Ten Sermons, Sermon 3 – Dedication 3
At the Assises at Lincolne. 4. Aug. 1625.THE THIRD SERMON.
PSALME 106.30.
Then stood vp Phinehaez, and executed iudgement: and the plague was stayed.
§. 1. The Argument;THe abridgement is short, which some hauehave made of the whole booke of Psalmes, but into two words, aBoys Expos. of proper Psalmes in init. out of Gueuara.Hosannah, and Hallelujah: most of the Psalmes spending themselues, as in their proper arguments, either in Supplication, praying vntounto God for his blessings, and that is Hosannah; or in Thanks-giuing, blessing God for his goodnesse, and that is Hallelujah. This Psalme is of the later sort. The word Hallelujah, both prefixed in the title, and repeated in the close of it, sufficiently giueth it to bee a Psalme of Thanks-giuing: as are also the three next before it, and the next after it. All which fiue Psalmes together, as they agree in the same generall argument, the magnifying of Gods holy name: so they differ eueryevery one from other in the choyce of those speciall and topicall arguments, whereby the praises of God are set forth therein. In the rest the Psalmist draweth his argument from other considerations: in this from the consideration of Gods mercifull remouall of those iudgements, hee had in his iust wrath brought vponupon his owne people Israel for their sins, vponupon their repentance.
For this purpose there are sundry instances giuen in the Psalme,§. 2. and matter of this Psalme. taken out of the Histories of former times: out of which there is framed as it were a Catalogue, though not of all, yet of sundry the most famous rebellions of that people against their God, and of Gods both iustice and mercy abundantly manifested in his proceedings with them thereupon. In all which wee may obserue the passages betwixt God and them, in the ordinarie course of things, euer to hauehave stood in this order. First, hee preuenteth them with vndeserued fauours: they vnmindefull of his benefits, prouoke him by their rebellions: hee in his iust wrath chasticeth them with heauy plagues: they humbled vnderunder the rod, seeke to him for ease: hee vponupon their submission withdraweth his iudgements from them. The Psalmist hath wrapped all these fiue together in Vers. 43.44. Many times did hee deliuer them: but they prouoked him with their counsells, and were brought low for their iniquitie: the three first. Neuerthelesse hee regarded their affliction, when hee heard their cry: the other two.
The particular rebellions of the people in this Psalme instanced in,§. 3. The Coherence, scepe, are many; some before, and some after the verse of my Text. For breuitie sake, those that are in the following verses I wholly omit: and but name the rest. Which are, their wretched infidelity and cowardise vponupon the first approach of danger at the Red sea, verse 7. Their tempting of God in the desert, when loathing Manna they lusted for flesh, verse 13. Their seditious conspiracy vnderunder Corah and his confederates against Moses, verse 16. Their grosse Idolatrie at Horeb in making and worshipping the golden calfe, verse 19. Their distrustfull murmuring at their portion, in thinking scorne of the promised pleasant land, vers. 24. Their fornicating both bodily with the daughters, and spiritually with the Idols of Moab and of Midian, ver. 28. To the prosecution of which last mentioned story, the words of my Text do appertaine. The origine story it selfe, whereto this part of the Psalme referreth, is written at full by Moses in Numb. 25. and here by Dauid but aBreuiter totum dixit: quia non hic nescientes docet, sed commemorat scientes. Augustin. hîc.briefly touched, as the present purpose and occasion led him. Yet so, as that the most obseruable passages of the History are here remembred: in three verses three speciall things, The Sinne, the Plague, the Deliuerance. The Sinne, with the Aggrauation thereof, vers. 28. [They ioyned themselues also vntounto Baal-Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.] The Plague, with the Efficient cause thereof, both Impulsiue and Principall, vers. 29. [Thus they prouoked him to anger with their Inuentions, and the Plague brake in vponupon them.] The Deliuerance, with the speciall meanes and Instrument thereof, in this 30. verse. [Then stood vp Phinehaz, and executed iudgement, and the plague was stayed.]
In which words are three things especially considerable. The Person; the Action of that Person;§. 4. and Diuision of the Text. and the Successe of that Action. The Person, Phinehaz. His Action twofold: the one preparatory, hee stood vp; the other completory, hee executed iudgement. The Successe and issue of both; the plague was stayed. The person holy, the action zealous, the successe happy. Of each of these I shall endeauour to speake something; appliably to the present condition of these heauy times, and the present occasion of this frequent assembly. But because the argument of the whole verse is a Deliuerance, and that Deliuerance supposeth a Plague, and eueryevery Plague supposeth a Sinne: I must take leaue before I enter vponupon the Particulars now proposed from the Text, first a little to vnfold the originall story; that so we may hauehave some more distinct knowledge both what Israels sin was, and how they were plagued, and vponupon what occasion and by what meanes Phinehaz wrought their deliuerance.
When Israel, trauailing from the land of Bondage to the land of Promise through the Wildernes,§. 5. Balacs plotte; were now come as far as aNum. 22.1.the plaines of Moab, and there encamped: Balac the then King of Moab, not bIbid. 2.3.daring to encounter with that people, before whom cSihon, K. of the Amorites; and Og. K. of Basan. Numb. 21.two of his greatest neighbour Princes had lately fallen; dAscitos seniores Madiani, qui proximi regno eius erant, & amici, consuluit, quid facto opus esset. Hist Scholast. i… Num. c. …2.consulted with the Midianites, his neighbours and allies, and after some aduice resolued vponupon this conclusion, to hire eNum. 22.5—7.Balaam, a famous Sorcerer in those times and quarters, to lend them his assistance: plotting with all their might, and his art, by all possible meanes to withdraw Gods protection from them; wherein they thought (and they thought right) the strength and safety of that people lay. But there is no Counsell against the Lord; nor fNum. 23.23.inchantment against his people. Where hee will blesse, (and hee will blesse where he is faithfully obeyed and depended vponupon;) neither power nor pollicy can preuaile for a Curse. Balaam the wicked wretch, though hee g2 Pet. 2.15.loued the wayes of vnrighteousnesse with his heart; yet, God not suffering him, hee could not pronounce a Curse with his lips against Israel, but instead of cursing them, hNum. 2….11. & 24.10.blessed them altogether.
§. 6. and Balaams pollicy, against Israel:But angry at Israel, whom, when faine hee would, hee could not curse; yea and angry at God himselfe, who by restraining his tongue had voyded his hopes, and aNum. 24.11.with held him from pay, and honour: the wretched couetous Hypocrite, as if he would at once be auenged both of him and them, imagineth a mischieuous deuice against them, full of cursed villany. Hee giueth the Moabites and the Midianites bNum. 31.16. Reuel. 2.14. See also Ioseph. 4. Antiquit. Iud. 5.counsell to smother their hatred with pretensions of peace, and by sending the fairest of their daughters among them, to enu…igle them with their beauty, and to entice them first to corporall, and after, by that, to spirituall whoredome: That so Israel, shrinking from the LoueLove and Feare and Obedience of their God▪ might forfeit the interest they had in his Protection; and by sinne bring themselues vnderunder that wrath and curse of God, which neither those great Princes by their Power, nor their wisest Counsellors by their Policie, nor Balaam himselfe by his Sorcery, could bring vponupon them.
This damned counsell was followed but too soone, and prospered but too well.§. with the successe thereof; both in their Sinne, The daughters of Moab come into the Tents of Israel; and by their blandishments put out the eyes, and steale away the hearts of Gods people: whom, besotted once with lust, it was then no hard matter to leade whither they listed, and by wanton insinuations to draw them to sit with them in the Temples, and to accompanie them at the aNum. 25.2.feasts, and to eate with them of the sacrifices, yea and to bow the knees with them to the honour of their Idols. Insomuch as Israel bPsal. 106.28.ioyned themselues to Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of that dead and abominable Idol at the least (for all Idols are such) if not, as most hauehave thought, a cquem Graecia Priapum dixit. Hist. Scolast. in Num. c. 34. & alij secuti Hieronymum in c 9. Osee; & 1. cont. Io. 12. See Vatabl. in Num. 25.3. Seldem. Synt. 1. de DIs Syr. c. 5. Lael. Biscio…. 3. hor. subces. 20.beastly and obscene Idoll withall. That was their sinne.
