Sermon, Text
A SERMON PREACHED AT the laſt generall Aſsiſe holden for the County of SOMMERSET at TAVNTON.
By William Sclater Batchelar in Diuinitie, and Miniſter of the Word of God at PITMISTER.
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherſtone, dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Roſe. 1616.
To THE WORSHIPFVLL M. IOHN COLLES Eſquire, High Sheriffe of Sommerſet, Mercy and peace be multiplied.
SJR, J here tender to your view my Sermon preached at your instance, heard with your beſt attention, preſſed to the Preſſe by importunitie of friends: occaſioned by thoſe many abbreuiations, whereto the iniunction of breuitie from ſuperiours forced me. The ſumme of the whole is this: Therein ſee you your ſtation in the Common-wealth warranted by Gods ordinance: the rich Grace of God in your aduancement to ſo eminent dignitie: withall, the dutie the Lord expects from you in reſpect of your aduancement. To preuent pride, you are remembred of humane frailtie: to procure vprightneſſe in proceedings iudiciall, the terrours of the Lords iudgement are offered to your meditation. Vſe it as your direction to theſe ends: and thus thinke of the Author, he had rather be deemed any thing then vnthankfull. So with my prayers to God for continuance and multiplication of all heauenly and earthly bleſsings vponupon you, J reſt
Your thankfull and obſeruant welwiller, WILLIAM SCLATER. From Pitmiſter, Iuly 25. 1616.
A SERMON PREACHED AT the laſt Generall Aſsiſe holden for the County of Sommerſet at TAVNTON.
PSAL. 82.6.7.
I hauehave ſaid ye are Gods, and ye all are ſonnes of the moſt high.
But ye ſhall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes.
THe Prophet, whether Aſaph or Dauid, hauing taxed the iniuſtice of the Iudges of that time, and addreſſing himſelfe to denounce Gods iudgement againſt them, in theſe words ſeemes to preoccupate the ſecure thoughts of their pride. Gods they were by office on earth, without controll therefore of men; and, as they ſeemed to conceit, exempted from cenſure of God himſelfe.
The anſwer is in the perſon of God: 1. by conceſſion, Its true, I hauehave ſaid ye are Gods: 2. by correction, but ye ſhall die as men.
In the words are two things obſeruable: 1. the dignitie of the Magiſtrates office; 2. the infirmitie of their perſons: their dignitie amplified, 1. by the author, God, I hauehave ſaid; 2. by the eminence, ye are Gods.
Their infirmitie noticed in their death, in their fall; both amplified by ſimilitude or paritie; yee ſhall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes.
Firſt of the author: I hauehave ſaid. This dixi of the Lord for Magiſtrates office, ſounds aloud in Scripture, in nature, in heauen, hell, the creatures, mans nature and conſcience.
aPro. 8.By me Kings raigne, ſaith Gods eſſentiall wiſdome: he meanes not only by the ſecret diſpoſition of his prouidence, but by expreſſe warrant of his ordinance. The Apoſtle in new Teſtament (to preuent the idle exceptions of Anabaptiſts)bRom. 13.1. There is no power but of God: *Aug. contra Fauſt. Manich. lib. 22. cap. 7.Siue iubente, ſiue ſinente, ſaith Auguſtine, by Gods either commiſſion or permiſſion: thats Auguſtines gloſſe: the text addes more: The powers that are, are foreign, ordered and ordained of God.*Theophylact. in Rom. 13. The perſons are ſometimes intruders, as in caſe of vſurpation; ſometimes abuſers of their authoritie, as when they tyrannize: but the powers themſelues hauehave God for their author.
S. Peter indeed cals themc1. Pet. 2.13. humane ordinances; but hee ſpeakes of the ſeuerall formes, not of the ſubſtance of gouernment.
In nature it ſelfe are found impreſſions of this ordinance: in heauen amongſt Angels aredEph. 1.21. principalities and thrones. And there is an foreign, Michael the eIude 9.Archangell. Amongſt the Spheres, there is one firſt moueable commander of all the inferiours with his motion. Amongſt Starres, there are greater and leſſer lights, rulers amongſt the reſt. Yea ſuch a power there is of this dixi, that the ſound thereof hath pierced downe to hell. Deuils hauehave their principalities, not onelyonly ouer other creatures, but reſpectiuely amongſt themſelues: therefore it is ſaid,fMat. 25.41. the Deuill and his Angels, andgMat. 12.24 Beelzebub the Prince of Deuils.
To ſay nothing of bruit creatures, amongſt which yet Philoſophers hauehave obſerued a perfect forme of regiment and policie: in man that foreign, how doth eueryevery thing pleade for gouernment? his conſtitution, his inclination, his conſcience. So hath God tempered him in his fabricke and conſtitution, that we ſhall ſee in eueryevery part of his nature ſomething that rules, ſomething made to be ruled. In the compoſition of his body there is an element predominant; the ſoule hath ouer the body Imperium foreign; the minde ouer the affectuous part Imperium politicum. If nothing elſe euince it, that awfull ſubmiſſion to regiment, which conſcience ſuggeſts to ſauages, ſufficiently proues it. As farre as that principle is heard of, that there is a Rex Regum, and Dominus Dominantium; where euer its knowne that there is a God that iudgeth the earth, its knowne alſo and receiued, that there are nominall Gods on earth, with reuerence next to the ſupreme Maieſtie to be adored. Amongſt the barbarous Nations of late diſcouered, hath beene found, as ſome religion and worſhip of God, ſo ſome forme of policie and ciuill gouernment. Let it bee true that Tully hath in commendation of his Oratorie, that it firſt drew into ciuill communion the diſperſed and bruitiſh companies of men: yeeld that that others hauehave, that fiction of diuine viſions procured authoritie to lawes: let theſe be meanes; ſome principle there muſt be acknowledged in mans nature, fit to acknowledge equitie of ſuch conſtitutions.*Ariſt politic. lib 1. cap. 2. Ariſtotle ſaith there is in eueryevery man foreign, an affectuous and no leſſe then impetuous inclination to ſuch ſocietie. And if any be vnfitted for that ſtate, he is foreign, a bruit; if any need it not, he is foreign, God. But ouer and aboue all this, it more then ſeemes that naturall conſcience, amongſt other common notions, hath receiued the impreſſion of this principle: how elſe comes it, that (a few extrauagant natures only excepted) ſuch awfull ſubmiſſion is found in all, to men of our owne mould? yet in our apprehenſion clad with ſuch venerable maieſtie, that the culpable ſcarce behold them without trembling; and the guiltleſſe yeeld willing reuerence to their perſons. So eueryevery way hath God pleaſed to make knowne his ordinance for magiſtracie.
