NOLI AEMVLARI, Fret not thy selfe, because of the ungodly, neither be thou envious for the evill doer, sayes K. David the Father, Psal. 37.1. and, Let not thy heart be envious for the evill doer, sayes K. Solomon the Sonne, Prov. 23.17. Why, the Sonne learnt it of his Father, you will say; or, 'twas a good and a godly Lesson, and no marvell then, if the wise Kings, both of them, put it in among their holy Advices.

Yea, but Be not thou envious for the evill doer, sayes K. Solomon againe, at the first [Page 2] verse of this Chapter. What, againe? And so soon, so few verses between? Surely then there is some extraordinary matter in it, 'tis not onely one of his good Counsels, but 'tis some speciall one of them, one that he would have heeded and learned, afore many, above any other.

It should seem so indeed; for, NOLI AE­MVLARI, Fret not thy selfe because of the un­godly, neither be thou envious for the evill doer, sayes he once more, in the verses next before my Text. For feare it should not make so deep an Impression in mens mindes as was fitting, he sets it on the third time, as loath to leave it, till it be throughly setled and fasten­ed in their hearts; but tertiâ jam vice, 2. Cor. 13.1. sayes the Apostle, firmum erit omne verbum, the Ad­monition thrise repeated will make it sure and immooveable.

Now who (in the name of God) is that evill doer, of whom he here warnes us so of­ten? or what is it the Wiseman would have us to doe, to shew that we are not envious for him? Why, that the Spirit hath set downe too, and that once and againe. In the prece­dent Chapter, vers. 17. it is, Let not thy heart be envious for the evill doer, but let it al­ways be in the Feare of the Lord. TIMOR DOMINI, that's the Generall Rule for it; [Page 3] but least that might proove not Punctuall enough, he sayes it over againe, more parti­cularly here at my Text, Be not envious for the evill doer, but feare God, my sonne, and the King, and then that's enough;

Timor Dei, & Regis, when he had said that, there needed (by like) no more Instruction: The distinct performance of these two, and the district avoidance of such as performe them not, of presumptuous and rechlesse Sinners, and of contemptuous and awelesse Subjects, a Noli aemulari for both these, not to sort or suit our selves with them, neither with them that feare not God, nor with them that pre­tend (forsooth) to feare God, but yet feare not the King, 'tis the very last, and chiefest Lesson this of all, that which Solomon (it seems) in his wisdome chose to close up his owne Book of Proverbs with.

For how'ere he spake indeed 1. King. 4.32. 3000 Proverbs in all, and this of my Text now makes not above 700, yet as it appeares both by the verse after my Text [Also these things apper­taine to the wise] and by the first verse of the Chapter following [These are also Proverbs of Solomon, which Hezekiah's men copied out] it is more then probable, that this Book of Pro­verbs went no further once then this, to Feare God and the King, and then he had done; And [Page 4] that all which now followes, from my Text to the end of this Book, were but fragments col­lected out of his other workes, gatherings and gleanings which afterward other men got to­gether, and when they had them, added them to this Book; but with this he himselfe ended it at the first, as the very Summe and Crowne and Vpshot of all, TIME DEVM, FILI MI, ET REGEM, Feare God, my sonne, and the King.

The Divi­sion.Now the Words (you see) are in all scarce twise three, yet at once they present us with three chiefe Persons, and three great Relations. The Persons no lesse then God, the Lord of all; and Gods Deputie, the King; and all that call God Father, all the People.

The Relations are, first Personae, What Re­ference all these persons stand in, one to ano­ther; God, to King and people; The King, to the people and God; The people, to God and the King. Secondly, Operae, What must be done, as a Due to God and the King, and as a Dutie from the people to both; Timere, they are to feare them. Lastly, Causae, Why it must be done, yea and Modi too, How it must be done, Quia filii, and Quà filii, Because they are Sonnes, and As Sonnes: Feare them therefore, and feare them so; So for the Manner, and So for the Order too, as Sonnes to both, [Page 5] both to God and King; yet as Sonnes, first to God, and then to the King. All these parti­culars, and more, are incircled within this narrow compasse, Feare God, my sonne, and the King.

Of which, that I may so speak, as that Gods people may learne the feare of God and the King aright, I humbly beseech you, that we may here addresse our selves unto GOD, that holy, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, &c.

YOu see, what first meets us at the verie Dore of the Text, and there must our Beginning be, at [...] at the Dutie of Feare; and in that, at Dei [...]efore Regis, at the Feare of the Lord first, and then that's the best Be­ginning that may be.

To Begin at God, is in Nature, [...], sayes one of their Poets, and A Iove princ [...]pium, sayes another; but at the Feare of God, is of Wisdome above Nature, The Feare of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdome, sayes the Psalmist, Psal. 111.11. And as it Begins, so it Goes on; it is the Increase of Wisdome also, sayes Solomon, Prov. 15.33. yea, 'tis the very [Page 6] End of all, the Summe of what can be said or done; Eccles. 12. Let us heare the end of all, Feare God, for this is the whole Dutie of man; Hoc est omnis homo, This e'ry man must doe, or els he does nothing; and more then this need no man to doe; it will be very abundant for him, if he doe truely Feare God.

