his People a Superiour Agent being Eas'd not suspended by an Inferiour no more than the Divine Presence is excluded from a Place by the Inferiour Presence and Imployment of an Angel Moses did not Loose his Authority to his Assistants but Imparted it The Sunne gives Light though he enables the Moone to Give Light and sometimes appears with it in the same Hemisphere the Moone-light being not Exstinguished though Exceeded Solomon when he gave Judgment about the doubtful Child did neither what was Unjust nor unjustly and show'd as True Wisdome though not as Rare in being the Judge as in the Manner of the Judgment When Jehosaphat set Judges in the Cities of Judah his Right was not Diminish'd but Diffus'd and if we look back upon the Kings of our Land we may by the easie prospective of an Antiquarie see them often sitting on the Throne of Judgment Indeed though not in respect of the Kind of the Pleas yet in respect of Judicature we may without Injury or Impropriety say that every Seat of Justice is the King's Bench. When therfore a King does by a Law strengthen the Sentence of a Judge does he disclaime his Power or rather Proclame his Integrity Whiles he binds himselfe to Judge according to Law does he bind himselfe from Judging Has not Nature made a Father the Judge of his Familie If then sometimes he makes a Sonne a Judge between troublesome Brethren does he thereby make himselfe not the Judge of the Familie A Deputation is rather a Proofe of superiour Right than a Destruction And therefore they observe not their own oversight that in effect would have us observe Royalty and Judicature to be Inconsistent as if Contrary when as sometimes as in a King they are not so much as Subordinate Is not God that is the King of the World the Judge of the World And is not a King of Humane Judges the Supreme Judge But will Absalom doe them Justice What needs Hee doe it Will not David do it Or is David's blood become not Royal because Vriah's was Innocent Or does Vriah's bloud cry louder in the eares of Israel than in the eares of the God of Israel Can his blood cry louder than to Heaven Or is David's Adultery rather Aggravated than Excus'd by his After Marriage Are his sins so Hellish that his Humiliation cannot Ascend High enough to fetch a Pardon for them Or shall the People make an Absalom and themselves His Judge whom God has made Theirs Or shall we suppose a New Devise to have been an Old Devise to Separate a King from his Person and so that Absalom intended to take away David but to Preserve the King by Exchange of David into Absalom A King indeed and his Person may be Distinguish'd according to Natural and Political respects but a King and his Person cannot be Divided Will ye heare in this point the judgment of very traytours who in this point may be happily just Judges though they seeme less fit Hear then the Judgment of those Great Ones that durst take-up Armes against our Second Edward Even They as our Statutes testifie made it treason in the Spencers to make this division And this their just Condemnation of such Doctrine has since the beginning of Our Great Council been by Publish'd command approv'd by our Great Council No Treason then Can though it Would be so Mathematical as to separate a King from his Person But yet would Absalom doe them Justice Might not some Ifraëlite that had not too unwarily voted himselfe to the folly of Treason and that had as much Observ'd as Attended him till his Expulsion and Persecution of his Father and by Ahitophel's shameless counsaile till his abusing of his Father's Concubines thus have argued himselfe into Safety and a Flight Shall we from Absalom expect the protection of our Goods who destroy'd Joab's with no less Boldness than Wrong and with as much Ingratitude as Boldness making a Proclamation in Fire of his Impudence and Revenge Shall we from Absalom expect the Protection of our Wives when as he has committed Incest more in Spight than Lust making his Father's Women the Ridle as well as the Subject of Treason and Filthiness which he so acted in the sight of all Isrël as if he would have all men believe that it were not a worke of Darkness Shall we from Absalom expect the protection of our Lives when as he betray'd the life of his Brother whose blood was the Joy though not the Wine of the Feast Shall we from Absalom expect the protection of our Fame when as he reviv'd the shame of his Father by Imitation when with a like Malice and Cunning he Forgot or Conceald his Father's Virtues Justice he may Pretend Intend it he cannot nay when he Pretended Best he intended Worst When he pretended a sheep-shearing t was not a Fleece but a Life he intended when he pretended a salutation of the Lip he Intended but Flattery