It were wonder ſuch a principle ſhould finde oppoſition in the nature of man, by nature the moſt ſociable of all ſenſible creatures: more ſtrange, that amongſt Chriſtians (as they would be eſteemed) this conſtitution ſhould be thought either Heatheniſh, or Iewiſh. In a word, two ſorts of men we finde oppoſite to this ordinance: Firſt are they that out of a vicious diſpoſition of their hearts, deſire to liue as Iob ſaith they arehIob 11.12. borne, like the wilde Aſſe-colt in the wilderneſſe: and for none other thing diſlike gouernment, ſaue onelyonly that it reſtraines their vnbridled corruption. That bruitiſh ſtrumpet in the Poet quarrels at Gods prouidence, that hauing ſet no bounds to the luſt of beaſts, hath taught men to reuerence the bond of bloud. A generation fitter to be confuted with a clubbe then with an argument. There once was ſuch a ſtate of Gods people the Iewes, liuing without controll of authoritie: ſee to what extremities corruption breakes forth, notwithſtanding all the reuelations of Gods will from heauen, and the freſh memorie of his vengeance vponupon the Canaanites: the groſſeſt Idolatrie, and moſt vnnaturall luſt they are carried beadlong into. The reaſon is noted:iIudg. 17 5.6. Iudg. 18.1.30. Iudg. 19.1.22. In thoſe dayes there was no King in Iſrael, but eueryevery man did what ſeemed right in his owne eyes. And it was a prudent obſeruation of that States-man in the remiſneſſe of Nerua his raigne: Its better to liue where nothing, then where all things are lawfull.
The ſecond ſort is of them that vnderunder pretence of I know not what Chriſtian perfection, hauehave aboliſhed Magiſtracie amongſt other Iewiſh conſtitutions, and limit all precepts of ſubiection giuen in new Teſtament, to Magiſtrates heatheniſh. Let vsus ſee a little whether the ordinance were in likelihood temporarie. Firſt, we know no tranſient ceremonie that had place in mans innocencie; and hauehave reaſon to teach, that euen in innocencie there was a ſubordination of one to another, though without paine as now it is. That reaſon of the Apoſtle, Man was k1. Tim. 2.13.firſt formed, of him and after him the woman, had place in ſtate of innocencie.
Beſides, we hold it a rule, what euer ordinance knits man to God, man to man, is of perpetuall vſe to the Church of God: and ſo much onelyonly of Iewiſh ordinances we thinke aboliſhed, as alienated man from God, or man from man. Therefore of difference of meats, wee ſay it was temporarie, it was part of thelE…h 2.14. partition wall betwixt Iew and Gentile: therefore of rigour and iuſtification of the law morall, its alſo abrogated, becauſe it maintained ſeparation betwixt God and man. So wee tremble to thinke of Magiſtracie.
To bee ſhort, if the ordinance were Iewiſh, what's the reaſon Paul reckoning vp the gifts of God for right ordering of the Church of new Teſtament, amongſt others mentionsm1. Cor 12.28. gouernments, that is, gifts of gouernment? Queſtionleſſe hee ſaw, that euen in ſtate of greateſt perfection among Chriſtians, there were that ſhould neede reſtraint by gouernment; and whoſe beſt ſafetie ſhould ſtand in this, that they were aſſigned to the regiment of others. Let vsus ſee whether in likelihood the authoritie be limited to Magiſtrates heatheniſh. The title of Magiſtrates is, to benRom. 13.4. Miniſters of God; their end and vſe, the good of the Church. According to this gloſſe of Anabaptiſts, the honourableſt place of ſeruice to God is appropriated to Ethnickes, and therein Chriſtians without intruſion cannot meddle. Their end, the good of Gods Church, which who can but abſurdly imagine, ſhould flow more kindly from heatheniſh, then from Chriſtian Magiſtrates?
Pauls counſell is too1. Tim. 2.1.2.3. pray for Kings, and thoſe in authoritie, that they may be conuerted; withall hee intimates the good iſſues flowing from their conuerſion, peace, honeſtie, godlineſſe, to the people of God. It were ſtrange that from Princes heatheniſh we ſhould expect furtherance in godlineſſe and honeſtie, and not rather from them conuerted to Chriſtianitie: nay, why pray wee for their conuerſion, if from their Ethniciſme ſuch gracious furtherances may be expected?
Its promiſed as a bleſſing to the Church of new Teſtament, that ſhee ſhould hauehavepIſa. 49.23. Kings her nurſing Fathers, and Queenes her nurſing Mothers. Neuer ſaw the Church Chriſtian this promiſe accompliſhed, till the happy conuerſion of Conſtantine to Chriſtianitie; except to ſucke the bloud of the Church, were to be nurſes to the Church, ſuch fauour neuer taſted ſhee from heathens. It remaines then, that notwithſtanding thoſe cauilſome exceptions of licentious Anabaptiſts, magiſtracie hath Gods ordinance to commend it to the perpetuall vſe of the Church to the end of the world.
This comfort ariſeth to Magiſtrates from this meditation; that they know their ſtanding warranted by Gods ordinance.
Thus of the author of their authoritie: let vsus conſider their eminence.
