when hee had sette David on the Throne hee stablished the Crowne in his Line by Succession put it in a promise as a blessing When thy dayes shall bee fulfilled and thou shalt sleepe with thy Fathers I will set vp thy Seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy Bowels and I will establish his Kingdome Therefore all things beeing duelie considered Succession is the best way to come to a Kingdome The next point is Davids acquiescing to Gods designation testified by this prayer for his Sonne Heerein hee found sure grounds for rest Hee had obtained a great blessing hee reioyced and prayed for the continuance of it and thankes God for giving him such a Sonne as was able for so great a Kingdome Shall not a soule rest in the sense of Gods mercie in a ioyfull praising and confident praying for moe It is kindlie to a Father to reioyce in his Sons succeeding and a worke both of sound Nature and of grace Nature maketh them loue the Child who is another themselues and Grace maketh them reioyce in Gods ordinance Where can it fall more pleasantlie to them then in their Sonne who is not so much another person as themselues and that not decaying or dying but waxing and surviving Some Kings haue beene so vnnaturall as to cut off their Sonnes in â—ealousie as Solyman did to Mustapha and some write that Constantine moved with Calumnies killed Crispus his Sonne though other deny it but let that crueltie byde with Barbarians Barbaritie is the dreg and vre of Humanitie till it bee refined by Letters and Sustition and false Religion makes them more vnnaturall So soone as the father dyes the most powerfull Brother embrues his Funerals in the blood of all the rest of his Brethren but there the father bathed himselfe in the funerall of his sonne Gods feare teacheth Christian Kings to rejoyce when they see their Sonnes in their Thrones but Tyrants as they desire none to reigne with them so they wish that the Kingdome and world ended with them Of all this second point is manifest that a Kings Son is a great blessing hee is a pledge of Gods loue both to his Parents and people and a band to tye all their hearts to God and amongst themselues Kings are the more bound vnto God that giues them that fruite of their Body and the more tyed to their people also because a Sonne is the best Pawne of their loue to people Hee is also a strong motiue to moue them to a loving peaceable Governement that thereby they may endeare him in the peoples affection The Sonne of a good King is pretious to a good people and what ever loue his personall worthinesse deserues it is doubled for his Fathers cause There is no such Rhetorick to perswad a people to loue the Kings Sonne as the good governement of his Father Their loue to the Sonne diminishes not their loue to the Father but rather augments it and the increase of the Obiect increaseth loyalty It was the error of some to worship rather the Sunne rysing than going to But Christian Subiects are taught of God not to make them opposite Obiects of their affection but in a Christian loyaltie to loue each of them the more because of other Our new borne Prince then is Gods great Blessing to this Yland Hee is a Guarde to his Father and a comfort to the Subiects in stopping their perplexities about Succession and the plots of factious and ambitious men This Land for almost eleven Ages was ruled by electiue Kings Thereafter for some eight Ages it hath beene ruled by Succession And the race of Stewarts aboue two hundreth yeeres hath succeeded one another and the new borne Prince whom God preserue is the eleventh of that Name and the hundreth and ninth of the never interrupted Line of Fergus the first The third part Of the royall Gift And first of Iustice. Thy Righteousnesse and Iudgements THe third thing in this Text is the Blessing that hee craâ—es to Solomon and that in three thinges The Gift the worke of the Gift and the Fruite of that worke The gift is Righteousnesse and Iudgement wherein wee shall consider the Nature the Necessitie and the Extent of it I will not trouble you with Schoole distinctions of these words because the excesse of Affection is impatient of Subtiltie For Ioy ever hasteneth neither can Gladnesse suffer delayes And I must say with one that your Affection hath preveened my words so that I cannot satisfie you yet with another I promise to speake briefely least in such a solemnitie the length of speach burden your Devotion In a word heere is meaned the gift of Kingly governement in the Spirit of righteousnes prudence So David exponeth it in his prayer to God for Solomon O Lord giue Solomon a perfect heart And in his Blessing of him The Lord giue thee Wisedome Vnderstanding And Solomon cleareth it by his desire when God â—ade him chuse what he would he chused not Riches or honour but a wise heart even the heart of a good King Giue thy Servant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwixt good and bad and this is iustice an habite of the minde keeped for the good of the common giving everie man his due It looketh to Ius or Right as the obiect to Iustice the Habite or Vertue and to iudgement the sentence or fact flowing from both containeth three things The first is a discerning knowledge to vnderstand exactly and judge betweene right wrong together with a conscience to temper the rigour of right with equity in some coÌ„siderable cases This is as the Eye of the Iudge The second is puritie of the Will and Affections flowing from that knowledge that they loue the knowne Right though it were in cause of their enemie and hate the knowne wrong though in the cause of their Friends This keepeth the Heart free from the base affections of feare or hope The third is Courage cled with Authoritie both to pronounce and execute according to that knowledge A private man may haue exact knowledge
fretteth against them God hath fenced them indeede against briares and thornes with their supreme authoritie and yet sometime they feele their sharpnesse It is impossible to them to please all yea not to curbe many in execuâ—ing Iustice and their danger is not so much from open Enemies and secret male-contents as from their friends and Attendants The force of the one is not so fearefull as the treason of the other Their guards are to keepe them safe and yet are they often in greatest danger in the midst of them So both solitarinesse and Societie are dangerous to Princes They reigne over the multitude wherein are moe vniust than iust and moe that will bee offended than pleased And in every Kingdome the mightie and the people are as two factions and Princes saile betwixt them as two extreames but the vpright ministration of Iustice is the best waâ— Private men can hardlie please both parties but Princes cled with authority neede not sticke in these straiâ—es but to giue everie man his due This is the great benefite of Iustice that beside the natiue intrinsecall goodnesse it hath also this accessorie good to make a safe way for Princes betwixt contrarie factions When a Iudge inflicteth punishment the cause of punishment is not the Iustice of the Iudge but the merite of the Crime a Greatest Princes haue greatest cares and the largenesse of their Dominion enlargeth their labour as great hollow Statues overlayed with gold are full of wormes and Spiders so the greatest Monarchs vnder show of worldly glorie are full of noysome cares All these cares should indeere them in the hearts of their people because they are not for themselues but for their people A good Princes wakerifenesse keepes the sleepe of his Subiects His labour their idlenesse His businesse their vacancie and his care maketh them carelesse The greatnesse of a Prince is as much for his peoples good as it is aboue them Great businesse with dangers and difficulties are their ordinarie dyet vnder which they would succumbe if God supported them not with as great a Spirit to dispatch businesse contemne dangers and expede difficulties So that though their Crownes bee of Gold yet they may bee called Crownes of thornes and their just â—mbleme is a man sitting in a Chaire of state with a naked Sword hinging by a small haire over his head But God the King of kings hath a speciall care over them and guardeth their persons by a particular providence lâ—st his sacred image in supreme authoritie should bee violat by everie miscontent humour These are their seene dangers but they haue another enemie lesse hated but more hurtfull and that is Flatterie the bane of greatnesse it followeth it as the shadow doth the bodie and lookes not to truth but to acceptance and putteth a visorne on the natiue face Sathan durst thereby assault Christ though hee despaired of successe how much more will he assault sinfull man where he is sure of victorie Hee knoweth that even they who overcome vice are often corrupted with praise Scarcelie is there one who giveth not patent cares to flattery and as they will not patiently suffer evill to be spoken of them so if they liue well they would bee counted of And who is hee whole vertues breaking foorth desireth not to bee