Lawless Liberty Set Forth, Sermon

Lawless Liberty Set Forth · Sermon

p. 1PSAL. 2. 3.

Let us breake their bands aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us.

THis Pſalme is Davids, for ſo the Apooſtles tell us Acts 4. 25. that God by the mouth of his ſervant David ſaid; why doe the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? &c. And this Pſalme was pen'd by David (as is moſt probably conceived) after his victory over the Philiſtines, who gathered themſelves againſt him, when the people had made him King in the roome of Saul.

And now that we may make as much of this Pſalme our owne this day as may help us to the cleerer underſtanding of this text, I beſeech you take notice, that the three firſt verſes in it, are a narration of the attempts of many wicked men againſt the Kingdome of David as the Type, and againſt Chriſt too, as the Antitype, or perſon typified in this Pſalme.

The carriages, projects, attempts of theſe wicked unruly men, who would caſt off ſubjection; are expreſt here in the firſt verſe by way of interrogation, why doe the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? &c? the Prophet admiring their folly, in going about that, which was impoſſible for them to effect, why doe they rage? Or come tumultuouſly together as men in an uproare (for ſo the originall word implies) noting their pride and fierceneſſe, as in horſes from whom the Metaphor is taken, which neigh and rage before they ruſh into the battel. But why? to what purpoſe is all this? when God who can, will maintaine Davids right, as he moſt thankfully acknowledgeth, Pſal. 9. 4. thou haſt maintained my right, and my cauſe &c. he muſt be King, though he have many enemies, not only amongſt the meaneſt, but mightieſt to oppoſe him; whoſe attempts, ſtudies, power, pollicies, rage ſhall prove to be of none effect, for when they conceive miſcheife, and travell with wickedneſſe, they ſhall bring forth p. 2a lie, as it is Pſal. 7. 14. for Chriſt ſhall confound them, he ſhall firſt ſcorne and laugh at their attempts v. 4. (God ſpeaking there after the manner of men) for God will make them to know how that they which reckon without him, muſt reckon againe. He will ſpeake to them in wrath, vexe them in diſpleaſure, as it is verſe 5. or he will handle them roughly (for ſo tis in the originall) breaking them in peeces like a potters veſſell verſe 9. their wound ſhall be incurable, their ruine irrecoverable, like the breaking of an earthen veſſell, once broken, never to be repaired. Yet notwithſtanding this their aſſociating and leaguing together, their animating and encouraging one another in this evill way, is poſitively laid downe in the 2▪ and 3 verſ. of this Pſal. in the 2 verſe illuſtrated from the perſons conſpiring; Kings and Princes, I and the people to, as verſe 1. And ſecondly by the perſons againſt whom they doe conſpire, the Lord and his Anointed, encouraging one another in this their rebellion, as if there were no power either in heaven or earth, to contradict them, as you may obſerve in the words of my text, they ſaying let us breake their bands aſunder &c. The words I have read unto you are words of mutiny and diſcontent, which as they are ſpoken here, I would have looked upon and conſidered, as Mariners behold ſome ſea-markes, not to ſteere too, but from them, for feare of Rocks or Sands they diſcover, for there is nothing directly held forth in this text for a Chriſtians imitation, but caution. In which there are two words which need ſome explication, and they are bands and cords which here ſignifie the ſame thing.

Let us breake their bands aſunder and caſt away their cords from us, the word foreign Muſar which ſignifies bands, comes from foreign Jaſar which ſignifies to chaſtice, properly it is put for diſcipline and correction and ſo it ſignifies bands, by which the unruly are hampered and tamed. Here by a Metaphor it ſignifies, and is put for Lawes; as the Lawes of God, publiſhed by David, or the Lawes of Chriſt, publiſhed by himſelfe, and his Apoſtles; the Lawes publiſhed by the Lord and his Miniſters whom he uſeth in his rule and government.

The words in this text containe in them a reſolution, and the thing reſolved on, which you may conſider together in this following paraphraſe. Let us breake their bands aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us, thus encouraging one another in their rebellious attempts, as if they had ſaid, neither the Lord nor his Anointed ſhall raigne over us, and howſoever they thinke to impoſe upon us their Lawes and Ordinances, that with theſe, as with ſtrong bonds and cords, they may fetter us; yet let us, which is p. 3the thing they reſolve on, beſtirre our ſelves, and play the men; let us ſhake off the yoke of ſuch ſervitude, and wholy reject their government, for who are Lords over us?

This text is rich and full, and may fitly be compared unto Ezekiels roule, mentioned in the 2 Chap. of his Propheſies, ver. 10. that was written within and without, that which is written without, or that which this Scripture by neceſſary conſequence firſt holds forth unto us, is this, that.

Obſ. 1. Good Lawes are as bands, and cords for diſcipline, to keepe people in obedience. Secondly that which lies within the text, is firſt for the generall this; that, Obſ. 2 Rebellious ſpirits affect nothing ſo much as lawleſſe liberty, to do what they pleaſe without controll. Hence it is that they here conſult of breaking theſe bands. For being reſtrained,

Obſ 3. Theſe ſpirits thinke themſelves in bondage, or as Priſoners in bands when they are required to yeeld obedience unto equall and juſt Lawes. Therfore they would caſt away theſe cords, that they may not reſtrain them. And laſtly that theſe rebellious ſpirits may be looſe at liberty, to do what they pleaſe, not what they ſhould. And that they may effect their deſires in this

Obſ. 4. Rebellious ſpirits animate, and hearten, and ſtir up, and encourage one another, in this ungodly enterprize, to caſt off all ſubjection.

Let us breake their bonds aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us. Thus for the ground-worke of this Mornings exerciſe, have I preſented unto you, what this Text holds forth to me. The obſervations, as I conceive, are proper, naturall, pertinent, and perſpicuous from this Scripture. And my diſcourſe ſhall be plaine to; So that if any be come hither this day, for the vanity and froth of wit; (as I know how that theſe queſie times peſter every great Congregation, with ſome ſuch hearers) if any be come to this place at this time, as pamperd bellies uſe to go to feaſts, where nothing can pleaſe the wanton palat, but ſome odde ſawce, or new invention: I am not provided for the entertainement of ſuch. But for you, beloved, that are come hither to heare, that you may learne, learne, that you may know, know that you may beleeve and do; Beleeve and doe, that you may live. Favour me ſo much, as to afford me your moſt diligent attention, while by Gods moſt gracious aſſiſtance, I ſhall take a further view of the particulars I have obſerved; And firſt of the firſt,

Obſer. 1. Good Lawes are as bands and cords for diſcipline, to keepe people in obedience.

Good Lawes are the nerves and ſinewes of Common-wealths, which hold altogether; the want whereof, like to great depopulations, lay all p. 4things common. They are as mounds unto vineyards, as bounds to Seas; or as walls and bulworks unto frontier towns, to keep all in ſafety. Hence it is, that Princes and Magiſtrates, in relation to their places, which are to defend the people in all their juſt rights, are called the ſhields of the Earth. The want of whom, he that reads the third Chapter of Iſaiahs Propheſies, may finde in that which followed, when God threatned to take away the mighty man, and the Iudge, and the Prophet, and the Prudent, and the Ancient, &c. But what was the conſequence of this? The Text tells us, v. 5. The people ſhould be oppreſſed every one by another, every one by his neighbour, &c. For what were thoſe elſe, whom God there threatned to remove, but the very ſtayes and ſtrengths of Jeruſalem and Judah? and ſo of all Cities, and Nations, of all publike and politike Bodies whereſoever. And he which runnes, may further read, how that this people of Iſrael, as they enjoyed many comfortable, ſo they were acquainted to with many ſad and diſmall times. And if ye ſeriouſly conſider their ſtory, ye ſhall finde that it was never worſe with them, then when there was no King in Iſrael, but every one did that which was right in his owne eyes, Jud. 17. And however it may be true, that the government of man over man, came firſt from ſin, (as I finde it excellently obſerved) Firſt, becauſe God gave ſoveraignty unto Adam over fiſhes, and birds, and beaſts, not over reaſonable creatures made to his owne likeneſſe.

Secondly, becauſe the firſt righteous men we read of, were ſhepheards and heardſmen, over beaſts, not Kings over Nations. And

Thirdly, becauſe the name of Servant, or underling, was never impoſed in Scripture, till Noah denounced it againſt his accurſed ſonne, Curſed be Canaan, a ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be unto his brethren, Gen. 9. 25. Yet the nature of mankinde ſtanding as it doth, corrupted ſo farre, that without the head of Authority, we could not live, nor converſe together; God therefore in infinite wiſedome, hath appointed this means for the ſuppreſſing of thoſe many, and thoſe intollerable injuries and violences, which otherwiſe we ſhould be ſubject unto. And therfore

Reaſon. 1. Firſt, for order ſake, there muſt be government; a ſuperiority and an inferiority, a command and a ſubjection, a maſtery and a Dominion in every order of men ſpecially deſigned. The body Politike is very fitly compared unto a naturall body; which muſt not be all head, or hand, or foot, but diſtinguiſhed into ſuperior and inferior parts, for every member to doe its particular office. The Heart or Soule ſitting in p. 5the middeſt of the body, as a King upon his Throne, and according to the dictates of the heart, the tongue ſpeakes, the eyes looke, the feete move, the hands ſtir, &c. Now a body Politike may moſt fitly be reſembled to this Naturall body, wherein there are parts, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, more and leſſe honourable, 1. Cor. 12. yet all tending to the mutuall decency, ſervice, and ſuccour of the fame body. The Aegyptians made an Eie and a Scepter, the Embleme, by which they figured their government: a Scepter for Juriſdiction and power; an Eie for watchfulneſſe and diſcretion. And certainely a Kingdome without order and government, is like the body of that fayned Giant Polyphemus, without an eie, or rather like a body without an head: or, (which moſt fitly reſembles it) like that confuſed Chaos before the Creation, where heighth and depth, light and darkeneſſe were mingled together. In the beginning therefore when heaven and earth were firſt made, God eſtabliſhed a ſuperiority and rule, in other creatures after their kinde, and afterwards in man. So Gen. 1. 16. God made two great lights, the greater to rule the day, and the leſſer light to rule the night: he made the ſtarres alſo. And one ſtarre to differ from another in glory, 1. Cor. 15. 41. And preſently after, when he had created man, he inveſted him immediately with imperiall authority to ſubduethe earth and to rule in it, v. 28. And to what other end is it called the hoſt of Heaven, Gen. 2. 1. but to ſhew, how that Metaphor is taken from an Army, where there muſt be ſuperiority and ſubordination, command and obedience, without both which, it cannot ſubſiſt? For if the ſpirit and ſoule of obedience be taken away, what can follow but Ataxie and Confuſion?

