Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	good_a	king_n	prince_n	3,500	5	5.4628	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88696	Vindiciæ contra tyrannos: a defence of liberty against tyrants. Or, of the lawfull power of the prince over the people, and of the people over the prince. Being a treatise written in Latin and French by Junius Brutus, and translated out of both into English. Questions discussed in this treatise. I. Whether subjects are bound, and ought to obey princes, if they command that which is against the law of God. II. Whether it be lawfull to resist a prince which doth infringe the law of God, or ruine the Church, by whom, how, and how farre it is lawfull. III. Whether it be lawfull to resist a prince which doth oppresse or ruine a publique state, and how farre such resistance may be extended, by whome, how, and by what right, or law it is permitted. IV. Whether neighbour princes or states may be, or are bound by law, to give succours to the subjects of other princes, afflicted to the cause of true religion, or oppressed by manifest tyranny.; Vindiciae contra tyrannos. English	Languet, Hubert, 1518-1581.; Walker, William, 17th cent.	1648 (1648)	Wing L415; Thomason E430_2; ESTC R34504	141,416	156

by his humble and ardent prayers to God to desire the restoring of the Church So likewise are the Magistrates tied diligently to procure the same with the utmost of their power and meanes which God hath put into their hands For the Church of Ephesus is no other than that of Colossus but these two are portions of the universall Church which is the kingdome of Christ the encrease and prosperity whereof ought to be the continuall subject of all private mens prayers and desires but it is the duty of all Kings Princes and Magistrates not only to amplifie and extend the limits and bounds of the Church in all places but only to preserve and defend it against all men whatsoever Wherefore there was but one Temple in Judea built by Solomon which represented the unitie of the Church And therefore ridiculous and worthy of punishment were that Church-warden which had care onely of some small part of the Church and suffered all the rest to be spoiled with raine and weather In like manner all Christian Kings when they receive the sword on the day of their Coronation solemnly sweare to maintaine the Catholick or universall Church and the ceremony then used doth fully expresse it for holding the sword in their hands they turne to the East West North and South and brandish it to the end that it may be knowne that no part of the world is excepted As by this ceremony they assume the protection of the Church it must be questionlesse understood of the true Church and not of the false therefore ought they to imploy the utmost of their abilitie to reforme and wholly to restore that which they hold to be the pure and truely Christian Church to wit ordered and governed according to the direction of the Word of God That this was the practise of godly Princes we have their examples to instruct us In the time of Ezechias King of Juda the Kingdome of Israel had been a long time 2 Chron 30. before in subjection to the Assyrians to wit ever since the King Osea his time And therefore if the Church of Juda onely and not the whole universall Church had been committed to the custodie of Exechias and if in the preservation of the Church the same course were to be held as in the dividing of lands and imposing of tributes then questionlesse Ezechias would have contained himselfe within his own limits especially then when the exorbitant power of the Assyrians lorded it every where Now wee reade that he sent expresse Messengers throughout Israel to wit to the subjects of the King of Assyria to invite them to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the paschall feast yea and he ayded the faithfull Israelites of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasses and others the subjects of the Assyrians to ruine the high places which were in their quarters Wee reade also that the good King Josias expeld Idolatry no● 2 Kings 22. 2 Chron. 34. 35. onely out of his own Kingdome but also even out of the Kingdome of Israel which was then wholly in subjection to the King of Assyria And no marvell for where the glory of God and the kingdome of Christ are in question there no bounds or limits can confine the zeale and fervent affection of pious and godly Princes Though the opposition be great and the power of the oppos●rs greater yet the more they feare God the lesse they will feare men These generous examples of divers godly Princes have since been imitated by sundry Christian Kings by whose meanes the Church which was heretofore restrained within the narrow limits of Palestine hath been since dilated throughout the universall world Constantine and Licinius governed the Empire together the one in the Orient the other in the Occident they were associates of equall power and authoritie And amongst equalls as the Proverb is there is no Par in parem non babet imperium command Notwithstanding because Licinius doth every where banish torment and put to death the Christians and amongst them divers of the nobilitie and that for and under pretence of Religion Constantine makes warre against him and by force compels him to give free libertie of Religion to the Christians and because he broke his faith and relapsed into his former cruelties he caused him to be apprehended and put to death in the Citie of Thessalonica This Emperours pietie was with so great an applause celebrated by the Divines of those times that they suppose that saying in the Prophet Isaiah to be meant by him That Kings shall be Pastors and nursing Fathers of the Church After his death the Roman Empire