commended Or that contemneth the praise of men Princes therefore are most exposed to the praises of mankind both for their eminencie as an obiect and for their power to requyte with reward Flatterers haue suggested that poyson to Princes as to make them thinke their will is a law their power the measure of their will and that supreme Reason and their pleasure are all one They labour to possesse them with the opinion of compleate absolutenesse from dependance on any Author from limitation by any Law from errour in their doing and from reckoning for their doings to God All men by nature like to bee rubbed with this Combe and with a deceiving delight admitte that praise which their Reason and Conscience refuseth But the angrie countenance of a wise King will scatter these flies For expeding these difficulties some Princes haue vsed the faint remeede to lay downe their Governement Diocletian re signed his dignitie to Galerâ—us and turned privat It was not so much for saâ—ietie of honour as impatiencie of disappointment Hee had for eighteene yeares cruellie persecuted the Christians and not beeing able to roote them out as hee desired hee satisfied his miscontentment by retirednesse and privacie The Martyres courage made him a Coward and hee brake his owne spirit in despite because hee could not breake them the Name of Iesus was more glorious by his persecution and in end hee dyed miserablie This was the hand of God throwing him downe from the toppe of honour which he abused Hee would bee worshipped as a god but fell low from the Throne to a Garden and from the Scepter to a Spade more from an affected Godhead to a male-contentment but indeede that swelling conceate of a Godhead was a worse fall than when he turned private Lotharius also resigned his Kingdome to his Sonnes and beeing wearie of the imperiall Crowne hee would take on him the Monkish shaven Crown and render himselfe to a Monasterie This last age also saw some of it in Charles the fist so long as hee was zealous for God and earnestlie sought Reformation God blessed many great things in his hand But when the Pope fedde his ambition with the baite of the Impyre of Germanie and he had devoured it by hope a conceate where with his house is drunke vntill this day then hee persecuted the Protestants with an vniust and civill war After that never thing prospered in his hand but God cast him in such disastures as suffered him not to brooke the publicke and therefore choosing retearednesse to digest them hee was digested and overcome by them Such a dispositioÌ„ in Princes is a deserting of their place their gift themselues and on Gods part a just desertion dryving them in the straits of a private spirit who haue prevaricat in his publicke service The largenesse of the heart is the vprightnesse of it When it dilateth it selfe on God by Faith and affection but when men close their Heart vpon God by seeking themselues they are both separate from him and excluded from themselues in that selfe-respecting But the best remeede to overcome all these difficulties are Pietie and Prudence Pietie directeth them in all actions towards God maks them in their adoes to depend on him it holdeth them daylie with him to seeke both the gift and the vse of it in his assisting and blessing of their labours Though hee be high he must day lie doe homage to God who is higher than the highest as he wold haue his presence with his Governement The more hee pray ardently and looke on God he shall the more finde wisedome in that Fountaine haue a
wicked idolaters and of Iudah onlie two were exceeding good Ezekiah and Iosiah sixe were praised in part and reprooved in part as Asa Iosaphat Ioaz Amasah Vzzah and Iotham And all the rest were idolaters as the Kings of Israel The praise of good Kings is that they know the Truth and serued God accordinglie They were zealous for his glorie destroying idolatrie and holding it out of their Kingdomes they maintained the worship of God according to his Truth and gaue neither toleration nor libertie of false Religions to their Subiects but astricted them by Lawes to worship him aright went before them in a royall example They sought not themselues but Gods glorie and he recompenced them againe by his blessing on their persons and government and making their Names to flowrish in benediction But the idolatrous Kings were contrare they forsooke the true God themselues and permitted a miscellanie Religion to their people Therefore his curse was on them and their government Hee wrote their Names in the dust and made them vyle to the posteritie as may be seene in Histories Heere is a looking Glasse for Christian Princes Popish Kings though they bee in the Church yet they are like the Kings of Israel in idolatrie as Ieroboam with the Calues at Bethel But Kings in reformed Churches are like the Kings of Iudah who haue God among them in the Arke of his testimonie and true Religion and it is their safetie to follow David Ezekiah and Iosiah in the maintenance and practise of true Religion This is a better exemplar than the Cardinals When for a fashion he hath set downe the example of some good Iewish and Christian Princes hee subioynes the Legend of some canonized Kings who got that honour when Ignorance and Idolatrie prevailed in the Church That looking to that Glasse of the Popes forging hee may steale the hearts of Princes from God to superstition I would aske if Ioseph Moses David c. before Christ and Theodosius Tiberius the younger c. were not as holy as Vencesâ—aus Leopoldus and other canonized Kings If they were wherefore are these canonized and not the other A good King setteth God before him as his end and true happinesse in his fauour hee counteth his earthlie Kingdome neither his eâ—d nor a way to the right end but seeketh the Kingdome of Heauen aboue the other and that by the way of godlinesse and righteousnesse It is a well grounded Throne that standeth on these two pillers Godlinesse maketh men eternall it is his Image that never dyeth and maketh their persons and workes acceptable to him without it as no man can see him so with it vndoubtedlie they shall enjoy him for euer No Iewell nor Dyamount shineth brighter in the Crownes of Kings than true godlinesse Righteousnesse is another Pillar the proper worke of the Throne and Gods worke in Kings who sit in it for the heart of the King is in the Lords hand and hee sweyeth it whither hee will It is a just thing with GOD to maintaine the Throne his owne ordinance when righteousnesse his will and work doe both liue in it and issue from it And what are good Kings on Thrones but God in them iudging the World God standeth in the Congregation of the mightie and hee iudgeth among Gods Hee delighteth to rest where hee reigneth and ruleth with delight A righteous King sitting on his Throne is a more pleasant sight than Solomons that more for his invisible Attendants than for his visible Before him standeth Affabilitie as a Porter to giue accesse to the plaints of the afflicted Injuries choppe the hearts of the oppressed and they runne to Princes for helpe And they are set vp in their greatnesse not to neglect the oppressed but to heare their complaints It was a fault in the Kings of Persia not to admitte any to their presence but such as were called vpon it made oppressours bolde and the oppression of the poore incurable But it was commended in another King who gaue justice to an oppressed woman who told him freelie That if hee had not leasure to iudge he should not reigne And Traian was honoured with a Statue because beeing on horse and going to battell hee stayed till hee did Iustice to an oppressed Widow When affabilitie as a Porter hath made way to the oppressed then loue of the people in the Kings heart as a Master of requeasts taketh the complaint in hand and calling Wisedome and Prudence to counsell they consult to doe right according to the cause Before his Throne stand Courage Clemencie Courage to proceede according to Iustice and Clemencie to temper some times the strictnesse of Iustice Clemencie remoueth Severitie least it turne to Crueltie and Courage remoueth too great Indulgence least it breed in People a libertie to sinne and contempt of Princes Clemencie can pardon small faultes but great sinnes and effronts of Authoritie would bee punished else it is not Clemencie but Crueltie On either side of the Throne two Sergents stand Power and Diligence Power to execute the sentence pronounced which careth as little the difficulties that may follow execution as Iustice did the respect of persons And Diligence doth all with such convenient speed as the nature of the matter and the honour of the Prince requireth At the backe of this Throne leaneth Peace and Prosperitie Peace among the whole Bodie while everie one getteth his right and is secured in it And Prosperitie as Gods blessing following that his own worke of a wife and righteous government As a good King seeketh Gods favour aboue all so nixt therevnto the loue of his people The heart is the Man and among all affections loue caries the heart and captiues man Hatred and Feare are troubling passions and separate the heart from their object but loue applies it selfe ioy fullie and draweth the whole Man to that it loueth The best conquest of their loue is by goodnesse Loues proper obiect and there is no heart so hard as to hold it selfe from these in whom true goodnesse shineth Wee may compell men to feare but cannot moue them to loue vs but by sweete motiues the bond that commeth by compulsion is vnpleasant to the parties it is soone broken and when it leaveth off is turned in hatred but the band of loue is both pleasant and firme Fatherlie loue in a King to his people and loue in them to him againe is a sweete relation and maketh their mutuall dueties both easie and pleasant Moses preferred the people to himselfe Spare them O Lord but raze my name out of the Booke of life And David offered himselfe to bee punished for the people I haue sinned but these sheepe what haue they done Next to the loue they send vp to GOD this descending loue to their people maketh them carefull of their peoples good When hee loueth his people he hath conqueshed their heart absolutelie