Reaſon 2. Secondly, there muſt be Government, and Diſcipline, for neceſſities ſake, to curbe and reſtraine all tumultuous and heady ſpirits, all offenſive and diſordered perſons, whether in Church or Commonwealth. The Lawes of God were firſt written in the fleſhy tables of mans heart; but ſin did either blot or wear them out thence. Then the wiſedome of God thought fit to write them upon tables of ſtone, that they might be laſting, durable permanent. But theſe Lawes of God thus written, and commended, and commanded unto man, where ſlighted, and neglected, and forſaken by him, and therefore Irenaus well obſerves in his firſt booke againſt hereſies, that therefore God appointed Kingdomes and men to rule in them, becauſe man forſaking God, did wax feirce, lawleſſe, maſterleſſe, and being not ſufficiently awed by the feare of the Lord, God therefore put upon them the feare of man, that fearing p. 6humane Lawes, they ſhould not devoure, deſtroy, conſume one another as the fiſhes of the Sea, and the beaſts of the wilderneſſe, and the fowles of the aire doe. And for this reaſon there is an abſolute neceſſity of Lawes, to curbe, and reſtraine, and to keepe people under obedience: for were it not for theſe our beds would not be ſuffered to lie under us; our meate would be pulled out of our mouths, our clothes would be torne off our backes; rapine and violence, would deſtroy us.

Vſe. Now for application, this being ſo, as it muſt needs be granted to be truth, What juſt cauſe have all people, who live under good Lawes to bleſſe God for them. To one who asked the queſtion why the City Sparta had no wals, twas anſwered, that the Citizens had good weapons in their hands, unanimity in their hearts, and to both theſe good Lawes to order them. We want no weapons, and theſe ſad times, have made almoſt every one amongſt us a man of war. And would to God that we had juſt cauſe to boaſt of unity, and mutuall agreement amongſt our ſelves. But for good Lawes, certainly we of this Nation, have as great cauſe to be thankfull, as any people under the Cope of Heaven, ever had. And oh that we had as juſt cauſe to prayſe God for their due execution likewiſe! But alas we have not. Oh juſtice! how faintly doeſt thou draw thy breath, while thou ſuffereſt ſo many deſperate ſinners, and ſo many dangerous ſeducing Schiſmaticks, to march boldly by thee, and not bidſt them ſtand? Alas how doth the whole Land ſtinke of that beaſtly ſin of drunkenneſſe, that ſin which robs a man of himſelfe, and leaves a beaſt in the skin of a man. That ſin which is like the ſerpent that ſtings two waies, for it kills the body, and ſlaies the ſoule too, yet how doe thoſe Tents of wickedneſſe, thoſe Thrones wherein Satan dwells, thoſe unneceſſary tipling houſes, which ſo multiply Tranſgreſſors, and tranſgreſſions amongſt men, increaſe amongſt us? How doe Pride and Luxury ſtrive for the upper end of the table? How doth the very breath of moſt deſperate ſwearers, and blaſphemers even poyſon the very aire of the Kingdome wherein we live? And how doth the ſtone out of the Wall, and the Beame in the Chamber, cry out aloud againſt oppreſſion? And how hath the Error of Religion made many amongſt us ſo wanton, that they know not what to have, nor what to hold? Surely as the Prophet Iſaiah complaines Iſai. 24. 20. The tranſgreſſion of the earth (of this earth whereon we live) lies heavy upon it. And now O juſtice how doeſt thou degenerate from thy ſelfe, while thou ſuffereſt thy ſword for want of drawing to ruſt, or elſe for feare, or for ſome other …ie reſpects to be lock't up in the ſcabbard?

p. 7I am not come hither to declame againſt the adminiſtration of juſtice in this honorable City (this City ſo renowned for exemplary government the world over) though I muſt tell you that if I knew any juſt cauſe to invite me hereunto, I ſhould not ſpare. But this I am ſure of, that there is an intollerable, an unanſwerable fault ſome where, when ſo much wickedneſſe goes unpuniſhed, when ſo many errors, ſchiſmes, hereſies, ſome of which deſtroy, as the reſt doe blaſt the profeſſion of Religion, are ſuffered amongſt us, though we have lifted up our hands unto the moſt high God in a ſolemne League and Covenant to the contrarie. Or if they meet with any rebuke from ſome, it is but ſuch a one, as that too-too much indulgent Ely (who brought up his ſonnes to bring downe his houſe) gave his ſonnes 1 Sam. 2. 23. ſaying why doe you ſo, or ſuch things? A ſtrange thing in Ely to puniſh the Thefts, Rapines, Sacriledge, Adulters, Inceſts of his ſonnes with why doe you ſo? what was this but to ſhave that head which deſerved to be cut off? Doubtles (as I find it excellently obſerved to my hand) it is with ſins in the ſoule as with humors in the body, a weake doſe doth but ſtir, and anger, and more dangerouſly diſperſe them, not purge them out. So that tis certenly a great violation of juſtice, not to proportion the puniſhment to the offence. To whip a man for murther, or to puniſh the purſe for Adultery or Inceſt, to burne treaſon in the hand; or to award the Stocks for Burglarie is to patronize evill inſtead of avenging it. Of the two extremes rigor is more ſafe for the publique-weale, becauſe the over puniſhing of one offence keepes many from committing the ſame.

Elies ſonnes did thus wickedly while they acted a part in Religion. And are not there ſome amongſt us, who under ſpecious pretences to advance, perſiſt in courſes that undoubtedly in concluſion if God prevent it not, will undermine roote out Religion from amongſt us? Religion I ſay then which nothing ſhould be mor deare unto us, yet this is knowne, and ſuffered, and if it receive any cheeck from ſome, it it ſuch a one, as doth rather encourage, then daunt offenders, ubi nunc Lex Anglica? dormis? Oh yee Lawes of England what doe yee? where are yee? are yee aſleepe?

I told you even now what great cauſe we of this Nation have to bleſſe God for good Lawes, and ſuffer me to acquaint you in the next place, how dearly in many reſpects a number in this Kingdome have miſſed theſe laſt few yeares while deſtruction hath been amongſt us, the benefits which otherwiſe might have been enjoyed, by the execution of p. 8thoſe good Lawes, if their current had not been more or leſſe obſtructed. I cannot deny but that while the ſword of war is in a Land it cannot chuſe but marvellouſly claſh with the ſword of juſtice; and many things will be done, and cannot be avoided while it continues under ſuch a ſad condition, and in regard the ſword hath beene in the hands of many of ſuch ill principled hearts: I ſpeake not of all, for there be many whom God hath ſtirred up perſonally to appeare in this his great worke, who deſerve all honour, as well for their Piety as Valour; but of ſome, the very refuſe and dregges of Mankinde, in whom that old Proverbe is verified, Armatis Divum nullus Pudor: That they feare neither God nor Man, as you may obſerve in their moſt debauched lives, in doing what they pleaſe, and in their Helliſh language too, whoſe mouths are full of curſing and bitterneſſe, which they belch out, ſetting their mouthes even againſt Heaven; for they ſeldome take that Sacred dreadfull Name of GOD, into their moſt deſperate prophane lippes, but when they blaſpheme that Name, which ſhould not be once mentioned, but with awfull Reverence: or when they deſire God to damne, to refuſe them. Now by the way, let me adde this, that if God ſhould ratifie that in heaven which they deſire (miſerable wretches as they are) againſt themſelves on earth, and ſay ex ore tuo, from thine owne mouth will I now condemne thee; Oh! how ſadly miſerable would their condition be? Nemo miſerius miſero, non miſerante ſeipſum: Who can be more miſerable then thoſe, which will not be mercifull unto themſelves? Yet beſides all theſe, give me leave to ſpeake it, though it be a very ſad, a very horrible truth, that divers things have beene done (or if not, very many in this Kingdome deſerve to be puniſhed for crying and complayning without juſt cauſe) by ſome others of thoſe, who have moſt ſhamefully abuſed that truſt repoſed in them by our moſt deſervedly honored Parliament, that needed not, that ought not, that ſhould not have been done. Things which no language can excuſe; things, which ſcarce any act of oppreſſion in former times can parallell. Very horrible things have beene committed in the Land.

—pudet haec opprobria nobis,

Et dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli?

The conſideration whereof ſhould put colour in our faces, and cover us with ſhame, if we be not paſt, beyond a bluſh, when wee conſider that many griping evills might have been, and have not beene prevented, or becauſe boldly acted, have not beene moſt ſeverely, moſt exemplarily p. 9puniſhed. And therefore it is high time for us, who are the Lords Remembrancers, to ſpeake by the pound and talent, to reprove in words of weight, for the gentle ſpirit of Eli is not ſufficient to amend children that are paſt grace; and therefore we muſt crie aloud, ſpeake out, ſpeake home, ſpeak all, though we lived in times that would hamper us in thoſe bands and cords in my Text, for our plaine and impartiall dealing. Now that things have beene ſo, we may ſit downe and ſadly complaine: but why they have beene ſo, we need not much to wonder, when we conſider the next particular in this Text: that,

Obſ. 2. Rebellious spirits affect nothing ſo much as Lawleſſe liberty, to doe what they pleaſe, without controll.