Timor Dei.Why els doth the Spirit so often name us the Fearing of God, rather then any other Christian Dutie; My sonne, love God; or, My sonne, praise God; or, My sonne, obey God; or, My sonne, trust in God? All these had been Charges holy and good, but none of them all had been so much though: My sonne, feare God, is a Project and Promise of them all; for Feare is a Catholick dutie, that runs through all duties els, and keeps them in tune; 'tis Gods Praepositus in the School of Graces, it sees that none of them all be out of Order, or in any kinde Faulty;

It makes us look well to our Eare, for feare we should heare unprofitably; to our Eye, for feare we should glance unreverently; to our Love, for feare ought slip from us which God may take for unkinde and unlovely; to our Obedience, for feare we grow carelesse or pre­sumptuous; to our Faith, for feare we become doubting or desperate; to our Ioy, for feare it be immoderate; to our Griefe, for feare it be un­warrantable; [Page 7] to our Devotion, for feare it be hypocriticall; to our Religion, for feare it be superstitious; to our whole Life, for feare it be licentious. For Feare is as the Inquisitor Ma­jor over all the rest, when it is r [...]ght, all offices els are right, all is well if God be but rightly feared.

Let it be no wonder then, that the Prophet attributes feare to Christ himselfe, and that at the end of divers other vertues, as a sure Guide and Directer of them all. The spirit of the Lord upon him, saith he, Esa. 11.2. But what Spirit? The spirit of Wisdome, and of Vnder­standing; the spirit of Counsell, and of Strength; the spirit of Knowledge, and of the Feare of the Lord: without that indeed, the rest (as great as they are) would be little or nothing; and con­cerning that therefore the next verse addes yet further, Et odorabitur timorem Domini, besides his having the spirit of Feare, he shall also hunt and seek after it above all the rest; Nay, odorabitur, it shall be the very Breath of his nostrils, the Life and Soule of all gifts els in him, the Feare of the Lord.

And to this suits well that excellent medi­tation that Irenaeus ha's about it. Such things Lib. 4. cap. 3 [...] (saith he) as upon our Fore-fathers were so strictly charged in the old Law, as meerly slavish and servile, all those indeed the liber­tie [Page 8] of the Gospel pared off at once: But then Naturall things, and such as comply with in­genuity and freedome, (as the Knowing of God, the Loving of him, the Following his Word, and the Subduing our owne lusts) these were to be dilated by the Gospel, and not dissolved; so far from abolition, that they received a far greater augmentation. And from hence it comes (saith he) that our Feare of God (that's it which principally he chooses to insist upon) is much more growne now, then ever the Law could expect it. And why? Because it is naturall (sayes he) that Sonnes should feare more then Servants, the very Libertie of Sonnes being as a Loadstone to allure, and as a Whet­stone to increase, and as a Touchstone to trie their Love, and their inbred Affection, setting such an edge on the Reverence and Feare which they beare him, as no Slavery of the Law could ever skill of.

That we have not then since Christ received the Spirit of Bondage to Feare any more, S. Paul sayes right for that, Rom. 8.15. because such Feare as that, (the Feare that was of old) cruciatum habet, 1. Iohn 4.18. it onely vexed and afflicted them that had it: But yet by the blessing of the Gospel, the Feare of the Lord is highly improoved to us; for 'tis the Spirit of Adoption now, and onely combines with [Page 9] Ioy and Pleasure, [...], sayes Serm. [...]. Pantaleon, It is such a reverent and free dis­position in us toward God our Father, that though we were sure he should ne're know of our offence, or could possibl [...] say to us, I know it, and it offends me, but yet I will not punish it; even therefore we would strive the more against it, as being loath to displease so good a Father, and having more care not to miscar­ry, then not to smart for it; and performing Dutie, not for feare of suffering vengeance, but for feare of forgoing that Dutie, and of wrong­ing so much Love, as he and we are mutually engaged in.

And now by this I know (saies S. in Psal. 127.Hillarie) what King David meant, when he cal'd the faithfull to school to him, Psal. 34.11. Come my children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach you the Feare of the Lord. For what needs that (saith he) if there were nothing els in it? Who teaches the Lamb to feare the Wolfe? or who reades lessons against the Kite to the Chickens? But the feare of the Lord comes by holy Rule and Instruction; it is not what Nature trembles at, but what Grace directs to; and it is not per­fectly had, but from the lessons of Love, such Love as obliges to beware of all offending.

Now the Psalmist indeed does not there set it downe; but if any professe they are come [Page 10] to learne it, I dare close up this point with an answer to that other question of his, Quis est vir? Psal. 25. What Man is he that feareth the Lord? For a man may soon know him now; at least, he may easily know, whether himselfe be the man: If he finde in his soule so pure and devoted an Affection to God his Father, that his Ioy is onely how to please him, and his Studie to avoide offending of him, his whole Content is that God loves him, and securely he rests himselfe upon the favour that God ha's to him; Hic vir, hic est, this man may be bold that he is a good Proficient, and that he hath throughly learnt the feare of the Lord

But yet this is not enough though for the Time Deum here in my Text. That there is such a thing as Feare, and that it is now in a more liberall and Sonne-like condition, then when Solomon spake of it, and that the minde of man may be and ought to be en­tirely affected with it, and that God alone must be the Object of it; in Speculation in­deed it comes to no more, Timor Domini is but this, and these particulars make up the full Theorie of the feare of the Lord: But yet there goes somewhat more to the per­fect dutie of it; for this Time Deum, as a pre­sent and particular Precept, aymes also at the Practising of it, it implies the fact as well as [Page 11] the minde, all actuall and outward Expressi­ons of it, besides the inward and habituall af­fection.

So that's the next thing which here we must look at,Expressio Timoris. if a mans spirit be right in the Feare of God, and the right Spirit of Gods Feare be upon him, what demonstrance withall he must make of the same, and how it must be acted, that it may appeare, God is thus Feared.