And now may Balak saue his money,§. 8. and Punishment. and Balaam spare his paines: there is no need of hiring, or being hired to curse Whoremongers and Idolaters. These are two plaguy sinnes: and such as wil bring a curse vponupon a people without the helpe of a Coniurer. When that God, who is a aExod. 20 5.iealous God, and iealous of nothing more than his bEsa. 42.8.honour, shall see that people, whom he had made cDeut. 7.6.choise of from among all the nations of the earth to be his owne peculiar people, and betrothed to himselfe by an euerlasting dEzek. 16.8.Couenant, to eIbid. 38.breake the Couenant of Wedlocke with him, and to strumpet it with the daughters and Idols of Moab: what can bee expected other, than that his iealousie should be turned into furie; and that his fierce wrath should fPsal. 106.29.breake-in vponupon them as a deluge, and ouerwhelme them with a sudden destruction? His patience so farre tempted, and with such an vnworthie prouocation, can suffer no longer: But at his command gNum. 25.4.5Moses striketh the Rulers; and at Moses his command, the vnderunder-Rulers must strike each in their seuerall regiments, those that had offended; and hee himselfe also striketh with his owne hand, by a plague destroying of them in one day h1 Cor. 10.8. the other thousand (Num. 25.9.) it seemeth were those, that were hanged vp by Moses, and slaine by the Rulers.three and twentie thousand.
§. 9. Zimri's prouocation;If that plague had lasted manie dayes, Israel had not lasted manie dayes. But the people by their plague made sensible of their sinne, humbled themselues (as it should seeme, the verie first day of the plague) in a solemne and aNum. 25.6.generall assembly, weeping and mourning both for Sinne and Plague, before the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. And they were now in the heat of their holy sorrow and deuotions, when loe bIbid. 14.Zimri, a Prince of a chiefe house in one of their Tribes, in the heate of his pride and lust, commeth openly in the cIbid. 6.face of Moses and all the Congregation, and bringeth his Minion with him, Cosbi the daughter of one of the dCompare Num. 25.15. with Num. 31.8.fiue Kings of Midian into his Tent, there to commit filthinesse with her.
§. 10. and his execution.Doubtlesse Moses the Captaine, and Ele…zar the Priest, and all Israel that saw this shamelesse pranke of that leud couple, saw it with griefe enough. But Phinehes enraged with a pious indignation to see such foule affront giuen to God; & the Magistrate, and the Congregation, at such a heauie time, and in such open manner, & for that verie sinne for which they then lay vnderunder Gods hand; thought there was something more to be done than bare weeping: and therefore his bloud warmed with an holy zeale, hee aNum. 25.7.8starteth vp forthwith, maketh to the Tent where these two great personages were, and as they were in the act of their filthinesse, speedeth them both at once; and nay…eth them to the place with his Iaueline. And the next thing wee heare, is; God well pleased with the bibid. 11.zeale of his seruant, and the execution of those malefactors, is appeased towards his people, and withdraweth his hand and his plague from them. And of that deliuerance my Text speaketh; [Then stood vp Phinehes, and executed iudgement, and so the Plague was stayed.]
The Person, the instrument to worke this deliuerance for Israel, was Phinehes. §. 11. The Person of Phinebes considered.Hee was the sonne of Eleazar, who was then High Priest in immediate succession to his father Aaron not long before deceased: and did himselfe afterward succeed in the High Priesthood vntounto Eleazar his Father. A wise, a godly, and a zealous man: employed afterwards by the State of Israel in the greatest affaires both of aNum. 31.6.Warre and bIos. 22.13.31.32.Ambassy. But it was this Heroicall act of his, in doing execution vponupon those two great audacious offenders, which got him the first, and the greatest, and the lastingst renowne. Of which Act more anon, when we come to it. In his Person, wee will consider onelyonly what his calling and condition was; and what congruitie there might be betweene what he was, and what he did. He was of the Tribe of Leui: and that whole Tribe was set apart for the cNum. 1.…9. &c.seruice of the Tabernacle. And he was of the sonnes of Aaron, and so foreign, of the Familie and Linage of the High Priests: and the Priests office was to offer sacrifices and to burne incense, and to pray and make attonement for the People. Neither Leuite nor Priest had to intermeddle with matters of Iudicature, vnlesse in some few causes, and those for the most part concerning matters either meerely, or mixtly Ecclesiasticall: but neither to giuegive sentence, nor to doe execution, in matters and causes meerely Ciuill, as by any right or vertue of his Leuiticall or Priestly office.
§. 12. The Spiritual Power doth not include the Temporall;The more vnreasonable is the High Priest of Rome, to challenge to himselfe any temporall or ciuill iurisdiction, as virtually annexed to his spirituall Power, or necessarily deriued thence. Templū and Praetorium, the Chaire and the Throne, the Altar and the Bench, the Sheepehooke and the Scepter, the Keyes and the Sword; though they may sometimes concurre vponupon the same person, yet the Powers remaine perpetually distinct and independant, and such as doe not of necessity inferre the one the other. Our Sauiours aLuk. 22.26.Vos autem non sic hath fully decided the Controuersie; and for euer cut off all claime of temporall iurisdiction, as by any vertue annexed to the keyes. If the Bishops of Rome could hauehave contented themselues to hauehave enioyed those Temporalties, wherewith the bounty of Christian Emperours had endowed that Sea (whether well, or ill, whether too much, or no, I now inquire not) but if they could hauehave bin content to hauehave holden them vponupon the same termes they first had them, without seeking to change the old tenure; and to hauehave acknowledged them, as many of their fellow-Bishops doe, to hauehave issued not at all by necessary deriuation from their spirituall Power, but meerely and altogether from the *Nec in quēquā Presbyterum, Episcopum, siue Papam, conuenit conctiuam in …oc saeculo iurisdictionem sibi habeve; nisi eadem sibi per humanū legislatorem concessa fuerit, in cuius potestate est hanc ab ipsis semper reuocare. Marsil. Patau. 2. defens pacis. 5.free and voluntary indult of Temporall Princes: the Christian Church had not had so iust cause of complaint against the vnsufferable tyrannies and vsurpations of the Papacy; nor had the Christian world beene embroyled in so many vnchristian and bloudy quarrels, as these and former ages hauehave brought forth. Yet the Canonists, and they of the Congregation of the Oratory, like down-right flatterers, giuegive the Pope the Temporall Monarchy of the world, absolutely and bPapa iure diuino est directe dominus Orbis. Pesant. de immunit. Eccles. page 45. idem desendunt Baronius, Bosii duo, Zecchus, Care…ius, alii.directly, as adhering inseparable to his Sea, and as a branch of that Charter, which Christ gaue to Peter, when he made him Head of the Church, for himselfe and his successors for euer. The Iesuites more subtle than they, not daring to deny the Pope any part of that Power, which any other profession of men hauehave dared to giuegive him, and yet vnable to assert such a vast power from these inconueniences which follow vponupon the Canonists opinion; hauehave found out a meanes to put into the Popes hands the exercise of as much temporall Power, as they bluntly and grosly giuegive him, and that to all effects and purposes as full & in as ample manner as they: yet by a more learned and refined flattery, as resulting from his spirituall Power, not directly & per se, but cSee Bellarm. 5. de Rom. Pontif. 6.obliquely and indirectly and in ordine ad spiritualia, The Man himself, though he pretend to be supreme infallible iudge of all Controuersies; yet heareth both parties, & taketh aduantage of what either giuegive him, as best sorteth with his present occasions, and suffereth them to fall foule each vponupon other, these accounting them grosse flatterers, and they againe these daduersus impios politicos. Carer. de potest. in titulo libri.wicked Politicians: but dareth not for his life determine whether side is in the right; lest, if hee should be put to make good his determination by sufficient proofe, both should appeare to be in the wrong, and he lose all; which, whilest they quarrell, he still holdeth. It is a certaine thing; The spirituall Power conferred in Holy Orders doth not include the Power of Temporal iurisdiction. If Phinehes here execute iudgement vponupon a Prince of Israel; it is indeede a good fruite of his zeale, but no proper act of his Priesthood.
