GODS PARLEY WITH PRINCES: WITH AN APPEALE from THEM to HIM.

The SVMME of two SERMONS on the 3. last Verses of the 82. Psalme,

Preached at SERGEANTS-INNE in FLEET-STREETE.

BY THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith.

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LONDON

Printed by EDW: GRIFFIN, and are to be sold by Timothy Barlow, at his shop in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head. 1620.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, his singular good LORD, Sir HENRY HOBART Knight and Baronet, Lord Cheife Iustice of the Common Pleaes, encrease of true Honour heere, and eternall happinesse hereafter.

Right Honourable,

WHat hath formerly beene offered to your RELIGI­OVS eare, is now further presented to your IVDI­CIOVS eie. Nei­ther doubt I, but that, as it then found attentiue audience with the one, so it will now finde kinde welcome and acceptance with the other: [Page] the rather it being, for the matter and sub­stance of it▪ the message of Him in whose seate you sit, though brought by a weake and vnworthy Messenger, and deliuered in meane and vnpolished manner. Mes­sages are wont to be respected and recei­ued, and Presents esteemed and accepted more for the party from whom they come, then for the Person by whom they come, or for the manner of the deliuery of them. The matter, I hope, will not be altogether vnprofitable or vnfruitfull, though not handled so artificially or me­thodically as it might, or as were meete But neither mine incessant incumbrances, and perpetuall distractions, [...] of body, variety of busines, and slender meanes of assistance, will afford leasure or liberty for any accurate and exact dis­course: Nor is there much neede of Art to perswade godly regard and holy obedi­ence, where the power of piety hath al­ready in some good measure possessed the heart. The Truth of God cannot but finde good entertainment with all those that sincerely loue and like it, although it [Page] come naked and bare, as [...] E [...] ­rip. Ph [...]niss. Ve­ritatis simplex ora­tio est. S [...]n. Epist. 49. [...] [...]ritati operam dat oratio incomposita debet esse & simplex. Ibid. 40. best beseemeth it, or but meanely attired, not bedecked and set out with such ornaments and dressings, as the naturall eye and eare only affect and regard. If in ought it seeme o­uer-harsh vnto any, C [...]ncti qui [...]de­runt mandatū sa­crum, causam od [...] in seipsis habent▪ omne illis fastidium non in legis praecep­ti [...], sed in moribus sun. Salvian▪ ad Eccles. cathol. l. 4. the fault is in them­selues, not in it. M [...]ca 2. 7. The word of God, saith the Prophet, is good, yea and pleasant too, as [...] à [...] quod idem cum [...] the word vsed there signifieth, to euery one that walketh vprightly: Psal. 119. 103. as sweet as hony, yea Psal. 9. 11. sweeter then [...] distillatione favo­rū. i. melle acoeto, siue maxi n [...] landa­bili, quòd è favo vltrò stillat. I [...]. ex Plin. hist. net. l. [...]1. c. 15. the purest hony to such; as DA­VID professeth of himselfe. But euen Ho­ny it selfe, though of it selfe Pro [...]. 24. 13. good and plea­sant, and wholesome and medicinall, yet [...] Alex. Aphrodiss. problem. l. 2. 130. [...]. Dion. Chrysost. orat. 57. causeth paine and smart to an exulcerate part: And [...]. Idē ibid. children therfore that, at other times much desire it and crie for it, yet will not endure to haue it come neere their lips, when they haue sore mouthes. Quam d [...] blanditur sibi & dulcis est iniquitas, [...] est veritas. Aug. de verb. D [...]. 4. It is mans loue of his owne corruptions and impatience of cure, that maketh the word of God harsh and vnpleasant vnto any. [Page] But there is no feare or doubt that ought here should in this kind be distastfull to your Lordship, whose discreet, and mode­rate and vpright cariage in your place is so generally acknowledged and testified of all sorts. If at vacant houres your Lord­ship shall vouchsafe to cast your eie on it, it shall be more then a sufficient recom­pence of my paines in it. A monument it shall at least be of that duty, that I deser­uedly owe vnto your Honour, and of my thankfull acknowledgement of that vn­deserued fauour and countenance that your Lo: hath beene pleased from time to time to▪ vouchsafe mee, as well before, as since I came vnder the wing of your Ho­nourable protection. And the Lord of Lords protect your Lordship, encrease in you his graces, direct you in your courses, and blesse you with long life and many good daies, to his glory, the publike good, your owne spirituall comfort in this life, and your eternall saluation after this life.

Your Lordships at command in all Christian duty THO. GATAKER.

GODS Parly with PRINCES: With An APPEALE from them to Him.

PSALM. 82. vers. 6, 7, 8.6.‘I haue said; Yee are Gods, and sonnes of the most High, all of you.’7.‘But yee shall die like men; and fall as one of the Princes.’8.‘Arise, ô God, judge thou the earth: for thou inhe­ritest Or, in all Na­tions. all Nations.’

THe Booke of Psalmes, though it be called from Certis Psalmos Dauidis numeri [...] constare. Aug. E­pist. 131. Dauidē Hebraei 5. incisio­nibu [...] & vno Psal­morum volumine cōprehendunt. Hie­ron. prolog. galeat. the greater part, by the name of 74 Psalmes are expresly so enti­tled: that some others that want titles expressing their Pen men were his also, see Act. 4. 25. Dauids Psalmes; yet were Contra quam Enthymius praefat. in Psalt. not all the Psalmes in it composed by Da­uid; but some of them Psal. 90. by Moses, some Psal. [...]. by Heman, some Psal. 89. by Ethan, some Psal. 137. by others. This Psalme, as Sicut & Psal. 50. & 73. & 74. & 75. & 76. & 77. & 78. di­users [Page 2] others, vncertaine, whither written [...] vel A­saphi, vel Asapho. Vise Drus. obseru. lib. 5. cap. 3. sic [...] Psal. 72. & 127. quod alij Solomonis, alij pro Solomone. by or for Asaph: the Hebrew will beare either.

But being certaine, that it was endited [...]. 2. Tim. 3. 15. by the Spirit of God (our Sauiour himselfe [...]. Ioh. 10. 36. alleadging part of it giueth expresse testimonie thereunto) Quis haec scri­pserit, supervacuè quaeritur, cum au­tor scripti Spiritus sanctus fideliter credatur. Greg. Rō. praefat. moral. c. 1. we need not stand to discusse by what or whose pen it was written. Regis epistolis ac­ceptis, quo calamo scriptae sint, ridi­culum est quaerere. Ibid. When letters or mandates are knowne to come from the King and to be signed with the Kings owne hand, it is needlesse to inquire either by what Secretary they were drawne, or with what quill his name was subscribed.

The matter of the Psalme doth mainely and principally concerne Magistrates: Which to make the more effectuall, Vers. 1. God himselfe is produced here sitting on the bench, said to be [...] his, amids the Iudges tearmed [...] Gods; tam praeses quam praesens, not as present onely with them in place, but as Pre­sident in power; and by vertue of that power of his parlying and expostulating with them; and that

1. Vers. 2. by way of reprehension; rebuking them sharpely, and taking them vp roundly, for their vn­iust and corrupt cariages in matter of judicature.

2. Vers. 3. 4. By way of admonition, inciting them to the due and diligent performance of their office, and discharge of their dutie in the vpright and vnparti­all administration and execution of justice.

3. Vers. 5. By way of admiration; as wondring at their sottish and senslesse behauiour; that, though Terra statumina dimoventur. the pillars of the whole State, and their owne seates withall were shaken vnder them, partly through their owne misgouernment, and partly also through the just judgement of God vpon it; yet [Page 3] they would not see it and take notice of it, to amend what was amisse; but go on still wilfully in their corrupt courses, till all came to confusion.

Now because such great men might peraduen­ture alledge for themselues that [...] Psal. 58. 11. [...]. Diotogen. Pythag. de regno apud Stob. tom. 2. c. 46. Sine dubio D [...] terre­nu [...] est Imperator. Paulus. Diac. in Theodor. & Prin­cipes instar Deorū. Tacit. annal. l. 2. Iudges (as Leyfield. some expound the Psalmist) are Gods vpon earth: yea that Exod. 22. 8, 9, 28. cum Act. 23. 5. Aug. quaest. E [...]od. 86. Sed & Leuit. 24. 15. si Drusiū audimus miscel. l. 2. cap. 65. God himselfe hath so stiled them, hee hath said himselfe as much of them: and therefore Quod [...]ovi, hoc R [...]gi licet. Lyc [...] apud Sen. H [...]rc. fur. act. 2. sc. 2. Quod & à Clyti cade A [...]xarchus Alexan­dr [...] adulat [...], vt Plut. ad prefect. indoct. Sic Persi [...] R [...]gibus licere quicquid liberet, à Magis re­sponsum Cam [...]isi relatum: Her [...]t. lib. 3. M [...]mento [...]ihi omnia & in omnes licere. Caius apud Sret. c. 29. Et Iulia incesta Bassian [...] apud Spartian [...]: Si licet licet. A [...] nesci [...] t [...] Imperatore [...] esse, & leges d [...]re non accipere. Iezabel altera 1. Reg. 21. 7. they may doe what they li [...]t Culpas i [...]hic redarguere pres [...] ­mit mortalium [...]. de Papa Bonifac. dist. 40. Papa [...]emo a [...]deat dicere, Domine, c [...]r [...] fac [...]? Gloss. ad e [...]tr. de concess. pr [...]nd. neque [...] legi Papa subi [...]cet vlli. Ostiens. de offic. Lega [...] without check or con­trole.

This the Spirit of God here meeteth withall and maketh answer to, partly [...], [...] [...], vt Iun. parall. l. 1. c. 77. vers. 6. by way of concession, and partly [...] vers. 7. by way of correction: as if hee had said: True it is indeed; I haue said it; and I still grant it; ye are by office and commission Gods, and Gods sonnes and Heires as it were in some part of his power. But yet neither doth this exempt you from your natiue con­dition of frailtie and mortalitie; nor depriue or a­bridge God of his authoritie and soueraignti [...], which he hath in part so imparted to you aboue others, as yet [...] [...]. de reg [...]o. R [...] [...] in proprios greges: Reg [...]s in ipsos [...] Iovis est. H [...]rat. [...]. lib. 3. [...] 1. he retaineth ouer you and them still: That which you shall one day finde and feele, when you that are now aboue others, shall die as well as others, euen [...] Adam pro homine pleb [...]io, vbi [...] [...] vt [...] Psal. 49. 2. & 62. 9. as other ordina­rie [Page 4] me [...] doe, and Sicut vn [...]s (a­liorum) princip [...]. [...]orum scil. de qui­bu [...] Psal. 89. 9, 10, 11. as others of your owne rancke haue done before you; and you that now iudge others, shall be iudged with others, comming Post mortem iu­diciū. Heb. 11. 26. after death to giue vp your accounts vnto him.

In Vers. 9. the last verse is the conclusion of the Psalme; (as the Preface was in the first verse) wherein the Psalmist by an Apostrophe turneth his speech: and, whereas before he spake in the person of God vnto Rulers, he now leaueth them, as little hoping to preuaile oughts with them; so bent especially as Vers. 5. then they were (Drant on Ec­cles. 11. 1. It is in the reformation of a State, as in flaying of a beast, the matter sticketh most when it commeth to the heads:) And hee speaketh now in his owne person, or in the person of the poore and oppressed, whom he had Vers. 4. before mentioned, concerning them vnto God: Entrea­ting him, whose [...] scuta terr [...]. i. pro­tectiones. [...]un. Psal. 47. 9. the Sheilds of the world are, and Psal. 2. 8. whose Inheritance the whole world is, Psal. 10. 14. to take the matter into his owne hand, and Psal. 146. 7. to execute justice himselfe for those that sustaine wrong, as wel on those by whom they are wronged, as on those that refuse to do them right.

And thus much both for the Generall summe of the Psalmes, and the principall parts of it; which might easily be minced out into many more parti­culars: But because Aequè c [...]nfusa est divisi [...] & ni­ [...]ia & nulla. Se­nec. epist. 89. Ita (que) in partes divid [...] v­tile est, non in [...] concidi (vel comminui [...]) [...]d. multiplicitie of diuision, as one well obserueth, breedeth but confusion; this for the present shall suffice.

Now to leaue the rest of the Psalmists discourse either of, or with these earthly Gods and Gouer­nors; in the three last verses, which my purpose is principally to insist on, we may consider according [Page 5] to the former analysis and resolution of them, these two parts;

  • 1.
    Vers. 6, 7.
    A parly with them: and,
  • 2.
    Vers. 8.
    An Appeale from them.

In the former the speciall points obseruable, may be referred to two Heads;

  • 1.
    Vers. 6.
    The dignity and eminencie of Rulers and Magistrates aboue others, in regard of their diuine constitution;
  • 2.
    Vers. 7.
    The frailty, miserie and mortality common to them with others, in regard of their humane condition.

For the former of these: The dignitie and excel­lencie, Vise Iustin. [...]. quaest. 14 [...]. as of Angells aboue other Creatures, so of Magistrates aboue other men, herein appeareth, in that the name of God himselfe is giuen vnto either. To Angells, where the Psalmist saith of man. Psal. 8. 5. Thou hast made him litle lesse then the Gods: that is, Hebr. 2. 7. Et [...]ic Sept. [...]. then the Angells. And of Christ the sonne of God; Psal. 97. 7. Worship him, all yee Gods: that is, Heb. 1. 6. Et sic Sept.▪ [...]. all yee Angells of God; as the Apostle himselfe expoundeth it.

To Magistrates, where it is said: Exod. 22. 8. & 21. 6. He shall appeare before the Gods: and, Exod. 22. 2 [...]. Act. 23. 5. Thou shalt not raile vpon the Gods, nor reuile the R [...]ler of thy People. And, not to go far, as Vers. 1. before, where God is said to sit in judgement [...] amiddes the Gods: so here, where he both avoweth the stile, and extendeth it to all of them, what euer they be otherwise, good or bad, just or vnjust, godly or godlesse; I haue said it: Yee are all of you, both [...] Dij, Gods, and [...] filij Dei, sonnes of God: as the Heathen Poet calleth [...]. Ho [...]er. pas­sim. Et Plin. Pa­ucgy [...]. Necdum Im­perator, [...] Dei fili [...] [...]. Kings, Per­sons diuinely descended; and the Heathen King [Page 6] speaking in his heathenish language, saith Dan. 3. 25. he saw in the furnace with those three seruants of God that abode safe in the fire,I [...] sed pia s [...]am­ma tunc pepercit. Prudent. stepi [...]ā 6. Et quorum vesti­menta non attigit, vincula cōsumpsit, vt vno codemque tempore & haberet flamma virtutem suam ad solatium, & non haberet ad tormentum. Oreg. mor. lib. 9. cap. 49. & dialog. lib. 3. cap. 18▪ which though it burst their bonds asunder, yet burnt not their bodies, a fourth person [...] Sicut A­po [...]. 1. 13. [...]. Like a sonne of man. W. May. like a sonne of the Gods, that is likeAlexander Sa­cerdoti Iovis filium [...]uncupāti: [...]. [...] [...]. Plut. apophth. some rare and excellent personage.

Now if we aske the question, why Kings and Rulers are so tearmed; our Sauiour himselfe will informe vs, if we conceiue him aright. Ioh. 10. 35. Si illos dixit Deos, Sic vetus vulg. Vatabl. Leo I [...]d. Erasm. Beza &c. ad quos sermo Dei factus est: If he cal­led them Gods, to whom the word of God came; or, was made, or, was. They were (saith our Sauiour) called Gods, not, becauseSicut Angl. ve­cu [...] tum communis tum Ge [...]r. the word of God was spoken to them: butSic Syr. Quia. because the word of God came, or word for word, [...] fuit. Syr. prout. & Ebr. Ioel. 1. 1. & Ion. 1. 1. was made vnto them. Word by an He­braisme is vsed commonly for charge, command, commission, or warrant. SoDeut 10. 4. decem verba, Gods ten words, for his ten precepts, or edicts. And, Dan. 3. 22. [...] vti Ioan. 10. 35. Syr. [...] verbum Regis, The Kings word, that is, his com­mand, was vrgent. And Ester. 3. 12, 15. Queene Vashti refused to come, adverbum Regis, at the Kings word, or com­maund. And,Ester. 3. 15. & 4. 3. the Posts went out speededVel cum edicto, vel Rege [...]. Drus. in or cum verbo Regis, with, or by the Kings commission. As by the Kings word then is meant the Kings com­mission or warrant: so by Gods word in our Saui­ours speech may his charge, warrant or commission be well vnderstood in the judgement of veryVise Zanchium ad Hosh. 1. 1. good Diuines. And as it is said ofHosh. 1. 1. Hoshe, Ion. 1. 1. Ionas, Luk. 3. 2. Iohn the Baptist and others, that the word of God came, [Page 7] or, [...]. was made vnto them, because they had speciall charge and commission from God for the perfor­mance of some Offices with the people of God: soFrustra enim est Origen. qui ad An­gelos detorquet, in Exod. ho [...] 8. fru­stra etiam, quod ad totum genus huma­num distendit idem in Rom. 3. de qu [...] Aratus tamen v [...] ­rè, [...].—ad san­ctos saltem vniver­sos, Iusti [...], cum Tryph. Tertull. ad Hermogen▪: & Hieron, ad Gal. 1. de quibus 2. Petr. 1. 3, 4. Et Sen. in Apocol. Pictate & institia principes Dij [...]iunt. of Magistrates saith our Sauiour that the word of God is made to them, because they haue a speciall commission signed them from God, for the execu­ting of a speciall place vnder him and from him.

That Kings and Princes therefore are tearmed Gods and Sonnes of God, it is [...], [...]. Eustath. Itaque quod H [...]od. in Theogon. [...] - Ho [...]er. Iliad. [...] Eustath. [...]. Iust. quaest. orth. 142. O [...] communitat [...]m ipsi [...] pot [...]ntiam & potestatem Zanch de na [...]. Dei. lib. 1. cap. 12. Non quod natura sint Dij, sed quod officium [...]orum sit ordinatio divina. Brent. in Ioam. 10 not in regard of na­ture or naturall descent, but in regard of honour, authority and power conferred vpon them from God. For, Prou. 8. 15, 16. By me, saith P. 18. 23, 25. the eternall Sonne of God by Salomon, do Kings reigne, and Lords execute iudgement: By me Princes rule and Nobles, euen all the Iudges of the earth. They rule and reigne all of them aut missi, aut permiss [...], Either [...] sent of him or Pet. 2. 18. [...] Iudg. 3. 8. & 4. 2. suffred by him: wrongfull Vsurpers by permission of him, rightfull Gouernours by commission from him: by his prouidence the one, by his ordinance the other: For, Rom. 1 [...]. 1. there is no power but it is of God: and the powers that are, are ordained of God: saith the A­postle Paul of the one: And, Ioan. 19. 11. Thou couldest haue no power ouer me, were it not giuen thee of God: saith our Sauiour himselfe of the other. I [...]de est Imperator, vnde & homo antequam Imperator: inde potest as illi, vnde & Spiritus Ter [...]ull. apo­log. Cuius [...] homines [...], buius iussu & Reg [...]s constituunt [...]r. Ir [...]n, lib. 5. cap. 24. Of him alone are their places, of whom are their persons, whatsoeuer their persons are▪ AndPotestas enim [...] (etiam no­centin [...]. Aug. de nat. bo [...]i cap. 32.) à summa Dci po­testate omnino da­tur. Idem cont. S [...] ­cund. [...]. 10. Qui dat regnum caelo­rum solis pijs, re­gnum terrenum & pije & impijs, sicut ei placet, cui nihil injustè placet. Idem de ciuit. l. 5. c 21. A quo sunt omnes potestates, quamvis ab illo non sent omni [...] voluntates. Ibid. c. 8. Legatur & Theoplryl. in Rom. 13. the power it is his, howso­euer [Page 8] they come by it, or howsoeuer they abuse it.

Hence it is that the Kings chaire of estate is cal­led Gods Throne. 1 Chron. 29. 23. Salomon sat on the Throne of God as King in steede of Dauid his Father. And the Bench of Iudges is called Gods Bench. Vers. 1. inca [...] Dei. Iun. God standeth in the Congregation, or assembly of God. And the iudge­ment they execute is said to be Gods iudgement. 2 Chron. 19. 6. & Deut. 1. 17. The iudgement ye iudge is not Mans, but Gods.

Yea hence it is that Kings and Princes are tearm­ed Christi Domini, The Lords annointed: not He­brewes onely, as Saul, though a bad one and one that feared not God;1. Sam. 24. 7. He is, saith Dauid, the Lords annointed; but euen Heathens too, as Cyrus, though a Pagane and one that knew not God; Esay. 45. 1, 5. Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus his anointed; I strengthen thee, though thou knowest not mee. And not Christi Domi­ [...]i, 1 San. 12. 3. 2. Sam. 1. 14, 16. the Lords anointed onely, but Domini Christi, 1 Cor. 8. 5. Christus Cherub. Ezech. 38. 14. Lords anointed, or Gods anointed, if you will: as Psal. 89. 20. 1 Sam. 10. 1. anointed of God, so anointed, Psal. 45. 6, 7. Esai. 61. 1. & 1. Reg. 19. 15, 16. vngere sic sumitur. that is, solemnly appointed to be Gods, though not by nature, yet by office, by deputation from God, asEgo e [...] omnibus mortalibus placui electusque sum, qui in terris diuina vice fungerer. Sen. de ele [...]. l. 1. c. 1. Sed & Eleutherlus Episc. Rom. Lucium nostratem Dei in regno suo Vicarium agn [...]scit. Deputies, Leifetenants and Vicegerents vnto God.

Neither is this an idle appellation onely, titulus sine re, a naked title without truth, or a bare sha­dow without substance. Aug. in Psal. 108. Deus cum benedicit, faci [...] quod dicit: God where he blesseth, hee doth what hee saith: where he imposeth a name, he imparteth withall what the name imposed doth import. As he hath giuen an eminent appellation vnto them: so he hath conferred an eminent power and autho­rity [Page 9] vpon them, [...]. Diotog. de regno. [...]. Ecp [...]ā. tes Pythag. de regn [...] apud Stob. tom. 2. c. 46. [...]. Ag [...] ­petus Iustiniano. Inde [...] Diotogenes, [...] Philippus Mac. d [...] ­cit; quod Plin. in Panegyr. Aequa­ta [...] dijs potestatē. a diuine power representing and resembling his owne soueraignty. He hath made them sacred and soueraigne; he hath put his owne sword, the sword of Iustice and Iudgement into their hands.

The Magistrate is [...]. Rom. 13. 4. Ensifer Dei, Gods Sword­bearer: saith the Apostle: and that not to beare, or weare the sword for a shew; ( [...] Ibid. for he hath it not for nought:) but to draw it out, and [...]. to make vse of it according to such directions as from God himselfe he hath receiued. V [...]s quibus re­ctor maris atque terrae Ius dedit magnum necis at [...] [...]. Sen. Thyest. act. 3. sc. 3. Vit [...] necisque gentibus arbiter datus. S [...]noc. de clem. l. 1. c. 1. He hath ius vita & necis, power of life and death, the most soueraigne power that may be: the greatnesse whereof may hereby ap­peare, in that Non fit re [...] homicidi [...], qui hominem occiderit, obedions potestati; [...], nis [...] fecerit, imperij deserti. quo [...] tamen si sua sponte atque authoritate fecisset, in crimen effusi human [...] sanguinis incidisset. Aug. de ciuit. l. 1. c. 26. Non enim ipse occidit, qui [...] debet i [...]benti; [...]icut admini [...]ulum gla­di [...]e est vtenti. Ibid. c. 21. Visatur Th [...]. p. 2 [...] 2 [...] [...]. 74. [...]. 3. that being done in due sort at his ap­pointment is good justice, which being don without him were no better then murther the highest degree of iniustice, euen to them that should deserue it.

And thus you see summarily both the ground and reason of this Title; as also the great dignitie and excellencie that it importeth.

The Vse whereof concerneth either Rulers themselues, or others in regard of them.