the Treachery of the Lip when he pretended a Sacrifice at Hebron he Intended to offer-up a King and a Father Though then he pretend never so great so many so subtle Followers they rather Discover his Conspiracy than Disguise it Might not some Israëlite thus have made his Meditation his Safety and by Arming himselfe with Loyaltie sav'd himselfe though not from the Danger yet from the Guilt of an Armie of Rebels But will you see the Way and End of this Absalom and his Multitude which he scornes to Follow which he Leads to Evil. See his first Success his success in Counsalle slighting Ahithophel he does not only Loose him but Want him nor does Ahithophel only loose Absalom but himselfe He looses at once his Wisdome and his Life and he that in his life would not be Order'd by the Law was not order'd by it in his Death in which by the worst Curse of Death he was both the Malefactour and the Executioner See his next success his success in his March in which by Delay he was not so wicked as he would have been His Father though heavie with Greif yet made light by Feare did in his flight get respite of Distance and by distance Counsaile and by Counsaile Courage by which Collecting his Army as well as his Mind he Prepares for flight being not more dejected at his Ascent of Mount Olivet than he was rais'd in Spirit by the field of Ephraim There he was a Penitent heere a Warriour and so ready to fight that they would not Let him fight They only borrow his Spirit Letting his Body rest See then Absolom's last success his success in Battel Having rather Persecuted his Father than Followed him he overtakes two enimies David's Innocency and God's Justice That overthrew his Conscience This his Armie He joynes Battel an unnatural Union though in Blood A Son with a Father Sinne with Sanctity So fought the Devil with Saint Michael who prov'd as much the Superiour in Power as in Habitation Absalom's multitude became quickly not
memory then the Kings dale in which it stood or then the Heape of stones over his traiterous Carcasse and that without Expence or Care The first Age too we hear had pillars intended Monuments of Arts and Skill secur'd by their constitution of Bricke and Stone against Flood and Fire but alas they fell like those that raisd them though not so soon Their Cement was but fraile against Time and the Pickaxe Indeed what is Fame without Vertue being committed to the ridiculous Eternity of Aire or Earth to the breath of Report or to the corruptible materialls of Books monuments commonly but of raggs and gall And what were Absaloms Abilities but the Occasions and Companions of Treason with which they were at a Peace of Consent to raise a Warre Behold his Diligence in his Preparation which he makes so visible that you must needs behold it Behold his Chariots and his Horses which by the Eare command the Eye to attend them the Wheele and Hoose seeming as furious as the Chariotier and Ambition Behold his fifty slaves though not his Subjects running before him occasioning others to runne to see them Hee would have the Glory of Majesty though he had not the Right He rose early Guilt is unnaturally watchfull as Innocency is commonly too Secure He stood beside the way of the Gate He was neerer to the Seat of Justice then to Justice Hee waited on the People as they came but it was that they might come and waite on Him His Enquiry seem'd Love being about their Cities and Causes Indeed all their Cities that is a Kingdome was his Aime and the Main Cause which hee intended was his Own Hee bids them see that their matters were Right when as his Heart could rightly tell him that his own were wrong Hee flaunderd his Soveraigne of Injustice Sloath as that he would not do Justice no not by a Deputy Nor does hee here rest his Tongue could no more rest then his Heart And yet he spake not in Vanity but Cunning. This Great Artist knew both the Rule and Use of silence When his Revenge intended the death of his brother Aâ—n non hee spake neither good nor bad to him as if his brother had been dead allready Yet when his Plott prompted his Tongue he could work a Politique Miracle upon Himselfe and speak Silence and Speech are like the Tongue to which they belong which by the Ancients was held Sacred to Mercury with them a Deity and a Planet good with the good and bad with the bad and such is the Tongue with a Good or a Bad Heart Silence that Hides a Mischiefe is a Mischiefe and Speech that Promotes a Mischiefe is a greater Mischiefe and such was the Silence and Speech of Absalom whose Silence was Murder and his Speech Treason He mov'd the People to remove David he mov'd the people to Settle Himselfe in the Throne even in that Throne from which his Merits should have