§. 13. nor yet exclude it.Let it goe for a non sequitur then, as it is no better; because Phinehes, a Priest, or Priests sonne, executed iudgement, that therefore the Priestly includeth Iudicatory Power. Yet from such an Act, done by such a Person, at least thus much will follow, that the Priesthood doth not exclude the exercise of Iudicature; and that there is no such repugnancy and inconsistency betweene the Temporall and Spirituall Power, but that they may without incongruitie concurre and reside both together in the same Person. When I finde anciently, that not onelyonly among the aac Regis quidem haec munia esset iussit, primum, vt sacrorum, & sacrificiorum principatum baberet— Dyonis. Halicar. lib. 2. See also Cic. 1. de diuin. foreign. de Aegyptiis Plutarch lib. de Is. & Osir.Heathens, but euen among Gods owne people, the same man might be a King and a Priest, bVirgil. 3. AeneidRex idem hominum Phoebique Sacerdos, as Melchisedec was both a cGen. 14.18.Priest of the most High God, and King of Salem: when I see it consented by all, that so long as the Church was Patriarchall, the Priestly and the Iudicatorie Power were both settled vponupon one and the same person, the Person of the dSacerdotium fuit annexum primogeniturae vsque ad legem datam per Mosen. Lyran. in Gen 14.18. See also Lyran. in Numb. 3.12. & 8.16. &c.first-borne: when I reade of Elie the Priest of the sonnes of Aaron e1. Sam. 4.18.iudging Israel 40. yeeres; and of Samuel, certainely a Leuite (though not, as fAug. 17. de ciuit. 4. & in Psal. 98. Sulpit Seuer. lib. 1. Hist. sacrae.some hauehave thought,gLeuita Samuel, non Sacerdos, non Pontifex fuit. Hieron. lib. 1. contra Iouin v. Drus. not. ad Sulpit. Hist. p. 154 a Priest) both going circuite, as a h1. Sam. 7.16.Iudge itinerant in Israel, and doing execution too with his owne hands vponupon i1. Sam. 15.33.Agag; and of k1. Chro. 26.29—32.Chenaniah and his sonnes, Izharites, and Hashabiah and his brethren Hebronites, and others of the families of Leui, appointed by King Dauid to be Iudges and Officers, not only in all the businesse of the Lord, but also for lIn omni negotio diuino, & humano. Vatab. in 1. Parab. 26.outward businesse ouer Israel, and in things that concerned the seruice of the King: when I obserue in the Church-stories of all ages, euer since the world had Christian Princes; how Ecclesiasticall persons hauehave been employed by their soueraignes in their waightiest consultations and affaires of State; I cannot but wonder at the inconsiderate rashnesse of some forward ones in these dayes, who yet thinke themselues (& would be thought by others) to be of the wisest men, that suffer their tongues to runne riot against the Prelacy of our Church, and hauehave studied to approue themselues eloquent in no other argument so much, as in inueighing against the Courts, & the Power, and the Iurisdiction, and the Temporalties of Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons. I speake it not to iustifie the abuses of men, but to maintaine the lawfulnesse of the thing. If therefore any Ecclesiasticall person seek any Temporal office or Power by indirect, ambitious, and preposterous courses: if hee exercise it otherwise than well; insolently, cruelly, corruptly, partially: if hee claime it by any other than the right title, the free bounty and grace of the supreme Magistrate: let him beare his owne burden; I know not any honest Minister that will pleade for him. But since there is no incapacitie in a Clergyman, by reason of his spirituall Calling, but he may exercise temporall Power, if hee be called to it by his Prince, as well as he may enioy temporall Land if he bee heire to it from his Father: I see not but it behooueth vsus all, if we be good Subiects and sober Christians, to pray that such, as hauehave the power of Iudicature more or lesse in any kinde or degree committed vntounto them, may exercise that power wherewith they are entrusted, with zeale and prudence and equitie, rather than out of enuy at the preferment of a Church-man take vponupon vsus little lesse than to quarrell the discretion of our Soueraignes. Phinehes, though he could not challenge to execute iudgement by vertue of his Priesthood; yet his Priesthood disabled him not from executing iudgement.
§. 14. Phinehes his fact examined,That for the Person. Followeth his Action: and that twofold; Hee stood vp, Hee executed iudgement. Of the former first; which, though I call it an Action, yet is indeed a Gesture properly, and not an Action. But, being no necessitie to binde me to strict proprietie of speech, be it Action, or Gesture, or what else you will call it, the circumstance and phrase, since it seemeth to import some materiall thing, may not be passed ouer without some consideration. Then stood vp Phinehes. Which clause may denote vntounto vsus, eyther that extraordinary spirit whereby Phinehes was moued to doe iudgement vponupon those shamelesse offenders; or that forwardnesse of zeale, in the heate whereof he did it; or both. Phinehes was indeed the High Priests sonne, as we heard; but yet a priuate man, and no ordinarie Magistrate: and what had anie priuate man to doe to draw the sword of iustice, or but to sentence a malefactor to dye? Or, say he had been a Magistrate; he ought yet to hauehave proceeded in a legall and iudiciall course, to hauehave conuented the parties, and when they had beene conuicted in a faire triall and by sufficient witnesse, then to hauehave adiudged them according to the Law; and not to hauehave come suddenly vponupon them foreign, as they were acting their villanie, and thrust them thorow vncondemned. I hauehave aSerm. 2. ad Cler. § 30.elsewhere deliuered it as a collection not altogether improbable from the circumstances of the originall storie, that Phinehes had warrant for this execution from the expresse command of Moses the supreme Magistrate, and namely by vertue of that Proclamation, whereby he authorized the bNum. 25.5.vnderunder-Rulers to slay euerie one his men that were ioyned vntounto Baal-Peor, Num. 25.5. And I since finde that coniecture confirmed by the iudgement of some learned men: insomuch as an eminent Writer in our Church saith, that cHall. 7. Contempl. 4.by vertue of that Commission euerie Israelite was made a Magistrate for this execution. But looking more neerly into the Text, and considering that the Commission Moses there gaue, was first onelyonly to the Rulers, and so could bee no warrant for Phinehes, vnlesse hee were such a Ruler, which appeareth not; and secondly, concerned onelyonly those men that were vnderunder their seuerall gouernments, and so was too short to reach Zimri, who being himselfe a Prince, and that of another Tribe too, the Tribe of dNum. 25.14.Simeon, could not be vnderunder the gouernement of Phinehes, who was of the Tribe of Leui: how probable soeuer that other collection may be, yet I hold it the safer resolution which is commonly giuen by Diuines for the iustification of this fact of Phinehes, that he had an extraordinarie notion and a peculiar secret instinct of the Spirit of God, powerfully working in him, and prompting him to this Heroicall Act.
