a Nation Vse of in ∣ struction But yet to come nearer home there are here the Magistrates of the Kingdom of the Countrey and of the Citie and it is probable I may never have such an auditory again therefore let me ask you Would you see the recovery glory and well-faâ—re oâ— this Commonwealth would you see this Nation which if your Sunn will goe but a few degrees backward you saw a Golgotha an Aceldama a field of Blood and Skuls rejoyce againe and blossome as a Rose our withered Olive to grow green and fear no more the year of drought would you see this shattered Kingdome made the praise of the whole earth this little Hill advanced above all hills that the people might flow unto it that every one might take hold of the skirt of an Englishman and say Wee will bee called by thy name for the Lord is with you Would ye see our breaches repaired and our borded enlarged and Zion to shine forth in perfect beautie Would ye have the Candle of the Lord to shine on our head our steps washed with Butter and the Rocks to powre out rivers of Oyle Would ye lie down in green pastures and none to make you afraid would ye have her that hathlyen amongst the Pots have the wings of a Dove that is covered with silver and her feathers as gold Would ye have blessings on the head of Joseph and to rest on the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren Would yee have the Island compassed about with mercies as it is with water Would ye bee built and not pulled down planted and not plucked up would ye be as a defenced Citie an iron Pillar a brasen wall the garden of God where every precious stone may be your covering O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Wouldst thou have thy stones laid with faire colours thy foundation with Saphire thy windows made of Agate thy gates of Carbuncle and all thy border precious stones hee that would not have these things let him be as Admah and Zeboim as the dung of Endar let his name be written in the dust or in the Gadarens Swine-Coat If ye would then take home this councell of the Prophet let me unbutten your Velvet Coats and unloose your Scarlet robes that I may anoint this Balsome on the region of your hearts Execute the judgment c. I look upon you as upon edged Pictures one way I see you as gods and on the other side I see you as men but a little higher dust let me awhile lay aside your greatnesse and deals with your goodnesse if there be any love to God any bowels of compassion to our distressed mother any respect to a languishing Common-wealth thinke on these things God hath after a sort put the welfare of England in your hands you are eyes to the blind ears to the deaf tongues to the dumb supporters to the weak shelters to the oppressed you are as Constantine said of himself Bishops without the Church as Ministers are within imploy your greatnesse for God for the Common-wealth advance Truth and Peace Truth will make you free and Peace will make you great First advance spirituall truth you are to see that we lead a godly life as well as a quiet honour the Gospell with your greatnesse else how will you be provided to answer God when hee shall call for an account of your Stewardship and shall say For all the blessings I have heaped upon you and for all the powers that I have put in your hand what hath my glory the purity of my Worship what hath my Law my Gospell my Day my Ministers beene the better for you Of all the power that yee have exercised how much for me Buy the truth and sell it not the Merchandize of it is better than salver and the gaine thereof better than gold And for this purpose let me in Gods stead beseech you to imploy your parts and power First to purge out the old Leaven shall it be said of this Reformation as it was of that when we first came out of Babylon that we swept the house but the house sweepings were but cast behinde the doore that a Hen might scatter them abroad againe Is this the Reformation of England that we should be as a Beggars Cloak for one piece of new three patches of old for one Minister that walketh according to the Directory of Gods Word and the States three that keep in still the Onyons and the Garlick of traditionary Ceremonies Is this the fruit of our Oath to God to bring all to one uniformity Secondly to keep out the new Leaven to stop the spreading of the Gangrene can you be nursing fathers and mothers to truth and errour at once Hath a Magistrate power to keep our daughters from being ravished and not souls from being seduced to keep our heads from being broken and not our souls from being wounded to punish them that shal put Ratsbane in our meat and not them that corrupt the bread of our life To confine a man that goeth about with a running Plague-soar and not to stop their mouthes that by seducing poyson souls Are they under the Magistrates cognizance that shall say There is no King no Parliament no House of Lords and not those that say There is no Law no Christ no Ministers no truth of God nor Church of God in the earth Is this the Reformation we have covenanted for fought for prayed and fasted for an intollerable toleration Were Heresies and their growth worthy to be fasted and prayed against and are they now fit to be connived at Have we cast out the c. Oath and bring in an c toleration a new fyled Key for the bottomlesse Pit God forbid that our Reformation should prove to be but a League with the Devill Secondly advance politicall truth in the due exercise of justice and judgement Prov. 31. 