For the former: (Giue, I beseech you, not mee leaue, but God leaue, in whose place I stand here, as your selues sit elsewhere, to put you in mind and admonish you of your duty to him:) Hath God himselfe conferred this great honour on you? Apud Grat. [...]. [...]. dist. 81. c. 18. & Lucius c. 19. Et Bo [...]fac. 8. in 6. d [...]cret. l. 1. tit. 3. c. 15. Non datur beneficium nisi propter officium: No benefice, [Page 10] saith the Canon, is bestowed vpon any, but in regard of some office to be performed for it. Then as he hath honoured you, be you carefull to honour him.

It is a point of great Equitie. For Quid aequius, quid iustius, quam vt vos honoran [...]em honor [...]tis ipsi? what can be iuster or more equall, then that you should honour him againe when hee honoureth you, whom you stand bound to honour whether he thus honour you or no? yea what is more agreeable both to re­ligion and reason, then [...]. Arist [...]t. polit. l. 5. c. 11. [...]. Aga­pet. Iustin. that they should honour him more then others, whom aboue others he hath honoured? Cur qui in saeculo prim [...] es, non in Christi familia pri. mus sis? Hieron. Iuliano. [...]. Pietas optimus est Imperatoris cultus. Soz [...]m. praefat. ad Theodos. Why, saith he, shouldest not thou bee a prime Scholler in Christs schoole, that art a prime per­son in the State? Why should not you bee more forward then others in aduancing of Gods glory, whom God hath in such glorious manner aduanced aboue others?

And on the other side Quid iniquiu [...], quid indignius quā beneficio tanto ma­l [...]cium rependere? Ierem: 18. 20. what can be more vn­worthy or vnequall, then for you to repay God a­gaine with euill for good, for so high an honour, for so great a good? where consider (I beseech you) in the feare of God, what a fearefull thing it is, when it falleth out as it did in Ieremies time. o I will get me to the great ones: saith the Prophet, when hee could not preuaile with the poorer sort of the com­mon people: they (I am sure, though the other be foolish and sottish;) know the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God: But how found he them affected? But they haue wholy shaken off the yoke, and broken the bonds: not vnlike those of the same ranke, Ierem: 5. 5. that say in the Psalme, Psal: 2. 3. Let vs breake his bands asun­der, and cast his cordes away from vs. The greatest men were the greatest Rebels; Vt divitijs, s [...]c vitijs primi [...]uere. Salvia [...]. de pro­uid. l. 7. as formost in wealth [Page 11] and worship, so forwardest in wickednesse. And re­member withall, as that of the Wiseman, that Potentes poten­ter tormenta pati­entur. Sap. 6. 7. Le­viusque ferit leuio­ra Deus. Sen. Hip­pol. act 4. Mighty men shall be mightily punished: so that also of the Centurists, that Ingentia bene [...] ­cia, ingentia flagi­tia, ingentia suppli­cia. Cent. 5. praefat. Extraordinarie blessings se­conded with extraordinarie sinnes will at length draw downe extraordinarie iudgements.

Interest hominis Deo cedere. Tertul. apolog. Dijs te mi­norem quod geris, imperas; Hinc omne principium, huc re­fer exitum. Horat. carm. l. 3. ode 6. Sic enim omnibus maio [...] est, dum solo vero Deo minor est. Tertull. ad Scapul. Ideò magnus est, quia coelo minor est. Idem apolog. Tudelubra non ni­si adoraturus in­tras: tibi maximus honor excubare pro templis, postibus (que) pratexi. Sic fit vt Dei sum [...]um inter homines fastigium serues, cū Deorū ipse non adeptus. Plin. Pane. adoptes Lips. It is a point of good Policie. For, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Honorantes me honorabo; Those that honour mee, saith God to Eli, them will I honour. And, Psal. 75. 6. Promotion commeth neither from [...]. Pompeius Syllae, non Cinnae, vt Eras. chil. 3. c [...]nt. 3. adag. 15. test. Plut. Et Macroni Ti­berius; Occidentem ab [...]o deseri, Orientem spectari. Tacit. annal. l. 6. Ezech. 8. 16. Eccles. 4. 15. the East, nor from the West, nor yet from the South, Eccles. 1. 6. where the warme Sunne-shine is: but God is the soueraigne Iudge that setteth vp and pulleth downe. It is God that maketh Gods and that vn­maketh them at his pleasure: it is he, Dan. 2. 21. qui Reges de­ponit, regna disponit, that deposeth Kings and disposeth Crownes, and much more then other inferiour places and powers. From him it is that you haue them; by him it is that you hold them. Qui dedit hoc hodiè, cras, si volet, a [...]feret: vt si Detulerit fasces, indigno detrahet idē. Horat. ep. 15. l. 1. And as he hath giuen you this honor, so hee can take it a­gaine from you. Quod contulit immerentibus, tollit malè meritis. Quod illo dante fit nostrum, nobis superbientibus fit alien [...]m. Aug. homil. 14. What he hath conferred vpon you without desert, hee can for your euill-desert with-draw from you againe: And not so onely; but (as he iustly may and vsually doth) Deus alia exaltat; alia submittit, nec molliter pouit, sed exfastigio su [...] [...]ullas habitura reliquias iactat. Sen nat. qu [...]st. l. 3. Vt rebus laetis par sit mensura malorum. Iuvenal. sat. 10. make your punishment proportionable to your former pre­eminence. For, Iob. 12. 21. Psal. 107. 40. Sicut diffundi dicitur gratia Psal. 45. 2. profundi spiritus Ioel. 2. 28. & Act. 2. 17. cum 1. 5. profundit contemptum super Prin­cipes; [Page 12] He poureth out contempt, saith the Spirit of God, vpon Princes. Mala. 2. 3. He heaueth durt and disgrace in his wrath with a full Apoc. 16. 1. viall in their faces, as with 1 Sam. 16. 113. a full horne in mercie, he had before heaped ho­nour on their heads. Oh, thinke ye not therefore, because ye are by God himselfe tearmed Gods, that [...]. Aga [...]t. you are thereby discharged of your duty vnto God. [...]. Dio­togen. deregn [...]. This honour conferred on you, tieth you streighter then others; it exacteth it in a larger mea­sure of you then of others. Ezra. 4. 14. Who owe more duty to their Soueraigne then those, that haue beene by him highest aduanced? It is a foule imputation, and no small blemish for great Ones, not onely to go beyond others in dishonouring of God, but to come short of others, yea not to out-strip others in seeking the glory of God, in doing their duty vnto him; to be more slacke, lesse frequent and feruent, Deut. 17. 17, 18, 19, 20. Psal. 2. 11. & 22. 29. Ezech. 46. 1, 2, 9, 10. in hearing, in reading, in prayer, in the generall practise of piety, either wholy neglecting such of­fices and religious exercises, or so performing them, Quomodò de The­od [...]rico Sidone. epi. 1. lib. 1. sic Deum vener [...]ri solitū, vt possi [...] quivis animo ad vertere, quod [...] istam pro con­su [...]tudine potius quàm pro religione rev [...]rentiam. Le­gatur & Aug. de t [...]mp. 251. out of customary fashion, more then out of reli­gious regard, as if they graced God by doing some such seruice vnto him, or as if God were beholden to them for vouchsafing to serue him: So that God may haue just cause to complaine of them, as Esai. 1. 2, 3. he doth by the Prophet, that he hath trained vp sonnes, and aduanced them to high place; and they either spurne and rebell against him, or at least take no notice of it to honour him againe for it.

And here, let me more particularly, [...]. 2 Cor. 5. 20. as from God and in Gods name, intreate you, to haue a speciall regard of obseruing Gods Sabbaths. You that [Page 13] Exod. 20. 10. Deut. 5. 14. Ne­hem. 10. 31. & 13. 16, 17, 18. are to see them obserued by others, ought not you much more to obserue them your selues? Vita Principis censura est, eaque perpetua. ad hanc convertimur; ad hanc dirigimur. Plin. P [...]negyr. ad Tra [...]an. Ita (que) re­ctè facere Prin [...]eps cives suos faciendo docet. Velleius hist. l. 2. Et contra, vi­tia principes non so­lùm ipsa concipiunt, sed etiam in civita­tem infundunt: plusque exemplo quàm peccato no­cent. Cic. de leg. l. 3. - totus enim com­ponitur orbis Regis ad exemplum; nec sic inflectere sen­sus Humanes edi­cta valent, quàm vita regentis. Clau: de 4. Coss. Honor. Rex velit honesta, nemo non eadē vo­let. Sen. Thyest. act. 2. sc. 1. Your cariage is a kinde of censure: that all men fix their eies vpon, that most men shape their courses by. If others then shall see you riding in your circuits on the Sab­bath, will not they thinke within themselues? And why may not I as well ride on the Sabbath to a Faire, as the Iudge may to the place of Assise? If they shall be warned to appeare before you for some hearing by themselues, or by their Counsell vpon the Sab­bath, will they not be ready to argue from the workes of your calling, to the workes of their owne? And why may not I as well be about my worke as they about theirs? And in truth (to speake plain­ly as the thing it selfe is) why may not a Smith as well worke at the forge, or an Husbandman at the plough, as Causas die D [...] ­minico vel audire vel agere prohi­bent, apud Grat. Adrian. pp. c. 15. q. 4. Item Conc. Ephesin. Et Conc. Tarracon. can. 4. Item Conc. Matiscō. 2. c. 1. & Su [...]ss. c. 5, & 8. & Conc. ad Compend. c. 2. apud Burchard. decr. l. 2. c. 81, 82, 85, 87. Sed & Con [...]. Tri­bur, cap. 5. apud Cr [...]spet. in Sum. Visatur & Aug. de temp. 251. a Iudge sit to heare ciuill causes on the Sabbath? The one hindereth the sanctification of it as well as the other.

And if it be alleadged that the one is (as before was proued indeed) more specially Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6. Gods worke. So were the repairing of a Church, which yet the Mason or Plumber may not worke about on the Sabbath; no more then Besaleel or Aholiab might about the worke of the Tabernacle, Exod. 31. 2, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15. de quo rectè exponit Bound illud Exod. 35. 2, 3. quo ignis per Sabbatum accendi prohibetur: quod tamen defornacibus calcarijs &c. [...] intelligit; Brad­shaw ad tempus commorationis in cremo restringit. for the furthe­rance whereof, God would not admit or giue way to the least violating of his Sabbath. But I leaue [Page 14] this to your graue and discreet consideration. You are wise and reuerend: and a word with the wise is sufficient. I forbeare therefore to presse this further, & passe on to an other branch not much vnlike this.

In the next place then. Are you Gods in regard of your eminent places? Grandis [...]onos; sed grave pond [...] i [...]tius est honor [...]. Greg. Rom. in E­ [...]ang. hom. 26. It is a great honour in­deed; but it is a weighty charge that this honour laieth on you. It is most equall that those that are tearmed Gods, should in their courses and cariage most re­semble him whose name they beare.

They performe but euill Offices, that buzze into great mens heads, that they may be borne with, though they doe oft otherwise then they ought; because [...]. Isocr. ad Nicocl. they haue stronger temptations then others, and fewer meanes of restraint; they haue winde and tide against them, and therefore, as the manner of those is that row on the riuer, they must be allowed the benefit of the bancke. For Quibus omnia principum honest [...] at (que) inhonesta lau­dare mos est. Tacit. annal. l. [...]. [...]. Adulator Antig [...]no in Plut. apoph [...]h. Indigna digna [...] suns qu [...] rexfacit. Plaut. cap. 2. 1 they are too plaine and palpable that instruct them to confound Vndè [...] Hesiod [...] dicti, [...]. Eust [...] ▪ ad I [...]iad. [...]. In summa fortuna id aequi [...] quod [...]. Tiridates apud Tacit. a [...]al. l. 15. might with right, and [...]. Thrasymach [...] apud Plat. de rep [...]b. l. 1. Id esse i [...] quod [...]i qui plus potest vtilc est. Aug. de ci [...]it. l. 19. c. 21. goodnesse with gainefulnesse; that [...]. [...] apud Thu [...]yd. l. 6. Nihil glori [...]sum nisi tutum: & omnia retinend [...] domination [...] honesta esse. Lepidu [...] apud Salust. Itaque omnia recta & honesta negligant, dum modò potentiam [...]. Cic. offic. l. 3. teach them to measure all things by the crooked metwand of their priuate profit or pleasure: as also those that listen to such Instructors, and [...]. Dion Chrys. serm. 62. that follow such aduice; [Page 15] taking occasion to liue disorderly and to deale in­iuriously by the priuiledge of their place, because none may compell them to do otherwise or dare controle them when they so do; as saccti [...], pie­tas, fides priua [...]a bona sunt: quâ l [...] ­bet, reges [...]ant. Sen. Thyest. 2. 1. V [...]i­cunque tantum ho­nesta dominanti li­cent, Precario re­gnatur. Ibid. if loosenesse and licentiousnesse were the proper fruite of great­nesse, and Sceptror [...]m vis tota perit, si pen­dere iusta Incipit. Lucan. l. 8. Id esse reg [...]i maxim [...] pi­gn [...] putant, Si quicquid alijs non licet, solis lice [...]. Sen. Agam. 2. 2. Magnitudi [...]ē for­tuna sua peccand [...] libidine [...], quicquid libe­ret pro licit [...] vindi­cans. de Iulia Vel­lei [...]. l. 2. Impunè quid libe [...] facere, id esse Regem esse. Memmi [...] apud S [...] ­lust. Ing [...]rth. soueraignty consisted in nothing else but in giuing great ones liberty to liue as they listed.

In maxima for­tuna [...] est li­ [...]. C [...]sar. apud Salust. Quanto plus liceat, tam li­be [...]t minus. Auson. 7. Sap. Rather the higher their places are, the lesse li­berty is leaft them: Not in regard of God onely: because (as before) Minimum debet libere, cui nimium licet. Sen. Troad. Magna [...] est magna fortuna. Sen. ad Polyb. c. 26. [...] Luk 12. 48. where he hath conferred much. there he expecteth the more: And, as he said some­time of Christians, so may wee well say of great Ones; Salvia [...] de provid. l. 4. Ideò deteriores estis, quia meliores es­se debetis: Therefore are they worse then others, if they be but as bad onely, because they ought to be better.

Or in regard of men, of others: because they are in the eie of the world, and all mens eyes are on them. Math. 5. 14. Tu [...] totius medio [...] in [...]rbe V [...]ere cognosc [...]: c [...]nctis tua gentibus esse fa­cta p [...]lam: n [...]c posse darir [...]galibus vnquam [...] vitijs: [...] f [...]ti occ [...]ltum nihil esse sini [...], [...] per [...] Intrat, & [...] explorat fama recess [...] ▪ Claud. de 4. Coss. Ho­nor. Observ [...]ntur a turba circumstante [...]culi [...] ▪ liberiora omnia sunt his, quorum affect [...] tegi possunt. [...] nullum secre [...]um iber [...] est: in multa l [...]ce fort [...]na te posuit. Sen. ad Polyb. cap. 25. A city, saith our Sauiour, set on an hill cannot be hid. A blemish on the eye or the face is sooner seene then on any other part of the body. [...] omne regi [...] vitium domus. Sen. Agam. 2. 1. Omn [...] a [...]imi vi­tium tanto conspecti [...] [...] s [...] Crimen [...], [...] maior qui [...]. [...] sat. 8. Faults are sooner espied in great Ones then in others: [Page 16] and Qui d [...]missi in obscuro vitam a­gunt, si quid deli­quere, pauci sci­unt; fama atque fortuna eorum pa­res sunt. Qui ma­gno imperio predi­ti, in excels [...] ata­tem agunt, eorum facta cuncti mor­tales novere. Sa­lust. ad Caesar. Ad [...] [...]culos, auresque trahis: [...]ua facta [...]tamus: Nec vox missa potest Prin­cipis [...]re tegi. P [...]do [...]d Liv. Nostros motus pauci senti­unt; tib [...] non ma­gis quam soli latere contingit multa circa t [...] lux est: omnii [...] in ist [...] convers [...] [...]culi sunt. facta dicta (que) vestrae rum [...]r excipit: Et ide [...] nullis magis c [...]endū est, quale fam [...] habeant, quā qui qualemcun (que) mer [...]rint, magnā ha­bituri sint. Sen. de cle [...]. l. 1. c. 8. not their principall actions and affections only; but euen the least & the lightest things, euery looke & gate and gesture is in them eied & regarded.

But euen in regard of themselues too; what for danger, what for dignitie.

What for danger, I say. Because their places as they are loafty, so they are Psal. 73. 15. Confrag [...]sa in fastigi [...] dig [...] itatis vi [...] est. n [...]n in prer [...]pto tantum illic s [...]abis, s [...]d in lubrico. S [...]n. Ep. 84. Aul [...] culmen lubricum. Se [...]. Thyest. Lubri­c [...] esse secundum apud reges l [...]cum, Pius 2. apud Pla [...]tinam. Sed & regum. In grad [...] [...]lto immi­ [...]et & maior cade [...]di facilitas, & l [...]sionis in cadendo gra [...] [...]. Rob. Grosthed epist. 65. Qu [...] excess [...] videntur, [...] sunt. Sen. de tranq c. 10. slippery. qui nim [...]o [...] hon [...]res, Et nimi [...]s poscebat opes; numerosa parabat excels [...] turris [...], vndè altior esset Casu [...], & impulsae praecepsimm [...] [...]. Iuven. sa [...]. 10. Quid Crass [...]s, quid Pompeios everti [...]? - Summu [...] nempe locus nulla non [...] petit [...]. Ibid. Scitè itaqu [...] de Themist. Pallad. an [...]hol. 4. 52. [...]. Many a mans aduancement hath beene his vtter-ouerthrow. Ipsa al [...]itudo att [...] summ [...]. Macenas in Prometh. i. attonit [...] habet. Sen. Epist. 19. E­uen height it selfe maketh mens braines to swimme. And, Nunqu [...]m solido stetit superba faelici [...]as. [...] apud Sen. sv [...]sor. 2. Elatio [...], d [...] extollit. Greg. mo [...]. l. 23. c. 16. Et allevati [...] ipsa ruina est. Idem l 1. epist. 5. Cito ignominia [...]it superb. gloria. p. Syr. 9. Insolency saith the Heathen man, neuer sate long sure. Examples are too too rise. Quantum ad successum access [...]rit, ad [...]tum (ad c [...]telam saltem) accedat. Sen. Ep. 19. They had neede therefore tread more warily that ride the ridge of an hill, then those that trauell on foote be­low in the plaine. Otherwise as H [...]ili loco sed certa sedet sordid [...] [...] fortuna domu [...]: Al [...]è [...] [...]dit. Sen. Herc. fur. 1. 2. Quicquid in altum fortuna tulit, Ruitur [...]levat. [...] rebus [...] est. Nec insulsè Autor ocu [...] mor. c. 12. Pr [...]positioni qu [...]t accidunt? [...]. Quid? Casus tantùm. Qu [...]t Casus? Du [...]. Qui? Accusativ [...] & Ablativ [...]. H [...]c onim pr [...]latum [...] timere; seil. accusari à crimine, & [...]uferri à regimine, & sit [...]. they are more in danger of falling; so Quant [...] [...] altior, [...] casus gravior. [...]cul. mor. c. 12. Qui cadit in plano; vix hoc [...] eve [...]it vnquam; Sic c [...] ­dit vt [...] surgere possit [...]. At miser Elpenor tecto delaps [...] ab alt [...], [...] regi [...]bilis vm­bras [...]. Ovid. trist. l. 3. [...]l. 4. - c [...]lsae [...] graui [...]re [...]asu Decid [...]t turre [...]. H [...]rat. [...]. l. 2. [...]d. 10. [...] missa r [...]nt. Ouid. trist. the higher the place is, [Page 17] the heauier will their fall be, and [...]. 73. [...] the more [...]eare­fully will they come downe, if they doe fall.

What for dignitie: that they may not disgrace themselues and their places. For [...] lic [...], [...] & in [...]. [...] ▪ ad Polyb. cap. 2 [...]. [...] [...] ­cent, propter hoc ipsum multa no [...] licent. Ibid. Quam multa tibi non li­cent, quae [...]obis be­neficio tuo lice [...]t? Idem de clement. l. 1. c. 8. many things may beseeme meane men, that will not beseeme great Ones. God, as 1 Sam. 10 9. he gaue Saul a new heart; so he required of him a new cariage, when he called him to be a King. Gen. 14. 22, 23. [...]. Amic [...] c [...]mitanti de [...] spolijs per terram sparsis. Plut. The­mist. A meaner man may stoope and take vp that without note, that Themistocles himselfe may not. And an other man, and a good man too, might haue receiued of the King of Sodome, hauing done him that seruice that Abraham did, that which Gen. 14. 22, 23. [...]. Amic [...] c [...]mitanti de [...] spolijs per terram sparsis. Plut. The­mist. Abraham yet would not accept. Nehem. 7 10, 11 When She­maiah one of Sanballats consorts would cunningly haue perswaded Nehemie to take Sanctuary in Gods Temple for the sauing of his life; Should such an one as I am, saith Nehemie, flie? Who is he, being as I am, that to saue his life, would betake himselfe to the Temple? For my part, I will neuer doe it. As if hee had said; Though it might well enough beseeme some other priuate person in the like case, thus to withdraw himselfe for feare; yet being as I am, it standeth not either with my duty, or with the dignitie of my place so to do.

And surely as any blemish is sooner seene in the face or in the eie, then in any other part of the bo­dy besides: so [...]. P [...]ndar. ad Hieron. Pyth. ode. 1. Magna in oculo reputatur macula, quae in caeteris mē ­tris modica, aut e­tiā nulla [...]ēseretur. Autor. ocul. mor. cap. 12. propr. 7. that is no small bleamish there, that would seeme but small were it else-where: yea that is a sore eye-sore oft in the eye, that in the hand or the heele or any other limme lesse eminent, would be litle or no disgrace at all. [...]. Plut. praecept. polit. A wart or a [Page 18] freckle there is more then a scarre or a maine where it may be. As any defect in great persons is sooner espied and more eyed, then in other inferiour ones: so that is a great fault in great ones, that were not so great in meaner ones; that is vnseemely in the other that might well enough beseeme the other; and that is vgly in the one, that were but vnseemely in the other. For Monstrosa res est, gradus summus & animus inf [...]mus, sedes prins [...] & vita ima. Bern. d [...] c [...]nsid. l. 2. an high seate and a base minde, a principall place and a vulgar cariage, is a thing not vn­sightly and vnseemly onely, but euen vgly and abomi­nable, saith one of the Auncients.

Great-men may easily be entreated to take notice of the eminency of their places, for the clayming of Offices of respect and regard from others their In­feriours: Happy were it for them, could they as readily be induced seriously to consider of it for the exacting of wise and wary, discreet and seemly ca­riage from themselues, that they might not by their vnaduised and vndiscreet cariage, or by any base and vnbeseeming course, bring the least aspersion vpon either their persons or their places: If they could and would say to themselues, when they are either by others solicited, or of themselues inward­ly moued to do ought, yea though it be not simply euil of it selfe, yet that it is such as wil not stand with their honour, and with the honour of their places, as Nehemie before, Nehem. 6. 12. Should such an one as I flie? so, should such an one as I am, receiue gifts from 2 King 5. 16, 26. Naa­man, Non a cipio stu­ri [...]m, nisi recepe­ris preti [...]. Galfrid. Carnot. Et Marti­nus Episcopo qui e­quum ei nec [...]ssariū attulerat, Tolle e­q [...]um, decepistim [...]; nesciebam uegoti [...] tibi imminere Bern de consider. lib. 4. Scelus est accipere a reo: quanto ma­gis ab accusatore? quam etiam scele­ratius ab v [...]reque? Cic. Verr. 4. Ne do­nū munusve Pro­consul accipiat. Se­ver. & Antonin. apud Vipian. D. l. 1. t. 16. l. 6. take bribes of such as haue busines before mee, or with mee, either by my selfe or by my seruants? Should such an one as I am abuse my power and my place, to gild ouer a rotten post, or to shore vp an Ale­signe; [Page 19] or to make those that liue neere me, seruiceable to me for feare of worse vsage otherwise? Should such an one as I am giue countenance to lewd and loose persons, or helpe to bolster and beare them out in their bad and base courses? Do such things beseeme those that haue the stile of Gods by God giuen them? Or ▪ Dūs proximus ille est; Quē rati [...], [...] [...]ra movet, ius [...] i­que tenorem Flecte­re non odium cog [...]t, non gratia svadet. Claud. de Mallij Consul. doth it beseem such to be transported with choler, to be corrupted with fauour, to be terrified with threats, to be puffed vp with pride; to be greedy of base gaine, to be earthly minded, yea or to be ambitiously affected; Ludu [...] iocus sae­vi [...]ia & [...] Caio Calig. Sveto c. 29, 32. to make a mocke of mens miseries, Summū ius sum­mam crucem anti­qui putarunt. Co­lumel. l. 1. to pursue things to extremitie, Amos. 5. 11, 12. to trample vpon the oppressed, Nehem. 5. 15. to suffer their seruants and Officers to tyrannize ouer Gods poore people? &c. Doe these things beseeme those who as by God they are q Osores averitiae. Exod. 18. 21. called Gods, so should in their whole cariage of all others, come neerest him, whose name they beare.