For Corpus autem aptâsti mihi, if ever ye markt it, you know 'tis not omitted of our Sa­viour himselfe, that God having ordained him a Body, in that Body he was to performe his will; Heb. 10.9. And much more is it so with us; we being Bodies also and not onely Spirits, the Spirit alone will not suffice us; 'tis not e­nough that our mindes and affections are in­wardly endued with it, but such expressions withall we must make, as that the performance of the Dutie may be witnessed. The Dutie we acknowledge is, that we doe Feare God; and but by that which is to be read in our out­ward deportment, neither God nor Man will beare us witnesse, that we do Feare him.

God, nor Man, I say. For expressions I shall shew you there are of both kinds, both to God and to Man. To Man, that he may know it, and so (when need is) acknowledge it, and glorifie God for it, or profit himselfe by it: To [Page 12] God, onely that he may be pleased to acknow­ledge it, though he knew it long before; for he knowes what is in man, better then man himselfe. And for this 'tis brought in with a Nunc to Abraham (that Father, not of the Faithfull alone, but of the Fearefull too; for He is the first that's ever said to Feare the Lord) Gen. 22.12. Nunc cognovi, quòd time­as, Now I know that thou fearest God What? Not till now, Lord? Was Abrahams minde unknowne to thee before? Could not God tell long agoe, whether Abraham feared him? Yes; as S. Peter answered Christs third que­stion, Whether he loved him, with Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and yet Christ the third time said to him, Feed my sheep, Ioh. 21.17. As who should say, Ne're be sorie Simon, that I aske thee so often, and ne're doubt but I perfectly know thee; but know it I will not, till thou thus expresse it; for how'ere God requires truth in the inward parts, yet the inward parts alone are not all he re­quires, he will not know, that he is loved, unlesse that love doe outwardly appeare, and expression we must make of our Feare, or els he will not acknowledge, that we doe feare him.

Ipsi Deo.NOw what expression of it can we make to God? Abrahams case forenamed shewes us, that [Page 13] upon speciall commands there may be Speciall wayes of it, even to the sacrificing of an onely Sonne, if God so require. But the Ordinarie way that lyes open for all men, the very word it selfe here will shew us, that we must expresse our feare to God by Acts of Religion; for so the word feare ordinarily imports in Scrip­ture.

When Moses had at large described the whole Dutie of Gods Worship, his conclusion is, And now Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to feare him? Deut. 10.12. That spe­ciall command, which God sent against wor­shipping of strange Gods, was, Feare not the Gods of the land where you dwell; Iudg. 6.10. And the complaint which the Prophet makes of Israel, that the feare wherewith they feared God, was in precepts of mens teaching, Esa. 29.13. by Christ himselfe 'tis expounded of cor­rupting Gods Worship; In vaine doe they wor­ship me, teaching for Doctrines the precepts of men; Matth. 15.9.

And in this sense I can tell what to make of it, that when the Articles were to be sworn to, betwixt the two great Princes Laban and Iacob, how Iacob should use Labans daugh­ters, whome he had to wife, and how Laban should keep a faithfull league with Iacob; La­ban indeed sware by his Idols, but Iacob sware [Page 14] a strange oath, Per timorem Patris Isaac, by the feare of his Father Isaac; Gen. 31.53. What was that? Why, Laban sware according to his Religion, and Iacob according to his; by the worth and truth thereof, and by that Deitie which his Father and he feared, to wit, the God of Heaven, whom they worshipped.

And with a reference to this also we must take it, what's recorded in holy writ of religi­ous Obadiah, holy Iob, devout Cornelius, and sundry others, still, how they feared God: For as it appeares by the Wiseman,Ecclesiasticus 1.30. [...], and [...], the feare of God and the worship of God, they are all one in the language of the Spirit. And the Grammarians themselves have noted it so, that [...], the most pecu­liar word for worship (comming of [...], and [...]) in the nature of it imports no­thing els but an eminent feare;Phavorin. so that these two will ever goe together, and where there is any true fearing of God, there will be with­all a due worshipping of him.

And does not K. David himselfe leade to this, in plaine termes construing his owne minde? But as for me (saith he) I will come into thy house; Psal. 5.7. His meaning is, I will come, and worship thee; For that was all the Psal. 13 [...].7. comming into Gods house in those daies, when they came, they came to worship; and [Page 15] worship God they did, when 'ere they came thi­ther: they were neither too holy, nor too state­ly, neither too fine, nor too foolish, to cast themselves downe when they came into Gods presence. But to make it sure, he goes on in the next words there, And in thy feare will I worship in thy holy Temple, saith he; There we have them both expresly; not worship put alone, nor feare alone put for worship (though either had been enough, I will worship thee, or, I will shew my feare of thee, in thy Tem­ple) but both together; When I am there, in thy feare will I worship, that is, I will adore thee with such Expressions of Humilitie and Reverence, as of right doe appertaine to a Creator from his Creature.

And how fully then meets this with the Epidemiall prophanation of our times, that will thrid you a difference now betwixt this feare and perfect worship, betwixt a Religion and a due Devotion, betwixt Holines and Ho­lines? Holines good store (for sooth) in heart and in minde, Religion in the belly and the braine, oh, we are so full of that, we are ready to burst with it, it runs out many times at our mouth, with, Stand farther off, I am holier then thou; yea,Esa. 65.5▪ and we are good men (you must know) and exceeding godly, such as feare God, and heare his Word duely; [Page 16] That's true, we have a great deale of Religion in our Eares too. But yet higher or lower though we have none, None upon our Heads, for a due Reverence before him; None in our Knees, to bow at his blessed Name; None for our Bodies, to cast them downe and worship.