was divided equally between his sonnes without advantaging the one more than the other Constans favoured the orthodox Christians Constantius being the elder learned to the Arrians and for that cause banished the learned Athanasius from Alexandria the greatest professed adversary of the Arrians Certianly if any consideration in matter of confines be absolutely requisite it must needs be amongst brethren And notwithstanding Constant threatens to warre on his brother if he restore not Athanasius and had without doubt performed it if the other had long deserred the accomplishment of his desire And if he proceeded so farre for the restitution of one Bishop had it not been much more likely and reasonable for him to have assisted a good part of the people if they implored his ayde against the tyranny of those that refused them the exercise of their Religion under the authoritie of their Magistrates and Governours So at the perswasion of Atticus the Sozo lib. 7. cap. 18. Bishop Theodisius made warre on Cosroes King of Persia to deliver the Christians of his Kingdome from persecution although they were but particular and private persons Which certainly those most just Princes who instituted so many worthy Lawes and had so great and speciall care of justice would not have done if by that fact they had supposed any thing were usurpt on another mans right o●●he Law of Nations violated But to what end were so many expeditions undertaken by Christian Princes into the holy Land against the Saracens Wherefore were demanded and raised so many of those Saladine tenths To what purpose were so many confederacies made and croysadoes proclaimed against the Turkes if it were not lawfull for Christian Princes yea those furthest remote to deliver the Church of God from the oppression of tyrants and to free captive Christians from under the yoke of bondage What were the motives that led them to those warres What were the reasons that urged them to undergoe those dangers But onely in regard of the Churches union Christ summond every man from all parts with a unanimous consent to undertake the defence thereof For all men are bound to repulse common dangers with a joynt and common opposition all which have a naturall consent and relation with this wee now treat of If this were lawfull for them against Mahomet and not onely lawfull but

much as if the Rom 1. 35. Apostle had said that the obedience of which he speaks ought not to proceed for feare of punishment but from the love of God and from the reverence which we are bound to beare unto the word in the same sence Saint Paul enjoyneth servants in such manner to obey their Masters that it be not with eye service for feare of stripes but in singlenesse of heart fearing Col. 3. 22. God not simply to acquire the favour of men whom they may delude but to bear the burden laid on their shoulders by him whom no man can deceive In briefe there is manifest difference between these two manners of speech to obey for conscience sake and to obey in those thing which concerne the conscience otherwayes those which had much rather loose their lives with infinite torments then obey Princes which command them things contrary to the will of God would have taught us that which these seek to perswade us to Neither doe they expresse themselves Object 2 lesse impudent in that which they are accustomed to object to those which are not so well able to answer them That obedience is better than sacrifice for there is no Text in holy writ that doth more evidently confound them then this which is contained in Samuels reprehension of King Saul for 1 Sam. 15. 22. his disobedience to the Commandement of God in sacrificing unfittingly If then Saul although he were a King ought to obey God it follows in all good consequence that subjects are not bound to obey their King by offending of God Briefly those which after the barbarous manner of the men of Calcut seek to inthrall the service of God with a necessary dependance on the will of a mutable man and Religion of the good pleasure of the King as if he were some God on earth they doubles little value the testimony of holy Writ But let them at the least yet learn of a Heathen Orator That in every publique state Cicero in the first book of offic there is certain degrees of duty for those that converse and live in it by which may appear wherein the one are obliged to the other Insomuch that the first part of this duty belongs to the immortall God the second concerns the Country which is their common Mother the third those which are of our blood the other parts leading us step by step to our other Neighbours Now although the crime of High Treason be very heinous yet according l. 2. ad leg Jul. majest Digest to the Civilians it alwaies follows after sacriledge an offence which properly pertaines to the Lord God and his service insomuch that they do confidently affirm that the robbing of a Church is by their rules esteemed a greater crime than to conspire against the life of a Prince Thus much for this first Question wherein we perswade our selves that any man may receive satisfaction if he be not utterly voyd of the fear of God The second Question Whether it be lawfull to resist a Prince which doth infringe the Law of God or ruine his Church by whom how and how far it is lawfull THis Question seems at the first view to be of a high and difficult nature for so much as there being small occasion to speak to Princes that fear God On the contrary there will be much danger to trouble the ears of those which acknowledge no other Sovereign but themselves for which reason few or none have medled with it and if any have at all touched it it hath been but as it were in passing by The Question is If it be lawfull to resist a Prince violating the Law of God or ruinating the Church or hindring the restoring of it If we hold our selves to the tenure of the holy Scripture it will resolve us For if in this case it have been lawfull to the Jewish people the which may be easily gathered from the books of the Old Testament yea if it have been injoyned them I beleeve it will not be denyed that the same must be allowed to the whole people of any Christian Kingdom or Country whatsoever In the first place it must be considered that God having chosen Israel from amongst all the Nations of the Earth to be a peculiar people to him and covenanted with them that they should be the people of God This is written in divers places of Douteronomy the substance and tenor of Deut. 7. 