from Him in particular Rom. 13.4 Tibi in bonum for thy good whosoever thou art Thy good thou Nobleman thou Gentleman thou Church-man thou Merchant thou Husbandman thou Tradesman Thy good that is for our good they come and are sent for all our good for the generall good of us all Vs all nay even of all mankind Mankind should be as a Forest saith Moses the strong beasts would devoure the weake Gen. 10.9 Hab. 1.14 as a fish-poole saith Abakuk the great fish devoure the small were it not for these Without these mankind could not continue They then that are enemies to them mankind's enemies and so of the serpent's seed certainly to be cursed with the serpent's curse conteratur caput eorum Now then of this great Monarchie of Mankind of the whole world the severall Monarchies of the world are eminent parts What the estate of Kings is in the whole that is the person of every particular Prince in his severall soveraigntie David in his of Iurie Ours in His of Great Brittaine the health and safety of the Kingdome fast linked with the King's health and safetie 1. Sam. 15 17. 2. Sam. 21.17.5.2 Psal. 118.21 The Head of the Tribes so is David called The Light of Isâ—aël Tu pasces The Shepheard of the flock The Corner-stone of the building I will content me with these If the Head be deadly hurt I would faine know what shall become of the body If the Light be putt out is ought but darknesse to be looked for in Israël Smite the Shepheard must not the flocke be in perill If the Corner-stone be shaken will not both the walls feele a wrack Verily all our weale and woe dependeth on their well-fare or decay Therefore blesse we them and they that blesse them be blessed and they that set themselves against them accursed even with the capitall curse the serpent's all our enemie as the first of all so the chiefe of all as from GOD 's owne mouth To these two I add yet one more and that by good warrant 3. The Enemies of the Church Psal. 125.5 Gal. 5.12 both of the Old and New Testament Let them be confounded and turned backward sayth the Prophet so many as have evill will at Sion Vtinam abscindantur sayth the Apostle qui vos conturbant Against them well may we pray that maligne the peace and prosperitie of the Church in which and for which we and all the world to pray as that for which all world and all was made and is still upholden For were the Church once gathered the world dissolves streight GOD is too high as for any our good so for any our evill or enmitie to come neere Him He reckoneth of no enemies but His Churche's They that persecute her persecute Him they that touch her touch the apple of His eye Now they that are enemies to David are enemies to Sion so neer neighbourhood between David and Sion the King and the Church as there is between his Palace and the Temple both stand upon two topps of one and the same hill Esa. 49.23 The King is Nutritius Ecclesiae If enemies to the Nurse then to the Child it cannot otherwise be Experience teacheth it daily when the child hath a good nurse to take such a one away is but to expose the Child to the evident danger of sterving or pining away I know not men may entertaine what speculations they will but sure in praxi how much the Châ—rche's welfare hath gone by the good and blessed inclination of Kings it is but too plaine Socrates long since truly observed it in the beginning of the fifth booke of hiâ— storie Consider me in the Common wealth of the Iewes these foure Kings immediately succeeding each the other Iotham Ahaz Ezekia and Manasses Consider these foure Emperours in the Primitive Church likewise in succession Constantine Constantius Iulian and Iovinian Consider me heere at home the foure last Princes before His Maiestie and the waxing and waning the alteration and alternation of religion under them forward and backward backward and forward againe and tell me whither the King and the Church have not reference as I sayd and whither the Church have any greater enimies then such as alien the minds of Kings and make them heavy friends to hir welfare and well-doing Of such then safely may we say Be they confounded Be they as the grasse upon the house top which withereth before hey-time that is let them come to untimely ends Psal. 129.16 let them be as Absalon or as another Psalme wisheth such kinde of People like them that perished at Endor Psal. 83.10 and became like doong upon the earth So then being 1 GOD'S enimies 2 mankind's and the 3 Churches against the enimies of any one of these the prayer were warrantable how much more against them that are enimies to all three One nayle served Sisera in his head so would one speare Absalon in his heart but he had three not without a meaning A morall allusion they make of it Three were the faults he made three the parties he highly offended 1 GOD 2 the State 3 the Church Enimie to all three for every one a dart Each deadly alone but he had them all to shew He deserved them all and so they doe that sinne Absalon's sinne The prayer sure is good Cushi prayed well all are bound to say Amen to it II. Of the Text as a prophesie But besides that it is a prayer Let them be it is a prophecie too They shall be The tenor of the prayer we have heard Let us see the successe of the Prophecie what became of it whither Cushi were a true Prophet or no. So true as from Moses to Malachi never any of the Prophets more true in his foretelling then he in this All the enimies all that rose against him erant sicut were even so indeed Pitie it iâ— but that a good prayer should be heard and as we sayd turne into the nature of a prophecie They were three good prayers we heard there is none of all the three but hath a prophecie that so it should be answering to the prayer that so it might be 1 Against GOD'S enimies The prayer So perish c The Prophecie For Lo Thine enimies ô LORD Iud. 5 31. Psal. 92.9 Lo Thine enimies shall perish as if he saw it with his eyes called others to see it with him pointed at it with his finger Lo twise once and againe one Lo not serve so sure he is that so it shalâ— be 2 Against the enimies of mankind Gen. 3.14.15 Psal. 1â—9 5 The wish Cuâ—sed be thou above every beast of the earth the prophecie followeth in the neck of it Ipse conteret Caput one there is shaâ—l bruise his head all too peeces 3 Against the maligners of Sionâ— Let them be confounded c That is the prayer The Kingdome or nation that shall maligne Sion shall perish and utterly be destroyed
we fall short for it is not Sanctos neither it is more then Sanctos it is Christos In which word there is more then in Commune Sanctorum Omnes Sancti non sunt Christi at Reges Christi We cannot say of all Saints they be Christs Of Kings we may Verily every degree of holinesse will not make a Synonymie with Christ. He was Annointed saith the Psalme Oleo exultationis supra socios with an holy oyle or chrisme above his fellowes To hold this name then of Christos Domini it is not every ordinarie holinesse will serve but a speciall and extraordinarie degree of it above the rest which they are to participate and so do from Christ whose name they beare eminent above others that carrie not that name as if they did in some kinde of measure partake Chrisma CHRISTI even such a chrisme as wherewith CHRIST is Annointed And the inference of this point and the meaning of this stile of Dij and CHRISTI is as if he would have us with a kinde of analogie as carefull in a manner to forbeare touching them as we would be to touch GOD or the Sonne of GOD CHRIST himselfe It is not then Meos nor vnctos Meos nor Sanctos meos onely but it is Christos meos Mine and that Annointed Annointed with holy Oyle So Annointed and with Oyle so holy as it raiseth them to the honor of the denomination of the Holie of Holies CHRIST himselfe These foure degrees and from them these foure severall reasons are in Christos meos One thing more of Christos meos For I should doe you wrong certainely What this Annointing is if I should slip by it and not tell you what this Annointing is and leave a point loose that needeth most of all to be touched Vpon misconceiving of this point some have fallen into a phansie His Annointed may forfeit their tenure and so cease to be His and their annointing drie up or be wiped of and so Kings be un-christed cease to be Christi Domini and then who that will may touch them They that have beene scribling about King's matters of late and touching them with their pennes have beene fowly mistaken in this point Because annointing in Scripture doth other while betoken some Spirituall grace they pitch upon that upon that taking of the word and then annointing it must needs be some grace some gratia gratum faciens making them religious and good Catholiques or some gratia gratis data making them able or apt for to governe So that if he will not heare a Masse no Catholique no Annointed If after he is annointed he grow defective to speake their owne language prove a Tyrant fall to favour Heretiques his annointing may be wiped of or scraped of and then you may write a booke De iustâ abdicatione make a holy league touch him or blow him up as ye list This hath cost Christendome deare It is a dangerous sore a Noli me tangere take heed of it touch it not Before I tell you what it is I may safely tell you that this it is not It is not Religion It is no spirituall grace nor vertue nor any Spirituall grace this Royall annointing Christus Domini is said not onely of Iosias a King truely Religious by Ieremie but of Cyrus a meer Heathen Lam. 4.20 Esay 45.1 2. Sam. 19.21 1. Sam. 26.9 by Esay not onely of David a good King but of Saul a Tyrant even then when he was at the worst Religion then is not it for then Cyrus had not beene nor Vertue is not it especially the vertue of clemency for then Saul had not beene God 's Annointed If it were Religion if that made Kings then had there beene of old no Kings but those of Iuda and now no Kings but those that be Christen But by Cyrus's case we see one may be Christus Domini and yet no Christian. Among Christen if the Orthodox truth were it Constantius Valens Valentinian the yonger Anastasius Iustinian Heraclius I know not how many had beene no Emperours yet all so acknowledged by the Christians of their times Then if Religion make them not Heresie will not unmake them What speake I of Heresie Harder is the case of Apostasie yea hardest of all yet when Iulian from a Christian fell away to be a flat Pagan his annointing held no Christian ever sought no Bishop ever taught to touch him And it was not quia deerant vires that their hand was too short it is well knowne farre the greater part of his Army were Christians and could have done it as appeared instantly upon his death by their acclamations to Iovian his Successor Christiani sumus Will yee see it in the Patriarchs These in the Psalme heere were holy and good men But twelve Patriarchs there were presently after of whom Simeon and Levi Gen 49.5.6.7 and 35.22 and 38.16 and 49.14 were two very Tyrants Reuben scarse honest nor Iuda no better then he should Issachar by his blessing should seeme none of the wisest as it might be Roboam yet were they numbred with the twelve and were Patriarchs still no lesse then the other And after the Patriarchs Saul the first King that there might be no mistaking with his annointing there came no grace to him The Spirit of GOD came indeed 〈◊〉 him but he was annointed and gone from Samuel first 1. Sam. 10.9.10 And the same Spirit as it came so it went and left him afterward and GOD 's Annointed he was 1. Sam. 16.14 before it came and GOD 's Annointed he remained after it was gone againe and that no lesse then before and is so termed by David ten times at the least It is Ius regnandi Vnxit in Regem Royall unction gives no grace but a just title onely in Regem to be King that is all and no more It is the administration to governe not the gift to governe well the right of ruling not the ruling right It includes nothing but a due title it excludes nothing but usurpation Who is Annointed On whom the right rests Gen. 10.9 Who is inunctus He that hath it not Suppose Nimrod who care for no annointing thrust himselfe in and by violence usurped the Throne came in rather like one steeped in vineger then annointed with oyle rather as a Ranger over a Forrest then a Father over a Family He was no annointed nor any that so commeth in But on the other side David or he that first beginneth a Royall race is as the Head on him is that right of ruling first shed from him it runs downe to the next and so still even to the lowest borders of his lawfull issue Iob 36.7 Remember Iob Reges in solio collocat in perpetuum It is for ever GOD 's claime never forfeits His character never to be wiped out or scraped out nor Kings lose their right no more then Patriarchs did their father-hood Not but that it were to be wished both
to the King be taught us by the law of man it is not yet upon his true base his right corner-stone To Divinitie we must to this Booke the Booke of the feare of GOD if it be right ground it there And if that might take place there should need no law els to susteine or preserve Kings or States Set this downe then for a rule that there is no Surer friend no Surer stay to Kings and their rights then Time Deum that is true Religion And sett downe this with it that it is a sure signe of a good Religion if it will joigne with Time Regem the dâ—tie to the Prince well For if it be a true Time Deum it strengthens Time Regem it weakens it not And on the other that it is an infallible note of a bad one if either it shoulder the King from GOD or shrinke up the sinnewes of civill obedience But if it make Time Deum to blow up Time Regem make the Catholique faith to overthrow the Catholique feare of GOD for both I trust be alike Catholique if they perswade men that the King and the whole Parliament must up or the feare of GOD cannot stand they are out of this Text quite they are cleane beside Time Deâ—â— as it was in Salomon's time teach a new feare of GOD falsly so called without this Booke altogether But what is become of Time Regem with them Sure they that feare not to blow 〈◊〉 the King I will never say they feare the King they that put men in their Amphiâ—â—â—atrum Honoris nay in their Martyrologie or Kalendar of Martyrs for not fearing â—o attempt it it is a strange feare they teach Indeed rather Time Rex then Time Regem And another sort there is not come so farre with whom yet Time Deum â—egem is not as it would be that feare I know not how as if the feare of the King did abate somewhat from the feare of GOD and there were no true feare of GOD without some mixture of contempt of order and government But if one can grow somewhat bold somewhat too bold with Kings to teach them their duties and feare not to speake evill of such as are in authoritie then lo he feares GOD aright And Iude 8. â—one of the Clergie feares GOD but they that use it Nor none of the Laitie but â—â—ch as beare them in it And these two are the only Feare-GOD 's in the land â—â—hers that thinke they may do both and would gladly do both may not be allowâ—â— to feare GOD on the right fashion They feare the face of man And thus Ier. 1. â— with 〈◊〉 new feare of GOD they put out of countenance the feare of the King As if 〈◊〉 feares cast out one another and one could not be in at the former but of necessiâ—â—e he must be out at the later What is this but to make a disjunctive at the least â—â—tweene them Rom. 13 7. But you beloved never feare to do as Saint Paul wills you Cui timorem timorem to give feare to whom feare belongeth and to the King it belongs as heere we see Psal. 82.6 He that said Ego dixi Dij estis in so saying said Et sicut dij timendi estis Therefore Nemo timeat timere Regem let no man be afeard to feare the King and yet feare GOD too You may do both you must do both The Text is short but full in this point For Time Deum that is be a good Christian and Time Regem that is be a good Subject And the better Christian the better Subject But indeed I have not done well in speaking of them all this while as of two feares There is but one Time in the Text. If you strike it out from Regem you strike it out from Deum too For there is but one in all And they consequently to be feared not with two but with one and the same feare both This for the conjunction which I wish we may endeavour by all meanes to maintaine For besides the offense to GOD and His feare It is a preparative to the change which heere followeth to sever GOD from the King or the King from the Kingdome to force them one from the other that GOD hath so streightly united together hath himselfe and would have us to do the like And now after we have done with the Fac and the conjunction let us come to the Fuge and the opposition a The Fuge And meddle not c. Feare GOD then and the King wherein In many other points but to hold us to the Text in this namely that you meddle not with these following And even by this ye may take measure whither you feare them or no by your fearing to joigne with such as this day brought forth For if ye joigne with them ye oppose streight to both those not to the King alone but to GOD to His feare as well as the King 's Indeed to the feare of them both For to both are these heere sett in opposition It is not Feare the King alone and medle not with them but GOD is in too as well as the King Nor it is not feare GOD and the King and then over againe with two for two and medle not either with irreligious or seditious persons but with seditious only Sedition is joyntly opposed to both and no lesse to GOD then the King To either in aequall opposition I note heere no lesse then foure oppositions besides the Et ne as before foure conjunctions beside the Et. 1 Against the King 2 Against GOD 3 Against both 4 Against the feare of both 1. The King For it is this medling a trespasse at common Law against him his crowne and dignitie 2. GOD for it is a sinne also against GOD 's Law against heaven and him Not onely these on Earth Laesae Majestatis to GOD 's Majestie no lesse then the King 's 3. Both Deum Regem For it is directly against both Tables Matt. 22.38 And against the two first and great Commandements of both Tables 4. And being a sinne against feare it will pricke fast toward presumption Psal. 19.13 and that is a high sinne If that once get the dominion ever eny He shall not be innocent from the great Offense So against the 1 King 2 GOD 3 Both the 4 Feare of both But by this cleare it is who ever they be that medle with these eo ipso they feare not GOD. Directly for if the Commandement be Feare GOD and medle not one cannot do both both be a medler and yet feare GOD though He cannot say with the medlers of this day Yes yes medle with the Powder-plott and yet be a good Catholique and feare GOD well enough for all that Nay feare GOD the better and be the better reputed of you know where for this very medling But that in this point we may proceed to purpose we are to see first 1 who be these Shonim
