12.6 7 8 9. so the true Loyalist fears to offend his King not slavishly only for the sake of his power as the nominal Loyalist doth for fear of punishment but Evangelically out of a filial fear and perfect love to God Which as St. John saith casteth out all slavish and tormenting fear o 1 John 4.18 In a word the true Loyalist looks upon his King not humanely as one that hath only power and authority to terrifie and punish him if he do evil but spiritually and abstractedly as he is Gods Minister and Vicegerent ordained for that very end And therefore he fears and subjects himself to him of necessity not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake p Rom. 13.4 5. Thus you see the nature and quality of fear which makes the difference between the true Loyalist and the false But now we must consider that as a filial and Evangelical fear being as it were the Royal Head the primum mobile or first mover in all the Spheres of Religion q Pro. 9.10 Job 28.28 doth in its progress produce 1. True honour to the King and that both of esteem and maintenance and 2. With true honour all the parts of obedience r Ecclesiastes 12.13 So these duties and commandments are counterfeited by the Devil Gods Ape either by corrupting the hearts of his Children with a servile fear or by changing himself in them into an Angel of light In all which the True Loyalist will also be discovered from the false by the difference of their originals For your better understanding whereof take this for a general Rule That the True Loyalist makes the fear of God the groundwork of all duties to his King he eyes God in all and doth all for his sake and to his glory Whereas the counterfeit Loyalist doth in all only eye either humane powers or his own safety sinister ends or vain glory As 1. The True Loyalist is one that honoureth his King not only for the fear of his power and authority and the Penal Laws of the Land as the nominal Loyalist doth but out of love and fear to God because so is his will and Commandment ſ 1 Pet. 2.15 in which respect St. Peter hath joyned them both together saying fear God honour the King t 1 Pet. 2.17 2. Though a Kings Majesty and Grandeur be the foundation of humane honour as well as his power is of a servile fear yet the True Loyalist honours his King not for the sake of them alone meerly as they are humane as the Carnal Loyalist doth but as his King receives them from God his only Lord and Master and in that respect are impresses of the Divine Yea and in regard of his supremacy Prerogatives too annexed to his headship 3. The True Loyalist honoureth his King not for any self-interest or by-end of his own as the time-serving self-seeking Jesuitical Loyalist doth but still only for the Lords sake because he is his Minister and Vicegerent Lastly The True Loyalist honoureth his King not in word only as lip-holy and heart-hollow Pharisees honour the Lord u Mat. 15.8 9. but ex animo sincerely from his very heart in deed and in truth 1 John 3.18 for duty and Conscience sake because God hath commanded him to give honour to whom honour is due w Rom. 13.7 And no marvel for thus the True Loyalist honoureth all his other Governours both in Church and State 1. He highly esteemeth in love all his spiritual Governours both Bishops and Pastors of the Church not for their persons x Rom 2.11 James 2.9 Jud. 16. but for their works sake not because they have the rule over him but because they are over him in the Lord and are Ambassadors for Christ to admonish and beseech him in his stead to be reconciled to God y 2 Cor. 5.20 1 Thes 5.12 13. Phil. 2.29 Heb. 13.7 17. Rom. 10.15 2. He much honoureth too all Magistrates and Civil Governours according to their several orders and Degrees whom his King hath put in authority under him in the State not for their powers sake but still for the Lords sake because they have received their power from him to execute his wrath upon evil doers and for the praise of them that do well z Rom. 13.4 1 Pet. 2.14 16. How much more then doth he honour his King who is a person not only Civil but Sacred too Civil in respect he is not to intermeddle with the Holy Function of a Minister any more than King Vzziah was to invade the holy Office of a Priest a 2 Chron. 26.18 or we are to meddle with them that are given to Change But Sacred in respect he is Gods Deputy and Vicegerent ordained under him Supreme Head and Governour over all both in Church and State as well the highest of the Clergy as the lowest of the Laity God himself always held the Scepter above the Miter to defend it and therefore King David calls himself expresly the Lord of Zadok the High Priest b 1 King 1.33 Yea in a word the True Loyalist considers that as his Lord God himself is the common Father of us all c Mal. 1.6 so hath he appointed the King his Vicegerent to be Pater patriae the Father of his Country And therefore he respects him accordingly above all as an obedient Son doth his Father that so he may neither stand in the light of his own honour by dishonouring his Lord God in contemning in his King the Image of his authority d 1 Sam. 2.30 nor withstand his promise of long life either in this World or the World to come or both by breaking the fifth Commandment This is enough to let us see that True godliness and Loyalty True Loyalty and goldiness the fear of the Lord and the fear of the King go hand in hand together both in the Affirmative and in the Negative 1. The consequence à majori ad minus is undeniable in the Affirmative He that doth the greater duty in Religion will not stick to do the lesser quisquis Deum timet etiam Regibus honorem habebit 1 Pet. 2.17 1 Sam. 8.8 12.18 saith Calvin he that feareth God will also honour his King And 2. The consequence à minori ad majus is as undeniable in the Negative He that refuses to do the lesser duty in Religion to be sure will not do the greater he that will not fear and honour his King no man can be so sottish to think that he feareth God Therefore what St. John saith concerning our love to God and our brother e 1 Joh. 4.20 I may as truly say of our fear to God and our King If a man say I fear God and dishonoureth his King he is a lyer no less than a Quaker for he that honoureth not his King who is visible how can he fear God whom no man can see and live f Exod. 33.20 From
Oath and had scorned to conform he knew he should but increase his shame and dishonour and that not only temporal but eternal too for Christ himself saith that as he that confesses him before men shall be confessed of him before his Father which is in Heaven So he that denies or is ashamed of him and of his words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also will he be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with the holy Angels i Mat. 10.32 33. Mark 8.38 The True Loyalist considering this sticks to his Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy the more stedfastly and in regard thereof is the more afraid to break his Kings commandment because it is made not for man and his lusts sake but for the Lord and his sake k 2 Chron. 19.6 Therefore as Saint Peter hath exhorted him he freely submits himself to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well yet he willingly submits himself either actively or passively because so is the will of God that with well doing he may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men l 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. 