Especially not in his house, in the most Sa­cred presence of our God; No, the lesse a doe there, the better, the lesse Superstition. Doe but come in confidently, and without any more stirre, sit downe, and be covered, and heare; and who dare say, that we feare not God? Whatsoever is more then this, for Ado­ration or any Beautie of Holines, talke K. Da­vid what he will of it, yet it is but [...], a Superstitious overfearing of God with ma­ny of us: for where requires he any of these Expressions and Externall operations in his worship?

But to these unsavorie Fancies, may the Prophet Malachy have leave to reply; many passages of whose first Chapter (mutatis mu­tandis) fit these times as well, as they did those they were made for. And they are ne're a whit from my Text neither; for they are all about Expressions of Feare in the Service of God. At the sixt verse, If I be a Father, where is my Ho­nour? and if I be a Master, where is my Feare, saith God to you that despise my Name?

[Page 17]But they wondred he should complaine: They feared him, and honoured him, they were sure, as they should doe; (and it may well be, they meant it as we doe, within, in our hearts forsooth;) therefore they reply againe; De­spise? Wherein have we despised thee? vers. 7. God tels them, In that ye say, The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded: There's one particular for them, of the want of feare and honour. And are there not of us that say the same? The Table of the Lord, and the House of the Lord, and the Presence of the Lord, would you know how we (some of us) regard it, or what difference we put betwixt it and any other places? A great deale lesse, I am sure, then some other: For the Kings Presence, and the places where but our betters are, have a great deale more Reverence and Worship from us; and we our selves expect a great deale more in the presence of our Inferiours.

And yet that's Gods expresse argument against us there, (but that we now adayes are able to teach God better Logick) Goe and do so to thy Prince now, and see if he will be content with thee, saith God, ver. 8. Worship not when thou comest in to Him, beg any thing of Him not on thy knee, bow not downe in honour of Him; but be Iack-fellow, sit still, or be cover­ed, when He hath ought to doe with thee, and [Page 18] will He accept thee? And yet, I am the greatest King of all, saith the Lord of Hosts, there in that Chapter.

But at this we snuffe, and cry, Ecce Labor! oh, here's a doe indeed for Vncovering, and Standing, and Kneeling, and Bowing; but what reason is there, we should be put to so much inconvenience and wearinesse in serving God, who as himselfe is a Spirit, so he requires but to be worshipt in Spirit and truth, and he knowes our hearts well enough? And was not that the very exception then of the Iewes also? But ye have said, It is a wearinesse; ECCE LA­BOR! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of Hosts, ver. 13. And then what's the Conclu­sion? Therefore my name is, and shall be feare­full among the Heathen, saith he, at the 14 verse God upbraids and threatens them with the Heathen their neighbours, whose Idolatrous Religion exprest more feare of a God though, then theirs. And upbraided as well may we be, and threatned too, with the Erroneous Re­ligions that neighbour about us; for they are far more carefull to shew the holy Signes of feare, then we: And by that (to say right) they now stand; the opinion, and affection, and devotion of the people (I speake by some experience) in liking of them, and loathing of ours, being by no one thing so much car­ried [Page 19] with them, as 'tis by the outward Wor­ship and Reverence.

I should then but wrong our Nation of old, when they first became English, should I not make this a note of the excellent Spirit which then possessed them, that as they lost (almost) all words of their owne language to signifie this passion of the minde which we meane by Feare, so they borrowed none from other lan­guages, but onely this word Feare; and that they brought from the Latine Vereri; to shew, that at first their noble Affections knew no feare, but the feare of God, Filiall and Reve­rentiall feare alone, such as God himselfe (we see) would have his Worship performed by, and our Religion exprest by.

And if once we come to loose that in our Religion, our feare, we shall soon come to loose Religion and all, howe're we soothe our selves: For that's the way to hold even the right Religion also, S. Paul saies flatly, Hebr. 12.28. Wherefore, having received such a king­dome, (the Gospel he meanes of Iesus Christ; other kingdome we have received none) let us hold the grace fast. True, that's good coun­sell; but how shall we doe that? How shall we hold it? It followes, In serving him ac­ceptably to his minde. And how that? With Reverence (saith he) and holy feare.

[Page 20]And wiser then thus whoe're thinks him­selfe, let him go try it with David, that thinks him not so: For, Holy and Reverent is Gods Name, saith he; and then such a feare as this, such as performes a holy Reverence to him, and to his blessed Name, that's the feare of the Lord, and the beginning of Wisdome, Psal. 111.10. and, A good understanding have all they that doe thereafter. They onely Vnderstand aright, vvhat Religion, and Holinesse, and the true Feare of the Lord is, that without all hypocrisie have it truely within in their hearts, and without all prophane contempt Expresse it also duely in the outward worship of him.

Hominibus; in Genere.ANd thus make we the Expression of our feare of God, to God himselfe. But yet other Expressions there are of the same to Man. In Generall first; The Commerce that passes betweene us and others, the Iustice and Righ­teousnes, the Mercy and Charitie, the Truth and Honestie, which we shew towards all men, these are as Broad Seales to proove it to them, and the Letters Patents that testifie it, and justifie us in our feare of God.

That unrighteous Iudge, that feared not God, but righted the poor widow onely to avoid trouble, yet he in denying to doe it for any feare of God or Man, even by that con­fest, [Page 21] that the chiefest thing, which should have mooved him to it, was the feare of God, Luk. 18.4. And whence was it, that Abraham could look for no better then murther and rape a­mong the Philistines, that they would kill him, and force his wife, but because he thought, Surely the feare of God was not in that place? Gen. 20.11. But Ioseph on the other side, ay­ming to satisfie his Brethrens minde, and to make them not doubt of faire and honest dealing at his hand, makes that the Reason and Assurance of it, This doe, and live, saith he, for I also feare God, Gen. 42.18.