expected rather Judgement then Honour Full was his Heart and neither Nature nor Ambition would let it breake Speak therefore he Must and he Does Speake that which his own subtilty knew to be Folly had he not spoken it to the People To these indeed his Treason nay his Confession of Treason seem'd Reformation Let his own mouth judge him whiles his Desire says moreover O that I were made Judge in the Land The Desire of things needfull is naturall the desire of things pleasant is sometimes lawfull most commonly dangerous which latter as we must allwayes suspect so must we never corrupt the former We must not corrupt just desires by unjust meanes to effect our desires A sigh then for that which we may not desire deserves a sigh Yet such is the sorrow of ambition which though it implies a love of one's selfe implies as certainely a vexation of one's selfe which yet a sigh seemes to mitigate though not satisfy as if the desire and the sigh would be lost together But surely ambition is unhappily more constant And though it be a vanity yet in the pursure of it's object is rather swift then fickle Thus Absalom's tongue is as ready as his braine since he cannot conceale his treason he must vary it A King he would be He sayes He would be a Judge His expression is like his intention neerer to cunning then to Justice To wish to be a King had seem'd to aime at the glory of Royalty to wish to be a Judge seem'd to aime at the vertue This modest Traytour would therefore seems to desire to be rather a Deliverer then a Lord. And yet he would have his Judicature the whole Land have the same bounds His ambition would not yet discover it selfe to be boundlesse Yet a King he would be but how shall he be what he would be were he a King he should command but as yet he can but intreate that he may command A King he would be but of whose making would he be Not of God's making for he had made David whom though he afflicted he lov'd nay therefore lov'd because he but afflicted him Nor could he be of David's making who neither could undervalue Royalty being God's favour Nor neglect a People being his charge A King then he could be made onely by the People the Devill whiles by the People Treason whiles against the consent of God David But have we not now some that would pleade for Absalom not that they would shew their love but their power to make a King Have we not some that tell us that power is originally inherent in the people This seemes indeed a profound doctrine and surely it is as deepe as Hell yet is it as possible as vsefull to discover the danger of this darknesse This doctrine excludes all Kings from originall power giving it so unto the people when even as naturally they may pleade that all power is originally in the body not in the head For they conceive a people as without a King when as Nature teaches us that the chiefe strength the directive strength is originally in the Head Reason and Sense being thence deriv'd Nay what Power at all the Body has can not be learn'd at all of the Body it must be taught by the Head which not proudly but truly teaches us that the members cannot be directed into a wise Society without the Head Strength there may be in the Blind but Strength requires the Eye and so the Head for Direction The Wisdome of the Head has a naturall Supremacy over the Members Thus Society is not only a Number of Men but also an Order And the best Order is not where a member is exalted into a head this is rather monster then order The true head in order of naturall birth is elder then all the members But have we not some that make man the voluntary authour of Dominion the Law the Instrument and God but the establisher of both See the acutenesse of this humane wisedome but see
the Highest Assurance Law by which they are held make the purchase just and shall the Highest Assurance Law make the possesion unjust As then Religion tells us that the blessing of the restitution concerns a People so Justice tells us so Charity not only towards the people whom this Spiritually concernes but also towards the particular Possessours whom this temporally concernes require the Charge of the restitution of the people that are partakers of the Blessing a blessing doubtlesse no lesse possible then Admirable Admit in some latitude of reckoning the Number of Impropriations were Fower thousand admit their value were thrice fower subsidies Wisdome and Peace and Time can contrive the redemption and inviting God to bestow on our Nation Pardon and Fame Eternize This for the Great the Holy Councill and This people for the Holy People But are there not some more ready to take away or exchange what is left As if they would teach the living to make a New will for the Dead Nay for