9. Judge righteously plead the cause of the poor and needy Isa. 28. 17. Lay judgement to the rule and righteousnesse to the plummet Levit. 19. 15. Do no unrighteousnesse in judgement respect not the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousnesse judge your neighbours else thoughye be gods remember ye shall die like men let not the hight of your places raise you out of the fight of God and your end Secondly advance Peace pray for it live for it judge for it that the sword may bee beaten into Plough-shares And for this purpose let mee commend three things to you as furtherances to this and though in this I shall be perchance construed as one that heaps Coals on the fire of strife I have no such aim God is witnesse 1. Wave masterfull standing upon your particular ayms and ends I shall account him a man of peace that will say as Jonas Cast me over-boord rather then I should breed or
Balsamum Britannicum Brittains Balm OR The means of recovery for a languishing Kingdom Preached in a Sermon before the Honourable Judges for the Northern Circuite at the generall Assizes holden in the Citie of Yorke 21. March 1647. By John Johnson Mr. of A. and Minister of Methley in Yorkeshire Prov. 14. 34. Righteousnesse exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people Prov. 16. 12. It is an abomination to commit wickednesse for the Throne it established by righteousnesse Printed at York by THO: BROAD 1648. To the Right Worshipfull and his much honoured friend John Savile of Methley Esquire and High-Sheriffe of the Countie of York SIR ONe being friendly chidden that he did not write Books made this answer ut libet non licet ut licet non libet As he would he could not and as he could he would not I confesse I have been often expostulated withall by some particular friends relations who usually over rate whom they love 〈…〉 hy in this scribbling age wherein the Pen is so Rheumatick I have never appeared in Print â— but my answer is made before I attest the searcher of hearts never thought any light that shone from my darknesse worthy to bee set on so publique a Stage especially in this censorious age which like Augustâ— Caesar Taxeth all the World wherein by reason of the contrarietie of mens judgements and affections Sermons are made bâ—â— the Whetstones for men to sharpen their tongues upon The causes which move me aâ— this time to be more publique besides the importunitie 〈◊〉 friends the ordinary Midwifâ— of the Presse are these first that I might once in my life bestow a small Token on the Spou 〈…〉 of Christ and secondly that might in a slender gift give a testimony of a not slender affection towards you not having wherewithall further to honour you The State hath put the white Rod in your right hand let me take the boldnesse to put a Role in your left It was the custome of the subjects of Artaxerxes King of the Persians to present him something in his travell a poor labouring man having nothing else brought him a little water from the River that ran by and presented it with both his hands which the King did with a cheerfull countenance accept esteeming it as honourable to receive small things from a large heart as to impart great If my abililitie were as large as my heart I would do more to honour you bee pleased therefore to accept what I can since I cannot doe what I would These poor thoughts of mine must needs redound upon your selfe for every thing must acknowledge its first Spring and rise they were yours in service to your desire be pleased to let them be yours in acceptance and Patronage The God of truth and peace give you to be famous in Ephrata and do worthily in Bethlehem that you may lay out all your power and affections in a flaming zeal of the glory of Gods truth and the Kingdoms peace which is the constant prayer of him who is Your Worships affectionate servant John Johnson Zach. 8. 