the soul Now most noble Lords and Commons Since God hath endued many of you with excellent parts of learning of all sorts and Wisdom both Theorical and Practical above all the Sanedrims Synods and Anti Synods since that of Nice in which a plain Country-man in demonstration of the Spirit and Power convinced the Heathenish Phylosophers more than all the three Hundred and Eighteen Fathers that were there I hope you will in the fear of God assert the everlasting Gospel in the purity and simplicity of it and all the approved Teachers of it in allowing them a just Maintainance for their Supportation that they may be encouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chr. 31. 4. as Hezekiah is recorded to have done in his Reign according to that of the Apostle Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things which I take to be the Patent of the Ministers of the Gospel The gleanings of your Grapes are better than the Vintage of some Countrys where there is a competent Provision for their Ministers many able Men of yours have small allowance even for the meanest Imployments all Tyth being lock'd up in the Hands of Impropriators in many places and nothing left of the spoil but the old allowance The Nethimims that were of two sorts the Gibeonites and the Levites that were imployed to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Alter of God t had a far more plentiful provision for themselves and their Families than many of your most painful Ministers have at this day that labour in the Word and Doctrine as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 5. 17. Prove me now herewith saich the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it Mal. 3. 10. That he may cause the blessing to rest in thine House saith the Prophet Ezekiel ch 44. v. 30. More over most noble Patriots that are called to sit on Thrones of Judgment for such a time as this where many of your Pregenitors Parents Kinsmen dear Friends fellow-Subjects and Country-men did sit above Fifty years ago that were able Men fearing God and honouring the King that were zealous for God and valiant for his truth as ye are all this day Act. 22. 3. that resisted all inevitations on Church and State even unto Blood Heb 12. 4. in themselves and others to prevent the setting up the image of Jealousie that provokes to Jealousie Ezek. 8. 3. which was like to bring the calamities of Esau upon them Jer. 49. 8. and their posterity after them that they might not be called the border of iniquity the people against whom the Lord hath Indignation for ever as the Prophet speaks Let not all the trouble seem little to you that hath come upon us our Kings on our Princes on our Priests and on our Fathers and on all the people Neh. 9. 32. since the time of King Charles the I. whose shield in that combustion was vilely cast away 2 Sam. 1. 21 as if he had not been anointed with Oyl as David laments the violent Death of Saul lest these things should be revived and advanced with a high Land that caused such alienation of affection and bitter destruction of many Persons and Families in these three Kingdoms You have like the Nobles of Israel given their evidence to the contrary Thas when Popery was issuing upon us like a mighty Stream Root and Branch in all the parts and Pendicts of it Then they had swallowed us up quâ—ck when their wrath was kindled against us Then the waters of Mara of bitterness had overwhelmed us the stream of Idolatry and Superstition had gone over our Soul Psal 124. 3 4. Then like so many Moses's you stood in the breach to resist Satan and all Iniquity and to turn away God's wrath from his People occasioned by the golden Calf or as so many resolute and self-denying Leviâ—es of whom it is written That he said to his Father and to his Mother I have not seen them neither did he acknowledge his Brethren nor knew his own Children when a Proclamation was made by Moses through all the Camp of Israel Who is on the Lords side let him come unto me Exod. 32. 26. In all these things you have approved your selves the faithful and true Servants of God Be it spoken to the glory of God and recorded among your Archives for your honour and of your posterity for ever that you did really thus with all your high and low Court-Relations Ye have seen also that Prophecy of Isaiah actually fulfilled in the Royal Person of our King when the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Isa 59. 19. put him to flight by whom But by our King William whom God hath made to be his Standard-bearer against the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition in Honour and Obedience to him that is styled The standard-bearer among ten thousand Cant. 5. v. 10. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath in love to us all set his own King over us to assist you in all things that may do most good In whatsoever things are true in whatsoever things are honest in whatsoever things are lovely in whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise that ye may think on these things with him as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 4. v. 8. What God said to David Psal 2. This is my King generally he saith it of all that be like to David for he is the same The King whose Heart is upright with God as was David's the temper whereof you may see Psal 101. and Psal 131. as touching the Administration of the Common-wealth and his own Person and Family but more excellently as in his duty to God in the whole 119th Psalm Such a King is God's King himself such may assure themselves of safety and protection from the treachery and power of their Advesaries as Psalm 144. 