a Gift the other conferring the sought Gift or rather declaring that it was to bee conferred on Solomon Parents haue a Fatherly authority ouer their Children to blesse them and are obliged to seeke their good because like Adam and Eue they are first their murtherers ere they bee their Parents And Kings as Fathers ouer their Subjects but Prophets are aboue them both in this point what the former haue by nature and Gods power committed to them that and more had Dauid a Prophet as being priuie to Gods purpose So that this Prayer is not so much a Prayer for obtaining as a prophecie that hee shall obtaine That extraordinar Gift is now ceased in the Church yet euery one should take heede how hee prayes That as the matter hee seekes is good in it selfe needfull for vs and promised so it be sought with confidence and liberty If the Lord so open our hearts to seeke it hee will also satisfie our hearts in granting None knowes his minde nor hath giuen him counsell but when Prouidence is performing his promises hee will giue some notice of his purpose to his owne in these particulars GOD had purposed this blessing to Solomon and now hee moueth Dauid to pray for it as a meanes both to giue his purposed Gift to Solomon and to oblige Dauid the more for obtaining of it by prayer The Blessing hee hath ordained for vs hee giues an heart to seeke it and in the very time of so free and affectuous seeking worketh in vs an hope of receiuing For wee know not what wee shall pray for as wee ought But the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered And hee that searcheth the hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saintes according to the will of God Gods Spirit will not assist vs with a spirituall libertie and confidence in seeking that that God is not purposed to giue for GOD is euer like Himselfe Prayer is on our part a Condition required and a meane to obtaine and on Gods part a sort of beginning and obligeing to giue vs that blessing that he hath made vs to seeke These are both temporary effects of Gods eternall purpose and meanes to performe it This is the couenant of grace to turne the Condition in a promise and then to performe it in vs that as GOD presenteth Saluation vnder condition of Faith and other workes of grace so hee promiseth these conditions and worketh them in vs. Hee promised that they should beleeue who said And they shall not teach euery man his neighbour Know the Lord. Hee promised that they should bee pardoned who said I will bee mercifull to their iniquities Hee promised that they should obey who said I will put a new heart in them Hee promised that they should perseuere who said I will put my feare in their heart so that they shall not depart from mee So then Grace purposeth Grace promiseth Grace maketh vs to pray and Grace performeth the promise in answering our prayers that it may bee seene Wee are saued by Grace This wonderfull disposition of Gods Grace in prayer is summed vp in one verse Lord Thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart Thou wilt cause thine Eare to heare And Dauid on this same purpose Thou hast said That thou wilt builde mee an house Therefore haue I found in mine heart to pray this Prayer to Thee To the KING The second part Of a Monarchie THis much for the Person that prayeth To wit King Dauid the next is for whom hee prayeth and that is the King euen his Sonne Solomon and that for three causes The first is common to Kings whom GOD respâ—cts as his Deputies among men The next is particular to Solomon as beeing designed in Gods promise to be a successour to Dauid The third is typicall because hee was the type of Christ the King of his Church and so had a right to competent giftes for his place for the better typifying of such a truth Heere is the great respect that God hath to Kinges he causeth pray for them marke their businesse and write portions of Scripture for them So Solomons designing to the Crowne gaue vs this Psalme and his Mariage the 45. Psalme and their Acts hath giuen vs manie Histories in Scripture that his Prouidence about them may bee more manifest and his care of them may witnesse his care of all mankind God hath set them vp to bee respected as the Heades of humane Societies and though there bee innumerable people in the World different in Lawes Manners Languages c. Yet hee hath summed them vp in seuerall Societies vnder Princes and prouided not onely Order but also degrees whereof Kings are the Heads Therefore the holy Apostle calleth them supereminent Powers and the primitiue Church expounded that clearly Wee honour the Emperour next to God and lesse than God alone This leads vs to consider in principalitie the Authour the Necessitie the Excellencie and Limitation The Author of Principalitie is GOD the King of Kings either immediatelie designing them as hee did Dauid and Solomon c. or mediately mouing the heartes of people to choose them Hee hath made man a sociall creature delighting in Society and Necessitie and Profit hath confirmed that sociablenes and drawne them together in Societies and Incorporations they know by the light of Nature that Societie is better than Solitarines and that a multitude with equalitie hath confusion and Order without Authoritie is an Anarchie with Oppression Therefore as GOD wisely ordained so they willingly admit these graduall respectes of higher and lower degrees and take on that beautifull Order which hee established Hee appointes an outward Gouernement to mankind and giues the influence of it not indifferentlie to all but to Kings and Princes as the most eminent parts of mankind If wee looke to man simplie as hee is reasonable it is not vnpossible for him to liue without publicke Gouernement but if wee consider him as hee is now with corrupt reason it is altogether impossible Hee could not liue alone without Societie and in Societies hee was worse than alone because of injuries the wealthie oppressed the poore and the stronger the weake so that by time Societies agreed vpon a common Gouernement and set vp some one who excelled the rest to gouerne all and that common consent gaue him power to rule and disposed the rest for more heartie obedience So GOD by his Law written in their hearts led them to Gouernement to deuolue their power in the hand of one for eschewing of injuries and procuring both publicke and the priuate good Societie remeeded Solitarinesse and Principalitie remeeded the iniuries of Societies Some haue drawne Principalitie simplie from the Ambition of men because Cain Nimrod and such like were vsurpers But they should distinguish betwixt mans Ambition and
