The Zealous Magistrate, Sermon

The Zealous Magistrate · Sermon

p. 1The Zealous Magiſtrate. Set forth in an Aſsize Sermon, Preached at St. Peters in Exeter the 7^th. Auguſt 1642.

NEHEMIAH 13. Ver. 17.

Then I contended with the Nobles of Iudah, and ſaid unto them, What evill thing is this that yee doe, and prophane the Sabboth day?

YOƲ had at the laſt Aſſizes, By Maſter. Geo. Trevilian out of 1…. Acts v. 17.Acts 5:17the picture of a careleſſe Iudge drawne out before you, Judge Gallio by Name, one that ſeemed ſomewhat forward for matters of Niſi prius, for meum & tunm, between Plaintiffe and Defendant; but for matter of Religiou (a bare foreign,Ver. 15. as hee prophanely ſtiles it) his Lordſhip would not touch with that.

I have now preſented you with one of another ſpirit, one (who beſides all his care and coſt for building againe the walls of Ieruſalem) makes it his Maſter worke of all, p. 2to re-eſtabliſh the worſhip and ſervice of God. And to effect this the better, Firſt he takes order, that the Churchmens livings, the Levites dues, that had a long time beene embezelled and detained, ſhould be reſtored to the right owners, verſe 10, 11, 12. of this Chapter, and falls a chiding with the Magistrates for ſuffering this horrible Sacriledge to be committed. Secondly, hee takes order for the better ſanctifying of Gods Day, that it may be no more prophaned by Carriers, and Fiſh-mongers, and Pedlers, and ſuch like Huckſters, verſe 15, 16. And here in the words of my Text, he fals a chiding the ſecond time, when he ſaw the Nobles and Rulers, ſo wicked and irreligious, to ſuffer ſuch abhominable prophanation of the Sabbath day; Then I contended with the Nobles of Iudah, and ſaid unto them, &c.

The words are a lively Character of a Zealous Magiſtrate; and wee might note in them theſe particulars: Firſt,1 Nehem v. 11.Neh 5:11 quis, who this good Magiſtrate is, and that is Nehemiah, and he a Conrtier too; Secondly, quid, what hee did, he contended: Thirdly, quibus, with whom, with the Nobles of Iudah: Fourthly, quomodo, in what manner, he layes ſin to their charge: Fifthly, quamobrem, wherefore, for ſuffering the Sabbath day to be prophaned; But I ſhall baulke this Method at preſent, and from the words (without fetching bloud from the Text) ſhall draw out ſix ſpeciall obſervations, to be the ſubject of my enſuing diſcourſe; the first ſhall be this:

Obſer. 1 The greateſt men for place and authority are not alwayes the best men. This is plaine by the Nobles of Iudah, with whom Nehemiah here finds ſuch foule fault.

Obſer. 2 The ſecond this, Great men may not be let alone in their ſinnes; but may, nay muſt be reproved for them: Nehemiah's chiding here, is warrant enough for our reproving.

Obſer. 3 The third this, 'Tis very ſit and convenient for one Magiſtrate to mind another of his place and duty: As Nehemiah did his Peeres and fellow Magiſtrates.

Obſer. 4 The fourth this, The ſins of the people will be put upon the p. 3Magiſtrates ſcore, if they do not endevour to ſuppret them: you may eaſily preſume, that theſe Magiſtrates (for ſuch were the Nobles here,Gen. B. and therefore one Tranſlation calls them Rulers) were none of thoſe Merchants and Huckſters themſelves: for they were Pedlers come from Tyre, verſe 16. and yet ſayes Nehemiah, Why doe yee this evill? Yee.

Obſer. 5 The fifth this, The prophanation of the Sabbath is a great and grievous ſinne; Why doe yee this Evill and prophane, &c.

Obſer. 6 The ſixth and laſt this; The remedy of this prophanation, muſt be a principall part of the Magiſtrates care and duty. As may be eaſily collected by Nehemiah's blaming theſe Rulers here, for their remiſſeneſſe in this particular.

Thus you ſee what a great deale of matter is couched in a few words; It is with this Text, as it is with Gold, Take but a five ſhillings piece, and it will eaſily bee beaten out into many leaves: This golden Text (you ſee) without much hammering is enlarged into many obſervations, ſo many, that the time and your patience will not allow me a thorow handling of all; and therefore I muſt doe as thoſe who deſcribe large Countries in ſmall Maps, they make but a ſpot for a City, and a daſh for a River, give you but ſome briefe Animadverſions on theſe particulars, which might well deſerve ſome longer Commentarie; and I begin with the firſt in order, namely this,

Obſer. 1 The greateſt men for place and authority, are not alwayes the beſt men.

The Prophet Jeremie ſhall make my words good in his 5. Chapter, ver. 5. When he had made a ſcrutiny throughout Ieruſalem, and could not finde one honeſt man among the common ſort of people, he made full account to ſpeed well among thoſe of better ranke and quality; I will get me unto the great men (ſaith he) for they have knowne the way of the Lord, and the judgement of their God; And becauſe the Prophet conceived they had more Wit, therfore he hoped they had more Honeſty too: But this hope was ſuch as made him aſhamed: for they had altogether p. 4broken the yoke, and burſt the bonds in ſunder: A pittifull thing it was, that thoſe which ſhould curbe and reſtraine others, ſhould be ſonnes of Belial, lawleſſe, yoakleſſe themſelves, That thoſe which ſhould ſet bounds to others, will keep no limits themſelves, that thoſe which ſhould have beene the Governours of the people, ſhould be little better than Chriſtmaſſe-Lords, Lords of miſ-rule, and diſorder; If you will ſay this was Strange, God and his Prophet ſhall ſay, this was true. Read over the Chronicles of the Kings of Iſrael and Judah, and how many of them were nigro carbone notati, that have their lives drawne out with a black Coale,2 King 23.37. cap. 24. v. 19 & alibi.2 Kgs 23:37 and when they have dyed, the Spirit of God hath beſtowed no other Epitaph upon them than this, They did evill in the ſight of the Lord, according to all that their Fathers had done. Their ſins remain freſh upon Record at this day, though they themſelves lye rotten in their owne duſt.

When that wicked Jezabel had a plot upon poore Naboth's body, what Inſtruments doth ſhe make uſe of for that bloudy deſigne?1 King. 21.8 9.1 Kgs 21:8 no other than the Elders and Nobles of the City, the moſt noted perſonages of that place, who as ſoone as they had received the Queens Letters, ſealed with the Kings privie Signet, they ſuborned two Knights of the Roſt, to accuſe Naboth of Blaſphemy, that ſo by that meanes, the little piece of Fee ſimple which he had, might bee confiſcated to the King. Wee have beene told of late by an eminent Lawyer, how the Iudges refuſed ſoure ſeverall Letters, which Queen Elizabeth ſent them,Mr. St. Johns in the caſe of Ship-mony to have one of her ſervants put into an Office, that was contrarie to the Law, and told the Queen, they had taken an Oath to God, to her, and the Common-wealth to doe Iuſtice, and therefore could not admit him: But the Judges of the Kings Bench in Ahabs time were eaſily wrought over to the Queenes ſide, and were very ready to ſacrifice the life of one of the Kings beſt ſubjects, onelyonly to comply with the humour of a very Iezabel.

p. 5In our Saviours time, who were the maine Agents to ſet Iudas on worke to betray his Lord and Maſter? Why? who but the Great ones, the chiefe Prieſts and Elders that met at Counſell-Table about the buſineſſe, in 27. Matth 1?Non omnes Epiſcopi, Epiſcopi ſunt, attendis Petrum ſed & Judam conſi dera, Stephanii ſuſpicis, ſed & Nicolaum reſpice Hieron. in Epiſt ad Heliodor. But what need I trifle away time to prove this Truth, which hath beene ſo viſible in theſe our dayes, and that both in Church and State? How hath the linnen Ephod of late beene ſhrewdly ſullied, and ſtayned? What ſpots have beene found in ſome of the fineſt Lawne? And how have ſome Prieſts of the high places, rendied themſelves vile, amongſt the loweſt of the people? And then for Moſes his Chaire, how hath that beene made by ſome Cathedra peſtilentiarum? what plagues and miſchiefes have from thence over-ſpread the whole land? whereupon ſome have been ſo much afraid, to ſtand to the judgment of that Law, of which themſelves had ſometimes beene the Iudges.