rectum videbatur hoc faciebat Jn those dayes there was no King in Jsraël But every man did that which was good in his owne eyes THis Chapter the XVII of Iudges is the Chapter which by the course of the Kalendar is proper to this very day Not as now it is For now by reason this day GOD sent us a King in Israel it hath a select Service both of Psalmes and of Chapters But by order of the Church-service this Chapter is for this day and so it was this time foure years I am sure we all that then heard it have good cause to remember it And though we have got us a new it will not be amisse to call our selves back to our old Chapter being this day come hither to render our thanks even for this very thing that In these dayes it is not with us as In those dayes it was with them but that to the joy and comfort of us all there is a King in Israël This how great a benefit it is it is not it may be the best way simply to enforme our selves by Non erat Rex Not simply but sure to us as our nature is to us I say there is no way better It is an old observation but experience daily reneweth it that of Carendo magis quà m fruendo What it is to have no better way to make us truly to value then by feeling a while how great a plague it is to be without Our nature surely is more sensible that way and never taketh perfect impression of that we enjoy but by the privation or want nor understandeth throughly iâ— hijs diâ—bus est now there is one but by those in illis non erat And that is our Verse Of which this is the occasion The Booke of the Iudges and the â—state of the Iudges now growing to an end the Holy Ghost heere beginneth to make a passage to the estate and Bookes of the Kings To which state this Chapter and so to the end of the booke is a preparative or introduction to shew that now the time was at hand That there should be Kings of his race GOD first told a Gen. 17.6 Abraham by way of promise That those Kings should come of Iuda and the b Gen. 49.10 scepter be his Iacob foretold by way of prophecie The dutie of those Kings against the time came was set downe by c Deut 17. Moses by way of prevision long before This shewed Kings there should be But all things have a time saith d Eccle. 3.1 Salomon and time hath a fullnesse saith e Gal. 4.4 Saint Paul And till that time it is not onely a folly but a fault to presse things out of season We see offer was twise made to Iudg. 8.22 Gedeon to take it by g 9.2 Abimelech to get it both came to nothing the time was not yet come But still as the time drew neer every thing did co-operate every thing made way and gave occasion to the purpose of GOD. The Summe And now heere in this Chapter is set downe the very first occasion on which GOD first misseth Kings that for all the Iudges one Mica a private man of Mount Ephraim Ver. 2. he and his old mother it tooke them in the heads they would have a new Religion by themselves and that was plaine Idolatrie Ver. 5. and up with an Idoll they went And because they lacked a Priest it came into Mica's head to give Orders and so he did Why could he be suffered It was and then commeth in this Verse This was all for want of a King And when he had done with this he goeth to another and when with that to a third disorder upon disorder And still Chap. 18.1.21.25.1.19 at the end of every one this commeth in All thâ—se because there was no King Which all is nothing els but a Preparative against the time came that GOD should give Kings that they might with joy receive that his gift and with thankes celebrate it from yeare to yeer doe as we doe now And this is the Summe Three points there are in it Two 〈◊〉 oculum apparent The Division the thriâ— by necessarie inference 1. The want of a King 2. For want of a King what mischiefe ensued Every man did what he thought good this in generall 3. And thirdly Every man but namely Mica he went up with Idolls For Mica's fact it was begat this Verse and so of necessitie falleth into it Those two both generall and particular disorder are linked to the first as to the efficient cause or rather deficient For evill it is Malum non habet efficientem sed deficientem causam Evill hath a deficient but no efficient cause Ever the want of some notable good as heere a King is the cause of some notorious evill as greater evill cannot possibly come to a people then to be in this case every one to doe what he lists For the handling of these though in nature the cause be first and so standeth it ever to us the effect first offereth it selfe and through it as through the veile we enter into the cause and so erunt novissimi primi the last shall be first 1. First then of Fecit quisque 2. And then of Non erat Rex In the former of these we have two parts 1 The Eye Rectum in oculis 1 The Hand Fecit quisque 3 And then togither that what seemed to the eye the hand did and that was mischiefe enough In the latter likewise three 1 There was no King in opposition to other estates they had Iudges and Priests but there was no King 2 No King in Israel with reference to other Nations Not in Canaan nor in Edom but not in Israel Even there it is a want to want a King 3 And then out of these Quid faciat nobis Rex what a King hath to performe To represse all insolencies not onely in generall but particularly this of Mica Where will fall in that the good or evill estate of Religion doth much depend on the having or Not having a King For it is as if he should say Had there beene a King this of Mica had never beene endured Now because there was not Religion first and after it all went to wrack And last we shall see how farr all this doth touch us in matter of our bounden duery of thankes to GOD for this day I. Of the effect fecit quisque c IN Those dâ—â—es when c. What dayes were those were they good or evill 〈◊〉 And this whole Verse is it set downe by way of liking or 〈◊〉 At the first one would thinke that it were a merry world if â—â—ery man might doe what he listed that there were no harme in the world they be faire words all Right and doing right and the Eye the fairest member not an evill word amongst them But yet sure those dayes were evill This a complaint
heard of no not among the heathen Last this was now not in a corner but all over the land Mica was at Mount Epâ—raim in the middst Gibea was at one end and Dan at the other So the middst and both ends all were wrapped in the same confusion But what shall this be suffered and no remedy sought GOD forbid First the Eye error in the eye is harme enough and order must be taken even for that For men doe not erre in judgement but with hazard of their soules very requisite therefore that men be travailed with â—hat they may see their owne blindnesse Then that the councel be followed Apoc. 3. that eye-salve be bought of him and applied to the eyes Revel 3 1â— that that may seeme to them right that is so indeed This if it may be is best But if they be strong ly conceited of their owne sight and marveil at CHRIST as they Iohn 9.40 What are we blind trow and will not endure any to come neere their eyes if we cannot cure their eyes what shall we not hold their hands neither Yes in any wise So long as they but see though they see amisse they hurt none but themselves it is but suo damno to their own hurt and that is enough nay too much it may be as much as their soules be worth But that is all if it stay there and goe further then the eye But when they see amisse and that grossely what shall their hand be suffered to follow their eye â—heir hand to be as desperate in mis-doing as their eye darke in mistaking to the detriment of others and the scandall of all That may not be We cannot pull mens eyes out of their heads nor their opinions neither but shall we not pinion their hands or binde them to the peace Yes whatsoever become of rectum in oculis order must be taken with fecit or els farewell all Foule rule we are like to have even for all the world such as was heere in Israel We see then the maladie II. The cause 1 Non erat Rex more then time we sought out a remedie for it That shall we best doe if we know the cause The cause is heere sett downe and this is it Non erat Rex Is this the cause We would perhapps imagine many causes besides but GOD passeth by them all and layeth it upon none but this Non erat Rex And seeing he hath assigned that onely for the cause we will not be wiser then he but rest our selves in it The rather for that Ex ore inimici we have as much For these miscreants whom He sets on worke to bring Realmes to confusion and to root out Religion that every one may do that is good in their own eyes to this point they all drive Vt ne sit REX Away with the King that is their only way Heaven and hell both are agreed that is the cause To make short worke then If the cause be There is no King Let there be one that is the remedie A good King will helpe all If it be of absolute necessity that neither Mica for all his wealth nor Dan for all their forces nor Gibea for all their multitude doe what they list And if the misse of the Kings were the cause that all this were amisse no better way to cease it no better way to keepe Religion from Idolatrie mens lives and goods in safety their vessells in honour then by Kings No more effectuall barr to fecit quisque quod rectum in oculis then Rex in Israël This will better appeare if we take it in sunder There was no King He doth not charge them with a flat Anarchie that there was no Estates no kind of government among them but this onely there was no King What then there were Priests would not they serve It seemed they would not Phinees was to looke to their eyes But somewhere there be some such as Hosee speakes of Populus hic quasi qui contradicit Sacerdoti Osc. 4.4 This People will looke to Phinee's eyes Set their Priests and Preachers to Schoole and not learne of them but learne them Divinitie The Iudges are to looke to their Hands But there are too somewhere such as he speaketh of CHAP. VII VER VII Devorabunt Iudices such Osc. 7.7 as if it take them in the head will not sticke to supp up and swallow downe their Iudges specially inter arma How then shall we have a Militarie Government Nay that is too violent and if it lye long the remedy proves as ill as the disease To me a plaine evidence that though all these were all these were not perfect There was one yet missing that was to do this to better purpose then yet it had been done and till he were had they were not where they should be This is then GOD 's meanes We cannot say his onely meanes in that we see there are States that subsist without them but this vve may say His best meanes The best saith the Philosopher for Order Peace Strength Steadinesse and proves them all one by one But best say the Fathers for that had there beene a better then this GOD would not last have resolved on this This is the most perfect he last brought them to Hither til they came He changed their governement From Iosua a Captaine to the Iudges From the Iudges to Eli and Samuel Priests But heer when he had settled them he changed no more And this Act of GOD in this change is enough to shew where it is not there is a defect certainly such a State we may repute defective Besides you shall observe Of those three estates which swayeth most that in a manner doth over-topp the reâ—t and like a foregrowen member depriveth the other of their proportion of growth The world hath seene it in two already and shall dayly more and more see it in the third Requisite therefore there be One over all that is none of all but a common Father to all that may peize and keepe them all in equilibrio that so all the Estates may be evenly ballanced This Act then of GOD in this change is enough to teach that this Non erat Rex is a defect certainly and where there is not one we may report the estate for deficient At least thus farr that GOD yet may change it into a more perfect as he did his owne And againe this that it is not conformed to the governement simply the most perfect of all the governement of the whole when as the inferior bodies are ruled by the Superiour so a multitude by unitie that is all by one Thus farr on these words There was no King howsoever other States there were Non Rex in Israel The next point is No King in Israel That this is not noted as a defect in grosse or at large but even in Israel GOD'S owne chosen people It is a want not in Edom or Canaan but
even in Israel too the want of a King Truely Israel being GOD'S owne peculiar might seeme to claime a Prerogative above other Nations in this that they had the knowledge of His Lawes whereby their eyes were lightened and their hands taught and so the most likely to spare one Others had not like light yet this non obstante their light and their law and that they were GOD'S owne people is no super-sedeas for having a King Of which there needeth no reason but this that a King is a good meanes to keepe them GOD'S Israel Heere for want of a King Israel began and was faire onward to be no longer Israel but even Babel When Mica and by good reason any other as well as he might set up Religions and give Orders themselves as it were in open contempt of GOD and his Law So that the people of GOD can plead no exemption from this Since it is His owne Ordinance to make them and keepe them the people of GOD. Was it thus heere in the Old Testament and is it not so likewise in the New Yes even in the New too For there Saint Peter willeth them that they be subject to the King as to the Sovereigne or Most excellent 1. Pet. 2.13 And Saint Paul goeth further and expresseth it more strongly in the style of Parlament and like a Law-giver saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be it enacted that they submit themselves And when Saint Paul there had in his Act said Rom. 13.1 Omnis anima that this Act reacheth to every soule which was enough yet because that seemed too generall Saint Peter came after and goeth to the very point and saith Gens sancta must doe thus too 1. Pet. 1.9 that is there must be a King even in GOD 's Israel And what would we more I come to the third part And to what end a King Quid faciat nobis Rex Quid faciat nobis What will a king doe unto us It hath beene said already He will looke that every one doe not that which is good in his owne and evill in GOD'S eyes He will in his generall care looke to both parts the Eye and the Hand The Eye that men sinne not blindly for want of direction The Hand that men sinne not with an high hand that is wilfully for want of correction He will there be good Ophthalmists with right Eye-salve that the sight may be cured and things seeme as they be and not be as they seeme At the hardest Si noluerunt intelligere but the eye will rove and runne astray that the hand be bound to the good abearing That they doe it not or if they doe it as doe it they will yea though there be a King yet that they may not doe it impunè doe it and nothing done to them for it and scape the punishment due unto it For that is the case when there is no King in Israel And if when there is one that be the case too where have we beene all this while For if so Etiam non est Rex cum est Rex Then when there is a King there is no King or one in name but none indeed Which as it is not good for the state so neither is it safe for themselves To this speciall regaâ—d wil be had Non enim frustra saith S. Paul for they beare not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 2. That every one doe not thus Every one but namely which is the occasion of this text that not Mica For Mica's fact brought forth this first sight that they were now come to this passe that he or any such as he was might set up in his house any Religion he would and no man controll him for it To looke to every one therefore but specially to Mica and to care for all but above all the matter of Religion Ne quisque videat quod rectum est there that every one be not allowed to see visions there At least Ne quisque faciat that see what they list they be not sufferd to set them up but if the eye will not be rectified the hand be restreined And sure no where doth the eye more misse nor the hand swerve then in this and therefore no where more cause to call for a King then for this One would think this were impertinent and we were free enough from Mica We are not Even to this day do men still cast images or imaginations all is one in the mould of their conceipts and up they sett them at least for their owne houshold to adore And then if they can get such a fellow as is heer after described a Levite for ten sicles and a suite or because now the world is harder tâ—n pound they are safe and there they have and hold a Religion by themselves 3. For evident it is by this text setting up of false worship is the cause why kings were missed and the redresse of it the cause why they were placed The cause I say and the first cause of their placing and therefore this a part and a prinicipall part of their charge I will touch them severally â— A part to looke to Mica and his false worship Why this is matter Ecclesiasticall It is so and thereby it appeareth I thinke that kings have and are to have a hand in matters of that nature If Religion were at a fault because there was no king and that one there must be to set it right again For is it once to be imagined that the cause of corrupt Religion is layd on the want of a king and yet when there is one he should not meddle with it Rather the consequence is strong one the other side Mica thus did because there was then no king therefore when there is one he will looke better to it that never a Mica of them all shall doe the like Thus it went when there was no king after when there was one I finde againe the not taking away the High places which were places meerly religious where the people did sacrifice imputed still to the king as his fault And yet shall he have nothing to doe with high places or sacrificing either there or any where els Very strange it were that they who are by GOD Himselfe by an expresse Ego dixi Psal. 82.6 termed GODS should yet have nothing to doe with GOD'S affaires Esai 49.23 And no lesse that being termed by Esai Nutritij Foster-fathers to whose care the Church is committed to cherish and bring up should yet be forbidden to intermeddle with the Church in that â—hich is of all fostering the principall part Verily when the Apostle speaketh of the service that Kings doe unto GOD he doth not onely use the terme of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Publique Officer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too as it were GOD'S Deacon Rom 13 6.4 or Servitor by a name peculiar to the Church-Offices and this he useth twise for one other