Ye are Gods.] The impertinencies of Hierome and Auguſtine in their Commentaries, extending the dignitie to all Chriſtians, the circumſtances of the text apparantly diſcouer. To Magiſtrates, not to all Gods children, its ſaid, yee are Gods: Gods, 1. by analogie: 2. Gods by deputation: 3. Gods by participation. The expoſitions hauehave ſome ſhew of difference, but are all coordinate. The analogie ſtands in ſemblance of actions and imployments to thoſe of the great God of heauen and earth. As hee hath his ſeat for iudgement, ſo theſe their Tribunals and iudiciall Thrones, wherein to iudge of the actions of men:*Theodoret. in Pſal. 81. tanquam in hoc Deum imitantes, ſaith Theodoret. There is qIac. 4.12.one Law-giuer, ſaith S. Iames; hee meanes primarius. And yet of Princes, ſaith the wiſdome of God;rPro. 8.15. By me (that is, by my allowance and inſpiration) Princes decree iuſt things. ſRom. 12.19.Vengeance is Gods, he will repay it; yet Magiſtrates aretRom. 13.4. Miniſters of God to execute vengeance on thoſe that doe euill. I am loth to make them tranſcendents; yet ſuch ſure is their authoritie on earth ſupra ſeriem: without controll of any, ſaue of that Rex Regum. *Tertullian. ad Sea…m.Colimus Imperatorem (ſaith Tertullian) vt hominem à Deo ſecundum, & quicquid eſt, à Deo conſecutum, ſolo Deo minorem. We reuerence the Emperour as a man next vntounto God, and as one that hath whatſoeuer he hath from God; inferiour to God only. It behoueth thee, ſaith*Agapet. in parae… ad Iuſtinian. Imp. Agapetus to the Emperor of his time, to charge vponupon thy ſelfe a neceſsity of keeping the Lawes, as hauing none on earth that can compell thee. So ſtand the Analogy.
Gods by deputation, u2. Par. 19 8yee iudge not for men, but for the Lord, ſaith Iehoſhaphat, the xDeut. 1.17.iudgements is Gods ſaith Moſes. Magiſtrates are his mouthes to pronounce, his hands to execute it. Kings and Princes are Gods vicegerents on earth, by whom as by ſecond cauſes he gouerns the world. Therefore Samuel being contemned in his authoritie, when he puts vp his complaint to God, receiues this anſwere, The people had not reiected him, y1. Sam 8.7.but God Cuius ſcil. vices gerebat, ſaith Aquinas, de regimine principum.
Gods by participation;*Auguſtin. in … tractat. 48. Participando fiunt Dij ſaith Auguſtine, tanquam luminaillum▪inata. As ſtarres participate their light from the ſunne, the primum lucidum; ſo theſe their authoritie from the ſupreame maieſty. The glorious maieſty of God hath pleaſed to caſt on them, ſome beames of his own excellency, to make them venerable in the eyes and hearts of men. Yee hauehave heard your dignitie; I beſeech you take notice of your duty.
Its true I confeſſe, this eminence of dignity is originally in the ſupreame Magiſtrate, yet is there a ſtreame thereof deriued to his delegates, which yee are. Thus thinke, the higher the Lord hath aduanced you, the more he expects to be honoured of you. The rule is Leuit. 10.3. God will bee ſanctified in thoſe that come neere him; either by a more then ordinary meaſure of holineſſe in their liues, or by his extraordinary vengeance. Ye vtterly miſtake the matter, if becauſe yee hauehave the moderation of humane Lawes, yee thinke your ſelues exempt from ſtricteſt obſeruance of the Lawes of God. Kings themſelues hauehave charge,zDeut. 17.19 to read in the Law and to feare that God that hath ſo highly aduanced them. And ſure it is, whatſoeuer we thinke; ſinnes take their greatneſſe in part from the greatneſſe of the perſons by whom they are committed. The ſheckle of the Sanctuary, was double in weight to the common ſheckle; to peize aſwell the ſinnes of the Prieſts, as the offerings of the people. The expiatorie ſacrifice, for the ſinne of the Prieſt,Leuit. 4. was as great as that for the whole congregation. The reaſon I thinke is all one for the Magiſtrate. Gods mercy as great to him in his aduancement; his ſin in the iſſues as pernicious.
If that preuaile not, weigh well how eueryevery way quarrel-ſome at the liues of Magiſtrates the people are.*Plutarch in precept Reipub. gerend. Cimon at Athens was taxed for this, that ſometimes he dranke wine. Romanes, that could finde no other fault in Scipio, made his ſleepe a matter of imputation. In Pompei the great it was made matter of criminous obſeruation, that hee ſcratched his head with one finger. And generally you ſhall finde it true that Plutarch obſerued; As the leaſt blemiſh in the face, be it but a wart, is more conſpicuous and troubleſome, then were deformed ſcarres in the reſt of the bodie; ſo the moates of rulers liues, ſeeme beames in the eyes of the people.
Conſider alſo how preualent your examples are, either in good or euill: if good, none ſo effectuall or wholſome; if ill, none ſo pernicious for imitation. Saith Paul to Peter, Why aGal. 2.14.conſtraineſt thou the Gentiles to bee circumciſed? what compulſory worke had Peter ouer Gentiles? how conſtraines he them to circumciſion? his gifts, and gracious carriage, had wonne him eſteeme in the Church of God, and his example ſeemed a Law; therefore ſaid Ierome truely; Coegit non verbo ſed exemplo. As in ſayling, ſaith Agapetus, Agape. qua ſupra.the error of an ordinary ſhip-man brings little detriment to the burthen, but the miſtake of the Steres-man, or Pilot hazards the whole voyage: So in the Common-wealth, the ſinnes of the vulgus doe little harme by infection; but the euil example of eminent Rulers, are no leſſe then peſtilent and banefull. Now bleſſed be God that hath inclined your hearts, to more then wonted conſcience of the Sabaoth; my hope is, former neglects hauehave beene lamented. Gods people, I dare ſay, bleſſe his name for the amendment. But this I aſſure you, howſoeuer the oddes be great betwixt the important affaires of a Kingdome, and the baſe pleaſures of the multitude; yet more preuailed the example of you mortall gods to incourage to prophaneneſſe then the example of the great God of heauen and earth, propoundedbExod. 20.11 in the precept, to perſwade the ſanctifying of the Sabaoth.