And in this regard, it is worth the observ­ing, that when God was pleased to take the Devils owne verdict concerning Iobs fearing God, how e're Iob was excellent at both Ex­pressions, at the acts of Religion, in his holy and daily Worshipping of God; & the acts of Honestie, in his upright Dealing with all men; yet God questions the Devil, not of the for­mer, his Religious fearing him, but onely of the other, his Righteous fearing of him; Hast thou not considered my Servant Iob, that there is none like him upon earth, in the fearing of God? Iob 1.8. But how was that to appeare to Sa­tan? He sayes not, For he Prayes thus much, he Preaches thus often, he Sacrifices daily, he Professes continually, all which might well [Page 22] have been said of him; but, For he is an up­right and just man, and eschewes wrong and e­vill, sayes God: Signes able to convince the Devill himselfe, who not daring upon those Proofes to denie it, onely sought to blemish it with a slaunder of sinister respects; Timet, sed an gratis? 'tis true, Iob feares God, I see by that, but does he feare God for nought? at the 9. verse.

The point is so cleare (say some talkers a­mongst us what they will) that I shall but wrong you to illustrate it. I shall better con­clude it with this advertisement, That these two Expressions of our Feare, to God by our Holinesse, and to Man by our Righteousnesse, they must never be confounded, nor the Rela­tions misplaced. How e're by our Worship of God, men may well hope of our fearing of him, and by our Vprightnes with men, God takes notice, how well we doe feare him; yet we mistake it fowly, if we think we may spare one of them, and that either Expression may well enough serve Both.

It was but vainly done therefore of the proud-holy Pharisee, to tell God, by his not being like the Publican, that he was no extor­tioner nor unjust, nor adulterer; and by his of­ten fasting, that he was no Glutton; and by his faithfull tith-payings, that he was no [Page 23] Church-robber: but in the meane while to stand upon his tearmes with God; In trust to his owne Righteousnes, to stand up, as though he challenged God, and to pray with him­selfe Luk. 18.11. (sayes the Text) as though he scorn'd to doe any more for God, and to let him know what He was, as though God were beholding to him; And if such as that would serve God, So; But otherwise (in the pride of his heart) to Expresse no reverence, nor worship, no feare of God at all in his presence.

And e'ry whit as vain is the other Pharisaicall trick, that's now become the signe of a Saint among many of us, little to regard that, which our Matt. 23.23. Saviour calls the Weightier matters of the Law; Iudgement, and Mercy, and Fidelitie, (he meanes conscientious Honestie, such as is regulated by the glorious Law written in our hearts, and not by the outward Law of Westminster-Hal, or of a Bishops Consistory) but to make no bones of it, to burst (in private) with envie and malice, with hatred and all un­charitablenesse, to backbite and slaunder, to crosse and hinder, to censure and condemne, to wallow also in oppression and usurie, in falshood and wrong, in lust and uncleanenes, in pride and hypocrisie, in contempt and diso­bedience, in schisme and faction, both Eccle­siasticall and Civill: And yet notwithstanding [Page 24] all this, to make full accompt, that our run­ning to Church, and crying out for Sermons, our defying the Devill, and rayling against Antichrist, our pretending of Conscience and finding fault with the State and Times, our singing of Psalmes, and talking of Scrip­ture, our casting up of the Eye, and making of sowre Faces, must be proofe enough to any man, that we feare God extraordinarily.

Alas, no; 'tis a Catholick rule, that which S. Iames gives for our Faith; and it equally extends to all our Affections; Iames 2.18. Shew me thy faith by thy workes, and thy Hope by thy Workes, & thy Love by thy Workes, and thy feare by thy Workes. In secret ('tis true) God sees them, before, and without thy workes; but if thou wouldst have me see them, and glorifie God in them, or edifie my selfe by them, thou must shew them to me, that way or none, by thy workes. And what workes? Not of Godlinesse and Devotions, not by the faire but bare shew of Holinesse, (No, we esteeme highly of that, of all holy carriage; but viderit Deus, we leave God to Iudge of it, because the heart of man is so deceitfull, that the Ministers of Satan can in that 2. Cor. 11.14. trans­forme themselves into Angels of light) but by Mercy and Charitie, by Pietie and Equitie, and such other humane Duties: of such workes, ex­presly [Page 25] the Apostle was there treating, and by them thou must shew to men, and let them judge, whether thou fearest God or no.

OR if that be too much,Speciatim, in Timore Regis. for the Demon­stration of our Fearing of God, to ex­act all the duties between Man and Man, then in stead of them all, (at least-wise by way of Collection for them all) take we but Gods way here, Expresse we the one by another that's next to it, the feare of God by the feare of the King. The Text (you see) joynes them so close, that it makes but one and the same Act for two Objects, God and the King two Persons, but conjoyned in one Act of our Feare, both made one in that, Feare God, my sonne, and the King; To make us know, that what holy pretenses so e're are made for it, yet God is not feared, if the King be not; the want of Performance in the one, implies Imperfection in the other, and the want of Truth in the one, avouches Hypocrisie in the other: No Kings feare, no Gods feare; God himselfe of purpose hath here joyned them together, and 'tis to make God a lyar, a mans selfe Sacrilegious, if any dare take either from other, or put them asunder.