1. Actively by obeying his King not only in such things which are already commanded by the Lord in his word but also in all other things which are not contrary to it Let things be never so indifferent in themselves neither made simply good or bad by the command or prohibition of God but hang meerly upon the State of times and the various customs and manners of Nations yet when they are once commanded and made the Laws of the Land he pays obedience to them as to things not indifferent because otherwise his Kings Power and Prerogative would in effect be nullified contrary to the Law of God and destructive to Christian Government and Magistracy Wherefore left in the very act he should disobey not man but God himself m 1 Thes 4.8 He is necessarily subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake n Rom. 13 5â— And indeed those things which in themselves are indifferent must needs become good and necessary when they are once made the Laws of the Land because therein they also tend to our good and welfare both in Church and State 1. In the State if there were no Laws there would be no living the weakest then would always go to the Wall Yea men would then be like fish in the Sea the greater would evermore devour the less the strongest arm and the longest Sword would always carry it the passions of men would then set them in as great a combustion as when Phaeton rode the Sun happy therefore is that Nation that hath binding Laws in it to curb our corrupt and irregular passions but thrice happy is that Nation that hath Governours in it endued with such a spirit as makes them willing to execute those Laws for otherwise were there never so good Laws and the King or Supreme Governour should have never so great a desire to have them executed yet seeing with other eyes and handling with other hands than his own he cannot always have his will fulfilled excepting only in Supreme causes where he sits as immediate Judge himself without the concurrent help of inferiour Governours For which cause though the Israelites in the Wilderness were a more collective body than other Nations yet Jethro Moses Father-in-Law seeing how he toiled in judging them alone advised him to chuse inferiour Governours to judge the smaller matters and to bring the greater unto him and not only so but such men too as were rightly qualified for their Office able men such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness o Exod. 18. 2. In the Church if there were no ordinances there would be no order and if no order no unity in Gods service nor stedfastness in the Faith p Col. 2.5 Yea though there must be Heresies or Sects among us as our Apostle speaks q 1 Cor. 11.19 yet if men should have no Ordinances to contain them in order but be permitted to live as they list themselves as they were when there was no King in England like as when there was no King in Israel r Jud. 17.6 There would be so many the more Divisions and Confusions in the Church whereby the more Tumults and Troubles would be raised in the State For the welfare of the State is imbarked in the welfare of the Church no Christian State can possibly be sound and well when the Chuch is sick and shattered into Schisms any more than Hippocrates's Twins can live or die asunder This hath been too evident in all ages of the Church especially in these latter times now so many false Prophets have risen among us and love which is the bond of Peace is waxen so cold that iniquity doth abound and get the upper hand Å¿ Mat. 24.12 particularly in our Independent Congregations and other Schismatical and Heretical Assemblies among us who under pretence of serving God in their private Meetings have many times and often made secret Conspiracies and Treacherous Combinations against the State that they may the better serve themselves and ruin the Church Wherefore Authority being warned by their former mischief hath since most prudently especially in times of apparent danger took order for the suppression of Conventicles and divisions in the Church that there may be no more such evil consequences in the State but that all things being rightly ordered according to Gods prescription t 1 Cor. 14. ult we may have only peace which God is the Author and approver of as in all the Churches of the Saints u ver 33. 2. Passively by suffering his Kings will to be done on him if it be unlawful and may not be done by him For the true Loyalist knows that as obedience to God must be preferred before obedience to man w Act. 4.19 so he is commanded to be subject to the higher powers x Rom. 13.1 which in such a case cannot be without suffering and therefore he is obedient not only Actively by doing his Kings Commandment when it is for the truth but also Passively by enduring it patiently when it is against the truth as is evident in the example of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego who did obey King Nebuchadezzar not only actively when he had given them Rule over the Province of Babylon but also passively without the least shew of Rebellion when he commanded them to fall down and worship the Golden Image which he had set up y Dan. 3. And indeed where did you ever read of any Godly Martyrs or Martyr that when he might not obey his King actively yet refused to submit himself to him passively I am sure the examples of the Apostles will teach you
hence are justly condemned two sorts of men amongst us 1. Those that dare presume to stile themselves the Godly Party and yet refuse all Loyalty to their Prince That pretend very much to fear the Lord and yet are not afraid to dishonour their King And who are such but only our Pharisaical Puritans and Fanaticks Time was we know when those Godly-gulls and Holy-cheats made the deluded people of this Kingdom to believe that he did fear God the most who did the least honour his King that he was the most godly who would offer the most affronts and indignities to his Prince Nothing was counted with them a greater piece of Piety than to stir up the people against their Soveraign by raising jealousies and casting abroad rude and scandalous Pamphlets almost every day to libel and disgrace him Which as that Holy Martyr King Charles 1. Himself saith in his Divine meditations * ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ that Golden Manual like sparks in great conflagrations did fly up and down to set all places on Fire Yea he was thought to be the most Religious who was the best Incendiary to set a well ordered Kingdom in a Flame Hist of Indepen Compleat Part. 1. p. 55. and could cheat the giddy multitude the most into Rebellion no Ambassador to him that was the greatest Herauld of War and like a Geneva Bull could roar out loudest from the Pulpit Up ye Fanaticks Arm Arm ye are the only Godly party who have as much right to Rob the King and his Loyal Subjects as the Israelites had to spoil the Egyptians g Exod. 3.22 all that you can find is your own But only you must not think that you like ravening Wolves can make a prey of their possessions unless you hide the designs of your pride and covetousness under Sheeps clothing h Mat. 7.15 If therefore you have any lingering mind after the wages of unrighteousness i 2 Pet. 2.15 as we know you have as any Balaams of us all then you must deal wisely k Exod. 1.10 imitate our Language and behaviour to the life know no other godliness but your espoused gain l 1 Tim. 6.5 and make Religion but a stalking Horse to Rebellion regard not the voice of Conscience lest it interrupt you but yet be sure to carry it always about you that it may be ready to further your sinister ends and proceedings with its outward shews and varnish Be ye as Hypocritical in raising a Rebellion against your King as ambitious Absalom was when he raised a conspiracy against his Father m 2 Sam. 15. though like David he be a man after Gods own heart yet pretend ye that there are some grievous abuses in Church and State which if you were made Rulers and Judges your integrity would quickly remedy that so your Godly party being strengthned by the stoln hearts of others you may accomplish your ambitious and covetous ends the more assuredly to the temporal ruin and downfal of your King and Country O! Tell this not in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Askalon lest the Daughters of Philistins rejoyce lest the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph n 2 Sam. 1.20 For time was then too when these cursed Cains and Amalekites did all of them combine together and were not afraid to stretch forth united hands to destroy the Lords anointed o ver 14. And yet forsooth they pretended that it was out of fear to God to promote his Cause and his Glory