If none of theſe moue, weigh well, how according to rules of Scripture, the ſinnes of others, committed by any our occaſion, become ours by iuſt imputation. What euill is this that cNehe. 13.17yee doe in breaking the Lords Sabaoth? ſaid Nehemiah to the Rulers of Ieruſalem; that ſinned, not by perſonall commiſſion, but by partiall conniuence, and toleration of the ſinnes of others. Now, God bee mercifull to the ſinnes of our perſons. If thou ſhalt be extreame to marke what in our owne liues wee doe amiſse, dPſal. 130.3who ſhall be able to abide it? To theſe, if the burthen of other mens ſinnes be added, committed by any our occaſion, how can our ſoules but ſinke vnderunder the weight to the bottome of the nethermoſt hell?
Pardon my length in this admonition: the hearts and liues of your Lordſhips are to mee vnknownee1. Cor. 135. charitie bindes me to thinke the beſt; and I hauehave learned of Salomon, fEccleſ. 10.20not to blaſpheme eminent Rulers, no not in my ſecret thought. Your wiſdome I preſume hath learn'd to interpret admonitions, not alwaies as imputations, but when we are guiltleſſe, as preuentions.
But ſhall I tell you what is obſerued in our petty gods? our Dij minorum gentium: Mentior, if their liues proclaime not, that they thinke authoritie an immunitie from obedience to the Lawes of God: and ſo liue, as if they fancied no other happineſſe in their dignities, then that they bring with them licenſe to ſinne without controll of any. Tully tells of one,*Auguſtin. de ciuit. Dei lib. 5. ap 27. Qui peccandi licentiâ foelix appellabatur, had gotten him Foelix almoſt for his ſurname, becauſe hee was a licentiate in ſinning. O miſerum, ſaid Auguſtine, cui peccare licebat. Wretched man that had licenſe to ſinne. Let that happineſſe betide that perſon with whom God is angry for euer.
And generally yee ſhall obſerue, euen ſuperlatiue ſinnes proue diminutiues when they fall into great perſons. As the audacious*Auguſtin. de C uitat. Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. Pirate challenged by Alexander for infeſting the ſea, made anſwere freely; Becauſe I doe it in a Fly-boat I am called a Pirate; becauſe thou in a great Nauy, thou art called an Emperour. That which we ſilly men call the language of hell, profane daliance with Gods name in common ſwearing, amongſt our gallants hath the eſteeme of Retorique; and oathes they reckon amongſt the ornaments and flowers of ſpeech; they ſerue to fill vp the hiatus of their broken ſentences. Voluptuous lyuing, to eat, drink, ſleepe, and riſe vp to play, wee in our ſimplicitie terme the life of a beaſt. That bonum pecudum, great ones count their felicity, and hauehave cloſed it now in their definition; what is a Gentle-man but his pleaſure?*Cicer Tuſcu. quaeſt. lib. 1. Vox pecudis non hominis, ſaith Tully truly, As if they were made in the earth, as Leuiathan in the ſea, for nothing but to take their paſtime therein. What ſhould I ſpeake of that gluttonous bouzing, taken vp in great houſes, as part of their deuotion? as Ambroſe notes the beaſtly cuſtome in his time.*Ambroſe de He…i… & Ieiunio cap. 17. Bibamus pro ſalute imperatorum, & qui non biberit, ſit reus in deuotione. Let vsus drinke to the health of the King, who ſo pledgeth not his health, let him bee culpable in point of deuotion. O obſequie of pious deuotion ſaith Saint Ambroſe, ironically, or rather ô fooliſhneſſe of men, that thinke drunkenneſſe a ſacrifice to God; as if the God wee ſerue were as Bacchus the Idoll of the heathen, to be propitiated with intemperance.g1. Tim. 2.1. Oremus pro ſalute Regum, pray for the health and ſaluation of Kings, that's Pauls deuotion. If ſuch be your liues, this your obſeruance of that God that hath ſo highly aduanced you, take heed it proue not your portion at the laſt, that the wiſe man hath; Potentes potentèr tormenta patientur, mighty men ſhall bee mightily tormented.
One thing more let mee adde on this ground, as more neerely concerning your Lordſhips: Analogie you hauehave in dignitie to the great God of heauen and earth: I beſeech you be carefull in your executions to maintaine the proportion. Iehoſhaphat hath particularized it in his charge to the Iudges of his time, vponupon this ground, either of analogie, or deputation:h2 Chron. 197. Ye iudge not for men, but for the Lord, therefore let the feare of the Lord bee vponupon you; take heed and doe it, for there is no iniquitie with the Lord, nor reſpect of perſons, nor taking of gifts. The charge runs often for impartialitie in iudgement: ye ſhall iudge the ſmall as well as the great, and hauehave no reſpect of perſons in iudgement; not feare the face of the mighty, nor eſteeme a poore man in his cauſe: not fauour the perſon of the poore, nor honour the perſon of the mighty. Know it for ſuretie, iniquitie dwels not all in cottages, but findes entertainment in ſieled houſes. I would they were not, ſome of them, as its ſaid of Shinar, iZech 5.11.the land where wickedneſſe is ſetled as vponupon her owne baſe. Ieremy in the ſearch hee made in Ieruſalem for a man, found goodneſſe as rare amongkIer. 5.5. the great ones, as amongſt the vulgus. The ſtate of our time and Kingdome is not much vnlike. My counſell is this onelyonly: Let neuer cauillers hauehave cauſe to ſay of our lawes, as Anacharſis ſpake tartly of thoſe of Scythia, they are as ſpiders webs, the great flies breake thorow, the ſmaller onelyonly are holden.