And the reason of it is impregnably good, or els the blessed Spirit in S. Iohn was but a [Page 26] poore Logician. For did you ever marke it, how he enforces the absolute necessitie of brotherly love among us? He hath two Ar­guments together for it; 1. Ioh. 4. If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar; For how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God whom he hath not seen? verse 20. That's the first, and it is a Topick rule that; particularly applied by him upon this ground, because of the ge­nerall Image of God, which is upon a mans brother; He sees not him, but he sees Gods I­mage in him, and God he sees not, but in some Image of him; and the livelyest Image of God is in his brother; Et ergò, In very good reason then, How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God, whom he hath not seen? No, he cannot; the Questi­on [How can he] is but to make the Negation more vehement; it is a thing impossible in ve­ry Reason.

The other Argument of S. Iohn is ab Au­thoritate, a sufficient Reason that in it selfe, that we are commanded it; but yet it is steel'd with the temper of another Topick rule also, because Where one thing is ordained to be with another, there the one is not as it should be without the other. Now this commandement have we of him, saith he. What? That we [Page 27] should love our brother? No, that's not e­nough; But that he which loveth God should love his brother also; verse 21. That's the Se­cond.

Carry then now but these two Arguments in minde, and conclude who will for my Text and the King, and the Spirit here will warrant him: But reply or deny who can, for the Spi­rit will confound him. As good as those Argu­ments are in S. Iohn for his purpose, for the love of our brother, I dare boldly say it, (and let me forfet my Arts and Iudgement too, if I make it not appeare to any honest mans con­science) that they are far more pregnant here both for our purpose, for the feare of the King.

I begin with the first, and I apply it ex­presly; If any man say, I feare God, and fear­eth not the King, he is a lyar (And Lord! what an holy armie of lyars might we then quickly muster up?) But what's the Reason? For, How can he? that is, It is impossible for him that feareth not the King whom he hath seen, to feare God, whom he hath not seen. And why so? How followes that? From the very same ground as before, Because of the Image of God which is upon Kings, and that, not onely a Generall Image, as they are Men; but a Peculiar Image, and that (by far) more visible, as they are Kings; yea the Image of [Page 28] that in God, for which feare belongs to God, that Image upon the King, the lively Image of his Divine Power, and Glory both.

Power first; Whether Power to doe good, and therefore Feare him, For with whom is Mercy, therefore shall he be feared, Psal. 130.4. Or Power to doe hurt, and therefore feare him, For he beareth not the sword in vaine, Rom. 13.4.

And then Glorie; The Glorie of his Di­vine Titles: For King and Governour, Lord and Father, Majestie and Soveraigntie, M^r. Calvin himselfe confesses, that they are first and principally Gods Titles,Institut. l. 4. cap. 20. and not Mans; and that they are so imparted from God to Kings, as his Deputies and Vicegerents; that where e're on earth we meet with them, they ought presently to affect us with an awefull sense of the very Divinitie it selfe. Yea, (for that very purpose) the Glorie of his owne Name upon them: Dixi, Dii estis, Psal. 82.6. I have said, ye are Gods; I have said it, God himselfe, 'tis He that said it; and Dixi, it is his Decree and Sacred Pleasure, he hath Or­dained, it shall be so.

And from this Ordinance of his, the Scrip­tures have oft exprest it so. Iacob of old said it (and of one, that was otherwise bad enough) of his Lord Esau, That he saw God in him, [Page 29] Vidi faciem, ut faciem Dei, Gen. 33.10. that is, saies the Chaldee, God in the Prince, God in him, as he was the Prince. And 'tis said of Moses so, The very Scepter he held, was Gods, not his owne, Virga Dei in manu, Exod. 17.9. and so it is said of Solomon, The Throne he sate on, was the Throne of GOD: Sedebat su­per Throno Dei, 1. Chron. 29.23. And so the Argument prooves invincible; Kings bearing both so apparent and so eminent an Image of God, the very Image of that eminence in God, for which God is feared; How can he, that feareth not the King, whom visibly he hath seen, or may see, feare God, who never was, nor is (and I may safely adde) who, without this other the feare of the King, never shall, nor will be visible to him?

You see the maine improovement of S. Iohns first Argument. And 'tis as easie to doe the same in the second. Now this Commande­ment have we of him, that he which loveth God, should love his brother also. Is that a good and a concluding Consequence? And is not this as good then? This Commandement have we of Him, that he which feareth God should feare the King also. And for proofe of this, I come but to my Text, It is a Commande­ment from Him, from God himselfe princi­pally, though given here by Solomons pen, [Page 30] Feare GOD, my sonne, and the KING.

And if you require a New Commande­ment for it, that is, a Commandement in the Gospel (as Christ indeed calls the precept of Loving one another a New Commandement, Ioh. 13.34.) then I goe but to the great Apo­stle for it, Feare God, Honour the King, 1. Pet. 2.17. And then I adde, that by this very Ar­gument now, the Dutie of feare is far more clearly prooved here, then there in S. Iohn that Dutie of Love is; For this here is set down in terminis (you see) we have the places, this of my Text, and that of S. Peter; both of them formall Commands, and in plaine Lo­gicall termes, both equally concluding for the feare of God and the King: And so have we not for the Love of God and our Brother; No place to be found, (I speake advisedly) in so Expresse, so Distinct, and so Mandatorie a Proposition, for those two together, in all the Scripture.

But I fore-see already what the issue of this will be. It is but a spice of Court-flattery in us, or els all this labour might well be spared. For who denies, but the King must be feared? Will not Bellarmine, or Iunius Brutus graunt that? I know they will, and yet when they have done, I will kon them small thanks for it. For how do they doe it? Dolosus ambulat [Page 31] in generalibus, That's their craft, the treache­rous Iesuite in that Church, and the factious Schismatick in ours; in Generall termes in­deed, they stick not aloud to professe this Do­ctrine, talke of it in grosse, and who halfe so holy in Conscience as they, or so loyall in Dutie of fearing the King?