16 17. Preface These are the things ye shall doe speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord Text. THe ancient Jews saith the Talmud testifie that there were three Crowns that made Israel renowned the Crowne of the Law the Crown of the King and the Crown of the Priest and of these three Crowns say they that of the Law was most glorious To say nothing of other Crowns which are Noli metangerees it is no small comfort to us to see the Law weare its Crown again there is an unavoidable interruption and silence of Law inter strepitum armorum when the beat of the Drum drowns the voice of the Cryer where the Sword is rampant Laws are dormant and errours and licentiousnesse are passant yet it is our comfort that now again we see judgement runne down our streets like water and righteousnesse as a mighty stream The Magistracy and the Ministerie are like Rachel and Leah which two do build the house of the Lord and their administrations should not interfeer but mutually accord and lend strength each to other Verbum informans virga reformans The informing Word and the reforming Sword suite very well together Jewish antiquitie tells us that though the inferiour Courts of Justice sat in the Gates of their Cities yet the great Sannedrim sat in Atri 〈…〉 Templi near the Porch of the Temple in a place called Gazith The Pavement We are not so presumptuous as to thrust our Oar into your Boat or put the least of our fingers into your affairs of state out of the sphear of our Callings yet the Lamps of the Temple may give light to the House of Judgement and though I do not doubt but that though neither I nor any other had spoken at this time yet your affairs would bee both regurall and honourable yet your speed will not be worsif your Chariot Wheels be axelled or Oyled for a whet is no let Apology Expect not that I should lay the Cockatrice Egges of Sychophatrie in in your ears it is the misery of greatnesse that they see their faces oftenest in slattering-glasses flatterie is but the Ape of friendship and hath everie thing of a friend but a discreet reproof If this Text be sharper Steeled then some would and speak out more then some would hear or have heard for I would not muzzle its mouth I hope you are wiser then to thinke every word of advice a stain to your Authoritie I know none so great but God may have leave to speake to him I come not to weaken your hands but to strengthen them to righteousnesse It is not my intention to cast the least spott upon any mans face I know who hath said Thou shalt not speak evill of the Ruler of thy people my heart and tongue doth honour your persons and places I had rather goe backward and cover a bewayled nakednesse I know as Micha saith my words shall bee good to them that walk uprightly it will be the comfort of the faithfull when his wayes shall be laid to this Rule and his righteousnesse to this Plummet and shall finde his soule answer to this Text as face to face in a glasse with a spiritual Eccho Lo I come to do thy will O Lord I would not bee so unfaithfull to God as to be frighted unto a mealy-mouth'd basenesse I have not been a Courtier to complement with men in the things of God seria seriò in weighty things we must deal in earnest neither would I be so injurious to man as to cast any dis-respect on them who are beyond my suspition much more my accusation but if in such a numerous
not an intollerable toleration of all errour Proverb 24. 3. Through wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established and the Lord tells Hezekiah Esa. 33. 16. That wisdom and knowledge shall be the stabilitie of his times his strength and salvation and the fear of the Lord his treasure Machevell could say The way to conquer a Kingdom is to lay the reins on every ones neck if wee prove false-hearted to Gods truth the Lord may prove slow-handed to our Peace Secondly politicall Solon being asked when a Commonwealth most flourished answered when the people obey the Magistrates and the Magistrates obey the Law and one wiser than he said Proverb 14. 34. Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Then is a Commonwealth in its solstice when righteousnesse and peace kisse each other and it serves also for its recovery Phinehas executed judgement and the Plague stayed Psal 106. 30. And peace There is a deserved honour due to them that have beene faithfull in administration of war but as peace is the end so it should be the aime of war peace is a mother blessing that hath all other in its wombe and blessings are on the head of peace makers for they shall be called the Children of God they are but 〈◊〉 of blood that like flesh-flies would keep the soar perpetually green that they might feed themselves on our distempers After the long use of the weapon-salve God grant us the healing Balsom of a firm and well-grounded peace that there may be no more leading into captivitie no more complaining in our streets Psal. 144. 14. A principall means of the right flourishing and due recovering This will prove both a Prophylactick and an Analeptick both to preserve us in neutralitate deridentiae and to recover us in our neutralitate convalescentiae as Physicians speak This will give us a Lamp in Hierusalem and fasten us a nail in a sure place 1 King 15. 4. 22. 