the living God Who has by his own Authority freely annex'd Tith to the Priesthood of Melchizedec and therefore made it as perpetual and so as unchangeable as that Priesthood And are not the affections sometimes dangerously changeable preferring Innovation and Hope before experience and Safety Did not this overthrow the Athenians though Proud and Subtle Did they not Obey and Enjoy for almost five hundred years a Free Monarchy Did they not afterwards impaire their Goverment and Happinesse by making their Princes though Perpetuall subject yet to Account and Censure And though Feare check'd them from farther vanity for some hundreds of yeares yet by new changes to Decennial Principality then to Democracy then to Oligarchy were they not first deceiv'd and at last undone Did not their Trust choose and mistake a Councill of Fower Hundred whom neither Number nor Modesty could restraine from Tyranny Did it not afterwards mistake Thirty whose number indeed was lesse but not their Injustice did they not at last against the Judgement and Spirit of their Best Oratour acknowledge the petty Macedonian for their Master who would not endure the Renownd Persian for their Lord Nay when as they had indifferently escap'd the subtilty of Philip and the power of Alexander Let every one then be Freely subject be wisely subject to that Advice of the wise King Meddle not with them that are given to Change A change it is and a wonder that Sense should Rule should Enforce Reason That the Body should rule the Head When in all causes a King is next under God Supreame Governour how can a people whether single or united be the Governour of That Governour A great Councill may be the Adviser of a Prince but as the Statute-Law of our Prayer Binds us to Confesse before God it is God that is the only Ruler of Princes That Councill then is truly Great that is as Great in Loyalty as in Advice A Councill that writes its story and Honour in its Loyalty a Councill that meddles not with them that are given to Change And yet there are two Changes Lawfull whereof the one will allwayes be desir'd and the other Ought to be one is a Change in a deliverance from distresse Nature teaches This to be Lawful Grace farther teaches that the means must be Lawful We must not remove Temporal Evils by Spiritual Evils misery by Disloyalty no not Spiritual Evils by Spiritual Evils We must help our selves not by a violence against man but by a holy violence the force of Prayer with God Then will he make the Christian yoke perfectly Christian that is an easy yoke Gods Wisdome and Justice so order the World that generally People under Paganisme or Mahometanisme are under Tyrannies as if the state of their Bodies Imitated and Express'd the state of their souls Indeed they are a People and only by Force but they that are orderd by the Gentlenesse of Grace generally enjoy the Government of Grace and Peace If then even Christians feel grievous miseries they must in a Justifying of Gods Justice acknowledge grievous Sins and if miseries without amendment their sins also to be without due amendment Which moves to a second change which ought to be desir'd Deliverance from sinne And if we compare these deliverances wee shall find the first to be the effect of the second the Outward of the Inward God making the Soule the best Physitian of the Body Against the Mischiefes of Witch-craft some relate that the Toad-stone is of Power but more wisely because more naturally they avouch that it is excellently powerfull to drive poyson from the Heart as also to cure Firie Swellings A sad yet an Instructive embleme of a State and no lesse strange in story then in Vertue Crusius the Suevian Annalist tells of one that by a Rivers side discover'd a prodigious heap of venomous creatures which for the terrour of their noise and number might it seems have exercis'd as well a mans Saving faith as his Historicall and that on the Third day before which they did not disperse themselves there remain'd only a Snake on a masse of Slime a dead Toad and neere the Place a precious stone which being brought away and cleans'd appeard afterward to be the Effect and Remedie of ranke Poyson A strange experiment of the Divine Love which out of a Consultation of Venomes could produce Health as out of Corrupt Manners wholsome Lawes and by Divine Art change Viper into Restorative O let us then by the Art of Misery the Art of Prayer attempt the like happy the like wise Wonder Let us from Sinne whether our own or Others grow Holy from the Degree of Sinne more Holy Let the beginning of Grace beget Peace Let the Progresse of it beget Love Let us Conjure-downe the Witchcraft of Rebellion not by Exorcisme but Repentance Let us more tremble at Sin then at the Sword nay let us so feare God that we may feare only God So will the Lord of Hoasts become unto us the Prince of Peace and bestow upon us the Peace of God which though in its excellency it passes all understanding yet shall its Comforts affect our Affections and Sense Which Blessings O Lord bestow upon us that in Unity we may blesse Thee the blessed Trinity to which Three Persons and One God be ascrib'd the Glory of Power and Peace World without end FINIS OF Absaloms Ambition A SERMON Preached before the PRINCE His Highnesse at Christ-Church in OXFORD November 10. 