10. It is he that giveth salvation unto such Kings that delivered David his servant from the hurtful hurt of Saul and all his enemies as the title of the 18th Psalm bears And without flattery be it spoken if God have any such King in the World it is our King as he hath well declared even by that very Argument of Protection from such villainous Practices as were contrived against him and such eminent dangers that he exposed himself unto both by Sea and Land to them that can or will mark no other reason Certainly if Sion if Jerusalem if Israel were beholding to the Lord for giving them the honour above all other Nations to be ruled by this King we are in the same debt to whom the best King in this World hath been given by him and then given when we feared the worst of all extremities that we could imagine
Proverb says If one will not another will Doeg the Edomite did readily obey the word of Command and made no Bones of it to butcher Fourscore and five persons that did wear a Linâ—â— Ephod and this Obedience tended to the eternal Destruction of the wicked Commander and cursed Obeyer and for shedding so much innocent Blood in the Massacre of their City Nob. They murdered themselves in the overthrow at Mount Gilboa 1 Sam. 31. 4 5. Servants must not run away at every word as Hagar who tells the truth to the Angel that called to her in her flight slayed her course and sent her back again Hagar Sarah's Maid whence comest thou and whether goest thou And she said I flee from the Face of my Mistress Sarah and the Angel of the Lord said unto her Return unto thy Mistress and submit thy self unto her and she did so and tarried with her till she was brought to Bed of her Son Ishmael and many years afterward for her Son was thirteen Years old when he was Circumcised and Isaac but eight Days Gen. 17. 24. Servants must not answer again with lying and swearing as too many do Gehezi sheltered his base Covetous Mind with Lyes to his Master Elisha to enrich himself by the Bounty of Naaman the Syrian but it brought a plague of Leprosie upon him and his Seed for ever and he went out of his Masters presence a Leper as white as Snow 2 Kin. 5. 27. but came in no more to serve him They must not despise their Masters but count their own Masters worthy of all Honour that the Name of God and his Doctrin be not blasphemed as the Apostle speaks to Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 1 2. They must not speak evil of them as wicked Ziba did of his Master Mephibosheth whom he had falsly accused of High Treason to the King For he said to day shall the House of Israel restore me to the Kingdom of my Father 2 Sam. 16. 3. Upon which false Accusation the King doth rashly bestow all his Estate upon his Treacherous accuser but the Holy Ghost testified his Loyalty to the King who rode out to meet the King at his return and having made the whole time of the the King's absence as it were a day of Humiliation and had neither washsed his Feet nor trimmed his Beard nor washed his Cloaths from the day the King departed until the day he came in Peace 2 Sam. 19. 24. and cleared himself to the King in shewing the baseness of his Servants My Lord O King my Servant deceived me 2 Sam. 19. 26. else I had gone along with Your Majesty for all my Lameness and he also hath slandered thy Servant unto my Lord the King And the King mends the matter well I have said thou and Ziba divide the Land And Mephibosheth said unto the King yea let him take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace into his own House A most noble Expression of a Loyal Subject concerning one that had betraved his Master and look'd for the forfeiture of his Estate that had justly deserved a shameful Death Servants must not discover Family Secrets unless in such a case as Jonathan discovered to his Friend David his Fathers Indignation and bloody design against him Nor purloin their Goods as the Steward of a certain rich Man did that was accused unto him that he had wasted his Goods Luk. 16. from the first verse to the ninth His Master commends his Policy but not his Honesty that cheated his Master for his future Accommodation But and if that Servant say in his Heart my Master delays his coming and shall begin to beat the Men-Servants and Maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken the Lord of that Servant will come in a day that he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with Hypocrites and Unbelievers Luk. 12. 45 56. saith our Lord. How faithful was Moses in all God's House as a Servant Heb. 3. 5. and Daniel in Darius's House Dan. 6. 3. Joseph in Pharoah's House Mordecay in Ahashuerus's House that discovered the bloody Plot of Treason against his Life Est 2. 