6. 14. 2. this alliance was That all should be carefull in their severall lines tribes and families in the land of Canaan to serve God purely who would have a Church established amongst them for ever which may be drawn from the testimony of divers places namely that which is contained in the 27 Chap. of Deuteronomy there Moses and the Levites covenanting as in the name of God assembled all the people and said unto them This day Oh Israel art thou become the people of God obey you therfore his voyce c. And Moses said when thou hast passed the River of Jordan thou shalt set six Tribes on the mountain of Gerizzim on the one side and the six other on the Mountain of Eball and then the Levites shall read the Law of God promising the observers all felicity and threatning woe and destruction to the breakers thereof and all the people shall answer Amen The which was afterwards performed by Joshua at his entring into the Land of Canaan and some few days before his death We see by this that all the people is bound to maintain the law of Jos 5. 24. 24. 20. c. God to perfect his Church and on the contrary to exterminate the Idols of the land of Canaan a Covenant which can no wayes appertain to particulars but only to the whole body of the people To which also it seems the incamping of all the Tribes round about the Ark of the Lord to have reference to the end that all should look to preservation of that which was committed to the custody of all Now for the use and practise of this Covenant wee may produce examples the Inhabitants of Gabaa of the Tribe of Benjamin ravished the wife of a Levite which died through their violence Judg. 19 20. The Levite divided his wife into twelve peeces and sent them to the twelve Tribes to the end that all the people together might wipe away this so horrible a crime committed in Israel All the people met together at Mizpah and required the Benjamites to deliver to be punished those that were culpable of this enormious crime which they refused to performe wherefore with the allowance of God himselfe the states of the people with an universall consent renounce and make war against the Benjamites and by this means the authority of the second Table of the Law was maintained by the detriment and ruine of one entire Tribe which had broken it in one of the precepts For the first we have

his own sinne That overthrow then did it not proceed for that the people opposed not Saul when he violated the Law of God but applauded that miserable Prince when he wickedly persecuted the best men as David and the Priests of the Lord. Amongst many other examples let us onely produce some few The same Saul to enlarge the possessions of the tribe of Iuda broke the publick faith granted to the Gibeonites at the first entry of the people into the land of Canaan Sam. 21. 1. and put to death as many of the Gibeonites as hee could come by By this execution Saul did break the third Commandement for God had been called to witnesse this agreement and the sixt also in so much as he murthered the innocent he ought to have maintained the authority of the two Tables of the Law and thereupon it is said that Saul and his house have committed this wickednesse In the mean time after the death of Saul and David being established King the Lord being demanded made answer that it was already the third yeare that the whole countrey of Israel was afflicted with famine because of this cruelty and the hand of the Lord ceased not to strike untill that seven men of the house of Saul were given to the Gibeonites who put them to death seeing L. crimen 26. D. de pae●is that every one ought to bear his own burden and that no man is esteemed the inheritor of anothers crime wherefore they say that all the whole people of Israel deserves to be punished for Saul who was already dead and had as it might seem that controversie buried in the same grave with him but only in regard that the people neglected to oppose a mischiefe so publick and apparent although they ought and might have done it Think you it reason L. Sancimus c. de paenis not any be punished unlesse they deserve it And in what hath the people here fayled but in suffering the offence of their King In like manner when David commanded Ioab and the Governors of 1 Sam. 24. 2. 2 Chron. 21. 2. Israel to number the people he is taxed to have committed a great fault for even as Israel provoked the anger of God in demanding a King one in whose wisdom they seemed to repose their safety even so David did much forget himselfe in hoping for victory through the multitude of his subjects for so much as that is properly Abacuc 1. 