Happy, I say, were it for Great-men, could they with themselues thus weigh well and seriously Nec tibi quid li­ceat, sed quid fe­cisse decebit, Occur­rat, mentem (que) d [...] ­met respectus h [...] ­nesti. Claud. d [...] 4. Honor. Consul. Quid deceat vos, non quantum lice­at vobis spectare debetis. Cicer. pro Rab [...]r. Vbi est sapi­entia [...]? In hoc, vt non solum quid possit, sed etiā quid debeat ponde­ret, nec quantum [...], me­mi [...]erit solum, sed & quatenus com­missum sit. Ibid. Id facere [...] est quod d [...]cet, non quod li­cet. S [...]. octav. 2. 2. consider, what might stand not with the might of their power, but with the maiesty of their places: and abhorring all such base and vnworthy courses as may any way disparage them, endeauour so to resemble him in their whole cariage, whose person they represent, that those that see and obserue them, as they cannot but be seene and are as sure to be ob­serued, may truly say of them, as the Apostle speak­eth in an other case, 1 Cor. 14. 25. Princeps Dijs [...], & [...]. Pli [...]. panegyr. Certè Deus est in vobis; Surely God is in these men: They are not vnworthily tearmed gods and Sonnes of God, that in all their courses cary themselues so like vnto him.

And on the other side wretched and thrice-ac­cursed [Page 20] are they, if their cariage be not correspon­dent to this their diuine title: if they be, as Legatur Plinij Panegyr. Traian [...] d [...]ctus. those Romane Emperours, sometimes were, Gods in name, but Deuills rather indeed. For as he saith of vngod­ly Christians, so is it no lesse true of vnworthy Ru­lers: Salvian. de pro­uid. l. 4. Reatus impij est pium nomen; The God-like stile maketh their guilt the greater, that are Godlesse in their liues: that are any thing indeed and truth ra­ther then that, which the diuine appellation im­posed on them implieth.

And this for the generall course of your liues; now further for your speciall cariage in your parti­cular places.

Are you Gods then? And hath [...]. Au­thor. orthod q [...]aest. ap [...]d Iustin. q. 142. God, saith one of the Auncients, imparted as his stile, so his power and his place vnto you? [...] Ibid. Then iudge yee, as God himselfe would judge. How is that? may some say.

I answere: First aduisedly, not rashly. For Quod de igno­rantia Aug. de ci­uit. l. 22. c. 6. Te­merit as Iudicis calamitas innocentis: The Iudges teme­ritie is the guiltlesse persons calamitie. And, Aug. de temp. serm. 236. Prae­iudicium non est iudicium, sed vitium; Rash iudge­ment is no iudgement but misiudgement, saith Augu­stine. And Ad paenitend [...]m properat, ci [...]o qui iudicat. P. Syrus. Consil [...]orum c [...]leri­tatem c [...]rem pae­nitentiam, sed eam seram & i [...]lē sequi. Aetolus apud Liuium. l. 31. an ouer-hastie sentence causeth hastie re­pentance, if not a worse matter. It was 2 Sam. 1 [...]. 2, 3, 4. & 19. 26, 27, 29. Dauids case in Mephisosheths cause, as it was 1 Sam. 24. 10. Sauls before in Dauids cause: and that left vpon record, as other slips of Gods Saints; Vt ruina ma [...]o­rum sit cautela mi­norum. Greg. mor. l. 33. c. 15. Facili­tas credulitatis cal­lidissima v [...]lpecu­la, c [...]ius m [...]gnorū nemi [...]ē comperi sa­t [...] cavisse versuti­as. Inde innocentium frequens addictio, inde praeiudicium in absentes. Bern. de consider. l. 4. Quid miramur si, [...]allimur, qui homines sumus, cum D [...]id spiritum prophetiae haber [...] soli [...]us, con­tra innocentem sententiam pronunciavit, cum mentientis verba audivit. Greg. dialog. lib. 1. cap. 4. to the end that their trip­ping might make others, that come after them, Cautum debet reddere, non sequacem error [...]. Cassiod. variar. l. 7. epist. 2. the more wary.

[Page 21]To this purpose God himselfe prescribing these his Deputies what course to take in such cases, wil­leth them not onely Deut. 1. 17. [...]. Menand. to heare ere they judge in­differently, but Deut. 13. 14, 15. [...]. Che­raem. apud Stob. tom 2. c. 44. to sift and search and make dili­gent enquiry, for the discouery of the truth and the bolting out of it, ere they proceed to censure or to sentence.

Yea Bern▪ de consider. ita gessit, vti iussit; this course as by pre­cept he commandeth them, so by his owne practise he further commendeth vnto them. To omit Gen. 3. 9—14. the enquiry made by him about Adam and Eues act; and Gen. 4. 9, 10. his questioning with Cain about the murther of Abel: Gen. 18. 20. 21. When the crie of Sodomes sinne was come vp to him into heauen, I will go downe, [...]aith he, and see whither they haue done according to the crie, that is come vp vnto me, or no. Omnipot [...]ns Do­minus, omnia sci­ens, cur ante pro­batienem quasi du­bitat, nisi vt graui­ta [...]is nobis exempliū propond [...], ne mala hominum ante [...] credere quam probare? Greg. mor. l. 19. c. 23. & Eucher. in Gen. l. 2. c. 28. God almighty that knoweth all things, before proofe made seemeth to doubt of something▪ for what eause, but to giue vs an example of gravitie, not to be light of beleife in conceiuing euill of others▪ before we see things plainly proued. For Quam vis vera sint quaedam, non tamen iudici facilè [...] ▪ nisi▪ [...] is [...] demon­strentur. [...]. ho­mil. 50. Legatur Chrysost. in Gen. hom. 42. though many things may be true; yet ought not a Iudge to giue credit to them till he see euident proofe made of them. And it is no euill rule here, that as Lex quemque pessimum fore praesumat; The Law should suspect that euery man may be corrupted; and therefore leaue as litle as may be to the discretion of any▪ so I [...]dex optimu quem (que) esse praeiudi [...]et, that A Iudge should suppose euery man to be guiltles and innocent; and so esteeme of him. Inauditi enim [...], it, haud aequus suit. Senec. Med. 2. 2. till the contrary vpon discussion of his cause be discouered.

[Page 22]Secondly, Deut. 1. 16, 17. iustly and vprightly; without respect of persons for fauour, friendship or other sinister respects. Such is Gods judgement. Psalm. 119. 75. I know, ò Lord, that thy iudgements are iust. And, Psal. 92. 15. Deut. 32. 4. God is iust, and there is no iniquitie with him. And such there­fore also should yours be: As Iehosaphat telleth the Iudges of his time in giuing them their charge: 2 Chron. 19. 7. Take heed that you doe iustly with an vpright heart: For there is no iniquitie with the Lord your God, nor respect of persons, nor receiuing of bribes.

Remember you that your seates are Psal. 122. 5. seates of iudgement, of iustice. And it is an euill of all others most foule and most fearefull, Eccles. 3. 16. cu [...] inde manant iniuri [...], v [...]de iur [...] su [...]rentur. Petr. Rl [...]s. epist. 68. when oppression is found in the place of iudgement, and iniquity sitteth in the seate of iustice: Eccles. 10. 5. when a wrong sentence proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth and should do right.

Elementum in loco non [...]. ex [...]ra [...] grave fit. The Elements weigh not heauie when they are in their owne place, as they do when they are out of them, in the roome of some other element. A man that diueth vnder water, perceiueth not the weight of it, though he haue a whole tun of water ouer his head: whereas were there but halfe an hogshead of the same water put into some vessell, and set a­boue water on his head, he were by no meanes able to stand vnder the weight of it.

In like manner Psal. 41. 9. & 55. 12, 13, 14, 20. is vice or sinne nothing so offen­siue, while it is in its owne sea, as when it is in the seate of the contrary virtue. For a man to be coo­soned by some cheating Companion, some shifting Mate that liueth, as we say, by his wits, we are wont to make no great matter of it; He hath put a tricke vpon me; and I am well enough serued: I had little [Page 23] reason to looke for other at his hands. But for a man to be ouer reached by one that he hath trade and trafficke with, and professeth to deale honestly and vprightly with him, that we can not so well brooke or beare; we looke for square dealing at the hands of such, and to haue monies-worth for our mony.

So here for a man to be robbed by the high-way­side, or to haue his pocket or purse pickt by a com­mon Diuer or Pick-purse, it is nothing so greiuous: there is wrong and robery in his owne proper sub­iect. But for the Iudge that sitteth in the seate of justice to wring or wrong the party that sueth to him for right: to be as the bush, or the bramble (it is the Prophet Mica. 7. 4. Michaes comparison) that teareth the fleece from the sheepe, that flieth to it for suc­cour and shelter against the storme: yea worse then bush or bramble, in stripping not the fleece onely from the skin, but Mica. 3. 1, 2, 3. the skin also from the flesh, and the flesh from the bone; and so Quid est aliud omnium dignita [...] sublimium quam proscripti [...] civita­tū? aut quid aliud qu [...]rundam prafe­ctura quam praeda? nulla siquidem ma­ior est popul [...]rum dep [...]latio quam potestas. Salviam de provid. l. 4. praying vpon those, whom they ought to protect, worse then those, against whom they ought to protect them: for Iudges and their Officers or Followers to be Partners and Sharers with Theeues and Murtherers: (it is the Prophet Esai. 1. 23. Esaies complaint:) When courses of law and iustice are so perverted and cor­rupted, that (as Piu [...] 2. teste Platina. one of the Popes sometime said, and it is no other similitude then the Prophet Ierem. 5. 26, 27. Ie­remie long before him vsed:) Litigatores aves forum aream, iudi­cem [...], patronos [...]. The Suiters are as Foules, the Pleaders as Foulers, the Court the Floore or the Plat, and the Iudge the Net: When [...] pr [...]va­ricatur & decipit. Cyprian ad Donat. Publicae [...]ercis ni­hil tam v [...]le q [...]ā advocat [...]m per­fidi [...]. Ta [...]it. annal. lib. 11. the Counsellor treacherously betraieth his Clients cause, whom he hath vndertaken to defend; and [Page 24] [...] the Iudge setteth his doome and sentence to sale; and he that sitteth to reforme sinne, committeth sinne there himselfe; hee that is called to redresse wrong, doth wrong there himselfe, and that to those that repaire to him for right; and [...] & seve [...]è P. Syru [...]; I [...]dex damn [...]r, c [...]m no­ce [...]s absolvitur. Quanto [...], [...] cum [...]ci­tur? maketh himselfe guilty by condemning the guiltlesse: E [...]dem loc [...] pone la [...]ronem & p [...]ra­tam, quo r [...]gem a­nimum latronis & pira [...]ae [...]. S [...]n. de ben f. l. 2. c. 19. R [...]mota enim iustitia quid sunt r [...]gna nisi magna latrocinia? Aug. de ciuit. l. 4 c. 4. Et de iniquo iudice, iudicijsque i [...]iustis [...]dem dixeris; esse illum latrone de [...]e­riorem, haec latro­ci [...]ijs gemina, vel eisdem etiam d [...]te­riora. This it is of all other most greiuous and intolera­ble; because here is now iniustice and iniquity in the roome of iustice and equity: Which as it maketh the transgression of such the more hainous here, so shall it cause their condemnation to be most hi­deous hereafter.

Thirdly, as iustly and vprightly, so boldly with confidence and courage: favoribus incorrupti, pa­voribus interriti; as not led aside with fauour, so not forced aside with feare. Else as Temerit as iudicis, so, Timidit as iudicis calamit as innocentis: as the Iudges temeritie, so the Iudges timiditie may proue the Inno­cents calamitie: as it was in poore Naboths case. And therefore Iethro adviseth Moses to choose out men as vncorrupt, so Exod. 18. 21. of courage to make Iudges and Rulers.

Remember to this purpose and to encourage you herein, what Moses telleth them there in giuingl 1 King. 21. them their charge: Deut. 1. 17. Feare not any mans face: for the iudgement is Gods. Ye are not the Kings Iudges, but [...]. Rom. 13. 4, 6. Gods Iudges; at least your iudgement it is his: as the Ministers of the word, though they be Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. called by men, and Rom. 15. 8, 16. minister to man; yet Colos. 4. 17. their ministe­rie it is Gods, and they are 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 3. 6. & 6. 4. & 11. 13. Ministers not of man but of God.

And what followeth hence? Surely if your iudge­ment [Page 25] be Gods, and you iudge according to God, God he will vndoubtedly beare you out in it. So doth Iehoshaphat assure those that hee called to that office: 2 Chron. 19. 6. Take heede how you iudge: for you execute the iudgement not of man but of God: and he will be with you. He will neuer be wanting to his owne ordinance, nor faile to backe and beare out those that duly execute it.

See you do right therefore, because God is righ­teous: and therefore feare not to doe it, because it is his will you should doe it. 2 Sam 13. 28. Smite him, saith Abso­lom to his seruants of his brother Ammon, and slay him; and feare not: haue not I bidden you? bee bold therefore. So smite you the wicked, as their wicked courses shall require: smite them, I say, and feare not: hath not God bidden you? be bold then. Ab­solom could not secure them: God is able to secure you: yea as [...]. Math. 28. 14. the high Preists promised the Soul­diers, though it was more then they could make good; [...]. He will secure you: Do you your duty, and you shall not need to take further care for it. 2 Chron. 19. 6. The Lord will be with you: saith Ieho­saphat: as to assist you, so to protect you. As hee hearteneth Ioshua: Iosh. 1. 9, 5. Haue not I bidden thee? be strong and couragious: feare not, nor quaile not; for I the Lord will be with thee: as I was with Moses, so will I bee with thee; I will neuer leaue thee, nor faile thee. And Rom. 8. 31. if God be with you, as the Apostle speaketh, who can be against you? If Act. 18. 9, 10. God be with Paul, no man shall be able to lay hand on him to hurt him. If [...]. 1. 18, 19. God be with Ieremie, though Prince and Priests and people band all together against him, yet shall [Page 26] he stand firme like an iron pillar, like a brasen bul­warke against them: they shall neuer be able to hurt him that God gardeth.

Whereas on the other side, if to please men you shall displease God, shrinking and swar [...]ing from the rules that he hath prescribed you, and for feare of mans face deale vnfaithfully, in the execution of that office that he hath imposed vpon you: [...] by stepping aside to shun danger, you shall but plunge your selues into greater danger. As the Prouerbe hath it: Qui ti [...]ent pru­ [...], irruet sup [...]r e [...]s nix. Iob. 6. 16. [...] Drus prou [...]. 1. cent. 2. prou. 2. He that feares the frost shall be ouerwhelmed with the snow. Pruiua i [...]rius g [...]atur; [...]ix de su­ [...] ruit. qui i [...] terram [...] contra v [...]ritatem pavet, eiusdem ve­ritatis iram [...] su [...]tinet. qui con­culcanda in infimis metuunt, à summis metuenda patiun­tur. & cum transire [...]nt, quod calea­re poterant, iudiciū de supernis accer­sunt, quod tolerare nequaq [...]ā possunt. Greg. m [...]r. l. 8. c. 12. While you [...]eare the frost of mans anger that lieth vnder your feete and might easily be ouercome; you shall be ouerwhelmed with the snow of the diuine vengeance, that descendeth from heauen and cannot therefore be avoided. [...], vt Lucian. Necyom [...]t. [...]umū fugientes in flam­mam incidunt. While you flie the smoke of mans displeasure, you shall fall into the Deut. [...]2. 22. flaming fire of Gods wrath, that burneth euen to the botome of hell.

Prou. 29. 25. Trepidus homo ponit tendiculam sibi: The fearefull man, saith Salomon, setteth a s [...]are for himselfe. And it is in this case verified that the Prophets haue, and [...]. the Iewes vse as a by-word. [...] Esai. 24. 17, 18. Ier. 48. 43. Hee that flieth from the noise of feare, falleth into a pit, and he that getteth vp out of the pit, is caught in the snare. We may well apply it with some transposition to the present oc­casion. When matters are to be heard before you, and some Great-mans letters come, whom the one party hath some interest in, here if you be fearefull of doing your duty, your feare setteth a snare for [Page 27] you, and if for feare of offending him you decline from the right, while you flie from the noise of a false feare, you fall into a true snare: or while you seeke to shun one snare, you fall into another, a worse snare: while you seeke to shun the snare of mans offence which you might easily haue wound your selues out of againe, yea Psal. 124. 7. God would haue broken for you and set you free from; [...]. Apostolius. Fugi­ [...]ns pluviam incidit in lacunam. Drus. l. 1. cent. 1. prou. 36. you fall in­to the pit of Gods heauy indignation, out of which it is questionable whither euer you get vp againe or no.

In a word; it is a sinne for any man to feare man more then God, and for feare of man to doe ought that may displease him: but it is much more a foule shame for those that are tearmed Gods to feare any but God, and out of feare to faile in the doing of that duty, which with courage and confidence God hath called them to execute.

Fourthly and lastly, seuerely where God him­selfe (were he present) would shew seuerity, and hath willed seuerity to be showne. As yee haue iust cause to Neque enim de­bet dispensat [...]r cru­delis esse, vbi pater­familias misericors est. August. ali­cubi. take heed how ye deale rigorously, where God would haue lenity and clemency vsed, as 2 Sam. 21. 2. Saul with the Gibeonites, Parvis peccatis ven [...]am, magnis se­veritatem cōmoda­re, nec p [...]na sem­p [...]r, sed [...] pae­nitenti [...] contentus esse. Tacit. Agri­col. in lesser and slighter slips Dat veniam c [...]r­vis, vexat censura columbas. Iuven. sat. 1. with silly weake ones, in simplicity and in­firmitie ouer-taken rather, then offending out of malice and wilfull contempt: that were as the Pro­phet speaketh, Amos. 5. 7. & 6. 12. to turne iudgement into gall: Etiam nocentes [...] supra meri­tum manifesta ini­quttas est. In quan­tum enim punitio excedit del [...]ctum; in tantū [...] ­tia punit [...] Rob. Gr [...]thed▪ [...]. 4 [...]. It is as well a point of iniustice aboue desert to punish the guiltie, as it is without desert, to punish those that be wholy guiltlesse.

So haue ye no lesse cause to beware, least, as 1 S [...]m. 15. 9. [...]ul [Page 28] with Agag, you spare there, where God would haue you seuere. Deut. 13. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16. Thine eye, saith he, shall not spare them, that the Lord thy God may spare thee: neither shalt thou shew any mercy vnto them, that God may shew mercy vnto thee. Prou. 17. 15. Aequ [...] iniquitas est, non punire no­centes, & punire innocentes. Gro­sthed ibid. Non e­ris innocens, si aut punias eum cui parcendū esset, aut parc [...] ei qui fuerat puni [...]ndus. Bern. de consider. l. 2. It is alike iniustice not to punish the guilty, (as the quality of the crimes committed by them shall require,) and to punish the guiltlesse.

[...] adsit Regula peccatis qua [...] irroget aequas: Ne [...] dignū hor­ribili sectere sla­gello, Aut ferula caedas meritū m [...] ­iora sub [...]re verbera. - Horat. serm. lib. 1. sat. 3. A discreet hand therefore is to be held of you in the administration of iustice, and in the senten­cing and censuring of Transgressors and Offen­ders. You must remember that you are sent by God as Deut. 25. 2, 3. with a rod for some, so Rom. 13. 4. with a sword for others, [...]. 1 Pet. 2. 14. to take vengeance on malefactors. And therefore you fulfill not your charge, you discharge not your trust, if you put not the power which to that pur­pose he hath giuen you in practise: And Vnde punitur, si fecerit iniussus inde punietur, nisi fece­rit iussus. Quod si ita est iubente im­peratore; quanto magis iubente cr [...]a­tore, cuiu [...] [...]on est f [...] iussa contemne­re? Aug. de ciuit. [...]. 1. c. 26. you shall answer for it with your owne soules, as Ahab; not onely, 1 King. 21. 19. if you slay Naboth, but 1 King. 20. 42. if you slay not Benhadad. If you let murtherers, and Masse-preists soule-murtherers, & other like malefactors escape, whom God hath committed into your hands, Naeista vobis mansuet [...]do & misericordia in miseri [...] vertet. Cato apud Salust. in Catilin. Misericordia in pernici [...] c [...]sura est Memmi [...] apud [...] Iugurth. videte vt profit illis ignosci▪ quos ad panam Deus ipse d [...]it. Quod ad me attin [...]t, non sum crudeli [...] [...] sed v [...]reor: ne quod [...], patiar. Petron. satyr. Itaque hîc tenet [...] apud S [...]ob. [...]. 2. c. 9. [...]. your liues shall go for theirs, you shall answer it with your owne liues for the sauing of their liues.

Yea, you shall not onely bring that curse vpon your selues, that Ier. 48. 10. the Prophet denounceth against that man that doth the worke of God negligently, that with▪holdeth his sword from shedding of bloud when God calleth him thereunto: But, like [Page 29] either fearefull or vnfaithfull Physitians, who by sparing an ounce or two of corrupt bloud, that were better out then in, infect and taint all the rest, and so endanger the whole body; Qui feri [...]ndi pe­testatem habet, so­lus in culpa est, si culpa non feritur qua ferienda est, & [...]o imp [...]tu quo ferienda vel potius fulminanda est. Bern. Epist▪ 23 [...]. Si [...]st [...] steterit, verendum est [...]e status ip [...] sit casus v [...]ster, d [...] quicquid mali adie­cerit, non illi iam s [...]d vobis merit [...] i [...]tabitur. Ibid. you shall bring vpon your selues the guilt of all such villanies as such desperate wretches shall by your preposterous and Malorū omniū prima mater incu­ria▪ impunitas in­curia s [...]les, inso­lenci [...] mater, r [...]dix impudentiae, n [...]trix viti [...]rum. Bern. de consider. l. 3. Im­punit [...] a [...]sum pa­rit, [...] excess [...]. Ibid. l. 4. pernicious lenity and impunity either surviue or Sicut est miseri­cordia s [...]viens, sic & crudelit [...] par­cens, Aug. Ep 54. Pernicios [...] miseri­cors, vbi se [...] esse debuer [...]. Bern. de temp. 94. be encouraged to commit; yea and the wrath of God at length also vpon the whole state, which by such meanes you shal cause to be totally defiled therewith. For N [...]. 35. 33. the whole land, saith the Holy Ghost, is polluted with bloud, and with the like enor­mious crimes, and cannot be purged againe but by the bloud of those that shed bloud, and by the condigne punishment of such as commit such crimes.

In a word: as you beare the name of Gods, so let your conversation and courses, your cariage both generall and speciall be Godlike, correspondent to this great and glorious title giuen you of God: that you may not be as hee said sometime of the Heathen Philosophers and their writings, like Apo­thecaries pots, Qu [...]rū tituli ha­bent remedia, py [...]i­des venena. Lact. instit. l. 3. c. 15. that haue an inscription of some soue­raigne medicine without, when there is either nothing at all, or that which is worse then nothing, nothing but some rancke poison within.