23. Of the Church and Commonwealth I put them both together the Common-wealth is the Inne of the Church these two are like Hyppocrates his Twinns they both live and die languish and recover together On the contrary the male-administration of these two is both Legis Regis or Gregis excididum the leveller of all our glory and greatnesse what unhedged untowred unpressed unclouded the Vineyard of the Lord Esa. 5 it was these sour grapes that set Gods teeth on edge For the vincyard of the Lord of Host is the house of Israel and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant he looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crie therefore said Augustine Civitatis eversio non est murorum sed morum casus It is not the weaknesse of our wals but the wilfulnesse in sinning especially against truth and peace that will be our overthrow for as the voyce is storied to speak to Phocas the Emperour Were our walls towred to heaven the sinne that is within will destroy all In the mouth of two witnesses only let this truth stand and let the wisest Statesman that ever was who had more Kings-craft then ever any before or since bee the foreman to bring in the verdit Salomon Prov. 29. 4. The King by judgement establisheth a land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Establisheth it as the Vine said to the Marble Pyramid about which it grew so may the Common-wealth to justice Testante virebo If thou stand I shall florish and hee doth not say The unjust overthroweth it but he that receiveth gifts a man of oblations as in the Originall because most of the Wheels of unjustice move on this Axeltree And for the recovery see Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill love the good establish judgement in the gate it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph As every Word of God so this is profitable to inform rebuke instrnct First it informs us who are the ruiners of a Commonwealth that bore the Ship they sail in that demolish the house they dwell in that lop the tree they stand under that undermine the wall they lean on that breake the staff that supports them to say nothing at this time of other sinners they are the unfaithfull of the Land Prover. 25. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King and the Throne shall bee established in righteonsnesse Secondly it informes us who are the Stakes in our Hedge the pillars of our house the Pilots of our ship the faithfull in the Land faithfull to God to the Law to their Trust faithfull Magistrates as well as faithfull Ministers are the Horsmen and the Chariots of Israel Secondly this point sharpeneth its eyes and spits fire in the faces of two sorts of people First the wrongers of Truth and secondly the wrongers of Peace And first the wrongers of spirituall truth For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Hierusalems sake I will not be silent this is a lamentation and shall be a lamentation with me that the heritage of the Lord is become aspeckled Bird no Leopard so full of spots as wee of damnable Heresies How is the faithfull Citie become a Harlot in strange attire how is our wine mixed with water our silver mixed with drosse our Gold become Copper and Tinâ—â— and Lead Who shall give me water to my eyes to bewail that England is become the wagging of the head and the pointing with the finger the grief of the godly and orthodox the scorne and reproach of the Popish and prophane and the shame of our neighbour Churches O that it might not be told in Gath nor published in the street of Askalon least the daughter of the uncircumcised rejoyce There be that take away our Scripture our Baptism our Law our Gospel our Ministers our Christ and yet aske us what we ayle Wee have escaped the Bear and overcome the Lyon and shall we be consumed with the Moath To these I say no more but this It cannot bee but that offences will come but we to them by whom they come Matth. 18. 7. Secondly the wrongers of poltick truth and justice Jus fori and these are of three sorts I wish I could say Triasunt omnia First the sellers of Justice for fear or flatterie or friendship or gifts for there are more sorts of Bribery then one there is fear-bribery friendshipbribery honour-bribery sin-bribery and gift-bribery if I thought there were any such here I would tell them that whatever the price is the pennyworth will be dear when their soule shall feel the sting and lie under the scalding drops of vengeance which is in my Text All those do I hate c. sed Cynthius aurem vellit But somebody puls me by the sleeve and saith enough of that Secondly wresters of Justice who make the Law a Nose of Wax to bee set to the right or wrong side according to their partiall affections that purposely shuffle plainnesse into