§. 15. and iustified:Certainly, God will not approue that worke, which himselfe hath not wrought. But to this Action of Phinehes God hath giuen large approbation, both by staying the plague thereupon, and by rewarding Phinehes with an aNum. 2….12.13.euerlasting Priesthood therefore, and by giuing expresse testimonie of his zeale and righteousnesse therein: as it is said in the next verse after my Text, [bPsal. 106.31. And it was accounted to him for righteousnesse.] Which words in the iudgement of learned Expositours, are not to bee vnderstood barely of the righteousnesse of Faith, as it is said of Abraham, that cGen. 15.6. applied by Saint Paul. Rom. 4.3.he beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse (as if the zeale of Phinehes in this act had beene a good euidence of that faith in Gods promises, whereby he was iustified, and his Person accepted with God;) though that also: but they doe withall import the iustification of the Action, at least thus farre, that how soeuer measured by the common rules of life it might seeme an vniust action, and a rash attempt at the least, if not an haynous murder, as being done by a priuate man without the warrant of authoritie; yet was it indeed, not onelyonly in regard of the intent a zealous action, as done for the honour of God, but also for the ground and warrant of it, as done by the speciall secret direction of Gods holy Spirit, a iust and a righteous action. Possibly this very word of standing vp importeth that extraordinary spirit. For of those Worthies, whom God at seuerall times endowed with Heroicall spirits to attempt some speciall worke for the deliuery of his Church, the Scriptures vse to speake in words and phrases much like this. It is often said in the booke of Iudges, that God dIud. 3.9.15, &c. & 2.16.18.raised vp such and such to iudge Israel, and that Deborah and Iair and others eIud. 5.7; & 10.1.3. &c.rose vp to defend Israel: that is, fIud. 3.10.the Spirit of God came vponupon them, as is said of Othoniel Iudg. 3. and by a secret, but powerfull instinct, put them vponupon those braue and noble attempts, they vndertooke and effected for the good of his Church. Raysed by the impulsion of that powerfull spirit, which gNescit tarda molimina spiritus Sancti gratia. Ambros. 2. in Luc. 3.admitteth no slow debatements, Phinehes standeth vp: and feeling himselfe called not to deliberate, but act, without casting of scruples, or fore-casting of dangers, or expecting commission from men when hee had his warrant sealed within, he taketh his weapon, dispatcheth his errant, and leaueth the euent to the prouidence of God.
§. 16. yet not to be imitated,Let no man now, vnlesse hee be able to demonstrate Phinehes spirit, presume to imitate his fact. Those Opera liberi spiritus, as Diuines call them, as they proceeded from an extraordinary spirit, so they were done for speciall purposes: but were neuer intended, either by God that inspired them, or by those Worthies that did them, for ordinary or generall examples. The errour is dangerous, from the priuiledged examples of some few exempted ones to take liberty to transgresse the common rules of Life and of Lawes. It is most true indeed, the Spirit of God is a free Spirit, and not tyed to strictnesse of rule, nor limited by any bounds of Lawes. But yet that free spirit hath astricted thee to a regular course of life, and bounded thee with Lawes: which if thou transgresse, no pretension of the Spirit can either excuse thee from sinne, or exempt thee from punishment. It is not now eueryevery way, as it was before the comming of Christ, and the sealing vp of the Scripture Canon: God hauing now settled a perpetuall forme of gouernment in his Church; and giuen vsus a perfect and constant rule, whereby to walke, euen his holy word. And wee are not therefore now vainly to expect, nor boastingly to pretend a priuate spirit, to lead vsus against, or beyond, or but beside the common rule: nay wee are commanded to try all preten…ions of priuate spirits by that common rule. aEsay 8.20.Ad legem & ad testimonium, to the Law, and to the Testimony: at this Test examine and b1 Ioh. 4.1.try the spirits, whether they are of God, or no. If any thing within vsus, if any thing without vsus exalt it selfe against the obedience of this rule; it is no sweete impulsion of the holy spirit of God, but a strong delusion of the lying spirit of Sathan.
But is not all that is written,§. 17. but with limitation written for our Example? or why else is Phinehes act recorded and commended, if it may not bee followed? First, indeed S. Paul saith, aRom. 15.4.All that is written is written for our learning: but Learning is one thing, and Example is another; and we learne something from that which we may not follow. Besides, there are Examples for b1 Cor. 10.11.Admonition, as well as for Imitation. Malefactors at the place of execution, when they wish the by-standers to take Example by them, bequeath them not Imitation of their courses, what to doe; but Admonition from their punishments, what to shunne: Yea thirdly, euen the commended actions of good men are not euer exemplary in the very substance of the Action it selfe; but in some vertuous and gracious affections, that giuegive life and lustre thereunto. And so this act of Phinehes is imitable: Not that either any priuate man should dare by his example to vsurpe the Magistrates office, and to doe iustice vponupon Malefactors without a Calling; or that any Magistrate should dare by his Example, to cut off gracelesse offenders without a due iudiciall course: but that eueryevery man, who is by vertue of his Calling endewed with lawfull authority to execute iustice vponupon transgressours, should set himselfe to it with that stoutnesse and courage and zeale, which was in Phinehes.
§. 18. vntounto this zeale;If you will needs then imitate Phinehes, imitate him in that, for which he is commended and rewarded by God, and for which hee is renowned amongst men: and that is not barely the Action, the thing done; but the Affection, the zeale wherewith it was done. For that zeale God commendeth him, Num. 25. vers. 11. [aNum. 25.11. Phinehes the son of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the Priest, hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel, whilest he was zealous for my sake among them.] And for that zeale God rewardeth him, Ibid. vers. 13. [bIbid. 13. Hee shall hauehave and his seed after him the Couenant of an euerlasting Priesthood, because hee was zealous for his God.] And for that zeale, did posterity praise him: the wise cSirac. 45.23.son of Sirac, Eccl. 45. and good old d1 Maccab. 2.54.Mattathias vponupon his death-bed, 1 Macc. 2. And may not this phrase of speech, He stood vp and executed iudgement, very well imply that forwardnesse and heate of zeale? To my seeming it may. For whereas Moses and all the Congregation sate weeping (a eAs. Neh. 1.4. Iob. 2.13. Psal. 137.1. Esay. 47.1.8.gesture often accompanying sorrow,) or perhaps, yet more to expresse their sorrow, lay graueling vponupon the Earth, mourning and sorrowing for their sinne, and for the Plague: it could not be, but the bold lewdnesse of Zimri in bringing his strumpet with such impudence before their noses, must needs adde much to the griefe, and bring fresh vexation to the soules of all that were righteous among them. But the rest continued, though with double griefe, yet in the same course of humiliation, and in the same posture of body, as before. Only Phinehes, burning with an holy indignation, thought it was now no time to sit still, and weepe: but rowzing vp himselfe, and his spirits with zeale as hot as fire, fSolida mente. Cassiodorus; Constanter. Lyranus; Constantiâ mentis, & audacia operis. Ludolfus hîc. Hee had zeale in the feare of the Lord, and stood vp with good courage of heart. Sitac. 45.23.hee stood vp from the place where he was, and made hast to execute iudgement.
Here is a rich example for all you to imitate,§. 19. Manifested by executing Iudgement whom it doth concerne: I speake not only, nor indeed so much, to you the Honourable and reuerend Iudge of this Circuit; of whose zeale to doe iustice and iudgement I am by so much the better perswaded, by how much the eminency of your place, and the weight of your charge, and the expectation of the people doth with greater importunity aMaiora populus semper à summo exigit. Senec. in Octau. Act. 2.exact it at your hands: But I speake withall, and most especially to all you, that are in commission of the Peace, and whose daily and continuall care it should bee, to see the wholsome lawes of the Realme duly and seasonably executed. Yea, and to all you also, that hauehave any office appertaining to iustice, or any businesse about these Courts, so as it may lie in you to giuegive any kinde of furtherance to the speeding either of Iustice in Ciuill, or of iudgement in Criminall causes. Looke vponupon the zeale of Phinehes: obserue what approbation it had from God; what a blessing it procured to his seed after him, what glorious renowne it hath wonne him with all after-ages; what ease it did, and what good it wrought for the present state: and thinke if it bee not worthy your imitation. bGal. 4.18.It is good, saith the Apostle, to bee zealously affected alwayes in a good thing. And is it not a good thing to doe iustice, and to execute iudgement? nay, Religion excepted (and the care of that is a branch of justice too) doe you know any better thing? any thing you can doe, more acceptable to God, more seruiceable to the State, more comfortable to your owne soules? If you bee called to the Magistracy; it is c3. King. 10.9.your owne businesse, as the proper worke of your calling: and men account him no wiser than hee should be, that sluggeth in his own busines, or goeth heartlesly about it. It is the Kings businesse, who hath entrusted you with it▪ & he is scarce a good subiect, that slacketh the Kings busines, or doth it to the halues. Nay it is the Lords busines; for d2 Chro. 19.6yee iudge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the cause and in the iudgement: and eIerem. 48.10Cursed is hee that doth the Lords businesse negligently. That you may therefore doe (all vnderunder one) your owne businesse, and the Kings businesse, and the Lords businesse, with that zeale and forwardnesse, which becommeth you in so waightie an affaire: lay this patterne before your eyes and hearts? See what Phinehes did: and thereby both examine what hitherto you hauehave done, and learne what henceforth you should doe.