Ezek. 18.20 falsifie the truth that may not be And then steppes up Righteousnesse and seconds her Righteousnesse seconding her Psal. 145.17 that GOD as He is true in His word so is He righteous in all His workes So to reddere suum cuique to render each his owne to every one that is his due and so to the sinner stipendium peccati the wages of sinne that is death God forbid Rom. 6.23 the Iudge of the world should iudge unjustly that were as before to make Truth false so heere to do Right wrong Nay it went further and they made it their owne cases What shall become of me said Righteousnesse What use of Iustice if GOD will doe no justice if He spare sinners And what use of me sayth Mercie if He spare them not Hard hold there was inasmuch as Perij nisi homo moriatur sayd Righteousnesse I dye if he dye not And Perij nisi Misecicordiam consequatur sayd Mercie if he dye I dye too To this it came and in those termes brake up the meeting and away they went one from the other Truth went into exile as a stranger upon earth The first meeting broken up Terras Astraea reliquit she confined her selfe in Heaven where so aliened she was as she would not so much as looke downe hither upon us Mercie she staid below still ubi enim Misericordia esset sayth Hugo well si cum misero non esset Where should Mercie be if with miserie she should not be As for Peace she went betweene both to see if she could make them meet againe in better termes For without such a meeting no good to be done for us For meet they must and that in other termes or it will goe wrong with us Our Salvation lies a bleeding all this while The Plea hangs and we stand as the prisoner at the barre and know not what shall become of us For though two be for us there are two against us as strong and more stiffe then they So that much depends upon this second Meeting upon the composing or taking up this difference For these must be at peace betweene themselves before they at peace with us or we with GOD. And this is sure we shall never meet in heaven if they meet no more And many meanes were made for this meeting many times but it would not be Where stayed it It was not long of Mercie she would be easily entreated to give a new meeting no question of her Oft did she looke up to heaven but Righteousnesse would not looke downe Not look not that Small hope she would be got to meet that would not look that way-ward Indeed all the question is of her It is Truth and she that holds of but specially She. Vpon the Birth you see heer is no mention of any in particular but of Her as much to say as the rest might be dealt with she only it was that stood out And yet she must be got to meet or els no meeting No meeting till Iustice satisfied All the hope is that she doth not refuse simply never to meet more but stands vpon satisfaction Els Righteousnesse should not be righteous Being satisfied then she will remaining vnsatisfied so she will not meet All stands then on her satisfying how to devise to give her satisfaction to her mind that so she may be content once more not to meet and argue as yer-while but to meet and kisse meet in a ioynt concurrence to save us and set us free And indeed Hoc opus there lies all how to set a song of these foure parts in good harmonie how to make these meet at a love-day how to satisfie Iustice upon whom all the stay is Not in any but the Christian Religion And this say I no Religion in the world doth or can doe but the Christian. No Queer sing this Psalme but ours None make Iustice meet but it Consequently None quiet the conscience soundly but it Consequently no Religion but it Withall religions els at odds they be and so as they are faigne to leave them so For meanes in the world have they none how to make them meet Not hable for their lives to tender Iustice a Satisfaction that will make her come in The words next before are that glorie may dwell in our land Verse 9. This glorie doth dwell in our land indeed And great cause have we all highly to blesse GOD Psal. 16.6 that hath made our lott to fall in so faire a ground That we were not borne to enherit a lie that we were borne to keepe this Feast of this Meeting For bid any of them all but shew you the way how to satisfie Iustice soundly and to make her come to this meeting how GODS Word may be true and His worke just and the Sinner find mercie and be saved for all that They cannot The Christian onely can doe it and none els All beside for lack of this passe by the wounded man and let him lie still and bleed to death Luk. 10.31.32 Bid the Turke All he can say is Mahomets prayer shall be upon you Mahomets prayer what is that Say he were that he was not a just man a true Prophet What can his prayers doe but move Mercie But GODS Iustice how is that answered Who shall satisfie that Not prayers Iustice is not moved with them heares them not goes on to sentence for all them He can goe no further he cannot make justice meet Bid the Heathen he sayes better yet then the Turke They saw that without shedding of blood there was no satisfying Iustice Heb 9.22 and so no remission of sinne To satisfie her sacrifices they had of beasts But it is impossible as the Apostle well notes that the blood of bulls or goats should satisfie for our sinnes Heb. 10.4 A man Sinne and a beast dye Iustice will none of that What then will ye goe as farr as some did the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Mic. 6.7 Nor that neither For if it were the first borne the first borne was borne in Sinne and Sinne for Sinne can never satisfie This Meeting will not be there Bid the Iew he can but tell you of his Lamb neither And while time was that was not amisse while it stood in reference to Saint Iohn Baptists Lamb Ioh 1.29 the LAMB of GOD this day yeaned as having the operation the working in the vertue of that That being now past there is no more in the Iewe's then in the Gentiles sacrifice Beasts both both short of satisfying So for all that these can doe or say no meeting will there be had Onely the Christian Religion that shewes the true way There is One there thus speaketh to Iustice Sacrifice and sinne-offerings thou wouldest not have then said I Lo I come He of whom it was written in the volume of the booke Psal. 40.6 c. that He should do
men promiscuè good and badd elect and reprobate No but to such as perteine to His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GODS Beneplacitum His good-will and purpose to the children of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nominative or Genitive let it not trouble you To men a good will or To men of good-will no great matter whither so long as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referres to GOD and to His good pleasure Nor to Men or any will of theirs And that so it is to be referred I will use no other witnesse but Cardinall Tolet himselfe who in his Readings at Rome and in the Popes owne Chappel and upon this very place confesseth asmuch that so is the native signification of the word and so and no otherwise to be taken heer but in that sense And in that sense being taken it goes well Glory from us to Him Peace from Him to us From men on earth to God on high Glory From God on high to men on earth Peace Men I say toward whom He is now appeased and with whom now He is well pleased and both for this Childs sake heer in the cratch Mat. 3 â—7 17 ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom He is so absolutely well pleased as of the fullnesse of His favor we all receive GOD spake it once and twise 1 Once at His Baptisme 2 and againe in the Holy Mount And Hoc â—rit signum This may be a sure signe that He is well pleased with our Nature that He hath in this Child taken it and united it to His owne which if He had not been highly well pleased He would never have done What greater good will can there be then this If passeth the greatest even that of Marriage union of Nature unitie of Person Then riseth there another doubt what Verbe to put to heere For never a Verbe there is at all Whether some Indicative Glorie is or shall be and then it is an Hymne of Gratulation and agreeth well with laudantium a praise to GOD that these now are Now hath GOD glorie Now earth peace Men are now received to favour and grace Thus Or whether sit or esto in the Optative and then it is Votum benè ominatum a Vow or wish that Glorie may be to GOD and so to the rest I say againe heere as before I said it skill'd not then whether Nominative or Genitive it skills not now whether Indicative or Optaâ—ive Tehilla a Praise it is and Tephilla a Wish it may be do commence Either is well But both are best for both are most true By way of Gratulation Glorie now is or shall be to GOD for this Birth Before 1. By way of Graâ—ulation Glory is to God it was not at least not so as after Before it was Gloria in excelsis but DEO was left out All Nations in a manner worshipping the host of Heaven the superiour bodies deifying the creature passing by the CREATOR quite Excelsa they did but DEVM in excelsis they did not But by this Birth now downe should all Idolatrie goe as downe it went wheresoever Christian Religion tooke place From the creature there all to the CREATOR To none on high but GOD on high The point of Glorie much mended GOD more Glorie then before And the Earth more at peace if you take peace in things spirituall 2. Peace is in Earth matters concerning the soule One onely I will mention There was as out of Varro S. Augustine reckons them no lesse then two hundred sixty and odde severall Opinions and that of the wisest then on the earth touching mans Sovereigne Good or chiefe End The verie highest point and that did most concerne them and least peace most variance in it This mist also was scattered and that point well cleered by Him that was the Way and the Truth That this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere is it the favour of GOD it is Ioh. 14.6 and the assurance of it and nothing but it that makes a man truly happy when all is done As for the point of GOD 's good will and favour that was never in kind 3. And Good will toward men till this Day Many favours much good will before Never so as when GOD and Man the God-head and Man-hood meet both in one GOD never so pleased as when He was pleased to assume it into one person with Himselfe uniting both with the streightest union that can be Never that till this day when for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good will toward men He forsooke gloriam in excelsis to come into the cratch for them So that for GOD 's favour the gratulation is most just more then both the rest Bishop Bradwardine did joine a good issue Let that be the Religion let that prevaile as best and most true of all other that is Deo honorabilior brings more honour to GOD Paci amicabiliâ—r bestfriend to the earths peace and Homini favorabilior most favourable to man as shewing GOD better affected to him and making men better affected to GOD better one to another That Religion is Christian Religion None sings this Hymne in time in true note but it all other are out So that we have a compendium of true Religion and three notes of it out of the three notes of the Song in this Antheme And this if it be the Indicative or by way of Gratulation II By way of wish But I confesse it is more usuall per modum voti by way of wish by sit then by est Sit doth better become the Church militant Est is more fitt for the Châ—rch triumphant Glorie be to GOD Peace be to the earth c. Exoptando that these may be so and so being continue still and be dayly more and more And so taking it to the triplicitie againe Glorie be to God on High First glorie we wish to GOD. On high stands in the midst you may either cast it to the first word Glorie Glorie on high and then the point that is high glorie Or with the point after glorie and cast on high to GOD. A third varietie but easily reconciled if we take in both Glorie on high to GOD on high One on high may serve for the reason why we wish glorie to GOD for GOD being Altissimus the most High as Melchisedek first stiled Him Gen. 14.18 and glorie being the altitude or highest pitch we can flie or performe by good reason we wish Him that is Highest the highest thing we have But not every glorie do we wish but wish it Him at the highest All glorie is high yet is there one glorie higher then another 1. Cor. 15.41 If any be so that they wish to GOD the very height of it even glory in altissimis as high as it can goe Now the more He is glorified the higher His glorie Higher if by Heaven and Earth on high and below by Men and Angells then by either alone Psal. 148. This
ye fast be not like these same Stage-players So it signifies at the first And at the second hand all others which do off of the stage that which they doe upon it and in Court Citie or Countrie carrie themselves with other faces then their owne as these do on the Stage at Play-houses The Heathen man long since observed that Mundus scena that in his conceipt the world for all the world was like a stage or theater scarse a true face in it all in a manner personaâ—e And the actions in the world not much unlike to their acting of their parts in the Acts and Scenes of a Stage-play But our SAVIOVR CHRIST he goes further he tells us heere of a stranger matter That there want not that make His Church a very Stage and play with Religion and play Religion and every part of it So carrying themselves in things pertaining to GOD as if they had some Player Pageant in hand It is but too true this If you will set up a stage I will find you Actors for it enough Will you see Almes playd Out comes Iudas sagely with a sentence in his mouth a Matt. 26.8 Ioh. 11.5 Vt quid perditio haec Alas it would have been better bestowed upon a many of poore people why should there be such wast upon CHRITS 's head right the Supplication of bâ—ggers Will you see Prayer playd Looke upon the Players in the XXIII Chapter after that under colour of b Matt. 23.14 a long prayer now and then prey upon the houses and goods of a fort of seduced widowes and make as good gaine of their Prayers as Iudas would have done of his Almes But Sermons goe away with it now The Church is then full and GOD knowes a few true hearers the rest are but a sort of Sermon-Hypocrites The Scene is in the 33. of Ezekiel Ezek. 33.30.31 O let us goe heare the Word and the Prophet addes So was the fashion then and for fashion it was And thither they come and when they are come heere sit they but their heart is else-where wandring where it will Either they attend not or Verse 32. if they doe it is to make jests Or at the bâ—st it is but as they heare a song of one that hath a pleasing voice and no more comes of the Sermon then of the song Or if you love the New Testament better there have you in the 6. of Marke a Mar. 6.20 Herod sending for IOHN BAPTIST oft and hearing him full devoutly till for a b Ver. 18. Non licet tibi in one of his Sermons he made his Head flye off his shoulders And in verie dâ—ed the Marriage at c Gen. 34.13 Sichem and the Circumcision for it d 2. Sâ—m 15.7 Absolons vow e 2. 〈◊〉 10 1â— Iehu's sâ—â—râ—ficâ— what wâ—re they but verie playes meere maskes imitations of him that is Roscius 〈◊〉 the Master Hypocrite of all who in the Old Testament got him on a mantle and plaied f 1 Sam. 28.14 Samuel at Endor and in the New got him wings and bright rayment and came forth g 2. Cor. 11.14 transformed into an Angell of light To whose companie they belong and whose they are that get them h 2. Tim. 3.5 Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vizer or maske of godlinesse and make of it i 1. Pet. 2.16 Saint PETER 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cloke or cover for every bad intent They do no better but even play religion And of this Scenicall theatricall histrionicall godlinesse there is good store abroad in the world GOD grant it be not found in Israël Be not then like stage-players when about any religious act Not when about any But of all parts of Religion our SAVIOVR heer may seeme to have made choise of the worst To say when ye fast be not like players not then of all times For a Play and a fast suit not A Play is lightly had at feasts Men when they fast are in heavinesse Not like them in fasting these agree not well Well as evill as they agree for all that fasts have been played too There was a Fast played to gett k 1. Kin. 21.9 Naboth's vineyard It cost him his vineyard and his life too There was another played l Act 23.14 Act. 23. to have got S. Paul made away And they say there was one played against the fifth of November and a Procession too and all to have made us all away From such fasts playing the LORD deliver us But so you may have a fast played too for a need That we may not mervaile these hypocrites that play in Fasts CHRIST tells us are a speciall sort by themselves Be not like hypocrites at all but of all other 2. Not like sowrâ— Hypocrites not like them Why the common sort of Hypocrites abroad seeke to put on a better face then their owne But heere have you a Monster exterminans vultum out-lawing as it were and banishing his owne naturall countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is CHRIST 's word defacing his face as you can hardly know it is he taking to himselfe a worse face farr then ever GOD made him To lay on a little I wott not what to the end to looke the more faire the better coloured of a cleerer complexion that is not strange But to affect a looke more dimme more hollow more evill-favoured and to be levin his face to that end that passes that is a new kind of hypocrisie perse a kind by it selfe that Yet such there be There were that wore a coorse garment to deceive saith Zacharie So Zach. 1â— 4 there is not onely gay but ragged hypocrisie And there were saith CHRIST heere that rough-cast their countenance and that to deceive too That there is not onely fucus but fermentum pietatis Not onely steering but lowring Not onely well complexioned but pale-colored hypocrisie Such are they that play in CHRIST 's fast heere tristes torvi austeri the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly the looke of a wild-beast a Lyon or a beare robbed of their whelpes grimme and ghast one would be afraid to looke on them These would CHRIST have us not be like As indeed who would be like them but such hypocrites as they Not like them Why how doe they Exterminant vultum 1 Not like them in their Sicut their manner We begin with vultum The hypocrite's whole labour iâ— about his looke Blame him not for he is nothing but looke Nothing but face and case but a very outside onely As for any inward matter he never lookes after In which point they suit well with Players whose names they beare It is a very fitt resemblance for thm that are nothing but resemblance In the very true and lively person of a Prince the outward pomp or shew is the lesse part by farr The Regall qualities the Princely vertues are they we