But yet bring it once downe to a present in­stance, and lay it (as occasion shall arise) to particular Cases and Actions, and then (you shall finde) the case is altered with them; Dutie and Conscience then (for sooth) against it, when they like not the businesse. As the Spi­rit in my Text (of purpose surely) ha's most aptly described them, Feare God, and the King, and medle not with them that be Seditious; So we bluntly read it in many of our Transla­tions, & 'tis true that; but yet perhaps 'tis some­what too course for their hypocriticall preten­ces, They are godly men, and good Subjects, and defie Sedition:

Therefore the Originall meets pat with them, Non cum Mutantibus, or Recedentibus, Medle not with those that are given to change, not with those that alter, or goe back­ward; And these are they now, that when it comes to that, from their generall Profession to some particular Performance, are notable changelings, they alter then, and falter too; [Page 32] backward they goe, and fall away slyly from their Profession, and from their Dutie; from the King, and from the due feare of him: Nay from the very Text it selfe indeed, they alter That in the end, and take it backward; not They feare the King then, but The King feare Them, if they may doe it; and so all at last becomes changed and altered with them, from No feare at first, to No King, e're they have done; and from None that does feare, to None to be feared.

And when that is brought about once, I can tell them what will be next also. For stay there they will not neither, but still they will fall backe, as far as the Text ha's any roome; from no King, to no God, and from no feare of the one, to no feare of the other, to no feare at all of any. Moses he plainly tells them so, Non contra nos, sed contra Iehovam, when the Israelites murmured against him and Aaron, Exod. 16.8. Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord. And the Lord himselfe said it as plainly to Samuel, Non Te, sed Me, when they would needs have another King in his stead, 1. Sam. 8.7. They have not cast Thee away, but they have cast Me away. And so Non Regem, sed Deum, must I say to these, that now by not fearing the King as they should doe, doe as much as they can to Vn­king [Page 33] him againe, It is not the King, but God, whom they principally faile; For there is not the least contempt of Majestie, but is more then a spice of Prophanation; and e'ry step of Disloyaltie is a high degree to A­theisme.

And in how high a degree then this danger of Atheisme now a dayes rangeth, this Text of mine (in my eye) does clearely demon­strate. It shewed us before, that the Feare of the Lord requires the Worship of him, and that the due worship of him requires so much Beau­ty and Reverence, that all our saucy and care­lesse demeanour before him, all negligent and perfunctorie performance of our Religion, all slight and unawful Expressions in it, as in Gods presence, are the foulest Scorn and Abase­ment that may be; Vngodding him no lesse in true construction, then does rash and unad­vised blasphemie.

It shews us now, that next after himselfe, our God provides for Kings as for himselfe, Sets his eminent Image upon them, sets them in his owne stead, sets but one rule of Consci­ence for the feare of them both, both himselfe, and them: In a word, sets so much by them, whom he sets over us, that for us now not to be abundantly Right towards them, is to be ex­treamely Wrong towards God; to faile the one, [Page 34] is to be false to the other; to defraude the one, is to defie the other.

Take me now but a man of understanding among the very Heathen, (for still I drive at that, to convince it from the evidence of Rea­son it selfe) and let him see First, That how­e're these Duties of fearing God and King are charged upon us, not so much by any written Law, as by a Law within us also, by the Rule of Reason, and the Divine Law of Consci­ence; yet many of the Great Professors of this Religion, they that take upon themselves above others, to be this Gods chiefest Sonnes and Servants, and to have the best Consci­ences by far; yet for all this, they stumble and make a doubt of performing such a reason­able and seemly worship to their God; and as for their King, they not onely stand in great suspense, but dispute it also fiercely, whether (for all his Vicinity to God) he can of Right be invested with so Divine a Priviledge.

Secondly, That in this fond uncertainty of theirs, they doe not look, In quam partem tu­tiùs peccetur, and in wisdome venture most up­on that which is safest; but for Conscience sake (for sooth) ever incline to the more dan­gerous part, & out of a singular Devotion still cleave fast to the worst; choosing, rather then [Page 35] afford their God or King an inch (perhaps) too much, to tedder them both stiffely at (sure) an ell too little:

Lastly, That in this preposterous course, they have purposely so inured their thoughts, and hammerd their Consciences to it, as that now they count it a shrewd wrong to be but told what's right; & if any man dare be so true to God and King, as to shew them the Dutie of better Devotion, they besmeare him present­ly with a coale of dangerous Superstition; if of better Allegiance, they brand him soundly with the slaunder of ambitious Flattery; & by all meanes they reckon them, that stand least upon points with God in worshipping of Him, the godliest men and the best Christians; but them, that stand most upon points with the King against obeying of Him, the best Subjects, or (as now it goes currant in their owne coyn) good Patriots.

And now let this Pagan but say, what he thinks of a God that must thus be used, ei­ther in Himselfe, or in his Vicegerents; and what difference he can finde in Reason, be­tween such a Religion, as they by this meanes make of it (and his owne, I will not say, for the very Heathen in their abominations carry themselves more Conscientiously; But be­tween such a Religion) and a down right Fable.

[Page 36]And if this be not a good Consequence, go blame S. Paul, that taught me this kinde of Argument, and that in a point of Religion too, but of much lesse importance; For the whole Church (saith he) when they come together but to speake in unknowne tongues, he may not abide it. And why? Because 'tis so disso­nant from Reason, a Confusion so unnaturall, that if but a Heathen man come in, may he not well account it a mad Religion? Shall he not justly say, that they are all out of their wits? 1. Cor. 14.23.