§. 20. 1 Personally;First; Phinehes doth not poast off the matter to others: the feruency of his zeale made him willing to be himselfe the Actor. He harboured no such coole thoughts; as too many Magistrates doe: [Here is a shamefull crime committed, by a shamelesse person, and in a shamelesse manner: pity such an audacious offender should goe vnpunished. My heart riseth against him; and much adoe I hauehave to refraine, from being my selfe his executioner, rather than hee should carry it away thus. But why should I deriue the enuy of the fact vponupon my selfe, and but gaine the imputation of a busie officious fellow, in being more forward than others? A thousand more saw it, as well as I; whom it concerneth as neerely as it doth me: and if none of them will stirre in it, why should I? Doubtlesse my vncle Moses, and my father Eleazar, and they that are in place of authority will not let it passe so; but will call him to account for it, and giuegive him condigne punishment. If I should doe it, it would be thought but the attempt of a rash young fellow. It will bee better discretion therefore to forbeare, and to giuegive my betters leaue to goe before mee.] Such pretensions as these would hauehave kept off Phinehes from this noble exploit, if hee had beene of the temper of some of ours: who owe it to nothing so much as their lukewarmnesse, that they hauehave at least some reputation of being moderate and discreete men. But true zeale is more forward, than manerly: and will not lose the opportunity of doing what it ought, for waiting till others begin. Alas, if eueryevery man should be so squeamish, as many are; nothing at all would be done. And therefore the good Magistrate must consider, not what others doe; but what both he and they are in conscience bound to doe: and though there should bee many more ioyned with him in the same common care, and with equall power, yet hee must resolue to take that common affaire no otherwise into his speciall care, than if hee were left alone therein, and the whole burden lay vponupon his shoulders: As when sundry persons are so bound in one common bond for the payment of one entire summe coniunctim & diuisim, eueryevery one per se in toto & infolidum, that eueryevery particular person by himselfe is as well lyable to the payment of the whole, as they all together are. Admit loose or idle people (for who can hold their tongues?) shall for thy diligence say, thou art an hard and austere man, or busiest thy selfe more, than thou hast thanke for thy labour. First, that man neuer cared to doe well, that is affraid to heare ill, aEccles. 11.4.Hee that obserueth the winde, saith Salomon, shall not sow; and the words (especially of idle people) are no better. Secondly, Hee maketh an ill purchase, that forgoeth the least part of his dutie, to gaine a little popularity: the breath of the people being but a sorry plaster for a wounded conscience. Thirdly, what a man by strict and seuere execution of Iustice loseth in the breadth, he cōmonly gaineth it all and more in the weight, and in the length of his Credit. A kinde quiet man; that carryeth it for the present and in the voyce of the multitude: but it is the more solide and the more lasting praise to be reputed in the opinion of the better and the wiser sort a Iust man, and a good Patriot, or Common-wealths-man. Fourthly, if all should condemne thee for that, wherein thou hast done but bRegium est, cum rectè feceris, audire malè.well: thy comfort is, thine owne conscience shall bestead thee more than a thousand witnesses, and stand for thee against tenne thousand tongues, at that last great day, when c1 Cor. 4.5.the hearts of all men shall be made manifest, & eueryevery man that hath deserued well shall hauehave praise of God, and not of man.
§. 21. 2 Speedily;Secondly, Phinehes as hee did not poast off this execution to other men, so hee did not put it off to another day. Phinehes might hauehave thought thus [Wee are now in a religious worke, humbling our selues in a publique solemne and frequent assembly before the face of God to appease his iust wrath against vsus for our sinnes: aVirgil. Eclog. 9.Et quod nunc instat agamus. It would bee vnseasonable leauing this worke now: another time may serue as well to inflict deserued punishment vponupon that wicked miscreant.] But zeale will admit no bQui tardè fecit, diu. noluit. Senec. 1. de benef. 1.put-offs; it is all vponupon the spurre, till it be doing what it conceiueth fit to be done. There are no passions of the minde so impetuous, and so impatient of delay as cOdit verus amor, nec patitur moras. Senec. in Here. sur. act. 2.LoueLove and dDum poenas …di: per vim festinat inulto. Horat 1. Epist. 2.Anger: and eNunc ira, amorque causam junxêre: quid sequetur? Senec. in med. act. 4.these two are the prime ingredients of true zeale. If any man should hauehave interposed for Zimri, and taken vponupon him to hauehave mediated with Phinehes for his repriuall: I verily thinke, in that heate he might sooner hauehave prouoked his owne, than hauehave prorogued Zimries execution. Delayes in any thing that is good, are ill: and in the best things, worst. As Waxe when it is chafed, and Iron when it is hot, will take impressions: but if the seale or stampe bee not speedily put to, the heate abateth, and they returne to their former hardnesse: so the best affections of the best men, if they be not taken in the heate, abate, and lessen, & dye. In the administration then of Iustice, and the execution of Iudgement, where there is Zeale, there will be Expedition: and the best way to preserue Zeale where it is, is to vse Expedition. I am not able to say where the want is, or where specially; but certainely a great want there is generally in this Kingdome of Zeale to Iustice in some that should hauehave it, if that complaint bee as iust, as it is common among men that hauehave had suites in the Courts, that they hauehave beene fSaepè causas tantum differunt, quòd litigantibus plus quàm totum au…erunt: quia maior est expensarum sumptus, quàm sententiae fructus. Innocent.wronged with farre lesse damage than they hauehave beene righted: there hauehave beene so many gBernard. lib. 1. de consid.frustratoriae and venatoriae dilationes (as S. Bernard in his times called them) so many lingring and costly delayes vsed. And for Executing Iudgement vponupon Malefactors; if Phinehes had suffered Zimri to hauehave liued but a day longer, for any thing wee know the plague might hauehave lasted also a day longer: and why might not to morrow hauehave beene as yesterday with them, and lessened the peoples number 23. thousand more: especially their former crying sinnes hauing receiued a new accession of a double guilt, the guilt of Zimries fact, and the guilt of their conniuence. No racke should make mee confesse, that man to bee truely zealous of Iudgement, who when hee hath power to cut him short, shall but so much as repriue a foule and notorious Malefactor; or grant him any respite or liberty to make his friends, and to sue a pardon. Salomon hath told vsus, and wee finde it but too true; hEccles. 8.11.Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill.