much to themselues as to these they rule For their Pietie and goodnes which are the Lords great gifts suffice them to true happinesse but the blessings of their good governement commeth downe to their Subjects The next duety required of Subjects is to obey them in the Lord and that not of feare but of Conscienâ—e If it bee of feare onely then their subjection is servitude and themselues are Slaues but when it is of Conscience their obedience is Sonlie and they themselues loyall Subiects Then they obey for Conscience when they reverence Gods ordinance in Princes and haue reference to God the Author of their power and the Iudge and Rewarder of obedience Let everie Soule bee subiect to Superiour Powers for the powers that are are ordained of God And that not for wrath but for Conscience Of Succession in a Monarchie THE KINGS SONNE THis is King Solomon For David was a King but not a Kings Sonne and Absolon and Adonijah were Kings Sonnes but not Kings so according to the Letter this Text is proper to Solomon and his Posteritie whereof two things arise Gods designation appointing him to be King and the Prophets acquiescing thereto Gods designation was that Solomon among all Davids Sons should succeed him in the Throne Behold a Sonne shall bee borne vnto thee who shall bee a man of rest Hee shall bee my Sonne and I shall bee his Father and I will establish the â—hrone of his Kingdome over Israel for ever Wherevpon King David said to his people The Lord hath chosen my Sonne Solomon among all my Sons to sit on the Throne Hee was not a stranger but knowne and neere to David not a friend or Cousing but his Sonne whereby God established the Kingdome in Davids Line by Succession Herein we haue a cleare Doctrine for Succession in Kingdomes Great disputs haue beene made about these three wayes of comming to a Kingdome Election Succession and Conquest but God here concludeth for Succession Everie one of these hath both the owne good and ill but that is best which hath least ill and most good and that is Succession Man by nature is desirous to reigne and oftimes the least worthy are most ambitious to conquer Therefore the ordinarie remeeds against Conquest are Election and Succession Conquest is nothing but violence and a formall tyrannie it beginneth with blood it growes and is keeped with blood Pride and feare in the Conquerour and Hatred in them that are conquered are the due relations of it Their subiection is not of loue but constraint and while their bodies are awed their wills rebell with a continuall wishing and waiting of oportunitie to oppresse their oppressours As it beginneth with violence so it must stand and the vsuall â—illers for that standing are the destroying of the Race of former Rulers and the making of new Lawes that their new Bodie may haue a new life and new sinews and may liue by the death of former Lawes and Races But two things seeme to warrand Conquest Providence and Prescription Providence putteth such a people vnder the Conquest of such a King and Prescription in civill matters seemeth to mend the errour of a faultie right But concerning Providence mens faults should not bee fathered on it GOD is ever just in punishing a Nation by oppressing her liberties when the cup of their sinne is full And vet the Instruments of that oppression doe sinne grieuouslie for while God is in the worke of his Iustice they are serving their owne ambition They haue neither Gods end before them nor the disposition that hee requireth but in their Conquest are like Nimrods mightie Hunters and oppressers while GOD is a iust Iudge So hee speakes of Ashur O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staffe in their hand is my indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath will I giue him a charge to take the spoile to take the prey and to treade them downe like the myre in the streetes Howbeit hee meaneth not so neither doeth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not afew They looke neither to Gods glorie nor mans good but to the satisfying of their owne humour Prescription is not a full and iust right it can neither denude the lawfull Possessour of his right nor invest the Vsurper with a sufficient right before God or in conscience It is rather tolerate for eschewing endlesse plâ—aâ—s then allowed Though it make a fashion of right before men yet with GOD it is nothing but a long vsurpation except consent of people follow for what is not valide from the beginning cannot bee made valide by processe of time GOD indeede hath ever iust cause to punish Nations for sinne but if wee aske Conquerours wherefore they trouble peaceable people and destroy men women Children we shall finde no other thing written in their heart but Pride in a burning desire of reigning They trouble the peace of mankinde and shed blood for this onely end that they may bee called Conquerours whereas more iustly they may bee called the Pests of mankinde To make warre on Neighbour Nations and tread downe innocent people for no other end but desire of reigning what should it bee called else but a great Robberie Therefore that Pyrate is â—ustlie commended for his wittie answere hee gaue Alexander who den anded Why hee troubled the Seas with Pyracie Hee answered And why doest thou robbe the world for there is no difference betweene vs but that I doe it with a little Shippe and thou doest it with a Navie So slaugh er committed by one is counted a Crime but don by Armies is counted Courage And the greatnesse of the cruelâ—ie and not Innocencie makes great sinnes vnpunished There is no difference betweene a Brigand and such Conquerours but that the one is lyable to the Lawes and is punished because hee is weake the other is counted a Conquerour and makes Lawes of his owne because hee is strong This Prescription is now the maine ground wherby the Pope maintaines his vsurpation over Kings He sees that Reason hath beaten him from his three olde pretended grounds of divine right Tradition of the Apostles and Donation of Princes Therefore hee is come now to this fourth ground of prescription the last refuge of oppressours But it is as weake as it is new and kindlie to such a new Vsurper They should remember their owne lawes He who alledgeth PrescriptioÌ„ ought also to prooue a iust Title because Prescription without a title is but corruption They could never as yet proue a Title but a late Vsurpation as is manifest in their vsuall sophistrie for when we require a reason from Scripture and antiquitie of their vsurpation over Princes they giue vs the fact or deede of some vsurping Pope Concerning Election to Kingdomes if men were patient to suffer
of causes in his minde with equitie and puritie in his affections and yet wanting authoritie his sentence hath no weight nor his worke any efficacie But God hath joyned all these three in this Kinglie gift as their place is aboue privacie so are their eyes to see and their heartes aboue these base and perverting Passions and they are cled with supreme authoritie to giue life and power to their words They haue both a Mouth to pronounce and an Hand to doe for where the word of the King is there is power Iethros counsell to Moses hath all these Chuse said he men of courage and that because their administration will encounter many rubs of miscontent humours which they cannot through without Courage Next men that feare God because that is a Bridle to keepe them from ill and a Cordiall for faintnesse Thirdlie men that loue the Truth that is haue Veritie in their minde Veraoitie in their word and Sinceritie in their actions that Heart Tongue and Hand goe all one way And lastlie men that are not greedie because it is impossible for an avaricious man either to bee iust in private Bargans or righteous in Iudgement God hath stablished that Soveraigne power amongst men for three speciall reasons The first is the vniust and selfish disposition of man Wee are all in societies ought to seeke the good of the common and of our Neighbours but selfe-loue turneth euery man into himselfe It killeth in vs the loue of the common and of our Neighbour and suckes in our owne particular good with the hurt of them both God hath written this law in our hearts and in his word Doe to other as thou would be done to and hath given vs a Conscience to checke vs for the breach of that law But the violence of selfe-loue caries vs away against both Law and Conscience Therefore there must be without vs an Iustice clad with a coactiue power to represse that corruption that Conscience cannot mend This correcting Iustice God hath primelie seated in Princes So there is a necessitie of a living Law armed with authoritie to vrge the Observation of the written Law This is Gods arrest on mans corruption For the power of Kings and the force of the Sword and the instruments of the Burrio the Armes of Souldiers all the Discipline of Rulers are not appointed for nought For when men feare these thinges both the wicked are dauntoned and the Godlie liue more peaceablie among the wicked Innocen cie is safe among the vnrighteous that while their desires are bridled by the feare of punishment their will may bee healed by calling vpon God The second Reason is from our Lotte God hath given everie man his Lotte and fenced everie part of it from the Iniurie of his Neighbour with commands Hee hath fenced our Honour with the fift Command Thou shalt honour thy Father and Mother Our life with the fixt Thou shalt not kill Our Chastitie with the sevent Thou shalt not commit adulterie And our Goods by the eight Thou shalt not steale c. These Commands are like Marches in a field divyded to a Commonalitie whereof everie one hath his portion designed vnto him But man who can never bee content with Gods appointment is given to passe these Marches and incroacheth vpon his Neighbour to hurt him in his goods name c. Therefore God hath set Princes as Wardens of these Marches to see that they bee keeped as his Providence hath fixed them and everie mans Lotte secured by the ministration of iustice which is nothing else but a perambulation vpon the Lottes and Marches of people What are Kingdomes without Iustice but great robberies And by the iust governement of Kings wee possesse and brooke peaceablie our possession This is Gods Guarde on everie mans Lotte The third Reason is for settling inumerable and endlesse questions for everie