Yea they thought they did God good service to kill their King and make him a glorious Martyr for God and his Country as Christ our Prince of peace foretold his Disciples of the like that was to happen unto them to make them stable in their persecutions p John 16.1 2 For as these Rebels did this Barbarous Villainous and unparallel'd act because they had no saving knowledge of God the Father and Christ God-man the Son q ver 3. So our Martyred Soveraign like King David in all his troubles though both had their failings demonstrated himself to be a true Disciple of Christ indeed for notwithstanding all the various modes whereby these proud and impudent wretches had him in great derision yet he declined not from Gods Law r Ps 119.51 But the guilty Consciences of these Parricides the true seed of Corah and his Complices two hundred and fifty Princes of the Assembly all of them Parliament men of their own Election ſ Numb 16. told them that the murder of their Soveraign was not enough to keep those Places Dignities and Power which before they had usurped from him unless they barred all his Heirs from succeeding Therefore though they consisted of two juntoes and were divided into two adverse Factions the one Presbyterians who to use their own distinction murdered the King in his Political Capacity and the other Independents who murdred him in his natural Yet they most firmly agreed in making an Act * Hist Independ Compleat Part 2. p. 140. p. 241. Part 4. p. 22. for the Dethroning of his Highness James Duke of York and all the Royal Family not sparing so much as the Kingly Office it self Especially therein they united themselves together against the next Heir to the Crown our now most gracious Lord and King as unanimously and as solemnly as those two deadly Enemies Herod and Pilate were made friends against Christ t Luk. 23.12 They hunted him from place to place for his life as Saul King David like a Partridge upon the Mountains u 1 Sam. 26.20 most inhumanely saying like the Husbandmen in the Parable w Luk. 20.14 this is the Heir come let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours Yet they had the impudence to pretend that all was but expedient for the good and welfare of the whole Nation the Glory of God the safety and liberty of the people Salus populi is the common pretence of all Rebels Caiaphas pretended the same for Crucifying Christ it is expedient saith he that one man die meaning Jesus and that the whole Nation perish not x John 11.50 And Cromwell too pretended the like for the murder of our Soveraign unless he die the whole nation must perish but as that which was pretended to be so much for the safety of the Jews brought a fearful destruction upon them so this which was pretended to be so much for the Glory of God and the Liberty of the People hath been seen by woeful experience for twelve years together to have been the very bane and ruin of the Nation When was there ever more slavery and bondage in the State And when more Anarchy and confusion in the Church Munster it self saw but the Prologue to our Tragedy But to maintain this their Usurpation they still persisted in their old Hypocritical zeal and re-inforced it too with such wonderful shews of godliness that if it were possible they
a handful as it were and some of them disloyal too against a multitude 1. Therefore O ye Prophane and ungodly Loyalists though God forbid any such sad times should come again to try your Loyalty in yet it is behoofeful that you as well as those that call themselves the Godly Party purge out all your sins by a true timely and unfeigned repentance and holy resolutions of better obedience that your Hypocrisie and deception may also vanish as well as theirs Mat. 12.41 42. Unless you mean to have the very Gentiles rise in judgment against you for being under the light of Nature better Loyalists than you under the glorious light of the Gospel For all men are obliged even by Nature it self to venture their dearest blood for the safety of their King Our Saviour himself who came to fufil the Law of Moses and perfect the Law of Nature u Mat. 5.17 hath confirmed it for a never dying Maxim If my Kingdom saith he were of this World then would my Servants fight c. John 18.36 And no marvel that it should be thus for the King as he is Gods Vicegerent and our Supreme head and Governour is as the men of Israel said of King David worth ten thousand of us w 2 Sam. 18.3 yea more than us all the very light of the Nation x 2 Sam. 21.17 This proves that the King is Major Vniversis contrary to that false Childish Fanatical and Antimonarchical distinction that he is Major Singulis Minor Vniversis Be ye then as Loyal in your resolutions as you are in your professions and as careful of your Kings preservation as Abishai and the men of Israel were of King David's y 2 Sam. 21.17 Lest for your neglect of a duty of so high a concern the greatness of your Talent bring upon you a greater Curse than that of Meroz Luke 12.48 Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord Curse ye bitterly the inhabâ—â—â—nts thereof Because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty Judges 5.23 2. Though no pretence at last shall excuse any Gainsaying and Rebellious people z Rom. 10.21 but all that despise dominion and speak evil of Dignities must without discrimination perish in the Gainsaying of Core a Jud. 8. to the 22. yet be ye wary how ye offer any occasion to your weaker brethren to be Revolters from their Loyalty or obstinate in their Fanaticism by mixing your Loyalty with prophaneness lest you aggravate your Torments in Hell by making your selves guilty of their sin and punishment as well as your own You have seen in or from our late times of Rebellion what confusion and destruction our Old prophane Loyalists brought upon their King and Country by shaming so good a Cause which they owned How they filled our Land like Rama with mourning by their Cursing and Cursed Oaths b Jer. 23.10 Mat. 2.18 even bitter mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon c Zech. 12.11 Mal. 3.5 Ecclesiasticus 23.11 And finally what Aegyptian Bondage and darkness they enwrapped the whole Nation in both Church and State by moving Fanaticks as was pretended with their drunkenness and debauchery to extinguish the light of England In a word therefore take ye warning in time and follow their pernicious examples no more lest you find death in your Pots indeed d 2 Kings 4.40 the death of your Souls to all eternity e 1 Cor. 6.9 10. But manifest your Allegiance by adorning your Loyalty with holy lives answerable to your professions Tit. 2.10 that thereby you may both remove all objections and colours of Rebellion from any that watch for matter of advantage and exception against you and offer them as great an occasion to imbrace True Loyalty if they will accept it as they have from all True Loyalists if they were not wilfully blind and obstinate that so the more hearts being united to the Lord and the King we may get the more strength to resist our Enemies and the more securely enjoy Peace amongst our selves both in Church and State Now 2. As the True Loyalist when he is in the place of a True Conformist honours God not only with reverence but with his substance f Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 so the True Conformist when he is in the place of a True Loyalist honours his King not only with due respect and esteem but also with maintenance The same man in one respect renders unto God the things which be Gods and in the other he renders unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's g Luk. 20.25 Prayer and thanksgiving he pays to God as his immediate Rents and dues Tythes and offerings mediately in his Stewards and Ministers But Tribute or Taxes c. he renders unto his King or Caesar in a more special manner as he is Gods Minister and Vicegerent and next under him his supreme Head and Governour Therefore it is very remarkable that our blessed Saviour who pay'd Tribute himself which his pretended Vicar refuses to do to shew the great