16. according to the saying of the Prophet to sacrifice unto their net and burn incense unto their drag a kind of abominable Idolatry for the Governors they seeing that it would draw evill on the people a little drew back at the first afterwards as it were to be rid of the importunity they made the enrolement in the mean season all the people are punished and not David alone but also the ancients of Israel which represented the whole body of the people put on sack-cloath and ashes the which notwithstanding was not done nor practised when David committed those horrible sinnes of murther and adultery Who sees not in this last act that all had sinned and that all should repent and finally that all were chastised to wit David that had provoked God by so wicked a commandement the Governors as Peers and Assessors of the Kingdome ought in the name of all Israel to have opposed the King by their connivencie and over weak resistance and all the people also which made their appearance to be enroled God in this respect did like a chiefe Commander or Generall of an army he chastised the offence of the whole camp by a sudden alarum given to all and by the exemplary punishments of some particulars to keep all the rest in better awe and order But tell me wherefore 2 King 24. 4. 2 Chron. 33. 10. Ier. 15. 4. after that the King Manasses had polluted the Temple at Ierusalem doe we read that God not only taxed Manasses but all the people also was it not to advertise Israel one of the sureties that if they keep not the King within the limits of his duty they should all smart for it for what meant the Prophet Ieremy to say the house of Iuda is in subjection to the Assirians because of the impiety and cruelty of Manasses but that they were guilty of all his offences because they made no resistance wherefore S. Austin S. August upon Psal 82. Ambro. in offic and S. Ambrose said Herod and Pilat condemned Jesus Christ the Priests delivered him to be crucified the people seem to have some compassion notwithstanding all are punished and wherefore so for so much as they are all guilty of his death in that they did not deliver him out of the hands of those wicked Judges and Governors there must also be added to this many other proofes drawne from divers Authors for the further explication of this point were it not that the testimonies of holy Scripture ought to suffice Christians Furthermore in so much as it is the duty of a good Magistrate rather to endeavour to hinder and prevent a mischiefe then to chastise the delinquents after the offence is committed as good Physicians that prescribe a diet to allay and prevent diseases as wel as medicines to cure them In like manner a people truly affected to true religion will not simply consent themselves to reprove and represse a Prince that would abolish the Law of God but also will have speciall regard that through malice and wickednesse he innovate nothing that may hurt the same or that in tract of time may corrupt the pure service of God and instead of supporting publick offences committed against the divine Majesty thay will take away all occasions wherewith the offenders might cover their faults wee read that to have been practised by all Israel by a decree of Parliament in the assembly of the whole people to remonstrate to those beyond Iordan touching the Altar they had builded and by the King Ezechias which caused the brasen Serpent to be broken It is then lawfull for Israel to resist the King which would overthrow the Law of God and abolish his Church and not only so but also they ought to know that in neglecting to performe this duty they make themselves culpable of the same crime and shall beare the like punishment with their King If their assaults be verball their defence must be likewise verball if the sword be drawn against them they may also take armes and fight either with tongue or hand as occasion is yea if they be August in Josh 23. q. 2. assailed by surprisalls they may make use both of ambuscadces and countermines there being no rule in lawfull war that directs them for the manner whether it be by open assailing their enemy or by close surprising provided alwayes that they carefully distinguish between advantagious stratagems and perfidious Treason which is alwayes unlawfull But I see well here will be an

if the one must needs be done it were much better to forsake the King then God or with S. Augustine in his fourth book of the Citie of God chap. 4. and in the nineteenth book and chapter the 21. That where there is no Justice there is no Common-wealth That there is no Justice when he that is a mortal man would pull an other man out of the hands of the immortal God to make him a slave of the devil seing that Justice is a vertue that gives to every one that which is his own and that those which draw their necks out of the yoke of such Rulers deliver themselves from the Tyrannie of wicked spirits and abandon a multitude of robbers and not the Common-wealth But to re-assume this discourse a little higher those which shall carry themselves as hath been formerly said seem no waies accusable of the crime of revolt Those are said properly to quit the King or the Common-wealth which with the heart and purpose of an Enemy withdraw themselves from the obedience of the King or the Commonwealth by means whereof they are justly accounted adversaries and are oftentimes much more to be feared then any other enemies But those of whom we now speak do nothing resemble them First they do in no sort refuse to obey provided that they be commanded that which they may lawfully L 5. D. de cap. minut do and that it be not against the honour of God They pay willingly the Taxes Customs Imposts and ordinary payments provided that with these they seek not to abolish the tribute which they ow unto God They obey Caesar while he commands in the quality of Caesar but when Caesar passeth his bounds when he usurps that Dominion which is none of his own when he endeavours to assail the Throne of God when he wars against the soveraign Lord both of himself and the people they then esteem it reasonable not to obey Caesar and yet after this to speak