Rebellious ſpirits, who are they? Such as caſt off ſubjection, ſuch as breake the yoke, burſt the bands, as the Prophet ſpeakes, Ier. 5. 5. The yoke, the bands, which ſhould reſtraine, regulate, order them, and all becauſe they affect nothing ſo much as Lawleſſe liberty. Lawleſſe liberty, and what is that? When men doe what they pleaſe, not what they ſhould; notwithſtanding all reſtraint of Lawes and government to the contrary. This too, too much belov'd liberty, without doubt is marvailouſly affected by the corrupt nature of man. Tis a ſin of a very ancient growth, for it tooke its firſt riſe from the very firſt tranſgreſſion. In the garden of Eden, amongſt thoſe many plants which God made, ſome for ornament, and ſome for uſe, ſome for ſight, and ſome for ſent, and ſome for taſte: not farre from the goodlieſt trees of Life and Knowledge, grew the bitter root of diſobedience: I call it ſo, becauſe the forbidden fruit grew on that tree, of which our firſt Parents tooke and taſted, though they were commanded not ſo much as to touch it, Gen. 3. 3. The taſte whereof did not only infect themſelves thorowout, but the corrupt nutriment thereof, did alſo convert it ſelfe into the whole body of their ſucceeding linage. Mee thinkes there is very much in that firſt ſtory of Diſobedience, to illuſtrate this point: when our firſt Parents in their eſtate of Holineſſe, who had power in them to Obey, as well as Diſobey, and God had told them that of every tree in the garden they might freely eat, the tree of Knowledge only forbidden, Gen. 2. 16. 17. And though there was no compariſon betwixt the Maker, and the murtherer of Mankinde, the Father of Truth and the father of lies, betwixt a God and a divell: and the one had forbidden but one tree, and had fenced it (as it were) with a double hedge of a double death, temporall, eternall; yet when the Serpent came to the woman, with a p. 10meere contradiction to the voyce of God, Ye ſhall not ſurely die, Gen. 3. 4. how credulous and forward was ſhee to entertaine his ſuggeſtion? Our firſt Parents tooke their fall by their owne wilfull Diſobedience, and we fell in them, Ro. 5. 19. Their Perſons infected their Nature, but our nature ever ſince infects our perſons. Ne mali fiant times, naſcuntur: We are borne bad, as well as become ſo; our ſin ſticking more cloſe to our nature, then our skin doth to our fleſh. And it is no marvell now, if our nature ſo marvellouſly corrupted, be ready to break every branch of the tree of Good, which God commands, and of the tree of Evill, which God forbids; this ſinfull corruption being like a violent ſtream, which the longer and further it runnes from the fountaine, runnes with the greater violence. After the flood when the people began to multiply, they grew heady, exorbitant, violent, unruly, little leſſe then mad, for they went about an impoſſible worke, to build a towre whoſe top might reach to heaven, Gen. 11. And God there ſayth of them, v. 6. that they would be reſtrayned in nothing they imagined to doe: that is, if they were let alone: therefore Almighty God cauſed their tumultuous action, then begun in Pride, to end in Confuſion. In whoſe example that rebellious ſpirit which is in every one by nature, is drawne out to the very life. And doubtleſſe, were it not for theſe bands and cords in my Text, and for thoſe hookes and bitts which God hath put in the jawes and noſtrils of men, they would be more unruly, more untamed, then all the creatures of the world beſide. Man being eſtranged from the wombe, is ready to goe aſtray as ſoone as he is borne, Pſ. 58. 3. Being of a diſobedient and a gainſaying spirit.

There is a pertinent ſtory to this purpoſe, which Valerius (as I remember) relates of a Roman, who had very long, and voluntarily confined himſelfe within the walls of Rome, and with very much content, but afterwards when he was commanded, not to goe forth the gates of that City, that place which before was his Paradiſe, now by reaſon of that word of reſtraint, became his Priſon. And,

Reaſon. It muſt needes be thus, becauſe rebellion and diſobedience is …naturall as kindly to man in generall, as the very fleſh and bones he carries about him. Adam left it as a Patrimony, as an inheritance unto all his Poſterity; and Eue gave perverſnes in her milke, every one naturally harbours a Rebell in his breaſt. Nitimur in verita…, which cauſeth him to thinke forbidden fruit moſt faire; forbidden pleaſures moſt ſweet▪ forbidden waies moſt ſecure. This made the bleſſed Apoſtle himſelfe ſadly p. 11to complaine Rom. 7. 23. of a law in his members rebelling againſt the law of his mind. I ſee a law in my members, that is ſin ruling like a law in my members, in the faculties of my ſoule and body, or like a law governing, and ruling my actions. Rebelling againſt the law of my minde, that is againſt that renued ſpirituall part in me, which like a Law too commands me another way.

Ʋſe. I ſhall not adde much by way of inference or uſe in the application of this particular, becauſe that which I might here inſert, will fall into that which followes from this text. But I beſeech you give me leave before I proceed, to let fall a very ſad complaint; and to leave a moſt juſt reproofe behind me. A complaint, and reproofe of ſome particulars which former times were ſcarcely acquainted withall. A complaint and reproofe of the Preachings, and Printings and actings of thouſands at this time in this Kingdome, a very lively comment, on this particular in my text. Bo… Deus ad qu… tempora reſervati ſumus! Good God in what times doe we live, when ſo much lawleſſe, unwarrantable, unjuſtifiable liberty, is taken by men, to doe what they pleaſe without controll. Oh how hath the Pulpit been abuſed, (ſince the hedge hath been downe about our Church) by a liberty, which without doubt, Poſterity will not beleeve, could be taken at ſuch a time at this; when he that pleaſeth conſecrates himſelfe, when the loweſt among the people, without any lawfull Call, or Commiſſion, take upon them to be publique Teachers of others: For an outward call or commiſſion I am ſure they have none, and if they have an extraordinary and an immediate call from God, which would manifeſt it ſelfe in more then ordinary guifts, let them make this appeare, and we will hold our peace; and moreover, we will reverence them, and lay our ſelves at their feete, as they in the fourth of the Acts and 34. 35. verſes when they had ſold their poſſeſſions brought the money and laid it downe at the foote of the Apoſtles: But till they can make this appeare, I know not with whom more fitly to compare them, then with thoſe vagabond Jewes, …iſts, which tooke upon them great matters, to diſpoſſeſſe thoſe which were troubled with evill ſpirits Acts 19. 13. and there were ſeven ſonnes of … which did ſo verſe 14. and the evill ſpirit anſwered and ſaid to them, Jeſus I know, and Paul I know, but who are yee? The Devils could eaſily eſpie the want of Commiſſion in the ſonnes of Sc…va; when they adjured him by the name of Jeſus whom Paul preached, ſaying, Jeſus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but who are ye…? As if he had ſaid, your warrant is not good, your … p. 12are not ſtrong enough to remove me. And doubtleſſe there are no ſuch chaines of Authority, no ſuch linkes of iron to binde the Nobles and Princes of the earth, and to reſtraine Devills, as in thoſe tongues, which God hath armed from above, and enabled, and ſet apart, and ſent cut in his ſervice. Or theſe which before we named are like thoſe mockers of the true Prophets (for they want no ſlighting nor reviling tearmes for them) thoſe mockers mentioned Jer. 23. 25. who call the people together and tell them they have dreamed, they have dreamed when they deliver dreames indeed. Now as Pauls ſpirit was ſtirred up at Athens, ſo ſhould the ſpirits of all godly, honeſt, and Orthodox Miniſters and people be now ſtirred up in England, when we doe further conſider how that all thoſe ancient and damnable hereſies, recorded by Irenaeus, and Epiphanius, which we hoped had been long ſince buried in forgetfullneſſe, are rack't up againe out of their corruption, and preached by ſome, and applauded by others, and defended by more. And no marvel, for they are a people in generall (to give a breife character of them that ſhall doe them no wrong) of proud, uneven, unquiet, untractable, unpeaceable, uncharitable ſpirits differing and diſſenting much amongſt themſelves, carried away headlong by the violence of their owne wills, which they improperly and by miſconceiving call their conſciences, whoſe wills are very much too hard for their underſtandings, which makes them ſo wedded to their owne conceivings, that you may aſſoone remove Rocks from their places, as theſe from their concluſions, and therefore nor fit to be diſputed withall; being like mil-horſes, in the evening juſt there, where they began their morning circuit: having two generall all replies for all objections, as if you proove a thing plainely by Scripture, their uſuall anſwere is, that you interpret this or that Scripture ſo, but they conceive of it otherwiſe, or you apprehend ſo or ſo of ſuch a queſtion in diſpute, but they think otherwiſe. Like Petilian the Rayler who when Auſtin had confuted him, from the Authority of all the Ancient Fathers, anſwered, Omnes Patres ſic, ego autem non sic if all the Fathers thinke ſo, i'le thinke otherwiſe. So that as Lactantius wrote of ſome Idolaters in his time, that they feigned what they pleaſed, & then feared what they feigned: So theſe conceit what they like, and then beleeve themſelves bound to juſtifie their wild conceivings, which hath cauſed ſuch a multitude of ſtrange opinions amongſt us, that we of this Nation are in very great likelihood to come into the proverb, that if a man cannot find his Religion in Poland, nor Amſterdam, let him ſeeke for it in England.

p. 13In the ſecond place, oh the boldneſſe and liberty of the Preſſe, if wee conſider thoſe odious Pamphlets it often ſquieſeth out. There was a Pamphlet of ancient date, but, yet in memory, which did beare the name of Martin-mar-prelate. And we had a Pampleter of late who named that moſt deformed iſſue of his idle and crazed braine, Martin mar-prieſt, And we have had a Martin-mar-Prince too, as any one might lately obſerve, who could have the patience to reade, that greateſt pretender to wit, amongſt all our penniworths, now happily ſilenced as I hope, who in his moſt odious, and ſcurrilous Pamplets would often force in ſome occaſion, to trample upon Majeſtie. And we have a Martin-mar-people to, he, I meane, whatſoever he be, who was the Author of that (I know not what bad enough to call it) intituled by that moſt deſperate Incendiary, the Authour, A Remonſtrance of many thouſands, which he afterward calls, Your Sovereigne Lord the People: which damnable and ſeditious Pamphlet alone, hath enough in it, (if God did not reſtrain the fury and madneſſe of the multitude) to ſet the whole Kingdome on fire. As if the ſpirit of Nero had poſſeſt the breaſts of ſome amongſt us: encouraging them to fire the Kingdome, as he did the City of Rome, and then to make themſelves mirth before the flames. And to theſe, what a number have we had beſide, who in ſeverall printed papers, have endeavoured to convey unto the people (who want a ſpirit of diſcerning) many moſt dangerous, lying, and ſeducing doctrines, to pervert and undoe the ſimple. But Lions will teare, and Serpents will ſting, and Dogges will barke and bite, and venemous plants will poyſon, let us ſay what we can or pleaſe, to the contrary. But as David ſometimes asked in the like caſe, Pſ. 120. 3. ſo will I. What ſhall be given, or what ſhall be done unto thee, thou falſe tongue? The Prophet anſwers himſelfe in the 64. Pſalme, that their tongues which they whet and ſharpen like ſwords, ſhall fall upon themſelves. A fooles mouth is his deſtruction, ſaith Salomon, Pr. 18. 7. And if any of theirs we have named, bee ſo in concluſion, (which Repentance forbid) they may thanke themſelves. In the mean time; Let us not marvell at any thing Lawleſſe Libertines either ſay or doe, when we ſeriouſly conſider the third obſervation in my Text. That,

Obſ. 3. Rebellious spirits thinke themſelves in bondage, or they eſteeme themſelves as priſoners in bands, when they are required to yeeld obedience unto equall and juſt Lawes.