Hitherto wee haue shewed what this stately and lofty stile of Gods giuen to Rulers by God himselfe requireth of them: let vs now see what it exacteth of vs that liue vnder them. That which the Apo­stles tell vs both Peter and Paul. If Magistrates be Gods, and their power and place be of God, then must Rom. 13. 1. euery soule be subiect to the higher power, Rom. 13. 5. not [Page 30] for feare of mans wrath but for conscience of God: Then 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14. submit your selues you must to euery humane ordinance for the Lords sake; be it vnto the King as so­ueraigne, or to Presidents and other inferiour Go­uernours, as those that be also sent of him.

Where commeth iustly to be taxed the intolera­ble pride of that 2 Thes. 2. 3. Man of sinne, who not onely Lex Canonica simplicit [...]r exemit Clericos [...] in ci­uilibus tum in cri­minalibus caus [...]s, cui cedere debet lex Imperialis, cū possit Pontifex Impera­toribus iu [...]ere in eis qu [...] ad Ecclesiae autoritatem spe­ctant. Bellarm. de Cleric. lib. 1. c. 28. propos. 3. rat. 2. exempteth himselfe and his Shauelings from all ciuill subiection; but euen Sic Alexand. 3. Friderici i. Imper. pede collum com­pressit. Philip. Ber­gom suppleus. an. 1160. Petr. Iustin. rerum Venet. lib. 2. & [...]. Masson. in Alex. 3. [...] Cae▪ le [...] Henrici 6 Imper. capiti coro­nam pedibus impo­suit, eisdemque de­nu [...] dimovit▪ Roge [...]. H [...]den [...] par. poster. in Rich. 1. & Ranulph. po­l [...]ebron. l. 1. c. 26. trampleth vpon the crownes of Kings, in most presumptuous manner, 2 Thes. 2. 4. aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God, and carying himselfe as God, yea V [...]s nobis à Deo [...] estis: in­quit Constantinus Episcopos [...]llocutus. Ni [...]ol. pp. apud Grat. dist. 96. ex Ruffin▪ hist. lib. 1. c. 2. Episcopi ergò sunt Dij. Adrian apud Nauclorum l. 2. At Pontif [...] Rom. est Episcop [...]. Epi­scop [...]rum: Ergò & Deus Deorum. Marsil. defens. pac [...] pa [...] [...]. c. 2 [...]. making himselfe a God of Gods; as out of Pope Nicolas his grounds, faith Marsilius of Padua, his owne Canonists well collect.

The Auncient Fathers were not acquainted with this diuinity of the Popes Deity, they were vtterly ignorant of it. [...], [...] hominem à Deo secundum, solo Deo minorem. Tortull ad Scapul. We worship the Emperor, saith Tertullian, as a man that is Gods second, or next to God, inferiour to none but to God alone. [...] [...] That these things are enioyned not secular men onely, saith Chry­sostome, but euen Priests and Monkes also, the Apostle sheweth euidently when he saith, Let euery soule bee subiect to the higher power. [...]. Be thou Apostle, or E­uangelist, or Prophet, or whatsoeuer thou beest else, [...]. thou must not onely obey them, but euen be subiect vn­to [Page 31] them. And Bernard, though hee liued but in a bad and corrupt age, writing to a great Byshop; Si omnis anima, etiam vefi [...]a. quis vos excepit ab vni­versitate? Qui ten­tat excipere, cona­tur decipere. Bern. ad Henric. Sen [...] ­nens. epist. 42. If euery soule must be subiect to the higher power, then yours also among the rest. For who hath giuen you an exemption from this generall iniunction? He that endeauoureth to exempt you, doeth but seeke to de­lude you.

In a word to apply a speech of Optatus spoken of him by that insolent Schismaticke Donatus to the present proud Romish Prelate; Cum supra Impe­ratorem non sit nisi Deus qui fecit Im­peratorē; dum s [...] Donatus super Im­peratorem extollit, iam quasi hominum excesserat m [...]tas, non verendo cum qui post Deum ab hominibus timeba­tur. Optatus ad­vers. Parmen. l. 3. Since aboue the Em­perour there is none but God that created him; (and not the Pope then, as Caelestinus facto superius relat [...] de­signavit, quod Pa­pa potestatem habet creandi Imperato­rem &c. Polychrō. l. 7. c. 26. Inde Di­stich. Templi Late­ran. vestibulo in­scriptu [...]; Re [...] ho­mo [...]it Pap [...], s [...]it quo dan [...]e coronā. Et Stanis [...]. Oric [...]ou. in Canfess. Cathol. Qui Regem ante­ponit Sacerdoti, i [...] anteponit creaturā Creat [...]ri. they say:) the Pope aduan­cing himselfe aboue the Emperor, goeth beyond humane bounds, and carieth himselfe not as man but as God, in not reverencing him who of men is to be feared next after God.

But to leaue that Antichrist to his transcendent not eminency but insolencie: we are admonished, when Kings and Gouernors are by God tearmed Gods, so to account them as God calleth them, and accordingly to cary our selues in our demeanour toward them: to obey and be subiect, as one saith, [...]. Basil. Bonis tanquam Deo; malis propter Deum. vnto good Rulers as God, bad Rulers for God; or ra­ther, T [...] bonis quam malis. & tanquam Deo & propter Deum. to both good and bad as well as God as for God. And herein is the true difference betweene the reli­gious and the irreligious subiect, that Ier. 44. 17. [...]. P [...]rpuram colentes, non Deum. Themist [...] apud Socratem hist. lib. 3. [...]. 25. the one worshippeth God for man, 1 Pet. 2. 13. [...]. the other obeyeth man for God.

Yea not onely are we to take heede of rising a­gainst [Page 32] them, and laying of violent hands on them. For 1 Sam. 26. 9. Who can lay his hand on the Lords annointed, and be guiltlesse? Qui insurgit in Christum Domini, insurgit in Domi­num Christi. Psal. 2. 1. Who so riseth against the Lords annointed, ariseth against the Lord himselfe by whom he is anointed. Rom. 13. 2. Who so resisteth the higher power, re­sisteth Gods owne Ordinance: and those that so doe, procure destruction to themselues: Or of offring the least outward disgrace vnto them. 1 Sam. 24 6. It stucke shrewdly in Dauids stomacke, and troubled his ten­der conscience not a litle, that he had snipped away but a litle shred of the skirt of Sauls coate: But also Eccles. 10. 20. how we do euen but in secret speak euill of them, or in heart onely wish euill to them: Sithence God, [...]. Plut. ad prefect. indoct. D [...] enim imaginem l [...]a. b [...]t Rex, sicut Chri­sti Episcopus. Aug. vet. Test. quest. [...]5. whose person they represent, and Principes enim Dei vices gerunt. Strigel. ad 1. Pa­ral. 29. 23. whose place they here supply, hath threatned both to disclose it, and to be avenged on vs for it. He hath giuen them his owne name, and [...]. -Theocrit. idyll. 17. 1 Nuncupativè, nō essentialiter Greg. in Ezech. lib. 1. hom. 3. he will seuerely reuenge whatsoeuer iniurie or indignity is done vnto them, euen as done vnto himselfe.

Hitherto we haue considered of the dignitie, e­minencie and excellencie of Princes and Rulers in regard of their place and diuine constitution: Now a word or two withall of the latter branch, concer­ning their frailty, misery and mortality in regard of their naturall estate and humane condition.

Princes therefore and Iudges, though they be Gods 1 by name, yet are they not so by nature. It is not [...] ab [...] Psal. 68. 4. [...] ab [...] Psalm. 83. 18. ratio vtri­usque Exod. 3. 14. Iah or Iehouah a name of Essence, but [...] & [...] n [...]men [...] potesta­tis sive potentat [...]s, sicut [...] potentia. E [...]h or Elohim a name of Office that is giuen them. It is not true of them that they say of the Pope, Mutatio nominis, mutatio hominis. Gloss. ad Proam. 61. Decretal. The man changes when his name changeth: as if the change [Page 33] of the name bred a change of their nature. [...] adhuc quod eras: & non minus ho [...] as, quam quod factus e [...] post, f [...]r­te & magis. illud natus es. [...] mutatus hoc, non in hoc mu­tatus. non reiect [...] illud, sed istud ad­iect [...]. Bern. de con­sid. l. 2. It is is not their place that can alter their persons: nor their diuine constitution that can strip them of their natiue condition. Though they sit aboue others, yet [...]. Eurip. Archel [...] apud Stob. c. 45. must they die as others. Though they may liue like Gods, yet must they die like men, euen as o­ther ordinary men are wont to doe.

We need go no further then experience for the proofe of this point. For Psal. 49. 10. we see that wise men, and so great men, die as well as others. As 2 Sam. 11. 25. [...]. Homer. Il. [...]. exaquat d [...] ­os, Licet imp [...]res si [...]t, gladius. ▪Sen. Thob. act. 4. the sword taketh away weake and strong indifferently: so Certè aqua more est. Sen. Tr [...]ad. act. 2. s [...]. 3. Aequa leg [...] necessitas sortitur in [...] & [...]. Horat. Carm. l. 3. [...]de. 1. Pallid [...] mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum taber [...], Reg [...] turres. Ibid. 1. 4. death sweepeth away great and small, high and low alike.

And no maruell if it be so. For Wisd. 7. 1, 2. Licet diversa sit dignitas, eadem tamen nascendi moriendique conditi [...] est. Anton. apud Athanas. they haue all one and the same originall; the like breeding and birth. They are all Contra quam de regenitis 1 Pet. 1. 23. bred not of incorruptible, but of corruptible seede: And therefore Eccles. 3. 2. haue their time as of birth, so Qu [...] nata sunt, [...]a omnia [...] aiunt. Cassius Homina annal. l. 2. apud Nondum. Quisquis ad vitam editur, ad mortem destinatur. Sen. ad Polyb. c. 30. Et cui n [...]sci c [...]igit, morir [...]stat. Idem epist. 99. Moritur enim omne quod nascitur. Diuinum autem id est, quod n [...]c [...] habet n [...]c occasum. Minut. Octau. of decay and of death.

They are made of one mould: euen great-men of the same metall that other men are. What is man, saith one of the Auncients, but [...]. Greg. Naz. soule and soile? the one Esai. 2. 22. a puffe of winde, and Gen. 2. 7. [...]. Sept. the other a pile of dust. What is he, but, as he said sometime of Su­illo pecori animam pro sale d [...]tam, qua carn [...]m serva [...]t, ne putisceret. Varro dere rust. l. 2. c. 4. Cic. d [...] nat. Deor. l. 2. & d [...] [...]. l. 5. & Pli [...]. hist. [...]. l. [...]. c. 51. swine, a litle Car [...] mor [...]icina. Sen. epist. 52. putri [...]. Idem ad Marciam. c. 11. rotten flesh, that hath the soule giuen [Page 34] it as salt to preserue it from further putrefaction awhile, as the seare-cloth doth the corps deceased? And no other matter are the greatest or mightiest men made of. They are flesh, as others. Nehem. 5. 5. Our flesh, say the poore oppressed ones, is as the flesh of our brethren. And Esai 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. all flesh is grasse, and all the glory of it as the flower of the field: Psal. 90 6. that in the morning is greene and flourisheth, but ere euening is either cut downe by the mowers hand, or decaieth and wither­eth of it selfe. They are earth, as others. Psal. 2. 9. Earthen vessels, the Psalmist compareth them to. Psal. 2. 10. Earth they iudge, and [...] Psal. 10. 18. earth they are. August. de temp. 94. Iudicani terra [...] iudices terrae: They are earthen Iudges, saith▪ Augu­stine, that iudge here vpon earth. Nothing but [...] Gen. 18. 27. Salu­bris capula, vt co­gitans te summum pontificem, atten­das pariter & vi­ [...]ssimum cinerem non fuisse sed esse. Bern. de [...] ▪ l. 2. N [...]n pulver [...]ū tan­tum sed ipsum pul­verem. Partus ad Gen. 2. 7. dust and ashes; as Abraham saith of himselfe.

Againe Great-men as they are made both for body and soule of the same matter that others are; so are their soules and bodies tied together with Psal. 73. 4. no firmer or stronger bands then other ordinary mens are. Eccles. 8. 8. Nul­li i [...]sso cessare licet; Nulli scrip [...]ū pre­ferre di [...]m. Sen. Here. fur. act. 1. They haue no more power ouer the Spirit in the day of death to detaine it, then other ordinarie men haue. [...]. Apud L [...]rtium Diogenes Perdicc [...]m [...]rtē mi­nit [...]nti. Tu qui [...]e Deum credis suc­cessu aliquo tu­mens, quantulo ser­pentis [...] dente p [...]rire potes? Plin. [...]. nat. l. 7. c. 7. Some litle worme may doe as much by them, as they can doe to any man. [...] de Pont. R [...]m. in Hadriam 4. A flie or a gnat strangled that proud Pope our Coun­treyman, that made the Emperor stoope to hold him his stirop. And, I say not, a litle fish-bone, Sic [...], [...] Senator Rom. [...] in [...] h [...]stu [...] pilo strangulatu [...] est. Plin. ibid. & Val. Max. l. 9. c. 14. an haire, or a crumb of bread onely going downe the wrong way, may endanger, yea may choake and make an end of the mightiest Monarch in the world.

[Page 35]They are subiect to sicknesse as well as others; yea more vsually then others, as being more crasie commonly then others are, more hardly bred then they. [...]. Plus. de tranquill. It is not a golden ring that can keepe the finger from a felon, nor a vel [...]et [...]lipper that can fray away the goute, nor a crowne or diadem, that can cure the headach, nor a purple roabe that can free one from feuers. Act. 12 23. Sicknesse deaths Purseuant oft arresteth them, and death it [...] on them in the very place of [...] ▪ where they passe sentence of life or death vpon others, euen as they are sitting on the Bench.

They are subiect to casualties as well as others. Vitrei [...]; inter vari [...]s cas [...] [...]. Aug. de verb. Do [...]. We are of a glassie [...], saith one, and wee walke amiddes many casualties. And Eccles. 12. 6. the p [...]t▪ we say, goeth so oft to the well, that a [...] length it commeth home broken. Quem saepe [...] ­sit cas [...], aliquando in [...]vit. P. Syrm. He that misseth many of them, yet some one at length lighteth on, that maketh an end of him.

And is it not so with Princes as well as others? Yes vndoubtedly. They are subiect to casualties as much as others. Yea [...]. they are subiect to casu­alties more then others their inferiours. They die not onely as others, but oft-times before others. [...] ipso pon­dere magna, Cedit­que oneri fortuna [...]. Sen. Agam. 1. 2. Su [...] & ipsa Roma viribus ruit. Horat. [...]pod. 16. The massie metall sincketh, when [...] Pin­dar. pyth. [...]. 2. [...]. Ad­spicis vt summa cort [...]x l [...]uis inna­t [...]t vnda; Cum [...]. [...]. [...]. 3. 4. the corke and the reede swimmeth: the sturdy and stately [...] vid [...]t ro­ [...] frangi Sen. [...] oke oft falleth or is felled, when the litle and low haw­thorne bush by it standeth still. They were safe e­nough that sat in the same caroch with him▪ when H [...] 4. Gall. [...]. that puissant Prince in the middest of his pompe and preparation for some extraordinarie enterprise, was by the hand of a base Villaine in butcherly [Page 36] manner with a knife stucke like a beast.

They are liable lastly to Gods iudgement as well as others. Yea they are by him made examples oftr Num. 16. 29. vnto others. Dan. 7. 9, 10, 11. Futuri [...] praeiudiciū. vt Ter­tull. apolog. He preuenteth the last iudgement sometimes by sitting here vpon such: and in the persons of some few before-hand sheweth what all others that take their courses, must one day like­wise come to.

They die, said I, as other ordinary men vsually doe? Nay; they die otherwise then other ordinary men are wont to doe. f If these men, saith Moses, die the common death of all other men, or if they bee visited in no other manner then all other men are; then the Lord hath not sent mee. They die so that men know not what diseases they die of. And Ad generum Ce­re [...]ū sine caede & vulnere pauci De­sce [...]dunt Reges & ficca morte tyran­ni? Iuven. sat. Quota pars mori­tur tempore fati? Rarum est f [...]lix idem (que) senex. Sen. Herc. fur. 2. 2. few Kings or Tyrants, saith the Heathen man, die either in their beds, or a drie death: what for mans mischeife and malice: As they are more eminent, so Summa petit li­v [...]r: per [...]ant altis­sima vent [...] Sili [...] [...]ell. pun. l. 11. Nu­bibus ipsis inserta caput Turris plu­vio v [...]pulat austro. S [...]n. Agam. 1, 2. Admota [...]therijs culmina sedibu [...] E [...]ros excipiunt, excipiunt Notos, Insan [...] Bor [...]ae mi­n [...], Imbriferum (que) Corum. Idem Hip pol. 4. 2. Vt alta ventos semper ex­cipiunt iuga; Im­peria sic excelsa for­tun [...] [...]biacent. Idem nec. 1. 1. they are more eyed, more envied, more aimed at: and [...] any one is Lord of their life, that setteth light by his owne life: And what againe for the right dreadfull and iust [...] iudgement of God; with whom the life of the mightiest Monarke i [...] but as [...]. a nip of his [...]aile: and he is terrible among these earthly Gods; as he [...]. that [Page 37] can when he will, doe as much, and doth oft, and Math. 10. 28. much more vnto them, then they can do vnto a­ny of those that liue vnder them.

They dye like men? nay (with reuerence be that spoken, which the spirit of God himselfe speaketh) they dye many of them like beasts. As abusing their power they liue Psal. 49. 12 20. like beasts; and become in that regard [...] est com­parari [...]mento quam nasci iumen­tum. Chrysost. in ascens Dom. tom. 3. worse than beasts here: so through the iust iudgment of God, they dye many times more like beasts than like men, Psal. 49. 14. like sheepe, saith the Psal­mist, dying in a ditch: as it was said of Pope Boniface, that Intrauit vt vul­pes, regnauit vt leo, mortuu [...] est vt [...]. Platin. & Stella. vit. Pont. & Math. W [...]stmo­nast. l. 2. he came in like a Fox, he ruled like a Lyon, and dyed like a Dog: so 2 Chrō. 21. 15, 19 Ioram rotting away by peece­meale, till his very entrailes fall out: Ier. 22. 19. Iehoiakim dragged and cast out like carion, and Asini sepultu­ra s [...]pelietur. vise Drus. in prouerb. l. 1. cent. 1. buried with the buriall of an Asse: and [...]. Act. 12. 23. Agrippam Ioseph [...] app [...]llat legend [...] antiq. l. 19. c. 7. Herode eaten vp with vermine, (as [...]. others of his rancke not a few) when but a litle before he had bin applauded and admired as Act. 12. 22. Vox non hominis sed D [...]i. [...]. Ad [...] ipse plaga affe­ctus, [...]. Ios. ibid. a God. They so dye, that [...]. 6 [...]. [...]5. I [...]r. 29▪ 22. they leaue their names for a curse behinde them after their death: Psal. 83. 9, 11, 10. Make them and their Princes like Iudg. 7 25. Oreb & Zeeb; or like Iudg. 8. 21. Zeba and Zalmanah, or like Iudg. 4. 11, 21, 24. Iabin and Sisera: that perished at End [...]r, and lay rotting there aboue ground vnburied, like dunge that lyeth spread abroad on the surface of the earth.

Yea that which is of all other most fearefull; Post greges [...]unt depravatione natur [...]; [...] & extremit [...]te [...]. Bern. in Cant. 35. as [Page 38] such are worse than beasts in their life; so shall they fare worse than beasts after death. ForDeus [...] rati­on [...]m non exiget, quibus rationē non d [...]dit. Bern. ibid. God will neuer demand a reason of them, whom with rea­son he hath not indued. The brute beasts shall neuer be called to any account. Homin [...] ad tre­mendum illud iudi­cium stare habent, non autem & pecu­d [...]s. Bern. ibid. There is no iudgment for them that haue no iudgment themselues. But Heb. 9. 26. it is appointed for all men, and among the rest then for great men, that once they must dye, and after that com­meth iudgement, which they must also come vnto a­mong others. Luk. 16. 22, 23. The Rich mans case in the Gospell, while he liued clad in purple, sheweth great men what after death must become of them, which way they must goe when they dye, if they abuse their power while they liue, if they be not Prou. 19. 22. [...]; A­g [...]silaus. Plut. de laude sui. [...]. Clem. paedag. l. 2. c. 12. [...]. Eu­stath. ad odyss. Hoc tantum caeteris ma­ior, quo melior. Plin. paneg. as well good as great. And as our Sauiour saith of Iudas; Math. 26. 24. It had bin much better for him had he neuer bin borne: so may we well say of such, It had bin much better for them, if they had neuer at all bin; or if they could vtterly cease to be. Better therefore by much shall it be with the beasts than with such. For Non est dubium deterius fore his qui sie [...]runt, qua [...] illis qui omni [...] non [...]runt. Ber [...]. in Cant. 35. it must needs be far worse with those that so are as they shall be for euer, than with those that are not at all, that are now no more than if they had neuer bin.

A point of great importance, and that might proue of good vse, had I longer time to insist on it, as well for others as for themselues.

For themselues, for great ones. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge the rich men of this world, saith the Apostle to Timothie, that they be not high-minded. And the great men of this world haue as much neede of the like charge (Vermis divit ia­rum superbia est. grandis est animus qui inter divitias isto morbo non ten­tatur. magn [...] est dives, qui non id [...] magnum se put at quia dives, Aug. de temp. 205. & 212. & homil. 13. & de verb. Dom. 5. as [Page 39] riches, so Contemptor ani­mas & sup rbia commun [...] nobilita­tis malum. Salust. [...]ug. Li [...]et multos [...]ringat aduersi [...]as, multo tamen pulr [...]s extollit pr [...] B [...]rn▪ de [...]mp 52. In al [...]o situm non alta sapere difficile est. Idem, epist. Magnae falicitatis est à [...] non v [...]ci. Aug. de v rb. Dom 13. honors are wont so to transport men, and to make them forget themselues:) to looke to it, and beware that they be not puffed vp with pride in regard of their places; that they looke not big on their brethren, though they sit aboue them; Rom. 11. 21. & 12. 16. Al [...]us se­dens altum sapiens ne sis Bern. de con­sider. l. 2. Et Ble­sens. in Can▪ Epis [...]. that they be not loftie minded, though they be sea­ted aloft.

Deut. 17. 20. He shall not lift himselfe vp aboue his Brethren; saith God by Moses of the King himselfe. Though you be the first-borne, Psal. 89. 27. primogeniti, God hath giuen you Gen. 4. 7. & 27. 29. & 49. 8. the birth-right, ius primogeniturae; yet are they still your brethren. You are Rom 8. [...]9. the first-borne, as he saith of our Sauiour, but amongst many Brethren. Act. 17. 26. Esa [...]. 58. 7. Both you and they are Adams sonnes all, yea and Eues too, [...]. Chrysost: ad Rom. serm. 19. Omnes homines vnius naturae partus sunt, intra eius iuxta concepti viscera, & vno foti atque effusi vtero. Velut iure quodam germanitatis connex [...], ab vno patre conditi, & vna [...]atre, tanquam fratres v­terini, editi, Ambr. de Abr. l. 2. c. 6. fratres germani, vterini, brethren on both sides, all by one and the same venter. Iob. 31. 13. Contemne them not therefore; but say as Iob saith, Iob. 31. 15. Legatur Greg. mor. l. 21. c. 11. Did not he he that made me in the wombe, make them too? did he not fashion vs both [...] n David Kimchi, & Merc. & Leo Iudae. Et Sept. [...]. in one wombe? as some read it: or, did not Vnus Hi [...]r. idem: I [...]: vnus atque idem. Pisc. one and the same person fashion vs both in the wombe? as others rather.

Though you be now aboue them, yet Quid Regi & misero com­mune? Nasci & Mori. Epictetus Hadriano. there is no difference betweene you and them, either in birth or in death: you were both alike before death; you shall be both againe alike after death: Inter vallis distinguimur; exitu [...]quamur. S [...] ▪ ep. 99. It is but in the interim of this short life only, that you are some­what [Page 40] in some things vnlike. It is with men as with Counters: howsoeuer while the account lasteth, one standeth for a penny, and an other for a pound, yet are they all [...]. quod alio sensu pro­verb [...]aliter dicitur. Aequales calculi. [...]. Phocylid. Counters alike before and after the account, when they are togither in the bag, aut in vtero, aut in vrna, Aequat enim omnes [...]nis. impares (imò, par [...]s) [...]asci­mur, pares mori­mur▪ non distingui­mur nisi dum su­mu [...]. Vbi ad finem mortalium ventum est, omniū siremps lex esto. Sen. epist. 91. Nescit natura discernere quando nascimur, nescit quando de [...]icimus. omnes similes ereat, omnes simili gremio claudit sepulcr [...]. nu­d [...] fudit in lucem [...] [...]dos recipit terra quos edidit. quis discernat species mortuorum? redo­peri terram, & di­vites, si potes, de­prehende. Ambr. de Nabuth. c. 1. either in the wombe, or in the tombe.