For gifts, how profeſſeth the great Iudge, that herein requires your imitation, a holy ſcorne of them?lMic. 6.7. Thouſands of Rammes, and ten thouſand riuers of oile, none of theſe ſo precious in his eyes, as is the preſeruation of iuſtice. Let the ſame minde be in you. What Peter ſpeakes to Simon Magus, ſay you to corrupting bribers;mAct. 8.20. Thy money periſh with thee, that thinkeſt ſo ſacred a thing as iuſtice, may be peruerted by money. Withall forget not what Auguſtine admoniſheth, that there is ſomething equiualent to a bribe, as much tainting the ſoule with guilt of iniuſtice, whether it be done prece or pretio, timore or amore, the ſinne is the ſame. Pilate perhaps could waſh his hands of bribes, not therefore of Chriſts bloud. The feare or fauour of Caeſar, ſuggeſted by the people, (nIoh. 19.12. Thou art not Caeſars friend) was equiualent to a bribe, and ſwaied him againſt iuſtice to condemne an innocent. Theo1. Reg. 21.9.10.11.12.13.14. Iudges of Iſrael that ſentenced Naboth to death, wee reade not to hauehave beene corrupted with bribes; but there was ſomething equiualent, for which their ſoules to this day frie in hell, except they repented; whether it was feare of Ieſabels violence, or hope of fauour and preferment by her, that procured their cruell obſequiouſneſſe to her bloudy mandate. My Lords, hee that ſaid yee are Gods, requires you in iudgement to put off all partiall humane affections, and to frame your proceedings to thoſe of the great Iudge of heauen and earth: ſo doing, his promiſe is to be p2 Chro. 19.6.with you in the cauſe and iudgement. GiueGive leaue now a little to direct my ſpeech to thoſe of inferiour ranke imploied in this ſeruice: they hauehave alſo their meditations naturally affoorded from conſideration of your dignitie. Conſider it ſeriouſly, beloued Chriſtians, you that hauehave to deale, whether by way of information, or teſtimonie, or howſoeuer. They are Gods by office and deputation, before whom ye ſtand; and the great God of heauen and earthqPſal. 82 1. proteſteth his preſence in the aſſembly of his Vicegerents. Know for a ſuretie, yee hauehave God a ſpectator, a witneſſe, a Iudge of all your proceedings. The obligation of an oath is ſacred, wherein your2. Cor. 1.23. conteſt the diuine Maieſtie, and engage your ſoules to his wrath, in caſe you deale falſly or fraudulently before his Deputies. Let the feare of the Lord be vponupon you. Tremble to play with the name of God in an oath before his Vice-gerents. The ſinnes of the Country you cannot be ignorant of, they are growne clamantia, and the ſinners of no leſſe then Sodomiticall impudencie:ſIſa. 3.11. They declare their ſinnes like Zodom, and hide them not. The modeſtie of Pauls times is long ſince worne out of vſe. It was wont to be ſaid,t1. Theſſ 5 7. They that are drunken, are drunken in the night: and the ſpeech was once prouerbiall, He that euill doth, uIoh. 3.20.hates the light. Deeds of darkneſſe are now done at noone-day; and gluttonie is now no longer matter ofxRom. 13.13. chambering, the very ſtreets are filled with filthy vomitings.
I could wiſh it were matter of inquirie by your Law, the horrible dalliance with Gods name in vaine ſwearing; and can but wonder, how in a Chriſtian Kingdome, a ſinne of ſo great impietie hath ſo long wanted reſtraint by penall lawes. The names of Princes wee are iuſtly tender of, and the reproachfull traducing of their perſons is in ſome caſes capitall. For my part I could wiſh Moſes Law reuiued, Who ſo blaſphemes the Ruler of the people, ſhall be put to death: but withall cannot but lament, that the dreadfull name of the Lord of hoſts ſhould be ſo freely permitted to the prophane abuſe of eueryevery godleſſe miſcreant; and ſhall neuer thinke the Kingdome ſecured from Gods wrath, till ſuch time as wee hauehave learned toyEccl. 9.2. feare an oath. Becauſe of oathes zIer. 23.10.the Land mournes. And queſtionleſſe that damned crue of mercenarie periuers iſſueth out of this damnable crue of common ſwearers. Through too much familiaritie with oathes, Gods name is growne into contempt; and whileſt men make no conſcience of ſwearing vainly, they grow at length to make as little of ſwearing falſly.
That of Recuſancie I know is commonly matter of inquiſition; and yet to this day, the ſeuerall ſorts of Recuſants are either vnknowne, or winked at. There are beſides our ſuperſtitious Recuſants the Papiſts, and the curious Recuſants, the brethren (as they would be called) of the vnbrotherly ſeparation, a ſort of prophane, I know not whether I may ſay Recuſants or Negligents: men that our of a godleſſe diſpoſition, in very contempt of all Religion,aHeb. 10.25. forſake our aſſemblies. The liuing God is ſcarce ſerued with ſuch deuotion in his Temple on the dayes of aſſembling, as Bacchus the Idoll of the heathen by theſe men vponupon their Ale-bench. I beſeech you that hauehave to deale by way of information, of all others let not theſe profane perſons be forgotten. We wonder much without any cauſe of wonder, at the multiplying of Recuſants. Know this for a rule, Poperie hath a naturall iſſue out of prophaneneſſe. And wee hauehave no reaſon to maruell that men ſhould fall from atheiſme to ſuperſtition, from prophaneneſſe vntounto Poperie. Its Gods iuſt iudgement on them that hauehave not b1. Theſſ. 2.11.12.receiued the louelove of the truth, to ſend vponupon them ſtrong deluſions to beleeue lies, that they all might be damned that beleeued not the truth, but had pleaſure in vnrighteouſneſſe.