hath GOD holpen us whose arme is not shortned though PHARAOH 's heart be hardned Hitherto Salvation hath GOD sett for our walls and Bulwarkes and our Prince Prince Alkum and our enemie hath not boasted himselfe at the putting of his armour as at the buckling it on 1. Reg. 20.11 â— and our Neighbours glad to lay hold of our skirts and say We will be yours for we see GOD is with you Zac. 8.10 The great blessing of GOD having been upon us Deut. 28.12 Thou shalt lend to many Nations but shalt borrow of none Such hath hitherto been our song and such may it long be yea ever O LORD And that it may so be DAVID teacheth the way of keeping it so still Namely by Setting fast the Pillars of it Which is the second principall point What this strength is and what the Pillers are that beare it up The HOLY GHOST speaking of strength nameth two Gen. 32.28 as indeed the Scripture knoweth no more 1 The strength of IACOB and 2 the strength of ISRAEL 1 Of IACOB supplanting or prevailing over men 2 and of ISRAEL prevailing with GOD. IACOB'S strength I call whatsoever the counsell or might of man affoordeth His prudent forecast whereby he over-reached ESAV Gen. 27.36 and LABAN 30.37 And his bow and sword whereby he wanne from the Amorite Gen. 48.10 Vnder these two I comprehend all humane strength the strength of IACOB But when all is done we must reserve and keepe a strength for GOD saith DAVID Psal. 59.9 Who if he forsake Alexandria 2. Nahum 3.8 though it have the Sea for his ditch it shall be carried captive who if he forsake Ephraim though they be well harnessed and carie bowes they shall turne themselves back in the day of battell Therefore Psal. 77.9 ever DOMINVS commeth in Deut. 33.7 Iuda's owne hands are sufficient to helpe Si tu DOMINE If thou LORD helpe him against the enemie And Nisi Dominus If that the LORD doe not keepe the house and watch the house and make fast the Pillars all is in vaine Psal. 127.1 Ioine saith the Wiseman Ittiel that is Pro. 30.1 Dominus mecum and then Vcal that is Praevalebo will not tarry from you Vcal and He goe ever together Sever saith DAVID Hij in curribus Hij in equis from In nomine Domini the next newes you shall heare of them is * Psal. 20.8 Ibi ceciderunt c There they are brought downe and fallen Therefore we must allow Israël a strength also without which Iacob's forecast shall faile for He casteth out the counsells of Princes Psal. 33.10 and his sword too For He can rebate the edge of the sword Psalme 89.43 Two strengths then there are and these two DAVID heere termeth two Pillers that we may know what be the Pillers of the Land For such was the manner of the Iewish building arch-wise upon two maine Pillers to set it We may see it by Samson's desire Ind. 16.29 so to be placed as the two Supporters of the Temple might be in his two hands that bowing them all the Church might come downe upon their heads Such an arch of government doth DAVID heere devise two Pillers bearing it up He telleth us they be two and he telleth us what they be for he hath already named them in the two former Vses 1 Celebrabimus te IEHOVA in the first And 2 Iustitias judicabo in the second GOD and Right the Pillers Yet these two Pillers as strong and as steddy as they are except they be looked to and vpheld except they have an Vpholder and that a good one Religion will cleave and Iustice bend and they both sinke and the whole frame with them Therefore mention is made heere of a person put in trust with the bearing them up which is the third point Which Person is heere Ego autem the first that is DAVID the first and the chiefe Person in any governement He it is upon whom both these leane He is the Head 2. Sam. 15.17 that guideth these two armes He the breath of life in both these nosthrills Yea of all the body saith Ieremie Lam. 4.20 of Iosias Even Christus Domini the Annointed of the LORD is the breath of all our nosthrills Familiar it is and but meane but very full and forceable the Simile of Esay wherein he compareth the Prince to a naile driven into a wall Esa. 22.23 whereon are hanged all both the vessells of service and the Instruments of Musique that is He beares them up all And great cause to desire GOD fast may it sticke and never stirre this naile for if it should all our Cuppes would batter with the fall and all the Musique of our Quire be marred that is both Church and Countrey be put in danger Which GOD willing to shew saith Philo Iudaeus He did place the fifth Commandement which is the Crowne-commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in the middle and confines of both Tables Those touching Religion and those touching Iustice that with one arme He might stay Religion and with the other stay Iustice and so uphold both And where such support hath wanted both have lyen on the ground For both of Mica's Idolatrie that is corrupt Religion and of the villanie offered at Gibeah and of the outrage committed by them of Dan both in rifling houses and sacking whole townes that is of open injustice GOD rendereth no cause but this Non erat Rex the Pillers went downe Ego wanted Without which that is an established governement we should have no Common-wealth Gen. 10.5 but a wild forrest where Nimrod and his crew would hunt and chase all others No Common-wealth but a Pond where the great fish would devoure the small Abac. 1.15 Nothing but a sort of sheepe scattered without a Shepheard saith MOSES Num. 27.17 Psal. 95.7 Psal. 44 22. No more Oves Pascuae sheepe of the Pasture when their Governor is gone but Oves occisionis sheepe for the slaughter Non populus sed turba No People but a Rout No building nor Pillers but a heape of stones Num. 23.21 Therefore a joyfull noise is the shout of a King among them Ioyfull indeed every way but joyfull especially if this Ego be not Saul but David David which giveth strength vnto the Pillers and not Saul an empairer or weakner of them It is David's complaint in the forepart he found the land weake when he came to it So Saul had left it It is his promise that as Saul by his slacknesse had brought the estate low So he by his vigilancie would raise it up againe And this is the last point how Saul decayed and David restored the Pillers againe Eâ—l 1â— 18 The Wise man saith that evill looking to will decay the principalls of any building and that was Saule's defect as the Scripture recordeth Religion first Instead of Celebrabimus 1. Chr. 13 3. Negligimus IEHOVAM King David in
she had was too deare And having a pretious confection or ointment of Nardus the chiefe of all ointments and in it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe of all Nardi and in it too not of the leafe but of the very choise part thereof of the Spike or flower both for the making true and for the value costly that did she bestow And that frankly For she did not drop but powre not a dramme or two but a whole pound not reserving any but breaking boxe and all And that not now alone but three severall times one after another This she did and as it may seem the coherence fell out not amisse This outward ointment and sweet odour Psal. 45.7 1. Ioh. 2.20 2. Cor. 2.15 she bestowed on CHRIST for the vile of gladnesse for the Spirituall annointing as Saint Iohn and the comfortable savour of His knowledge as Saint Paul calls it He bestowed on her This as it was well done so was it well taken of CHRIST and so should have beene of all present but for Iudas saith Saint Iohn Who liking better odorem lucri ex re qualibet then any sent in the Apothecarie's shop seeing that spent on CHRIST 's head that he wished should have come into his purse repined at it But that so cunningly in so good words with so colorable a motion 1. That it was a needlesse expense indeed a wast 2. That it might have beene bestowed much better to the reliefe of many poore people as that he drew the Disciples some of them to favour the motion and to dislike of Marie Magdalen and her doing So that both they and he joyned in one Bill but he of a wretched covetous minde they of a simple plaine intent and purpose thinking all that was well spoken had beene well meant Which Action of theirs for that it was brought Not onely against her that bestowed it but even against CHRIST also that admitted it though not so directly as it were against her with Vtquid perditio against Him with Vtquid permisâ—io for that also it might be a dangerous precedent in ages to come if nothing were said to it and shutt all boxes and barre all ointments forever Our SAVIOVR himselfe taketh on Him to plead her cause Not onely excusing it in Sinâ—te illam as no wast but also commending it in bonum opus as a good worke Thâ—t the ointment was not so pleasant to his sense as her thankfullnesse acceptable to His Spirit That the ointment which then filled the house with the sent should fill the whole worâ—d with the report of it and as far and wide as the Gospâ—ll was preached so far and wide should this act be remembred as well for her câ—mmendation that did it as for our imitation that should heare of it We see both the occasion and summe of these words read Which may apply be said to conteine in them a disputation or Plea about Maâ—ie Magdalene's act whether it were well done or no. Whereof there are two priâ—cipall parts Iudas with Some other ad oppositum against it to have Marie Magdalen reformed and her box converted to better vses CHRIST for it and against them Sinite that He would have it stand yea that He would have it acknowledged for that it was Bonum opus The Division In the intreating whereof these three points I purpose 1. First of Iudas his Motion and in it 1 The speech it selfe Vtquid perditio c. 2 The Speaker Some of them 3 The Minde or affâ—ction thought much 2. Secondly of CHRIST 's Apologie and in it 1 That it is sufferable 2 That it is comâ—endaâ—le 3 The reason of both In Me for that on Him 3. Last of all laying both together The former That it is a good worke The later That yet grudged at that good actions oft times meet with evill constructions therâ—fore 1 though we doe well yet we shall be euill spoken of and againe 2 thâ—ugh we be evill spoken of yet we must proceed to doe well The vse we shall make is briefly Ex factis facienda discere by report of that which hath been done heretofore to learne what to doe in like case heereafter Whereof that I may so speake c. OF the tongue the Psalmist saith I. Iuda's Motion 1 The speech Vtquid Perditio it is the best member we have Psal. 108.1 and Saint Iames Chap. 3.6 it is the worst and that it marreth all the rest The nature of the tongue thus being both good and bad maketh that our speech is of the same complexion Good and bad likewise Whereof this speech heere is a pregnant example Good in substance as I shall shew presently Evill in circumstance as we shall afterward see as neither well meant nor well applied In the speech I commend two good things 1 The Abuse noted Vtquid c. 2 The Vse sett downe Potuit c. Not onely the Defect Not thus wasted but the Provision how Turned into money and distributed to the poore We beginne with the first Vtquid perditio c. Surely a good speech and of good vse and to be reteined Religion and Reason both teach us In all things to regard both Quid and Vtquid No lesse to what end we doe then what we doe And both of them censure Not onely what is done to an evill end wickedly but what is done to no end vainely Quem fructum Rom. 6.21 What fruit saith Saint Paul A good question and if it have none Vtquid terram occupat Luk. 13.8 Why troubleth it the ground saith CHRIST So that Religion alloweth not wast censureth idlenesse and in all things calleth us to our Vtquid haec And this as in all things in wast of time wast words addle questions so yet chiefly in that which we call Bonum vtile The very goodnesse of which things is in their vse and they no longer good then they have a vse which if they lose they cease to be good So that in them not only those things that are mis-spent upon wicked vses but even those also that are idlely spent to no vse they are lost lavished and no good commeth of them And therefore in them Vtquid perditio indeed is well said This they learned of CHRIST himselfe Ioh 6.12 who in the gathering of the broken meate gave charge ut nequid perdatur that no wast should be made Indeed Vtquid perditio ulla whereto either this or any wast at all So that Religion is an enemie to riott and good husbandry is good divinitie It is GOD 's will that of our goods Iustitia condus sit Iustice should be Purveyor and they rightly gotten Temperantia promus Temperance the steward and they not wastfully spent Consequently Neither wast in buing I. Ioh 13.29 but as CHRIST 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not whereof we may have vse but whereof we have need and cannot be without
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vement Romani the safety of the State Matt. 2.16 â— Herod would learne where he might find CHRIST the cause indeed to murther Him the cause in shew to worship him Inâ—ra sâ— It is no new thing but common and vsuall in all exceptions to Religion the true cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thinking all too much a thinking all is perditio all lost that commeth not to us that we gaine not by We see if was the true reason the men of Sichem made among themselves why they would become of Iacob's religion Gen 34 â—4 and be circumcised Nonne omnia quae habent nostra erunt Shall not all they have beâ—omâ— It was the very reason whereby Haman went about to perswade Ahasuerus to suppresse the Iewe's Religion Let it be done and I will weigh so many thousands to the Kings cofers Ester 3 â— And in the New Testament it was the very reason Demetrius thereâ— vseth Act. 19.25 O cry for Diana Magnifie her Quia inde nobis erit acquisitio we shall be all 〈◊〉 by it GOD knowes this is the true cause and the Analogie of Religion to many It was so to Iudas and GOD graunt the like be not found in Israël Now though this be the true yet this in no wise must come into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dicentes and be spoken If Iudas had dealt plainly he should thus have framed his speech Vtquid perditio potuit vendi mitti in crumenam meam but that had been too harsh for that had been plaine sacrilege And of Sacrilege Saint Paul seemes to say Rom. 2.22 it is if not worse yet as bad as Idolatrie Thou that pullest downe Idolls Rom. 2.22 committest thou sacrilege As if he held as good a false religion as a spoiling religion Therefore that must be kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not come into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it must be shrowded as indeed the heathen man said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bad attempts need onely a handsome pretense for with the rest they can dispense with GOD and His word and feare and conscience and all and so a pretense had it is all they desire Now no pretense more fitt to make them perfect Maskers then Saint Paule's vizor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Saint Peter's cloke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vizor of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 and the cloke of Religion And such was Iuda's heer a charitable carefull provision for the relief of the poore Whom Ioh. 12.6 though the HOLY GHOST saith expressly he cared not for one jote yet maketh he them his stalking horse and Pauperibus is the point that is it he seeketh for and GOD knoweth nothing els This his sacrilegious wicked humour he covereth under zeale of the poore And so to hide one fault committeth two First Sacrilege then hypocrisie And Pâ—o. 26.23 it is now thing under the Sunne as Salomon tells us to gild a pot-sheard with gold-foile that is to over-lay a false heart with zealous lipps Absolom's vow was the maske for his conspiracie against David Iezabels fast her vizor 2. Sam. 15.7 1. King 21.9 for the oppressing of Naboth And heer we have an Invective against wast a supplication for the poore in IVDA's mouth and yet seven abominations in his heart Pro. 26.25 Is it not heavinesse unto death to consider this Well said the Wise man O wicked abomination whence art thou come to cover the earth with deceit But more need had we to beware then complaine And indeed all we learne from this point is Novisse Odisse to know and avoyd To know such there be as cover sacrilege with zeale and with good uses cover no good entents To know them and to avoyd them And the better to doe that to marke the end of him that heer used it and see what became of him How from this sinne by GOD 's iust iudgment he fell to proditio and from it after to make away himselfe To whom in that case truly might have been said Vtquid perditio indeed But this was his end in this life and in the other he hath his portion with hypocrites and they with him in the lake of fire and brimstone Matt 24 5â— So much for the Speech it selfe 2 for the Speaker and in him both his person 3 and his entent Now as Iustice would let us heare alteram partem II. CHRIST 's Apologie These are shrewd presumptions yet let us not resolve but stay till CHRIST have sayd And if He mislike it too Sell it and spare not But IESVS c. There was saith Saint Gregorie no error of the Disciples praesente Magistro while CHRIST was present with them but is was Salutaris error quia totius Mundi sustulit errorem a wholesome and profitable error for it ridd the world of an error for ever after We may well apply it to this We should have been of Iuda's mind and that that carried the Disciples have gone for currant had not our SAVIOVR CHRIST over-ruled the case and stayed the sale of Marie Magdaleâ—'s ointment and in staying it sayd enough to stop their mouthes for ever that make the like motions Which to do the more firmely albeit CHRIST might well have excepted to Iuda's person as unfitt what the Sonne of perdition talke of perdition Or layd open his entent as wicked and execrable Vtquid hoc sacrilegium Vtquid haec hypocrisis Yet the more sufficiently to do it He waives both and ioines issue upon the very point it selfe admitting all had been simply and honestly both sayd and meant Wherein He keepeth this order First propoundeth That what was done it was sufferable and she not to be troubled for it Sinite illam c. Secondly it was a good worke and therefore she not onely to be excused but to be commended for it Thirdly the reason and warrant of both In Me for that it was done upon Him On whom nothing that is bestowed can be said to be lost but must and ought to be said to be weâ—l bestowed So that there is a full answere to every point of Iuda's bill Vtquid for Vtquid Vtquid molestia haec for Vâ—quid perditio Potuit vendi is answered with Sinite let alone Perditio with bonum opus and Paupeâ—ibus with In Me who is of more value then many poore after whom it may well become the poor to be served 1. It is sufferable Sinite illam To beginn then with the first Sinite illam saith CHRIST Not as they hoped fistite illam Stay her indeede it is but a wast worke she is about but Sinite illam let her alone the worke is good suffer her to proceed His meaâ—ing is Such acts as this was are to be let alone and they that so disposed not to be troubled Sure He fore-saw many would be medling many Vtquid's would be framed and many Potuit's deâ—ised anâ— much businesse be made about
sweet bread all sinceritie and truth and hold their Passe-over in levin or not at all Antichrist's goat may be so eaten The lamb CHRIST cannot To the lamb's nature that is sincere nothing so contrarie as this 3. The leviâ— â—f comâ—anie â—â—rrupt in lasâ— to meane speake or deale vn-sincerely You see a levin of Doctrine and Life that is the levin of the Gospell A third there is the lâ—vin of the Epistle and that is of Corrupt companie and that is in very deed the lâ—vin of this Text. For when the Apostle would have this levin heere purged what meanes he To have the incestuous Corinthian removed and cast out of the fâ—llowship of the faithfull by the Censures of the Church True but those not in every mans power But this is To avoid and shunne them and their companie so we may and so we are bound to cast them out There is very great danger in persons so levined great scandal even to the well disposed but farre great danger to the most that will soone take this lâ—vin Our nature is apt to take it it is easily fermented that way As much good leviâ— as will serve three pecks so much evill will doe more then serve three bushells and never leave till it have sowred them all That except this be looked to all the rest will be to small purpose In Reliâ—ion Now when Saint Paul speakes of persons thus levined he meanes not onely such as are lewd of life tainted that way but even such also as are unsound in matter of Religion and have a soure savour that way Heere to the Corinthians he would have the incestuous person cast out Gal. 5 3.