E [...] quis e [...] ▪ sed noli obliuisci etiam quid fueris. oppor­tunè cum eo quod es, etiam quod ante eras consideras. quid dico, eras; & [...]unc es. quid desi [...]as intueri, quod non desistit esse? Vn [...] consideratio quid fueris, & quid sis: nam quis sis factus, altera. non opertet vt illa extundat illam in scrutim [...] tui. quid enim tibi horum videtur ad purum esse tui & ad te principal [...]us perti­nerae, quod factus, an quod natus. Bern. de consider. l. 2. Consider therefore as well what you haue bin, as what you are, or rather what you continue still; euen mortall E [...]ines, excellis, vt honor, vt potestas, qu [...] super homines quidē, hominū sunt tamen. Pl [...] panegyr. men as well as others, and as much as euer; though you be now here termed Gods for a time, and carry your selues accordingly. 2 Cor. 4. 7. We beare this precious treasure [...] in earthen vessels, saith the Apostle. As the2 Cor. 3. 8, 9. y Dan. 2. 37. 38. ministerie of the Gospell is a most glorious Iewell: so is the Magistracie an exceeding rich gemme. But it is no other than an earthen pot, though gilt and garnisht, that both the one and the other is committed vnto. Neither is it the gilt or the garnishing of it that maketh it the lesse brittle, or that hindreth but that soone it may, and once it must be broken as well as others. H [...]c [...]e consideratio teneat intrate, nec avolare sinat à te. Bern. de consid. l. 2. Erubescant ergò cordis elata supercilia; & qui se considerat i [...]ter ortū & e [...]itū cōmuni [...] cateris natu [...]a lege constringi, desinat de sublimi [...]ri gloriae singularit a [...]e iactari. Pet [...]. Dam [...]ā ad Agnetē. So esteeme therefore of your selues in regard of others; so demeane your selues towards others; as being of the same mold and making that all other men are.

Otherwise if you swell with pride in regard of [Page 41] your high places, contemne such as be beneath you, and forget your owne frailty; heare your doome, yee Gods, from Psal. 50. 1. the God of Gods, as by the Psalmist here, so by the Prophet els-where. Ezech. 28. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. Thus saith the God Iehovah: (he that is God by nature, as well as by name:) Because thine heart is lift vp, and thou saist, I am a God, and I sit in the seat of God; and [...]. Ath [...]nienses Pom­peio. yet art thou but a man still, and not God, though thou takest it vpon thee as if thou wert God: Therfore I will bring terrible ones vpon thee, that shall draw their swords against thee, and shall spoile thy brauerie, and shall cast thee downe to the pit; and thou shalt dye the death of the slaine, Wilt thou say then before him that slayeth thee, I am a God? But thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.

Though you may a while with vaine conceits sooth vp your selues, or suffer your selues to be de­luded by others; yet Galat. 6. 7. you cannot beguile God, -decipe ner vos, st potes. P [...]s. sat. [...]. Sic, Decipe mortē, si potes; decipe D [...] ­um. Dic morti, Mortalis non sum. Imò, Qui cateris Deu [...], sibi certè ho­mo est, velit, nolit: n [...]c enim conscien­tiam decipit suam, si fallit ali [...]nam. Min [...]t. Octau. you cannot deceiue death. But as Alexanders [...]. Alexander saucius eis qui se Deum indigeta [...]e­rant. Plut▪ apophth. bloud issuing from his wounded bodie, and the very Cum represso san­guine sicci vulneris dolor cresceret, Omnes, inquit, iu­rant me lovis esse filium, sed vul [...] hoc homin [...] esse [...] clamat. Sen. ep. 59. Se quidē l [...]vis filium dici, sed cor­poris agri [...] sentire. Cu [...] l. [...]. griefe of the wound, controlled too too plainely the grosse flatteries of his Pagane Priests and base Parasites, that vainely stiled him a God: So death at least shall at last euidently and vn­answerably, proue euen to Princes and enforce them to confesse, that though they be Gods by of­fice and by diuine deputation, yet they remaine mortall men still; and therefore cannot, nor Psal. 49. 19. shall not liue for euer, but shall one day go the same way that all other men go, and that all their fore­fathers before them haue gone.

[Page 42]Let this Text be vnto you, as Fama est fictili­b [...] [...]oenasse Aga­thoclea Regem, At­que abacum Samio saepe [...]nerasse lut [...]. Quaerenti causam, respondit; Rex ego qui sum Sicaniae, figulo sumgenitore satus. Auson. epi­gram. 8 Vise Piut. in apophth. Ag [...]thocles the Sicilian his earthen plate, to remember you of your beginning and your birth: as [...]. E pueris regijs quidam Phi­lippo quot matu­tinis occinebat. Ae­lian. hist. var. l. 8. c. 15. Et Stob. cap. 19. Triūphantibus à tergo suggeritur, Respice post te, ho­minē. memento t [...]. Tertull. apolog. Philip the Macedo­nian his euery mornings Monitor, his sonne Alexan­derrs [...]. Plut. Alexandro. sleepe, or [...] Antigonus in Plut. [...]. Antigonus his sicknesse, to minde you of your end, of your mortalitie, of your death: that though you be Sonnes of the immortall God, yet you remaine still but mortall men; therefore mortall, because men; Sonnes of Adam, yea and [...] Geo. 3. 7. [...]. He­sych. [...]. Agapet. ad Iustin. n. 3. of Adamah too, as well as others: And as [...] Quid est Adam? [...] Adam Abelo compar est. Psal. 144. 3, 4. Adam is like Abel: so Abel is like Adam. [...] [...] Ad [...] totus Abel. Psal. 39. 5. 11. All the Sannes of Adam, euen [...] Psal. 62. 9. the greatest of them and the most glorious in their best estate are not all Abel onely, that is, nothing but vanitie, but euen [...] Ibid. lesse then A­bel, that is, lighter then vanitie it selfe.

Let not the eminency, I say, of your high-places so transport you, as to blow your mortalitie out of your mindes: But remember that Psal. 9. 20. you are but men▪ that Non [...] ho [...]ines se esse, quē hominibus praeesse m [...]minerint. Plin. Panegyr. as you rule men, so you are men your selues; and therefore so liue you as those that one day must die, as not exempt from the common condition of all Adams of-spring, from whom you come as well as others, and whom as well as others once you must follow.

For others: Are Kings and Princes but mortall men, subiect to death and dissolution? Oh Es [...] religiosus in Deū, qui vis illū propi­tiū Imperatori. dis [...]ne aliu [...] De [...] credere, at q [...] it a & hunc De [...] dicere, cus Deo op [...]s est. tanquam si hab [...]s Imperatorē, alteri [...] appelles, offen sam maxim [...] & inex [...]rabilē contrahi [...] [...], etiam ipsi ti [...]endam, q [...]em appellafti. Tertull. apolog. then [Page 43] make not Gods of them: put not your trust in them; depend not vpon them. It is no wise course, it is no safe course, neither for you, nor for them neither. Psal. 146. 3. Trust not in Princes, saith the Psalmist, nor in any sonne of Adam: For there is no surety of safe­tie in or by any of them. Esai. 20. 6. Qui alijs dicit dare sa salutem, sibi det. Aug. in Psal. 145. They are not able to saue themselues: and how then can they saue o­thers? Make not man therefore thy God. He is not able to lengthen thy life, that cannot prolong his owne life, a minute longer then God giueth him leaue.

Psal. 46. 1. God is a sure stay, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 18. 30. & 33. 22. to all that trust in him, and Psal. 9. 10. Pro: 18. 10. that betake themselues to him. But Sunt infirma qu [...]am refugia, quae cum quisque fugerit, magi [...] in­firmitur, qua [...] confirmatur. Aug. in Psal. 45. Sun [...] montes naufr [...]gosi, quo navem quisque cu [...] impulerit sol­vitur. Iaē in Ioan. tract. 1. there are, saith Augustine, some infirme and vnsure staies, which when a man hath betaken himselfe vnto, he is neuer a whit the surer, but more vnsure oft then euer he was: they not onely faile a man then, when they should stand him in most steede, but are them­selues many times the meanes of his miscarying.

A man thinketh himselfe safe, if he can get into fauour with the Prince; he shall be sure then to rise: or if he can compasse the countenance of such a Iudge or such a great personage, hee shall be able then to make his part good, and to go through with his suites against any aduersary whatsoeuer. But what faith the Psalmist? Psal. 146. 4. His breath departeth, and he returneth to his dust: and then all his thoughts perish. This great-man that they depend vpon is but a litle Gen. 2. 7. aire and dust tempered together. And while they liue in hope of great matters by him, and he, it may be too, is purposing of great mat [...]ers for them▪ cometh God and Esai. 40. [...]. bloweth him away so dai [...]ely [Page 44] with a blast of his breath; and Na i [...]le misira­bilis, cuius in ho­mine mertali spe [...] omnis innititur. t [...] ­tū enim eius auxi­lium cum extincto homine finitur. Mi­nut. Octau. then all his prince­ly power perisheth together with him, and his pro­iects they come all to nought.

Yea oftentimes Confugis ad ali­quem in seculo ma­gnum, vt facias tibi potentem amicum, refugium videtur. Tam incerta tamē hui [...] seculi sunt, ruinae potentum tā crebr [...], vt post­quam ad tale re­fugium confuge­ris, plus ibi timere incipias. Antea e­nim caus [...] tu [...] tan­tum timebas: cum verò ad talem refu­geris, & de illo tibi timebis. Multi e­nim cadentibus illis ad quos confuge­runt, & ipsi qua­s [...]ti sunt, quos ne­mo qu [...]reret, si [...]on ad talia confugis­sent. Aug. in Psal. 45. dependance vpon such great ones, when they fall, proueth the ruine and breake­necke of those that depend vpon them or belong to them; who might haue beene safe enough other­wise, had they not sought to such succours: as the fall of a tall Cedar bruiseth the vnder-wood about it, that might haue done well enough, had it stood further of it.

It is with many an one in this case, In Pelago peri­clitantim [...]ns appa­ret: sed latent saxa sub monte. dum ad montem conatur, in saxa incidit, & in­venit ibi non por­tū, sed planctu [...] Idem in Ioan. 1. as with the Sea-man at sea, that surprised with a tempest, casteth about for some harbour, and espying a bay with high hills on either side, putteth in there hoping to finde succour and reliefe, but striketh vnawares on some rocke or shelfe that lay out of sight, and so is cast away irrecouerably in the harbour, whereas in the tempest it may be he might haue done well e­nough; or as with a Passenger in a storme, that for shelter against the weather steppeth out of the way, betaketh him to a faire oke, standeth vnder the boughes of it with his backe close to the body of it, and findeth good reliefe by it for some space of time, till at length commeth a sodaine gust of wind that driueth downe some maine arme of it, which falling vpon the poore Passenger, either maimeth or mischeifeth him that resorted to it for succour. So falleth it out with not a few: meeting in the world with many troubles and with manifold vex­ations, th [...]y step aside out of their owne way, yea and sometime too out of Gods way, to get vnder [Page 45] the wing of some great one, and gaine it may be, some aide and shelter thereby for a season: but after a while, that great one himselfe comming downe head-long and falling from his former height of fa­uour or honour, they are also called in question, and so fall by that meanes together with him, that might otherwise haue stood long enough for their maine estate vntouched, if they had not betaken them­selues to him.

Let no man therefore trust to such vnsure staies: let no man make any man his principall stay. Psal. 1 [...]6. 5. Ier. 17. 7. Bles­sed is he that hath the true God for his stay: whose hope and happinesse is fixed and founded wholy on him. But Iorem. 17. 6. accursed is he that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arme; and withdraweth his heart from God, by placing of man in the roome of God. Let vs take heed Esai: 2. 22. how we set by man more then is meete. Let vs Prou: 24. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 17. reverence them in God, and God in them; but Non tam propter Dominum, qu [...] pro Domino vene­rari. Greg. mor. l. 24 c. 29. not equalize them with God, nor preferre them before him. Let vs beware how we offend God for the pleasing of them, or forbeare our duty to him for feare of displeasing them. Ierem. 1. 18. God is able to sheild vs against man: Deut. 32. 39. Man is not able to shelter vs against God.

For both the one and the other. Seeing that all this glory, all these honors and things of this life must once haue an end, Finem aut tuū sunt habitura [...] su [...]m. Sen. quaest. nat. l. 3. Aut enim possidentēd serunt, aut à possidente de­seruntur. Albin. in Eccles. either we an end of them, or they an end of vs; they can last no longer then this present life, which it selfe cannot last long: that therefore we 1 Tim. 6. 19. lay all of vs a good foundation here that we may lay hold of life eternall hereafter.

How may that be done? The Apostles Peter [Page 46] and Iames tell vs. By 1 Pet. 1. 23, 24, 25. being bred againe not of cor­ruptible, but of incorruptible seede, by the word of God that liueth and abideth for euer. For Esai. 40. 6. all flesh is grasse; and all the glory of it but as the flower of the field: Iam 1. 10, 11. The s [...]. 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Ioh. 8. 51. & 11. 25, 26. Mori­untur viuentes, & vivunt mori [...]ntes. I C: Mali dum vivunt mortui sunt, iusti, [...] mo­riuntur, etiam cum m [...]rtui sunt, vi­vunt. Chrys st. ad pop. Ant. hom. 69. grasse withereth, and the flower fadeth away: But the word of God endureth for euer. By Iam. 1. 21. receiuing with meekenesse the word ingraffed into you, which is able to saue your soules, and to make you partakers of the diuine nature indeed.

This if you doe, then though you die, yet you shall not die, but you shall liue euen in death, and suruiue after death for euer: and as you rule by God in this world, so shall you reigne with Christ eternally in the next world.

AN APPEALE TO THE PRINCE OF PRINCES.

Vers. 8.‘Arise, o'God, iudge thou the earth: for thou inheritest all Nations.’

WE haue heard God hitherto parlying by the Psalmist with Princes, and partly Vers. 2, 3, 4, 5. controlling them for their corrupt cariage; partly Vers. 6, 7. admo­nishing them of their mortall con­dition, by meanes whereof they must one day die as well as other men, and with other men then come to an account; that which might alone serue to make them more wary, if nothing else would or could.

Let vs now heare the Psalmist Vers. [...]. appealing from them vnto God, and commending vnto him the causes of such, as were either oppressed and wronged, or not righted by them.

[Page 48]The whole verse being the conclusion of the Psalme consisteth of two parts:

There is first an Appeale commenced by way of suite vnto God; and that expressed in two Branches:

  • 1. Surge Deus; arise, ô God: a metaphore taken from the common gesture of Iudges, whose vsuall manner is to
    Exod. 1 [...] 13, 14.
    sit while they are hearing of causes,
    Esai. 2. 19. & 3. 13, 14. Si [...] sta [...]tem videt Stephanus Act. 7. 55. quem sedentē Marcus 16. 19. Greg. hom 29. non quasi causam di­centem, vt Aug. quaest. mixt. 88. sed quasi pro Ste­phano statim sen­tentiam laturū, vt Psal. 76. 9.
    to arise and stand vp when they come to giue sentence.
  • 2. Iudica terram; Iudge thou the earth, or the Land:
    Psal. 9. 16.
    doe thou make thy selfe knowne and seene by executing iustice thy selfe: doe thou that that they will not doe.

There is secondly a reason, why this is required at his hands; because Psal. 2. 8. all Nations, these poore oppressed ones among the rest, are part of his por­tion, which it behooueth him therefore to take no­tice of, and to right them in their wrongs.

Now in this practise of the Psalmist the first point that we obserue is, that the highest Appeale is to God himselfe: As Ad Dei verbum fit vl [...]ima resolutio fidei. Camerac. ad 1. Sent. q. 1. a. 3. corol. 1. lit. H. the vtmost resolution of faith is into the word of God; so Ad Dei tribunal sit vltima reuolutio iustitiae. the vtmost revolution of iustice is to Gods Tribunall.

Hence those formes of Appeale so frequent in Scripture. Psal. 7. 8. & 26. 1. & 43. 1. [...]. Easil. [...]. Sept. Iudic [...]m meum age. Iun. Iudica me, Domine: Iudge me, or, Vindica me▪ vt Psal. 10. 18. & 35. 24. Drus. miscel. l. 1. c. 59. right me, O Lord. And, Psal. 74. 22. Surge Deus, Arise O God, and iudge thine owne cause: and, Psal. 35. 23. Arise vnto my iudge­ment: and Psal. 10. 12, 14. Surge Domine; Arise, ô Lord, and lift vp thine hand, the poore committeth his cause to thee. And 1 Sam. 24. 13, 16. The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and right mee on thee. Yea of our Sauiour himselfe, [Page 49] when he was here vpon earth, it is said, that [...] Pet. [...]. 23. [...]ee committed his cause to him that iudgeth iustly. And the Apostle Paul that Act. [...]5. 10. appealed from F [...]lix and Festus, to C [...]sar Augustus; yet from them and him too, and all men he maketh his appeale vnto God: 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4. I passe not, saith he, [...]. ex Cilicum idiotis [...]. Hieron. ad Algas. q. 10. Diem tamen dicere ali [...]ni, pro, in indi­ci [...] v [...]care L [...]tinis tri [...] satis. for mans day, that is, mans doome; Qui me iudicat Dominus est; It is the Lord alone that must be my iudge.

The truth and equity hereof may more fully ap­peare, if we shall consider; that

First, Appellati [...] fit semper à minore ad maiorem. Gloss ad Gra [...]. c. 2. q. 1. Appeale is euer made from the Inferiour to the Superiour: not A maiore ad minor [...] appellare [...]ō licet. Digest. l. [...]9. t. 1. l. 1. & Gloss. ad Grat. c. 2. q. 6. from the Superiour to the Inferiour: Inferior patiorē non ligat Nicol pp. dist. 21. c. 5. Et, Lex [...] per inferi [...]rem [...] non p [...]st. Clement. l. [...]. tit. 3. c. 2. [...]. Luci [...] T [...]. & Apolog▪ [...] & [...] that were preposterous; the Inferiour being subordinate to the Superiour: Ad [...] appellat [...]r [...] apud Grat. [...] 6. c. 27. not from the equall to his equall; that were vaine and frivolous; since Par i [...] [...] hab [...]t [...] ▪ Dig [...]. l. 4. [...] [...]. 3. 4. & Inn [...]t. 3 decretal. [...]. tit. 6. c. 20. one equall hath no power ouer an other his e­quall: but from the Inferiour to the Superiour, as [...] 2 [...]. 10. from Faelix to C [...]sar, from Festus to Augustus. But [...] God is higher then the highest, and there is none higher then he. Psal. [...]3. 18. That they may know that thou, whose name is Ieh [...]vah, art, [...] No [...]en soli [...] veri Dei. [...]ellarm. d [...] Chri [...] [...]. [...]. cap. 7. altissimu [...], the only most high in the whole world. All Appeales end at him: they may be made to him, bu [...] none can bee made from him; they cannot go further or higher then him.

Secondly, the party that Appeale is made vnto, must haue, that it may be effectuall and to good purpose, [...], & potestatem & potentiā, both right and might, both place and power, both power of authority, and power of ability.

Now in man these are oft seuered. Princes oft [Page 50] want power: they haue Potestatem sine potentia right oft without might, C [...]actus Princeps quos nolebat occi­dere: ereptumque Principi illud in principa [...] [...] ­mum, quod nihil cogitur. Plin. Pa­negyr. they dare not doe oft what they know they should doe, and what they would if they could. [...] Sim. 3. 39. Ye are too hard for me, saith Dauid, ye sonnes of Zerviah. And, Ier. 38. 5. Mi­nime is est Rex qui possi [...] contra v [...]s quicquam. Iun. The King, saith Zedekias to his Nobles, can deny you nothing: They had such an hand of him, that he durst not dis­please them.

And [...] (ita [...]mendo [...] Stob. tom. 2▪ [...] ▪ 44. quod v [...]lgò, [...]) [...]. Plut. ad praef. indoct. tyrānous Vsurpers haue power more then is meete: they haue potentiam sine potestate, might without right: as had Nimrod, Gen. 10. 9. Ar­ripuit insuetā pri­ [...] in populum tyrannidem. Hierō. qu [...]st. in Gen. Nō tamen primus, cre­do, primarius po­tius. that mightie Hunter, not of Deere, but of men. And where they haue right, they doe not vse it aright oft-times, but abuse it. And therefore to appeale vnto such, from He­rode to Caesar, were but as for the lambe to appeale from the Fox to the Wolfe, as Luk. [...]3. [...]. Christ tearmeth the one, or from the Wolfe to the Lyon, as [...]. the Apostle stileth the other: or for the silly Hare to appeale from the Hound to [...]. 10. 9. the Hunter.

But with God these are not seuered. He hath & [...] & potestatem, both might and right, both [...] and abilitie. For Esai. 33. 22. Iehovah Iudex noster, [...] legislator noster, Iehovah Rex noster: Iehovah is our [...]dge; Iehovah is our Lawgiuer, Iehovah is our King. Yea God is all these [...], in a kind of principality a soveraignty, a singularity; so as none are but he al [...]e. He is not only Iudex, legislator and Rex, Iudge, Lawgiuer, and King: but as he is said to be Soli sapienti Deo. 1 Tim. 1. [...] ▪ 25. solus sapiens, only wise; so wise, that in compa­rison there is none wise but he; so [...]. 1 Tim. 6. 15. [...]. I [...]d. 4. [...] [...] Desp [...]. solus Iudex, Le­gislator, [Page 51] & Rex, The onely Iudge▪ the only Lawgiuer, the only King; so Iudge, Lawgiuer, and King Praet [...]r m [...] nul­l [...] est. Esai. 45. 5. [...] as none are but he onely.

First he is Iudge. [...] Psal. 75. 8. For God is iudge. And, [...] Psal. 50. 6. God himselfe is Iudge: And so Iudge, as there is none but he. For

1. He is Iudex generalis: The generall, the vniuer­sall Iudge: not Iudex totius Angliae, but Iudex totius orbis: The Iudge of all the world. Other Iudges haue their particular and seuerall Circuits, and hee that is Iudge in one is not in another: It is not so with him, he is Iudge euery where; the whole world is his circuit. Psal. 94. 2. Arise, thou Iudge of the whole world, saith the Psalmist. And, Gen. 18. 25. Should not the Iudge of the whole world doe Iustice? saith Abraham speaking both vnto him and of him.

2. He is Iudex caelestis▪ He is as Dan. 2. 44. I [...]de [...] i [...] i [...] [...] Theologia ap [...]d E [...]scb pr [...]par. euang. l. 1. the God of hea­uen, so the Iudge of heauen: an heauenly, a celestiall Iudge. For, Psal. 1 [...]5. [...]. Our God is in heauen. And, [...] [...]. 18. The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen. And, Psal. 76. 8. Th [...]u causedst thy iudgement to [...]e heard from heau [...]. They are but Iudica [...]t▪ terram Iudices terr [...]. Aug. de t [...]mp. 94. Iudges of earth that iudge the earth. Earth they iudge, and earth they are. Aug. Ibid. Ho [...]o iudicans ho­minem, terra iudicans terram: saith Augustine. When Man iudgeth Man, Earth iudgeth Earth. But, Deus iu­dicans hominem, C [...]lum iudicans coenum: When God iudgeth man, Heauen iudgeth earth. Luk. 15. 18. I haue sinned against heauen, saith the Prodigall sonne; that is, a­gainst C [...]lum pro D [...]. Vise Dr [...]s. qu [...]st. l. 2. c. 61. & obser [...]. l. 9. c. 2. & Pro [...]. l. 1. cent. 5. Pro [...]. 46. God in heauen. And, Math. 21. 25. Iohns Baptisme, saith our Sauiour, was it from heauen or of Men? that is, of God or of man. And, Esai. 64. 8. Ier. 18. 6. Homo Deo, lutum sigulo; Man in Gods hand is but as clay in the Potters hand: [Page 52] Euen Princes and Iudges as well as others, Psal. 2 9, 10, 12. whom therefore if they be [...] the wiser, he wil bruise with his iron mace, and breake them to shivers like an earthen vessell.