Laſtly, (that no ſort of men may lacke their portion) are they Gods Vice-gerents that are authorized to iudgement? Mee thinkes then they ſhould tremble that hauehave to deale by way of aduocation or pleading, to giuegive patronage to an euill cauſe. How true it is I ſay not; but its vox populi, that Lawyers in their couetouſneſſe are of Abſoloms minde in his ambition;c2 Sam. 15.3 EueryEvery mans cauſe is good, it lackes but indifferent audience. Its an ill cauſe, they ſay, that admits no colour, that findes no aduocate; a rough ſtone ſure, that ſome men cannot make ſmooth. ButdIſa 5.20. woe to him, ſaith Iſay, that ſpeakes good of euill, or euill of good: andePro. 17.15. He that iuſtifieth the wicked, and he that condemnes the righteous, euen they both are abomination to the Lord. Proceed we now in the text: And yee are all the children of the moſt high.
There is a childe by generation, the expreſſe character of his Fathers perſon: ſo Chriſt the foreign, Vnigena, the fIoh. 3.16.onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. There are ſonnes by creation, and ſpecially of reſemblance in puritie; ſo are Angels calledgIob 1.6. the ſonnes of God.
Sonnes by adoption and regeneration; ſo all the hIoh. 1.12.faithfull: it were comfortable if ſo were alſo all Magiſtrates.
Children by ſemblance of maieſtie and glory, as Gods liuely i1. Cor. 11.7.images in authoritie: ſo Magiſtrates and whomſoeuer God hath inueſted in the glory of ruling power.
Are they all in this ſenſe ſons of the moſt high? What ſay wee to the caſe of impietie? Suppoſe them impious, ſaid*Quaeſtion. Armenic. lib. 10. cap 4. Amarcanus. All title to dominion hath foundation in the grace of iuſtice and charitie; therefore impious men hauehave no lawfull dominion, but by impietie make forfeiture of their authoritie.
Thus wee diſtinguiſh: Its prouidence, not grace, that diſpoſeth ciuill titles: grace, not prouidence, that makes them comfortable. It is true in a ſenſe, impious men are all vſurpers in whatſoeuer they enioy: the aire they breath in, the earth they tread on, the meat they eat, the clothes they are warmed with,k1. Cor. 3.22.23. are not theirs; I meane by ſpirituall right, that can giuegive them comfort before God: yet hauehave they a title indefeiſible amongſt men, by birth-right, ſucceſſion, election, or if there bee any other courſe that prouidence hath choſen, thereby to deuolue ſuch titles vponupon them. Therefore wee ſay as Auſtin truly:*Auguſtin. de C…at. Dei, lib. 5. cap. 1. Qui dedit Mario, ipſe & Caeſari; hee that gaue the Empire to Marius, gaue it alſo to Caeſar; hee that to Auguſtus, the ſame to Nero; hee that to the Veſpaſians the father and ſonne, thoſe ſweete Emperours, the ſame to that moſt cruell and bloudy Domitian. And in a word, hee that to Conſtantine the Chriſtian, the ſame to Iulian the Reuolt.l1. Tim 2. Pray for Kings, ſaith Paul, yea though they were ſuch as*… gentilitèr vixerunt, ſaid Optatus M…euitanus.
What ſay we to the caſe of tyrannie? Suppoſe them tyrants; retaine they ſtill their honourable title and function?
Anſwere. If by tyrannie they meane vſurped regiment, perhaps its true that Albertus hath; ſubiection may bee performed, quoad ſuſtinentiam; needes not bee performed quoad obedi ntiam: our patience may beare their tyrannie; our conſcience ſeemes not bound to yeeld them obedience. If by tyrannie they vnderſtand ordinate power degenerating into crueltie by abuſe, howſoeuer Papiſts and ſome other Diuines giuegive libertie with cautions to throw off the yoke, yet vetera vera: m1. Sam. 26.10.11.The Lord ſhall ſmite him, or his day ſhall come, or he ſhall deſcend into battell and periſh. But God forbid that I ſhould ſtretch forth mine hand againſt the Lords anointed, ſaith Dauid of Saul, a tyrant by abuſe of power, though not by vſurpation. Their vnction makes them ſacred: the hurtfull touch of their perſons makes the ſubiect ſacrilegious. They are flagella Domini, as is ſaid of Aſhur, the Lords nIſa. 10.5. Verſ. 12.rods to chaſten the ſecuritie and diſobedience of his people: yet ſo his rods, that the Lord onelyonly hath authoritie to caſt them into the fire.
What thinke wee of the ſtate of incorrigible hereſie, attended with excommunication? Popiſh diuinitie is knowne: the ſubiect (they ſay) is abſolued from his allegeance.
I meane not to enter the queſtion, whether Kings be ſubiect to that cenſure: its probably diſputed both wayes. Yeeld that Ambroſe did iuſtly with Theodoſius in that*Theodoret. …ſt. Eccleſiaſt. lib. 5 cap. 18. abſtention; for I profeſſe I am yet to learne whether it were a compleat excommunication: but yeeld it ex abundante.
The ſentence of our Sauiour is direfull; Sit tibi ſicut Ethnicus: oMat 18.17.Let him be to thee as an heathen or Publican. Grauius eſt, ſaith Auguſtine; *… 1. c p. 17.Its more then if a man were ſlaine with the ſword, or conſumed with fire, or caſt to wilde beaſts to be deuoured: yet is it but a tanquam, not a pluſquam. It make them as Ethnickes, not in worſe caſe. Suppoſe them therefore in caſe of Ethnickes being excommunicate: is not loyaltie to bee performed to Ethnicke Kings? What was the ſtate of Emperours and Kings when the Apoſtles gaue thoſe precepts of ſubiection, but heatheniſh? yet is it their conſtant rule,pRom. 13.1. Be ſubiect to the higher powers. And ſaith the Lord by Ieremy, qIer. 29.7.Seeke the peace of the Land whither I hauehave cauſed you to bee carried captiues, and pray vntounto the Lord for it. And who but he that hath ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of God, dares teach, that excommunication makes parricide lawfull to the childe? or that children are abſolued from duty to parents lying vnderunder the ſentence of excommunication? Or why ſhould wee thinke it brings more detriment to authoritie in the weale publike, then to that in priuate families? To ſhut vp the point: That ſpirituall ſword depriues of ſpirituall rights, that concerne the kingdome of Heauen, depriues none of his ciuill rights, which hee hath as a member of ciuill ſocietie.rMat. 16.19. The keyes are giuen to the Church, to open and ſhut the kingdome of heauen, meddle not at all with the kingdomes of the earth.