Ʋſe 1 To apply then, Are not the Greateſt men alwayes the beſt? Then ſee here in the firſt place, the crookedneſſe of that Rule, by which moſt men walke, The Example of Great men, in 7. of Iohn 48. When ſome of the under-Officers ſtood faire for Converts, and expreſſed a good liking of Chriſt, what other argument doe they uſe, to diſhearten them,7 Iohn 4…John 4 but a Majori, Doe any of the Rulers or Phariſees beleeve in him? None but the ragged Regiment, a company of rude illiterate Raſcalls, that know not the Law. What made the people ſo obſtinate in their Idolatrie in Ieremiah's time, and ſo peremptorie againſt the Lord, and againſt his Prophet? what, but this the Example of paſt and preſent times? 44 Jer. 17. We will burne Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and pou…e out drinke-Offerings unto her: And why will wee? why? becauſe wee have ever uſed to doe ſo, we can ſhew a Cuſtome for it; yea, and we can bring our Preſidents for it: our Fathers did ſo, (before ever our heads were hot) and our Kings, and our Princes in the Cities of Iudah, and in the ſtreets of Ieruſalem.

—Tutum eſt peccare autoribus iſtis.

p. 6Our Fathers were good underſtanding men, and our Kings were no fooles, and our Princes were no Idiots, and ſhall we now be ſo ſaucy, to thinke our ſelves wiſer than they, who had more wit in their little fingers, than all we in our whole body? The ſtorie is notoriouſly knowne of Roboald King of Weſt-Frizeland, who being perſwaded by Charle-maigne to receive Baptiſme, withdrew his foot as he was ſtepping into the water, and would needs know, what became of his unbaptiſed friends and kinsfolks: And being told, that they were thought to bee in Hell, (living and dying Pagans:) Then thither will I goe too, ſaith he. Sure he loved his owne ſoule too little, and his friends too much, that was ſo willing to be damned, to beare them company. And yet alas, wee have too too many of this brood, that value the Examples of men, above the Precepts of God, and are ready to follow one Great leading man in their Countrie, in their Pariſh, (as Sheep doe their Bellweather) though they venture (I ſay not the breaking of their neck, but) the loſſe of their ſoules, of God, of heaven, ſalvation, and All.

But this now is not onelyonly the Error of ſome of the more ſimple, and untutor'd Vulgar, but even of ſome that are reckoned for Great and Dominicall men in the worlds Kalendar. How have theſe made ſome of our greateſt Maſters in Iſrael their Rule, Subditi ob ligātur obedire ſuperio ribus, in his Dutaxat, reſpectu quorum ſunt ſuperiores, & dum regulas ſua dominationis non excedunt. Ioh. Gerſon in Regulis Moral.their Square, their Coppy, their Oracles? yea, even then when the Rule it ſelfe hath been Irregular, the Square out of order, the Coppy naught, and the Oracles themſelves, not onelyonly dubious but dangerous. Hath not the example of ſome great Maſters of our Aſſemblies been too much obſerved by ſome, and too violently obtruded upon others, even in thoſe things, in which both Law and Conſcience did juſtifie our warrantable Non-conformity? I would not be miſtaken here, as if I meant to ſhake off all yoke of authority or reverence of Superiors, (I am not of that Anabaptiſticall ſpirit: onelyonly this I would deſire to know, whether by vertue of Canonicall Obedience, a man be bound to captivate his Sence and Reaſon to the meere p. 7pleaſure of his Superiour, All Canons made in Convocations are to be obeyed, though they yield no reaſon at all to enforce their obedience. Dr. Pockling. Altare Chriſtianū.in that which is neither Law nor Honesty: and yet how farre this hath beene impoſed by ſome, and practiſed by others, I leave to knowing men, both to ſee and cenſure.

But judge now with your ſelves, how unreaſonable it were, to turn men into Apes? (ô imitatores ſervum pecus!) and bind them to obſerve (I ſay not the lawfull commands, but) the mere humours of ſome Learned man above us, or ſome great man over us: foreign, The wiſeſt men are not all of them Popes infallible. We have lived to ſee ſome write their own**Dr. Bray Ser of the L. Supper in fine. Retractations, and more perhaps would doe it, if that would be taken for Amends There is an Arabick Proverb, (and I have it fromaaCentur 2. Froverb Arab. 8. Erpenius his Tranſlation) Cúm errat eruditus, errat errore erudito:) The errors of learned men are learned errors. The meaning I conceive to be, that Learned men are able to give ſome reaſonable account, even for thoſe things which are charged upon them as erroneous; For my owne part I cannot divine, what account ſome great Rabbies will bee able to make, when the Audit day ſhall come, I feare ſome may come ſhort, and not be able to ſtand Recti in curia.

Let this therefore caution us for the future, that we doe not with Pythagoras his Schollers, too much magnifie the Ipſe dixerit of the greateſt Clerks, ſpecially in thoſe things that doe ſo nearely concerne our ſoules and ſalvation. Thou wilt both tell, and weigh thy Gold, though it be after thy Father, thou wilt not receive money upon trust; and wilt thou then take up thy Religion upon credit? Shall thy reſpect to any mans place, or opinion of any mans parts, enthrall thy Intellectualls, and put giues and fetters upon thy underſtanding? Wilt thou enflame that Free-borne Spirit of thine, thy Soule, to ſay, and think, and doe, as others will have thee? though never ſo oppoſite to Law, Reaſon, and good Conſcience. There is a ſtory of Walter Mapes, Dr. Sanderſon Ser. ad Clerum.ſometimes Arch. Deacon of Oxford, who relating the groſſe Simony of the Pope, for confirming the Election of Reginald Baſtard ſon to Iocelin, Biſhop of Sarum, into the See of p. 8Bath, concludes his Narration thus, Sit tamen domina materque noſtra Roma, baculus in aqua fractus, & abſit credere quae videmus, Though the Pope be moſt groſſely Simonaicall, yet we muſt not be uncharitable, and as bad as he is, let us not thinke amiſſe of him: Charity, and ſo obedience may be ingenuous, but it muſt not be ſervile, and blockiſh: There's no man ſo great that may raviſh me out of my wits, to make me think the Crow is white, or bind me to believe with Anaxagoras, that Snow is black.

Take heed then, doe not make other mens words and warrants, the rule and levell of thy Conſcience. In 1 King. 13.24. the man of God paid deare for his Credulity; one would have thought it had beene but good manners for him to believe his fellow Prophet, an old man, and one that was much his Senior, yet to run croſſe to Gods expreſſe order, though under pretence of Revelation from God, 'twas as much as his life was worth. That of St. Jerome ſhall conclude this, Non parentum aut majorum anthoritas, ſed dei doc entis imperium: The command of God muſt outweigh all authority, and example of men; Be they great and potent? ſo were the Nobles here, and yet Nehemiah thought them no fit preſident for imitation.