â— c. 9. with his levined life But to the Galathians after he presseth the same point against another kinde such as levined the Gospell with MOSE 's câ—râ—moâ—ies 12. and so corrupted the truth in Religion and them he would have cut of both Coâ—inthian and Galathian levin both must out And marke upon the same reason both and in the very same words That a little levin doth not a little hurt but otherwhile Gal. 5.9 maâ—reth the whole batch of brâ—ad Evill doctrine is against Truth Evill life against walking in the truth Evill companie will bring us to both Therefore away with them but away with this especially If they will not purge out their levin purge them out And that especially against this Feast in the nature whereof there is a contrarietie to all levin Now then this is our Conclusion Come we must and Itaque celebremus This is our Caution Thus we must come Non in fermento sed azymis If we say it skills not whither we come Itaque meets with us If we say it skills not how we come Non in fermento meets with us too It is with us heere as with â—he Prophet Hos. 7.1 when we would heale one the other breaketh forth If we presse Non in fâ—rmento we lose Itaque epulemur they come not at all No Feast If we vrge Itaque epulemur they come how levined and unlevined all clap them downe together We need a Quomodo intrasti huc to keepe some backe And yet we need a Compelle intrare Matt. 22.12 â—uk 1â— 23. to bring others in But the manner but the caution remember that The maine conclusion is that we come The other we must not leave undâ—ne But this peremptorily we are bound to doe The Apostle binds us to doe it The time to doe it now For if this follow CHRIST is offered Therâ—forâ— we are to come to His fâ—ast This wiâ—l follow as strongly CHRIST is now offered therefore let us now come Goe by degrees The Christian Passe-over our Passe-over a time it must have sometime it is to be kept We would doe it at that time when it were best for us to doe it When bâ—st for us to doe it but at the time He did it Himselfe And that did He even at this fâ—aâ—t now Now then at this fâ—ast it is most kindly to doe it most like to please Him and to prosper with us And indeâ—d if at any time we will doe it Quando Pascha 〈◊〉 in Paâ—cha what time is the Pasâ—e-over so proper as at the fâ—ast of the Paâ—â—e-â—vâ—r 〈…〉 quando tempus imâ—olandâ— When the time of His receiving as at the time of His ofâ—â—ring Therfore they both the feast the lamâ— have onâ— nâ—me to shew the neer coniunction that should be betweene them When the daâ— câ—mmeth to remember what was done on the day and so what we to doe on that day Pasâ—â—a quod celâ—bramus to put us in minde of Pascha quod epulamur For tell me will the saâ—rifiâ—e commâ—moâ—ative or the sacrament communicative ever fall more fit then when that was offâ—red which we are to commemorate and to comâ—unicate withall Is not the fittest time of doing it the time when it was done of Hoc facite then when Hoc factum est So that without any more adoe the seâ—son it selfe pleadeth for this effectually And now is the time of Exâ—uâ—gaâ—e for our â—odies thâ— corrupt humours that levin it now we cast them out Anâ— why not now likewise tâ—ose that ly sâ—urâ— in our soules And even Nature's Paâ—â—e-oâ—â—r the genâ—rall Pâ—â—e-ovâ—â— is even at thiâ— time both in heaven and earth Above in heavâ—n where the 〈◊〉 haâ—ing 〈◊〉 over all the sigâ—es is come about and renewes his course at the first signe in the 〈◊〉 And beneâ—th in earth from the sharp time of winter and fâ—rmentiâ—g time of the eâ—rth to the râ—newing sweet time the time of the Sâ—â—ing wherein thâ—re is 〈…〉 in nâ—ture it selfe And why should not the Passâ—-over of grace be now likâ—wiâ—e in sâ—ason and have due concurrence with nature Sure all agree wâ—ll if we but agree our selves Anâ— if we agree for our parts to doe the daye 's duty CHRIST will not be behind with His tâ—e day's benefit But during our time and in the hower of death be our true Passâ—-ovâ—r shielding us from all deadly mis-happs while we heere live and giving us a sure and safe passage at our end even a passage to the last and great Paâ—se-over of all the truth of that whâ—reof theirâ— was the shaddow and ours the image now For we have not yâ—t done with our Laâ—b nor the work of this Paâ—se-ovâ—r is not yet fully accomplished There is a further matter yet behind for as this feast looâ—eth back as a mâ—â—oriall of that is alreadie past and done for us so doth it forward and is to us a plâ—dge of another and a better yet to come The fâ—ast of the marriagâ— of the Lamb heer Apoc 19.7 that is our Paâ—se-over where whosoever shall be a guest the Angells pronounce hâ—m happie and blâ—ssed for ever 9. That is the last and great Feast indeed when all Destroyers and all destructions shall cease and come to an â—nd for evermore and we heare that joyfull voice
Proofe From Councils in the persecution 1 Palestine 2 Pontus 3 Osrâ—ëna 4 Italie 5 France 6 Graecia 7 Asia minor Euseb. l. 5. c. 23. to deduce the custome by 1 Beside that of Irenaeus 2 One by Anatolius the great learned Bishop of Laodicea 3 By Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea and 4 by Bacchyllus Bishop of Corinth eyther of them one 5 Another by Hippolytus that made up the first cycle Yet 6 another by Clemens Alexandrinus And last which indeed was first in time of all two bookes 7 by the holy Martyr and Prophet Melito Bishop of Sardis in the next Age to the Apostles themselues set forth by him as he saith at the time of the Feast and in the very holy-dayes of it Nay there wanted not Councils then neither and that in seven severall parts of the world at once all in the midst of the fervor of the fiery tryall when the Church GOD wote could but evill intend it It was no time to contend then But it shewes they made a matter of it and no slight reckoning of the reteining it Els might they have slipt it without any more a doe Enough I trow to shew such a custome there was in all the Churches these parties lived in which were all the Churches GOD then had They must needs seeme contentious that will contend against all these I see not how they can scape the Apostle's Si quis that doe And this I say if some one example of some eminent man of worth will serve to make an authoritie If that Then this cloud of witnesses and those 1 not persons but whole Councils and Churches 2 not in some one Region but in divers all the world over 3 and that not for one time but so many Ages successively continued from generation to generation what manner of authoritie ought that to be the greatest sure and none greater but of GOD himselfe Proofes That this custome was Apostolique 1. Proofe by testimony Augustine Now to Nos that is to the Apostles themselves First that it was a custome Apostolique and so taken Saint Augustine is direct in his CXVIII Epistle to Ianuarius who had purposely sent to him to know his opinion touching certaine questions all of them about Easter Thus saith he there For such things as come to us not by writing but by practise and yet such as are observed quite through the world we are given to understand they come commended to us and were instituted either by the Apostles themselves or by generall Councils whose authority hath ever beene accounted of as wholesome in the Church Now what be those things so generally observed toto orbe terrarum These that the Passion the Resurrection the Ascension of CHRIST and the comming of the HOLY GHOST from heauen anniversariâ solennitate celebrantur are yeerely in solemne manner celebrated And saith he if there be any beside these for these are most cleer First he is cleer It was the custome of the Church farr and wide the world through Then that it must either by the Apostles be instituto or by some Council Not by any Council Many mett about the time about the Feast never any that not questioned at all taken pro confesso ever and so Apostolique They be his owne words lib. 4. de Bapt. contra Donat. cap. 24. If the whole Church observe any thing not having beene ordained by some generall Council rectissimè creditur we are to beleeve rectissimè by as good right as any can be right in the superlative that it came to us non nisi ab Apostolis from the Apostles and from none else nor by any other way So Saint Augustine is for nos habemus talem So he held it Constantine Euseb l. 3. vita Constantini An hundred yeeres before him Constantine is as direct in his Epistle ad omnes Ecclesias Many remarkeable things there are in that Epistle 1 The most holie Feast of Easter foure times he calleth it That is the good Emperour's style In so great a matter in so High a feast of our Religion to disagree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtterly vnlawfull And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what more honest what more sâ—emely then that this Feast should bee inviolably kept by which we hold our hopes of immortalitie Marke that reason well But for Apostolique Be it lawfull for us Christians saith he rejecting the Iewish manner That day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which day ever since the very first day of His passion we have to this present kept to transmit the due observing of it to all ages to come Marke the words 1 They had kept Easter from the first day of CHRIST'S passion till that present time 2 And after that We have received it of our SAVIOVR 3 And yet againe which our SAVIOVR delivered to us And concludes that 4 accordingly when he came among them he and they would keepe their Easter together Nothing can be more full that in his time this custome was and that it was reputed to have come from the Apostles as begun from the very day of CHRIST'S Passion Which Leo shortly but fully expresseth Legalis quippe festivitas dum mutatur Leo Hom 7. de Passione impletur The legall Feast of the Passeover at the fulfilling of it was changed both at once Fulfilled and changed at one time both No distance betweene And fulfilled I am sure it was in the Apostle's time and so changed then also If you will see it deduced in storie that may you too Thus 2 Proofe by Storie Euseb 4 c. 14. Of himselfe Irenaeus writeth that he was brought up in Asia under Polycarpus and that he yong though he were observed and remembred well all his course of life And namely how comming to Rome in Anicetu's time he kept his Easter there Not when Anicetus kept it Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tertul. de praesâ—ript c. 32. Polycaâ—pus kept Easter with S. Iohn and the rest of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusâ—b l. 5. â—4 S. Philip the Apostle kept it 3 Prâ—oâ—e fâ—om the Lords dâ—y Apoc 1.10 Psalme 1.88 Aug. Ep. 119. â—3 Dies Dominicus Christianis Resurrectione Domini declaratus est ex illo habere capit sâ—stivitatem suam but keepe it he did though In the keeping they agreed in the time they differed Either held his owne Polycarpus then kept Easter Now Polycarpus had lived and conversed with the Apostles was made Bishop by them Bishop of Smyrna Irenaeus and Tertullian say it directly and he is supposed to be the Angel of the Church of Smyrna Revel 2.8 And Polycarpus as saith Irenaeus kept Easter with S. IOHN and with the rest of the Apostles totidem verbis Euseb. lib. 5. c. 26. Polycrates in his Epistle there in Eusebius expressly saith that S. Philip the Apostle kept it If S. Philip and S. Iohn by name If the rest of the Apostles had it then nos habemus is true then it is Apostolique But yet we haue a
no Agent can worke Not GOD himselfe but by miracle Fitt then we must be Now of ourselves as of ourselves we are not fit so much as to thinke a good thought It is II. Corinth III.V. Not so much as to will For it is GOD that worketh in us to will Phil. II. XIII If not these two ◠Neither thinke ◠nor will then not to worke No more we are Neither to beginne Phil. I.VI. nor having begoon to goe forward and bring it to an end Fitt to none of these Then made fitt we must be And who to reduce us to fitnesse but this GOD of peace heere that brought againe Christ from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To set in joint Now if I shall tell you what manner of fittnesse it is the Apostle's word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere doth import It is properly the fittnesse which is in setting that in which was out of joint in doing the part of a good Bone-setter This is the very true and native sense of the word Set you in joint to doe good workes For the Apostle Ephes. IV. and Colos. II. tells us Ephes 4.16 Col. 2.19 that the Church and things Spirituall goe by joints and sinnewes whereof they are compact and by which they have their action and motion And where there are joints there may be and otherwhiles there is a dis-jointing or dis-location no lesse in things Spirituall then in the naturall body And that is when things are mis-sorted or put out of their right places Now that our Nature is not right in joint is so evident that the very Heathen men have seene and confessed it And by a fall things come out of joint and indeed so they did Adam's fall we call it and we call it right Sinne which before broke the peace which made the going from or departure which needed the bringing backe the same sinne heere now againe put all out of joint And things out of joint are never quiet never at peace and rest till they be set right againe But when all is in frame all is in peace And so it referrs well to the GOD of peace who is to doe it And marke againe The putting in joint is nothing but a bringing backe againe to the right place whence it slipt That still there is good cohaerence with that which went before The peace-maker the bringer-backe the bone-setter are all one The force or fullnesse of the Apostle's Simile of out of joint you shall never fully conceive till you take in hand some good worke of some moment and then you shall for certaine For doe but marke me then how many rubbs letts impediments there will be as it were so many puttings out of joynt yer it can be brought to passe This wants or that wants one thing or other frames not A sinnew shrinkes a bone is out somewhat is awry and what a doe there is yer we can get it right Either the will is averse and we have no mind to it or the power is shrunke and the meanes faile us or the time serves not or the place is not meet or the parties to be dealt with we finde them undisposed And the miserie is when one is got in the other is out againe That the wit of man could not have devised a fitter terme to have expressed it in This for the disease What way doth GOD take to set us right First by our Ministerie and meanes For it is a part of our profession under GOD this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set the Church in and every member that is out of joint You may reade it in this very terme Ephes. IV. XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that we do by applying outwardly this Testament the blood of it Two speciall Splints as it were to keep all streight Out of the Testament by the word of exhortation as in the next Verse he calls it Ver. 22. praying us to suffer the Splinting For it may sometimes pinch them and put them to some paine that are not well in joint by pressing it and putting it home But both by denouncing one while the threats of the Old Testament another while by laying forth the promises of the New if by any meanes we may get them right againe This by the Testament which is one outward meanes The Blood is another inward meanes By it we are made fit and perfect choose you whither and that so as at no time of all our life we are so well in joint or come so neere the state of perfectnesse as when we come new from the drinking of that blood And thus are we made fit Provided that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do end as heere it doth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Agent all this fit making do end in doing and in a worke that some worke be done For in doing it is to end if it end aright if it end as the Apostle heere would have it For this fitting is not to heare learne or know but to doe His will We have beene long at Teach me thy will at that lesson There is another in Psalme CXLIII Psal. 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will we must take out that also Teach me thy will and Teach me to doe thy will are two distinct lessons We are all our life long about the first and never come to the second to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is required we should now come to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not made fit when we are so to doe never a whit the more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to end in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is doing and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a worke In worke and in every good worke We must not slip the collar there neither For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all good workes if we be hable to stirre our hand but one way and not another it is a signe it is not well set in His that is well set he can move it to and fro up and downe forward and backward every way and to every worke There be that are all for some one worke that single some one peece of GOD 's service wholy addicted to that but cannot skill of the rest That is no good signe To be for every one for all sorts of good workes for every part of GOD 's worship alike for no one more then another that sure is the right So choose your Religion so practice your worship of God It is not safe to do otherwise nor to serve GOD by Synecdoche but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take all before us But in the doing of all or any beside our part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second Agent a Worker besides For when GOD hath fitted us by the outward meanes there is not all
humilitie The messenger of Sathan that was sent the Apostle to buffet him was of this nature and to no other end sent but to prevent this maladie In a word CHRIST must withdraw no remedie that we may grow humble and being humble the HOLY GHOST may come for He commeth to none Esay 57.15 1. Pet. 5.5 rests on none giveth grace to none but the humble So we see CHRIST may be and is even according to His spirituall presence withdrawne from some persons and for their good Christus abit ut Paracletus veniat and that many waies meet it is Psal. 108.6 it so should be This makes us say Go LORD Sett up thy selfe above the heavens and thy glory over all the earth III. Of Mitâ—am Eum â— Eum the Person If He goe not the HOLY GHOST will not come But if CHRIST goe will He come shall we not be left to the wide world without both will the Comforter come He will for CHRIST will not faile but send Him If He take His body from our eyes He will send His Spirit into our hearts But sent He shall be heere is mittam Eum And so He did CHRIST sent Him and He came and in memorie of this Veniet mittam hold we this Day He did to them but will He also to us He will And shall we see fiery tongues That is not Christ's promise to send fierie tongues but Illum Him the Comforter And comfort it is we seeke It is not the tongues or fire we care for or will doe us good We conceive I trust after two manners He came as this day 1 One visible in tongues of fire that sat upon their heads 2 The other invisible by inward graces whereby He possessed their hearts The former was but for ceremonie at first the other is it the reall matter Illum Him And Him this day as well as that this day and ever He will not faile to send Alwaies we are to thinke His promise and his prayer were not for these onely but for all that should beleeve on Him by their word to the world's end Now this last point these two 1 mittam 2 Illum we are specially to looke to 1 Illum that â— Spâ—ritus sanctuâ— CHRIST is gone once for all We have no hold now but of this promise I will send Him That we take heed we forgoe not Him and lose our part in the promise too A great part of the world is sure in this case Christ is gone and the Comforter is not sent Not this for I speake not of the world's comfort the rich man's Luk. 16. qui habebat hîc consolationem who had his comfort heere in good fare and braverie â—uc 16.25 and all manner delights of the flesh flesh-comforts but this heere is Paracletus qui est Spiritus And because all Religions promise a Spirituall comfort it is said further Paracletus qui est Spiritus veritatis No Spirit of error but the Spirit of truth 2. 〈◊〉 And because all Christians though counterfeite claime an interest in Spiritus veritatis yet further it is added Paracletus qui est Spiritus sanctus He is no uncleane Spirit but one sanctifying and leading us into an holy and cleane life This is the true Comforter and none other that Christ promiseth to send Christ will send Him But that we mistake him not not unlesse we call for Him and be ready to entertaine Him For cletus is in Paracletus Of which let me tell you these three things It is the chiefe word of the Text and chiefe thing of the Feast It is translated Comforter that translation is but ad homines for their turne to whom he speakes for as their case was they needed that office of His most But the true force of the word Paracletus is Advocatus not the Nowne but the Participle one called to sent for invited to come upon what occasion or for what end soever it be For what end soever it be the person sent for is Paracletus properly pro eâ— vice for that time and turne Advocatus But because the spirit of the world ruleth in this world the worldly affaires come thickest our affections in that kinde so many and oft it is come to passe that the Lawyer hath carried away the name of Advocatus from the rest and they growen to be the Paracleti of this world called for even from the Prince to the Peazant and consulted with none so often The Physitian he hath his time and turne of advocation to be a Paracletus too but nothing so oft as for Barnabas which is interpreted the sonne of consolation never Act. 4 3â— till both Zenas the Lawyer and Luke the Physitian have given us over never called for but when it is too late But first from mittam Paracletum this we have Mittam Christ will send 1. Our dueâ—y to câ—ll for Him for Comfort but Paracletum if you send for Him Veniet come He will but not come unlesse called nor sent but sent for If we call him veniet He will come if we send for Him He will send Him That is our duty but what is our practise We misse in this first we call not for Him We finde no time for Him He is faine to call for us to ring a bell for us to send about to get us and then are we Advocati not He. When we send for Him He is Paracletus when He for us then we are and not He if we be that if we be Advocati and not rather avocati every trifling occasion being enough to call us away Thus we stumble at the very threshold and doe we yet mervaile if CHRIST send him not nor He come Men are sent for for some end and diverse are the ends thereafter as our need is 2. For counseile We send not for them onely when we are in heavÃnesse to comfort us but when we are in doubt to resolve us which is the second signification and so Paracletus is turned advocate or counselor 1. Ioh. 2.1 And the Holy Ghost looketh to be sent for for both for counseile as well as for consolation for both he is good for both Yea many are his uses and therefore he thinketh much to be sent for but for one as if He were good for nothing els If we be in doubt He is hable to resolve us if perplexed to advise and to guide if we know not how to frame our petition for us If we know not to teach if we forget to remember us And not onely one use as we phansie if we be out of heart to comfort us And because his uses be many his types are so a Io. 3.5 Water sometimes sometimes b Act. 2.3 fire One while c Io 3.8 winde one while d Io. 2.20 ointment and according to our severall wants we to send to him for fire to warme for winde to coole for water to clense us for oyle to