1644. By BARTEN HOLYDAY D. D. Arch-deacon of Oxford and one of His Majestics Chaplaines OXFORD Printed by W. H. for S. Pocock 1661. 2 SAM 15.4 Absalom said moreover O that I were made Judge in the Land that every Man which hath any Suit or Cause might come unto mee and I would doe him Justice VVHiles the most exellent Angell was content with his own excellency he retain'd it but when hee aim'd at Anothers excellency he lost his own and thus by the strange imposition of
mistake became a Divell when he thought to become a God Which unhappinesse of the most happy Angell that should have been unto man an example of Terrour is become unto him an example of imitation and man rather then hee will not be like an Angell in the Height of his Attempt will be like him in the misery of his Fall And so like unto him he is in the misery of his Fall that this Great Sinne look'd like a defilement rather of the Spirit then of the Body He would needs in Excellency be like even unto God by which desire he became unlike him and aiming to become more then Man he became lesse then Man this was a second Adam of his own making This meer Man thought it no Robbery to be Equall to God and made his desire no lesse Food then Wicked it being as much without possibility as without Reverence And as this Adam did not dye without Issue no more did his Appetite an Appetite to attain Glory without Goodnesse like that of a deceiving and a deceiv'd Beauty which fetches Complexion not from the Blood but from the Bone And this false Appetite to false Glory as in former times it discended to a Lamech or a Nimrod men devoted to Kill or Tame Mankind so in after-times to an Absalom who was as verily the sonne of Adam as of David Like David he Fell but not like David rose again Like Adam he fell the Tree was a Mischiefe to them both to the one by the Fruit to the other by the Bough and though Adam's fall was a greater Mischiefe to Others Absalom's was probably a Greater mischiefe to Himselfe Yet since Ruine is Instructive affording as well Wisdome as Melancholy wee may with safety and Delight view the Person this Person Absalom as singular for his Variety as for his Crime We may view his Diligence in the promoting of his Plott though not of Himselfe Much had he done much had he said yet more he Does and more he saies He said Moreover We may view his Ambition yea his Heart which is at his Mouth before his Words they were usher'd with a Sigh O that I were made Judge in the Ladd A very fitt one in his Own Judgement and therefore probably the lesse Fit Wee may view the Extent of his Ambition which with more impudence then isufficiency desires that Every man which has any Suit or Cause might come unto Him This Judge would be a Judge of Judges a Supreame One. We may view the Pretence of his Ambition Hee would doe a Royall wonder he would please God and Man He would doe Justice O the Devotion of Treason the Justice of Injustice that would wrong a King by seeming to Right a People This is the way of Absalom the Person to be view'd whose Folly by the Art of Example may make Others wise Behold Absalom A man so excellent that you may find in him all excellencies except Soveraignty and Grace Would you see the Glory of Birth In this he did as much surpasse his Brethren as Saul in stature surpass'd the People Even Solomon his brother was but a younger brother and in Birth meaner He was indeed the Sonne of a King but Absalom was the Sonne and Nephew Israel and Geshur conspir'd to ennoble this Conspiratour Solomon's Mother was the Wife of a King Absalom's Mother was the Wife and Daughter of a King which doubled Blood doubled his Spirits and made the Pulse of his Ambition beate High Would you see the Glory of Comlinesse Behold this delicate Imposture of Nature fram'd by Nature as it were by Art to Deceive and Please From the Sole of the Foot even to the crowne of the Head he was without blemish he was an Absalom Had Vertue been to be pictur'd it might have been made like Absalom who was destitute of that which he was most like Would you see the Glory of Age He was about the Midst and strength of Mans Time He wanted nothing to the felicity