Ʋſe 2 In the ſecond place; Let Great men be perſwaded to be as eminent for their goodneſſe, as they are for their greatnes. Art thou like Saul, head and ſhoulders above others? Let thy vertues be as conspicuous as thine honours: As the Hiſtorian ſaid of Tiberius, Patercul. Lib. 2. Hiſt.Imperio maximus, and yet Exemplo major; Let thy good Example have a greater influence upon the minds of men, than thy command hath over their bodies. Art thou great in Office, or in Birth? In Office, art thou great in Church or State?

Firſt, in Church, art thou a Starre in the Firmament of the Church? 8 Rev. 11.Rev 11Oh bee not as the Starre Wormwood in the Revelation, that did embitter the waters: No, if thou be a Star let thy light ſhine before men.5 Matth. 16Matt 16 Hath God made thee a Beauclerke, given thee abilities of wit and learning, honour God with thy head, & with thy heart. Let that knowledge p. 9which is in thee, be as the Light in the Watch-Tower, to guide and direct others, not as an Iguis fatuus, to draw and toll them along into bogs and Precipices. Do as ſome young Phyſitians doe, practiſe thine owne knowledge upon thy ſelfe. If thou holdeſt out the light of truth to others, and doſt not walke ſuitably thereunto thy ſelfe, thou art but as a Whifler which carrieth a Torch in his hand, to ſhew others his owne deformity. And yet this is not all, the miſchiefe doth dilate it ſelfe further, even to vitiate and corrupt others, (for Schollers ſeldome goe to Hell alone) & make them threefold more the children of perdition. I have read of a woman, who living in profeſsed doubt of the God-head, after better illumination & repentance,Mr. Wards Serm. The happineſse of Paradiſe. did often proteſt, that the vicious life of a great Schollar in that Town did conjure up thoſe damnable doubts in her ſoule. How wel then wil it become thoſe, whom God hath ſet upon the pinnacle of the Temple, to honour him that is Mr. of the Temple? that others may fall downe on their face,1 Cor. 14.25.1 Cor 14:25 and worſhip God, and ſay, certainly, God is in them of a truth.

Secondly, Art thou in any place of Eminencie in the State, either in Iudicature, Magiſtracy, or the like? the eye of the world is upon thee, look to thy ſelfe, and thy behaviour: Thoſe that are in ſuch places are called Gods, dixi du eſtis. 82 Pſal. 61. O then you muſt be like him in Goodneſſe. The adulteries of Iupiter and other Pagan Gods, Dr. Hackwells Apology l. …. cap 2. Sect 4.did draw the people to imitate their wantonneſse, and Saint Auſtin gives the reaſon, Magis intuentur, quid fecerit Iupiter, quam quid docuit Plato, they heeded more what Iupiter did, than what Plato taught. Oh then it is not for ſuch Gods, (as God hath made ſome of you) to ſweare by God. It is not for Kings O Lemuel to drinke wine,31 Prov. 4Prov 4 nor for Princes ſtrong drinke. It is not for Gods to ſweare like Devills, to rage like Furies, to be drunke like Hogs, to be wanton as Goats, and the like.Wards Jethro Juſtice of peace. Such as theſe (you ſhall have the cenſure from a Reverend Divine) will better become an Ale-bench, than a Shire-bench, and are fitter to ſtand at the Barre, than to ſit upon the judgement-ſeat. It muſt be otherwiſe p. 10with a good Magiſtrate, he muſt be drayned from the dregs and ſifted from the bran of the ordinary ſort of men, like a delicate Poſie, hee muſt bee made up of the choyſeſt flowers, or like the picture of Helena, which Xeuxis made (the verie Abſtract and Epitome of all other beauties) whatſoever is faire and beautifull in others, muſt be admirably compos'd and wrought up in him.Imperaturus omnibus eligi debet ex omnibus Plin. Panegyr. ad Traian. O then let our earthly Gods think how much it concerns them to be free from thoſe ſins, which often times they puniſh in others. Thou that puniſheſt another for theft, doſt thou ſteale? thou that doſt cart another for his whoredome, doſt thou commit adultery? thou that doſt mulct and fine Church-robbers, doſt thou commit ſacriledge? thou that profeſſeſt the Law, through breaking the Law diſhonoureſt thou God?

Non benè conveniunt nec in unn ſode morantur.Lucan.

Scarlet robes, and crimſon ſins, doe not ſuit well with one and the ſame perſon.

Laſt of all, Hath God ſet thee in any eminent degree of Birth above the ordinary ranke of men? let not the ill example of thy life, obſcure and cloud the ſplendor of thy Birth. Might I here preſume to adviſe our younger Gentrie, (and I hope I may preſume) I would earneſtly beſeech them to keep up the Credit of thoſe Worſhipfull, and (which is a great deale more for their credit) religious families, from which many of them are deſcended. I remember Barclay tells a ſtory of a beggerly Cobler in Spaine, In Icon Animor.who when he lay upon his death bed, charged his ſonne deeply to keep up the honour of his houſe and family, Memineris in majeſtatem aſſurgere familiâ tuâ dignam, as if he had beene ſome great Don Pedro, or the like. I ſhould recommend this more ſeriouſly unto their thoughts and practiſe, to keep up the honour of their families by not ſtayning their owne honour, not to diſparage the goodnes of their Birth, by the badneſſe of their Life, not to diſgrace p. 11their earthly parents, by being ſo unlike their hervenly Father.

I ſhould alſo deſire them to ſtudy garbs and faſhions, and complements leſſe, and ſtudy God, and Chriſt, and themſelves more; that they would not ſpend more time in trimming their heads, than in ordering their hearts, in kembing their haire, than in ſaying their Prayers, and not beſtow ſo much coſt upon their bodies, which muſt be but meat for Wormes, and wholly neglect their ſoules which might bee companions for Angels: I ſhould deſire them likewiſe, to be as zealous for their Lord and Maſter, as they are oftentimes for their Miſtreſſe, to be more in love with the viſion of God the Creator, than with the painted viſſage of a Creature: To give over Ben, and Shakeſpeare, and fall upon Moſes and the Prophets, to be better read in Saint Peter than in Sir Philip, and not to read Monſieur Balzacs Letters with more delight, than they doe Saint Pauls Epiſtles. Oh that ſuch thoughts as theſe, might have ſome kindly working upon their ſoule, their Example then would be Magicall and Magneticall too, to charme and draw on others; they would leave their Names as a ſweet perfume to their unborne poſterity, and Generations that are yet for to come, ſhould call them Bleſſed.

I have done with my firſt Obſervation, and have beſtowed ſuch a double portion of time upon this, that the ſhare which the reſt muſt have, will be the leſſe: I come now to the ſecond, which is this.

Obſer. 2 Great men may not be let alone in their ſins, but may, nay muſt be reproved for them.

Beſides the Example of Nehemiah in the Text, wee have the practiſe of other holy men of God, to warrant us this Truth; of Elijah to Ahab, 1 King. 21.19, 20. Of Nathan to David, 2 Sam. 12. verſe 9. Of Eſay and Ieremy to the great men of their times: He is a very ſtranger in the Book of God, that knowes not where to fetch plentifull teſtimonies in this kind.

Vſe 1 To apply, wee may then in the firſt place ſee and p. 12deplore the miſerable unhappineſſe in which great men are, in that they meet with ſo many flatterers abroad, and that none will adventure to tell them their faults. Carneades in Plutarch was wont to ſay, That great mens ſonnes learned nothing well,Plutarchs Moralls. but to ride horſes, for men were apt to praiſe and flatter them, in what ever they did; If they wreſtle, then they that wreſtle with them, will of purpoſe fall under them, and the like: but a horſe being not able to diſcerne between a private man and a Prince, will caſt him off that is unskilfull to rule him. 'Tis even ſo now a dayes, let great men doe what they pleaſe, never ſo inconſiſtent with Law and Conſcience, they ſhall not want more than enough, to clap them upon the backe, and give them a Plaudite, though the end bee nothing elſe but ſhame and perdition.