Thirdly;§. 22. 3. Resolutely. Phinehes was nothing retarded in his resolution by forecasting what ill-will hee might purchase, or into what dangers hee might cast himselfe by executing iudgement vponupon two such great personages. The times were such, as wherein sin had gotten head, and was countenanced both with might and multitude: Zimri was a mighty man, a aNum. 25.14.Prince of a chiefe house; and he that should dare to touch him should be like to pull vponupon himselfe the enmity of the whole Tribe of Simeon. It seemeth hee was confident that his might, and popularity in his owne Tribe, would priuiledge him from the enquiry of the Magistrate; how durst he else hauehave so braued Moses, and the whole Congregation? And the Woman also was the daughter of one of the bNum. 25.15. compared with Num. 31.8.fiue Kings of Midian: and could Phinehes thinke that the death of two such great persons could goe vnreuenged? All this Phinehes either forecasteth not, or regardeth not. His eye was so fixed vponupon the glory of God, that it did not so much as reflect vponupon his owne safety: and his thoughts strongly possessed with zeale of the common good, had not any leysure to thinke of priuate dangers. Zeale is euer cAmor timere neminem verus potest. Senec. in Med. act. 3.couragious; and therefore Iethro thought none worthy to bee Magistrates, but such as were dforeign, viros virtutis. Exod. 18.21. Iuscum esse facile est, cui vacat pectus metu. Senec. in Oct. act. 2.men of courage: And hee hath neither Courage nor Zeale in him befitting a Magistrate, that is affraid to doe iustice vponupon a great offender eProu. 22.13. & 26.13.The sluggard saith there is a Lyon in the way: and then hee steppeth backward and keepeth aloof off. But the worthy Magistrate would meet with such a Lyon to choose; that he might win awe to Gods Ordinance, and make the way passable for others, by tearing such a beast in pieces: and would no more fear to make a Worshipfull thiefe, or a Right worshipfull murtherer (if such a one should come in his Circuite) an example of Iustice, than to twitch vp a poore sheepestealer. Great ones will soone presume of impunity, and meane ones too by their example in time learne to kicke at authority; if Magistrates be not forward to maintaine the dignity of their places, by executing Gods Lawes without fauour or feare. Hitherto of the spirit and zeale of Phinehes; by occasion of this his former Action or gesture of standing vp: There yet remaine to be considered the other action, and the successe of it; Hee executed iudgement, and the plague was stayed. Both which, because I would not be long, I will ioyn together in the handling; when "I shall hauehave first a little cleered the translation.
§. 23. Executing of IudgementThe Hebrew foreign here vsed is a word, that hath three different significations: to Iudge, to Pray, to Appease. And Interpreters hauehave taken liberty to make choyce of any of the three in translating this place. The Greeke rendereth it [foreign,] and the vulgar Latine, which for the most part followeth the Septuagint, [Placauit:] as if wee should reade it thus, Then stood vp Phinehes, and made an attonement, or appeased God. And the thing is true, God himselfe testifying of Phinehes, Numb. 25. that aNum. 25.11.by being zealous for God he had turned away his wrath, and bIbid. 13.made attonement for the children of Israel. The Chaldee interpreteth it by Vetsalle; and the ordinary English translation of the Psalmes vsually read in our Churches accordingly, [Then stood vp Phinehes, and prayed.] But Hierome and Vatablus and the best translatours render it according to the most proper signification of the word, and most fully to the story it selfe, [Dijudicauit, Hee executed Iudgement.] Verily Prayer is a speciall meanes to appease Gods wrath, and to remoue his Plagues; & Prayer is as the salt of the Sacrifice, sanctifying & seasoning eueryevery Action we vndertake: and I doubt not but Phinehes, when he lift vp his hand to execute iudgement vponupon Zimri & Cosbi, did withall lift vp his heart to God to blesse that action, and to turne it to good. In which respects, (especially if the word withall will beare it, as it seemeth it will,) some men should hauehave done well not to hauehave shewne so much willingnesse to quarrell at the Church-translations in our Seruice-booke, by being clamorous against this very place as a grosse corruption, and sufficient to iustifie their refusall of subscription to the Booke. But I will not now trouble either you or my selfe, with farther curiosity in examining translations: because howsoeuer other translations, that render it praying, or appeasing, may bee allowed either as tolerably good, or at least excusably ill; yet this that rendereth it by Executing Iudgement is certainly the best, whether wee consider the course of the Story it selfe, or the propriety of the word in the Originall, or the intent of the Holy Ghost in this Scripture. And this Action of Phinehes in doing iudgement vponupon such a paire of great and bold offenders was so well pleasing vntounto God, that his wrath was turned away from Israel, and the plague which had broken-in vponupon them in a sudden and fearefull manner, was immediately stayed thereupon.
§. 24. appeased the wrath of God;Oh how acceptable a sacrifice to God, aboue the bloud of Bulls and of Goates, is the death of a Malefactor slaughtered by the hand of Iustice! When the Magistrate, who is aRom. 13.4.foreign, the Minister and Priest of God for this very thing, putteth his knife to the throate of the Beast, and with the fire of an holy zeale for God against sinne offereth him vp in Holocaustum for a whole burnt offering, and for a peace-offering vntounto the Lord. Samuel …aith, that b1 Sam. 15.22to obey is better than sacrifice: and Salomon, that cProu. 21.3.to doe iustice and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lord, than sacrifice. Obedience, that is the prime, and the best sacrifice: and the second best is the punishment of Disobedience. There is no readier way to appease Gods wrath against sinne, than is the rooting out of sinners: nor can his deputies by any other course turne away his iust iudgements so effectually, as by faithfully executing of Iustice and Iudgement themselues.
§. 25. and stayed the Plague.When Phinehes did this act, the publike body of Israel was in a weake state, and stood need of a present and sharpe remedy. In some former distempers of the state, it may bee they had found some ease by dyet, in aPsal. 35.13.humbling their soules by fasting; or by an issue in the tongue or eye, in an humble confession of their sinnes, and in weeping and mourning for them with teares of repentance. And they did well now to make tryall of those remedies againe, wherein they had found so much helpe in former times: especially the remedies being proper for the malady, and such as often may doe good, but neuer can doe harme. But alas, fasting, and weeping and mourning before the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation had not strength enough against those more preualent corruptions, wherewith the State of Israel was then pestered. This Phinehes saw: who well perceiued, that (as in a dangerous pleurisie the party cannot liue vnlesse hee bleed; so) if there were any good to bee done vponupon Israel in this their little lesse than desperate estate, a veyne must be opened, and some of the ranke bloud let-out for the preseruation of the rest of the body. This course therefore he tryes: and languishing Israel findeth present ease in it. As soone as the bloud ranne, instantly the griefe ceased: Hee executed iudgement, and the plague was stayed.
As God brought vponupon that people for their sinnes a fearefull destruction:§. 26. Englands Plague. so he hath in his iust wrath sent his destroying Angell against vsus for ours. The sinnes that brought that plague vponupon them were Whoredome and Idolatrie. I cannot say the very same sinnes hauehave caused ours. For although the execution of good Lawes against both incontinent and idolatrous persons, hath beene of late yeares, and yet is (wee all know) to say no more slacke enough: yet, (Gods holy name bee blessed for it) neither Idolatry nor Whoredome are at that height of shamelesse impudency & impunity among vsus, that they dare braue our Moseses, and out-face whole Congregations, as it was in Israel. But still this is sure, No plague, but for sinne: nor nationall Plagues, but for Nationall sinnes. So that albeit none of vsus may dare to take vponupon vsus to bee so farre off Gods counsell, as to say for what very sinnes most this plague is sent among vsus: yet none of vsus can be ignorant, but that besides those secret personall corruptions which are in eueryevery one of vsus, and whereunto eueryevery mans owne heart is priuie, there are many publique and nationall sinnes, whereof the people of this Land are generally guilty, aboundantly sufficient to iustifie God in his dealings towards vsus, and to aPsal. 51.4.cleere him when hee is iudged. Our wretched vnthankfulnesse vntounto God for the long continuance of his Gospell, and our Peace: our carnall confidence and security in the strength of our woodden and watery walls: our ryot and excesse (the noted proper sinne of this Nation) and much intemperate abuse of the good creatures of God in our meates and drinkes and disports and other prouisions and comforts of this life: our Incompassion to our brethren miserably wasted with Warre and Famine in other parts of the world: our heauy Oppression of our brethren at home, in racking the rents, and cracking the backes, and bEsay 3.15.grinding the faces of the poore: our cheape and irreuerent regard vntounto Gods holy ordinances of his Word, and Sacraments, and Sabbaths, and Ministers: our Wantonnesse and Toyishnesse of vnderstanding, in corrupting the simplicity of our Christian Faith, and troubling the peace of the Church with a thousand niceties and nouelties and vnnecessary wranglings in matters of Religion: and (to reckon no more) that vniuersall Corruption which is in those which (because they should be such) wee call the Courts of Iustice, by sale of offices, enhauncing of fees, deuising new subtilties both for delay and euasion, trucking for expedition, making trappes of petty penall statutes, and but Cobwebs of the most waighty and materiall Lawes. I doubt not but by the mercy of God many of his seruants in this Land are free from some, and some from all of these common crimes in some good measure: but I feare mee, not the best of vsus all, not a man of vsus all, but are guilty of all or some of them at least thus farre, that we hauehave not mourned for the corruptions of the times so feelingly, nor endeauoured the reformation of them to our power so faithfully, as wee ought and might to hauehave done.