necessity of this duty Dr. Boys upon the dominical Epistles and Gospels p. 163. never did any miracle about honour or money except this one of giving Tribute unto Caesar Mat. 17.27 The consideration of this moves the True Loyalist to pay his Tribute and Taxes c. to his King freely and voluntarily out of love and fear to God and his Commandments Whereas the Nominal Loyalist though he also pays Tribute and Taxes c. to his King as well as the True yet he pays them unwillingly and by constraint out of fear of the Kings authority and the Penal Laws of the Land But the True Loyalist I say considers that his King is Gods Minister and Vicegerent appointed by him for the good of his Church both as a rewarder for the praise of them that do well and as a revenger to execute his wrath upon them that do evil And therefore as the Apostle hath taught him h Rom. 13.3 4 5 6. he pays his Tribute and Taxes c. with all subjection not only for Wrath but also for Conscience-sake By this you may perceive that though the True Loyalist and the nominal agree in this that both of them pay Tribute and Taxes c. to their King yet in the mode and ends of their paying they differ as much as a servile fear and a filial yea a Humane fear and a Divine the fear of God and the fear of man How much then are Quakers and such Godly gulls to blame who thinking they do God good service in resisting the higher Powers chuse rather to suffer imprisonment or any affliction in the World than to pay any Tribute or Taxes c. at all And glory in it too and plead Conscience for the same as if God the jealousie of whose honour burneth like fire was the Author of Rebellion against
himself and his own Laws How great the judgment of these blasphemers and Rebels against the Lord and the King shall be I cannot determine because it is unspeakable St. Peter saith If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear i 1 Pet. 4.18 Where then say I shall these appear That fall so far short of Nominal Loyalists that in Statu quo in the condition they are in fall far short of Heaven The nominal Loyalist hath something in him that is good more than his Essence or being his profession is good if his life were answerable but the profession of these is as Diametrically opposite to Religion as their Loyalty which consisteth only in Rebellion Moreover the nominal Loyalist though he pay his Tribute and Taxes c. only out of a servile fear yet by his outward conformity and obedience he declares himself to be a member within the Pale of the Church where he hath the means which God hath ordained to make him if he be not wanting to himself a True Christian and a True Loyalist in time And not only so but he also helps to preserve the publick peace and safety of the Nation whereby he peaceably enjoys many temporal blessings or at least keeps himself secure from temporal punishments as Ahab averted the temporal wrath of God by outwardly humbling himself k 1 Kings 21.29 But these Rebellious wretches are good for nothing they are no better than the very Heathens and Publicans l Mat 18.17 they are good neither for their Souls nor for their bodies they are Sots as well as sinners not only spiritual fools but natural and inconsiderate fools in the deepest Grain they not only excommunicate themselves from the ordinary means of True Loyalty and salvation and break peace and unity both in Church and State by their divisions but they also disturbe even their own quiet in this life by bringing punishments upon themselves by and for their Rebellion And how much are those Publicans and Tax-gatherers to blame too that make no more Conscience to empty the Kings Exchequer that they may fill their own Coffers or some ways or other build up themselves out of the ruins of the Kings Tribute than these Holy-cheats do to pay it Touch not mine Anointed m 1 Chron 16.22 is a prohibition to hurt the King not only in his Body but in his Estate too It is theft to steal the goods of any but to cheat and rob the King of his Tribute c. is a sin no less than Sacriledge For Tribute c. belongs to the King not as he is a person Civil but Sacred Anointed with Holy Oyl to be Gods Minister and Vicegerent n Rom. 13.4 5 6. And therefore to rob Gods Clergy of Tythes c. is also the cursed sin of Sacriledge because the High Priest the Representative of them all Rom. 11.16 was also Gods Anointed Anointed with Holy Oyl to his Sacred Function as well as the King Zech. 4.14 These are the two anointed ones or Sons of Oyl which stand by the Lord of the whole Earth This Targum expounds of Joshua and Zorobabel who were anointed the one for the Princely Government the other for the Priest-hood with the self-same Oyl o Numb 35.25 and accordingly God himself with relation to the days of Christ doth call this sort of theft Sacriledge Will a man rob God saith he yet he have robbed me but yet ye say wherein have we robbed thee 't is answered in Tythes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse that is surely and greatly cursed for ye have robbed me even this whole Nation Mal. 3.8 9. 1 Cor. 9.14 'T is Sacriledge then the cursed and damnable sin of Sacriledge to rob God in the Ministers of his holy word and Sacraments But how much rather to rob God in the King his Minister and Vicegerent Surely if nearness of relation will make any distinction as touch not mine anointed goeth before do my Prophets no harm p 1 Chron. 16.22 it must needs be the greatest Sacriledge of all next to the robbing God in himself of his immediate Rents and dues of prayer and thanksgiving Render therefore to all their dues especially to God and Caesar Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Rom. 13.7 But 3. and Lastly The falsehood and deceipt of the Solemn League and Covenant discovered as the true Loyalist is obedient to his King in paying of him Tribute and Taxes c. so also in all his other Laws and Ordinances he still considers that his King is appointed by God to be his Minister and Vicegerent for the External government of his Church and therefore out of love and fear to God and obedience to his Laws in serving of whom the people have only perfect liberty q James 1.19 2.12 2 Cor. 3.17 Rom. 8.21 he most freely sweareth fealty to him to be true to him and obedient And accordingly he rejoyceth when the Oath of Allegiance is imposed upon him and the whole Nation because it is for confirmation of Loyalty and subjection that thereby there may be an end of all strife and all both in Church and State may enjoy Peace the more securely r Heb. 6.16 17 In which respect saith Solomon I counsel thee to keep the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God Å¿ Ecclesiastes 8.2 The True Loyalist though he would obey his Kings Commandment either actively or passively without an Oath his Conscience being bound before by the Law of God yet because God wills such an Oath for confirmaon of the lawless in outward obedience with the just and Loyal t 1 Tim. 1.9 he the more willingly takes and keeps it that so there may be an end of all strife for certainly he must be a notorious Rebel indeed that will not keep his Kings commandment in regard of his Oath if he had no other obligation for an Oath if it be only in such things which are not contrary to the will of God is so Sacred and obliging a thing that it bringeth the wrath and vengeance of God upon him that breaketh it u Joshua 9.20 Numb 5.21 and therefore saith Solomon it is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy to wit who taketh an holy Oath upon him and after vows to make enquiry w Pro. 20.25 to wit whether his Oath or Vow be any ways prejudicial to his Body or Estate or not x Ps 15.4 For which cause when Joshua and the Princes of the Congregation had made a Peace with the Gibeonites upon Oath they durst not break it though it were so disadvantagious that the Israelites murmured against them and their enemies had obtained the League by guile and craft y Joshua 9. and when King Saul in a battel against the Philistines had adjured the Israelites not to