In 1 King. 22.6. When Ahab had a deſigne againſt Ramoth Gilead, how was he heartned on by foure hundred Court-Chaplaines, and none did offer to diſcourage him, but one Round-head Micaiah. V. 17.18. &c. Ri. Graſtous Chronicle.Our owne Chronicles tell us, when Vortiger had cauſeleſſely divorced his owne wife, and married Rowen (Heng…stus daughter) a Pagan Woman, which diſtaſted moſt of his Nobles and Commone, yet ſome there were of both ranks that encouraged him in it. What a ſad buſineſſe is it for great men to ſinne by Patent, cum privilegio? and that none ſhall dare to bee a faithfull Monitor unto them, ſo much as to aske why doe ye thus?

Oh then that great men would be perſwaded to love their ſoules, but one halfe ſo well as they doe their bodies! They will thanke the Phyſitian that ſhall ſhew them the danger of their diſeaſe, and preſcribe them a remedy: yea, not onelyonly thanke him, but reward him too: but hee that ſhall ſhew them the danger of their ſinne, is a Phyſitian of no value. And what reward ſhall be given to ſuch a Nathan? even mighty and ſharpe Arrowes,120. Pſal. 4.Ps 4 with hot burning Coals: Touch theſe great men, theſe Mountaines, and they wil fret, and fume, and ſmoak (juſt as Li…e, when you p. 13caſt water upon it) you are but a pragmaticall fellow, a very ſaucy Prieſt to make ſo bold with your betters, Micaiah's Gate-houſe, Jeremiah's Dungeon, Daniels Den, and Peters priſon were fit places to coole ſuch hot liver'd Prophets as theſe, and the like.Si reprehend…fers agrè, reprehendenda ne feceris Lud. Ʋives ad Sap. Introduct. 12. Prov. 1.Prov 1 Let them (I ſay) be perſwaded to love their owne ſoules, to ſuffer the word of Exhortation, yea and of Reproofe too, to ſuffer their Conſciences to be gagged, and their ulcerous ſoules to bee ſearched and tented. What ſaith Solomon? He that loveth inſtruction loveth knowledge, but he that hateth reproofe is a Foole ſaith one Tranſlation, brutus eſt ſaith Tremelius, is bruteſh ſaith our laſt Engliſh, and fit for none but Nebuchadnezzar, to be fellow-Commoner with him among the Beaſts of the field: and there I leave him, and come to a

Ʋſe 2 Second Ʋſe, to encourage Gods Miniſters in their Office; boldly and freely to reprove the greateſt when they doe offend. In 58 Eſay 1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet, and ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes. Cry aloud and ſpare not, ſpare neither breath nor lungs; doe not Syucopize and cut ſhort thy words; doe not whiſper it in a Corner, but Clames, ut Stentora vincere poſsis, Trumpet it out to ſome purpoſe: But then though a Miniſter doe it boldly, yet he muſt doe it wiſely, not Satyrically, but Chriſtianly, not reproachfully, but lovingly: 25 Pro. 12.Prov 12And then as Solomon hath it moſt Elegantly, As an Eare-ring of Gold, and as an ornament of fine Gold, ſo is a wiſe Reprover upon an obedient Eare: And indeed the Eare can never bee an obedient Eare, till it meet with a reprover, that is a wiſe reprove…, foreign, (ſaith Iſodore; I ſiod. Pel. Lib. 5. Ep. 103.in his Epiſt. to Olympius the Presbyter) foreign, Every one can finde fault, and reprove another for the ſame, but he that will doe it handſomely as he ought, had need to be a very wiſe man Hence it comes to paſſe, that many from ſuch like Mounts as theſe, doe oftentimes ſhed and ſpill their wit, in ſome bitter invective againſt ſin, that they cannot be ſaid ſo properly to reprove as raile.

p. 14I hope I ſhall not offend, if I inſtance in the profeſſion of of the Law (that honourable profeſſion) when ſome there be that would lay open the abuſes done by ſome of that profeſſion; for though the Law be good, yet all doe not uſe it lawfully) to the prejudice of many an honeſt man and his Cauſe, yet in what manner doe they it? They dip their tongues in ſuch Gall and Vineger, that their words eaſily betray them, not to be zealous againſt the ſinne, but cholerick againſt the perſons. Beſides, the very language it ſelfe, what is it oft times, but a few ſhreds and ſcraps dropt firm ſome Stage-Poet, at the Globe or Cock-pit, which they have carefully bookt up, to ſerve them for ſuch an occaſion: I ſpeake not this, that theſe men ſhould be Reproofe-free (reprove them ſoundly, and ſharply too, 'tis pitty they ſhould be let alone to live, and dye in their ſins) onelyonly this, I would have it done Chriſtian like, Divine-like, wiſely, holily, leſt a Satyre from the Pulpit be unhappily repaid with a Ieere at the Barre: and alwayes to remember this, That the Arch-Angel Michael did highly ſcorne it,Iude v. 9. to fall a railing, though hee had to doe with the verie devill himſelfe.

Ʋſe 3 A third Ʋſe ſhall bee to perſwade great men to hearken to wiſe councell; Let them be adviſed by him that was the wiſeſt among the ſons of Adam. Solomon in 7. Eccleſiaſt. 5. tis better to heare the rebuke of the wiſe, Veritas aſpera eſt, verùm amaritudo ejus utilior eſt, & integris ſenſibus gratier, quam meretrican tis lingue diſtillans ſavus Ioh. S. de nugis Curialium l. 3. c. 6.than the ſong of Fooles, better to heare them that will tell them their faults, than thoſe that will tell them a tale, better to meet with ſound Reprovers, that will lay Thornes in their way, than the Devills Vpholſterers, that will ſow pillowes under their Arme-pits. What though they themſelves are grave and wiſe, and learned? yet ſtanders by ſee ſometimes more than Gamesters, and thoſe that ſtand upon Gods Watch-Tower can ſee further than thoſe which ſtand but upon the levell. David the King, though he were himſelfe a Prophet, yet was he not without his Chaplaines; Gad was one of them in Ordinary attendance upon his Majeſty, and God imployes him in a ſad meſſage to his Lord and p. 15Maſter, to take his choiſe of thoſe three great Evills, War, 2 Sam. 24.11, 12, 13.2 Sam 24:112 Sam 24:122 Sam 24:13Peſtilence, and Famine; and yet the King did never put him out of the Liſt, or turne him out of ſervice. A vaſt difference there is betweene thoſe two Kings, Ahab and David; when Elijah told Ahab of his murther and cruelty,1 King. 21, 20. 2 Sam. 12.13.1 Kgs 21:202 Sam 12:13 he is an enemy to the Crowne: Haſt thou found me, O mine enemy? But when Nathan tells David of his murther and adultery, he preſently cryes peccavi, I have ſinned, but doth not with Ieroboam ſtretch out his hand to cuffe the Prophet.1 King. 13.4 Crede te illi eſſe charum à quo amicè reprehen deris Lud. Vives ad Sap. Introduct.1 Kgs 13:4

O then farre be it from any man (be he never ſo Great) to put a Gagge in the mouth of any faithfull Reprover; Oh doe not muzzle the mouth of him that ſpeaketh, ſo he ſpeak as the Oracles of God: When Elies ſonnes began once to hate good Councell, 'twas a ſigne God had marked them out for deſtruction. Let me commend unto them the example of that godly King Edward the ſixth, (that miraculum naturae, Sir John Hoyward in the life of Ed. the 6.as Cardan called him) who when Biſhop Ridley, in a Sermon before the King had inſiſted much upon the neceſſity of good workes to be done, ſpecially by great men, the King, (taking himſelfe principally aymed at) after Sermon was ended, had private conference with the Biſhop in his Gallerie, and deſired the advice of that worthy Prelate, to put him in ſuch a poſture to doe that, which in his owne Conſcience, (thus convicted) he ſaw he was bound to performe. Thus did the heart of that young Joſiah, ſubmit and cloſe with the word, and was ready to follow that courſe, to which hee was ſo divinely prompted. And thus from the ſecond, I come now to the third Obſervation, which is this:

Obſer. 3 'Tis very fit ond convenient for one Magiſtrate to put another in mind of his place and duty. Nehemiah did ſo, and in 10. Hebr. 24. wee have a Catholique Injunction, to conſider one another, to provoke unto love and good Works; Let me then briefly apply it.