calling hath the owne gift for it's worke and righteousnesse is the gift and accomplishment of Kings and God hath given them power as an Usher of that righteousnesse to make way for it through the bodie of their Kingdomes Right and Equitie are a straight Line and beeing rightlie applyed make a cleare difference in mens causes betweene Contentment and miscontentment Peace and oppression c. But mans affaires furnish many questions to his contentious humour and the least circumstance maketh a new case and every case altereth the state of the Question It is impossible to write such Lawes as can either meete with all cases or decide all questions That same question the day may bee diverse the morne by the smallest change of place Person or Time For this cause God hath sette Kings as living Lawes in respect of the habite of Iustice in them and speaking Lawes to expresse that Iustice by word Edicts And doing Lawes to apply the generalitie of the Law to everie particular by execution It was said of olde That the Common-wealth could not bee governed without wrongs so natiue to man is iniquitie And therefore the best Remeed is Iustice without which said an other Proverbe Iupiter himselfe can not reigne Iudgement is justlie put in the hand of Princes because their place setteth them aboue outward things that may corrupt or passions within that may bee corrupted They are aboue honour riches c. And so neede not be ambitious of honour nor greedie of goods And within foure things especiallie pervert Iudgement feare of Hurt hope of Gaine hatred of Boes loue of Friends Where these rule the Ballance is deceitfull persons causes are confounded together They see the right of their Foe as a wrong and the wrong of their Friende as a right What ever Iudge puttethon the person of a â—riend or Fâ—e in Iudgement hee layes aside both the person and Conscience of a Iudge But righteousnesse seated in the heart of Princes purgeth them of these base affections within and secureth them from these temptations without There is no temper nor disposition of it selfe more capable of Equity or more able to pronounce execute Iudgement aâ—ight Of Princes care of Religion THis much for the necessitie of Iustice The extent of it is not to bee restrained to civill things alone as though Princes might not meddle with Religion but God hath given them an interesse therein For if the proper worke of Iustice giue everie one his due then surelie that must bee her first taske to see God get his due and so Religion commeth within her compasse as the first and maine taske The Kings of the Earth serue Christ when they make Lawes for Christ and heerein they serue God if in their Kingdomes they command good and forbid evill and that not onelie in things pertaining to humane Societie but also in divine Religion In matters of Religion three parties haue interesse First GOD hath absolute power as Hee is the onelie Author and Obiect
in God to repent their sinne and sinde remission in Christ that is the way to Gods Peace Being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God No faith iustifieth but the true Faith no Religion informeth men in the true Faith but the true Religion As it leadeth vs in a sure way to peace in Christ so it leadeth vs to keepe that peace in sincere obedience In which respect when God getteth his due hee blesseth vs with his Kingdome within vs. For the Kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This is the peace that no Kingdome can haue but such as haue a true Religion they may haue a civill and politicke peace amongst themselues but none of this peace with God The second is a civill peace with man when every one keepeth his place and doeth his duetie as hee standeth bound the body is then in good plight when everie member is whole and exerciseth the functions in order So in a Kingdome when everie one in his calling doeth his duetie with a loving respect to other there is peace or if any bee not peaceablie disposed their broyling humour is hemmed in by Iustice that they trouble not the peace of their Neighbour This is a civill peace the health of the civill body and a comely beautie in it when everie one brooketh another in loue and worketh to others hands And thogh there were innumerable men in callings places offices c. Yet they seeme all to be but one man with one minde seeking the good of other and of the common bodie As in Musicall instruments sounds are diverse and contrair high low c. and yet make a sweete harmonie so in a Kingdome are diverse estats rich and poore c. Yet they haue an harmonie and concord and that concord is peace That rule is generall for all things Let no man seeke his owne but everie one anothers good The third is a particular peace of our Lotte when every mā brooketh his lot peaceably without oppressiō either violent or coloured by Law This is as the life of our lot whē our right and possession haue a peaceable vse following and every man may eate vnder his owne vine and vnder his owne figge-tree It is the verie lotte of our lotte and a pleasant sawce to sweeten our vse a sort of fruition of our Lot the fruite of that fruition a way to Contentment and the verie prosperitie of prosperitie The fourt may bee called a Kinglie peace when people are in loue and peace with their King They are his bodie and hee their Head vnder whose shaddow they haue these peaces The vse and enjoying of them will reflect vpon him as a procurer and maintainer None can finde comfort of a true Religion in libertie and peace but hee must loue and pray for him vnder whose governement hee hath that great blessing None can looke on that publicke peace the health and beautie of the civill bodie but he must loue and honour that Head from whom the influence of the publick peace floweth And none can enioy the private peace of his Lot lying downe rising in peace but he will loue the preserver of it Yea that peace that floweth from supreme Iustice is a natiue and kinde Daughter and so iust as to make vs honour him who ministreth Iustice for the procuring of peace All these are strong bands to ty the hearts of good people to such Princes by whose governement God blesseth them with so inestimable blessings This order is in the Angels Song Glorie to God in heaven peace on earth and towards men goodwill When man giveth God his glorie worshipping him in Spirit and truth then God giveth Peace to man beeing reconciled to him in Christ and the ground of both is Gods good will towards man whereby hee elected him in Iesus Christ that good will sendeth downe true Religion to man to direct him in the obedience of Gods revealed will These are the fruites of Iustice in their severall branches The first is Gods peace in our minde The second is mans peace in the civill body The third is Peace of our Lotte And the fourt is a peace with the Head of the common bodie The first appeaseth the terrours of our Conscience The second stayeth sactions and divisions amongst Subjects The third privat oppression And the fourth Rebellion against Princes And all of them are our ends in their severall kinds when God dwelleth in vs and maketh vs enioy him in his peace then hee maketh vs brooke one another and our selues in him Where Iustice is not these fruites of peace cannot bee found Where God getteth not his due honour in a true Religion there can bee no peace with him but hee sendeth warre or other calamities to trouble their peace and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant As long as Israel worshipped him a right matters went well with them but when they fell to idolatry he raised vp bordering nations to punish them In like manner hee can punish iniustice among people Lawfull Governement ministreth Iustice and Iustice bringeth peace so want of Iustice bringeth confusion and confusion breedeth discord Heerevpon also commeth the losse of particular Peace when by tumults no man can securely possesse his goods his blood or life Where violence rageth there reason is not heard and the Lawes are silent more where Armes doe speake Iustice well administrate is a great preservation to a Land It purgeth it from sin committed by punishing the sinner keepeth many from sin that they would otherwise commit and so holdeth off Gods anger and procurreth his blessing But neglect of Iustice is crueltie and not clemencie or rather a cruell mercie it fostereth sinne and hasteneth Gods wrath when grievous sins are committed they defyle the Land and the Land defyled can not be expiate but by the punishment of the malefactor What shall God doe but powre out his plagues and mak the Land spew out her Inhabitants where sinners will not repent and the Magistrate will not punish These two then Iustice and peace goe in others hands in a well governed Kingdome Iustice without Peace is a fruitelesse severitie and peace without Iustice is a conspiracie against God Iustice is Gods arrestment layed vpon mans corruption and peace is the quietnesse that followeth that arrest Both the necessitie and difficultie to keepe peace are as great as to purchase it for peace bringeth wealth and wealth because of our wickednesse bringeth insolencie and insolencie bringeth violence so that the daughter Peace would devoure iustice her mother except Iustice did her second service to keepe men from violence Her first service is to giue every man his due and her second is to secure him in it Peace of her selfe is a thankfull daughter to her Mother Iustice but our corruption that abuseth all can abuse her also and Ieshurun waxing fatte will kicke against his