21 22. How famous is the History of Eliezer Abraham's Servant that was sent Ambassador to Mesopotamia to the City of Nahor to take a Wife for Isaac How scrupulous is he to undertake so great and so honourable an Embasey How zealous in Prayer to God for his Direction and Blessing How thankful for the return of his Prayer according to his Faith and earnest Desire How Courteous to the Lady that was given in to his Prayer of Faith How careful not to eat nor drink till he had discharged his trust and told his Errand Last of all How resolute to return immediately after he had obtained what he went for His Commission being out he will not stay one day longer but make haste home to his Master that sent him for a Blessing to his Son Isaac all this is very remarkable and imitable by all Servants that fear God and honour their Masters Gen. 24. throughout Gracious and Godly Servants have been and may be Instruments of much good in their Masters House as that little Girl that was taken Prisoner out of the Land of Israel by the Syrians was the occasion of her healing of her foul Leprous Master Naaman the Syrian and of his Conversion also from Idolatry to serve the Lord God of Israel And consequently of his Salvation all she said unto her Mistress was this Would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his Leprosie He went to him and was healed and converted and made a solemn Protestation that he would cleave to the God of Israel as is recorded by the Holy Ghost 2 Kin. 3 4 5. Sozomen tells us l 2. 6. a like History of the Conversion of the Queen of Iberia by a Captive Christian Maid in the days of Constantine the Great and of the Conversion of the King and Kingdom from Paganism by the same Maid afterward The History is well worth Translating which is thus The Queen being taken with an incurable Disease and miraculously restored to perfect Health at the Invocation of the name of Christ by this Christian Woman devoted her self for ever to Christ her Deliverer The King admiring at the Queen 's so suddain Recovery commands to reward this Captive Damsel with rich Gifts The Queen told him I relate the words of Sozomen that though these things be of great value she regards them noâ— she cares not for such things the only thing she values is the Worship of her God If therefore we mind to gratâ—fie her afterwards and live peaceably and happily Let us also worship that powerful God and Saviour for he it is if he please that can make Kings enjoy that degree of Honour in which they are and can easily cast down great
encrease of God And the Apostle to the Romans So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. v. 5. and 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. There is one body and one spirit and Ephes 4. 4. and v. 12. For the edifying of the body of Christ So Ephes 5. 23. He is the head of the body the Church and Col. 1. 18. and Chap. 2. v. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And be ye thankful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former Translation reads it and be ye the amiable This word is not found any where that I know or can meet with in this sense divers of the same Stock I may say and mark still signifie thankful and so do others beside Chrysostom the Syriack Interpreter referring it to Christ although seeing it is put in rank with Duties pertaining to men I rather take it of thankfulness to men each to other of that after Such then is the sense of the words wherein we are exhorted to two Vertues Peace and Thankfulness There be two parts of the words that concern Peace first the Duty Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Secondly two Reasons 1. God's calling You are called to peace The second Reason is That you are in one body Peace which is the Duty that we are exhorted unto is a Moral or to speak in Christian language a Theological Vertue of that worth and excellency which we are bidden to suffer to marshal us and all our actions to give Peace the preheminence let it rule in God's Name in us and over us It is the Peace of God The Evangelical Observation is this Observ That when there shall be a Conflict in our Thoughts between Anger Swelling Disdain Ambition Revenge and on the other side Meekness Mercy Humility Love yea sometimes Justice then let Peace bear the sway and order all things It is not then tho' still to be desired yet to be hoped for so much to be without Conflict with our Passions as regarded that at least they be well Marshalled a wrestling there will be only beware this Contention be not without a Moderator of the Strife which must be Peace Trem. renders it thus Pax sit moderatrix in cordibus vestris Let Peace be the Moderatrix in your hearts It is not to be expected then but there will be Contentions Discords and thereupon troublesom Affections which will strive for the Mastery and dominion as was amongst the Apostles themselves for by the way they had disputed Who should be greatest saith St. Mark 9. v. 34. but yet let Peace rule let her always in your hearts win and have the upper-hand as Erasmus renders this Phrase in his Paraphrase upon this Epistle This was the case between Abraham and his Nephew Lot when there was a strife between the Herdmen of Abraham's Cattel and the Herdmen of Lot's Cattel and the Canaanite and the Perizite dwelt then in the Land Gen. 13. 7 8. And Abraham said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we are brethren Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are men-brethren and so Peace and Love decided the Controversie and prevented all future occasions of difference between the two Families The Reasons of Dissentions are either inward or outward 1. Inward are many first Defects of Understanding when men are not rightly informed and acquainted with all matters Abimelec pleads thus and justifies himself to Abraham who had reproved him because of a Well of Water which Abimelec's Servants had violently taken away Gen. 21. 