ever counted of speciall faith and trust Of the Kings Chamber But plaine it is they were of his Chamber Not of his lieges alone or of his housâ—old but which is more of his Chamber It is a wonderfull â—hing the State that the Pâ—rsian Monarchs kept No man upon paine of death to come so neere as into their inner base Court uncalled if he did he died for it unlesse the King Chap. 4.11 by holding forth hiâ— Scepter pardoned him his life You will easily then imagine in what place they were that had free recourse into his innermost chamber to go and come thither at their pleasure Not onely to do so themselves but to be those by whom all others were to go or come No man to come thither but by them For that is meant by Lords of the threshold or qui in primo limine praefidebant as the Fathers read it the very chiefe over his Chamber The Septuagint who should best know the nature of the word they turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first keepers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the bodie And many they had for many such Kings need have But these two they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe the Arch-keepers had if any more then other the chiefe charge the very principall of all GOD do so and so to me saith King Achis to David if I make not thee the keeper of my head 1 Sam. 28.2 and in so saying thought he promised him as good a place as he had He could make him no more To this place had the King advanced these two and these two were they that sought this That it should be sought at all evill that these should seek it too bad They that if others had sought it should have staid their hands these to lay on their own to seek it themselves All men know it was no meane preferment early and late to be so neer Assuerus's person They had meanes thereby to do themselves much good So had they to do others much hurt if they were not the better men But for others hurt it skills not if they had not thereby had the meanes to do Assuerus himselfe if the Devill so farr prevailed with him as he did Of his chamber Dapifer his dish Pincerna his cup Keepers of his body principall keepers if they seek to lay their hands they will soon find what they seek the more dangerous they the more his danger by them a great deale And is not this heavinesse to death when they that were so honoured proove so unkind when they that so trusted so untrue and may we not take up the Wise man's Oh O wicked presumption whence art thou sprung up to cover the face of the earth Stay a little and looke upon them as ye would upon a couple of monsters Ecclus. â—7 3 1 To seek this in Regem alone were too much to breake their Duety to their Liege Lord if there were no more but that to lay their hands on him for whom they should lay downe their lives 2 Add then not to a King onely but to such a King nor to their Liege Lord alone but to so good and gracious a Lord that had done them so great favours placing them so neer him trusting them so farre honouring them so greatly For no honouâ— to trust no trust to the chiefe trust of all More then heathenâ—sh wickednesse this to render evill for good and whose wealth they of all other bound to seek to seek his ruine 3 And they came not to that place but they were sworne to vilifie their oath then and to teare in pieces the strongest band of religion The hands that had taken that oath those hands to lay on him 4 To betray their trust to him that had layd his innocent life in their hands and to make their trust the opportunitie of their treacherie 5 In a word of the chiefe Keepers of his body to become the chiefe seekers of his bloud the chiefe enemies to his body and life and all What can be said evill enough of these Say it were lawfull in any case it is not lawfull in any but say it were to lay hands on a King yet they in all reason of all others should not have been the doers Etsi ille dignus perpeti at non tu qui faceres tamen Were not these monsters then Was not their condemnation just It grieves me I have stayed so long on them yet if I have made them and their fact odious it grieves me not What was the matter What could move them thus to play the wretches 3. The cause wherefore They were angry Why they should not many and good reasons we see Why they did none in the Text but that they were angrie and that is no reason but a passion that makes men â—o cleane against reason many times Bigthan was angrie and Thares as angrie as he Yet if it be but a little anger it will over Indeed such it may be it will What manner anger was it The word is a shrewd word signifies an anger will not go down with the Sunne Ephes. 4.25 will not be appeased What speake we of the word their deeds shew as much We see nothing would satisfie them but his life Nothing serve but lay hands on him That they sought so angrie they were What angred them then No cause is set downe And none I thinke there was If there had we should have beene sure to have heard of it For men to be angrie without a cause and even with Superiors it is no new thing Well if no cause some colour yet if not that some shadow at least Somewhat we are to seek why they did seeke this If there be in the Text eny thing to lead us to it it is in the first words or not at all In those daies In those angrie they were as much to say as before those daies they were not but in those then they were Els there is no cause to mention that of the daies but to make this difference Out of the Text nothing can be picked els Angry for Assueru's choise of Esther Why what daies were those That goes immediately before The dayes wherein Assuerus had made choise of Esther to match with her and make her his Queene and had made a great feast upon it At the feast it seemes they surfeited they could not brook that match at eny hand Some ambitious desire of theirs disappointed by it likely that was the cause This was faine to serve for the occasion for lack of a better A bad one we say is better then none What the Great King of Persia finde no match in all his owne brave Nation Never a Persian Lady serve him but he must to this vile base people the Iewes his captives his slaves to picke him a match thence What a disparagement is this to all the Persian blood It would make eny true Persian heart rise against it
Elias's spirit but of His if they be His Disciples and so must come as He 〈◊〉 Non perdere sed salvare 〈◊〉 because we come not now to learne onely but to give thanks as the dutie of 〈◊〉 â—ay requireth after this we will lay the two cases together case by case this of 〈◊〉 to this in the text by which it will easily appeare I doubt not that we 〈◊〉 great cause every way of joy and thanksgiving nay of the twaine the 〈◊〉 the happie Ne perdas CHRIST 's Ne perdas of this day OR yer we come to the motion let us begin with that I. The Motive that was the beginning of all this quarrell that is Dissent in religion between the Samaritan and the Iew. We see the fruit of it heer and what spirit it maketh men of On the one 〈◊〉 Be they Iewes go they to Ierusalem let them have neither meat drink nor 〈◊〉 that is to say sterve them On the other Be they Samaritans Sectaries 〈◊〉 of their lives put fire to them burne them blow them up Mutuall and mortall â—â—tred breaking forth upon every occasion The woman of Samaria expresseth it by â—on co-utuntur They use not one side the other She might even as well have said Ioh. 4.9 cobutuntâ—r they abuse each the other so they do forgetting humanitie and divinitie 〈◊〉 on either part Heer is the fruit this the spirit it breedeth And these two the â—â—â—aritan and the Iew they made not an end of this till it made an end of them Look 〈◊〉 â—osephus you shall see in the dayes of Claudius Cumanus then deputie the very like 〈◊〉 â—ell to this heer upon the very same occasion taken wholy by the Zelotae and 〈◊〉 hard opened the way to the Iewe's warrs which neuer ended till the utter 〈◊〉 out and desolation of them both Thus it was and thus it wil be and by this 〈◊〉 â—ee how necessarie CHRIST 's Pax vobis is and the Peace-maker that could make 〈…〉 how blessed he should be blessed heer and blessed everlastingly Ioh. 20.26 Mat. 5.9 〈◊〉 let me tell you this withall this spirit was not then in all neither all the 〈◊〉 nor all the Samaritans Some there were on both sides more moderately 〈◊〉 The Disciples I doubt not did all of them the other ten too much dislike 〈◊〉 courtesie offered CHRIST yet all cried not for fire Two onely these two 〈…〉 the twelve On the other side the Samaritans neither all were not thus 〈…〉 Though this town received Him not it is said in the last verse they went 〈…〉 towne and there He was received So all Ver 56. neither all the Disciples thus 〈…〉 all â—he sonnes of thunder some the sonnes of rayne Mar. 3.17 as Bartholomew is 〈◊〉 nor all the Countrie of Samaria GOD provided better for both All had 〈…〉 a generall combustion if all had been of this destructive spirit and all did go 〈…〉 spirits 〈◊〉 the upper hand 〈◊〉 â—or their comfort that are such this that our SAVIOVR CHRIST was 〈…〉 but shewed himselfe on that side that enclined to humanitie and peace Ioâ— â—7 There was no fault in him It was still his desire coüti Samaritanis to use and be used by them He would have had water and asked it of the woman of Samaria Sent his Disciples to that town there to buy meat and now to this towne heer to take up lodging shewed himselfe still willing to breake downe this partition-wall In this very journey Luke 17.16 after this repulse heer yet He healed among others a Leaper yea though a Samaritan Yea so favourable that way He was and so readie to be used as He was counted and called a Samaritan for His labour Ioh. 8.48 Well then let this towne and these two Disciples please themselves in their consuming zeale that other town in the last verse and the other ten were in the right CHRIST was in the right I am sure and it is safe for us that the same mind be in us that was in CHRIST IESVS And so now to the Motion But first to the Motive And when they saw c. Let me say this for Saint Iames and Saint Iohn They saw enough to move any to indignation A great indignitie it is that which is done by common courtesie to every ordinarie traveller harbour for a night to denie that to any Omni animantium generi pabulum latibulum foder and shelter they are due to all living creatures by the law of nature Ver. 58. Within a verse after CHRIST saith Vulpes foveas habent c. Not to allow a man so much as every Fox is allowed a hole for his head a very great inhumanitie to any who could choose but be moved 2. And if to denie this to any were too much it received increase by the person It was CHRIST that was thus repelled of whose well using it stood them upon to be jealous and not to shew themselves cold in putting up any disgrace offered to their Master We must needs allow their zeale in their Master's quarrell 3. And when was this For that circumstance adds much heer It was even then when He was newly come downe from the Mount from His transfiguration immediatly upon that came this Him whom a little before they had seene glorified from heaven to see him now thus vilified upon earth would it not moove any 4. And who were they that did it A pelting countrie towne and they in it a sort of Samaritan-heretiques whom the world were well ridd of at whose hands who could endure to see Him thus used Comming from hatred of heresie how can it choose but be a good motion 5. And now why was it they did Him this disgrace For no other cause but for His religion because His back was to their Mount and his face to Ierusalem And heer zeale is in his prime Never so plausible as when it hath gotten Religion for his pretense and the Catholique cause for his colour then they may sett fire on the towne Put these now together 1 A barbarous indignitie harbour for a night denied and 2 denied Christ 3 Christ so late in all his glorie 4 and that by a sort of heretiques 5 and onely for that He was well affected in religion The case is home when they saw this it moved them to make a Motion Never talke of it the motion cannot be misliked specially comming commended by the Movers two of his Disciples and none of the meanest of them Gal. 2.9 Ioh. 21.7 two Pillers as Saint Paul calleth them and he whom Iesus so loved one of the two II. The Motion We see what moved them Now let us see what they move and upon what warrant They move to have them destroyed by fire from heaven Their Warrant sicut fecit Elias whom they had seen a little before in the mount and who they are sure would never have endured it In their motion me thinks
could never invent the like But a degenerate Christian is the worst man and the worst man is the worst creature of all others And what might be the cause of all this It seemes the same in both Haman's was 4. The Cause or colour Chap. 2.5 â—ecause that he was not worshipped by Mardochei And in ours too If we aske quo â—â—minedaeso Quidve dolens we shall finde it was much to that Even the not worshipâ—ing of one no whit lesse proud then Haman And heere they will fall short too â—or in ours Mardochei must fall downe and kisse his feet which Haman in all his pride never required But it were hard to destroy an whole Nation for no other cause but that one â—han of them would not make him a legg We must have some other then this some â—etter pretense must be had sure So have all evill things one thing for the cause â—nother for the colour In good one serves for both Sure in effect the same was 〈◊〉 of ours that heere was suggested by Haman Chap 2 8. These same Iewes saith he they 〈◊〉 people with a Religion by themselves As much to say with us as A sort of Hereâ—â—ques they be the world were well ridd of them it makes no matter up with them 〈◊〉 But then heer comes a difference againe to make ours the worse Haman made it 〈◊〉 matter of policie It is not for the King's profit to suffer them Ibidem Ours made it no 〈…〉 â—hen a matter of Religion Religion was at the stake A case of meer conscience not 〈…〉 anything but the Oracle consulted first the Father Provinciall who ex tripode 〈◊〉 â—olved it for such And as if he had had all our lives in his hand answered in no 〈…〉 then did Assuerus Chap. III. Ver. XI De populo fac quod libet As for 〈…〉 them 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and with the King too which was 〈…〉 heer did Haman 〈…〉 up and 〈◊〉 not And though there be of 〈…〉 for all that It is for 〈…〉 this 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 this lost of theirs hâ—d fallen to our lott It had been 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of Paris to have seen men tumbling 〈…〉 in the sâ—â—â—eâ—s Nothing to this to see men torne in sunder headâ— from sholders armes from leggs both from the body quarters and 〈…〉 flie one way the bowells another bloud 〈…〉 in every corner of the streets never the like 〈…〉 neâ—e◠〈◊〉 liâ—e lott to this 〈…〉 destruction for by powder 2 more 〈…〉 with us upon a lesse certaine and upon a more famous â—ay Our nation more noble Our Haman more wicked Their cause and colour â—â—re to be abboâ—â—ed I conclude our lott was the worse and the worse the lott the better the â—scâ—pe the better it and the better deserving a Holy-day for it And this for the lott in the â—ap The Event Now to GOD that giveth the hap Where first I note that the word Pur it is no Hebrew but a Persian word yet it was thought meet to reteine it They give this reason for that the same word Pur in Hebrew signifieth to disappoint shewing plainely that the Hebrue's GOD should give an Hebrew Pur to the Pâ—rsiâ—n Pur disappoint the Persian lott and though it were casâ— yeâ— noâ— suffeâ— it to light â—hough We 〈◊〉 at the XXIV Verse Haman did cast but Pur in the singular but one single lott He needed cast but one since all were to go one way none to escape yet thâ— Day is called Purim that is the plurall as if there were more then one some other beside that of Haman's And so it was fitt there should that there might be as well a good 〈◊〉 as an evill The â—oth is there can be no lotterie of one there behove to be two at least two diverse The law is so The first lotts we reade of that ever were cast were beâ—ween the two Goats Lev. 16. Whose lot it should be to die whose to scape to be the Scape-goat Levit. 16.8 Heer was never a scape-goat in Haman's stain goats all so beside the Law quite GOD took Haman casting lotts beside the Law and He took the matter into his own hand and He did it regularly made two lotts to two ends and for two parties One for Mardochei and the Iewes them one for Haman another GOD put in one foâ— him too by his leave Mardochei saith it plainly in the Greek Supplement c. I. v. X. that God made two lotts and gave them forth One for his own People and one for the wicked meaning wicked Haman So have ye Haman's Pur he cast but one which was disappointed and never drawn And God's Purim two of his putting in and both drawn And it is well we have removed it out of Haman's into a better hand that we may say In manibus tuis sortes meae as saith the Psalme Not in Haman's hands are our lotts but in 〈◊〉 Psal. 31.15 Two good hopes we have thereby 1. One that though it was nothing with Haman to â—ay hâ—â—ds on Mardochei nor with ours on the King yet with GOD it wil be 〈…〉 That God wil be otherwise minded then Haman or they Not 〈…〉 nâ—tiâ—nem perdere but magiâ—que voluit omnem nationem servare 〈…〉 Haman 〈…〉 such as he then that a whole Nation should perish in this manner 2. And then secondly seeing they be now in God's hands be the lott what it will or 〈…〉 will in 〈…〉 to be sure yet when it comes to the drawing 〈…〉 give it forth 〈…〉 and with what sâ—ccesse He pleaseth And when 〈…〉 himselfe doth purpose GOD will dispose 〈…〉 lot 〈…〉 the Lord. And so we come to GOD's 〈…〉 〈…〉 Wherein 〈…〉 before theâ— aâ—â—any waies in the 1 meanes the 2 〈◊〉 〈…〉 time and the 4 â—ssue all foure 1. The fewer meanes the more like a lot 〈◊〉 had no meanes They had and used means both to GOD and man To GOD 〈◊〉 â—asting and fervent prayer which prevailes with Him much To man to King 〈◊〉 they had the Queen's mediation which prevailed with him too We used none 〈◊〉 to GOD or man fasted not prayed not suspected no evill to be toward and so 〈◊〉 neither There is no cause no meanes in a lott It is Saint Augustine's note that 〈◊〉 is therefore termed the Lot of the righteous in the Psalme and in the Apostle Psal. 125.3 Col. 1.12 Sors â—â—nctorum for that merit or meanes there is none at all GOD onely allotts it to us â—nd such was ones not by meanes as they but delivered as I may say from a lott by a lott a meere lott So our Purim we may say was more pure then 〈◊〉 But though no meanes we had to GOD yet a meanes from GOD we had The Manner they 〈◊〉 we both For from a King it came in both But farre otherwise in the manner wiâ—h us then with them two wayes 1. First with them the deliverie came from the King and well