By these and other sinnes wee hauehave prouoked Gods heauy iudgement against vsus,§. 27. to be stayed, by adding to our humiliations and the Plague is grieuously broken in vponupon vsus: and now it would be good for vsus to know, by what meanes we might best appease his wrath, and stay this Plague. Publique Humiliations hauehave euer beene thought, and so they are, proper Remedies against Publique Iudgements: aIoel 2.12.1…. &c. 8. Numb. 25.6.To turne vntounto the Lord our God with all our heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; to sanctifie a fast, and call a solemne assembly, and gather the people and elders together; and weepe before the doore of the tabernacle of the Congregation; and to let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the porch and the altar, and to pray the Lord to spare his people, and bee not angry with them for euer. Neuer did people thus humble themselues with true lowly penitent and obedient hearts, who found not comfort by it in the meane time, and in the end benefite. And blessed be God who hath put it into the heart of our Moses, with the consent of the Elders of our Israel, by his royall example first, and then by his royall bProclamation for a weekly fast, with a forme of diuine Seruice, and other directions; published 1625.command, to lay vponupon vsus a double necessitie of this so religious and profitable a course.
§. 28. the Execution of iudgement.But, as our Sauiour told the young man in the Gospell, who said hee had kept the whole Law, aMark. 10.21.Vnum tibi deest, One thing is wanting: so when wee hauehave done our best and vtmost, fasted and wept and prayed as constantly and frequently as feruently as wee can; vnlesse you the Magistrates and Officers of Iustice bee good vntounto vsus, one thing will be wanting still; One maine ingredient of singular vertue, without which the whole receipt besides, as precious and soueraigne as it is, may bee taken, and yet faile the cure. And that is, the seuere and fearlesse and impartiall Execution of Iudgement. Till wee see a care in the Gods on earth faithfully to execute theirs; our hopes can be but faint, that the God of heauen will in mercy remoue his iudgements. If God send a b2 Sam. 21.1. &c.Famine into the land; let holy Dauid doe what hee can otherwise, it will continue yeare after yeare: so long as iudgement is not done vponupon the bloudy house of Saul, for his crueltie in slaying the Gibeonites, God will not bee cIbid. ver. 14.entreated for the land. One knowne Achan, that hath got a wedge of gold by sacriledge or iniustice, if suffered, is able to dIos. 7.25.26.trouble a whole Israel: and the Lord will eI will not bee with you anymore, except you destroy the accursed from among you. vers. 12.not turne from the fiercenesse of his anger, till hee hauehave deserued iudgement done vponupon him. If fNum. 25.3.4Israel hauehave ioyned himselfe vntounto Baal-Peor so as the anger of the Lord bee kindled against them; he will not be appeased by any meanes vntill Moses take the heads of the people, and hang them vp before the Lord against the Sunne. If the Land be defiled with bloud, it is in vaine to thinke of any other course, when God himselfe hath pronounced it impossible that the Land should be gNum. 35.33.purged from the bloud that is shed in it, otherwise than by the blood of him that shed it.
Vp then with the zeale of Phinehes, §. 29. A generall Exhortation thereunto.vp for the louelove of God and of his people, all you that are in place of authority. Gird your swords vponupon your thigh, and with your jauelins in your hand pursue the Idolater, and the Adulterer, and the Murtherer, and the Oppressour, and eueryevery knowne offender into his tent, and naile him to the earth, that hee neuer rise againe to doe more mischiefe. Let it appeare what aforeign. Lysias apud. Stob. Serm. 44.louelove you beare to the State, by your hatred to them: and shew your pity to vsus, by shewing none to them. The destroying Angel of God attendeth vponupon you for his dispatch: if you would but set in stoutly, hee would soone be gone. Why should either sloath, or feare, or any partiall or corrupt respect whatsoeuer make you aforeign. Lysias apud. Stob. Serm. 44.cruell to the good, in sparing the bad? or why should you suffer your selues, for want of courage and zeale to execute iudgement, to lose either the opportunity or the glory of being the instruments to appease Gods wrath, and to stay his plagues?
§. 30. With particular applications toBut, for that matters appertaining to Iustice and Iudgement must passe through many hands before they come to yours; and there may bee so much iuggling vsed in conueighing them from hand to hand, that they may be represented vntounto you many times in much different formes from what they were in truth and at the first: that your care and zeale to execute Iustice and Iudgement faithfully according to your knowledge, may not through the fault and miscarriage of other men, faile the blessed end and successe that Phinehes found; I desire that eueryevery of them also as well as you would receiue the word of Exhortation, each in his place and office to set himselfe vprightly and vnpartially as in the sight of God to aduance to the vtmost of his power the due course and administration of Iustice. And for this purpose, by occasion of this Scripture, which pointeth vsus to the End of these assemblies; I shall craue leaue to reflect vponupon another, which giueth vsus sundry particular directions conducing to that End. And it is that Scripture, whereinto wee made some entrance the last Assises, and would hauehave now proceeded farther, had not the heauy hand of God vponupon vsus in this his grieuous visitation led mee to make choyce rather of this Text, as the more seasonable. That other is written in Exod. 23. the three first verses.Exod. 23.1—3. [Thou shalt not raise a false report: Put not thine hand with the wicked to bee an vnrighteous witnesse. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill: neither shalt thou speake in a cause to decline after many to wrest iudgement. Neither shalt thou countenance a poore man in his cause.] Wherein were noted fiue speciall Rules, shared out among fiue sorts of persons; the Accuser, the Witnesse, the Iurer, the Pleader, the Officer. I will but giuegive each of them some briefe intimation of their duty, from their seuerall proper rules; and conclude.
If thou commest hither then as a Plaintiffe, §. 31. the Accuser;or other Party in a ciuill cause, or to giuegive voluntary Information vponupon a Statute, or to prosecute against a Malefactor, or any way in the nature of an Accuser: Let neither the hope of gaine or of any other aduantage to thy selfe, nor secret malice or enuy against thine aduersary, nor thy desire to giuegive satisfaction to any third party, sway thee beyond the bounds of truth and equity no not a little; either to deuise an vntruth against thy neighbour of thine owne head, or by an hard construction to depraue the harmelesse actions or speeches of others, or to make them worse than they are by vniust aggrauations; or to take aduantage of letters and syllables to entrap innocency without a fault. When thou art to open thy mouth against thy brother, set the first Rule of that Text as a watch before the doore of thy lips, Thou shalt not raise a false report.
If thou commest hither secondly, §. 32. the Witnesse;to bee vsed as a Witnesse; perhaps aSee Cic. pro Flacco: although Turneb. 13. aduers. 14. interpret the prouerbe otherwise; Graecâ fide, …d est, optimâ.Graecâ fide, like a downe-right knight of the post, that maketh of an b—quibus iusiurandum jocus est, testimonium ludus: laus, merces, gratia, gratulatio proposita est— Cic. pro Flacc.oath a jest, and a pastime of a deposition; or dealt withall by a bribe, or suborned by thy landlord or great neighbour, or egged on with thine owne spleene or malice, to sweare and forsweare as these shall prompt thee; or to cforeign. dictum solemne Graecorum.enterchange a deposition with thy friend as they vsed to doe in Greece, Hodie mihi, cras tibi, sweare thou for mee to day, Ile sweare for thee tomorrow; or tempted with any corrupt respect whatsoeuer, by thy word or oath to strengthen a false and vnrighteous report: When thou commest to lay thy hand vponupon the booke, lay the second Rule in that Text to thy heart, Put not thy hand with the wicked to bee an vnrighteous witnesse. Though hand ioyne in hand dProu. 19.5. & 9.the false Witnesse shall not be vnpunished.