25. And Abimelec said I wot not who hath done this thing neither didst thou tell me neither yet heard I of it but to day A right understanding prevented a sad falling out and danger of War between the Israelites and the men of Gilead about the Altar of memorial that was reared up at the Banks of Jordan till the true meaning thereof was known Josh 22 12. The whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shilo to go up to war against them 2. Weakness of Judgment is a second Reason of Dissention for though in general we may discern what is good or evil as that no man is to be wronged and that we must do unto others as we would be done unto yet when we come to the particulars we resolve far otherwise Deteriora sequor 3. Stifness in Opinions once received and entertained is an occasion of continued Differences even amongst men of the same Profession as between the Pharisees and Saduces there arose a Dissention and the Multitude was divided Acts 23. v. 7. 4. Pride is a great Makebate only by Pride cometh contention saith Solomon Prov. 13. 10. Men have forgotten that exhortation of the Apostle Peter Yea all of you be subject to one another and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. 5. Envy is a cause of deadly Dissentions insomuch that Solomon asks the Question Prov. 27. 4. Who is able to stand before envy before this Son of Anak The ground of the first Quarrel between Cain and Abel that ended in innocent blood Gen. 4. 5. The Lord had respect to Abel and his Offering but to Cain and his Offering he had no respect and Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell Moses tells us That Jacob heard Laban's Sons say Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's hath he gotten all this glory and Jacob heheld the countenance of Laban and behold it was not towards him as before This occasioned Jacob's stealing away from Laban secretly with all that he had as ye read Gen. 31. 1 2. 27. 31. See also Gen. 27. 41. where it is recorded That Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and Esau said in his heart the days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob. Again Genes 37. 4. 8. When Joseph'd brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him and his brethren said unto him Shalt thou indeed reign over us and shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words Stephen the Proto-martyr quotes this Scripture in his last Speech before the Jewish Sanhedrim and the Patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt but God was with him Acts 7. v. 9. Enviest thou for my sake saith Moses to Joshua that would have him forbid Eldad and Medad to prophecy in the camp would God all the people of the Land were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11. v. 29. What a dreadful Judgment did Envy bring upon Corah and his Confederates when they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said
or Christ many of them yet what should that do here in the midst of other Duties pertaining to Man Christ being not named Therefore I will speak of it in that sense which in my Conscience I take it was ment m. Be ye thankful Be not unkind and ungrateful to those that have deserved well at your hands Q. What is the thankfulness that is here required R. It may be described a willing acknowledging and readiness to requite Benefits and good Turns received I did not say a Requital for many times there is no Power or Means so to do but at least there is Readiness to do it and Mind of the good Turn if either of these fail there is a Defect in Thankfulness The occasion of Thankfulness is a Benefit received the greater Benefit calls more Thanks which hath diversity from the Person 1. Sometimes we are wholly prevented in receiving before we have shewed any occasion 2. Sometimes again we are first in some Office but are exceeded in the answering the same 3. Sometimes the Persons are Superiors or Equals of such quality I mean as there is no great odds between the Donor and Receiver To the First and Second of each Thankfulness is the more to be shewed I mean we are more beholding inasmuch as there is less desert on our part and in the one nothing at all I would speak plainly 1. To our Parents Ministers and Masters in Learning there is no Office we could shew to deserve Kindness therefore to them we must be more bound to be thankful So to a Stranger that shall first upon some acquaintance no expectation of Requital bestow only upon us in the same measure of Beneficence our Debt is more than to one that we have or may be helpful or shew duty to again 2. To our Superiour being kind we owe more gratitude than to our Equal as Ishbosheth David 2 Sam. 19. 30. 28. 