Therefore they will breake thoſe Bands that reſtraine them, caſt away thoſe cords that hamper them. They will breake them, if they p. 14can, their will ſhall not be wanting to doe it; ſo that if they cannot break them at once, they will unfold their linkes and twiſtings, (for ſo the Originall word foreign Natha…, heere Engliſhed to breake, ſignifies) ſo that, as I ſayd, if they cannot breake them at once, they will ravell and untwiſt them, and ſo breake them by degrees. Thus violating the civill ſanctions of man, and the equall, righteous, juſt commands of God. The ordinances of man which contradict not the Lawes of God, to which we are commanded to yeeld obedience; for ſo the Apoſtle exhorts, 1. Pet. 2. 13. 14. Submit your ſelves unto every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, &c. And the equall, righteous, juſt commands of God, to which is required ſincere, conſtant, and univerſall obedience; I ſhall not be aſhamed while I have respect unto all thy commandements, ſaith David, Pſ. 119. 6. as if he had ſayd, I ſhall be aſhamed, or I ſhall come to ſhame, if I have not.

The glory of any Church or State, is Gods preſence in it; for when God is gone, all is gone, the glory is gone, quite departed. The holy Ordinances of God manifeſt his preſence, eſpecially where the word and Sacraments are with all faithfulneſſe offered, and with all thankfulneſſe received, ſubmitted to, and improved by the people to their particular advantages. This purity of worſhip puts an inward beauty upon the Church which is all glorious within; as adminiſtration of good Laws by government, to keep all in ſafety and order, a luſtre and glory which is outward upon it. Now there is nothing more manifeſts the truth of Religion, and the excellency of a government, then the generall oppoſition they both meet withall in the world. Theſe rebellious and refractory ſpirits we have named, are ſufficient to prove this, if we enlarged no further. But we will adde ſomething more, where firſt let mee remember you of a paſſage you have often heard, Act. 28. 22. where the blinde Iewes call the true profeſſors of the doctrine of Salvation, a Sect that were every where ſpoken againſt: An hundred falſe Religions may live together in peace, but againſt the truth, the whole world hath been ſtirred up, becauſe that alone beats downe the Empire of the Devill: Many lies may concurre and agree together, but never can falſhood agree with truth.

In Rome at this day all Religions are tolerated but the true, under the ſhadow of the Popes owne chaire. And it was wont to be an ancient proverbe in that City, That is muſt needs be good which Nero perſecuted; he was ſuch a cruell bloody monſter, a very prodigie of mankinde: ſo p. 15it may be more truly ſayd of thoſe moſt holy commands of God, that they muſt needs be good, becauſe the Divell and all wicked men ſo unanimouſly oppoſe them; So, of Government, (for it is a very great conviction to me) that the Church government reſolved on to be eſtabliſhed in this Kingdome, and now eſtabliſhing, (and the Lord ſpeedily ſettle it), is a good government, that hath very much of God in it: Many cleere footſteps for it in the word of God, which other wayes now contended for have not; and is the government which God would have, which God will ſet up and maintaine; becauſe it is ſo much ſlandered, contradicted, reſiſted, by a number amongſt us, who would be left to their liberty; who becauſe, they have now too too long gone looſe, cannot endure to thinke of being ſtrait laced. This I am ſure is true in experience, that the longer it is before a colt be backt, the more unwillingly by farre, at the firſt, doth he endure his Rider: and the longer it is before a Bullocke comes to the yoake, the more hardly is he brought to it, and the more at firſt he ſtruggles and ſtrives with it. And doubtleſſe, the longer a people goe under reines let looſe, the harder will it be by farre to curbe and reſtraine them. The law, ſaith the Apoſtle, was not made for a righteous man, but for the lawleſſe and diſobedient, for the ungodly and ſinners, &c. 1. Tim. 1. 9. for the lawleſſe and diſobedient, ſayth the Apoſtle, and becauſe it curbes and reſtrains them, therefore they eſteem themſelves in bondage, or as priſoners in bonds, being required to yield obedience unto it. For,

Reaſon 1 This is the principall reaſon why all rebellious ſpirits think thus, becauſe good Lawes meet, and croſſe, and contradict, and oppoſe them in their evill wayes, in their unjuſtifiable courſes, becauſe they meet them and reprove them, and ſet in order before them, the things that they have done, as it is Pſ. 50. 21. In every commiſſion of evill, in every omiſſion of good, in every, even the leaſt fayling in duty whatſoever: they ſhake the ſecure man out of his ſeat: they diſturbe the filthy perſons upon their beds of luſt, who undoe one another by their filthy embracements: all ſhameles proſtitutes, who ſell their ſoules with their bodies, dealing with all thoſe they pretend to love, as Monkeys and Apes ſometimes doe with their little-ones, they kill them with kindnes: they tell theſe who thus ſtretch themſelves upon the bed of luſt, that though they ſleepe ſecurely there, their deſtruction ſleepes not, their damnation ſlumbers not, … in 2. Pet. 2. 3. They awake the Drunkards, crying out, Ioel 1. 5. Awake yee Drunkards, weepe and bowle, &c. They debaſe p. 16proud ones, foretelling their fall, Luc. 18. 14. Every one that exalts himſelfe ſhall be abaſed: They ſtartle the bold prophane ſwearers, with the weight of their guilt, Exo. 20. 7: They acquaint Oppreſſors with thoſe ſcreech owles of woe, which cry aloud from the beames of their chambers: And they tel the Covetous who are like the Mole, that bury themſelves under every clod of earth, or like the barren wombe, or unſatiable Death, that will never be ſatisfied, of enough mould in the grave, and of enough fire in hell: They meet with Formall profeſſors of Religion, who make Religion nothing but a complement, and they tell them that of all tempers in Religion, a luke-warme temper is the worſt. Becauſe thou art neither hot nor cold, but luke-warme, i'le spue thee out of my mouth, ſayth the Spirit to the Church of Laodicea, Re. 3. 16. That is, I will make thee who art but a Church in ſhew, to be no Church at all, it being all one in the account of God, to deny the Faith, and not ſoundly and ſincerly to profeſſe it: They unma…ke the double faced hypocrites, who only act Religion, play devotion, who are all for ſhew, and nothing for ſubſtance; making Religion a cloake, and they tell them, that as Religion is the beſt armour in the world, ſo it is the worſt cloake; and whoſoever put it on for no other end, it ſhall in concluſion do them no more good, then that diſguiſe which Ahab put on, in which he periſhed, when he fought with the Syrians at Ramoth Gilead, 1. Ki. 22: They convince blinde errors, by cleere and orthodox truths: And tell them that receive not the love of the truth that they might be ſaved, that for this cauſe, God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion that they might beleeve a lie, that they might be damned, who beleeve not the truth &c. 2 Theſ. 2. 10. 11. 12: They caſt downe imaginations and every high thing which exalts it ſelfe againſt God, 2 Cor. 10. 5. In a word, They meet with ſinners at every turne, and becauſe they doe ſo, theſe cannot away with them; and therefore may be fitly compared unto that fiery meteor, which cauſeth thunder the more ſtreightly it is wrapt, and bound up in the cloud, it breaketh forth with the greater violence and noiſe. Or they are like the troubled ſea when it cannot reſt, to which the Prophet compares them, Iſaiah 57. 20. foming and raging moſt againſt thoſe truths of God which oppoſe them moſt; as the tempeſtuous Sea doth againſt thoſe Rocks and Bankes, and bounds, which hinder its courſe, and keep it in.

Ʋſe. Breifely now for application of this point. I ſhall addreſſe my ſpeech unto every looſe, lawleſſe libertine in the world, and firſt deſire to let him know, that there is no liberty but ſervitude in ſinne; no liberty p. 17but in the freedome from ſin, and ſecondly, they whoſoever they be, that caſt off Gods yoke, whoſe ſervice is freedome, and yeeld obedience unto the commands of Satan (for every one in the world ſerves one of theſe two Maſters) they are meere bondſlaves unto him they ſerve, for all the ſervices that the Devill imploies his ſervants in, are, (whatſoever men may thinke otherwiſe of them) no better then a very toileſome drudgery a very baſe bondage. Heare the truth of this in ſome particulars, as in the ſin of covetouſneſſe, wherein Ahab may be our example, who, becauſe he could not poſſeſſe Naboths Vineyard according to his coveting deſire, it troubled him ſo, that he was heavy and ſad, and ſpiritleſſe immediately upon it, 1 Ki. 21. we may obſerve the like in that ſin of envy which Solomon tels us is the rottenneſſe of the bones Prov. 14. 30 a ſin that is plagued by it ſelfe, that hath much juſtice in it as one well obſerves, for it eateth up the heart & marrow of her Maſter, as he deſireth to eate up the heart of another. And againe—Surgunt de nocte Latr…nes. The Theife wakes while the true man ſleepes, and is more troubled to breake open, than the true man is, to guard his houſe. The not Adolterer, the filthy uncleane perſon uſeth the twilight, the evening, the blacke and darke night, Prov. 7. 9. that he may compaſſe his luſt, while the chaſt man ſits quietly in his houſe. How did the unnaturall Luſt of Amnon vex him till he had obtained his deſire, ſo that he fell ſick for his Siſter T…r, and after he had ſatisfied his unnaturall appetite, he was as ſick of her as he was before for her: he hated her exceedingly ſaith the text, his Luſt ended in loathing, ſo that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her 2 Sam. 13. 15. what fruit had yee in th…ſe things whereof yee are now aſhamed ſaith the Apoſtle to the Romans? Rom. 6. 21. for as ſin makes men paſt ſhame that they may commit it, ſo it brings ſhame if the ſinners conſcience awake after the committing thereof. See this farther in that moſt beaſtly ſin of drunkenneſſe, how it cauſeth woe, and ſorrow, and contention, and babling, and wounds, Pro. 23. 29. Nay who can count the hurts that by drunken diſtempers come both to the body and ſoule? Firſt to the whole body, eſpecially to the head, and ſtomach, and liver, and thoſe more noble parts, as alſo the rheumes, gouts, dropſies, palſies, apoplexies, inflammations, and other diſtempers hence ariſing. Oh how doth the exceſſe of wine, and any other ſtrong liquor, fire the bloud, caſting the body into feavers &c? And ſecondly how doth it inflame the ſoule too, filling that with luſts as hot as hell? So that drunkards ſhall one day be forced to confeſſe what they will not p. 18now beleeve, as it was ſpoken in another caſe 2 Ki. 4. 40. Oh there is death in the pot. And therefore the Greeke Poet ſpake wittily, that if the head-ach were to be before the wine; men would be ſober: if thoſe ſad conſequences which oftentimes follow beaſtly diſtempers, were to be endured before hand; people would not be drunke. And if thoſe moſt filthy and loathſome diſeaſes, the juſt conſequence of incontinency, were to be ſuffered before theſe acts of filthineſſe were committed, people would be chaſt: yee heare what oftentimes befalls thoſe two brethren, as one of the Ancients calls them Drunkenneſſe, & Luſt, ſaying, Nunqua… ego ebrium putavi caſtum, drunkenneſſe and chaſtity being incompatible: yee heare how its often with theſe two ſworne ſervants of the Devill, whereas the ſober, chaſt, temperate man who deſires to poſſeſſe his veſſell in holineſſe at the Apoſtle ſpeaks 1 Theſ 4. 4. to glorifie God in his life, feeles, knowes none of thoſe things.