3. He is Iudex supremus: The supreame Iudge. Other Iudges iudicant, iudicantur; They iudge, and they are iudged, at l [...]t iudicabuntur, they shall bee iudged. But it is true of Omnes iudicat, à nullo iudicatur▪ Cy­rill thesaur. l. 9. c. 1 God, that is vntruely and bl [...]sphemously ascribed Vise Grat. dist. 40. Et caus. 9. quaest. 3. to the Pope, Omnes iudi­cat, a nemine iudicatur: He iudgeth all, but is iudged of none. Iudicat iudicantes: Hee iudgeth those that iudge others. As Prov. 8. 15, 16. they iudge now by him; so Esai. 3. 14. they shall once be iudged of him. They are liable to his iudgement: but he is liable to no iudgement. For Rom. 9. 20, 21. Esai. 45. 9. none may call him to account; or Dan. 4. 32. Iob. 34. 17, 1 [...], 19. say to him, Why doest thou so?

Secondly, he is Legislator, the Lawgiuer: yea hee is vnicas Legislator, the onely Lawgiuer: so Lawgiuer as none other is but he. Iam. 4. 1 [...] There is one Law-giuer, saith Iames, able to saue and to destroy. But Iudges ordinarily, they are not Lawmakers, or Lawmasters. They are but servientes ad legem, or iudicantes secun­dum legem: They are but Sergeants at Law; at the most, but Expounders of the Law, Sedes secundum legem iudicaturu [...]. Act. 23. 3. Hinc Diotogen. de regno. [...]. apud Stob. cap. [...]6. sitting to iudge according to the Law. They doe not make Law, but Expon [...]t [...]ibi le­gem, & faci [...] iux­ta legem. Deut. 17. 9, 11. Interpret the Law, and iudge according to it.

Or though they haue ius condendarum legum, Power of enacting and making Lawes, as D [...]n. 3. 29. & 6. 26. [...]. Plut. ad praef. indoct. Quod principi placuit, le­gis habet vigorem. Vlpia [...]. Digest. lib. 1. [...]. 4. l. 1. in free Mo­narchies and absolute Estates Princes haue: In lege temporali nihil es [...] iustum & legitimum, quod [...]ō ex hac aterna sibi homi [...] [...]. Aug. de lib. [...] b. l. 1. c. 6. Ci [...]ro ips [...] [...]. l. [...] & legem non populorū iussi [...], nec princ [...]pū decretis▪ nec sentent [...]s i [...]dicū, sed natura n [...]ma [...]. Et l. 2. Ex sapientissimorū [...], Princ [...] [...] & [...] [...] ­tis [...] vetantis Dei: [...] q [...] loge [...]illa [...] dan [...] h [...]ano. yet [Page 53] must all their Lawes be grounded vpon and agree­able to Gods Law, or Non videtur ess [...] le [...], iniusta si su [...] ­rit. Aug. de lib. arb. l. 1. c. 5. N [...]c [...]ura dicenda sunt vel putanda i [...]qua ho­minum constituta. Idem de ciuit. l. 19. c. 21. Vbi de [...]st ra­tio, quae legis est anima. Idem de lib. arb. l. 1. c. 6. else they are no Lawes, or as good as none.

And those when they are so made, See D. Field of the Church. l. 4. c. 32, 33, 34. they binde and restraine the outward man onely. As Vsque ad car [...]ē saeuis; animam no [...] attingis▪ terra terrā per [...]utis▪ p [...]res f [...]rire habitaculum; [...] quid & habitato­rem? terres visibi­lis visibilem [...] [...] occides, quem non vides. Aug. de sanct. 13. Luk. 12. 4. they can meddle onely with the outward man, they haue no power ouer the minde; Non occides quem non vides; What they cannot see, they can­not slay: So their Lawes of themselues, as they are but positiue Lawes and subiect to repeale, can take no hold of the inward man, though a man may by the breach of them make himselfe to stand inwardly guilty of sinne; as Gerson. d [...] vi [...] spirit. lect. 4. [...] ­rol. 5. by not fol­lowing the advice giuen him by the Physitian he may incurre the guilt both of sinne and selfe­murther.

But Psal. 19. 7, 8. Roman. 7. 7, 12. Gods Law reacheth directly eu [...]n to the inward man also. For he is Iam. 4. 12. The onely Law-giuer, that hath power by Law to binde the soule as well as the body; as Gen. 2. 7. Qui vtrunque cre [...]it, vtrunque [...]: qui homi [...] [...]. vtro (que) constru [...]it, vtrumq [...]e vbi voluerit, destr [...]ere poterit. Aug. desanct. 13. he made both: and for the breach of it to inflict penalties as well on the soule as on the body; Math. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 5 to destroy both soule and body toge­ther for euer in hell-fire.

Againe they, euen the highest and the absolutest of them, Leges dant, & accipiunt, both giue Lawes and take Lawes. For, to omit, that Paret [...] legi quisquis legem sanxoris. Pittac. Auson. Sapient. Iustum est enim Princip [...] legibus obtemperare suis. Tunc enim iura sua ab omnibus [...] [...]xistimet▪ [...] & ipse ill [...] reve­rentia [...] praeb [...]t. Principes legi [...] teneri [...], nec in se [...] frustrare i [...]a, qua in subiect [...] constit [...]nt. Iusta est enim vocis [...]orum autori [...], si quod pop [...]lis prohib [...]nt, sibi [...] non patia [...] ▪ tur. Isidor. de sum. bo [...]. l. 3. c. 52. by their owne Lawes, while they are in force, and afoote, [Page 54] Digna vou est maiestate regnantis legibus alligatum se principem profi­teri. Ade [...] de an­toritate iuris nostra pendet autoritas: & reverâ mai [...] imperio est submit­tere legibus princi­patum. Theod. & Valent. Cod. l. 1. t. 17. l. 4. Idem es qui ante fuisti. & tantum tibi per te licet, quantum per leges anteà licebat. De Theodos. P [...]ca­tus panegyr. they ti [...] themselues Princeps enim legibus solutus est. Vlpia [...]. Dig. l. 1. [...]. 3. l. 30. Volun­tate tamen sua se­ipsum sub [...]jcit. v [...] Gloss. ad Dig. me­lius quam Gloss. altera ad Cod. Alij [...], quod hîc permitt [...]tur mētiri. in some sort: Though Plin. panegyr. Ipse t [...] legibus sub­ [...]ecisti. legibus Cae­sar, quas [...] Principi scripsit. Sed t [...] amplius ni­hil tibi vis licere quā nobis. Sic fit, vt [...]os tibi plus velimus. Quod ego [...]unc primū audi [...], nun [...] primū [...]isco, Non est princeps supra leges, sed leges supra principe [...]. Idem Caesari Coss quod cateris non licet. Iurat in legem, non ignarus nominireligiosius quod iur [...]verit custodiendum, quam cuius maxi­mè interest, non peierari. Prin­cipi nemo leges scripsit, yet Deus praescripsit; though no man may praescribe Lawes to such Princes, yet Vers. 3, 4. God hath prescribed Lawes as well to them as to others. They giue thē to others, they receiue them frō him.

Whereas he Leges dat, non accipit, He giueth lawes, but taketh none. Dat leges leges dantibus, Legislatori­bus ipsis: He giueth lawes to all, euen to those that giue lawes to others, to the Law-makers themselues: But he receiueth none from any: for Iob. 36. 23. no Creature may prescribe Lawes or Rules to his Creator.

Thirdly, he is Psal. 93. 1. & 97. 1. Rex, a King: and Psal. 47. 2. Mala. 1. 14. Math. 5. 35. qui titulus olim Assyri [...] datus Esai. 36. 4. sed & Persa. Di [...] Chrysost. [...]rat. 3. [...]. Et ibid. 4. Alexander Diogeni, [...] Visatur Drus. obser [...]. l. 12. c. 4. Rex magnus, A great King.

He is Rex, not Tyrannus. A King not a Tyrant: A rightfull and lawfull King, a King Regnū enim Dominiest. Psal. 22. 28. 1. Chron. 29 11. of his owne, not an Vsurper: there is his right.

And againe Rex magnus, not Regulus: not a petie Prince, but a great King: a mighty, puissant, [...]. Apoc. 4. 8. om­nipotent Monarke: there is his might.

Yea he is not onely Rex magnus, a great King; but Rex solus, the onely King: a King so as there is none but he.

For 1. hee is absolute and independent. Omne sub regno grauiore regnum est. Sen. Thyest. 3. 3. O­ther Kings and Princes are not absolute. Prou. 8. 15, 16. They hold all from him; Psal. 75. 8. they depend all vpon him; [Page 55] Psal. 22. 27, 2 [...]. 29. [...]. Agapet. Magnus qui tantū pr [...]mium cepit; sed maior, qui capienti dedit. Plin. Pane­gyr. they doe service all to him. As Psal. 47. 9. the sheilds of the world; so Apoc. 19. 12. the Crownes, and Apoc. 1 [...]. 15. the kingdomes of the world are all his: and Dan. 4. 22. he disposeth them at his pleasure. For Ille regna dispen­sat, cui [...] est & orbis qui regnatur, & hom [...] ipse qui regnat. Tertull. apolog. he dispenseth the kingdomes of the world, whose both the world is that is gouerned, and man that doth gouerne.

But God is absolute and independent. Hee is 1 Tim. 6. 15. Apoc. 19. 15. Rex regum, & Dominus dominantiū, King of kings, and Lord of lords; and Psal. 50. 1. & 96. 4. Deus Deorum, God of Gods too: Rom. 9. 5. 1 Chron. 29. 11. Qui nuncupativ [...] dicitur, inter omnia Deui, qui verè & essentialiter, super omnia Deus est. Greg. in Ezech. l. 1. [...]m 3. God aboue all; and none aboue him; 2 Cron. 20. 6. reg­nans super omnia regna terrae, reigning ouer all the Kingdomes in the world, as he doth ouer all the kings of the earth.

Domini sunt, & Dominum habent; Lords they are, and a Lord they haue: to wit, him that is called Apoc. 1. 5. Princeps regum terrae, The Prince of the Kings of the earth. Dij dicti, quosi à Dee dati; Domini quia à Domin [...] potesta [...] fortiti. Origen. in Exod. him. 8. Gods they are called, because giuen by this God; Lords because they haue receiued power and place from this Lord.

But, as the Heathen man sometime said, Qui Rex est, regem, Maxime, non habeat. Martial. epigram. 18. l. 2. Sit liber, Dominus qui volet esse meus. Ibid. ep. 32. Let him be my King, who himselfe hath no King: So, let him be my God, who himselfe hath no God. Solus verus Dominus es, qui Dominum non babes. Aug. confess. lib. 10. c. 36. He is the onely true Lord, that hath no Lord: he is the on­ly true Prince, that hath no Prince aboue him: And therefore 1 Cor. [...]. 5, 6. though there be many that are called Gods and Princes and Lords: yet vnto▪ vs there is but [...] e Idem h [...]bent iu­ris adversus impe­ria, quam adversus imperantes habet▪ Sen. epist. 91. God, and one Prince and one Lord; because one [...] absolute and independent.

2. He is great in and of himselfe. Other Princes [Page 56] and great personages are not great of themselues. They are not to other men, as a Giant to a Dwarfe, or as Cedars to shrubs. A Cedar is a tall tree, though there stand ne're a shrub neere it, and though it grow below in a botome: and the shrub is but a shrub, though it stand aloaft by it selfe on an high hill, or on the top of a stone wall. Non est magnus pumili [...], licet in monte constiterit. Coloss [...] magnitu­dinem suam serva­bit, etiam si st [...]te­rit in put [...]. Sen. epist. 76. A Giant is a Giant, though he lye along on the ground: and a Dwarfe is but a Dwarfe still, though Pygmaei in tur­ribus. Diverbium e [...] Vulg. versione tractum Ezech. 27. 11. Vise Iun. not. he get him vp to the top of a turret.

But it is with Princes, as with stones in a building, in a stone-wall: where some stand higher, some lye lower, of equall size otherwise the one with the o­ther; and the lower support and beare vp the higher. They are but men still in nature and stature, though Gratia, non na­tura Dij dicti. O­rigen. in Exod. 8. Gods by name and in state, rather higher in place, then greater in person then others are.

Whereas God is great of himselfe and in him­selfe; he is not [...]. Aristot. c [...]teg. in quant. relatiuely, or comparatiuely, but he is simply and absolutely and infinitely great. So great, that 1 King. [...]. 27. The heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to h [...]ld him: but Ierem. 23. 25. He filleth both heauen and earth. So great, that Esai. 40. 12. He meateth the heauen with his span; and taketh the whole sea vp in the palme of his hand: that Esai. 40. 15. all the world is with him but as a litle dust that hangeth o [...] the ballance and yet altreth not the weight, as a drop of water that falleth from the bucket, and yet minisheth not the measure: that Esai. 40. 17. all the people in the world compared with him, are but as vanitie and a thing of nothing; yea that Psal. 62. 9. all the nations of the earth, if they be weighed against him, they are lighter then vanitie and Esai. 4 [...]. 1 [...]. lesse then nothing. [Page 57] So great that there is no end of his greatnesse: Infinit [...] longit [...] di [...]is linea recta▪ circulum faciens, & in se rediens. Cusan [...] presb. a­pud Trithem. ad C [...]sar. quaest. 1. a streight line, saith one, of infinite length, returning in­to it selfe, and so making a circle: Sphara, cui [...] centrū vbique, cir­cumferentia nus­quam. Empedocle [...] ibid. a sphere, whose center is euery where, and the circumference of it no where, not to be found. So great, that his greatnes cannot be comprehended: [...]. Ioan. Dam [...]se. de [...]ide lib. [...]. cap. 13. he were not God, if it could.

Psal. 14 [...]. 3. Great is the Lord, saith the Psalmist, and greatly to be extolled, and his greatnesse is incomprehensible. Magnus, mag­nus, magnus ni­mis. Volebat dicere quantum magnus. Et si t [...]ta die, Mag­nus, magnus, dice­ret, quid magnum diceret? tota di [...] dicens, Mag [...], finiret aliquando, quia fi [...]iretur di [...]. magnitud [...] illi [...] ante dies, vltra dies▪ si [...]e die. dicen­do, Magnus nimis, [...]misit (malè vulg [...], emisit) vocem, & reliquit cogitationi quod sapiat. q. d. Qu [...]d [...] ne­qu [...], tu cogita: & cum cogitaveris, parum erit. quod cogitatio nullius explicat, lingua a­licui [...] qu [...] expri­mat. Aug. in Psal. 144. There is great, and great, and great: saith Augu­stine: He would faine, if he could, haue told vs how great. But had he said, Great, and great, all day long, what great matter had he said? He that saith, Great, all day long, must needes once make an end, because the day it selfe hath an end: where as Gods greatnesse is in­finite, without either beginning or end. But saying, His greatnesse is incomprehensible, [...]e gaue over speak­ing, and left it to vs to conceiue what he could not vtter. As if he had said; What I cannot vtter, doe thou ima­gine: and when thou hast imagined the greatest great­nesse that mans minde is able to reach vnto, then kn [...]w that thou commest yet infinitely short of Gods greatnes, Which since no mans minde is able to comprehend, no maruell if no tongue of man be able to vtter.

Againe Princes receiue power from their peo­ple. Prou▪ 14. 28. The might of a Prince consisteth in the multitude of his people. And Eccles. 5. 8. the throne is supported by the Ploughmans paines. It is their subiects shoulders that beare them vp; as the lower stones in the wall doe those that lye aloaft ouer them: take these sup­porters away, and they will lie as low as the lowest.

[Page 58] Non est min [...] ne [...]essarius domino famulus, q [...]m fa­mulo dominu [...]. Ser­vus dat Domin [...]. Sen. de be [...] [...] lib. 7. cap. 4. The master hath as much neede of his seruant, as the seruant hath of his Master: and Quanquam Dio­genes apud Sen. de tranquil. c. 8. Tur­pe est Manem sine Diogene p [...]sse vi [...]e­re, Diogenem sine Mane non p [...]sse. Atqui rectè Chry­s [...]st. [...]. tom 7. ec­log. 30. ex [...] Cor. homil. 34. the Master can no more be without his Seruant, then the Ser­uant can be without his Master: In like manner it is here: Nec magis s [...]ne to nos esse selices, quam tu sine nob [...]s esse potes P in▪ pa­negyr. The Prince hath as much neede of his peo­ple, as the people haue neede of their Prince: and the Prince can no more be without his people, then the people can be without their Prince.

But God, he giueth to all, hee receiueth from none. Act. 17 25. Dat omnia omnibus: He giueth all things to all: For Rom. 11. 36. 1 Chron. 29. 14. all things are of him: and Iam 1. 17. Omne enim bonum nostrū vel ipse, vel ab ipso est▪ Aug▪ [...]. [...]. [...]. 1. 6. 32. they cannot possibly haue any thing but what they haue from him.

N [...] ill [...] [...], n [...] [...]i q [...]iquam conferre possumus. S [...]. d [...] [...]nef. l. 4. [...]. 9. Deo banaficium p [...]stare [...] pass m [...]. Aug. de [...]. Dom. 38. He receiueth nothing from any. For Rom. 11. 35. who hath giuen, or who can giue ought vnto him? when Psal. 16. 2. all the good, that we can doe, reacheth nothing neere him.

We may haue neede of him, yea daily and houre­ly we stand in neede of him. It is he Psal. 100. 3. that at first created vs, and Psal. 66. 9. C▪ [...] ▪ 1. [...]6, 17. Heb. 1. 2, 3. that continually supporteth vs. But Act: 17. [...]5. Ipsa [...], nihil [...] nostri▪ L [...]cret. l. [...]. B [...]o­rum meorum non eg [...]s. quid est enim, [...] bo [...], à quo om [...]e bonum datu [...]? Aug. in n [...]l▪ [...]. he hath no need of vs, nor of ought of ours. Psal▪ 90. 2. Sur [...] [...] illud▪ [...] in­ [...] b [...]num, nec profic [...]t, quia perfectum est, nec d [...]ficit, quia [...]ternum est. Aug in 1. Ican. 4. He was as well and as happy, before the world was, as now he is or can be.

Ipse [...] Ipse Deu [...] est tuus, qui tuis non eget bonis, non timet à malis. Idem in Psal 80. He is the onely true Lord, that hath no neede of seruants, and whose seruants haue need of him: Ipse [...] est Dominus, qui à servis nihil sumit; & à quo servu [...] ▪ hab [...]t quicqui [...] habet. Hee [Page 59] is the onely true Lord, that receiueth nothing from his seruants, but from whom the seruants haue whatsoeuer they enioy. And so is he the onely true Soueraigne that hath no neede of his subiects, but they all need of him: Quomod ò bene­ficu [...] diceris, si non tam benefi [...]us esse, quam beneficis prae­esse desidera [...]? Ber [...]. de [...]. l. 3. that receiueth nothing from them, and from whom they receiue whatsoeuer they haue.

3. His dominion it is infinite. Other Princes haue their dominions listed and limited; yea listed and limited by him. For Act: 17 27. he hath set them their bounds, as Psal: 104. 9. he hath fet the sea hers, which they can­not passe. It seemed a great matter, when it was said; Virgil [...] Aen. l. 1. Sic Dan. 4. 19. Imperium Oce [...]no, fama [...] qui terminet astris: Psal: 72. 8. His dominion shall reach from Sea to Sea, and from the riuer to the lands end.

But here is Virgil: ibid. Imperium sine fine; sine limite; a do­minion without list or limit, other then the bounds of the vast vniverse. Psal: 47. 2. For Ieh [...]va is high and dreadfull: he is a great King ouer all the earth. And, Psal: 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in heauen, and his kingdome ruleth ouer all. And, 1 Chron: [...]9. 12. Riches and honour are of thee; and thou reignest ouer all.

He hath prepared his throne in heauen: there is his chaire of estate: But where is his foot-stoole, or his foote-pace then? Himselfe telleth vs by the Pro­phet: Esai: 66. 1. Heauen is my throne; and the earth is my foote-stoole. The Kings of this world sit all at his feete: it is but his foot-stoole, that they share all among them; the mightiest Monarkes Territories are but a small patch of Gods foot-pace.

Solus verus Rex est, qui regnat v­bique. He is the onely true King then, that reigneth eue­ry where; which because Dei solius est esse super [...]. No­vatian. de Tri [...]it. Vnus est regnatur omnium Deus. Tacit: histor. l. 5. Dan: 4. 32. God onely doth, and none but he, to him may appeales be made by men [Page 60] out of all places, because Psal. Psal. 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. euery where they are within and vnder his iurisdiction, and out of his go­uernment they cannot go.

4. His dominion as it is boundlesse, so it is end­lesse. Other dominions can haue [...]. Ea­sil. Sel. in Dauid orat. 1. no further or longer extent▪ then the lists of this present life. They are regna huius mundi, The kingdomes of this world: And as 1 Cor: 7. 31. 1 Ioh: 2. 17. Mundus transit, so gloria mundi: As the world passeth away; so must they needes passe with it. As it hath an end; so Dan: 2. 4 [...], 45. must they needes end with it, if they end not before it, as oft they do. Dan: 2. & 7. Those foure mighty Monarchies had their times and their turnes; and O [...]ta omnia in­tereunt. Salust. ad Caesar. Certis eunt [...]uncta temporibus. [...]sci debent, cresce­re, extingui. Sen. [...]pist. Regna e [...] in­ [...]mo coorta supra imperantes iacue­runt, veter [...] impe­ria in ipso flore ce­ [...]idere. inir [...] [...]ō po­test numerus, quā mult [...] ab alijs fra­cta sunt. Idē nat. quaest. l. 3. praefat. Quod regnum est, cui non par [...]ta [...]it ruina? Idē de trāq. [...]. 11. Legantur quae V [...]piscus praefatur in Caro. their ruine and fall as well as their rise. And you know that as the wheele turneth, (and it is Psal: 75. 7. God onely that turneth it) Regnabo; regn [...]; regn [...]ui; Rex fine regno. some get vp and some go downe; some stand aloaft that lay below before, and some lye along that stood aloaft before.

But Gods gouernment is for euer. For, Dan: 3. 33. & 4. 31. Psal: 145. 13. His kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome: and his dominion endureth throughout all generations. And, Dan: 2. 44. His kingdome shall breake and destroy all other kingdomes: but shall stand firme it selfe for euer. Psal: 9. 7. The Lord shall sit (as Iudge) for euer on his throne, which he hath prepared for iudgement, And, Psal: 10. 16. he will be king for euer and euer, euen when all Heathen Kings are pe­rished from of the earth.

Sol [...] ver [...] Rex est, qui semper reg­ [...] est. He is the onely true King that reigneth for euer. But Psal: 146. 10. Iehovah onely reigneth for euer, and Sions God onely throughout all ages. He is therefore the onely true King.

To conclude then: The highest Appeale is [Page 61] therefore to God, because he is the supreame Iudge, the supreame Law-giuer, the supreame King: yea the onely absolute Iudge, the onely absolute Law­giuer, the onely absolute King: therefore the su­preame and onely absolute Iudge, because the su­preame and onely absolute Lawgiuer; and therefore the supreame and onely absolute Lawgiuer because the supreame & onely absolute King, the onely in­sinite, vniuersall, eternall King.

Now thevse of this point doth partly concerne pri­uate persons, & partly such as be in place of autority.