righteousnesse more then when men are weighed and not their causes This will make the friend the kinsman the rich heavie and the poor the stranger the enemy light when yet his Cause is ponderous Amans de amante judicans saith one non judicat and si male Iudâ—cet amor said another multo pejus odium neither love nor hatred are good arbitors in the cause of justice therefore as righteousnesse it self said Iohn 7. 34. Iudge not according to outward appearance but judge righteous judgement Sixtly immoderate lenity or severitie Miscend est lenitas cum severitate said Gregorie siâ— amor sed non emoliens sit rigor sed non exasperans Lenitas si sola sit nimis oltusa est severitas si sola nimis acuta est said another Vespasian was wont to say That it was the cause of Nero his ruine that though he could tune the Harpe well yet in government he did either wind up the strings too high or let them down to low both are too blame I confesse that such is the impudency of sinne out-facing in these dayes both the Sword and Word that it requires a three stringed whip of severitie and sinne hath so much indulgence that wee may justly crie to Magistrates as the Smith in his owne language to the Lantgrave of Hassen and other Magistrates going thorow the streets durescite durescite Be hardened be hardened of all swords the sword of the Magistrate would not be of too soft and base a temper that the devill himself may sit quietly under his nose yet let mercy and justice kisse each other strike deepest in those faults where the honour of God is most wounded and when you cut off a worker of iniquity from the Citie of the Lord do it as ye would cut off one of your owne joynts in justice to the sin but with sympathizing mercy to the person Seventhly selfe-guiltinesse and irreligion Men in great places are the Looking-Glasses of the Countrey by which they dresse themselves and the vices of the Rulers are the rules of vices sins lessen themselves by the examples of greatnesse Rulers quicquid faciunt precipere videntur the very example of great men hath something of command in them Quo grandius nomen eo grandius scandalum by how much you stand on higher ground by so much are your fals more shamefull to your selves and hurtfull to others How doth God pull down the flag of vicious greatnesse Isa. 1. 10. calling them Rulers of Sodom and Princes of Gomorrah They will never be zealous reformers of others that are not reformed themselves And this is the reason why justice dwels in such a frigid zone many are afraid to meddle with other mens sins least they should hear of their own Let it not be said of you as one wittily of a Lawyers studie Video hic multum juris sed parum carnis That you have much law little conscience let me therefore take the modest boldnesse to intreat you as ye are preservers of the Laws of God and man by your power be observers of them by a personall practice studie Gods Statute-Book as well as that of the King and Parliament be Clients to God before you admit Clients to you let your thoughts bee in heaven before they be in the Hall consider you are called gods but what a repugnans in adjecto is it to say a vicious an unjust god ye are called gods live as Saints to be a reall Saint is more honourable then to bee a titulary god Let it therefore be with you as it was with Nebuchadnezzars Image though Bailiffs and Serjeants and Clearks and such inferiour pettitoes of justice should be faulty partly Iron partly Clay yet let the head be of Gold Salomons Throne was of Ivory let your Seats your sentence your hearts your lives be of pure integritie The eighth is a private spirit when a mans private weale is more in his own eyes then the Commonweale this like the Wenn in the body and the Ivie to the Oake withdraweth that sap of care diligence valour and faithfulnesse which should bee spent for the publike Therefore since by your places ye are not your own yee possesse not your own Seats so be yee of publike spirits draw all your lines especially of justice and judgement not to the center of your private ends but to the circumference of the publique good He is of too low a spirit that hath all his care and thoughts spent in the saving the Cockboat not caring whether the ship of the publike wellfare sink or swimme therefore as the lesser rivers lose their names in the great Ocean so let all particulars be swallowed up in the publique good The ninth and last Caterpillar of of justice is remisnesse coldnesse and lukewarmnesse in its execution God expects we should be valiant for the truth Romans 12. 