You may helpe me with your meditations herein; for the like may be ſaid of many other worker of darkeneſſe, which the Devill imploies his ſervants in, ſerving divert luſts as the Apoſtle ſpeakes Tit. 3. 3. foreign, being as ſlaves to luſts engaging them to every ſin; one luſt drawing a wretched ſinner into one ſinfull courſe, others ha…ing and pulling him into other evill waies, making poore wretches thus miſerably diſtracted and ſeduced, as it is Jer. 9. 5. to weary themſelves to commit iniquity, or to moile and toile to goe to hell. How have many miſerable people been content, meerely led by the inſtigation of the Devill, and enflamed by him? the Devill who is moſt tyrannicall, where he is moſt obeyed, to ſubmit unto commands that have been moſt heavy, hatefull, yea moſt unnaturall, as thoſe who cauſed their Sonnes and Daughters to paſſe through the fire to Molach Levit. 20. 3. I could aboundantly inlarge, Ile only ad this, that if Satan have had ſuch power to perſwade poore, miſ-led, ſeduced creatures to ſubmit themſelves unto ſuch unreaſonable impoſi…ions, n… thinks every one who hath not quite loſt himſelf ſhould be more readily induced to yeeld a moſt cheerefull obedience unto God his moſt holy, righteous, equall, juſt commands whoſe Commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. To put their neckes under that yoke which rebellious ſpirits here in my text throw off, becauſe his yoke is easie, his burthen is light, Mat. 11. 30.

And that thy heart may not be hardned, that thou maieſt not be quite undone by the deceitfullneſſe of ſin, obſerve but this one rule when ever thou art tempted unto any thing that is evill, to view the tentation p. 19on both ſides, to take notice as well of the certaine bitterneſſe, as of the apparent ſweete that is in ſin, which ſin is fitly reſembled by thoſe Locuſts mentioned in the 9 C. of the Rev. who had the faces of men, and the haire of women, but to theſe, they had the teeth of Lions, and the tailes of Scorpions, and there were ſtings in thoſe tailes. The Devill, when he tempts a man unto any thing that is evill, preſents nothing unto the ſight of man, but what may pleaſe, content his corrupted nature, thoſe moſt fearefull and ſad conſequences of ſin, as death, hell, judgement, and everlaſting ſeparation from the preſence of God, the Devill keepes out of ſight, that the miſery of a wretched ſinner may not be knowne till it be felt, not felt till it cannot be poſſibly avoyded.

And to conclude this point: Let all be exhorted, who wilfully rebell againſt the juſt commands of God, to read their ſinnes acted in the examples, and ſmitten too, upon the backes of others. How was it with Ahab who caſt off God, and joyned himſelfe to Idols, as the Prophet Hoſea phraſeth it? Hoſ. 4. 17. Tis ſayd of him, 1. Kin 21. 20. That he ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord, but afterward he lives to rue, to repent his bargaine. No ſooner had Pharaoh asked that bold blaſphemous queſtion, Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey his voice, to let Iſrael go? Ex. 5. 2. but preſently the frogs, the lic…, the flies, the caterpillars, which the Prophet calls Gods great Army, Ioel 2. 25. riſe up in armes to tell him, and theſe poore, weake, deſpreable creatures, will not give proud Pharaoh over, till they have humbled him, and magnified their Maker. Pharaoh and all Aegypt might heereſe…, how weake they were, and what in impotent power they ſerved, when they could neither reſene themſelves, nor yet be delivered from the incurſions of frogs, lice, and flies. There is a very memorable ſtory, which I dare affirme for truth, that many yeares ſince, I brought from the Eaſterne India, where I lived at the Court of the Great Mogol, for more then two yeares. The ſtory is this: There was a great Cavalier and Nobleman of that Court, that was much in credit with that King; and that he might keepe that favour, eſteemed it, the higheſt point of Religion to flatter the King, which made him a great neglecter and contemner of God. Upon a time this wretched man ſitting in dalliance with one of his women, ſhe pluckt an hayre from his breaſt, his nipple, in wantonneſſe, I conceive without the leaſt thought of doing him hurt; the little wound, that ſmall and unexpected inſtrument of death made, preſently began to foſter, and in ſhort time after, become a Cancer incurable. When the poore p. 20wretch ſaw that he muſt needs die, he uttered theſe words, which are very well worth the recording and remembring: Who would not have thought, (ſayd he) but that I, who was bred a Soldier, ſhould have died in the face of mine enemy, either by a ſword, or a lance, or an arrow, or a bullet, or the like inſtrument of death, but now too late I am forced to confeſſe, that there is a great God above, whoſe Majeſty I have ever deſpiſed, who needs no bigger a Lance, then an Haire to kill an Atheiſt.

Oh, let us further collect out of thoſe many menaces and threatnings denounced againſt this ſin in the booke of God, what their end is like to be, that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteouſnes, that obey not the Goſpel of God. And what in concluſion this ſinne is like to coſt, and when we hauehave caſt up our whole reckoning, we may borrow thoſe words to put at the foot of our accompt, which Abner ſpake to Ioab, 2. Sam. 2. 26. bitterneſſe in the end.

And laſtly, let the reſiſters of lawfull authority, that will not ſubmit unto Gods deputed lawfull ſubſtitutes heere on earth, read the ſtory of Corah and his Company, Iud. 16. ſwallowed up quicke by the earth: the earth opening its mouth wide againſt them, that had ſo opened their mouthes wide againſt Moſes. And let them looke over the ſtory of Zimri, 1. Kin. 16. who ſlew the King his maſter, and then ſate upon his Throne; but hee enjoyed his ſo ill-purchaſed honour but a little while. The triumphing of the wicked, ſayth Iob, is ſhort, Iob. 20. 5. So this wretched man found it: for when he had reigned not ſeven yeares, nor ſeven months, nor ſeven weekes, but ſeven dayes: as in the Roman ſtory there is mention made of one Caninius, who when after much adoe hoe had obtayned the Conſulſhip, he then enjoyed it but ſeven howres: So when this wicked Zimri had reigned but ſeven dayes, he ſet on fire his uſurped Palace, and burnt himſelfe in the flame. And looke upon Abſolon, who roſe up againſt the King his father, againſt the loynes from which he fell, and ſee how he ſped afterward, 2. Sam. 18. And looke upon Achitophel who was guilty of the ſame crime, and ſee what became of him, 2. Sam. 17. In one word, let me remember all (who caſt off ſubjection, who doe their utmoſt endeavour to breake or throw off thoſe bands and cords heere,) of everlaſting chaines under darkeneſſe, which will hamper them to purpoſe heereafter. Yet notwithſtanding this, and much more that might be added, to this purpoſe;

Obſ. 4. Wicked men animate and hearten and ſtir up one another to caſt p. 21off ſubjection. Let us breake their bonds aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us.

In that wicked cariage of the ſonnes of Iacob towards their brother Ioſeph, you may cleerely ſee this truth. In the 37. of Geneſis, Ioſeph Dreames, and tells thoſe his night-viſions unto his brethren: they interpret them and ſay, v. 8. Shalt thou indeed reigne over us? ſhalt thou have dominion over us? Thou one of the yongeſt ſonnes of our father? Shalt thou? and for this they hated him, ſayth the Text. Ioſeph went foorth to ſeeke brethren, in the 14…. but he found murtherers: for as ſoone as ever they perceive him comming towards them, they ſay one to another, v. 19. Behold this dreamer commeth, come now, let us ſtay him. So ſoone as ever they ſee their brother; all their eyes, and tongues, and hearts, and hands are againſt him, and they preſently forget themſelves, not only to be brethren, but men; for they take their brother, and they caſt him into an uncomfortable pit (as if they meant to bury him alive) and then ſit downe to eat bread, v. 25. with the lamentations of their brother in their eares, nor once remembring by their owne hunger, what it was for their brother (as he might have done) to famiſh for want of food. And what was the reaſon of this their moſt unnaturall, and more then bruitiſh cariage towards their brother? you had it before, their great feare of being afterward in ſubjection to him.

Thus the Philiſtines animate, and hearten and encourage one another, 1. Sam. 4. 9. ſaying, be ſtrong and quit your ſelves like men, ô ye Philiſtins, that ye be not ſervants unto the Hebrewes.

The Scriptures are full of expreſſions to this purpoſe, ſo that if wee needed further teſtimony for the confirming of ſo cleer a truth; I could invite you to looke into the 83. Pſalme, from the beginning of the 2. to the 9. verſe, where you ſhall finde a number of people of ſuch unruly ſpirits, as this obſervation in my Text takes notice of, conſulting with, or conſent, or with one heart, leaguing themſelves together, and making confederacies, a… Edom, and the Iſhmaelites, Moab and the Hagarens, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philiſtines, with the inhabitants of Tyre, &c. But what to doe? To take crafty counſell againſt the people of God, to conſult againſt his hidden ones, v. 3. And who are theſe hidden ones? Gods deare children, whom God hides and will protect. Hee hides them as men hide Jewels, and other pretious things, keeping them in the ſafeſt places where they may be ſecured. But, however, firſt they conſult together againſt them, and then they ſpeake out their p. 22thoughts, v. 4. ſaying. Come let us cut them off from being a Nation. And certainly, there were no living for any good man in the world, if the Divell and his curſed inſtruments, could do but halfe ſo much miſchiefe as they would. God holds forth his people as lights to the world; theſe wicked ones in ſtead of walking by their light, doe their uttermoſt to extinguiſh it. God ſets them forth as examples to the world, by which theſe men might learne to order their converſation right: But they are ſo farre from being guided, governed, ruled by them, that they had rather deny them their being, then make them their example. Come ſay they, let us cut them off: Eſteeming them unworthy of any place in the world, for whoſe ſake the world was firſt made, and for whoſe ſake it hath beene ever ſince continued; for were it not for thoſe few Righteous, that are intermingled with theſe many wicked on the earth, the world could not ſtand. All wicked and ungodly men in the world owing their lives, their liberties, all the good things they doe enjoy heere, unto theſe few, whom they ſcorne, oppoſe, and perſecute.