Ʋſe 1 And the firſt Vſe that I ſhall make of this, will be to perſwade Magiſtrates to reduce that generall Rule of the p. 16Apoſtles unto particular practiſe, to perſwade them (not to bee thornes, in one anothers eyes, but) to bee as Goads in one anothers ſides, to forward one another in their place and ſtation, thoſe whoſe parts are meaner and lower, to ſet on worke thoſe whoſe abilities are of a higher pitch: a handfull of ſtraw may ſet on fire a great faggot, and a whetſtone, that it ſelfe is but dull, may yet ſet an edge upon a knife that is blunt. And the truth is, there are ſome which have need of a great deale of whetting. The world crys out much of Idoll-Miniſters, (cry and ſpare not, till there be none of Iſſachars Tribe left) but are there not Idoll-Magiſtrates too, as dangerous in the State (as others in the Church) that have eyes but ſee not? I know not what Gifts have blinded them, cares, but hear not; I know not what Bribe-waxe hath ſtopt them; mouthes have they but ſpeak not,Whom Dr. Hackwell hath un-Sainted in a certain Manuſcrip, which ſhould have been printed, but that it met with &c. til the ſilver Cord be looſned; hands they have but ſtrike not, being little better than the picture of Saint George in a Signe poſt, that offers very fair with his ſword, but ſo dead and heartleſſe that they will not give a blow. Will you take it, not in my words, but in the language of a grave and learned Doctor? Theſe men (ſayth hee) have their names given them by Antiphraſis, like Diogines his man, Manes à manendo, becauſe he would ever now and then be running away; ſo ſome are Iuſtices à Iuſtitia, (the words are none of mine) becauſe they neither doe, nor care to doe Iuſtice; Dr. Sanderſon 1 Serm. ad Magiſtratum.a little perhaps is done, but to little purpoſe; perhaps more to ſhew their Iuſtice-ſhip than to doe Iuſtice. Doe not then ſuch as theſe need ſome whetting, ſome edging, ſome ſpurring? Oh then that their fellow brethren would ſtirre and quicken them up in their Duties!

Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, as 'tis the duty of one to admoniſh, ſo of the other to ſuffer the words of admonition. Tis ſaid of Gerſon (that great Chancellor of Paris) that Nulla re aliâ tantoperè laetaretur, In vita Ioh. Gerſon.quam ſi ab aliquo fraternè, & charitativè redargueretur, Hee tooke it wondrous well, to be told of his faults fairely, and lovingly: Faithfull are p. 17the wounds of a friend, ſaith Salomon; 27 Prov 6. Veritas licèt ad praſens ſit inſuavis lamen cum fiuctus ejus atque utilitas apparuerit, non odium pariet, ſed gratiam Lactan. Divin. inſtit. Bpitome cap. 6.Prov 6and David calls to have ſuch about him. In 141 Pſal. 5, Let the righteous ſmite me friendly: and it ſhall be a rare confection, and a moſt precious Balme. And ſo from the third, I come now to the fourth Obſervation, which is this:

a…que utilitas apparuerit, non odium pari…t, ſed gratiam Lactan. Divin. tome cap. 6.

The ſinnes of the people will bee put upon the Magiſtrates ſcore, if they doe not endeavour to ſuppreſſe them.

Obſer. 4 This is cleare in Aarons caſe, when Moſes had ſubſtituted him to be his Deputy, while he was in the Mount, about Iſraels grand Charter, and the people in the interim had committed a Bull in ſubſtituting a Calfe for their God, Moſes chargeth Aaron with the ſinne; who had the overſight of the people in his abſence,32 Exod. 21.Exod 21 what did this people doe unto thee, that thou haſt brought ſo great a ſinne upon them? Indeed Aaron would faine have ſhifted it off from himſelfe,Fr. Moncens in his Aaron purgatus. (and his Champion hath done his beſt to juſtifie him in it) as if he had not the leaſt ſinger in the buſineſſe, onelyonly he took a company of Rings, jumbled them together, and caſt them into the Furnace, and preſently without any more adoe,

—Momento turbinis exit

Aureus hic vitulus.

The Calfe was made, no body can tell how: but this cannot ſerve his turne, the fault was his that was ſo facile and yeelding to them, whom he ſhould have reſtrained and puniſhed; and therefore it was he which brought this evill upon them: Qui non vetat peccare cùm poteſt, jubet: Galba, though innocent of harm himſelfe, yet permitting it in others, opened the way to his owne deſtruction. Sir Hen. Savils Notes on Tacit.He that doth not prevent ſinne in others, when 'tis in his owne power, doth all one, as if he did invite and ſet them onward to ſinne.

p. 18Let Magiſtrates then be well adviſed, how they greaten their owne ſcore by the ſinnes of others: They will have enough to doe, to ſatisfie for their owne debts, let them take heed then, how they run in arrerages for other men: And this they doe when they lay the Reynes on the neck of the Multitude, who eaſily feeling the ſlack hand of their Governours, gallop on very furiouſly into all manner of moſt prodigious impieties. Hence it is, that ſome of them have to anſwer for ſo many Drunkards, and ſo many Swearers, and ſo many Sabboth-breakers, (if that word doe not ſmell of Iudaiſme to ſome noſie Criticke) that have eſcaped them unpuniſhed. Nay have not ſome of theſe offenders found Advocates upon the Bench, rather than Iudges? Advocates to plead for them, ſooner than Iudges to puniſh them? Was it never knowne that a Baſe Fidler hath beene countenanced againſt a Iuſtice of peace, Sir Henry Roſewells Caſe.and that in open Court too, in the very face of his Countrey? O what a diſhonour will it be to the Tribunall of a Juſtice, to be made a Bawd and pander to ſinne, to owne and father all the Baſterdies, all the Rapes, all the Thefts, all the Villanies, which the damned roaring Crew of yoakleſſe Belialiſts ſhall dare to commit. And this they doe,101 Pſal. 8.Ps 8 when they doe not ſet their faces againſt ſin, to root out all evill doers from the City of our God.