while the desire of profaine and new curiositie cannot containe it selfe within the marches of sacred and pure Antiquitie And they speake directly like the Pelagians by vs as Authours as beginners and expounders condemne the things that yee held afore and hold these things that yee condemned cast away your auncient Faith and receiue another And what faith I shrinke to speake it they are so proud that I thinke they cannot so much as bee rehearsed let bee refuted without some guiltinesse in like manner Abelardus said All men thinke so but I thinke not so And Bernard posed him iustlie What then art thou Tell vs what is that that seemeth to thee and to none others What hath the Law What hath the Prophets and Apostles or Apostolicke men preached vnto vs but that that thou onelie denyest And Hilarie speaketh like an Orthodox These things I haue beleeved by the holy Spirit so that beyond this Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ I cannot bee taught And a little aboue I hold fast that that I haue received neither doe I change that that is Gods I demand of them as Pacianus did the Novatians VVho teacheth so Did Moses or Paul or Christ No none of these Who then Novatian commanded it after three hundreth yeares So I may say That Socinus hath both invented new heresies and renewed old heresies after a thousand fiue hundreth and eightie yeares And I charge them as Ierome did Vigilantius If any before thee hath received this thy Interpretation let it bee true thou sayes But if the Church of God never heard of such wickednesse and Sathan hath spoken by thee then repent in sack-cloth and ashes and wype away such great wickednesse by continuall teares This is the damnable fruit of liberty of prophecying and professing after that God hath blessed a Church with a bodie of sound Doctrine according to the paterne of wholesome words The mindes of people are shaken from the Truth made susceptible of any opinion and inclinable to the worst When Arianisme and other errours had shaken the Church for a time the ambiguous mindes of people received Mahumetisme greedily For keeping of true Religion it is necessar to keepe Peace in the Church Schisme bringeth heresie and these two renting the Church doe rent the state also The Church and state are twins and their peace and trouble are inseparable Some Politickes haue advysed Princes to foster dissentions in the Church as a way to make the Impyre floorish So did Themistius to Valens the Emperours but hee found confusion in the end And Iulian allowed Heretickes to vexe and trouble the Church because he thought these dissentions a speciall meanes to put Christian Religion out of the world When Peace is keeped in the Church the state flow risheth but where it is neglected horrible confusions follow as well in state as in Church The Schisme betwixt the Greeke and Latine Churches could never reconceale and the Greeke Emperour lost the hearts of the people for too much inclining to the Pope The divisions of Germanie are most by schismâ— and the disputes of their Theologues turne the Courts of Princes in factions The thrusting of Gregories Liturgie on Spaine devided the hearts of people from their King and amongst themselues for alâ— beit things were good yet change of custome doe more hurt by noveltie then helpe by profite as Augustine well observeth When affections accord men may well brooke other in diversities of opinion but the renting of affection the marrow of Schisme breaketh vnitie of opinion also By nature wee are averse from the Gospel but if a stumbling blocke bee layed in our way our aversnesse findeth a reason for it selfe The kinglie Prophets practice is good heerein Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee Peace bee within thy walls and prosperitie within thy Palaces Of three sorts of Kings 1. Of GODS King BEfore I leaue these verses suffer mee to present to you three sorts of Kings Gods King Machiavells Tyrant And the Pops Vassall First a good King whom wee call gods King comes to his Throne in Gods mercie both to himselfe and to his people as David and Solomon c. Secondly in his Disposition hee is religious to acknowledge his placeing on the Throne not to come of man or Fortune but of God His exalting aboue man maketh him not forget his subiection to God but by heartie devotion hee doth homage to him daylie both for the Crowne hee holdeth of him and for gifts to vse it His businesse is not with people alone but with God to enable him for governement Hee thinkes that a Tyrants verdict si libet licet if thou like it is leasome and knoweth that to whom more is leasome than to others they can easelie will more than is leasome Thirdlie in his governement hee is wise by Rehoboams folie Hee leaneth not to his owne wit or to the counsell of these who are of his owne yeares but labour th 〈…〉 to doe Gods worke with Gods wisedome Therefore heâ— readeth and meditateth his Word and with David maketâ— his Commandements the men of his counsell Hee knoweth nothing in his governement will bee acceptable to God â—ut that which agreeth with his word As hee holdetâ— his Kingdome of Gods will so in ruling it he followeth his revealed will that hee may abide in his favour Fourthlie in his account of his people hee counteth them not slaues but free men even Gods people to iudge thy people and that by Creation Redemption and Covenant Hee knoweth that Gods right to them is first and more than his and that his power over them is not absolute but delegat for which hee must bee countable to God Hee counteth them as his Children as David spake to Israel Hearken my Brethren and people Hee looketh not so much to that relation of domination and subiection as to that sweeter relation of Father and Sonne Hee rejoyceth as much in the name of a Father as of a King and sweyeth the kinglie Scepter in a fatherlie loue Fiftlie in his ends By all meanes hee seeketh the wealth and peace of his Subjects as his joye and glorie But hee counteth their divisions amongst themselues or their hatered of him as greevous wounds Hee craveth their hearts more than their goods and counteth their loue his best Guard vnder God 2. Of Machiavells Tyrant BVt Machiavell or rather Sathan in him hath drawne vp the Portrate of a Tyrant vnder the Name of a Prince and that contrare to all the pointes of my Text. First hee directeth his Prince for his entrie not to care how hee come to a Kingdome so that hee may haue it Truth or false-hood right or wrong craft or crueltie blood or poyson c. All are alike to him if they furder his end Hee looketh not to God and Providence but to Fortune and his owne fleshlie
knoweth not that Kingdomes are but common giftes because God giveth them to good and evill lest the godlie should seeke them as perfect happinesse Hee who gaue the impyre to Augustus gaue it also to Nero and hee who gaue it to CoÌ„stantine gaue it also to Iulian Neither knoweth he that true courage or greatnesse standeth not in a brutish headinesse but in true Faith and the feare of God directing them to enterpryse nothing but good and to submit themselues to his will All the Lines of Pagan Emperours haue nothing like David Charles or Constantine the great whom God blessed with greater blessings than any man lawfully may wish Iulius Augustus Antoninus c. were great names indeede and their fame the vmbrage of a great fancie like these Gyants before the flood that were men of name but not of worth and all their greatnesse was to bring a deludge on the world They were great scourges in Gods hand to plague man and that not with a lent cure but with violence Like a Paracelsian extract in a plethoricke body to turne all vpside downe The Romanes for 700. yeares oppressed the world and Caesar in three yeares oppressed them and overthrew their liberties Titus called Delitiae humani generis the dainties of mankinde had no courage at the approaching of death hee weeped as a Boy in a Schoole and complained that hee was pulled vntimously and vnservedly from his great Fortune Traian was so iust that the Senat call him Optimus honoured him with a Statue in his life time his Vertues made some superstitious Monkes to faine that Gregories prayers relieved him out of hell They are as gouttish in their mind who credulouslie belieue these fables as they faine that Gregorie was punished with the Gout for his vndiscreet devotion but Traian ascryvedhâ—s Impire to Iupiter and for a time was a cruell persecuter Principalitie was never better harboured than in a Christian breast it maketh them in their life couragious to fight against Sathan and to