will a day of feasting or increase of fare but not dies sanctus no holyday no at eny hand For then may Esther make holydaies they see it followes What should one say to such men as these For 1 first it is plaine by this verse they tooke it in animas upon their soules a soule matter they made of it There needs no soule for feria or festum play or feasting 2 Secondly the bond of it reacheth to all that Religioni eorum voluerunt copulari Ver. 27. â—o all that should joine themselves to their religion Then a matter of Religion it was had 〈…〉 that what need eny joyning in Religion for a matter of good-fellowship â— Thirdly it is expresly termed a rite and a caeremonie at the 23. and 28. Verses as the Fathers read them Rites I trust and caeremonies as holidaies are no more perteine to â—he Church and to the Service of GOD not to merrie meetings that is not their place â— Fourthly they fast and pray heer in this Verse fast the Eve the fourteenth and so 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 following to bâ— holy-daâ— â—f course â— Fifthly with fasting and prayer heer 〈…〉 enjoyned at the 22. 〈◊〉 These three will make it past a day of revells or 〈◊〉 Lastly as a holâ—-day thâ— Iewes ever kept it have a peculiar sett Service for 〈…〉 â—heiâ— Seders seâ—â— Psalmâ—s â—o â—ing sett Lessons to read sett Prayers to say and that at foure severall times 〈…〉 9. v. 3. their manner is on holie-daies good and godly all None bâ— to 〈◊〉 thâ—y have used from all antiquitie 1 Being then taken on their soules â— resâ—â—eined to the same Religion 3 directly termed a caeremonie 4 being to be held with fasting prayers and 5 almes workes of pietie all â— the practise of the Church â—oâ—ming theirs was a holy-day cleere and so ought ours to be Thus hav◠〈…〉 upon record to draw up ours by the Superiors to enjoine such a 〈…〉 â—istâ—iors to observe it And as a warrant to do it so a rule how to do it with fasting and with crying 〈◊〉 is prayer earnest prayer the last word What and must we fast then That were no good lott in the end of a Text. No if we will pray well I dare take upon me â—o excuse uâ— from fasting Their fasting was to put them in mind of the fast their Fathers used Chap. 4.3 by meanes whereof they turned GOD and GOD turned the King's heart and so all turned to their good But for us we have no such meanes to remember in ours we used not eny and so hold ours without eny They had two daies their holie-day had a fasting day Our lott is to have but one and that no fasting day an immunitie from that So much the better is our lott A feast without any fast at all But though without fasting not without earnest prayer meant heare by crying nor without earnest thanks and praise neither For joy also hath her cry as well as affliction Psal. 118.15 The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous But prayer sure will do well at all hands that a worse thing happen not to us But prayer is but one wing with almes it will do better make a paire of wings which is before prescribed at the two and twentieth Verse So to eat the fatt and drinke the sweet our selves as we send apart Neh. 8.10 to them for whom nothing is provided Dies enim Sanctus est saith Nehemias for by his rule that makes it a right holy-day But prayer is the last word heer ends the Verse and with that lett us end Even that all that shall ever attempt the like let Haman's lott be their lott and let never any other light on them but sors funiculus Let Queene Esther's prayer and King Assuerus's sentence ever take place Malum quod cogitavit convertatur in caput ipsius Ipsius or ipsorum Psal. 125.3 Psal. 30.15 one or many Let not the rod of the ungodly light on the lott of the righteous Let GOD in whose hand our lotts are ever maintaine this daie's lott to us never give forth other but as in this Text and as on this day on the fourteenth of Adar and on the fift of November And praised be GOD this day and all our daies that this day shewed that He taketh pleasure in the prosperity of His Servants and from all lotts and plotts doth ever deliver them Printed for RICHARD BADGER CERTAINE SERMONS PREACHED At sundry times upon severall occasions A SERMON Preached at Saint MARIE'S HOSPITAL on the X. of April being Wednesday in Easter-weeke A. D. MDLXXXVIII I. TIM CHAP. VI. VER XVII XVIII XIX Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded that they trust not in the uncertenty of riches but in the living GOD which giveth us all things to enjoy plenteously That thâ—y do good be rich in good workes ready to distribute and to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of aeternall liâ—e THE commendation of the Word of GOD is that Every Scripture is profitable for our instruction 2. Tim 3.16 Every Scripture is profitable yet not every Scripture in every place alike For the Place and Auditorie have great interest in some Scripture and a fitt Scripture hath a greater and fuller force in his owne Auditorie And GOD in so excellent a manner hath sorted His Scriptures as there ly dispersed in them severall Texts seasonable for each time and pertinent to each place and degree for Prince for people for rich for poore for each his peculiar Scripture in due time and place to be reached them This Scripture which I â—ave read whose it is and to whom it speaketh is at the very reaching streightway evident as one saith of the XLI Psalme Blessed is he that judgeth rightly of the poor that it iâ— Scriptura Pauperum the Poore man's Scripture So of this it may be rightly said that it is Scriptura Divitum The Rich mans Scripture And if this be the Scripture for rich men this place is the place of rich men and therefore if this Scripture have his place no where so fitt as in this place For no where is there such store of riches by the a Esa. 23.3 Harvest of the water which farre surpasseth the harvest of the ground No where are the like b Ezek. 28.12 Summes sealed No where doe they c Deut. â—3 19 sucke the abundance of the Sea and the treasures hid in the sand in like measure No where are the d Esay 23.8 Merchants Noblemen's fellowes and able to lend the Princes of the earth so much as heer Therefore when as I gave all diligence to speake not onely true things but also seasonable both for this time and this place I was directed to this Scripture I need not to say much in this point to shew it concerneth this Audience I
in the booke of life in heaven have done before you in diverse workes of charitie to the maintenance of the Church the benefit of Learning and the reliefe of the Poore of the land This is to do good This I trust you understand This know that GOD hath not given sight to the eye to enjoy but to lighten the members nor wisedome to the honourable man but for us men of simple shallow forecast nor learning to the divine but for the ignorant so neither riches to the wealthy but for those that want reliefe Thinke you Timothee hath his depositum and we ours and you have none it is sure you have We ours in inward graces and treasures of knowledge You yours in outward blessings and treasures of wealth But both are deposita and we both are feoffees of trust I see there is a strange hatred and a bitter gainsaying every where stirred up against unpreaching Prelates as you terme them and Pastors that feed themselves onely and they are well worthy If I might see the same hatred begoon among your selves I would thinke it sincere But that I cannot fee. For that which a slothfull Divine is in things spirituall that is a Rich man for himselfe and no body els in things carnall and they are not pointed at But sure you have your harvest as well as we ours and that a great harvest Lift up your eyes and see the streets round about you the harvest is verily great and the Labourers few Matt. 9 37· Let us pray both that the Lord would thrust out Labourers into both these harvests that the treasures of knowledge being opened they may have the bread of aeternall life and the treasures of well-doing being opened they may have the bread of this life and so they may want neither I will tell you it another as easie a way Saint Augustine making it plaine to his auditorie somewhat backward as it should seeme was faine to tell them thus thus to define doing good Quod non vultis facere hoc bonum est said he that that you will not doe that that I cannot get you to do that is to doe good Shall I say so to you No indeed I will not I hope better things and partly I know them But this I will say that which the Papists with open mouth in all their books to the slander of the Gospell that which they say you doe not nay you will not doe that is to doe good One of them saith that our Religion hath comforted your force attractive so much and made it so strong that nothing can be wroong from you Another he saith that our Religion hath brought an hardnesse into the bowells of our Professors that they pitie little and the cramp or chiragra into their hands that they give lesse Another 〈◊〉 our preaching hath bredd you minds full of Salomon's horsleches that cry â—riâ—g in bring in and nothing els All of them say that your good workes come so from you as if indeed your religion were to be saved by faiâ—h onely Thus through â—ou and through want of your doing good the Gospel of CHRIST is evill spoken of â—mong them that are without They say we call not to you for them that we preach not this point that we leave them out of our Charges Libero animam meam I deliver heere mine owne soule I do now call for them I have done it elsewhere yer now Heere I call for them now I take witnesse I call you to record I call heaven to râ—cord Domine scis quia dixi scis quia locutus sum scis quia clamavi Lord thou knowest I have spoken for them I have called for them I have cried for them I have made them a part of my charge and the most earnest and vehement part of my charge even the charge of doing good Vnto you therfore that be rich be it spoken heare your charge I pray you There is no avoiding you must needs seale this fruit of well-doing you must needs do it For having wealth and wherewithall to do good if you do it not Inprimis talke not of faith for you have no faith in you if you have wherewith to shew it and shew it not Saint Iames saith you have none to shew Nor tell me not of your religion there is no religion in you Iam. 1.27 â— Pure religion is this as to very good purpose was shewed yesterday To visite the fatherlesse widowes and you never learned other religion of us Secondly if you do it not I warne you of it now you shall then find it when you shall never be hable to answer the exacting of this charge in the great Day where the question shall not be of the highnesse or lownesse of your mindes nor of your trust and confidence or any other vertues though they be excellent but of your feeding clothing visiting harbouring succouring and in a word of your well-doing onely This I say to you beare witnesse I say it Now to Them in your just deâ—ense I say for GOD forbidd but while I live I should alway defend this Honourable Citie in all truth to them whom the mist of envie hath so blinded that they can see no good at all done but by themselves I forbidd them the best of them to shew me in Rhemes or in Rome or any popish Citie Christen such a shew as we have seene heer these two daies To day but a handfull of the heape but Yesterday and on Moonday the whole heape even a mightie armie of so many good workes as there were relieved Orphanes the Chariotts of this Citie 2. King 2.12 I doubt not and the horsemen thereof They will say it is but one so they say Be it so yet it is a matchlesse one I will go further with them Spoken be it to GOD 's glorie Non nobis Domine non nobis Psal. 115.1 sed Nomini Tuo dagloriam Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto Thy Name give the praise for the loving mercie and for thy truthes sake which we professe I will be able to prove that Learning in the foundation of Schooles and encrease of revenues within Colledges and the Poore in foundation of Almes-houses and encrease of perpetuities to them have received greater helpe in this Realme within these forty yeares last past since not the starting up of our Church as they fondly use to speake but since the reforming ours from the error of theirs then it hath I say in any Realme Christen not onely within the selfe same fortie yeares which were enough to stop their mouthes but also then it hath in any fortie yeares upward during all the time of Poperie which I speake partly of mine owne knowledge and partly by sufficient grave information to this behalfe This may be said and said truly And when we have said this what great thing have we said that time for time so many yeares for so many thirtie yeares of light
have made comparison with thirtie yeares of trouble But this is not as we would have it We would have it out of all comparison This that hath been said is strange to them I know and more then they reckoned of But I would have you in these times of peace and truth so farre beyond them as that you might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snafflle them in this So 1. Pet. 2.15 that they durst not once offer to enter into this theme with us or once to mention it more So it should be I am sure so the Gospel deserves to have it 2. The Quantitie Be rich in good works You have the substance of that you must do to do good Now heer is the quantitie Be rich in good workes that seeing you are rich indeed you would not be poore men but rich in good works Good works Saint Paul saith not good words Good with the goodnesse of the hand not with the goodnesse of the tongue and tongue onely as many now are well therefore resembled to the tree that Plinie speaketh of the leaves of it as broad as any targett but the fruict is no bigger then a bean to talke targetts and to do beanes It were better reversed 2. Tim. 3.16 if we were as Saint Paul saith perfect in all good workes then perfect in certaine curious and queint termes and sett phrases wherein a great part of many men's religions do now adayes consist plaine speech and sound dealing plaine speech and good works best And rich in them The Rich man in the Gospell would as he said build his barnes bigger to put in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his goods he had no good out of his barne Yes yes some in good workes too Saint Paul hath heere within the compasse of this Text two Rich men his desire is they may both meet together in every rich man Rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world that now is so ye are Rich in the world that shal be after this be that too Rich in cofer so ye are Rich in conscience be so too Your consciences you shall cary with you your cofers you shall not Thus you are valued in the Queene's bookes what are you in GOD 's bookes So much worth in this land of the dying how much worth in the land of the living Saint Paul's advise is that you strive for both which you shal be if ye be rich in good workes The true riches are the riches of His glorious enheritance They be the true riches which except a man can assure himselfe of Eph. 1.18 after the lease of his life is out he shal be in a mervailous poor case as was the Rich man Luke 16.24 and begg of Lazarus there that begged of him heer Those riches must be thought of mary then you must be rich in good workes Not to give something to sombody at some time Why Who doth not so That is not to be rich To give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sparingly a peece of bread or a draught of drink and that onely that belongeth to him whom GOD hath sparingly blessed to the brother of low estate it is not your worke Exod. 35. In the Law to the building of the Tabernacle the poore gave Goate's haire and Badger's skinns that was for them and that was accepted the rich they gave purple gold and Iewells to the Tabernacle they were rich in good works And in the Gospell to whom much is given Luke 12.48 of him proportionally much shal be required That is in a word as you are sessed in the Queene's bookes so are you in GOD 's bookes each one according to his abilitie And GOD will looke that according to that sessement they should be done Col. 1.10 2. Cor. 9.8 that you should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abound in good works as you do in wealth that you should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go before and sit highest and have a precedence in works as you have in your places And in a word that you should be Lords Knights Aldermen Masters Wardens and of the Livery in good works as you be in your severall Wards and Companies And indeed to say the truth to commit so many sinnes as no Auditor can number them and to affoord so few good workes as a child may tell them to receive such profitts as great compt-bookes will not hoâ—d them and to yeeld so small store of good workes as a little paper not so broad as my hand may conteine them To lash out at a banquet you know what and to cast to a Captive's redemption all the world knowes what To cast your pride with pounds and your good works with pense what coâ—aerence is there in these This is not to be rich But that is a part of the charge too I pray you remember it Remember to be rich not onely to do good but to be rich in doing good That will make you in case well to die as now GOD be thanked you are well to live 2. The Qualitie Ready to distribute And with the quantitie take the qualitie too I pray you for the quantitie richly for the qualitie readily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with compulsion not willingly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grudging not cheerefully these are the faults contrary to this vertue GOD must have it done with a facilitie with a readinesse easily And good reason easily for easily you may We that want cannot without difficultie we would and we cannot we have a heart without a hand though we be willing nothing is done why we are not hable You are well hable GOD be thanked if you be well willing there is no â—ore to do it is done This readinesse is a necessary vertue in our dayes where yer â—enefitt come nay many times yer a debt so much ingenuitie is spent so many Roâ—'s such a Vade redi go and come such a time such a dauncing on the threshold such â— failing of the eyes yer it can be seene such a cleaving to the fingers Pro. 3.28 yet it will come of such instillation by now a dropp and then a dropp as to a liberall nature when it commeth it is like to breadfull of gravell for hunger a man must needs have it and out for needs must a man had as leef be without â—t O beloved marr not all you do before GOD and man for want of this one thing You love a faire seed time all of you Hilaris datio serena satio cheerfull giving is like a faire seed-time As you for your seed to burie it wish a seasonable time so and no lesse GOD desireth for His that His seed may not be sowen with an overcast mind but with gladnesse of heart and cheerfulnesse of countenance Even as He doth himselfe who what He bestoweth bestoweth so as He taketh as much yea more delight in giving then we in receiving So do and then this Charge is at an end Be