§. 33. the Iurer;If thou commest hither thirdly, to serue for the King vponupon Graund Inquest, or betweene party and party, in any cause whatsoeuer (like those a—deinde praetores vrbani, qui jura…i debent optimum quemque in selectos judices referre. Cic. pro Cluent. Vnum ex selectis judicibus obijciebat. Horat. 1. Serm. sat. 4.selecti judices among the Romanes, whom the Praetor for the yeare being was to nominate, and that vponupon oath, out of the most able and seruiceable men in his judgement, both for estate, vnderstanding, and integrity;) or to serue vponupon the Tales, perhaps at thine owne suite to get something toward bearing charges for thy iourney; or yoaked with a craftie or a wilfull foreman that is made beforehand, and a messe of tame after-men withall, that dare not thinke of being wiser than their leader; or vnwilling to stickle against a maior part, whether they goe right or wrong; or resolued already vponupon the Verdict, no matter what the Euidence be: Consider what is the waight and religion of an Oath. Remember that he sinneth not lesse, that sinneth with company. Whatsoeuer the rest doe, resolue thou to doe no otherwise, than as God shall put into thy heart, and as the euidence shall leade the. The third Rule in that Text must be thy rule, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill. They are silly, that in point either of Religion or Iustice, would teach vsus to measure either Truth, or Right, by multitudes.
If thou commest hither fourthly as to thine haruest,§. 34 the Pleader; to reape some fruite of thy long and expencefull study in the Lawes, and to assist thy Client and his Cause with thy Counsell, Learning, and Eloquence: thinke not, because thou speakest for thy Fee, that therefore thy tongue is not thine owne, but thou must speake what thy Client will hauehave thee speake, be it true, or false; neither thinke, because thou hast the liberty of the Court, and perhaps the fauour of the Iudge, that therefore thy tongue is thine owne, and thou mayest speake thy pleasure to the preiudice of the Aduersaries person or cause. Seeke not preposterously to winne the name of a good Lawyer, by wresting and peruerting good Lawes: or the opinion of the best Counsellour, by giuing the worst and the shrewdest counsell. Count it not, as Protagoras did, the glory of thy profession, by subtilty of wit and volubility of tongue to aforeign. A. Gell. 5. Noct. Att. 3.make the worse cause the better: but like a bVir bonus dicendi peritut. Cicero.good man, as well as good Oratour, vse the power of thy tongue and wit to shame impudence and protect innocency, to crush oppressours, and succour the afflicted, to aduance Iustice and Equity, and to helpe them to right that suffer wrong. Let it be as a ruled case to thee in all thy pleadings, Not to speake in any cause to wrest iudgement.
§. 35. the Officer;If lastly, thou art in any place or office of seruice, or trust, or command, or attendance about the Courts: reioyce not as if it were now in thy power, to doe a friend a courtesie, or a foe a spite. Doe not shew a cast of thy office, for the promise or hope of a reward in helping a great offender out of the Bryars. Compell not men that hauehave beene long weather-beaten in the Maine, and are now arriued at the hauen of their businesse, to wither for their pasports, vntill they hauehave offered some sacrifice to that great Diana Expedition. Let no feare, or hope, or bribe, or letter, or enuy, or fauour, no not charitie it selfe and compassion to the pouerty or distressednesse of any, make you partiall for the Person to disregard the Cause. If you would bee charitable to the poore, giuegive them from your owne, but doe not carue them from anothers trencher. To relieue a poore man in his wants, is the proper office of Charity: but Iustice must hauehave no eyes to see, nor bowels to yearne, at the wants of any man. Be hee rich or poore, that bringeth his cause hither; Currat lex, Let him finde such as he bringeth; let him hauehave, as his cause deserueth. The last of those Rules must be thine, Thou shalt not countenance, no not a poore man in his Cause.
§. 36. and the Iudge.If any of these to whom I hauehave now spoken, Accusers, Witnesses, Iurers, Pleaders, Officers, shall transgresse these rules to the peruerting of Iustice: our refuge must be next vnderunder God to you that are the Magistrates of Iustice, and sit vponupon the Bench of Iudicature. At your grauity and authority wee must take sanctuary, against them that pursue vsus wrongfully, as at the hornes of the Altar. It is your Duty, (or if it be, as to most men it is, a more pleasing thing, to be remembred of their Power, than of their Duty) it is in your power, if not to reforme all the abuses and corruptions of these persons; yet to curbe their open insolencies, and to containe them at least within modest bounds. Nay, since I hauehave begun to magnifie your power: let me speake it with all due reuerence to God and the King, there is no power so great, ouer which (in a qualified sense) you hauehave not a greater power. It is in your power; to aPsal. 75.2.3.beare vp the pillars of the State, when the land is euen dissolued, and the pillars thereof growne weake: for that is done by iudgeing the Congregation according to right, Psal. 75. In yours; to make this yet flourishing Countrie and Kingdome glorious or despicable: for bProu. 14.34.righteousnesse exalteth a Nation, but sinne is a reproach to any people, Prou. 14. In yours; to settle the throne vponupon the King, and to entaile it by a kinde of perpetuity vntounto the right heire for many succeeding generations: for cProu. 16.11.the Throne is established by Iustice, Prou. 16. In yours; to discharge Gods punishing Angell, who now destroyeth vsus with a grieuous destruction, and by vnsheathing your sword to make him sheathe his: as here in my Text, Phinehes stood vp, and executed iudgement, and the plague ceased. In yours; though you be but Gods on earth, and in these Courts, mortall and petty gods, yet to send Prohibitions into the Court of Heauen, and there to stop the iudgements of the great and Eternall God before they come forth, yea and when the decree is gone forth, to stay execution. In a word, as it was said to Ieremy, but in another sense, You are dIerem. 1.10.set ouer Nations and ouer Kingdomes to roote out, and to destroy, to build, and to plant. Only then be intreated, to vse that power God hath giuen you, vntounto edification, and not vntounto destruction. And now hauehave I done my message. God grant vntounto all of vsus, that by our hearty sorrow and repentance for our sinnes past, by our stedfast resolutions of future amendment, and by setting our selues faithfully and vprightly in our seuerall places and callings to doe God and the King and our Countrie seruice, in beating downe sinne, and rooting out sinners; wee may by his good grace and mercy obtaine pardon of our sinnes, and deliuerance from his wrath, and be preserued by his power through faith vntounto saluation. Now to God the Father, the Sonne, &c.
THREE SERMONS AD POPVLVM. PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHVRCH of Grantham in the Diocesse and Countie of Lincolne, BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Bachellor in Diuinity, and sometimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford.
PSAL. 25.10.
Viae Domini Misericordia & Veritas.
LONDON, Printed by R.Y. for R. Dawlman, at the Signe of the Bible neere the great Conduit in Fleetstreete. 1627.
To the Right VVorshipfull and my much honoured Lady, the Lady MILDRED SAVNDERSON, Wife to Sir NICHOLAS SAVNDERSON, Knight and Baronet.
GOod Madame; It is not so much the kinde respect, which you hauehave for many yeares past continually manifested towards me, (although that might iustly challenge from mee a farre more ample acknowledgement;) that hath induced mee to present you with these three Sermons: as your vnfained louelove to Gods truth and Gospell, together with your religious care, by a holy and vertuous conuersation, both to strengthen your owne assurances for the hopes of the life to come; and to prouoke those that are sprung from you, or liue vnderunder you, by the strength of your example, to presse so much the harder towards the same glorious marke, by the same gracious courses. To the encreasing of which LoueLove and Care, either in you, or yours, or in any other into whose hands they may chance to come, if these poore Meditations shall adde any furtherance: I shall hauehave the lesse cause, either to blame the importunitie of those that hauehave long vrged, or to regard the censures of those that shall now mislike, the publishing of them. The God of power, and of peace, make them profitable to his Church; and preserue your spirit, and soule, and body, blamelesse vntounto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.
Your Ladyships to be commanded in the Lord, ROBERT SAVNDERSON. Boothby Paynell Linc. 9. Aprill 1627.