rule and bridle these passions which coÌ„manded heathen princes and at their death peaceablie to lay down their Scepters in Gods hand that they may possesse an heavenly Kingdome There is more true worth and valour in a good Christian King than in all the heathen Conquerours Mankind hath not ever beene so happie in Governement as to bee free of Tyrants Rashnesse in Counsels and the swey of passions and factions doe often preponder the best course and yet not withstanding all these God hath ever keeped in mankinde a forme of governement These are like sicknes in the body the blemishes in face heresies in the Church as at the first they are evidences of their corruption who haue them and punishments of the bodies where they are so to the iudicious they are testimonies of a providence over-ruling all Though created speces of creatures by their mixture produced Mangrels yet these Monsters could neither destroy nor obliterate the created speces These errours of Nature passe not further than the first degree because they are not vnder the blefsing Increase and multiplie which was given onelie to the created kinds So right governement is Gods ordinance and could never bee thrust out of the world by Tyrannie They who tooke occasion of the miscarying of things to doubt of Providence were but short-sighted They stood at the first steppe of disorder and vnequall rewarding of humane merits but they should haue looked to the finall event For though God suffer the course and midst to play confusedly yet at last hee never missed his good end Mans imprudence is both a matter and evidencie of divine Providence 3. Of the Popes Vassall WEe haue heard of Gods King and Machiavells tyrant the Pope also hath a Mould of his owne for framing of Kings Hee differeth from them both but inclineth most to Machiavells Gods King is for the good of all Machiavels tyrant for the hurt of all But the Pope over reacheth his policie maketh a King for his owne ends a snare to his Subiects and most to himselfe the reproach of authoritie and as baselie obsequious to the Pope as any Vassall 1. For their entrie in the Kingdome hee setteth vp and castâ—h downe Kings as though God had put them vnder him as Chesse men or Counters in a Merchants hand to bee changed in their place and worth at his pleasure 2. For their Taske hee inioyneth them to serue him absolutelie in a blind obedience to maintaine Idolatrie and persecute the Truth If they doe so they are his beloued Children and hee breathes on them his Apostolicke benediction in recompence of kissing of his Feete But if they vse their power against his tyrannie and keepe their people in the Truth then they are excommunicat as pushing Rammes that trouble the Flocke Yea though they were zealous Papists in superstition yet if they bee not forward to destroy Protestants they shall bee killed as profaine Politicks by some Iesuited zelote 3. For their Rule hee keepeth them alwayes as Babes vnder Tutorie hee suffreth them not to rule according to Gods word and the wholesome Lawes of their Kingdomes but thrusteth vpon them his Brieues and Commands by his Legats His dispensations Non-obstantes are sufficient to remoue the Impediments of divine and humane Lawes and his Mandamus is a warrant good enough to execute his tyrannie 4. For the respect due to them hee thrusteth them out of their place and bestoweth vpon them but the Latter meate of publicke prayers and in other places preferreth Presbyters to them and the occasionall modestie or civilitie of Martyn giving the Cup to a Presbyter at the Table of Maximus the Emperour shal be called the iust valuation preferring of a Presbyter to the Emperour This is the point of his tyranous vsurpation ouer Princes which hath tossed Europe these sixe hundreth yeares and craues a fuller handling by it selfe alone which God-willing I shall performe See afterward the L. G. of Princes and Popes The Pourtrat of a perfect King WEe may also raise of this Text a description of a good King and an happie Kingdome A good King God descriues in David I haue found mee a man according to mine heart c. And that was in respect of his Election to the Kingdome which was in mercie and had a preceeding Election of Grace In his Gouernment because hee applyed himselfe to Gods heart in following his will And in his Approbation because God who chused him in mercie and guided him in his government did accept his obedience and set him vp as a compleete patterne of good Kings whose greatest commendation is to walke in the wayes of David my seruant This is Gods description of good Kings but how few such haue beene in the world There were none good before Christ but in the line of David For after the division of the Tribes vnder Rehoboam all the Kings of Israel were
for no affection either deserveth or findeth more recompence than loue Thereby hee is Master of their bodies and goods and Constantius iustlie boasted that hee had more money in his Treasures than Diocletian because hee had his peoples favour Princes are oft-times vniustlie hated yet not loved except they loue their Subiects but if they hate them and be terrible they are repayed in the same kind VVhosoever affrighteth many is affrighted of many againe for so God by nature hath appointed that what is great by feare of others is full of feare it selfe The Lyon that affrighteth all Beasts is affrighted at the crowing of a Cocke and cruell Beasts are amazed with cryes and sounds in the Forrest so what ever terrifieth others doeth tremble it selfe A tyrants government râ—steth not and the feare hee worketh on others returneth on himselfe and maketh him a Center both of their hatred and feares who are affrayed of him Hee is in a continuall and dangerous warre and neither sure before nor behind nor on either fide neither hath hee peace within because hee is ever affrayed But wheÌ„ Princes exerce their power in loue are easie for accesse readie to heare the plaints of the poore they are loued of all defended and honoured as Gods Vice-gerents All men will desire a long life to them bestow their owne lives for their preservatioÌ„ So he dwelleth in great safty who dwelleth in the hearts of his Subiects As many loving hatrs so many open eares to heare eyes to see and hands to avoyde his griefe and procure his good The Bees defend their King and count it their glorie to die for him so are loving and beloved Subiects to a loving and beloved King Hee is as a Center in his Kingdome and all giftes and callings as a circle about him hee sendeth out a royall influence to everie part of that large Circle which is augmented by his loue And that influence and loue doeth civilic perfect the gifts of his Subiects This is recompensed with the loue and service of millions of the people who the more cheerefully bestow themselues their gifts for him because of his loue It is pleasant to see this mutuall respect betwixt such an Head and such a Bodie but more ioyfull for themselues to find it betwixt them His loue and royall vertues procure both the good-will of his people and Authoritie The first is their strongest Affection the other a great Opinion of their Kings excellencie composed of reverence and feare of his offence All these preserue both the Persons and Maiestie of Kings aâ—d barre contempt which vndermines the authoritie of Maiestie and Empyres Conspiracies are the most fearefull convulsions of a Kingdome and there is no better humane guard against them than the loue of people for Traitors seeke this as a speciall ground if their treason can bee acceptable to Subiects But where Princes are loued of their people none dare conspire against them because they will finde as many severe Avengers as loving Subiects But wee may take more briefelie the description of a good King from S. Austine after his long discourse of providence over Kingdomes VVee doe not count Christian Emperours happie saith hee because they did reigne long or left their Sons heires of their Empyre For such common blessings some worshippers of idoles haue received who pertaine not to the Kingdome of God to which these Christians appertaine And this was done of Gods great mercie least the faithfull should count thâ—se worldlie dignities the chiefe good But wee call them happie if they governe iustlie if they bee not puffed vp with flattering tongues and base attendents but remember that they are men if they make that power a servant to God to enlarge his worshippe If in their owne persons they feare loue and worship God and loue that Kingdome of Heaven most wherein they will haue no Competitours If they revenge slowlie and pardon hastily If Leacherie and other lusts bee so much the more restrained in them as they haue the greater libertie if they had rather rule their owne lust than Nations And if they doe these things not for loâ—e of vaine glory but the loue of eternall happinesse If for their sins they offer to the true God a sacrifice of humility pietie and prayer Such Christian Kings wee say are must happie An happie Land WEe may also raise heereof the description of an happie