manner of proceeding in this are hable to perswade any it was some new power that heer was conferred and not those which before had beene though there be that apply this others to some one and others to all of them I take it to be a power distinct from the former and not to hold you long to be the accomplishment of the promise made Mat. 16.19 of the power of the Keyes which heere in this place and in these words is fulfilled and have therein for me the joynt consent of the Fathers Which being a different power in it selfe is that which we call the Act or Benefit of Absolution in which as in the rest there is in the due time and place of it an use for the remission of sinnes Ver. 21. Ver. 22. Whereunto our SAVIOVR CHRIST by His sending them doth institute them and give them the key of authoritie And by breathing on them and inspiring them doth enhable them and give them the key of knowledge to doe it well and having bestowed both these upon them as the Stewards of his house doth last of all deliver them their Commission to doe it having so enabled them and authorized them as before So much for the power II. Quorum peccata The subiect of this Power Every power is not every where to be exercised nor upon every matter but each power hath his proper subiect The matter or subiect whereon this power is to be exercised is sinne To be considered first in it selfe as the matter at large And then as qualified with the person for it is quorum and not quae peccatae As the neerer and more proper subiect Peccata at large First then the subiect are sinnes Sinnes in themselves no waies restrained or limited No sinnes at all either for number or greatnesse being excepted Without exception of number Mat. 18.22 Not for number For Christ teaching us That we our selves should forgive untill seventy times seven times doth thereby after a sort give us to understand that he will not sticke with us for the like number in ours For GOD forbid we should imagine he taught us to be more mercifull or of greater perfection then he will be himselfe That number amounteth to ten Iubilees of pardon For so many sinnes may we then hope for pardon at his hands If those be not enough we have example of one whose sinnes were more in number then the haires of his head and of another Psal. 40.12 Orat. Manass. whose were more then the sands of Sea both which give us hope for they both obteined pardon But that which followeth in the place of Matthew Or greatnesse Mat. 18 24. maketh both parts plaine For there a debt is remitted not onely of five hundred as Luc. 7. but of ten thousand and those not as in Luke pence but talents A great and huge summ yet for that hath he remission in store So that Luc. 7.48 no man shall need to say his sinne is greater then can be remitted as Cain did since that assertion is convinced to be erroneus Gen. 4.13 For his sinne may be forgiven that slew Abel though his brother seing S. Peter saith that theirs was not greater then might be forgiven that slew the Sonne of God Acts 31.15.19 For no man but will conceive that the betraying and murdering IESVS CHRIST was farr a more heynous offense then that of Abel's killing But that might saith Saint Peter therefore this much more may be forgiven And to end this point whereas it is affirmed and that most truly by the Apostle that the weakenesse of GOD is stronger then men 1. Cor. 1.25 if there were any sinne greater then could be remitted the weakenesse of man for of that commeth sin should be stronger the GOD which neither Religion nor reason will admit In respect of the sinne it selfe therefore there is no exception But because it is not quae peccata but quorum it sheweth Quorum The proper immediate Subject that in the act of remission we are to respect not the sinne so much as the person So that though all sinnes may be remitted yet not to all persons but to a quorum as we see For there is another quorum whose sinnes are retained so that this limiteth the former and sheweth indeed what is the Materia propinqua or immediate subiect of this power committed Our Saviour Christ himselfe at the reading of his Commission whereof this is a braunch in effect expresseth as much For he telleth them There were many lepers in the daies of Elisha Luc. 4.18.25 and many widowes in the daies of Elias yet none cleansed but Naaman nor to none was Elias sent but to the widow of Sarephtha And so the case standeth heere Many sinners ther be and many sins may be remitted but not to eny except they be of this Quorum In which point ther is a special use of the key of knowledge to direct to whom and to whom not since it is not but with advise to be applied nor hands hastily to be layd on any man as the Apostle testifieth which place is referred by the auncient Writers to the Act of Absolution 1. Tim. 5.22 Cypr. 3 16. Pacian in Paraen 16. Aug. de Bapt 5.20.23 and the circumstance of the place giveth no lesse But discretion is to be used in applying of comfort counsaile and the benefit of Absolution Whereby it falleth out sometimes that the very same sinnes to some may be remitted being of the Quorum that to some others may not that are out of it To see then a little into this qualification The Qualification of the Persons that therby we may discerne who be of â—ither Quorum The conditions to be required to be of Quorum remittuntur are two That in the Church First that the partie be within the house and familie whereto those key 's belong that is be a member of the Church be a faithfull beleeving Christian. In the Law Exod. 2â— 34 the Propitiatorie was annexed to the Arke and could not be severed from it to shew that they must hold of the Arke that is be of the number of the people of GOD or els could they not be partakers of the Propitiation for their sinnes So saith the Psalmist in the Psalme of the Church Psal 87. ult Psal. 85.1 Omnes canales mei erant in te All the conduit-pipes of all my spirituall graces are conveighed into thee and are no where els to be had And nâ—mely of this benefit of remission of sinnes Thou hast saith he ô Lord beene gratious unto Thy land c Thou hast forgiven all their iniquitie and covered all their sinne Esa. 33. ult But the Prophet Esai most plainly The people which dwelleth in her that is the Church They shall have their iniquitie forgiven And to end this point the Angel when he interpreteth the name of IESVS Mat. 1.21 extendeth it no further then
1. To come when they be called and this was denied in the XVI Chapter following Ver. 12. by Core Dathan and their crew Moses sounded his trumpet sent to call them they answer flatly and that not once but once and again Non veniemus they would not come not once stirre for him or his trumpet they A plain contradiction indeed neither is there in all that Chapter any contradiction veri nominis true and properly so to be called but onely that You know what became of them they went quick to hell for it and wo be to them Iude 11. even under the Gospell saith Saint Iude that perish in the same contradiction the contradiction of Core The second duty is To be called yer they come this likewise denied 2. To be calleù yer they come even Moses himselfe that they in his place may not think strange of it in the XX. Chapter of this very book Water waxing scant a company of them grew mutinous and in tumultuous manner without any sound of the trumpet assembled of themselves But these are branded too the water they got is called the water of Meriba Cap. 10.13 and what followed you know None of them that drunk of it came into the Land of Promise GOD swore they should not enter into His rest Now as both these are bad so of the twaine this latter is the worse Called and came not Came uncalled The former that came not being called do but sit still as if they were somwhat thick of hearing But these latter that come being not called either they make themselves a trumpet without ever a Fac tibi Or els they offer to wring Moses's trumpet out of his hands and take it into their owne Take heed of this latter it is said there to be adversus Mosen even against Moses himselfe It is the very next forerunner to it it pricks fast upon it For they that meet against Moses's will when they have once throughly learned that lesson will quickly perhaps grow capable of another even to meet against Moses himselfe as these did Acts 19.40 Periclitamur argui seditionis saith the Town-Clark We have done more then we can well answer We may be indicted of treason for this daye 's worke for comming together without a trumpet and yet it was for Diana that is for a matter of Religion You see then whose the Right is and what the duties be to it and in whose stepps they tread that deny them Sure they have been baptized or made to drink of the same water the water of Meriba that ever shall offer to do the like to draw together without Moses's Call And now to our Saviour CHRIST 's question In the Law how is it written How reade you Our answer is There it is thus written and thus we read That Moses hath the Right of the trumpets that they to go ever with him and his successors and that to them belongeth the power of calling the publique Assemblies Agreeable to the Law of Nature This is the Lâ—w of GOD and that 〈◊〉 jâ—diciall Law peculiar to that people alone â—ot agreeable to the Law of Naturâ— and Nationâ— â—wo Lawes of force through the whole world For even in the little Empire oâ— the â—ody naturall Principium motus the 〈◊〉 of all motion is in and from the head There all the knots or as they call â—hem all thâ— â—onjugations of fine 〈◊〉 â—â—ve their head by which all the body is moved And as the Law of Nature To the Law of Nations by secret instinct by the light of the Creation annexeth the organ to the chiefest part even so doth the Law of Nations by the light of Reason to the cheefest Person And both fall just with the Law heere written where by Erunt Tibi the same â—rgan and power is committed to Moses the principall Person in that Common 〈◊〉 The Law of Nations in this point both before the Law written and since where the Law written was not knowne might easily appeare if time would 〈…〉 their generall order for conventions so to be called and in their generall 〈◊〉 to all conventicles called otherwise 〈◊〉 the Heathen lawes made all such Assemblies unlawfull which the highest aâ—thority did not cause to meet yea though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say Solon's Lawes yea though sub praetextu Religionis say the Romane Lawes Neither did the Christian Emperors thinke good to abate any thing of that Right Nay they took more straight order For besides the exiling of the person which was the Law before they proscribed the place where under pretence of Religion any such meetings should be But I let them passe and stand onely on the written Law the Law of GOD. We have Law then for us That Moses is ever to call the Congregation But though we have Law Mos vincit Legem Custome over-ruleth Law And the Custome or practise may go another way and it is practise that ever best bewrayeth a Power How then hath the practise gone It is a necessarie question this and pertinent to the Text it selfe For there is a Power granted and in vaine is that Power that never commeth into act Came then this Power into act It is a Power to call the Congregation together Were the Congregations called together by it A grant there is That Erunt Tibi So it should be Did it take place was it so Erantne illi Had he it Did he enjoy it Let us looke into that another while what became of this Grant what place it tooke The practise or use of this Power among the Iewes Deut. 4.32 And we shall not offend Moses in so doing It is his advice and desire both that we should enquire into the daies past that were before us and aske even from one end of heaven to the other to see how matters have been caried So that as our SAVIOVR CHRIST sendeth us to the Law by His In Lege quid scriptum est so doth Moses direct us to the vse and practise by his Interroga de diebus antiquis I do aske then These trumpets heere given this power to call together the Congregation how hath it beene used Hath the Congregation been called accordingly in this and no other manner by this and no other Power It hath as shall appeare and I will deale with no Assemblies but onely for matters of Religion By Moses Of Moses first there is no question It is yeelded that he called them and dismissed them Iosua Ios. 1.17 And even so did Iosua after him no lesse then he and they obeyed him in that Power no lesse then Moses And as for that which is objected concerning Moses that he for a time dealt in matters of the Priest's Office it hath no colour in Iosua and those that succeeded him The Covenant and the renewing of the Covenant are matters meerely spirituall yet in that case did Iosua Iosua not Eleazar assemble all the
Quasi ingemiscit suâ—er hac Scriptura the Scripture doth as it were fetch a deepe sigh so oft as it repeateth this verse and saith thus in effect Tanta mala conciliat non habere Regem so much mischiefe commeth there in Israël or any where where there is no King saith Theodoret. 1 Quod rectum in oculis The eye To let you see then what a monster lurketh under these smooth terms doing that which is right in our eyes Two parts there be 1 the Eye 2 and the Hand To beginne with the eye and that which is right in the eye There begann all evill in the first tentation even from this perswasion they should need no direction from GOD or from any their owne eye should be their director to what was right they should doe but what was right in their owne eyes Three evills in it 1 Quod in oculis Three evills are in it It is not safe to commit the judgement of what is right to the eye and yet I know it is our surest sense as that which apprehendeth greatest varietie of differences But I know withall the Optiques the Masters of that facultie reckon up twenty severall waies all which it may be and is deceived The Object full of deceipt things are not as they seeme The Medium is not evenly disposed The Organ it selfe hath his suffusions Take but one that of the Oare in the water Though the Oare be streight yet if the Eye be judge it seemeth bowed And if that which is right may seeme crooked that which is crooked may seeme right So the eye no competent judge The Rule is the judge of right If it touch the Rule and runne even with it it is right if it varie from the Rule let it seeme to the eye as it will it is awry GOD saw Deut. 12.18 this was not good an expresse countermand we have from him in Deuteronomie You shall not doe every man that which is right in his eyes that is you shall have a surer Rule of right then your eyes 2 Quod quisque But admit we will make the eye judge yet I hope not Quisque not Every man's eye that were too much Many weake and dimme eyes there be many goggle and mis-set many little better then blind shall all and every of these be allowed to define what is right Some it may be perhapps the Eagle but shall the Owle and all I trow not Many mishapen kinds of right shall we have if that may be suffered yea other while diverse of them contrarie one to the other To goe yet further Say we would allow every eye his priviledge 3 Quod in suis. it were great folly to doe it but say we should if we would allow it every one yet not every one In suis. Not his owne eye to direct his owne doings or as we say to sit judge in his owne right No not the Eagle not the best eye to be allowed to right it selfe The Iudge himself commeth downe from the Bench when his owne Right is in hearing We all know Selfe-love what a thing it is how it dazeleth the sight how every thing appeareth right and good that appeareth through those Spectacles Therefore 1 Not right by the eye 2 At least not every man's eye 3 Nay not any man's right by his owne eye We shall never see this so well in the generall as if we looke in some few examples upon it In individuo And that can we no where better then in this Chapter and those that follow it to the end of the Booke They be nothing els but a Commentarie at large upon these words Right in every man's eyes c. 1. What say you to making and worshipping a graven image Lay it to the Rule the Rule is Non facies non adorabis then it is crooked and nought Yet to Mica's eyes and his mother a goodly graven image sheweth faire and well 2. Goe to the next Chapter What say you to Burghlarie robbing and rifling of houses yea whole Cities of harmelesse poore people and cutting all their throats Fie upon it it is crooked Put it to the men of Dan they saw nothing but it was right enough 3. Goe to the next to that How thinke you by ravishing of women and that to death How away with that Let it not be once named No man will thinke that right Yes they of Gibea in the XIX Chapter did and stood to it to maintaine it You see a good Glosse of this Text. Vpon the matter there are no worse things in the world then these were If these seemed streight there is nothing but will seeme so to the eye There is no trusting In oculis But this is not all I now passe to the next point 2. Fecit quisque The hand Heere is a hand too Fecit quisque Fecit is but one word but there is more in this one then in all the former For heer at this breaketh in the whole Sea of confusion when the hand followeth the eye and men proceed to doe as lewdly as they see perversly And sure the hand will follow the eye and men do as seemeth right to them be it never so absurd that so seemeth To dye for it Eve if her eye like it her hand will have it and Eve's children that have no other guide but their eye if their eye rove at it their hand will reach at it there is no parting them Therefore if a bad eye light upon an hand that hath strength and there be not Rex or the 〈◊〉 barr it will be done You may see it in all the former 1. Mica 〈◊〉 an idoll well Mica hâ—d a good pursâ— he told out two hundred sicles aâ—d so up went the idoll â— The men of Dan liked well of spoyling they werâ— well appoiâ—â—ed â—heâ—â— swords were sharp Fecerunt they did it 3. They of Gibea tâ— their lust Rape seemed a small matter they were a multitude no resisting them and so they committed that abhominable villanie By thâ—â—â—ime we see what a masse of mischiefe there is in these few words For sure if these all seemed right and so seeming were done Thâ—â— are we come to Quidlibet à quolibet any man doe any thing which is 〈◊〉 next doore to confusion nay confusion it selfe For so no mans sâ—ule shall be safe if idolatrie goe up Alas what talke we of the soule they have least sense of it talke to them of that they have feeling No mans goods or wife or life in safety if this may goe on thus If robberie rape and murther be right what is wrong See then now what a woefull face of a Common-wealth is heere Idols and murther seen and allowed for good done and practised for good Againe Mica a private man Gibea a Citie Dan a whole Tribe Tribes Câ—ties Families all out of course Out of course in Religion and not in religion alone but in morall matters And so that the like never