3. Even the Value of the Benefit adds some degree unto our Debt of Thankfulness most our selves as Paul writes to Philemon v. 19. Albeit I do not say unto thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides 4. And the Speediness sometimes adds to our Debt especially if it be at the first knowledge of our Want or Desire and perhaps expects not our moving the Matter or if at our Suit be given undelaiedly Beneficium qui cito dat bis dat He gives twice that gives speedily 5. But most of our debt of Thankfulness comes from the Mind of the Donor as proceeding from greater Love though there be by reason of want of power less worth in the good Turn We are then to be taught here Doctr. That to all those that have been Instruments of God's Providence to procure good unto us we are to owe Thankfulness they are so many Blessings of God to us That which the Queen of Sheba once affirmed before Solomon is very true The Instruments of God's Blessings are the Arguments of his Love to us Because the Lord loved Israel for War therefore made he the King to do Judgment and Justice 1 Kings 10. 9. 1. The first duty of Thankfulness that under God we owe is to our Parents which is so necessary that the Apostle would not have the Widows to be chosen to the service of the Church that had Children to maintain them and perform duty to them Let them saith he recompence their Ancestors So the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies For that is good and acceptable before God 1 Tim. 5. 4. The Greek Elegantly expresseth this by a Metaphor taken from the Stock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which feedeth her aged Parents and carries them upon her shoulders and in that regard in the Hebrew Tongue is called Chasida that is pious and merciful Let all Children hear this and as they will have the blessing of their Parents and of God that is tender of their honour learn it and fail not to praise it as Joseph did Gen. 45. 10. There will I nourish thee when he sent for his aged Father from the famished Land of Canaan to come into Goshen the most fertile Soil in all the Land of Egypt 2. So we are to be thankful to the Ministers of the Gospel to whom God hath committed the word of reconciliation that break the bread of life unto us that have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to their trust that administer unto us the Seals of the Covenant of Grace according to Christ's Institution that watch over our Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief as the Apostle speaks Heb. 13. 17. 3. To our Teachers and Masters as Philemon owned himself to Paul v. 19. To our Benefactors to our Friends to all that are loving and kind to us David sent a Present of Thankfulness of the Spoyl of the Enemies of the Lord to all those places where David himself and his men were wont to lament in his Exile 1 Sam 30. 26. 3. He makes diligent inquiry Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul that I may shew him kindness for Jonathon's sake whose love to him was wonderful passing the love of women to their Husbands or Children 2 Sam. 9. 1. His thankfulness to the Living for the Dead's sake to the Child for his Fathers sake is again recorded Then said David I will shew kindness to Hanun the son of Nachash as his father shewed kindness unto me and David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father 2 Sam. 10. 2. What this kindness was the Scripture mentions not nor when it was shewed for David in his flight from Saul fled first to Achish King of Gath then to the King of Moab And he said unto the King of Moab Let my father and mother I pray thee come forth and be with you till I know what God will do for me and he brought them before the King of Moab and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold He durst not trust them to Saul's mercy in Bethlehem that had exercised such barbarous cruelty upon the Priests of the Lord and to the City of No◠without any just cause 1 Sam. 22. 17. 20. Possibly the King of Moab might shew some such kindness to David out of his hatred of Saul that had given him a great Overthrow 1 Sam. 11. 11. But whatsoever the matter was that had obliged David he was not unmindful of it but studied to requite it to his Son Hanun though ill entertained and misinterpreted to his destruction and his Countries The first Ambassadors that David sent after the Solemnity of his Coronation was over is thus recorded And David sent Messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said unto them Blessed be ye of the Lord that you have shewed the kindness to your Lord even unto Saul and have buried him and now the Lord shew
the Founders and Conservers of Cities Countreys and Kingdoms to the end and purpose of defending and preserving them from Evils in a cordial and blessed Submission to the ever-ruling and over-ruling Peace of God If the Peace of God did bear rule in the Hearts of all Christians which our Apostle requires in these of Colosiae all the World would become Christians A digression as if it had been in the presence of his Majesty for exercise sake And here let me with all Humility use the Psalmst David's Expression I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed Psal 119. 46. and therefore in the first place methinks this Scripture gives me just occasion to speak to Their Majesties in a word or two that which I am sure their noble minds will take more pleasure to hear than to be profuse in their praise which no Man can lightly pass over if the Peace of God rule in your Hearts whom the supream Ruler of the World hath chosen and sent to rule over us his People O happy shall ye be and it shall be well with you and happy shall all your Subjects in these three Kingdoms be that by you are redeemed from thraâ—dom and brought again from the Depths of the Sea of misery Psal 68. 