Land that happinesse is not in the situation lying convenientlie to the Sunne or to haue rich Mines of gold and silver with all sort of rare fruites commodities c. The best soyles for the most part are inhabite by worse people Turkes and Mahumetanes dwell in that Land which God gaue as a blessing to Israel and Pagans haue the choise parts of the world to tell vs that the happinesse of people is not in the goodnesse of a soyle and that the godlie haue not their byding Citie on Earth But that is the happinesse of a Kingdome where the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth and the Mynes and Treasures of the grace of Christ are discovered where Christ the desire of Nations and the glorie of Israel doth gather and rule his Church where hee setteth vp his Throne in the heartes of their Rulers and maketh them to authorize by Law and professe and practise in their owne person the true Religion VVhere the people ladened with these mercies know their time and the things that concerne their Peace The glorie of Canaan was not for that it flowed with milk and honey but for the Arke of God that abode in it and the glorie of Ierusalem was not in statelie buildings but because God was knowne in it and said heere will I dwell This is the estate of everie Kingdome where Christ ruleth by his Gospel Behold a King shall rule in righteousnes and Princes shall rule in Iudgement And what shall be the fruite The worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurednesse for ever And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places The eyes of the Lord is on such a Land from the beginning of the yeare to the end Happie is that people that is in such a case yea happie is that people whose God is the Lord. The Conclusion I Close with the two maine vses of this Exercise to wit Praise Prayer Of Praise to thank God that he hath given to the King his hearts Desire and hath not with-holden the request of his lippes That he hath prevented him with the blessings of his goodnesse and made him exceeding glad with the light of his Countenance That hee hath blessed these Kingdomes with a Prince and apparant Heire to these Thrones God hath verifyed on this I land that which Fables fained of the happie or fortunate Isles though we lye in a cold Climate farre from the Line yet for our
are alreadie both iudged of GOD and sentenced in his word to consumption and Abolition and the hand of Providence goeth on in the execution of that sentence there is neither ground to treate for reconcliation nor hope to attaine to it Or if wee will treate of it wee accuse the Lords sentence of iniquitie and his execution of rigour Let Babell then bee vnder her sinne and punishment begun and approaching and let all that loue the Lord Iesus separat themselues from these wickedmen A CONCLVSION Exhortatorie to Princes I Turne now that speach which they abuse to you most sacred Princes Bee wise O Kings bee learned yee Iudges of the earth Christ Iesus whom yee haue long pursued by Antichirsts direction when hee might destroy you calleth you to repentance to change both your mindes and course Your Mindes to know that poperie is that foretold Apostasie and that the Religion which yee persecute is the trueth of God And your course that since blind zeale the companion of false Religion hath made you thinke it good service to God to destroy his Saincts you would turne your power for the service of the Lambe of whom yee haue it and both revenge Gods quarrell and your owne vpon the Beast Consider how GOD setteth downe his Dittay and Dâ—ome His Dittay in Idolatrie Filthinesse and aboue all the blood of the Saincts Rome was ever bloodie the Mathematicians observed that when her ground-stone was layed the Moone was in cauda Draconis to tell that all her changes in rysing growing standing would bee in the câ—uâ—ltie of the Dragon And soone after Romulus wet her wals with his Brothers blood Shee turned the earth in a Butcherie by warres abroad And her Ganâ—es at home in the Theater were bloodie Shee shed the blood of the Saints in her persecuting Pagan Emperours And lastlie sheddeth the bloodie of the Protestants by her Antichristian head Ierusalem was guiltie of the blood of all the Prophets because they succeeded the Murtherers in malice and crueltie And Rome succeeds Ierusalem and exceedeth her in persecuting Christ All blood of the Saints is shedde either in Rome or by Romes authoritie Shee hath shedde more blood than Ninivie Babylon Shusan and Ierusalem it selfe Her Doome is doe to her as she hath done to you And what she hath done to you your Soules Thrones may feele For beside your soules killing the Pope hath overthrowen the Maiestie and dignitie of Impyres Shee denuded you of Kinglie Authoritie when shee exposed your Sacred Persons to the contempt and violence of the basest Villanes Shee ate vp your flesh not so much in catching the riches of your Kingdomes as by nesting in your bosome like a Viper to destroy you Shee burnt your with the fire of excommunication raising such combustions that your Countrie and Courts were divyded The Sonne set against the Father as Henrie the fifth against Henrie the fourth to pursue him to death and after death to deny him Buriall Therefore this is her recompence that you make the Whoore naked eate vp her flesh and burne her with fire God hath sentenced her and there remaineth no more but execution Though wee rest on none but Scripturall Prophecies yet their owne Prophets foretold their ruine For Hildegardis and Catharina Senensis whose contraire visions Delrio laboureth to reconceale Brigitta telleth them of their destruction What ever bee the force of her writ it must be Canonick to them since Boniface the nynth hath cannoized her and Martine the fifth confirmed that canonization and their later writers as Chemensis Capistranus Aytinger c. haue spoken broadlie That Rome shall bee ruined by the Almaines and the French As God calleth and commandeth you to doe it so you are bound to it by these two bonds wherey they presse you most your Baptismall initiation and sacred oath In Baptisme yee were initiate in Christian faith and not in Antichristian perfidie And the substance of your oath is to defend Apostolicke and primitiue trueth and not the yesterday novelties of Rome Their own Patrons graÌ„t that in the middle ages they were Apostaticke and Apotactick but since we never find their reformation or amendement The errour of time confirmed by badde custome hath made men mistake these Notions of Christ and Antichrist trueth and vntrueth and so to misplace their affections and actions about them but open your eyes to the light God offereth in his word and your better informed mindes shall reforme your affections and rectifie your actions least you take darknesse for light night for day and death for life that you may forsake Antichrist and heresies and ioyne your selues to the Lambe and his trueth in the reformed Churches Or if you will not take Gods cause to heart nor bee moved with these bonds let your Life and Crownes moue you Though hee vnder a Iudiciall hardnesse bee senselesse of the guiltinesse of his vsurpation yet be not you senselesse of these indignities He maketh you to fight against your selfe in his quarrell while hee abuseth your power for the maintenance of his greatnesse to the overthrow of your authoritie Remember hee is head of that Court whose Ambassadours boasted in England that they served at that Court which commanded both other Kings and their Courteours It hath ever beene your fault to neglect the commoun cause of Princely authoritie There is nothing more sâ—oothed than that that is pleaded by many When any one Prince was thunder-beaten by Iupiter Capitolinus hee exhorted other Princes that they should not betray the common cause but all in vaine For the ruine of one made a prey to many Therefore they suffered the present storme to passe over and that because by a wicked purchas some accession came to their state This was specially when a great Prince was broken whose greatnesse was fearefull to them all The Emperour was most left in the sturre while smaller Princes thought it their securitie if he were redacted to that state that hee might not rise to the greatnesse of his Ancestors It is tyme for you to awake when their flatterers pittie your injuries and the Iesuits admire your patience Petrus Ferrariensis marking how the Pope insnared you to inlarge his owne iurisdiction cryeth out But alace miserable Emperours and secular Princes who suffer these things and make your selues slaues to the Pope and see the world by infinite cousanages abused and yet you thinke not of a remeede And where the Iesuits please to bee free they wonder fatuos fuisse veteres Imperatores imperij nostri ordines qui sibi tanto cum dedecore ora sublinia Papis sustinuerint that Emperours and the States were so foolish as to bee gulled with Popes Wee haue better cause than Athanasius to say I am Ecclesiae tempora oculatos operosos Principes requirunt that the tymes of the Church require seeing and doing