Now what may be the reaſon why tumultuous, heady-minded mem, doe thus combine and animate one another in a ſpirit of oppoſition, to caſt off ſubjection?

Reaſon 1. Firſt, becauſe all wicked rebellious ſpirits are led by the ſame evill Principall, to caſt off obedience, and therfore keepe and flock together, as beaſts of the ſame herd, or, as birds of the ſame feather do: And they act together likewiſe, like companions in miſchiefe, and brethren in evill. And therefore the Prophet Michah compares them to Briars, Mich. 1. 4. and the Prophet Nahum to Thornes, Nah. 1. 10. folded and claſpt, and twiſted, and interwoven one within another, to doe miſchiefe. Hence that monſtrouſly wicked Abimelech, who knew not how to obey as he ought to have done: and therefore drew the bloud of ſeventy of his Brethren to make way for his uſurped government, is compared to a Bramble, Jud 9. 14. A right Bramble he was indeed, who grew in the baſe hedge-row of a concubine: A Bramble that ſcratcht and drew bloud to purpoſe.

Reaſon 2. Secondly, becauſe all wicked men who throw off ſubjection are guided by the ſame ſpirit, the ſpirit of the Divell, who rules, ſayth the Apoſtle, in the children of diſobedience, Eph. 2. 2. And ever ſince the Divell and wicked men received their doome, to be chayned for ever heerafter under darkneſſe; they cannot endure to think of Bands or Cords, or any other thing beſide, that may reſtraine them.

p. 23Vſe. Now to make uſe of this; and firſt let me tell you for Inſtruction, from that which ſprings from the bitter root of ſtubborneſſe, diſobedience, and refractorineſſe in this Text; this honey, this ſweet, may be extracted. As, if it be ſo that wicked men can thus animate, and hearten, and encourage one another in the wayes of evill; every one heere aſſembled may now prevent me & ſay, that what we have hence obſerved inferres and inforceth upon us a leſſon for our imitation▪ to follow thoſe we have named, in their diligence, & eagernes, & joint conſent in acting; as to leave them in the evill and obliquity of their actions, to be as active in good, as they are in evill. To inſtance in ſome particulars: How many Separatiſts goe on violently, in an unwarrantable courſe, as Cyprian wrote to Cornelius of five Schiſmatickes that had taken ſhipping, and ſayled to Rome, with their mart of lies, as if the Lord of heaven, who rideth upon the Cherubims, could not overtake them. What ſtone doe theſe leave unturned, what thing doe they leave unattempted? per mare, per terras, per ſaxa, per ignes: as Chriſt ſpake of the Phariſees, Mat. 23. 15. Compaſſing ſea and land to make Proſelites, or ſome of their owne profeſſion. The Idolaters at Epheſus, as if they had been the ſonnes of Noiſe and Tumults, cry up their baggage Diana, for the ſpace of two houres together, Act. 19. Great is Diana of the Epheſians, quaſi vocibus cultum ejus reparaturi, as Chryſoſtome on that place: as if they meant with their loud outcries, to hold up her honour, and to blow up all oppoſition againſt her with her very breath.

And thus the Idolatrous Preiſts of Baal cried long from morning till noone, and loud too, ſaying Oh Baal helpe as 1 Ki. 18. And the inhabitants of Samaria feared, and mourned, and made much adoe for their Idol. Likewiſe Hoſes 10. 5. To the like purpoſe Micah complaines Judg. 18. 24. yee have ſtolen away my Gods; and what have I more? Or what have I more to loſe? Let me tell you in a word by the way, that theſe were proper Gods to rely on, that could not ſecure themſelves. O excellent…m inſaniam! as Chryſoſtom obſerves upon this paſſage, were thy Gods ſuch ones that a man might ſteale them? O notable folly! To rely upon ſuch helps, Gods per Antiphraſ…, for the workeman made them and therefore they are not God, Hoſes 8. 6. for if the fire ſpare them, ruſt, or rottenneſſe, or time will conſume them. But the morall of Micah his ſpeech is good, for the loſſe of God is the loſſe of all things, who never forſakes us till he be firſt forſaken by us; ſo the enjoying of a ſweet communion with God, is the enjoyment of every good thing beſide, but this by the way. The Prophet p. 24David makes mention of ſome that haſten after another God Pſal. 16. 4. Feſtinant they haſten with ſpeed, or as Tremelius and Junius reade it from the originall, Dotant, they endow them with guifts, or they give a dowry to them, there is nothing ſo coſtly which they will not beſtow, which they will not willingly caſt away upon their Idols, which cauſed the Iſraelits being tainted with this ſin, to ſtrip their Wives, & Sonnes and Daughters of their Ear-rings to make a molten Image, Exod. 32. they thinke nothing too much, too hard to doe, to endure for them, and therefore they did not ſticke to ſacrifice their Children unto them: what tedious pilgrimages doe ſome Papiſts trudge barefoot, and how doe they afflict their bodies with whippings, watchings, faſtings? And I have obſerved this among Heathens that they impoſe many ſharpe and voluntary penances upon themſelves, far above all thoſe: the Romaniſts boaſt of as ſome of them will put maſſy fetters of iron upon their leggs, and then as faſt as they are able, goe hundreds of miles barefoot, upon the ground (very hot and parching in thoſe Climes) to viſite the Sepulchers of their deluding Saints. Others will voluntarily faſt till nature be almoſt quite decaied, & there be ſome who ſequeſter themſelves from the world, and live remote upon the tops of Hills, the reſidue of their lives, ſometimes many yeares: after which retirement, they never ſuffer the razor to come againe upon their heads, and they let their nailes grow like birds claws, as it is written of Nebuchadnezzar, when he was driven from the ſociety of men, Dan. 4. 33. and further theſe Votaries being thus retired will ſterve rather then ſtirre from their Cells, and therefore they are releeved by ſome that live neereſt to them. Thouſands there be in thoſe parts that will rather choſe to dye like the Mother and her ſeven Sons mentioned in the 2 Mac. and 7. Chap. then eate or drinke any thing their Law forbids them: Such meate and drinke as their Law allowes them, they take only to ſatisfie nature, not appetite; hating gluttony, and eſteeming drunkenneſſe, as indeed it is, a ſecond madneſſe, and therefore uſe but one word in their language for a drunkard and a madman. The Mahumetans, what occaſion ſoever they have either by pleaſure or profit to divert them, will pray five times every day. And the Phariſee could tell us Lu. 18. 11. that he was no Extortioner, nor unjuſt perſon, nor an Adulterer &c.

Now let us put all this together, and then let us hold up our heads if we can for bluſhing, and heare our owne ſhame, receive our juſt reproofe, which is the ſecond thing I ſhall infer from hence.

2. Ʋſe of reproofe I ſay when we conſider the unity, agreement, accord, p. 25that is in wicked men, their teaching, animating, ſtirring up one another, in whom there is unitar, contra unitatem, conſpiracy, agreement in error, in evill; and ſo little unity, agreement amongſt us for truth. How dare we in matters of God, ſo flag and faint, and diſſent as we doe, ferventiſſimi in terrenis, in coeleſtibus frigidiſſimi: ſhewing nothing but heate and earneſtneſſe in earthly, nothing leſſe? in heavenly things! Shall Schiſmaticks, Hereticks, Phariſees, Papiſts, Turkes, Infidels, Idolaters of all kinds, ſolicite bad cauſes with ſuch earneſtnes; and we, the cauſe of God, ſo faintly? They were wont to ſay of cowards in Rome, that there was nothing Roman in them; and may it not be as fitly applied unto many of us who profeſſe our ſelves Chriſtians? There is not that Chriſtianity in us which may bring comfort to us; if there were, we ſhould be more remiſſe in our owne quarrels, more fierce and forward in the cauſe and quarrell of God. Oh how doe a number amongſt us even ſhame the Religion we profeſſe by profeſſing of it! What a ſad thing is it to conſider, that a Phariſee ſhould be chaſt, and a Chriſtian filthy: That an Heathen ſhould be temperate, ſober; and a Chriſtian drunken: That a Mahumetan ſhould pray five times every day, and he that profeſſeth himſelfe a Chriſtian, ſcarce voluntarily goe to God in prayer, five times in a weeke, a monethmonth, a yeare: that they who profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians ſhould come ſhort of them that come ſhort of Heaven! The morality of millions of Heathens may ſhame us, their lives condemne ours: The Nations which call not upon the name of God are more righteous then we, who have juſtified the Jewes, and Turkes, and Heathens. Our idolatrous and ignorant fore-fathers ſhal riſe up in judgement and condemne as, for they followed what they knew, but we know the will of God, and follow it not. Conſiderare pudet quantus ferver quae cura &c. was the complaint ſometimes of Jerom that he was aſhamed to conſider, how ſolicitous many were in temporall, and how ſluggiſh we in ſpirituall things: He was aſhamed to thinke, how that ſo many thouſands ſhould drive like Jehu furiouſly in the waies of evill, Superſtition, Error, Idolatry, Profaneneſſe, and the like; and we in the waies of God, goe a ſnayles pace, like the Egyptians in the ſea, when their Chariot wheels were off, Exod. 14. 25. That evill men of all ſorts, ſhould have their tonguet bent like bowes for lies, as the Prophet ſpeakes Jer. 9. 3. and we not valiant for the truth, ſhewing no courage for it, as if we durſt not owne the cauſe of God. Dormis tu Petre? Was an heavy check our bleſſed Saviour gave St. Peter, Marke 14. 37. ſleepeſt thou Peter? Are the high Preiſts conſulting? p. 26Are the Souldiers …anding themſelves? Is the Son of God neere his betraying? And ſleepeſt thou, Peter? And, is there an ayming at the head of Authority now, an endeavour by ſome to lay all even and levell? Is there a ſtriking at Religion, in an endeavour after liberty therein? which liberty threatens us, which liberty hath already extreamly hurt us;

—ſaevior armis,

Libertas nocuit;—

Which liberty if it be permitted, continued, will undoubtedly undoe us: And ſhall any diſciple of Chriſt, that hath beene taught of him, bee now ſo ſleepy, ſlothfull, ſluggiſh, as if the matter in hand concerned him not? Let us not beleeve that any would be ever contented to die for Chriſt, that will not ſpeake for him: that they would ever bee willing to affoord Chriſt their blood, who will not doe ſo much as lend him their breath.