properly they do no acts of hostility He is properly an enemie which stirs up which provokes another which out of military insolencie prepareth and seteth forth parties to war They have been urged and assailed by open war and close and trecherous surprisalls when death and destruction environs them round about then they take armes and wade their enemies assaults you cannot have Place with your enemies when you will for if you lay down your weapons if you give over making Warre they will not for all that disarme themselves and loose their advantage But for these men desire but place and you have it give over but assayling them and they wil lay down their Armes cease to fight against God and they will presently leave the lists will you take their Swords out of their hands absteyne you only then from stricking seeing they are not the assaylants but the defendants sheath your Sword and they will presently cast their Buckler on the ground which hath been the reason that they have been often surprized by perfideous atribuscadoes whereof these our times have afforded over frequent examples Now as we cannot call that servant stuborne or a fugitive which puts by the blow which his Lord stricks at him with his Sword or which withdrawes or hides himselfe from his Masters fury or shuts his Chamber dore upon him untill his cole● land heate be passedover much lesse ought we to esteeme those seditions which holding the name and place of Servants and subjects shut the gates of a City against their Prince transported with anger being ready to do all his just Commanddements after he hath recovered his judgement and related his former indignation we must place in this rank David Commander of the Army of 1 Sam. 21. 22. 2 Sam. 25. 28. Israel under Saul a furious King David oppressed with Calumnies and false Taxations watched and way-layed from all parts he retired unto and defended himselfe in unaccessible Mountaines and provided for his defence to oppose the walles of Ceila against the fury of the King yea he drew unto his party all those that he could not to take away Saules life from him as it plainly appeared afterwards but to defend his own Cause see wherefore Ionathan the Sonne of Saul made no difficulty to make alliance with David and to renew it from time to time the which is called the Alliance of the Almighty And Abbigall saith in expresso words that David was wrongfully assayled and that he made the War of God We must also place in this rank the Machabees which having Macha 6. 60. c. good meanes to maintaine Warres were content to receive peace from King Demetrius and others which Antiochus had offered them before because by it they should be secured in the free profession and exercise of their Religion We may remember that those which in our times have fought for true Religion against Antichrist both in Germanie and France have laid down Armes as soone as it was permitted them to serve God truely according to his Ordinance and oftentimes having fayre meanes and occasion to advance and continue the War to their much advantage as had David and the Machabees where the Philistins constrained Saul to leave David to looke to his own defence and those Cloudes of neighbouring enemies in Antiochus saw ready to dissclue upon his head hindered him also from further pursuing the Machabees See then the markes which distinguish and separate sufficiently those of whom we speak from Rebels or seditions But let us yet see other evident Testimonies of the equity of their cause for their defection is of that nature that take but away the occasion if some extreame necessity compell not the contrary they presently return to their former condition and then you cannot properly say they separated themselves from the King or the Communality but that they left Ioram and Antiochus or if you will the Tyranny and unlawfull power of one alone or if divers particulers which had no authority nor right to exact obedience in the same manner as they commanded The Sorbonists Doctors have taught us the like sundry times whereof we will alledge some examples About the year 1300. Pope Boniface the 8 seeking to appropriate to his Annales Franciae Archiva Camerae Ratiocimorum Lutetiae Sea the copalties that belonged to the Crown of France Philip the faire the then King doth taunt him somwhat sharply the tenor of whose care letters are these Philip by the Grace of God King of the French to Boniface calling himselfe Soveraign Bishop little or no health at all Be it known to the great foolishnesse and unbounded rashnesse that in temporall matters we have only God for our superiour and that the vacancy of certain Churches and pretends belongs to us by copall prerogative and that it appertaines to us onely to gather the fruites and wee will defend the possession thereof against all opposers with the edge of our Swords accounting them fooles and without braynes that hold