the contrary and all the persecutions of the Church Luther therefore that great Reformer of our Religion when in his Reformation he was opposed by Authority would say That he had rather obey than work Miracles if it were in his power for obedience is due to Kings not as they are men but as they are powers ordained of God to be his Ministers and Vicegerents And so accordingly Julian the Apostate's Souldiers though they would not worship Idols at his command because God will not give his glory to another nor his praise to Graven Images z Isa 4.8 yet when he led them against an enemy they obeyed him most readily Distinguebant dominum temporalem à domino aeterno tamen subditi erant propter dominum aeternum saith Augustine August in Psal 124. they had understanding in them to distinguish their temporal Lord from their eternal and Religion too to subject themselves to their temporal for the sake of their eternal All power is from God and also for God let the Prince invested therewith abuse it never so much for himself as if it were his own yet God can extract the greatest good out of the greatest evil and order it to his glory and therefore the True Loyalist never uses a Sword against his King but a Buckler never resisteth the Power but is always submissive either actively or passively not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake If St. Paul indeed had said Let every soul be subject to Christian and vertuous Powers there might have been some Plea for Rebellion but to take away all scruple he saith to Powers indefinitely in that they be Powers as St. Peter expresly not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward a 1 Pet. 2.18 Sith then we are obliged by the Doctrine of St. Peter and St. Paul to submit our selves to all Powers indefinitely let them be never so wicked and Tyrannous how much rather ought we to fear and obey those that are Peaceable and Religious Defenders of the Faith and Nursing Fathers to the Church Whenas to such there doth belong a double honour an honour as they are Gods Ministers and Trustees and an honour as they are fearers of God their Lord and Soveraign b Ps 15. ◠This is the glory of a Nation this gives Vertue free scope and makes True Loyalty the more operative Yet we must remember that obedience and subjection is a thing so highly necessary that it is enjoyned to all Powers indefinitely not only the good but the bad too 1. In regard of the Predicate because obedience unites men together and makes them Victorious it is the very strength and bulwork of a Nation 2. In regard of the Subject because wicked and Tyrannous Princes serve no less for our Tryal than good ones for our Consolation and who would not be happy eternally happy Blessed is the man saith St. James that endureth temptation For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him c James 1.12 And accordingly to shew the great necessity of this duty the Lord himself by his Apostle hath here enforced obedience to it with two such moving arguments as they eminently comprehend all The first may serve for an use of terrour to fright all Fanaticks from Rebellion for it is taken from the exceeding great danger of them that resist the Powers because the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation d Rom. 13.1 2. in the vulgar Latine it is acquirunt sibi damnationem they do acquire or purchase to themselves damnation to shew that Rebels above all Malefactors do the most worthily receive damnation for what can a man receive into his possession more worthily than that which he receives by purchase Moreover to shew the great interest and propriety they have in damnation they are said not only to receive it but to receive it to themselves they shall receive to themselves damnation and that both Temporal and Eternal 1. Temporal the very provoking a King to anger incurreth death without his mercy and Clemency The fear or Wrath of a King saith Solomon is as the roaring of a Lyon he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own Soul That is offendeth against his own life hazzards and jeopards it e Pro. 20.2 19.12 Yea the Wrath of a King saith he is as the messengers of Death without the wisdom of the Wise to pacifie it f Pro. 16.14 How much rather then doth that Cursed Traiter deserve Death even that terrible and ignominious death the Laws of England have assigned him that hath so little fear of God before his eyes as not to be afraid to stretch forth his hand to destroy the Lords anointed Murder is a crying sin it cryeth for vengeance vengeance g Gen. 4.10 but Regicide what shall I term it it is a Roaring sin it roareth louder than all the Diabolical voices in Plutarch did together for the Cessation of their Oracles upon the coming of our Saviour for by Murder one single person may be destroyed only but by Regicide the murder of a King many times a whole Nation even all the Members of a body Politick perish in his ruine as the body Natural doth by the loss of the Head from whence the Metaphor is drawn 2. Eternal and that most proper in this place for though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here for damnation make no difference between that condemnation which is Temporal and that which is Eternal the judgment of man in this life and the judgment of God in the life to come h Rom. 2.2 Compared in the Orig. with Luk 23.40 yet the reason wherefore damnation here is pronounced against them that resist the Powers being because in resisting them they resist the Ordinance of God doth plainly shew that it is chiefly meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of eternal judgment Scripture and Order requires that a sin against God be punished with damnation eternal and a sin against man as man only with Temporal and a Rebel sins against both He sinneth against man in that he resisteth the power of his King as he is a man He sinneth against God in that by resisting the Power of his King he resisteth the Ordinance of God And therefore as the word signifieth he is guilty of both sorts of punishment not only Temporal but chiefly Eternal as is evident in the example of Corah and his Accomplices who because in being gathered together against Moses and against Aaron they were gathered together against the Lord they were not permitted to die the common death of other men but the Lord made a new thing caused the Earth to open her mouth and swallow them up quick into Hell i Numb 16. The 2. is an use of comfort both to
to be Master so much as of his own Family Yea these Harpyes these Lycanthropi possessed themselves of the inheritance and Estates of all whom they at pleasure would make a Delinquent not sparing so much as the Dead * Hist Independ Compleat Part 1. p. 128 129 130. from Sequestration as it fareth with the head so with the members when they had once destroyed the King they make all true Loyalists both Clergy and Laity take up their Cross and follow him as he did his Saviour Not unlike the savage Tartars who when their great Cham dies cast many of his dearest friends after him For 2. These Lord-Danes with the vulgar Lurdanes killed their King not only for the sake of his Inheritance and his Nobles c. but also for the sake of the Churches Patrimony For all their fine words and fair speeches they served not the Lord Jesus but their own belly a Rom. 16.17 18. The Presbyterians have much to answer for this For tho' they knew * They could not chuse but know it if Envy and Covetousness had not blinded their eyes it being not only evident by Gods general rule 1 Cor. 14.40 the perpetual Law of Order which saith Aristole is ipsa ratio reason it self but also throughly proved over and over both by other Scriptures and Antiquity that Episcopacy was the Primitive Government yet they made the world believe that they could not endure the order and title of a Bishop And why so The reason is because it was not sutable to their changing they must have some hypocritical pretence or other or else they could not have changed Oliver Cromwell taught them an example he as you have heard would not be called a King no by no means