Now for a corollary or concluſion. It was an excellent commendation that Quintilian ſometime gave of Veſpaſian the Emperour, that he was patientiſſimus veri, moſt patient in hearing truth: Let his commendation be, ours. The life of Preaching is application, and the life of Application, is the applying of truths unto our particular ſelves. And therefore that we may be now yet more particular, in bringing home the truths we have heard, into our ſeverall boſomes:

Firſt, do rebellious ſpirits caſt off the Yoke? aime at nothing ſo much as deſtructive liberty? Let us be exhorted to ſubmit unto it, to yeeld obedience unto all the holy, equall, righteous, juſt commands of Almighty God, and ſay with the Apoſtle, howſoever they may ſeeme croſſe and contradictory unto us; that the Law is holy, and the commandement is holy, and juſt, and good, Rom. 7. 12. And let us write this truth amongſt thoſe things we would moſt remember, that Jeſus Chriſt never was, never wilbe a Saviour to any, unto whom he is not a Lord. Further, Let us ſubmit our ſelves unto every ordinance of man, for the Lords ſake, &c. as before it was urged from that in the 1. Pet. 2. 13.

Secondly, is there ſuch an unity, an agreeing, a love, a liking amongſt many we have named to compaſſe their evill ends; Let us take up heere in the firſt place a further ſad, and a very juſt complaint, of the diſ-union, miſ-agreement, cenſoriouſneſſe, uncharitableneſſe, raſh judging and condemning, that ſo ſwells up the breaſts of many amongſt us, who profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians, yet they want charity for them, for whom Chriſt had blood; who, becauſe we cannot aſſent unto them in p. 27all their miſ-grounded opinions, therefore they caſt us off, away, as filthy ragges. Oh love I thou duty and ornament of Chriſtians, thou glory of Saints, thou delight of God, where art thou? how art thou gone? how art thou departed from us? where ſhall we ſeeke thee? where ſhall we finde thee? Surely in owne hearts, or elſe woe be to us.

And ſecondly, though difference in opinion hath ſo baniſhed love from many amongſt us, that they cannot afford us a good word; yet we may not deale with them as they deale with us: but learne to know, that if love be of God, as S. John ſpeakes, 1. Jo. 4. 7. And every one that loveth is borne of God, and knoweth God: ſo he that loves not, knoweth not God, as it followeth in the next verſe. And if love be the fulfilling of the Law, as the Apoſtle tels us, Ro. 13. 10. If the whole Law be abridged in that duty of love; then the want of love muſt needs be the violating, the breaking of all the commandements of God.

Thirdly, let us learne hence, what the Prophet David exhorts us to in a like caſe, Pſ. 109. 28. Though they curſe, yet bleſſe we. And though they hate, yet love we. Let us love their perſons, and any thing beſide we ſee of God that is lovely in them, whatſoever they may thinke of us, though we may not, we muſt not, by any meanes cloſe with them in their opinions. In all our demeanour towards them, carrying our ſelves as Joſhua did to Achan, Joſh. 7. who retayned the affections of a Father, while he was executing the office of a Judge.

Fourthly, let us be exhorted to make much of that moſt excellent grace of the ſpirit, Love: love to God, love to one another. Lets make much of love: for tis love which conveyes all mercies to us. Let us lay hold on it, as the Patriarchs did apprehend the promiſes, moſt elegantly ſet out by the Apoſtle, Heb. 11. 13. by a Metaphor of ſaluting, foreign They ſaluted them, they kiſſed them, they hug'd them, they embraced them. So let us doe this grace, that findes ſuch little, ſuch cold entertainment from many, from moſt. This grace of love, which God himſelfe ſo liketh, that he calls himſelfe by the name of Love, 1. Ioh. 4. 8. foreign: Fellow after charity, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 4. 1. The originall word is very emphaticall: for it ſignifies to purſue, or follow a thing eagerly; it implies in it a ſingular love to the thing we follow, which makes us take any paines about it; to follow a thing as having it in chaſe, the Metaphor being taken from Hunters, who will not leave what they purſue, till they have taken it. Thus muſt we follow after love and charity, that we may Have it, and Harbour it, and Exerciſe p. 28And laſtly, let us labour after unity, as firſt unity and agreement amongſt our ſelves. Secondly, unity in the profeſſion of the true Religion we profeſſe, as unity in doctrine, and unity in diſcipline, which would marvellouſly unite our hearts together. There is but one Lord, one Faith, oxe Baptiſme, one God and Father of all, ſaith the Apoſtle, Eph. 4. 5. 6. All in unity. And God is the God of order, not the Author of Confuſion, 1. Cor. 14. 33. The body of a Church or State is then ſtrongeſt, when the multitude of believers have but one heart, and one ſoul amongſt them all. As he that obſerves the cariage of the Primitive Chriſtians, ſhall finde this word foreign, which ſignifies one conſent, one heart, one mind, in the 4 firſt Chapters of the Acts, often applied unto them. Which unity in the truth of Religion, is the firmeſt band twixt man and man, foreign, the very knot and tie of all communion and conſociation. On the contrary, as diviſion of tongues in the eleventh of Geneſis, hindred the building up of Babel, then: ſo diviſion of hearts hinders the ſetling and building up of the Church now. And as Plankes and Timbers joyned together make a ſhip, but disjoyned, ſhipwracke: and as connexion of ſtones and timber make an houſe; diſſipation, a ruine: ſo, unity and agreement of Chriſtians build up a Church, as diſſenſion puls it downe. And as they ſay of Bees, that when there is a ſtirre and ſtrife amongſt them, it is a ſigne that their King is about to remove and leave the hive; ſo ſtrife, ſchiſme, diſſenſion in Religion, to the hazard of it, is a ſigne that God either hath, or is about to leave a people. One of the maine ſcandals the Iewes take from the carriage of Chriſtians, is their diſſention and diſagreeing one with another: which they interpret to proceed from want of unity of truth in the foundation of Chriſtian Religion, by which they are ſtartled and ſcared from the Goſpel. And ſome Papiſts have ſayd of us, (and I would there were no truth in it) what one Preacheth in the morning, another contradicts after dinner: and what peace and accord can there be in that houſe, ſay they, where the husband is a Calviniſt, the wife a Lutheran, the ſervant an Oecolampadian? &c. And what ſettlement can we expect, while one is a Browniſt, another an Anabaptiſt, another an Antinomian, another a Seeker? and all theſe happily under one roofe: another an Everything, another a Nothing. What can we looke for leſſe then confuſion, (as a moſt grave, learned, orthodox, eminent man, famous in his generation, obſerved) while we have Doctrine againſt Doctrine, Prayers againſt Prayers, Faith againſt Faith, Religion againſt Religion? the p. 29moſt fearfull conſequences of which deſtructive waies were written in the murthers, maſſacres, tragedies, waſts, ſomtimes committed in France and both the Germanies: and the reaſon, the pretence of all that cauſed thoſe their ſo great miſeries, only that which immediately before we named.

The Anabaptiſts in the upper Germany, as Sleidan reports, framed an imagination to themſelves, that by the will of God, the Ancient Magiſtracy muſt be quite rooted out from the earth. And ſaid (and happily they beleeved it too) that they had ſpeech with God, who enjoyned them to kill all the wicked in the Land, and to conſtitute a new World conſiſting only of the innocent: What ſlaughter and havock this cauſed, what profuſion of bloud betwixt the Nobles and Commons, Germany then felt, and ſmarted for; and Hiſtories will relate to all Poſterity. The preſident whereof may make the World take heede, how they be drawne by fanaticall ſpirits, into theſe or the like deſperate and damnable courſes. And if this hath been the fruite of ſuch dangerous deſtroying waies, let any one be judge that hath not loſt his underſtanding, whether it be fit, for every Subject in a Realme, (for if it be granted to ſome, it would be in juſtice to deny it unto others) to be priviledged in his houſe; to have a God to himſelfe, a Prieſt to himſelfe, a worſhip to himſelfe, as Micah had in Mount Ephraim, and whether it be fit for people to preach and beleeve, and obey and pray, as themſelves pleaſe.

But what may be done in this caſe, may ſome one ſay? The minds of private men are as free as Emperours, every one is a King in his owne houſe as Telemachus ſaid; And nothing is ſo voluntary as Religion: Yee may ſhift the bodies of men from place to place, but yee cannot change their minds, advice may doe more then threatning, and faith commeth rather by perſwaſion, then compulſion; I anſwer, firſt we muſt ſpeake to the conſcience by good Counſell, by faire meanes, by forcible-convincing arguments; But if the eare of conſcience be ſtopt up againſt us, if perſwaſions prove unprofitable, if exhortations, convicting arguments carried on in love and mercy will not ſerve the turne; we muſt then ſpeake to the eare of the body, to their Inheritance, to their Liberty. Let the body tell the conſcience I am afflicted, the Inheritance I am diminiſhed, Liberty I am reſtrained for thy ſake, I tell yee, that theſe have been arguments, which have done much good; as Auſtin affirmes of the Donatiſts, and Circum…ellions in Africa, that being terrified by paines, they began to enter into conſideration with themſelves, whether they ſuffered for conſcience, p. 30or for obſtinacy. But it may be againe objected that ſome have not been bettered hereby, he anſwers this objection, Ideo negligenda eſt medicina, quia nonnullorum eſt inſanabilis peſtilentia? Shall we therefore reject phyſick, becauſe the ſickneſſe of ſome is incurable? I confeſſe that a man ſhould not ſuffer for a meere default in his underſtanding, but if the fault be in his will, it alters the caſe, and without doubt a number even now among us miſtake their will for their conſcience, which may eaſily be done, for they lodge both in the ſame ſoule, & therfore they may be eaſily taken one for the other: Now as the rectified good will of man muſt not be without fruit: So the ſtubborne depraved will of man muſt not ſcape without puniſhment, the voluntary default of a mans will being the juſt cauſe of all his ſuffering, Clavis ſapientiae frequens interrogatio queſtioning is the Key of knowledge, he that never askes, cannot attain to knowledge, and he that ever askes ſhall never receive ſatisfaction. When people are become ſuch ſcepticks, that they will queſtion every thing, and receive ſatisfaction in nothing; doubt whether the Sun have light, or the fire heate, or the like doubts in other things, which ſhould not be queſtioned, ſuch muſt be regulated. Tertullian is of the ſame minde with Auſtin, that it is meet that Hereticks and Schiſmaticks too, ſhould be compelled to doe their duties, if they will not be perſwaded to doe them. I ſay compelled, if allurements and perſwaſions will not ſerve the turne, they muſt not alwaies be entreated, he that hath a Phrenſie muſt be bound; He that hath a Lethargy muſt be prickt up; And they which ſtrengthen themſelves in error or ſchiſme, & diffuſe them amongſt others, to the prejudice of Church or State, muſt be violently pul'd out of them. Undoubtedly the ſword was never appointed, for Authority, only to make a ſhew before it, and therefore that Magiſtrate is worthy to be diſarmed, who beares the ſword in vaine. And the Keyes were never left unto the Church, to be worne as golden Keyes for honour, or ornament, or to be kept in the pocket, but to let in ſome, and to lockout others as occaſion is offered. Theſe things command and teach ſaith the Apoſtle to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 11. In the beginning of that Chapter, there is mention made of ſome that in the latter times ſhould depart from the faith giving heede to ſeducing ſpirits, ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie. Now that which was contrary to this the Apoſtle muſt command and teach; Command foreign the very ſelfe ſame word that is uſed Acts 5. 40. which the Captaines, and Officers, and High-preiſts uſed, when they commanded the Apoſtles they ſhould not ſpeake any more in the name of Jeſus foreign p. 31they commanded them, it is a word of authority which Judges uſe upon the Bench, for men to hearken, or not to hearken to, at their perill. So St. Jude ſpeakes of ſome that did ſeparate themſelves, not having the ſpirit, Jude v. 19. and ſuch muſt be ſaved with feare foreign ſave them by feare, diſcipline, cenſures, for ſo I conceive that place is properly interpreted, for feare is there oppoſed to compaſſion, of ſome have compaſſion v 22. putting a difference twixt them that erre of weakneſſe, or unavoydable ignorance, and them that doe it out of wilfullneſſe, and perverſneſſe, the firſt muſt be dealt more gently withall, others muſt be more roughly handled. Saved by feare v. 23. pulling them as a brand out of the fire, wherein otherwiſe they would be unavoydably conſumed.