that the backward and negligent were ever made liable to all infamous contempt and the forward and readie undertakers alwayes recompenced with all honourable respect and reward according to the merit of their vertues wherefore not now against the enemy of Christ his Saints If it be a lawfull warre to fight against the Greekes that I may use that phrase when they assayle our Troy wherefore is it unlawfull to pursue and prevent that incendiary Sinon Finally if it have been esteemed an heriocall act to deliver Christians from corporall servitude for the Turkes enforce none in point of Religion is it not a thing yet much more noble to infranchise and set at libertie soules imprisoned in the mists of error These examples of so many religious Princes might well have the directive power of Law But let us heare what God himselfe pronounces in many places of his Word by the mouth of his Prophets against those which advance not the building up of his Church or which make no reckoning of her afflictions The Gadites the Reubenites and halfe tribe of Manasses desire of Moses Numb 32. Iosh 4. 12. Deut. 3. 20. that he would allot them their portion on the other side of Jordan Moses grants their request but with this proviso and condition That they should not onely assist their other brethren the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan but also that they should march the first and serve as vauntgard to the rest because they had their portions first set them forth and if they faile to performe this dutie he with an anathema destines them to destruction and compares them to those which were adjudged rebells at Codisbarnea And what sayes he your brethren shall fight and you in the meane season rest quiet at home Nay on the contrary you also shall passe Jordan and not returne into their houses before first the Lord have driven his enemies out from before his face and granted place to your brethren as well as you then shall you be innocent before the Lord and his people Israel He shews by this that those which God first blesseth with so great a benefit if they help not their breth●en if they make not themselves shares in their labours companions in their travells and leaders in their dangers they must questionlesse expect a heavie punishment to fall upon them Likewise when under the conduct of Debora the Nephtalites and Iudges 5. Zabulonites took armes against the tyrant Jabin and that in the meane season the Reubenites which should have been first in the field took their ease and played on their pipes whilest their flockes and herds fed at libertie the Gadites held themselves secured with the rampire of the river the Danites gloried in their command at Sea And Ashur to be briefe was confident in the difficult accesse of their mountaines The Spirit of the Lord speaking by the Prophetesse doth in expresse termes condemne them all Curse yee Meros Iudges 5. 23. said the Angel of the Lord curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie But blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be who though shee might have alledged the alliance which her husband had with the Canaanites did notwithstanding kill Sisera the Generall of the enemies armie And therefore Vriah spake religiously and like a true Patriarke when he said The Arke of the Lord and Israel and Judah abide in tents and my Lord 2 Sam. 11. 11. Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields Shall I then goe into mine house to eate and to drinke and to lie with my wife a thou livest and as thy soule liveth I will not doe this thing But on the contrary impious and wicked were the Princes of Israel who supposing themselves secured by the craggy mountaines of Samaria and strong fortifications of Sion tooke libertie to loose themselves in luxurious seasts loose delights drinking delicious wines and sleeping in persum'd beds of Ivorie despising in the meane season Amos 6. poore Joseph to wit the Lords flock tormented and miserably vext on all sides nor have any compassion on their affliction The Lord God hath sworn by himself sayth the Lord God of Hosts I abhor the excellency of Jacob and hate his pallaces therefore will I deliver up the City with all that is therein and those that wallow thus in pleasures shall be the first shall goe into captivity Wickedly therefore did those Ephraimites who in stead of congratulating and applauding the ●udg 8 12. famous and notable victories of Gideon and Jephta did envie and traduce them whom notwithstanding they had forsaken in dangers As much may be said of the Israelites who seeing David overcome the difficulty of his affaires and remain a peaceable King say aloud We are thy flesh and thy bones and some years after seeing 2 Sam. 5. 2. 2 Sam. 20. 1. him imbroil'd again in troubles cried out We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse Let us rank also with these all those Christians in name only which wil communicate at the holy table and yet refuse to take the cup of affliction with their brethren which look for salvation in the Church and care not for the safety and preservation of the Church the members thereof Briesly which adore one and the same God the ●ather acknowledge and avow themselves of the same houshold of faith and professe to be one and the same body in Jesus Christ and notwithstanding yeeld no succour nor assistance to their Saviour afflicted in his members What vengeance doe you thinke will God inflict on such impiety Moses compares those which abandon Numb 32. their brethren to the rebels of Cadeshbarnea Now none of those by the decree of the Almighty entred into the land of Canaan Let not those then pretend any interest in the heavenly Canaan wh●ch will not succour Christ when he is crucified and suffering a thousand times a day in his members and as it were begging their almes from door to door The Son of God with his owne mouth condemnes them to everlasting fire that when he was hungry gave him no meat when he was thirsty gave him no drink when he was a stra●ger lodged him not naked and cloathed him not sick and in prison and visited him not And therefore let those expect punishments without end which lend a deafe eare to the compla●nts and groan of our Saviour Jesus Christ suffering all these things daily in his members although otherwise they appeare both to others and themselves to be iolly Christians yet shall their condition be much more miserable than that of many Infidels For why were they the Jews onely Scribes and Pharises to speak properly that crucified Christ or were they Ethnicks Turks or some certain p●●nitious Sects of Christians which crucifie