For the former: Priuate men must be admonish­ed, what their course must be, when courses of iu­stice faile, and they cannot haue it at mans hand, at the hand of the Magistrate: To rise instantly in armes, and seeke to right themselues either by pub­like rebellion, or by priuate reuenge? No: Psal. 9. 19. Exurge Deus; Arise, ô God; and, Psal. 68. 1. Exurgat Deus; Let God arise. Not that vpon euery slight wrong, and euery trifling occasion, men should be making of their moane in that manner vnto God, and crauing iu­stice at his hand; as Gen. 16. 5. Sara with Abraham, when her maide Hagar hauing conceiued by him, caried her selfe malapertly towards her: Prou: 19. 11. & 24. 11. Magni animi est iniurias d [...]spicere. Sen. de ira. l. 2. c. 32. Nō est mag [...]s animus quē (vlla) incurvat ini [...]ia. Ibid. l. 3. c. 5 Exi­lu est, qu [...]m incur­v [...]t minim [...] quae­que. Absit itaqu [...] à serv [...] Christi tale inquinamentū, vt patienti [...] [...] ­bus tentalionibus praeparat [...], in fri­volis excidat. Ter­tull. de bon. pat. it is very poore patience that is so easily worne thred-bare. But Psal. 142. 3, 4, 5. when their wrongs shall be great and greiuous, & they can haue no redresse of them with those that should doe them right, then to make this [...]. Lucian. Dr [...]pet. sacrā an­chorā, their sheate ancker, their vtmost refuge, to flie vnto God, to betake themselues vnto him, make their appeale to him, cōmence theirsuite beforehim, commit their right to him, and so leaue it with him.

[Page 62]So did our Sauiour Christ, he committed his cause d 1 Pet. 2▪ 23. to the iudgement of God his Father. So the godly before Christ. Dauid to Saul, 1 Sam. 24. 13. 16. The Lord be iudge betweene thee and mee, and do mee right on thee. And Ieremie; Ier. 18. 19. Hearken, ô, Lord, to mee; and heare the voice of them that contend with mee: Ier. 20. 12. & 11. 20. And let mee see thy vengeance on them: for to thee doe I commit my cause. So the faithfull euer since Christ. Ab [...]it vt v [...]tionē no [...] aliquam mi­chinem [...]r, quam à Deo expectamus. Tertull. ad S [...]ap. Far be it from vs, saith Tertullian, to Scapula, to attempt or plot any reuenge of our wrongs, which we expect from God alone. M [...]amus pre­ces & lachrymas cord [...] ad Deum le­gatos. Cypr. lib. 4. ep. 4. Let vs send our praiers and teares, saith Cy­prian to the persecuted Christians, as Messengers and Embassadors of our hearts vnto God. [...] vltio diri­n [...] defendit; I [...]em ad Demetr. It is the diuine l Athanas. apud Epiphan. hares. 6 [...]. vengeance that must right our wrongs. The Lord, saith Athanasius to Constantine, iudge between thee and me; since thou giuest way to my false Accusers against mee. [...]. Greg. Naz. in Iulian. o­rat. 2. We, saith Gregorie Nazianzen speaking of Iulians time, that had no other weapon, nor wall, nor bulwark, but our hope in God left vs, whom could we haue either to heare our praiers, or to protect our persons but him? Rogamus, Au­guste, non pugna­mus: non timemus, sed rogamus. Amb. l. 5. epist. 33. We intreat ô Emperour, say the Souldiers in Am­brose his cause against the Arrians, We fight not: nei­ther feare we, and yet we intreate onely. Nay, Stabimus, & pugnabimus vsque ad mortem, si ita oportu [...]rit pro ma­tre nostra, non scutis & gladijs, sed [...] ad Deum. Bern. epist. 221. Wee will stand to it, and fight it out, euen to death, if neede be, saith Bernard, for our Mother the Church; but with such weapons as we may, not with sword and target, but with teares and praiers to God.

This hath beene the practise of good Christians in all ages. And to doe otherwise is Deut. 32. 35. Rom. 12. 19. to sit downe in Gods seate, to take the sword out of Gods hand, [Page 63] to make our selues Gods, Rom. 13. 2. Math. 26. 52. to peruert the order, to resist the ordinance of God; and so to bring vpon our owne heads the iust vengeance of God, while wee seeke to right or reuenge our selues vpon o­thers.

Againe those that be in place of authoritie and iudicature must be admonished, that they be wary how they cary themselues in their places. Remem­ber they must, that Quicquid à vo­bis minor extime­scit, Maior hoc vo­bis Dominus mina­tur: Omne sub regno grauiore reg­nū est Sen. Thyest. 3 3. as they are aboue others, so there is one aboue them: as they now iudge others, so there is an other that will one day iudge them, to whom they must once giue account of their iudgement, and vnto whom an appeale lieth from the highest and greatest of them, euen from Caesar himselfe.

Dan. 6. 1, 2. It pleased Darius, saith the story, to set ouer his kingdome 120. Gouernours to rule the whole state: and ouer them againe three, that they should all giue vp an account vnto of their gouernment. And at Athens, howsoeuer [...]. some of their Officers were not ac­countable to any; yet the most of them were after their offices expired to giue a strict account to cer­taine [...]. Vise [...] ­di Poll [...] & Har­p [...]cr. Et de Co [...]. Romanis Polyb. hist. l. 6. [...]. Hinc Plin. panegyr. Ad­ [...] Imperator cum imperio calcu­lum ponere: sic exeat, sic redeat, tanquam rationem redditurus. Auditors by the state thereunto assigned, each one that could charge them before those of any wrong done him while they were in Office, hauing free liberty so to doe.

So it hath pleased God the Father Ioh. 5 22, 27. to make his Sonne Iesus Christ his Generall, his O [...]cumenicall Auditor: and not some alone, but all Offices and Officers must be accountable vnto him. For Rom. 14. 10. Wee must all appeare before Christs Tribunall: and, Rom. 14. 12. E [...]e­ry one [...] there g [...] account vnto God for himselfe. [Page 64] 2 Cor. 5. 10. Wee must all, saith the Apostle, be made to appeare there. But what? And wee alone? Meane men alone, or Ministers onely? No: Apoc. 20. 12. I saw the dead, saith Iohn, great and small; Apoc. 6. 15. Kings and Princes, and Captaines and cheife Commanders as well as others; stand before him that sate on the white Throne: and Dan. 7. 10. the bookes were opened, and Apoc. 20. 13. they were iudged all concerning the things that were written in those bookes according to their workes.

As the Apostle therefore warneth Masters; Coloss. 4. 1. Masters deale equally with your seruants; considering that you haue also a Master in Heauen: Coloss. 3. 25. and there is no respect of persons with him. So be you admonish­ed to cary your selues in your places equally and vprightly; remembring that you haue Iudic [...] omniū Deum. Heb. 12. 23. a iudge also in heauen, before whom you and those that you now iudge must together one day appeare; Rom. 2. 11. Iob. 34. 19. and there is no respect of persons with him. And as R [...]lat quod ipse qui n [...]nc testis est sub homine iudice, [...]abit aliquand [...] indicandus sub Deo iudice, qui simul iudicis & testis [...] officio. &c Rob. Grosthed Lin­coln. Ep. in decalog. mand. 8. that worthy Byshop willeth a witnesse when hee is de­posed before a Iudge here, so to speake as remem­bring that he must answere hereafter for what hee now speaketh, before one that will be both witnes and Iudge, because Io [...]. 2. 25. he shall need no information from any other, and in whose presence now hee speaketh: So you, when you sit vpon the bench, remember that Bench, before which you must once appeare to answere for what you doe there; when you looke downe to the bar, be put in minde of that Bar, at which one day you must stand that now sit on the Bench amiddes those that stand before you now at the bar: and so iudge you now as in the presence of him, that now seeth you, [Page 65] and hereafter will iudge you, and Iudex quisque iudicij sui supern [...] i [...]dicem sustin [...]bit. Chrysolog. serm. 26. vnto whom you must all one day giue an account of your iudgement.

Let the dread hereof preuaile with you, as it did sometime with Nehemie. N [...]m. 5. 15. The Rulers, saith he, before me were ouer-burthensome to the people, and their seruants domineered ouer them. But so did not I for feare of God. As it did with Ioseph: When Gen [...]s. 50. 15. his brethren iustly expected some hard measure at his hands after their Fathers decease, remembring Gen 42. 21. what hard measure they had before offered vnto him; Gen. 50. 19. Feare ye not; saith he: For am not I vnder God? As with Iob: Iob. 31. 21, 22, 23. If I haue lift vp mine hand a­gainst the fatherlesse, when he sought mine helpe, and I saw that I might steed him in the gate: Let my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arme-bones bee broken. For destruction from God was a terrour to me: I knew I could not escape his highnesse. And when you shall be moued and solicited to doe ought against right, say as the same Iob saith, If I take this bribe, or doe this wrong; Iob. 31. 14. what shall I doe when God ariseth? or what shall I answere him when he visiteth?

Let this dread, I say, of God that highest Iudge, that Iudge of Iudges, preuaile so with you to keepe you in awe and within compasse, as the dread of you doth the like with other inferiour ones for the present. Otherwise O [...]. Plut. ad praefect. indoct. if you shall wittingly and wilfully pervert iustice, and cary things away by might and maine after your owne pleasure, Libidine atque licen [...]ia sua pro le­gibus vt [...]ntur. Sa­lust. ad C [...]sar. mak­ing your owne lust your onely law; or Quid enim re [...]ert qua occasione viam [...] [...]eritatis, seducantur ig [...]ari, s [...]quantur sponta­nei, attrahantur [...], compellan­tur i [...]viti Bern. de bonis d [...]r. if you shall suffer your selues to be ouerswaied by feare, sedu­ced and led aside by fauour, or corrupted with [Page 66] gifts: Eccles. 11. 9. Know ye for certaine, be ye assured of it, that, as Salomon saith, for all these things God will bring you to iudgement. And though you may cary matters here Fsai. 29. 15, 16. so closely and so smoothly, that men cannot espie nor discouer your corrupt cariage, and so you go away with the name of good Iustices and iust Iudges, when indeed you are nothing lesse; yet Eccles. 12. 14. Euery one of your actions will God one day bring to triall, and Luk. 8. 17. 1 Cor 4 5. euery secret worke be it good or bad. And so I passe to the next point.

Where men that should iudge, either iudge not at all, or iudge otherwise then they ought, there will God himselfe at length arise and iudge.

I say, If they iudge not, or if they iudge vniustly, if they doe not iustice, or if they doe iniustice, (and it is a point of iniustice in them not to doe iustice, Non [...] no­cens, s [...]d patt [...]o fuit. de Claudio A sonius. Et Au­sonium imitatus G. Godwin in [...]pi­c [...]dio Iac. Mauri­tii, Nes faciendo nocens, [...] patien­do fui. there is passiue as well as actiue iniustice) then will God arise and iudge: For otherwise when they doe their duty, there is no neede for God to enter­pose himselfe and his power, vnlesse it be to protect them. It had beene needlesse and superfluous for Paul to appeale to Augustus, if Faelix or Festus had done him right.

Againe, at length, I say; because God doth it not euer instantly, but delaieth it oft▪times: He seemeth sometime to Hab. 1. 13. sit still and say nothing, to looke on and keepe silence, Psal 44. 24. & 78. 65. to be, as 1 King. 18. 27. Elias said of Baal, as one fast asleepe: as these kinde of speeches and the like imply; Psal. 3. 7. & 7 6. & 10. 12. & 74. 22. Arise; and▪ Psal. 35. 23. & 59. 5. Esai. 51. 9. Awake; and, Psal. 28. 1. & 39. 12. & 83. 1. Be not silent; ô ▪God: Which he doth, 1 Pet. 1. 7. to trie our faith, Apoc. 14. 12. to exercise mans patience, Rom. 9. 22. to shew his own, Gen. 15. 16. Math. 23. 32. 1 Thess. 2. 16. to let wicked ones fill vp the measure of their iniquity.

[Page 67]But Esai. 44. 14. [...]. ▪Solon apud Stob. tom. [...]. c. 9. though he beare long in this kind, yet will he not alwaies for beare; but he will at length arise and iudge the earth: judge those that pervert iustice, yea iudge the whole State where iudgement is so perverted. When children pilled the people of God, and women ruled ouer them, and they beate the poore to pieces, and ground their faces to pouder: Esai 3. 12. 16. The Lord, saith the Prophet, will stand vp to plead, and to giue sentence for his people: He will enter into iudgement with the Elders, and with the Princes of his people: And, Esai 59. 14. 19. when iudgement was turned backward, and iustice made to stand aloofe off, and truth was falne in the streetes, and equity could not enter; and true dealing failed; and In [...]oc scelus res devoluta [...]st, vt nō possit esse salvus qui nolit esse ma­lus; nec à latroci­nijs tut [...]s, nisi qui latronibus ipsis par fuerit. Salvian. de prouid. l. 5. he that refrained from euill made himselfe but a pray and a spoile: and there was no iudge­ment, not one that would or durst right the wronged: Then God, wondring that none would offer himselfe to plead for or to protect the oppressed, put on iustice as a corslet, and salvation as an helmet, and zeale as a cloake, and robes of vengeance for a gowne, to repay his enemies according to their deedes, and to render fury to the Wrongdoers and Oppressors of his people.

The certainty hereof may be further confirmed, à natura rei, à natura Dei, Either from the nature of the thing it selfe,

Or from the nature of God himselfe.

For the former: It is the praier of the Spirit: for by it were both this and the like else-where en­dited. And as our Sauiour saith of himselfe; Ioh. 11. 42. I thanke thee, Father; thou hearest me alwaies: As the praier of Christ is alwaies heard: so the praier of the Spirit is alwaies heard. Rom. 8. 27. For the Spirit maketh [Page 68] intercession, saith the Apostle, according to God for the Saints. And, 1 Ioh. 5. 14. 15. This assurance we haue, that whatso­euer we aske of God according to his will, he heareth vs. And if we be sure that he heareth vs, Certi sumus quod habenius. then are wee no lesse sure that we haue whatsoeuer wee aske: as sure are we to haue it as if we had it already. Yea to reason, as Augustine doth, Orat Christianus, & exauditur? [...]rat Christus, & non exauditur? Aug. in Psal. Is any Christian heard when he praieth? and is not Christ himselfe much more? So Ioh. 14. 13, 14. is euery childe of God heard, when hee praieth though not immediately inspired? and is not the Spirit of God it selfe much more heard, and the praier that 2 Tim. 3. 15. it immediately inspireth? Qu [...]dò n [...]n exauditur à patre, qui exaudit cum patre? Aug. ibid. How can he be but heard of the Father praying, that together with the Father is praied vnto and heareth praier?

As there is an eccho of obedience answering the word and commandement of God in the heart of euery faithfull one. Psal. 27. 8. When thou saist, Seeke my face; mine heart, saith the Psalmist, returneth answere a­gaine, Thy face, ò Lord, will I seeke: So there is an eccho of audience and gratious acceptance with God euer answering the praiers and supplications of such. Psal. 9. 19. Surge, Deus; Arise, ô God; and, Psal. 68. 1. Exurgat Deus, Let God arise: saith the soule of the poore faithfull oppressed. And, Psal. 12. 5. Surgam, I will arise, saith God, for the oppression of the needie, and the sighes of the poore: And, Psal. 102. 13. Surges, Thou wilt arise, saith the Psalmist to God, and haue pity vpon Sion, when the time is once come: And, Esai. 3. 13. Surget, He will arise, saith the Prophet of God, and st [...] vp to giue sentence for his poore oppressed people.

Psal. 34. 17. The iust man crieth, saith the Psalmist, when hee is thus oppressed; and God he [...]th him. How can [Page 69] he doe otherwise? Marke our Sauiours owne argu­ment. Luk. 18. 4, 5, 7. If importunate clamour preuaile with the vniust Iudge that neither regardeth man nor feareth God, shall not God much more auenge his owne elect ones that crie day and night to him, for the wrong that is done them, and the right that is denied them? I tell you; saith our Sauiour, and he is Ioh. 14. 6. truth it selfe that speaketh it; though he forbeare long, yet at length he will doe it.

Yea suppose they doe not crie themselues; Lam. 3. 27, 2 [...], 29. they sit downe by it, and thrust their mouths in the dust, Psal. 39. 9. swallow their griefe with silence, and [...]. 7. 9. beare that burden with patience that God hath called them to vndergo and endure, Ps [...]l. 109. 4. Luk 23. 34▪ Act. 7. 60. 1 Cor. 4. 12 13. praying rather to God for those that persecute and oppresse them, then either expostulating with them, or exclaiming against them, or making solemne appeale and complaint to God of them. They need not. Resipsaclamat; The thing it selfe doth it, whether they doe or no. Iam. 5. 4. The very hire of the Labourers that is with-held from them, it selfe crieth, saith Iames: and the crie of it as well as of the persons themselues entreth into Gods eares. As, Gen. 4. 10. the bloud of Abell from of the earth; so Habb. 2. 11. 12. the very timber and stone from the building that is founded vpon falshood and built vp with bloud, crieth for vengeance to heauen. And not Gen. 1 [...]. 20. & 19. 13. from the sinnes of Sodome onely, that filthy stie, but Iona. 1. 2. from the sinnes of Nineueh too, that Nahum. 3. 1. bloudy shambles where lies and robbery roust, and oppres­sion and iniustice harbour, doth a loud crie ascend and appeare before God.

And can God doe lesse then regard and take no­tice [Page 70] of this crie? No: his owne nature will not en­dure, that he should doe otherwise.

For first; God is Psal. 92. 15. a most iust God; yea he is iustice it selfe: He is originally iust; essentially iust: so iust, that Qui vult esse in­iustum, non vult esse Deum. Bern. de temp. 58. he can no more cease to be iust, then hee can cease to be God. Being so iust, he cannot but loue iustice. Psal. 11. 7. Iustus Iehova quae iusta sunt, diligit: The iust Lord, saith the Psalmist, loueth that that is iust. Louing iustice he cannot but hate and abhorre all iniustice, and all vniust ones. Each thing naturally hateth that that is contrary to it own nature. Psal. 45. 7. Thou louest righteousnesse, and hatest iniquitie. And, Psal. 11. 5. Those that loue violence, he abhorreth from his heart.

But as there is no impiety to Ierem. 7. 11. 2 Chron. 36. 14. that impiety that is committed in Gods sanctuary: so there is no in­iustice to that iniustice, whereby men Inter leges ipsas contra leges deli [...] ­quitur [...] inter iura contra iura pecca­tur. nec innocentis illic, vbi defendi­tur res [...]rvatur Cy­prian. ad Donat. l. 2. ep. 2. Sic Act. 23. 3. amiddes the lawes sinne against Law, and doe iniustly In loco iustitia sacr [...]. Cartwr. in Eccles. 3. 16. in the very seate and sanctuary of iustice. Quo quid esse [...], vel ini­qui [...] potest? Sal­uian. de prouid. l. 5. Prou. 24. 24. Then which, what can be more abominable in the eies of any iust man; and much more then of him that is most iust and iustice it selfe. Genes. 18. 25. Should not the Iudge of the whole world doe iustice? saith Abraham. Or can he doe lesse in a case of such iniustice as this is?

Againe Exod. 34. 6. God is a mercifull God; no lesse mer­cifull then iust. And therefore cannot but heare the crie of the oppressed, and take vengeance on vnmercifull men. It is the argument that God him­selfe vseth by Moses. Exod. 22. 22, 23, 24, 27. Vex not, nor oppresse the wi­dow, the Orphan, nor the poore; (they are my Clients, that I haue taken into my protection;) If you doe, when they crie to mee, I will certainely heare them: for I am mercifull: and I will slay you with the sword, so [Page 71] that your wiues shall be widowes, and your children Orphans.

Psal. 59. 5. Awake, ô Lord, to visite, saith the Psalmist; Et ne sis misericors, and be not mercifull to those that transgresse malitiously. A strange kinde of praier, that the Spirit of God should intreate him not to be mercifull, who cannot be but most mercifull, being mercy it selfe. But we must know, that euen [...] Cleon apud Thu­cyd. l. 3. [...]. Eurip. Agaue. Mis [...]ricor­dibus miserendum est. Signin [...] in Conc. R [...]m. c. 18. At dissimiles inse­qui pium [...]st. Plin. panegyr. this also, it is a point of mercy, to be mercilesse to vnmercifull men.

When an ouer-mild Ruler was sometime com­mended for a very good man; [...]; Plut. d [...] a­dulat. & de vtilit. ex inim. Vel, [...] Vti i [...] lib. de i [...]id. & odio. Vnde emē ­dand [...] idem in Lycurg. [...]; dele [...]a par­ticula negativa. Neque enim sa [...]is amarit bo [...]s, qui malos sa [...] [...] [...] ­rit. P [...]in. panegyr. How can he be a good man, said one, that is alike milde to good and bad? So here, how should God be a mercifull God, if he should shew mercy on those that are vnmercifull to others? No: Math. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull, saith our Sauiour; for they shall obtaine mercy. [...]ac & fie [...]: fa [...] alteri, & [...]et tibi. Aug. de sanct. 14. Shew mercy, and haue mercie: shew it thou to others, and thou [...]halt haue it at Gods hands. But Misericordia [...] qui non praestat al­ [...] [...] s [...]bi. Chryso [...] ▪ ser [...]. 42. Grati [...] illic spera [...], qui [...] non prastat. ibid. 8. whoso denieth it to others, debarreth himselfe of it. Iam. 2. 13. For there shall be iudge­ment without mercy, to those that doe not shew mercy.

In a word: God, if he be Pater [...] ▪ 2 Cor. 1. 3. [...] de suo, [...] de nostro. Tertull. con [...]r. Mar [...]. naturally mercifull, as he is mercy it selfe; then as he loueth mercy in man; (Mica. 7. 1 [...]. mercy pleaseth him, saith the Prophet:) so he hateth vnmercifulnesse toward man: and there­fore cannot but doe iustice in the behalfe of those that are cruelly and vnmercifully dealt with.

So that whether we regard the praier of Gods Spirit, which cannot but preuaile; or the wrongs [Page 72] of the oppressed that crie aloud in Gods eares; or the nature of God, who is iustice it selfe, and Habb: 1. 12. can endure no iniquitie, is mercy it selfe, and must needes then Psal. 5. 6. [...] [...]. 16▪ 19. abhorre crueltie: it cannot be but that at length he must arise and redresse all such a­buses, though for a while he may seeme to sit still and forbeare.

The Vse whereof concerneth either the oppres­sed, or their Oppressors.

The oppressed it teacheth patience. For is there a God, that will Psal. 146. 7. doe them right that endure wrong. Then Iam. 5. 7, 8. be patient, my brethren, and waite the Lords comming: be patient, I say, and quiet your mindes: for the comming of the Lord draweth neere.

Eccles. 5. 7. If thou seest in a Countrey the poore oppressed, and iudgement and iustice perverted▪ Sicut. 1 P [...]t. 4. 12. wonder not at it, saith Salomon. No? why who would not wonder, might some say, to see iniquity set, where iustice ought to be seated? yea but be not vtterly dismaide yet in that regard; but remember, that There is one higher then the highest of them that regardeth it; and there be Mysteriū Tria­d [...]s Iun. ad Ange­los refer [...] Cart [...]r. those that be higher then they. Eccles. 3. 17. He, when time shall be, will iudge both the iust and the wicked, by righting the one, by reuenging the other.

Cartwr. in Ec­cles. As a man therefore that is ouerswaied with might and strong hand against right in some one Court, yet is not out of hope nor out of heart, so long as he hath liberty to appeale to some higher Court, so be it he be sure of the equity and sinceri­ty, of the vprightnesse and integritie of the partie whom he is to make his appeale vnto. So those that are here oppressed, are not therefore to be [Page 73] discouraged, if at mans hand they can haue no helpe here: they may make their appeale to God, and they are sure to preuaile with him according to the equitie of their cause: for he is one with whom Iob. 34. 19. there is no respect of persons, 2 Chron. 19. 7. nor accepting of bribes, one who as he will not be corrupted, so Galat. 6. 7. he cannot be deluded: And he (that Psal. 9. 18, 19. the poore may not alwaies be forgotten, nor the hope of the oppressed perish for e­uer;) Act. 17. 31. hath set downe a certaine day, wherein hee will without faile and without further delay, if not before, heare euery mans cause, and right euery mans wrong, and doe iustice vpon euery wrong­doer.