yet he would be more than a King So these though they would not have the name of a Bishop no by no means yet they would have been more than Bishops if they could for as soon as the King their Protector was once removed they actually took possession of as much lands and livings of theirs as they could No Bishop no King was the wise saying of King James and no King no Bishop hath been seen to be as true as that But the torrent of their Covetousness did not stop here it also wafted them over into the fairest Vineyards of the inferior Clergy which if they the right owners demonstrated themselves to be True Loyalists men that feared the Lord and the King by refusing to take their unreasonable and abominable League and Covenant they took into their possession as readily and as jollily as Ahab when he took possession of the fair Vineyard of Naboth b 1 King 21.19 But 3. The licentiousness Anarchy and confusion of these Changers is most perspicuous in the subversion of the Churches Discipline and all Gods Laws and Ordinances therein for as disorder in the first Wheel of a Watch or Clock makes confusion in all the rest so Monarchy Gods own Government being once changed into Oligarchy and Tyranny there quickly followed a change of all Gods other Laws and Ordinances in the whole sphere of Religion and Government uno errore concesso mille sequuntur As when Cain had once killed Abel the wickedness of the Old World began to flow in apace like so many Waves one upon the neck of another c Gen. 6. So these Blunderbuss Zamzummims d Deut. 2.20 when they had once destroyed the Lords Anointed grew desperate over Shoos over Boots as they say they did not care what they did they became men of Gigantick-like wickedness Rebels against Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighters against God they turned themselves in the next place directly against the Lord himself and his Church they took as much delight to oppose God in the order and government of his Church as Satan doth to fish in troubled Waters Their new modelled Common-wealth must have a new fashioned Religion to uphold it As 1. They opposed God in his order by changing the primitive Government of his Church by Episcopacy into a new invented one of their own called Presbytery English Athenians all for novelties they thought themselves such perfect workmen in Gods Vineyard that they scorned to be guided by Gods general rule of decency and order e 1 Cor. 14.40 they made a Lesbian rule of their own called a Directory for the publick worship of God appointed contrary to their knowledge * Marshal one of Cromwels Journey-men Priests declared against all use of Common-Prayer by others and yet married his own Daughter with the same Book and a Ring and gave for reason that the Statute Establishing that Liturgy was not yet repealed and he was loth to have his Daughter Whored and turned back upon him for want of legal marriage Hist Independ Compleat Part 1. p. 80. and conscience to be used instead of our Common-Prayer in opposition to Gods command to glorifie him with one mind and one mouth f Rom. 15.6 And as our martyred Soveraign observeth in his ' ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ they also set forth old Catechisms and Confessions of Faith new drest importing as much saith he as if there had been no sound and clear doctrine of faith in this Church before some four or five years consultation had matured their thoughts touching their first principles of Religion Moreover as Jeroboam answerable to his Idolatry made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi g 1 Kings 12.31 So these Changers from the fear of the Lord and the King answerable to their confusion silenced the true Clergy of God and chose the very scum of the Nation to preach in their room in opposition to the Lords Decree and Ordinance that no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron h Heb. 5.4 Yea they hated Gods Clergy so vehemently that they contradicted them even in their very appearel they preached in Cloaks c. in opposition to their orderly and Canonical vestments And what should I say more They slighted Gods Ordinances so much that they first caused the Banes of Marriage to be cryed in the Market-place and then the parties to be married by Justices of the Peace in private houses in opposition to Gods Ministers at Church O what must one day be the judgment of these hare-brain'd wretches That set no more by Gods Ordinances especially that contemn the holy State of Marriage so honourable in all i Heb. 13.4 instituted by God himself in Paradise k Gen. 2.24 Mat. 19.5 6. the emblem of Christ and his Church l Eph. 5.32 Rev. 19.7 yea honoured by Christ our Saviour with his first miracle m John 2.11 Vzziah for all he was a King a person not only Civil but Sacred too yet came we know to a very fearful end for invading the Priests Office n 2 Chron. 26. Judge ye then what must be the end of inferior
they shall both fall into the Ditch b Mat. 15.14 They both dishonoured the Lord here both in his Sanctuary and in his Ordinances therefore neither of them both shall have the honour at last to come within the true Sanctum Sanctorum the seat of the blessed c 1 Sam. 2.30 But I must remember that my business is not to stand upon the confutation of the errors of these Changers neither need I they are so notoriously bad that they confute themselves but only to give you some instances of the sad effects of their changing that ye may be as cautious for the future how ye meddle with these Changers as the former for you have seen how they first opposed the Lord in the King and how they next opposed him in almost all his other Laws and Ordinances shuck the very foundation of our Church and put all things therein out of frame Yea they banished and contemned even the Lords-Prayer it self because as our Martyred Soveraign saith in his divine meditations * ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ it is the warrant and Original pattern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church And what should I say more They taught for doctrines the commandments of wicked men besieging God as it were with affronts and indignities meerly out of spite to the True Loyalist and Conformist because they had used those Divine Laws and Ordinances before out of love and fear to the Lord and the King Now that they might uphold this new Religion of theirs answerable to their new fashioned Common-Wealth from being cast down by the great visibility of those evils which they committed in their changing they covered them so artificially with a form of Godliness that the rude multitude were so far from discovering them that they believed all that they said to be Gospel And accordingly they were as obedient unto them as that rabble of the Essens among the Jews were to Judas of Galilee d Acts 5.36 37. or rather as many others among them also were to the Old Scribes and Pharisees for the truth is these pretended Reformers though in some things they do far exceed the Pharisees in hypocrisie yet in many things which occasion offers to speak of now more fully and together they do resemble them so exactly that you would think that the souls of the Pharisees were entred into their bodies by a Pythagorean Transmigration The Pharisees were the most strict and precise Sect of the Jews they desired to be counted more holy than any the only Saints upon earth and did accordingly separate themselves from the rest of the Church and from thence they were called Pharisees Yet they were only outwardly so their inward parts burnt altogether with deceit and hypocrisie they were like unto whited Sepulchres beautiful without and within full of uncleanness e Mat. 23.27 28. They were great Zealots in Religion yet they were blind their zeal was without knowledge it consisted chiefly in persecuting Christ and his Church f Phil. 3.6 They were great pretenders to righteousness the only Puritans of that age They were men of a sad Countenance they would fast often and shew great Austerity And sometimes too they would seem very