Ʋſe 2 As for you, the worthy Senators of this honourable City, keep up the credit of your owne Motto, Fideles in aeternum, City Motto.to bee faithfull in the diſcharge of that truſt which God and the King have impoſed in you, in a due execution of thoſe Lawes which are made for the puniſhment of thoſe that doe evill,Mr. Ign. Iourdaine, a late worthy Alderman of that City; of whom I may more truely ſpeak, than the Hiſtorian did of Amil. Paulus, Vir in tantum laudandus fuit, in quantum intelligi virtus poteſt. Pat. L. 1. and for the prayſe of them that doe well. Oh let it never bee ſayd of you, that the fire of zeale was cleane put out in the death of one holy Ignatius; you know my meaning, you are men, you are Chriſtians, you are Magiſtrates, then quit you ſelves like Men, like Chriſtiās, like Magiſtrates, never ſuffer your ſelves p. 19to be out-braved by the gallanteſt daring ſinner: that is, never take in other mens ſins upon your owne Account by partiality, connivence, impunity, or the like: Two things it me recomend unto you, which may the better inable you to diſcharge that publique truſt which is committed unto you.

Firſt, doe not enterfare, and claſh one with another in the execuriou of Iuſtice, The States of the Ʋnited Provinces, V. Remains of Britain in Impreſſe.(upon ſome difference between them and us) gave for their Impreſſe two pitchers, floating upon the water, with this word, Si collidimur frangimur, if we once fal a daſhing, we ſhal all fal in pieces. If Magiſtrates be not well glued and ſodered together, their diſagreement breeds nothing but miſchiefe and confuſion, like Castor and Pollux, if they doe not appeare together, it preſageth a ſtorme.

Secondly, doe not ſtraine Courteſie in matters of publique Concernement, whoſe Tongue ſhall moove firſt, whoſe Hand muſt Subſcribe firſt, and others like pieces of ill-placed good Manners: This doth oftentimes daſh out the braines of many a good motion, and cruſh them while they are but yet in the Egge. Often times you will conclude, tis fit this ſhould be done, fit this Order made, and that Order confirmed, and the like, yet none will move their hand to the worke, though every one move his tongue: Iuſt like the Rats in the Fable, they all agreed 'twas ſit the Cat ſhould have a Bell about her neck (that they might have warning of their enemies comming) but the demurre was, who ſhould put it on, and none would doe that. Doe not be thus overmannerly, but ſtrive who ſhall out-goe one another in the way of well-doing, as theſe two Diſciples did, who ſhould out-runne one another in the way to the Sepulcher:20 Ioh. 4.John 4 Doe not chalke up more ſinnes over and above your owne ſcore, by a baſhfull connivence, or a ſinfull ſilence: Let the world ſee and know, that your ſword is ſteele to the back, able to cut the ſtrongeſt barres of Iron in ſunder. That Magiſtrate which ſhall bee carefull to execute Gods Lawes, and the Kings, ſhall have no need to run p. 20to Paris or the Hague for refuge, he carries a Sanctuary in his owne boſome,2 Cor. 1.12. 1 Chron. 22 16.2 Cor 1:121 Chr 22:16 ſuch a one as Saint Paul had, The Teſtimony of a good Conſcience, which will be good ſecurity for his forth-comming at any time. Ʋp then and be doing, and the Lord be with you. And ſo I paſſe on to the fifth Obſervation, which is this;

The prophanation of the Sabbath day is a great and grievous ſinne.

Obſer. 5 Why doe yee this Evill? If it were not a fault, Nehemiah had no reaſon to make one, where he found none. Look in the Law how readeſt thou? In the fourth Commandement, Remember the Sabbath day, 20 Exod. 8.…Exod 8and keep it holy… You know how often this is re-inforced in holy Scripture in ſundry places. And in the 56 Iſaiah 2. there is a bleſſing pronounced upon the head of all thoſe, that ſhall conſcionably obſerve it: Bleſſed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath, and polluteth it not, and keepeth his hand from doing any evill: They are curſed Caitiffes then, that doe not keepe and obſerve the Sabbath, but prophane and pollute it.

Ob. But Nehemiah's Sabbath and ours is not all one.

Sol. True, not all one day, and yet all one Sabbath, and requires equall holineſſe in the obſervation.

Ob. What,V. The Tranſlators Preface. Sol. Biſhop Lakes The ſis de Sabbato, in ſine Dr. Twiſſe of the Morality of the 4. Com. and Maſter George Walkers Doctr. of the Sab hath. ſo ſtrict as the Jewes? then we may not kindle a Fire, nor dreſſe Victualls; and what then ſhall the Prefacer doe, (he that made Dr. Prideaux his Lecture of the Sabbath to ſpeake Engliſh againſt his will and minde) for Roaſt-meat; for want whereof he hath made ſuch a bitter complaint?

Firſt, 'tis doubted by ſome (no ordinary Clerks) nay ſtrongly denyed, that ever the Jews themſelves, were bound to that rigid obſervation, that they ſhould not be allowed to dreſſe meat for themſelves: And as for thoſe Scriptures which ſeem to favour that opinion, you may receive ſatiſfaction from thoſe late Worthies, whoſe pens have laboured much in this Argument. And if I had the time to deliver you their mind, yet I ſhould bee but a dull eccho to their ſilver Trumpets. Secondly, grant this Jewiſh ſtrictneſſe, p. 21yet that was but ſome piece of thoſe Ceremonies which now (like our old Almanacks) are ſuper-annuated, and growne out of date, and were dead and buried with Chriſts body, but with this difference, never to ariſe again, to chaine and fetter our Conſciences, as formerly they did.

I have no purpoſe to follow all thoſe queſtions, which here might be moved, either of the exchange of the lewiſh Sabbath for the Chriſtian, of the laſt day of the week, for the firſt; or of the Name, whether we ſhould call it Sabbath, or Lords day; Lords day, I conceive to be more proper, and Criticall, and yet Sabbath every jot as good, as Prieſt or Altar, which of late went for currant Engliſh: No more yet, concerning the Morality of our Chriſtian Sabbath, what footing it hath in the fourth Commandement. OnelyOnly give me leave to bewaile the hard hap that Gods day hath met with, to be in worſe condition than mans honour, or profit, Epiſcopacy or Tithes, which have had two legges to ſtand upon, Ius Divinum, and Ius Humanum too, Divine, and Humane authority; and Gods own day to leane wholly upon a broken. Crutch, **The Obſervation of the Lords day, is ſimply of Ecleſiaſticall Order. Primroſe in Preface to the Treat. of the Sabbath.Jus Eccleſiaſticum, and to continue no longer, but (durante bene placito) ſo long as the Church ſhall be pleaſed to have it …o. Many other Quaeries would here be reſolved, but that you may finde them full ſtated in thoſe learned Treatiſes,Mr. F. Rous his Cathol. Charity kept back, of whoſe labours M. Bolton in Ser. 1 Cor. 2 26. had a better opinion Diſcourſe of the Inſtitut. Dignity, & …nd …f the Lords day.1 Cor 2:26 which of late have been expoſed to publike view, and might have beene much ſooner (as well as the labours of other Worthies) but that the world was ſo much troubled with ſore Eyes, that it could not endure to look upon ſuch glorious lights. But if there are any who cannot find the mind and leiſure to peruſe thoſe larger Treatiſes, let them conſult with that ſhort, but accurate Diſcourſe, of the learned Dr. Hake wels upon this ſubject; there he ſhal have foreign, much in few words, and I will ſay no more of it but this, The Image of Caeſar may be as lively drawne out in a ſmall piece of Coyne (and ſometimes with more Art, as in a larger Table.

p. 22Is the prophanation of Gods Sabboth, ſuch a grievous ſin? Oh then let this ſtrike terrour into the hearts of all thoſe, that profane the Lords Day God is a jealous God, jealous of his owne honour, and his owne Worſhip, he will eaſe himſelfe of his adverſaries, 1 Iſah. 24.and be avenged of his enemies, even all thoſe that ſhall pollute his Sabboths: he that did but gather ſticks on the Sabboth day, 15. Num. 35Num 35was payd home with ſtones. And yet ſome there are, which will not ſticke at greater matters than theſe. Some prophane the Sabboth by that which you will thinke very ſtrange of:V. Patern of Catechiſt. doctr. on 4 Com. Firſt, by doing juſt nothing, making it a day of idleneſſe, and this is Sabbatum Aſinorum, their Oxe and their Aſſe may keep as good a Sabbath as this. Secondly, ſome that doe not idle away the time, but yet are ſomwhat worſe imployed; firſt in ryoti…g and drunkenneſſe, and this is Sabbatum Satanae, with ſuch a Sabboth as this the Devill himſelfe will be very well pleaſed: ſecondly, in playing, carding, dancing, and the like; and this is Sabbatum aurei vituli; ſuch a Sabboth is the Iſraelites kept, when they made themſelves merry with a Calfe, ſetting themſelves downe to eate and drinke, and roſe up to play.