As in this world then, howsoeuer some rebelli­ous persons are by martiall law sometime presently dispatched, and some notorious Malefactors are sometime Hinc, Re [...]s ex­traordinarius. C [...] ­lius Cicer. famil. epist. 8. lib. 8. Et, Qu [...]ionē extra­ordinariam [...]. Sen. epist. 97. Et, ius ex [...]ra ordinē dicere. Ibid. 1 [...]6. extraordinarily arraigned and out of hand executed in terrorem for the terror and exam­ple of others; yet the greatest number, the maine multitude of Theeues, Robbers and Murtherers and the like Offenders are reserued to the ordinary Sessions, or the Gaole-deliuery at the generall Assise: So God, albeit he sit in Session sometime Dan. 4. 28, 29, 30. & 5. 26, 27, 28. & 7. 25▪29. Act. 1 [...]. 23. I [...] tanto crimi [...] [...] invenieus, quasi patientiam pretermisit, & diē extremi [...] ex­pectare ad vindi­ctam [...]oluit, sed igne iudicij diem iudicij pr [...]enis. Greg. m [...]r. 19. 23. by extraordinary iudgements on some notorious Blasphemers, or professed Atheists, or corrupt Iudges, or cruell Oppressors, or vsurping Ty­rants, &c. Iud. 6, 7. 2 Pet. 2. 6. making them spectacles of his wrath, and their fearefull ends so many reall sermons of the diuine justice and vengeance to others; yet the triall of most matters and the execution of most Malefactors hath he differed and put of to Act. 17. 31. that day, wherein hee hath determined to iudge the [Page 74] whole world Rom. 2. 16. by his Lord Cheife Act. 10. 42. Iustice Gene­rall, the Man Iesus, Ioh. 5. 22, 27. whom he hath wholy cōmit­ted that authority vnto.

And as one therefore that either hath beene rob­bed himselfe, or that hath had his friend murther­ed, if he haue the party apprehended and laid vp fast in prison, is not presently out of patience, be­cause he seeth him not instantly executed, but is well content quietly to expect the time of Assise, though it be halfe a yeare after, as long as he is sure that then he shall haue iustice against him. So ought we not presently to grow impatient, if wee see not iustice done instantly, so soone as our ouer-hasty hearts shall require it, vpon those that we suppose haue wronged vs, but rest content to stay Gods leasure, and to expect his vniuersall day of Assise, when we shall be sure without faile to haue iustice done vs according to that which the equitie of our cause shall require: Remembring withall, that all wicked ones are the meane while [...]. Plut. de vindict. divin. Et mundus carcer est, & corpus carcer est. Aug. in Psal: 141. in this world as in Gods Iaile, Noli illum pu­tare sine carcere esse. carcer eius, cer eius est. Aug. homil. 40. vnder the chaines of a guilty consci­ence, out of which there is no possible meanes of escape for them. But let vs haue patience till then, and assure our selues we may, that Idoneus patien­ti [...] sequester est Deus, quicquid a­pud eum deposue­ris: si iniuriam, v'tor est; si dam­num, restitutor est; si dolorem, medicus est; si mortem, re­suscitator est. quā ­tum patientia licet, vt Deum habeat debitorē? Tertull. de bono patient. whatsoeuer losse or damage we shall thereby sustaine, God will then vndoubtedly Morae dispendiū [...]neris duplo pen­satur. Hieron. in Ierem. with large ouerplus make good againe to vs.

And for Oppressors and Wrong-doers, let them take heede how they deceiue themselues, in hoping to go hand▪ smooth away with it for euer, because they can for the present cary matters so cunningly, delude or corrupt Iudge and Iury, and make all so [Page 75] sure, that no writ of error can be had, nor reverse­ment of iudgement, none to call them or those they corrupt to account here. There is yet an other and an higher Tribunall, whereat they and those that they wrong must appeare one day together, Rom. 2. 2, 6, 11. Ierem. 17. 9, 10. where they shall not be able to delude or to bribe Iudge or Iury, or to procure an vniust sen­tence. Yea Quotidiè ille scit, quis hîc sibi quae­rat malum: Qui hîc litem adipisci postulant periu [...]io; Mali res falsas qui impetrant apud iu­dicem: Iterum ille eam rem iudica [...]ā iudicat; Matore multa multat, quā litē auferunt. Plaut rudent. prolog. where their former sentence and iudge­ment wretchedly purchased by them, and wrong­fully passed for them, shall be ripped vp, and sifted, and reversed againe to their euerlasting confusion, if it be not before that time seriously and sincerely repented of.

Neither let them fondly and vainely suppose, that because it is not done instantly, therefore it will neuer be. [...]. Vise Plut. de sera numinis vindicta. Gods Mil, saith the Heathen man, may seeme to grinde soft and slow, but it grindeth sure and small. Non ille omisit proridentiam, aut amisit potentiam, sed patientiam ex­ercet suam, dum panitentiam expe­ctat tuam. Aug. de verb. Ap. 35. It is not because God hath either lost his power or left his prouidence, but because he exerciseth his patience, while he expecteth thy repentance. Which vnlesse with the more speede it Currat paeniten­tia, ne praecurrat sententia. Chryso­log. serm. 167. preuent his sen­tence, his 2 Pet. 3. 9, 10. seeming slownesse and slacknes before he commeth, will Morae tarditatē paenae grauitate cō ­pensat. Qui quo tardius venit, seue­rius percutit. Greg. mor. lib. 25. cap. 6 Tanto enim sequit [...] dictrictior sententi [...], quant [...] [...] peccanti [...] est patientia. dum diuina se [...]eritas e [...] iniq [...] acri [...] punit, quo di [...]tius per [...]ulit. Grog ibidem c. 2. be recompenced with the surer and seuerer payment, when he doth come. [...]. E [...]ripid. apud Plut. de vindict. diuin. Rarò [...] sc [...]lestum Deser [...]it pede pana [...]. [...]. car [...]. l. 2. 3. ▪ Etsi quis primò per­iuria celat, Sera tame [...] tacitis p [...]na venit pedibus. Tibu [...]. l. 1. eleg. 10. Et quod ille Odiss. [...]. Sel­dome, saith the Heathen man, is it, but that the diuine vengeance ouertaketh wicked wretches, though it seeme but limpingly to pursue them. Seldome it is here, but [Page 76] that in some one kinde or other it catcheth them and meeteth with them there, where they looke not for it; but elsewhere it is certaine neuer to misse of them, whether it meete with them here or no. Remember Ahabs doome and Iezabels. They thought they had made all sure, when false witnes­ses suborned, and the Iudges corrupted, a wrong iudgement was procured, and poore Naboth not condemned onely but executed. But what doth Elias from God tell Ahab? 1 King. 21. 9, 23. 2 King. 9. 36, 37. In that very place where the Dogs licked Naboths bloud, shall dogs likewise licke thy bloud. And, The Dogs shall eate Iezabell vnder the wals of Izreel: And Iezabels carcase shall lie like dung on the ground in the fields of Izreel; so that none shall be able to say, This is Iesabell. And no lesse euill, if not the same, shall befall all those that take the courses that they did; Psal: 76. 9. When God shall stand vp, as he will one day, to iudge, and to right all those that are now wronged and oppressed.

And it wanteth not his emphasis, that the Psalmist saith, Iudica terram, Iudge the earth: not, Iudica istos, Iudge these men; but Iudica terram ipsam, Iudge the earth, or the Land it selfe: as he said before, Vers. 5. Terrae ipsius statumina dimoventur; the very props and shores of the whole State are shaken. For when corruptions are crept into place of iudicature, they become the sinnes of the Land, of the State.

When priuate men doe wrong, the sinne is their owne, it is their personall offence, and they must answer it with their heads. But when priuate mens abuses and enormities are borne with or bolstred out by authority, are not duly redressed and con­dignely [Page 77] punished by those that bee in authority, when either iustice is denied to those that bee wronged, or iniustice is done them by those that should doe them right, then the offence becometh publike, euen the sinne of the whole State: And maketh God enter into iudgement not Esai: 3. 13. cum senio­ribus populi & principibus eius, With the Elders of his people and their Princes alone; but cum terra vniuersa, with the whole Land, with the state in generall. Ierem: 5. 28, 29. They execute no iudgement, neither for fatherlesse nor poore. And what followeth thereupon? And should not I then visite my selfe? saith the Lord: should not my very soule be a venged on such a nation? not on them alone, but on the Nation it selfe. And, Mica▪ 3. 9, 10, 11, 12. Heare this, ye heads of the house of Iacob, and yee Princes of the house of Israel: ye that abhorre iudgement, and per­vert iustice, and iudge for gifts, and giue sentence for bribes: Therefore, Vestri causa, for your sake shall Sion be made a ploughed field, and Ierusalem a wast heape, and the Temple a wild forest.

Whence learne ye how to avert and prevent ge­nerall iudgements. 1 Cor: 11. 31. Si vosipsi iudicaretis, non iudi­caremini: If you would iudge your selues, saith the Apostle, you should not be iudged: so here, Si iudica­retis, non iudicaremur: If you that be in place of iu­dicature would iudge, you might saue God a labour, neither you nor wee should be iudged. Amos: 5. 15. The surest course that can be to strengthen a state, and to keep the iudgements of God out from a Countrey or Kingdome, is by the due and diligent administrati­on and execution of iustice, and by keeping out cor­ruptions in places of iudicature.

[Page 78] Ierem. 22. 1. 6. Go to the Kings house, saith God to Ieremie, and say; Heare the word of the Lord, ô King, that sittest on Dauids throne, thou and thy seruants. Thus saith the Lord, Execute ye iudgement and iustice, and rescue the oppressed from the hand of the Oppressour: and vex not the stranger, nor the fatherlesse, nor the Widow: nor doe any violence; nor shed any innocent bloud. For if you doe this, there shall a succession of Kings sitting vpon Dauids throne enter in at these gates, and ride in charets and on horses, both they and their Followers. But if you doe otherwise; I sweare by my selfe. Iurat vobis, per quem iuratis. Cas­siod. variar. l. 8. ep. 3. He sweareth to you, by whom you sweare. And, h happie you for whose sake he vouchsafeth to sweare, if you re­gardb O beates nos quo­rum causa Deus iu­rat! ô miserrimos si nec suranti credi­mus! Tertull. de paenitent. what he sweareth, most vnhappie, if you neither feare, nor beleeue him, when he sweareth. But what is it that so solemnely he sweareth by himselfe? That this house, (the Kings palace) shall be laid wast, and the whole City (of Ierusalem) made a wild wildernes. For I will bring in those vpon you, that shall vtterly destroy either. And surely, if by iustice and iudge­ment Prou: 25. 5. & 29. 14. Throne and Prou: 29. 4. Ius & aequitas vnicul [...] ciuitatum. Cic. pa­rad. Et Cartwr. in Prou. ex Psal. 75. 3. Pietas & iusti­tia du [...] fulcra rei­pub▪ columnae regni. State be vpheld and established: no maruell if iniustice and wrong iudgement vtter­ly ouerturne either.

Whence further againe obserue we, who they be that may proue the greatest and most dangerous enemies to the publike peace and tranquillitie of the present estate.l ▪Vbi non est pu­dor, nec curaiuris, sanctitas, pietas, fides, Instabile reg­num est. ▪Sen. Thyest 2. 1. I [...]i­qua nunquam re­gna perpetuò ma­nent. Sen. Med [...].

Were such a question propounded to many se­uerally, it is likely, as the common saying and the vsuall manner is, that many men would be of many mindes, that some would say one sort, and some o­ther againe name another sort.

[Page 79]Some it may be would point at the promiscuous multitude of idle Varlets that swarme about the skirts and suburbs of this City especially, Vulgus cuius (que) motus novi cupidū. Tacit hist. l. 1. Se­ditiosum, at (que) di­scordiosum, cupidū novarum verum. Salust. Iugurth. ready to make head and doe mischeife, if opportunitie were offered. Others such notorious and enor­mious Transgressors, as by walowing in such beast­ly and abominable filth, as either Leuit. 18. 27, 21. caused the Land of Canaan to spew out her Inhabitants, or Genes. 19. 24, 25. Iud. 7. drew downe fire and brimstone on Sodome and Gomorrha from heauen. And it is not vnlikely but that our Popish Priests and Iesuites would not vndeseruedly haue the most honest-minded mens voices, whom yet we suffer too freely to lie and lodge like aspes and Vipers in the bosome and bowels of our State.

But I would say, and I shall make good what I say by Gods word, that there may be (to let passe the former) much more dangerous enemies to vs then these. [...]. Malum iudi­cium causa est c [...] ­iusvis mali. Iam­blychus apud Sto [...] ▪ tom. 2. [...]. 44. Corrupt Rulers, vniust Iudges, Oppres­sors of Gods Saints and Seruants, and Perverters of iudgement and iustice are more dangerous to Crowne and State, I say not then idle Vagrants, or then Whore-masters and Adulterers, or then Theeues and Murtherers; (and yet the more duly and diligently iustice is executed, the fewer there will be of all such sorts;) but euen then popish Traytors and Conspirators, euen the very worst of them, then the very Inventors and Contrivers of the Powder-plot it selfe.

The one vse the might and malice but of man, or of the Deuill at most, against vs; which God is able to courb and restraine, to rule and over-rule at his [Page 80] pleasure. Whereas [...], [...]. Hesiod. oper. the other encense and bring in the wrath of God on vs, which no created power is able to avert or avoide. Ierem. 21. 12. Execute iustice and iudge­ment, saith God, and deliuer the Oppressed out of the hand of the Oppressor: least my wrath breake out like fire, and so burne that none can quench it for the wicked­nesse of your workes.

The sinnes of priuate Offenders bring wrath vpon themselues: But the wincking at them or partaking with them in those whose place and cal­ling is to punish them, maketh them the sinnes of the State; and so draweth downe the wrath of God vpon the whole land: it is Mica. 3. 12. Vestri causa, For them that Sion is ploughed, and Ierusalem sacked, and the whole Land dispeopled and destroied. It is their not doing of iustice or their doing of iniustice, that enforceth God to arise and iudge the whole State.

But what is the reason, why God should so take to heart the poore peoples oppressions as to stand vp and iudge himselfe in this sort? For all people, saith the Psalmist, are thine inheritance They are all Psal. 28. 9. thy people, Psal. 2. 8. thy possession, Psal. 74. 2. thy portion, Psal. 74. 9. thy poore; and therefore their cause it is in some respect Psal. 74, 21, 22. thine.

God hath a speciall right to them, a speciall in­terest in them, [...] in all nations, in all people, as well in poore as in rich, as well in low and obscure as in high and honourable, as well in people as in Prince, as well in Subiect as in Soueraigne.

He hath interest in the one as well as the other;

1. Iure creationis, By right of creation: Hee hath made the one as well as the other. Prou. 22. 2. The poore and [Page 81] the rich [...] together, saith Salomon; God is the maker of them both. Iob. 31. 15. He that made mee, saith Iob, made my seruant too. And, Iob. 14. 15. He loueth, saith the same Iob▪ the worke of his owne hands. Iob. 34. 19. Neither doth he accept the person of Princes, or regard the rich rather the [...] the poore; saith Elihu: because they bee all alike the worke of his hands.

2. Iure redemptionis, by right of redemption. He hath redeemed the one as well as the other. Galat. 3. 26, 27, 28. You are all alike the sonnes of God by faith in Christ; as ma­ny of you as being baptised into Christ, haue solemnely put on Christ: And there is no difference of Iew or Greeke, bond or free, rich or poore, male or female, but ye all are one in Christ. Yea, 1 Cor. 1. 25, 26. You see, brethren, your calling, [...]ow that there are not many wise ones after the flesh, nor many great ones in the world, nor many rich ones neither, among you, But Iam. 2. 5. God hath cho­sen a many meane and despised ones in the world, to bee rich in grace, and heires of his kingdome. The very poorest soules ransome cost Christ as deare a price as the redeeming of the richest did: and the meanest true Christian hath as good, and as great a portion in Christ, as the mightiest Monarke in the world ei­ther hath or can haue.

3. Iure protectionis, By right of preseruation and protection. He preserueth the one as well as the o­ther; he prouideth for the one as well as for the other; he protecteth the one as well as the other.

He preserueth and vpholdeth the one as well as the other. For Iob. 12. 9, 10. as his hand hath made them all: so the soule, or the life, of euery liuing creature is in his hand; and the brea [...]h of all mankinde. And be wee [Page 82] high or low, rich or poore, Act. 17. 28. Wee all liue and mo [...]e and haue our being in and by him.

He prouideth for the one as well as the other. His prouidence extendeth it selfe vnto either. As Act. 17. 26. he made all men of one bloud to dwell on the face of the whole earth: so hath he bounded out to each one his place of abode: and Act. 17. 25. he giueth as life and breath and being, so all things else too, vnto all. As [...]. Aristip. apud Laert. he some­time answered the beggerly Philosopher asking him whence he had all his store: [...]. Pindar. Is [...]hns. o­de 5. The poore man hath his pitance from no other hand, then the rich man hath his world of wealth. It is the same God Psal. 65. 9. & 68. 10. that pro­uideth as well for the Pesant, as for the Prince.

He protecteth the one as well as the other. Yea he hath vndertaken more specially to protect as Psal. 18. 50. Princes, so [...]. Menand. a­pud Stob. to [...]. 2. cap. 93. Pauperes [...]. Psal. 74. 19. poore ones. As Princes though they protect all their Subiects in generall, yet are wont to vouch safe more speciall protection in some cases to some sorts: so God the Protectour of all in ge­nerall, hath yet more specially taken into his prote­ction the poore, the Widow, the Fatherlesse, the friendlesse, the helples. Psal. 10. 14. The poore, saith the Psalmist, committeth his cause vnto thee: for thou [...] the Helper of the Fatherlesse. And, Psal. 9 9. The Lord is a refuge for the poore; or, as our Meeter well hath it, the poore mans Protectour. And, Psal 68. 5. He is the Father of the fa­therlesse, and the Widowes Iudge, euen God in his holy habitation.

And therefore as he giueth Iudges his Deputies a speciall charge of such. Vers. 3. 4. Defend the poore, and the fatherlesse; see that the afflicted and needy haue iustice: deliuer the poore and the needy; rescue them [Page 83] out of wicked mens hands. So to all others he giueth a caueate concerning them, to take heed how they wrong them: Exod. 22. 22. Z ch. 7. 10. Vex ye not any widow, or poore father­lesse childe. And where ought is done contrary to* Malac. 3. 5. this his inhibition, he taketh speciall notice of it, and threatneth in seuere manner to avenge it. Psal. 10. 14. Thou seest it, saith the Psalmist, and viewest oppression and wrong, to take the matter into thine hands. And, Exod. 22. 22, 23. If you vex or oppresse any such, saith God, and they call or crie to mee, I will not faile to heare them: But I will draw neere vnto you to iudgement; and I will be a swiftwitnesse (there shall neede no further proofe nor pleading, I heare and see all my selfe, I see your wrong, and heare their cries) against those that vex and oppresse such; and feare not me: saith the Lord of hoastes.

I might adde a fourth right, Ius glorificationis, Of glorification, He hath purposed and promised to glorifie as well the one as the other. For Luk. 12. 32. Iam. 2. 5. he hath chosen the poore as to grace, so to glory, to be heires of his Kingdome. Luk. 6. 20. Blessed be you, poore ones (so be you be Math. 5. 3. poore in Spirit as well as poore in purse) saith our Sauiour: for yours is the Kingdome of heauen. And as Augustine well reasoneth in an other case, Quidat regnū, non [...]abit [...]iaticū. Aug. de verb. Dom. He that will giue them a Crowne, will he deny them a crum? So, he that Apoc. 1. 6. & 3. 21. 1 Cor 6. 2, 3. will make them Kings and Iudges, will he not much more doe them iustice?

To conclude: as he reasoned sometime for the body and the resurrection of it; Quam De [...] ma­nibus suis ad ima­ginem sui struxit, quam de suo affla­tu ad viv [...]citatis suae similitudinem animauit, quam incolatui, fructui, dominatui totius suae operationis prae­pesuit, quam sacra­mentis suis discipl [...] ­nisque vestivit, cu­ius munditias a­mat, castigationes probat, passiones si­bi adpreciat; haec­cine non resurget, toti [...]ns Dei? Absit vt Deus manuum suarum operam, in­genij sui curā, ad­flatus sui vaginā, moli [...]ionis suae regi­nā, liberalitatis suae haeredem, religionis suae sacerdotē, testi­monij sui militem, Christi sui sororē in ater [...] destituat interitū. Tertul. deresurr. carn. the body that God himselfe at first fashioned, that he quickned, that hee adorned and advanced, that he protecteth and preseru­eth, [Page 84] that he hath redeemed by his Sonne, that he hath sealed with his Sacraments, whose puritie he desireth, whose chastitie he delighteth in, whose discipline hee approueth, whose patience he prizeth; how can he suf­fer it to perish vtterly, that is so many waies his? So may we reason for the poore oppressed and Gods righting of their wrongs: Those that God hath crea­ted, and that in his owne image, hath redeemed with a price of inestimable worth, doth in fatherly manner daily preserue and prouide for, hath taken more special­ly into his protection, is purposed to make one day Rom. 8. 17. Apoc. 21. 7. co­heires with his Christ; how can he choose but doe them iustice, and right all their wrongs, that are in so speciall manner so many waies his?

That which may serue, briefly to admonish, as all others, so those especially that be in place of au­thority and iudicature, to take heed how they contemne or wrong their poore brethren in regard of their pouerty and penurie, and meane estate in the world; or how in fauour of any great one, that oppresseth or opposeth them, they either deny or delay to doe them right. Since the poore are part of Gods portion as well as the richest, as the grea­test, and may haue as good part in God as they.

Say of the poore man therefore that appeareth before thee, as Iob sometime of his seruant: Iob. 31. 13. I may not contemne him, be he neuer so meane: Iob. 31. 15. The same God that made mee, made him too: yea, the same Christ that redeemed mee, redeemed him too: [...], quē serrum tuū vocas, [...]x [...] or [...]um [...], e [...]dē [...] cae [...]o, aequè spir [...]re, aequè vivere, aequè mori. Sen. ep. 47. He is made of the same mould that I my selfe am: he [...]eareth the same image of God that I my selfe doe. And, He that either Prou. 14. 31. oppresseth or Prou. 17. 5. reproacheth the poore, he wrongeth [Page 85] his Maker: he that oppresseth or reproacheth him, hee wrongeth his Redeemer.

Yea he that oppresseth or reproacheth him wrongeth his Protectour: (It is a wrong to the Prince for any man to meddle with those whom hee hath vnder­taken to protect:) who will not suffer such wrong therefore to go vnreuenged; it were against his owne honour. Prou 23. 10, 11. Remoue not the auncient bound, saith Salomon, nor encroach vpon the fields of the Fa­therlesse: For their Redeemer is mightie; (though they be feeble themselues) and he will maintaine their cause against thee. And againe, Prou. 2 [...]. 22, 33. Rob not the poore, because he is poore; neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement: For the Lord himselfe will plead their cause; and he will spoile the soule of such as spoile them.

If one hane busines before you, be he himselfe neuer so meane, that hath the Princes protection, or that belongeth to some Great-man, my Lord Duke, or my Lord Marquesse, how charily will you be sure to cary your selues in his cause, how wary of doing him the least iniustice that may be? You make full account to heare of it againe, if you doe otherwise. But euery poore oppressed one that repaireth to you for reliefe and redresse of his wrongs, that resorteth to your seates, as to Gods Sanctuary, for succour, he is a Sanctuary man, hee is one that belongeth vnto God, God hath speciall interest in him, he hath vndertaken the protection of him. And how carefull, yea how fearefull should you be then of doing the least wrong or iniustice vnto any, that he owneth and that he hath promised to protect?

[Page 86]Assure your selues, if you doe, you shall heare of it with a witnesse, Psal. 76. 9. When God shall arise to iudge the carth, and to right the wrongs of all his oppressed ones. At what time you shall finde our Sauiours words to be true, which I shall shut and seale vp all withall: Math. 18. 6. Better it were for you, that a [...]il-stone were hanged about your neckes, and that you were so drowned in the deepest Ocean, then that you should, in your places especially, doe the least wrong to the least of those little ones; whose wrongs God neither will nor can suffer to passe vnreuenged, be­cause they are part of his inheritance. (***)

FINIS.

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