22. that were sold for nought to the Man of sin to be destroyed to be slain and to perish as Queâ—â— Esther speaks to King Ahasuerus in a like case concerning Hamnus's Plot Esth 7. 4. Sir You were called many years ago by God himself into one Body conjugal with your Royal Consort that is all glorious within and without and now by the same God to the ornamical and Political to lead these three Nations as also to lead the Military Body of the Confederates of many Nations as Captain general of the Lords Hosts like another Moses that led the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage or another Cyras that enlarged God's People out of the Babilonish Captiviry as it is no small Honour to be God's King upon so high and honourable Account as none of your Royal Predecessors were ever called unto so it asks no small Duty Reverence and Thankfulness at your hands to himwards Sir Thus it is you Princes as well as other Folks be accomptable to God as arise your Receipts to a higher proportion so must your Allowances and Payments be greater or less You will find in a greater Arrearage when it comes to a reckoning where much is bestowed much is called for again Consider if your self advance any Man above others upon equal and perhaps less desert if you do not think you ought more to repose in the Faithfulness and Loyalty of such a one be ye well sure God looks for the like at your Hand It behoves you therefore to be mindful of his Honour which I dare be bold is the greatest that you have that you are God's King as eminently as he of whom the Lord said yet have I set my King or as it is in the Hebr. anoynted my King upon Sion the hill of my holiness Psal 2. 6. that so in the Regiment of his People your Subjects and of your self you may demean your self as God's King There is no need that I descend to particulars in general I say that God's King may not behave himself as the remnant of Kings do that are either Paganish or Popish that rule only for their own Pleasures and Appetites without regard of Justice Peace or Honesty that presume to make Religions of their own to appoint a God or any thing as a service of God which he hath not commanded which is to tye God to their baubles as Jeroboam to the Golden Calves at Dan and Bethel 1 Kin. 12. and Nebuchadnezzar to the Golden Image in the Plain of Dura Dan. 3. to appoint a service in the Latin whom the People understand not contrary to the rule of Edification set down 1 Cor. 14. 26. When Men presume to bind Consciences to their Knees under pain of sin and forbid to reason of their biddings under severe Penalties this is a tyranny against God True it is that Penal Laws may be made to bind in many respects But let Men beware lest they exact with greater severity obedience to their own Precepts than God's there is but one Law-giver that can save and destroy saith James 4. 12. when they forbid what God commands and commands what God forbids its Tyranny as did Antiochus and other Heathen Emperors forbid to Circumcise to read the Law and commanded to offer to Idols and to eat Swines Flesh and all under pain of present Death 2 Macc. 7. Rulers must know their places have moderate and just and Godly Government not usurp on God's Right on their Subjects Conscience and tho' Faith be the Gift of God and cannot be taught nor forced nor Conscience be compelled to assent yet Men may be obliged to the outward hearing of Gods Word and Factious Fire-brands repressed and quenched Sozomen tells us That Athanasius the Patriarch of Alexandria was upon a time walking in the Streets in that City and that a Raven did flee towards him croaking which the Heathen that stood near observing began to deride him and reproach him as if he had been a Praestigiator or Conjurer and so making towards him asked in derision what the Raven said to him He modestly smiling answered in Latin Eras for he dictates unto you That to morrow will be a most bitter day for to morrow you shall receive the Emperor's Edict that you shall celebrate no more your Heathenish Solemnities And acaccordingly it came to pass for the next day the Magistrates received orders from the Roman Emperor that their Heathen Gods should be no more worshipped but destroyed utterly with all their Idolatry and Superstition in which they were bred Which being abdicated they immediately embraced the Gospel Blessed is the people that know this joyful sound Psal 89. 15. And thanks be to Jesus Christ in many things already you have shewed your self God's King in coming out to help the Lord against the mighty Jer. 9. 3. in being valient for his truth at home and abroad in scattering the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts and bring the Wheel upon them in taking down 〈◊〉 Partition Wall of Separation that your Subjects might not destroy one another for fashions sake you have put your Life into your Land to fight the Lords Battles that teacheth your hands to war and your fingers to fight Psal 144. 1. and have wrought with God this great Salvation in our Israel as all Israel said of Jonathan that overthrew the vastest Army that ever the Philistines had consisting of thirty thousand Chariots six thousand Horses and people like the sand which is on the Sea shoar for Multitude 1 Sam. 13. 5. In his name that giveth Salvation unto Kings and that hath delivered your Royal Person from the Sword like another David