Three Godly and Fruitful Sermons, Sermon 4
The fourth Sermon.
Doct. 1 THey are the moſt miſerable and wretched Thoſe that rebell againſt God are the worſt rebels.rebels, that are rebels againſt God.
Though it bee an offence verie grieuous and odious for a ſubiect to ſhew himſelf diſloyall to his earthly Soueraigne, yet this ſhall ſtand as a ſure concluſion when heauen & earth ſhall fall, that the greateſt Sinner is the greateſt Traitor. Hence it is, that when the Prophet Samuel would ſet out the hainouſnes of Sauls ſinne, in ſparing Agag the King of the Amalekites, and the beſt of the ſheepe and oxen, and of the things that ſhould hauehave been deſtroyed, hee compareth it with thoſe crimes that were moſt hatefull andExod. 22. 18. 20 moſt puniſhable by Gods law, ſaying, Rebellion (to1. Sam. 15. 22. wit, againſt the Lord) is as the ſinne of witchcraft, and tranſgreſsion is wickedneſſe, and Idolatrie: and therefore Saul muſt needs be a notorious malefactor, that was found guiltie thereof. So likewiſe in the prophecy of Iſaiah, when the Lord would lay vponupon the vnbeleeuing Iewes the moſt grieuous imputation that could bee, for their renouncing and forſaking of him, and their ſeeking vntounto and relying vponupon the King of Egypt for ſuccour and protection, he tearmeth them rebellious children, Iſai. 30. 1.and rebellious people: and in the ſame tearmes dealeth9. Moſes with the ſtiffenecked and peruerſe Iſraelites: Heare ye rebels (ſaith he) ſhall we bring you Numb. 20. 10.water out of the rock? as if more could not bee ſpoken for the ſhame and diſgrace of impious perſons, then to brand them with the note of rebels againſt the Lord of heauen and earth.
But that this point may be yet more cleere and perſpicuous, let vsus weigh theſe reaſons that follow for the confirmation thereof.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, the lawes that they breake (which notwithſtanding they are more ſtrictly tied to obſerue, then any ſubiect in the world is the ſtatutesRom. 7. 12. of his Prince) are moſt equal and iuſt, and meet to be kept: and therefore the preſumptuous breach thereof muſt of neceſſitie argue the moſt indigne and vnworthie rebellion that can be imagined. It was no ſmall fault in the Iſraelites to renounce their alleageance to Rehoboam, and to ſtand vp in armes againſt him, being their lawfull King and Gouernour, albeit hee threatned to impoſe vponupon them rigorous and ſharpe lawes, to make his yoke 1. King. 12. 14.more grieuous then his fathers, ſo that whereas Salomon had chaſtiſed them with rods, hee would correct them with ſcourges: how hainous then is their offence that doe refuſe to ſubmit their necks vntounto Gods yoke, who is a more abſolute King then euer any was, or ſhall be to the end of the world, whoſe lawes are perfitly good and righteous, all of them tending, not alone to his owne glorie, but to the preſent and eternall benefit and comfort of ſuch as doe obey the ſame?
Secondly, thoſe are the moſt vile traitors, that doe rebell againſt their Soueraigne, that hath bin very bountifull and gratious vntounto them: (which was it that made Achitophels treacherie againſt Dauid more inhumane & barbarous:) now what Kings fauours can ſtand in the ballance againſt Gods fauours, which he vouchſafeth to the baſeſt of the ſonnes of men? for he it is that giueth them life and being and al things: in him they liue andActs 17. moue and hauehave their ſubſiſtence: and without him they could not continue to breathe ſo much as one houre, nay nor one minute of an houre, much leſſe enioy the comfortable vſe of any creature vnderunder the Sunne: and therefore ſeeing the bounty and kindneſſe of the Lord is ſo exceeding great, their rebellion that doe lift vp themſelues againſt him, & caſt off the obedience of his lawes, is of all men moſt worthie to be condemned and abhorred.
Thirdly, their caſe doth hence appeare to bee very wofull and miſerable, that the puniſhment appointed for them, is both very grieuous and withall vnauoidable.