I beſeech you let me not be miſtaken, in that I have now delivered, inſector vitia, non homines: I know it is a very great act of injuſtice, to be angry at the offender and not at the offence, I aſſure you therefore tis mens faults not their perſons which here ſtirres me up to make complaints. I ſhall ever deſire to be moſt tender of thoſe in whom I can diſcerne any impreſſions of God. And I know it had been better for me that I had never been, then that I ſhould live, to condemne the generation of the righteous. And for my part, my witneſſes are in Heaven and in my owne breaſt, that ſo farre as I can know my heart, I doe not wiſh to live a minute longer, then I ſhall unfainedly deſire to honour thoſe that truely honour God. And ever ſince it hath pleaſed God to reveale himſelfe in any meaſure to me; I could love Religion in ruſſet, in raggs, as well as in the gayeſt dreſſe: And ſhall labour, by Gods grace, while I live, to give moſt reſpect, where I finde moſt goodneſſe. But when the error of Religion turnes mens braines, and ſo makes them to fight againſt the truth of it; I cannot chuſe but complaine: I know that Zeale is good, excellent good, and hath its due deſerved commendation both of God and man, and curſed be they that goes about to extinguiſh that holy fire, that Zeale which is well grounded, well ordered; grounded upon knowledge, and carried on with diſcretion. But I know that there is as much difference twixt Zeale, and Zeale, as there is betwixt Religion, and Superſtition, and therefore to be carried on violently either by a miſ-grounded or a miſ-governed Zeale, may be curſus celerrimus, but praeter viam, a ſwift violent motion, but quite out of the way.

Fourthly, are thoſe rebellious ſpirits we have named ſo reſolved in their waies, that they leave no meanes un-attempted to bring their devices to paſſe (as before we obſerved;) O let us now labour to be as wiſe, p. 32as active in our generation as they can be in theirs. And Oh that we had been ſo, Oh that we would be ſo. Twas Jehu's queſtion 2 Ki. 9. 32. who is on my ſide who? It may be now the Lords; When the mouth of wickedneſſe is opened ſo wide, when the miſts of error thicken ſo much; and when the wings of ſchiſme ſpread ſo far over us; and there is not that endeavour which ought to be, which might be, to diſpell thoſe miſts, to clip thoſe wings, and to ſtop that mouth: qui non vetat peccare cum poſſit, jubet, we are guilty of every ſin, which we might, and doe not prevent. If we had wrought wiſely, as we might, as we ſhould have done; we ſhould have dealt with Schiſmes and Diviſions while they were growing on us, (which, becauſe we did not, have done us already ſuch apparant miſcheife) as wiſe men doe with Snakes, Vipers, venemous creatures, they ſtay not till they have ſtung or bit them, but they cruſh and kill them before-hand, that they may neither bite nor ſting. It is a ſad thing to dally and foole with dangers, eſpecially thoſe which are ſpirituall, till by our connivence they ſtrike through the life of our Religion. It was therefore very good counſell which Demoſthenes ſometimes gave unto the Athenians that they ſhould not expect till evill came, but prevent it: we ſhould be wary before the wound, and meet with diſeaſes that we would not have take hold on us: Be apprehenſive before-hand of danger, taking all evills that they may not much hurt us, at the very firſt bound, that our providence in this caſe may prevent our too late Repentance. Yee know how that it is much eaſier to quench a fire-brand then a great fire; and to put out a great fire on the hearth, then that which is far leſſe in the top of a chimney. And the Lord rouſe us up out of that ſpirit of ſlumber into which we are fallen, that we may not be like the Smiths dog, whom neither the hammers above him, nor the ſparkes of fire falling round about him, can awake. And

Laſtly, let us all reſolve to be as active for God as any other in the world can be againſt him. They ſay in Philoſophy, that the foundation of naturall life is feeling; ſo no feeling, no life; and ſo the want of ſpirituall feeling argues a want of ſpirituall life: in which reſpect that may be applied unto many, what St. Paul ſpeakes of the wanton widow mentioned 1 Tim. 5. 6. that they are dead while they live; being ſo un-apprehenſive, ſo un-affected, ſo inſenſible of what may trench upon God and his cauſe. Tis an obſervation in nature that the more quick and nimble the ſenſe of feeling is in a man, the better is his naturall conſtitution: So our tenderneſſe, our ſenſibleneſſe of Gods honour or diſhonour, above all other p. 33things, expreſſe the goodneſſe of our ſpirituall temper. And doubtleſſe it is now high time for all that feare the Lord, to speake often one to another as they did Mal. 3. 16. To ſtirre up one another unto a godly jealouſie, over Gods whole cauſe, his worſhip, his Church, his Children.

It was a brave reſolution of Tully when he was Conſul of Rome, which he uttered in his firſt Oration againſt Catiline, Intelliges me acrius vigilare ad ſalutem, quàm te ad pernici…us Reipublicae. Thou ſhalt know that I will be more wakefull for the ſafety, then thou canſt be, for the deſtruction of the Commonwealth: So ſhould every member of the Church, eſpecially thoſe whoſe places make them more publike, reſolve, to be more vigilant for the ſetling, flouriſhing, enlargement of the Church, then others can be malicious for the ruine thereof.

Tis an high commendation that Moſes gives to Levi Deut. 33. 9. who ſaid of his Father, and Mother I have not ſeene them, neither did he acknowledge his Brethren nor his Children; his neereſt naturall relations giving place to his spirituall, and ſo ſhould ours: And as that was the ground of his; ſo will it be a ground likewiſe of our higheſt commendation. Ʋbi de Religione, ibi quoque de vita agitur, as Philo Judaeus excellently ſpake, our very lives (I and our ſoules too) hold upon our Religion, and therefore we muſt act for Religion, for that which concernes Gods Glory, the Churches and our owne eternall good, as we would act for life: foreign is a word vſed in the 13 of Luke the 24. which hath very much in it, for it implies thus much, that when we deale either with God, or for God, we muſt ſtrive as wreſtlers doe for maſtery, or, as Combitants doe for victory, or elſe, as a man ſtrives and ſtruggles for life, having the pangs of death upon him: Pro aris & focis was the ancient proverbe; Firſt for Gods rights, and after, for our owne. And therefore it is very well obſerved of Aeneas, how that though he were eminently renowned for his deare reſpects to his Father; yet when the City of Troy was ſack't wherein he then was, he firſt reſcued, and exported foreign and then foreign. Firſt his Gods, and then his Father. The morall, the Leſſon taught from which ſtory is exceeding good: That we muſt firſt, for-moſt with the neglect of every thing beſide, appeare for God. To which Purpoſe, the carrage of Moſes is moſt obſervable, a very meeke man, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth, for the ſpirit of God gives him that teſtimony, Numb. 12. 3. which made him not to regard, in not taking notice of, but trampling as it were upon all injuries done unto himſelfe, as if they had not been done, as you may obſerve Exod. 17. and in other p. 34places, yet when God was diſhonored; he ſhewed himſelfe to be a man of another ſpirit, in vindicating His cauſe, as you may reade at large in the 32. of Exod. And thus our bleſſed Saviour (of whom Moſes was a type) how moſt contemptuouſly was he vſed while he was upon earth; as we reade in his ſtory: and, how willingly did he give his cheeke to the ſmiters, and his back to the ſcourges; and when he was moſt ſhamefully reviled, he held his hands, yea and he held his tongue too, for he reviled not againe, 1 Pet. 2 23. But, when he ſaw the Temple dedicated to the honour of his Father, prophaned; he laies about him, in overthrowing the tables of the money-changers, in caſting them out that bought and ſold there, nay whipping and ſcourging all out thence Joh. 2. 15. Of which carriage of our bleſſed Saviour, all the Evangeliſts take ſpeciall notice. O now let us looke upon their examples, and get this inſtruction from them, to be very forward in the cauſe of God. And let every one of us who deſire the happineſſe of the Church and State wherein we live; Labour to act wiſely, religiouſly and boldly in our proper ſpheares, whether we be Magiſtrates, Miniſters or People, let's reſolve by God his aſiſtance againſt all ſinnes, which, if we take not heede, will undoubtedly deſtroy us: And againſt all ſchiſmes too, that may, if we be not wary, unavoydably undoe us: and againſt every evill beſide that may hinder either our preſent, or our future happineſſe; To pray them downe; To preach them downe; To ſmite them downe, And to live them downe. I could aboundantly enlarge, but I am in a Sermon, not in a treatiſe: And therefore that I may not be farther injurious to your Patience, I will abruptly breake off as in the midſt of a ſentence.

FINIS.

End of the text · Edward Terry, Lawless Liberty Set Forth (1646)