charitable and give much Almes to the Poor but their evil ends robb'd their holy actions of their reward for they did not do them for conscience sake that they might glorifie God and lay up for themselves Treasures in heaven but only in policy for their covetousness and vain glory's sake that they might have the better excuse at other times to lay up for themselves the more Treasures upon Earth and get the greater applause in being seen of men Mat. 6. They were also great Enthusiasts like Cromwell * When Cromwell contrary to his vows and protestations made to the King kept him close prisoner in Carisbrook Castle he affirmed the spirit would not let him keep his word When contrary to the publick faith they murdered him they pretended they could not resist the motions of the spirit Sua cuique Deus sit dira libido This Hobgoblin serves all turns c. Hist Independ Compleat Part 3. p. 23. and the five lights †Hist Independ Part 2. p. 152 153. of Walton they pretended especially such of that Sect as were Scribes to have great skill in the Scriptures and new revelations of the Spirit And like * Sunday after Easter-day six Preachers militant at White-Hall tryed the patience of their hearers one calling up another successively at last the Spirit of the Lord called up Oliver Cromwell who standing a good while with lifted up eyes as it were in a Trance and his neck a little inclining to one side as if he had expected Mahomets Dove to descend and murmur in his Ear and sending forth abundantly the groans of the Spirit spent an hour in prayer and an hour and an half in a Sermon In his prayer he desired God to take off from him the Government of this mighty people of England as being too heavy for his Shoulders to bear An audacious ambitious and hypocritical imitation of Moses It is now reported of him that he pretendeth to inspirations and that when any Great or Weighty matter is propounded he usually retireth for a quarter or half an hour and then returneth and delivereth out the Oracles of the spirit surely the spirit of John Leyden will be doubled upon this man Hist Independ Compleat Part 2. p. 153 154. Cromwell too they were much for preaching but they said and did not they would not undergo any burthen of self-denial themselves but they made them to hang very weighty and grievous to be born on the shoulders of their Auditors Mat. 23. Moreover they lenghtened out their prayers with vain repetitions thinking to be heard for their much babling And made long prayers too both out of vain glory to be seen of men and for a colour to hide their oppression in devouring the Houses or Estates even of the Fatherless and Widow For prevention of which our Saviour teaches his Disciples and us how to pray in a short pithy and set form of Prayer Mat. 6. and Luke 11. Besides they were superstitiously zealous in keeping the Sabbath and often quarrelled with our Saviour for breaking it though it were only in works of mercy and necessity And yet they were as great prophaners of the Temple they made Gods house a house of Merchandise and a Den of Thieves for which they were as sharply reproved by our Saviour in that they would offer to mock God in his Law which joyneth them together commanding us to reverence his Sanctuary as well as to keep his Sabbaths g Levit. 19.30 And they made a conscience too of smaller matters as of Ceremonies but omitted the weightier matters of the Law as judgment mercy c. And what should I add more they were also Proud and Censorious great justifiers of themselves and condemners of all others h Luke
under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved e Acts 4.12 And St. John saith He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him f John 3.36 17.3 Heb. 2.3 1 John 5.10 O therefore as you tender your everlasting Peace delay no longer to kiss the Son of God Christ Jesus our only Lord and Saviour g Psal 2.12 not with a Judas's kiss to betray him h Mat. 26.48 but with the mouth of Faith and obedience in token of homage i 1 Sam. 10.1 that he was Anointed to be your Lord and King by God the Father k Psa 89.27 Revel 1.5 Phil. 2.8 9. lest by your infidelity ye perish from the Way the Truth and the Life l John 14.6 And you O Christian Kings that are already established in the Faith and imbrace Christ and his Gospel the only means of your Salvation accomplish ye the end of your Ordination be ye true defenders of the Faith and Nursing Fathers to the Church that Christ may defend you from your enemies and nurse you in your Kingdoms manifest your wisdom by scattering the wicked in judgment and bringing the Wheel over the ungodly that the Lord may establish your Thrones in righteousness m Pro. 20.8 26. 25.5 Let Christ rule in your hearts by Faith n Ephes 3.17 Col. 3.15 that you may rule his people the more faithfully Pay ye True Loyalty and subjection to Christ your Lord and Master that your Subjects may the more chearfully pay you yours In a word have a care of increasing your accounts by negligence in your charge o Luk. 12.48 But crown your Sacred Office with Christian examples that at last you may exchange your corruptible Crowns for Crowns of glory But Lastly we must not forget that if a King should be wanting in his duty to fear the Lord yet our duty is nevertheless to fear the King let him be what he will that can be no excuse to us we must not forsake the Lord for his sake but still be subject unto him for the Lords sake Wickedness in a King may bring destruction upon himself but we know from what hath been said before that it can be no plea for Rebellion Yea suppose a King should be a notorious enemy not only to the Lord but to our selves too yet for all that we must not Rebel but still be subject and obedient David a man after Gods own heart when he was a Subject to King Saul that remarkable Tyrant and Rebel against God gives us in this a very fair example for when the evil spirit of King Saul rose up against him and that so violently that he sought to smite him even to the Wall with his Javelin and though afterwards he declared his malice to be as great as Davids innocency both by hunting him from place to place like a Partridge upon the Mountains and devising all the ways he could besides to take away his life p 1 Sam. 19.9 10 c. yet when he had him at his mercy even at such times when he came to attach him q 1 Sam. 24. c. 26. he would by no means Rebel lift up his hand or his heel against him no nor suffer those that were about him to do it though they much incited him thereunto alledging that the day was come in the which the Lord said he would deliver his enemy into his hand But alas they savoured not the things that be of God r Mat. 16.23 the Lord delivered him into his hand not that he should kill him but only to try his Loyalty whether he would kill him or not and so the words following interpret it that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee Å¿ 1 Sam. 24.4 5. And so accordingly he proved himself a True Loyalist indeed the more he feared the Lord the more he feared the King he cut off but the skirt of Sauls Robe and his heart smote him much less durst he kill him t Psal 4.4 Satan for all his great policy could not prevail with him to do that he said unto hismen The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord With these words David staid his servants and suffered them not to rise against Saul u 1 Sam. 24.5 6 7. And when Abishai for the same reason would have killed him in the Wilderness of Ziph David was astonished at his boldness and impudency and forbad him with great indignation saying Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless w 1 Sam. 26. But behold instead of satisfying a revengeful nature upon his enemy he so pacified his wrath by yielding that he even inforced tears from his eyes x 1 Sam. 24.16 17 c. made him promise him that he would do him no more harm yea confess his own folly and bless him y 1 Sam. 26.21 c. This is so exactly according to what his Son Solomon hath taught us Ecclesiastes 10.4 that he may seem to have borrowed his Wisdom and Counsel