Now do but examine the practice of the Major part of the World, and you ſhall find them ſomewhere in this diviſion. And can God then take it well thinke you,Hom. of place and time of pray …. 1 Part 2 Tom. that (as our owne Homily complaynes) the devill ſhould be better ſerved, and God worſe upon his owne day, than upon any other day of the week? Shall not God then viſit for theſe things, and ſhall not his ſoule be avenged on ſuch a people? Goe to my place which is in Shiloh,5 Ier. 9. 7 Ier. 12.Jer 9:7Jer 12 ſayes God, and ſee what I have done unto it, for the wickedneſſe of my people Iſrael. So may God ſay to us, Goe to my place which was in Germany, and ſee what I have done to it, and what hath God done to it? Surely, great is the miſery befalne thoſe Germane Churches; Mr. Ier. Dyke of a good Conſcieace. p. 276.And the time wherein the firſt blow was given, is not to be forgotten, which was upon the Sabboth day: upon that day was Prague loſt (I owe both the obſervation and inference to a Reverend Divine) And what p. 23one thing have all thoſe Churches failed in more, than in the religious obſervation of the Lords Day; They neglected to ſanctifie God on that day by their Obedience, and God would be ſanctified upon them by his Juſtice. Oh then let not England bee high minded, but ſcare; Germane ſinnes will certainly bring downe Germane plagues. See what God threatens by his Prophet;17 Ier. 27.Jer 27 If you will not hearken to me, to hallow the Sabboth day, then will I kindle a ſire in the Gates of Jeruſalem, and it ſhall devoure the Palaces thereof, and it ſhall not be quenched.

And ſo I come to my ſixth and laſt Obſervation, which is this:

Obſer. 6 The remedy of the prophanation of the Sabboth day, as a principall part of the Magiſtrates care and duty.

Elſe Nehemiah himſelfe had been too blame, to blame theſe Noble-Rulers for that, in which they were no way concerned. The Magiſtrates are Cuſtodes utriuſque tabulae, They have charge of both Tables, and if they be remiſſe and negligent, to puniſh the violations of Gods Lawes, God will not be behinde hand to puniſh them; Witneſſe Ely for his indulgence towards his ſonnes, the good old mans neck crackt for it. 1 Sam. 4.18.

Aske of the dayes of old, and they ſhall teach thee the care that Princes have had, for the due obſervation of Gods day: Begin with Conſtantine the Great, Foxe Acts and Monuments. p. 134. p. 21…. & 203. Edit. Poſtr.and we find the Sunday commanded by him to bee kept holy of all men, and free from Iudiciary cauſes, from Markets, Faires, and Manuall labours. So did Canutus inhibit publicke Fayres, Markets, and huntings: yea, King Edgar went ſo farre to ordaine Sunday to be ſolemnized from Saturday nine of the clock, till Munday morning. What reed I goe ſo far upward, we have Lawes of a far later Edition, V. Stat. K. Iames & K. Charles.(and more we hope for) to reſtraine and puniſh the profanation of of Gods day. And in whom then doth it reſt, to ſee thoſe Lawes to be put in Execution, foreign (ſaith Ariſtotle) foreign, Tis all one in the Iſſue, Ariſt Rbet. lib. 1. c. 16.to make no Law, as not to execute the Law.

p. 24Ʋſe Let this then encourage the Nehemiah's of our time, to ſhew themſelves zealous and active for God and the King. Let them doe their beſt: Firſt, to hinder the prophaning of Gods Day. Secondly, to further the ſanctifying of his Day.

Firſt, To hinder the prophaning of Gods day, and that firſt by men of profit, Pedlers, Carriers, Huckſters, unneceſſary Labourers, and the like. Theſe have been Countrey, yea and City ſins too; bleſſed be God for that Reformation, which is in ſome good meaſure wrought in this kind. Secondly, by men of pleaſure, that make no more uſe of that day, than the Leviathan doth of the Sea, onelyonly to take their paſtime therein: And ſince, if lawfull Labourers be on that day unſufferable, how much more unlawfull are ſinfull pleaſures?

'Tis ſtrange to behold the generall pollution of Gods day, to ſee how the world is growne perfectly prophane, and can play on the Lords day without booke. Biſh. King on Jonas Lect. the 7.Tis a ſad complaint, which a Reverend Prelate ſometimes made, The Sabbath of the Lord, the Sanctified day of his Reſt is ſhamefully troubled, and diſquieted. The common dayes in the weeke are happier in their ſeaſons, than the Lords Sabbaths. The Sabbath is reſerved as the unproſitable day of the ſeven (mark you his words, The Sabbath (and he was no Babe at that Age to be taught Engliſh) for idleneſſe, ſleeping, walking, rioting, tipling, bowling, dancing, and what not? What, and Dancing too?Heylins Geogr. Deſcript of France. Sure the Biſhop and the Geographer are of two minds, who hath found out dancing to be ſuch an effectuall meanes, for the converſion of Papiſts; that had it not been for ſome ſtrait laced Divines (as hee calls them) of the Reformed Church in France, who have ſo bitterly inveighed againſt that ſport, many more Catholiques (I hope he meanes pſeudo-catholiques) had been reformed.

The Counſell which good Ignatius gives, is much otherwiſe, foreign,Epiſt. 3. ad Magneſianos. 1 Rev. 10.Rev 10 Let us keep the Sabbath in a ſpirituall manner, to be (as St. John was) in the ſpirit on the Lords day, imployed p. 25in holy and ſpirituall exerciſes, not in bodily pleaſures and Recreations, foreign. See how that holy Father breaths nothing but ranke Puritaniſme: Let them buſie their heads in admiration of the works of God, and not give their mind to play and dancing. How like you now? Two Biſhops, one of later; the other of elder times, (more alſo might be added, both from old and new) zealous and punctuall,Hor. Carm. l. 3. ode 6. in the religious obſervation of Gods holy day. But aetas parentum pejor avis, tulit nos nequiores, Children have riſen up againſt the Gray-headed, and the baſe againſt the honourable; ſo that it is high time to cry out with the Prophet David, 119 Pſa. v. 126.Ps 5:126Tis time for thee Lord, to lay to thine hand, for men have deſtroyed thy Law; They have made the Commandements of God of no effect, through the traditons of men.