of yeares but the Date of a Coronation Of this defect indeed in a sound Body his mind fell sick which cast him into some convulsions of Treason He was mature for Goverment had he not been more ready to rule others then Himselfe Will you see the Glory of Subtilty He was such a Master in the Politicks that he seem'd to master the Master of them Ahithophel whose Oracle was at His command and Censure He knew Ahithophel's infirmity as well as his Wisdome his desire of Honour and Revenge He knew that a reverend Counsailor might in a possible frailty hooe to have his Wisdome more admir'd under a Young then under an Aged master He knew Ahithophel had been wrong'd in his Neece Bathsheba though the losse of her Good name was partly recompenced by a Greate And thus he made him venture to repay sinne with sinne Murder with Treason and by a new Master to revenge himselfe on an Old Would you see the Glory of Courage 'T was Absalom durst revenge his injur'd Sister making blood the price of Lust redressing a Greate sinne by a greater 'T was Absalom durst revenge himselfe on Warlique Joab to make him remember that he forgot him He knew him to be a warriour and dealt with him in a military way he fir'd his feeld of Corne to let him know that he had but chang'd his flame of Love into the flame of revenge inviting kim thus by a discourtesy to doe him a Courtesy with the King Would you see the Glory of Hope He was in the Eye and Heart of the People he was the Eye and Heart of the people their Delight and Life Their Love to David was grown old like David and liking any Innovation so of their owne choyce they would by a kind Treason obey his Sonne counting it not a Losse but a Change of Loialty And shall we now wonder if such a multitude of excellencies be attended by the Multitude If the Glory of Birth of Comelinesse of Age if the Glory of Subtilty of Courage of Hope so daze the eyes of the People that with Civill Idolatry they mistake and adore a Rebell for a King And yet though they would not see they might have Remembred the Faults of Absalom as well as of David They might at least have remembred the Vanity of his Pillar which indeed he erected to his Memory a remembrance rather of folly then of Worth Absalom having no Sonne a monument of Nature to preserve his Name thought to supplie it by a monument of Art like the Rhodian folly of the Colossus which though it was twelve years in Erecting e're five times twelve was demolish'd in the moment of an Earthquake in Dispatch Quick in Fame Perpetuall Trajans Pillar was more happy being after its fall rais'd again Shall we say it seems more happy then Trajan Whiles of the Memoriall of a Heathen it is made the Pedestall of a Christian memoriall the Crosse But Absalom's Pillar has not by Industry wonne a more lasting
suffer by Infamie than by Execution He only requires the repaire of all their Petitions unto Him who will comfort them no less with Dispatch than than with Justice But must All come to him why then this very Traitour is not the veriest traitonr His Reason is corrupt it is not Lost Though Hell were his Tutour yet he hates Anarchie he cannot find it There there is a Prince of Darkness and so there are Superiour and Inferiour Devils which though they are unruly are yet under Rule He hates Democracy his humane wisdome knows it to be Folly to nâ—t the Sword of Authoritie into a Madman's hand Though he was Graceless he was not witless He was Unnatural but not a Natural nor so unnatural He thought it monstrous to make the People a King to make the Horse in whom there is no understanding to become the Rider He hares Aristocracy He knows that many though Great yea become Great are neerer to Ruine by Emulation than to safety by Counsaile Frailty being more common to man than Virtue so that not only his Pride but his Judgment approves Monarchie which is the best Government and the Highest Indeed has it not Precedency by Divine Right whiles it does imitate Divine perfection Regal power being in Virtue not only as much but more than Many Many starres making but a Night whereas one Sun makes a Day But Absalom that does justly preferre Monarchy does unjustly desire to preferre Himselfe to it Yet to Attaine it he uses Eloquence and pretends to use Justice If they will be favourable to Him He will be favourable to Them he says indeed he will be Just to them But he invites them to give him the Power which is not in their Power and He undertakes to perfect it into the Performance of doing Right They have the Word of a Reformer for it I will do him Justice And I will doe him Justice Hope and Silliness are as Commodious for a Conspiratour to worke upon as Malice and Zeale But the Union of them is the most desperate