therein from this very story the words are these If the Spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee leave not thy place for yielding pacifieth great offences If the Spirit of thy Ruler rise up against thee let it be for what cause it will yet for all that thou must not leave thy place and rebel to make him yield by constraint but keep thy order and station still z 1 Cor. 7.20 24. and endeavour to pacifie him by yielding This is the duty of us all how great then is the sin of them that leave their places and rise up against their Ruler when his spirit is calm and sedate and by their Rebellion inforce him aftewards to rise up against them and yet refuse to pacifie him by yielding though themselves have been the cause of his provocation Fanaticks themselves may be Judge but withal let them repent lest by their pride and obstinacy they also provoke Gods anger against them And in a word let us all be as careful always to discharge out duty to the Lord and the King that we may not make our selves for ever miserable by Rebellion but that as Kings on Earth dye like men so we in heaven may live like Kings a Psal 82.7 Revel 5.10 Part II. NOw Secondly that we may obtain this heavenly and Royal inheritance of the True Loyalist and avoid the everlasting perdition of Rebels Solomon also gives us a seasonable caution to meddle not with them that are given to change for by Changers here are meant Rebels such as neither fear the Lord nor the King but under an hypocritical pretence of being great Zelots in Religion pride themselves in nothing more
than to rebel and change the Laws and Ordinances of them both And so accordingly the Jews * Weems Christ Synag Of Civil persons parag 1. cap. 6. Sect. 7. p. 1 59. termed them Shonim Rebels because they varied from the commands of the Lord and the King And hence came that Sect called Hashonim who taught that no King should be acknowledged upon earth but God only Such were the degegenerate Essens who thought it impiety to be subject to any man and to come home to our selves such are our degenerate Papists and Fanaticks too they both make division between the fear of the Lord and the fear of the King as if these Changelings were wiser than the wifest who hath joyned and enjoyned them together Yea and that which is worse they are not afraid to make the fear of God the reason of their Rebellion against the King O what must one day be the judgment of these Brothers in blasphemy Vox faucibus haeret it is unexpressible Yet we may guess at it by that terrible one which befel Cora and his rebellious fraternity b Numb 16. for they resemble them exactly who under a pretence of being an holy assembly men that greatly seared the Lord gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron c Ver. 3. and yet did most shamefully contradict themselves therein for in the very act they were gathered together against the Lord d Ver. 11. because in resisting them they resisted his Ordinance For which cause the Lord made a new thing caused the Earth to open her mouth and swallow them up quick into Hell e Ver. 30. and commanded his Servant Moses too to speak unto the rest of the Congregation who were not Confederates with them in the rebellion to depart from the tents of these wicked men and to touch nothing of theirs lest they were consumed in all their sins f Ver. 26. Now for this very reason it is that Solomon hath here joyned and enjoyned the fear of the Lord and the King together that considering by this example that it is impossible for them to fear the Lord without fearing the King they might no more be so impudently wicked to rebel against their King and yet pretend Religion for the same and the fear of God And 2. For the same reason he also giveth us this seasonable caution to meddle not with them that are given to change or not to be of their party who enterprise any alteration from Kingly Government and vary from the Laws and Statutes of the Lord and the King lest by confederation with them in their Rebellion we be also consumed in all their sins for their calamity saith he in the verse following shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Both Changers from the fear of the Lord and Changers from the fear of the King And both the Papists and Fanaticks are notorious Changes from them both for though it be true they do as unbrotherly dash one against another in their opinions as Manasses and Ephraim Yet they are as firmly agreed together against the King or rather the Lord and the King as they were against Juda g Isa 9.21 for their Combination against the King is only that in his destruction they may the better build up themselves out of the ruines of Gods Government and his Church And therefore it comes to pass that as Christ the Head of the Church h Eph. 5.23 was crucified between two Thieves i Mat. 27.38 so the King his Vicegerent for the sake of his Church is Crucified between these two Malefactors by the Papists on the one hand and by the Fanaticks on the other I begin with the Papists not only because they are thought to Witch ride the Fanaticks into Rebellion but because they are the most antient Changers They were the first that changed the Truth of God into a lie k 2 Thes 2. How oft hath Anti-Christ and his Satanical Emissaries attempted to change our Religion into their abominable Idolatry and to warp it again from its primitive rule of reformation with their superstitious vanities and how oft too have they attempted to bring our Necks again under the yoke of their intollerable Tyranny that they might make a prey of the sat of our Land to feed the unsatiable appetites of their Avarice Pride and Luxury They that have read Fox's Acts and Monuments and other Ecclesiastical Histories cannot be ignorant of what doleful Tragedies they have acted upon this Theatre of England How often the Whore of Babylon and her brood have endeavour'd to drown our Church with the blood of Martyrs though contrary to their expectation God made their blood to fructifie more Flowers in his Garden l Cant. 4 1â— c. than the wild blood of the Danes is said to have bred Weeds * These weeds they say having at some time in the year a bloody juice in them like the Indian Tree Anatardion and being mostly sound in such places where the Danes are thought to be slain are said by the vulgar to have sprung from their blood and accordingly called Danes Weed Howsoever Sanguis martyrum Semen est Ecclesiae in this Nation Nor how many desperate stabs they have made at the breast of our Princes nor deadly blows at the heart of the State nor how much life and vigor they have put into many Insurrections and Rebellions in the bowels of the Kingdom Their desperate design in Eighty Eight to cut us all off root and branch from being a Nation that the name of a reformed Church in England might be had no more in remembrance m Psal 83.4 did not a little proclaim their inveterate malice against us But their Treachery in the Gunpowder Plot to blow us all up at one blow did manifest it to the very life for that as one observes was the very Master-piece of all the Policy of Rome and Hell O merciless cruelty No Treason like to that unless it were the Treason of Satan against the State of man in Paradise to blow up all mankind in Adam the representative of it at once But I am not a renewing any History to make them the more famous for infamy neither need I they are famous enough for that already my business is only to remind you of some chief remarks of their hellish Treasons and Massacres that you may be the more wary for the future how you meddle with these Changers for notwithstanding all their former frustrations and disappointments their malice against us is as uncapable of disheartning as Balaam was in his attempts of cursing Israel Let God appear never so often against them let the Angel of the Lord stand with a drawn Sword in his hand they will on yet again n Numb 22.2 Pet. 2.15 16. This was but lately * An. Dom. 1678. too apparent in their horrid Treason and murderous attempts against the Sacred person of our now