Oh then it highly concernes thoſe, whom God hath ſubſtituted to be his Vice gerents, to vindicate the contempt of his holy-Lawes, that in particular of his holy-day, to free it not onelyonly from the abuſe thereof, by Huekſters, Pedlers, Carriers, and the like; but to purge it alſo from prphanation by Bacchanalian Revellings, and Heatheniſh May-games, with other like filth, and ordure, (the conſequence of both theſe) which yet in ſome places are more zealouſly obſerved, and ſtood for, than either the Lawes of God, or the King. I hope thoſe whom this concerns wil give me leave to ſpeak freely, and I ſhall ſpeak the words of truth and ſoberneſſe. Sir Io. Walter, and Sir Io. Denham. In effigies mutas divinus ſpiritus non transſunditur, as Agrippina told Tiberius. Tacit. l. 4. Annal.'Twas within theſe 15 years that a moſt wholſome order was made by the Iudges of this Circuit, for the ſuppreſſing of Church-Ales and Revells, which in many places is Sabbath-day work. Oh then that it would ſeem good in the yes of your Lordſhip, that by your authority, ſo wholſome an order, which now (like the engravings on Tomb ſtones) is quite worn out, might rceive new force and vigour, that ſo you would be pleaſed with the ſword of Iuſtice, to ſtab all thoſe unlawfull Aſſemblies, (meere Conventicles of bad fellowes) that they may receive their deaths wound. Wound the hairy ſcalpe of ſuch, as goe on to wound God in p. 26his name in his day, in his ſervice, in his ſervants. We may p…ach againſt theſe diſorders ſo long, till we ſpit out our very Lungs; and to no more purpoſe than Bede did, when he preached to a heap of ſtones.9 Hoſ 7.Hos 7 The Prophet himſelfe ſhall be but afoole, and the Spirituall man a mad man. Our words ſhall be but wind; our words ſaid I? nay the word of God himſelfe,4 Hebr. 12Heb 12 though it be a double edged ſword, yet it ſhall cut no more than a wooden Dagger, unleſſe (as Iron ſharpneth Iron) it be whetted up, and made keener by yours. Oh then beare not the ſword in vaine, like St. Paul in a Glaſſe-window, unite it to the Ephod, the Ephod ſhall ſanctifie that, and let that defend the Ephod.

Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, Let Magiſtrates further the ſanctifying of Gods day; and that by ſetting up a learned, painfull, and godly Miniſterie; and ſecondly by providing a liberal maintenance for ſuch a Miniſtery.

Firſt then, let them ſet up firſt a learned aaVotum m…ltorun eſt, & me um cum multis, clerus per om nia d…ctus, docenſque fiat domine Jeſu, fiit citò. Epiſ. Winton. Con ad Clerum pro doctoratu.Miniſtery, ſuch as may be able to convince Gain-ſayers, and ſtop the mouth of the Adverſary, leſt unhappily a good Cauſe may ſuffer by a weak Champion. See that they bee foreign, men fit to teach: If the light which ſhould bee in them be darkneſſe, quantae tenebra I how great muſt that darkneſſe be? if thoſe which ſhould be ſeers are blind themſelves, how ſhall they guide and direct others? Secondly, a painfull Miniſtery, that may eate their Bread in the ſweat of their Browes; yea, and the ſweat of their Brains too; no monethly, no quarterly men, that preach now and then a little for Recreation, or the like.bbFiſcopotiùs apud multos conſulitur quam Chriſto, attonſioni potiùs g…egis quàm attentiani Epiſc. Wint. Con. in S…o. provinc. 5 Math. 16Matt 16 Theſe may cloath themſelves with the Fleece of the Flocke, and feed themſelves with the fat of the Lambs; but I can never perſwade my ſelfe that that can be wholſome meat which is ſaucod with the bloud of ſoules. Thirdly, a godly Miniſtery, ſuch whoſe light may ſo ſhine before men, that men may ſee their good workes. To heare good words, and ſee no good works, will be to no purpoſe. The Painter teacheth his Boyes more by pen and pencill, than he doth by Rule and Precept. Men will doe as they ſee done, and not as they heare taught. A Sermon well preached in p. 27the fore-noon, and confuted by bad Example in the afternoon, Ida vos … be…iùs auditorum corda pene trat, quam dicentis vita commendat. Greg Paſtor. par. 2. c. 5.is never like to doe much good.

Then ſecondly; to provide a liberall maintenance fit for ſuch a Miniſtery, I ſpeak not for ſilken-ignorance, or velvetlazineſse; for thoſe which have more wages than five honeſt men, and yet doe not the tenth part of the worke o one of them; but for the labouring Oxe, the painfull, ſtudying, preaching, living Clergy, ſeed them with food convenient for them (I meane not that Convenientia Natura only, but Convenientia perſonae too) not as they are Men onelyonly, Sublatis Studiorum pretiis, etiam fludia peritura ut minùs decora. Tacit. l. 11. Annal. 1 Tim. 5.8.1 Tim 5:8but as they are Schollars, as they are Miniſters let them have convenient meat, convenient Apparell, and Books convenient for them. Let them have enough for themſelves, and ſo much beſides, as may enable them to goe in Equipage at leaſt with Infidels, that they may be able to provide for poſterity, leſt wife and children bee forced to ſeek their Bread, in deſolate places.

And here now we may juſtly take occaſion to bleſſe God for that pawne and earneſt, V. Deelar. of Purl. in that behalfe.which the Worthies of our Iſrael have given us, of their care and endeavour, both for hindering the prophaning, and further the ſanctifying of Gods day, and that by procuring a learned, painfull, and godly Clergy, and anſwerable maintenance fit for ſuch a Clergie. A great doore, and effectuall is open to them, but there are yet many Adverſaries. In St. Pauls time there was foreign, a Rub in the way,2 Theſ. 2.72 Thess 2:7 a pull-back, that hindred the Revelation of Antichriſt; till that was removed Antichriſt, could not appeare fully and at length. There is now alſo, foreign, ſome block, ſome mountaine caſt in the way between a gracious King, and his faithfull**A little to alter Otho's words Aeernitas rerum & pax genti…m & noſtraſalus incolumnitate hujus Senatus firmatur. Tacit. l. 1. Hiſt. Councell, That Chriſt himſelfe cannot yet appeare ſo glorious in his Temple, in that beauty of holineſse, which we hope and pray for, Church-Worke cannot but be long adoing, and 'tis much that any thing at all hath been done, when the way to it hath been, (as bad as Hannibals was over the Alps) ſo alto gether unpaſsable, that thoſe who have ſet themſelves to this worke, have made their way with Vineger, in much p. 28bitterneſse of ſpirit; In journeying often, in perills by their owne Countrey-men, 2 Cor. 11 26, 27.2 Cor 11:262 Cor 11:27in perils in the City, in perils among falſe brethren, in wearineſse and painfulneſse, in watchings often, in fastings often, and the like.

What now remaines for us, but that we doe our beſt, to quench thoſe flames, that are unhappily broken out, not to po…re in Oyle, but as much water as poſſibly we can: And no water like that of our owne Teares;10 Ezra 2.Ezra 2 There may be yet one in Iſrael, concerning this thing, that God may at laſt returne, and be gracious unto us. Oh then let us beſtirre our ſelves, to ſeek unto God, that it would pleaſe him to unite the diſlocated members of this State, that the Head may give influence to the Members; and the Members be ſerviceable to the Head, that both Head and Members may ſerve the God of both, and rejoyce in their mutuall Offices each to other; that ſo our Zerubbabels may either finde no more Mountaines, 4 Zach. 7.Zech 7or make them none, but that they may bring forth the Head-ſtone of the Temple with ſhoutings, and that we may all cry, 67 Pſal. 6.7Ps 6:7Grace, Grace unto it. So ſhall our Land bring forth her increaſe, and God, even our owne God ſhall give give us his bleſſing; God ſhall bleſſe us; and all the ends of the world ſhall feare him Conſider what hath been ſaid,2 Tim. 2.7.2 Tim 2:7 and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things. Amen.

Gloria Deo in Excelſis.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Trescot, The Zealous Magistrate (1642)