Preparative to Division Can Greatness want Attendants Can Justice then the Greatness of Greatness though but in Promise want Attendents Will they not press-in like Hopes and Injuries Justice makes a King in Virtue like God it makes a Subject in Happiness like a King It makes a man mistake himselfe to be out of the world before he is out of it It makes him differ from the Angels rather in Place than in Condition bestowing on him whiles on Earth a Portion of Heaven content and Safety Justice is sweeter then Revenge delighting Nature without Ruder passion It makes humane Felicity like Justice Unchangeable and though it Prevents not Complaint it satisfies it Justice is the Cure of Slander helping the Infamie of the Innocent by the Infamie of the Guilty It is the Cure of Oppression whiles it makes the Oppressed if not by Restitution yet by Comparison in better state than the Oppressour depriving him of his wealth the Joy of his Oppression It is the Cure of Murder making the slaine Live in the Fame of his Innocency and the Content of his Freinds whiles they see the Murderer not so happy as to be forgotten But will Absalom doe Justice why then he will Rule according to Law hee will by Law rule Others if not Himselfe He will then neither Cunningly Pretend a Law nor Dangerously Change a Law He is so Subtile if not so Honest as Equally to disclaime Forgery and Innovation Where there is no Law there is no Sinne which is a breach of Law They shall have the Law therefore as much in their Eie as in their Heart and so to take off the Envie from himselfe be sooner condem'd if Guilty by Conscience than by him And though by his Rebellion he might seeme to dishonour his Father he does pretend to honour his Forefathers whiles he pretends to honour their Laws It seemes he thought the Preservation of Old Laws to be of more moment than the making of New and the Preservation of Laws to be of more moment than the making of them Indeed is it not Folly that Innovation in Religion should be counted folly but Innovation in State should be counted Wisdome as if Humane Wisdome and Divine were rather Contrary then Subordinate Zaleucus the wisest Locrian made it by Law the hazard of Life to Propose a New Law if it prov'd not as well to be approv'd as propos'd whereby they knew but one New Law in Two Hundered yeares T was certainly an argument of as much wisdome as Constancy And as the Natural Body so the Politique lasts longest that is Least Temper'd with To honour ones Parents has a Promise of Long Life to honour our Forefathers in Honouring their Laws cannot want the blessing of Continuance to a Nation Heaven more delighting to be bountitiful to many than to Few where the Divine wisdome does not specially restraine God's Jealousy delighting in Glory which being the Lustre of his Goodness is in it selfe as boundless as his Goodness Since the beginning of the World the Divine Wisdome never made but one Eminent Change in the Church the Ateration of the Jewish Service into the Christian the Mosaical Worship not Abrogating but Perfecting and Enlarging the Patriarchal And for the Christian Service it has not so properly suffered an Innovation as a Renovation rather a Purification than a Change having the same Primitive Mettal though Refin'd Since then the Divine Wisdome makes so rare a Change in so Vast a Time Humane Wisdome may well feare in a farre less time to make Any at all Yet if New Laws are to be made story and Use might present to our Consideration if not to our Choise some Acts the Monuments of Ancient Law Such was that Lycian Law whereby in their Great Council Votes were differenced according to the difference of men's Interests in the State So that a Person a Towne a City a County and consequently an Order of Men were not only not forgotten but proportiond By which Happiness of Equity every one was a Able and wary to preserve Freedome that Optimacy could not creep in under the device of Close-Conveighance audaciously to enthraule a Government and People Such was that Theban Law which excluded Artificers and Merchants as unprepared for Government unless for Ten years space they had left their trade thinking them else fitter for Bargaine than for Counsaile and so below the right Splendour and Experience of State Such was the Cretian Law which forbid all Young men to Censure the Laws of their Country as the business not of their Search but of their Reverence and thought them to be excluded as much by their Age as by the Law But Absalom will not abrogate establish'd Law though he Violate it Justice he will Doe but will he doe it in his own Person It seemes not then either Novelty or Injustice for a King where he excludes not himselfe to be as well the Judge as the King of