Firſt, the grieuouſneſſe thereof is euident by this, that whereas earthly Monarchs can proceed no further againſt the moſt notorious malefactors, but to the torturing and killing of their bodies, the confiſcating of their lands and goods, and the defaming of them and theirs for a ſeaſon: (ſo that if there bee vnfained repentance in the parties offending, as there was in the good thiefe on the croſſe, their ſoules may be ſaued, and their names healed, and both body and ſoule eternallie glorified) it is otherwiſe with the great King of heauen, who will plague thoſe that are traitors againſt his Maieſtie with al manner of iudgements in this life, and when hee hath done with them here, will call them to a reckoning againe at that great Aſſiſes at the laſt day, and there expoſe them to perpetuall ſhame and infamie, and inflict vponupon their bodies and ſoules ſuch torments as ſhall bee eaſeleſſe, endleſſe and remedileſſe.
Secondly, for the vnauoidablenes of theſe puniſhments, wee muſt know, that though rebels againſt worldly Princes, when they hauehave caſt thē ſelues into danger, may by flying, or hiding of themſelues, eſcape, or if they bee apprehended, make notable defences and apologies to ſerue their preſent purpoſe, and ſo winde themſelues out of troubles, it is no boote to deale in that ſort with the Lord: for whither can they goe from his Pſal. 139.preſence, but hee will finde them out? and what wittie and cunning deuices can they hauehave for the colouring of their treacherous practiſes, but hee will deſcrie and diſcouer the ſame, and that to their greater ſhame and puniſhment? Which beingIſaiah 29. ſo, the vſe ſhall be,
Vſe 1 Firſt, for the conuicting of many to be notorious rebels, that eſteeme themſelues as honeſt men as any in the countrey, and wil defie him that ſhal charge them with treaſon: what ſay they to this? Doe they not vſually take the holie name of God in vaine? Doe they not prophane his Sabbaths? doe they not defile their ſoules and bodies with many horrible pollutions? And whereas they hauehave been often told of theſe faults and ſharply rebuked for them, doe they not for all that continue ſtill in them, and vndertake the defence of them? Yea doe they not fret and fume and chafe at ſuch as ſeek to reclaime them from their leaud courſes? If their conſciences doe accuſe them of theſe, and the like crimes, vndoubtedly they are guiltie of high treaſon againſt the Lord of heauen and earth: they carrie the diuels badge, and fight vnderunder his banner, as profeſſed enemies vntounto God, and his truth: and whatſoeuer they thinke of themſelues, ſuch the Lord will eſteeme them to be, and proceed againſt them accordingly.
Secondly, let this teach vsus to be moſt fearefull of tranſgreſſing the ſacred lawes of our heauenlie King: and if we be at any time put to that ſtraite, that wee muſt either violate the commandement of our earthly gouernours, or of God himſelfe, let vsus chuſe rather to obey God then men: and with a meeke ſpirit and peaceable cariage ſubmit our ſelues to their cenſures, rather then incurre the Lords diſpleaſure, and ſo become liable to his iudgements.
Thirdly, this is for ſingular comfort vntounto Gods people, who are charged to be factious and ſeditious, vnquiet and vndutifull perſons: yet ſo long as their conſciences tell them, that they are willing to attend to holie and wholeſome doctrine, whereby their ſinnes may be reproued, and their hearts and liues reformed and bettered, they may be ſure that God accounteth them good ſubiects; and thoſe that are ſuch vntounto him, are of all other moſt loyall and dutifull vntounto their rulers and gouernors: neither indeed can any be truly faithful vntounto men, that hath not firſt learned to be faithfull vntounto God. Let vsus not therefore be diſmaied at the clamors of thoſe that doe vniuſtly charge vsus with diſloyaltie. Athaliah cried out, treaſon, 2. King. 11. 14.treaſon: but in truth, ſhe was the traitor her ſelfe: and the like may be ſaid of many that are ſo ready to traduce others in that ſort: whatſoeuer their outward behauiour towards Magiſtrates & ſuch as are in authoritie bee, they are miſerable and wretched rebels before the Lord, and ſuch they ſhall appeare to be in the end, if they doe not in time ſubmit themſelues vnderunder his gratious gouernment.
FINIS.