8. Let him that ruleth saith the Apostle do it with diligence bold sinners and cold Magistrates suit not well I shall think the service of this day worth al the service of my whole life if I could but stirre you up from driving heavily for God so that the wheels of justice and judgment might be as the chariot of Aminadab Let it be a Pharisees part to Tythe Mint and Cummin and neglect the greater things of the law to take order for clean streets mended canswayes and scoured ditches and do nothing for the eleansing of mens wayes in godlinesse and honestie Let it be Gallio's part to be carefull for a three halfpenny trespasse and count religion onely a question of words and names When Philip of Macedon told a poor woman that he was not at leasure to hear her just complaint she makes a bold answer If you be not at leasure to hear O King be not at leasure to reign I will not speak so roughly but thus As you doe possesse the honour of your places which we envy not so also take up the burthens of them every dignitie requires dutie you stand on higher ground then others you may see more do more and God requires more Laws without execution saith the Dutch Proverbe are like Bells without a Clapper look but upon your Robes and learn you wear Scarlet as the embleme of your zeal O let your hearts bee cloathed with Scarlet zeal for God 1. Fright the idle and vagrant who are Gods curse and the Kingdomes shame unto a Calling 2. Scatter the drunkards from the Alebench those christened Atheists that live vitam ranarum non hominum that Crown the day with riots and to morrow with promised surfetts come let us fill our selves with strong drink to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant quorum vivere est bibere Discourage that base sinne heretofore the shame of Beggars now the glory of gallantry heretofore a worke of darknesse 1 Thes. 5. 7. They that are drunke are drunke in the night now a noon-day devill restrain that beastly sin but I speak under it why call I
it beastly beasts will not bee beaten into excesse I may rather say as Bernard Ebrietas manifestissimus damon for it casts some into the fire and some into the water Augustine thought in his time that drunkenness was grown to that hight that nothing could cure it but a generall Counsell but O unto what hight is this inundation of drunkennesse grown to now that it overtops all the mountains of power raised against it growne to such a Gyantlike greatnesse that though wee have law upon law precept upon precept Parliament upon Parliament yet it still reels and staggers in our streets the Island swimms in drunkennesse as it doth in water it s a wonder that a land so full of drink doth not spue us out O that you would put down the supernumerary nests of these Vipers 3. Conjure the roaring swearer into silence it loosed the tongue of Craesus his son before dumb to see his fathers life in danger can our fathers blood bee in our veines and hear Gods name torn worse than one would do their old shoos and yet neither have our hearts loosed to grieve nor our tongues to reprove nor our hands to punish or restrain One cries blood another cries wounds another cries heart thus they crucifie againe the Lord of glory in some companies you shall have vollies of oathes oaths by whole-sale by the dozen by the grose men swearing before they can pray children swearing by Gods name before they can tell their owne It s a wonder the Sun shrinks not up into heaven and covers it self with darknesse as at the passion of Christ to see such monsters 4. Vindicate the Lords dayes fastdayes from contempt Is there never a zealous Nehemiah to shut the gates of Hierusalem that there should not bee such walking such riding such carrying of packs such driving of Cattle shall the Lords day be no way known but by shut-shops and finer clothes if there be laws against these things and others for I cannot instance in all why not executioÌ„ in these as wel as in others if not but that every one may doe as he list then write A Lord have mercy upon our Englands Head Conclusion Honourable and Worshipfull of all sorts upon whose shoulders the government either of Kingdom Countrey or Citie lyeth consider what is the good and acceptable will of God towards you from these words if my zeale hath transported me into more boldnesse then you think convenient know that as you judge so we preach not for men but for the Lord Let this Text therefore bee as a phylacterie on the garments of your honour write it on the table of your hearts let it bee ever in your eyes in your ears in your hearts let it eat with you and drinke with you let it sleepe with you and wake with you let it sit with you and judge with you let conscience which is the cud of the soul preach this over again to you when my voyce shall be buried in silence I adjure you by the love of God by the honour of names by the judgment of the last day when you that now sit in judgment shal also stand at the Bar by your loyatie love to the Commonwealth think of what hath been said accordingly execute the judgement of truth and â—eace in your gates Now the God of truth and peace grant you to be thus minded Amen FINIS Weemes Synagog pag. 170. Amos 5. Ezra 5. 1. Exod. 22. 27. Mich. 2. 7 Zach. 2. 6. Psa. 103. 6. Zach. 1. 21. Zach. 12. 3. 2. Peace underminers â— The Schismatick 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Kin. 9. 22 Isa. 35. 1. Isa. 67. 7. and 2. 2. Zach. 8. 23 Deut. 11. 20. Iob 29. 3. Iob 29. 6. Psa. 23. 3. Psa. 98. 13. Deut. 33. 16. Ps. 32. 10. Ier. 24. 6. Eze 28. 13 Eze. 54. 11 I. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pro. 23. 23 Psa. 82. 6. Pro. 29. 25 Act. 18. 14.