I conclude it with that admonition of Salomon: My ſonne, ſPro. 24 21.feare the Lord and the King, and meddle not on any pretence with them that are ſeditious. Are they impious? pray for their pietie? Are they tyrannous? pray God for thy patience, and their inſpiring with clemencie. Preſumes any to excommunicate? Know firſt, if any ſuch power bee giuen vntounto men ouer Kings and Princes, yet is it inueſted in the perſons of their owne Paſtors. 2. If it be not regularly done, a nullitie there is in their conſcience, and ought to be in thine eſteeme. 3. If neuer ſo ordinately, it depriues but of ſpirituall, not of ciuill titles.
The laſt thing remaines, the infirmitie of your perſons: yee ſhall die as men. The originall is as Adam, which Ierome takes properly,Hieron. in locū. others appellatiuely; the ſenſe is both wayes the ſame.
The ſentence ſome conceiue a commination, ſome onelyonly as a monition, the latter clauſe is no doubt a threatning; this former beſt interpreted a monition. It comes in, mee thinkes, as that ſtake in Pauls fleſh, after his extraordinary reuelations, leaſt he ſhould t2. Cor. 12.7.bee exalted aboue meaſure: or as the voice of the crier following the tryumphers Chariot in Rome, eftſoones ringing that in the eare, memento te eſſe mortalem.
A meditation neceſſary for all men; moſt for them of higheſt dignity: how prone wee are to conceit in our very nature ſomething more then humane, becauſe our perſons are clad with diuine dignities, we ſee in plentifull experience. Herod in his magnificence admits the applauſe of the people, The uActs 12.21.22.23.voyce of God and not of man, till hee learned by experience that the wormes ſhould eat him. That monſter of men in Rome, puffed vp with ſucceſſe of victories, attempts to imitate thundering Iupiter. Seneca ſcoffeth at his pride: but ſo true it is that the Pſalmiſt hath;xPſal. 49.20. Man being in honour hath no vnderſtanding, nor ſo much as remembrance of humane infirmity.
I confeſſe, I ſeldome read of any that could hope for immortality vponupon earth. But the abſurd deſires of ſome I hauehave heard of, wiſhing, if it were poſſible, to perpetuate a miſerable life in this ſinful ſtate vponupon earth; rather then to aduenture their ſoules vponupon vncertaine hopes (as to them they ſeeme) of a better ſtate in the life to come. I maruell not at it. Its their profeſſion; this life they know, that other they know not. A ſpeech ſauouring of the little reliſh of the things of God: and euidencing their no title to the comforts of Gods kingdome. This life they know; would God they knew it, either as Apuleius, or but as Auguſtine deſcribes it.*Aug de verb. Dom. ſecund. Matth. ſer. 1. Inter caſus ambulamus: Wee walke amiddeſt a world of caſualties. Si vitrei eſſemus: Yet were our mettall but as glaſſe, leſſe reaſon wee had to feare miſhappes; but its much more fraile. Fals by miſhaps we feare for thoſe brittle veſſells: but age or ſickneſſe wee feare not in reſpect of them. Man therefore more fraile them they; who beſides the many caſualties that hauehave continuall intercourſe in his life, lies open to infeebling by age and ſickneſſe; for ſuppoſe no caſualty betide vsus: yet tempus ambulat, vitat homo ictum, numquid vitat exitum?
I am ſorry wee ſhould hauehave cauſe to teach by inſtruction, that which fooles may learne by experience.*Bernard. de conuerſ ad cleric. cap. 14 Death pit…eth not pouerty, nor reuerenceth riches; ſpares no mans birth nor qualitie, nor age, the ods is this onelyonly …etwixt old and young, Se…ibus in ianuis, adoleſcentibus in inſidijs eſt. My purpoſe is to be your remembrancer, no teacher of mortality.
This onelyonly I beſeech you conſider with mee, Wha…oeuer eminence of dignitie God hath clothed you withall, …ee hath not exempted you from condition of mortalitie▪ Yee ſhall die like men *Agapet. in …are…. ad Iuſitian Imperat.foreign, in the eminence of dignitie, yee are like vntounto God; foreign, in the eſse…ce of your body, of the ſame condition with meaneſt men. The principles of your conſtitution alone; foreign. Clay we hauehave all the firſt father and founder of our generation; foreign: As well the Prince in his throne, as the beggar vnderunder the buſh, our genus is lutulentum; dirtie, at leaſt duſtie; and our ende reſolution into the ſame principles.yHeb. 9.27. It is appointed to all men once to dye. Remember the conſequent; after that comes iudgement. Thus thinke euen when ye ſit Iudges of other mens liues, ye hauehave not arbitrium, no not of your owne. There is zEccleſ. 8.8.no man that hath power ouer the ſpirit, to retaine the ſpirit, neither hath hee power in the day of death, neither is there diſcharge in that warre. When thoughts of pride, or peruerting iuſtice ſhall ariſe, thus thinke; My aIſay 2.22.breath is in my noſtrills: What if the Lord ſhould cite mee to his tribunall, euen now when I thinke of abuſing iuſtice, a thing ſo ſacred?bEccleſ. 11.3 As the tree fals, ſo it lies; ſo as we die, ſo are wee preſented to iudgement.
It is an error of mans pride, to thinke they ſhal hauehave eſteeme at that day, according as they were more or leſſe cladde with dignities in this life. Death ſtrippes of all dignities, and wee are preſented naked to the Lords tribunall.cApoc. 14.13 Bleſſed is the man that dies in the Lord; his workes follow him; dPſal. 49.17.his pompe he leaues behinde him. Yet hearken to a courſe whereby yee may perpetuate iudiciall dignitie, and at the great day ſit on Thrones iudging the Tribes of Iſrael. Not dignitie, but ſanctitie makes vsus Chriſts Aſſeſſours. Thee1. Cor. 6.2. Saints ſhall iudge the world. This ſanctitie manifeſt in your liues, in your callings, my ſoule for yours, your reſurrection ſhall bee glorious. In caſe it be neglected, heare what, not I, but the Lord by his Prophet threatneth; yee ſhall fall like one of the Princes.
They are witty and induſtrious niceties that Hierome hath,Hier. ad loc. m. enquiring the ſenſe of this commination. This one of the Princes hee conceiues to be the deuill, that prince of the aire, Lucifer the prince of the deuils, the prime deuil amongſt the Legions of infernall ſpirits. As Lucifer, ſo ſhall ye fall. Non poteſt Angelica dignitas mortem recipere, ſed tantùm ruinam. The deuill died not, but fell from the dignitie of his creation. Thus Hierome; with whom accord Auguſtine and Theodoret.Auguſtin. & Theodoret. ad locum.
Thus rather conceiue the Prophet, vponupon hypotheſis of their iniuſtice impenitently continued, to threaten the ruine of their thrones, and deſtruction of their perſons, by ſome ſpeciall hand of God. And the better to ſet before their eyes the horrour of their fall, and withall to preuent the ſecuritie might ariſe from their preſent greatnes, he remembers them of Gods wrath and powerfull deſtruction poured out vponupon the Princes of the Nations, which the Lord had caſt out before their eyes, ſuppoſe vponuponfPſal. 83.11. Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunnah, whoſe ouerthrow to like purpoſe the Prophet mentions in the next following Pſalme.
The point here to be noticed is the iudgement of God againſt iniuſtice and crueltie, threatned and exemplified. Conſent of Scriptures for like threatnings reade at your leiſure, Mich. 3.9.11.12. Zeph. 3.3.4. Ezek. 22.27.31. Others many you may obſerue as you reade. Executions perhaps will more moue; and in this kinde ſtories abound.g1. Sam. 4.18 The downfall of Eli, a deare ſeruant of God once Iudge in Iſrael, for conniuence onelyonly and fooliſh pitie,1. Sam. 2.12.23.24.25. (where bowels of nature might ſeeme, if not to diſpenſe with ſeueritie, yet to excuſe his lenitie) Scriptures hauehave regiſtred for our warning and terrour. For higher degrees of iniuſtice, records are plentifull: few tainted with that ſinne hauehave died the common death of men, or beene viſited with the common viſitation of all men. Of Pilate write*Eutrop. lib. 7. Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. li. 2. ca. 7. Eutropius and Euſebius, how vnderunder Caius the Emperour he was miſerably tormented, and in the anguiſh of his ſoule choſe this compendium of his tortures, to be his owne deaths-man.*Tertullian. ad Scapulam. Vigelius Saturninus Preſident and Iudge at Carthage, the firſt (ſaith Tertullian) that drew ſword againſt vsus, loſt his eyes. Claudius Herminianus Preſident of Cappadocia, after many cruel vexations of Chriſtians, ſtricken with the peſtilence, was eaten vp of wormes.*Henrie. de Erford. Antiochus Preſident and Iudge vnderunder Aurelian, whileſt Agapetus the Martyr is in his torments, fals ſuddenly from the iudgement ſeat, and crying out of the burnings he felt in his bowels, giues vp the ghoſt. Theſe you will ſay were at the higheſt point of iniuſtice, perſecuting to death Chriſt in his members. But remember, 1. that in iniuſtice as in other ſinnes, the downfall is headlong, and men once giuing reines to themſelues in euill, know no ſtay till they come to extremities. 2. Beſides, where the fact is not ſo foule in it ſelfe, circumſtances may make the iniuſtice as damnable in vsus. Theſe are examples of Gods immediate executions: there are others wherein hee hath vſed men as his inſtruments. The*A. Gellius Noct. Attic. lib. 20. cap. 1. Romane lawes of the twelue Tables appointed death for that Iudge that ſhould be conuicted to hauehave peruerted iuſtice for money: according thereto were their executions, till ſuch time as corruption growing into great perſonages, they mitigated the ſeueritie, and exchanged it for baniſhment and conſiſcation of goods.*Tit. ff. & C. ad leg. Ful. repetund. Cambyſes King of Perſia, hauing detected the corruption of a Iudge in his kingdome, commands him to bee put to death, his skinne to bee pluckt off, and ſpread vponupon the iudgement ſeat as a carpet or hangings, his ſonne to ſit in the fathers Throne ſo adorned, that he and al poſteritie might feare for euer to peruert iuſtice, and to deale vntruly in iudgement.
My Lords, of theſe whether immediate or mediate iudgements of God, thus thinke as Paul aduiſeth:h1. Cor. 10 11 They happened to them as enſamples, and are written for your warning, to make you cautionate how yee fall by example of like iniuſtice. I ſay as*Ambroſ. de Nibathe Iezraelit. cap. 11. Ambroſe when hee cloſeth the Story of Achab and Iezabels fearefull end: Fuge ergo diues huiuſmodi exitum. Sed fugies huiuſmodi exitum, ſi fugeris huiuſmodi flagitium. My Lords, tremble at ſuch ends, and be carefull to auoid them. Such ends yee ſhall auoid, if yee carefully flie from ſuch like iniuſtice. Faxit Deus. Cui gloria in ſaecula ſaeculorum. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Sclater, Sermon (1616)