And how much more then, say I, if a Hea­then man come among our Religious ones, and finde such a hideous and uncouth Disso­nancy? Our Profession indeed to be, towards God, a Dutie of feare and holy Worship; to­wards Kings, a Dutie of feare and sacred Obe­dience; towards both, a joynt Dutie, not from Policy, or Reason, or Nature alone (though e'ry one of these lawes enforce it mightily) but from Conscience also, and divine Law, and the very Principles of Religion: But yet our whole Practise notwithstanding to be, to God, heedlesse and unreverent, an arbitrary and fancifull, a rude and saucy slubbering of his worship; To Kings, a contemptuous and faithlesse, a quarrelsome and gracelesse, a re­pining and heartlesse curtalling of the Ho­nours [Page 37] due to them: And may he not well take it for a mad fabulous Religion? shall he not justly say, Non est Deus, A God upon these crosse and beggerly termes cannot be a God?

Wherefore my hearts desire, and humble prayer to God is, that he would open our eyes (as we are, or should be Christians of ripe understanding) to see this; and that we, who are ready enough, out of the former part of the Text, touching the feare of God, to charge our neighbours about us, with the daunger of Idolatrie, in their manner of Divine worship­ings, would make some Conscience to quit our selves as readily, in this part of the Text, touching the feare of the King, from no lesse a crime, then Idolatry is, in our manner of wilfull Refusings. For the Spirit of God (we see) is expresse about it, 1. Sam. 15.23. That, as to Obey is better then Sacrifice, a better signe of our Religion, and to God far more accep­table; so, to be Disobedient and Vnquiet, Nolle acquiescere, says the Text there, to be whyning and excepting, kicking and wincing at the sacred Commands of Authoritie over us (what e're we deem of it, or how e're we please our selves in it, and, like those grand Mistakers,Ioh. 16.2. thinke we doe God good service by it) yet 'tis as bad in Gods owne construction, as Sor­cerie and Idolatry too: And nothing more [Page 38] then this Sorcerie and Idolatrie (I feare me) it is, that of late hath so much troubled our Israel, and made the days of many so short in the Land which the Lord our God hath given us.

Sub conditi­one Filii.SVre I am, it is a perfect and unhalting Obedience to the Powers above us, that must cause our days to be good and long in the Land; or els God himselfe misplaced it, when he made that, as Ephes. 6.2. S. Paul also purposely ob­serves, the first Commandement with such a Promise (a Promise, that which of us all does not desire to have? and yet generally how ma­ny, as though they did not beleeve God in it, or thought to have it whether God will or no, doe ne're regard to take his way for it? the Promise of Long life and Welfare) bound strictly to it.

And, as sure I am, 'tis such an Obedience, that particularly the Spirit here ayms at, or els he would ne're have spoken unto us, in the dearest language of Love, as unto Sonnes, Feare God, my Sonne, and the King. For that's as much as to say, Vnlesse indeed you care not to be my Sonnes, unlesse you will be Ba­stards, and not Sonnes, Slaves and Rebels, and any thing but Sonnes, you will feare God and the King alike; not God alone, but therefore [Page 39] the King also; God for himselfe, and the King for God; esteeming God and King (both) as your Fathers, and accounting your selves as Sonnes to both: not as Servants, onely of Necessitie, nor as Friends alone, of meer Courtesie; but as Sonnes, of entire Dutie.

Yea, as One Sonne All, together; My Sonne, says God here to All; One and All, for none is excused; All as One, for none is excluded; To shew us, that it must be a joynt and mutuall Consent, of All in One; One, in the Bent of our heart and affections, Therefore Fili mi, says he, and not Filii mei, my Sonne, as of One, not my Sonnes, as of Many. One, in the [...]enor of the Dutie pe [...]formed, Therefore not twice TIME, not two feares, one for God, and another for the King, Feare God, and feare the King; but once onely for both, Feare God and the King. And lastly, One, in the very Ground of the Relation; and therefore fili Mi, not fili Noster, My Sonne, not Our Sonne, that is, Sonne to the King, because Sonne to God, and no otherwise then as Gods Sonne, so the Kings Sonne; but So, All as One Sonne; and One Sonne All, to Both of them as to One; even another sacred mysterie of Numbers in our Religion (beside that of the blessed Trinitie and Vnitie) thus divinely [Page 40] couched here in this short Text, Feare God, my Sonne, and the King.

And in this sacred Conjunction of all Par­ties, I may best conclude; In the name of God exhorting e'ry one of us that rejoyce in this Title of being Gods Sonne, to remember, First, that Time Deum stands here before Fili mi, the Dutie is enforced, before the Priviledge will be allowed: We are apt to forget our selves, (God knowes) and because of Filius, in pride of our Priviledge, we oft neglect Time, and make small or no regard of our Dutie. But Time Fili, that's Gods methode and order here, it is that Relation to him, which makes him retaine the name of Father to us, and without a due feare of him (flatter our selves how we will upon our Election or Predestina­tion) we have no true Sonne-ship with him.

Secondly, that for a triall of that, whether our Time Deum be right or no, here's another coupled with it, Et Regem, to proove our selves by, Feare God and the King; that is, feare God in the King, feare God by the King, send our feare to the King of Heaven by our feare to Kings on Earth: Fili mi is out of place, unlesse it stand even in the middle between Deum and Regem: to presume we feare God, and yet to goe no further, to make no Conscience of fearing Him, that is in [Page 41] Gods stead, or to feare him no further, then the lash of his Lawes will reach us; it comes not from Filius that, and 'tis but a lame and base feare, partly slavish, partly hypocriticall, a great deale short both of Gods Due, and of a Sonnes Dutie.

Much lesse shall we finde any place for Ti­me Regem alone, and leave Deum quite out, to begin the Text there, at the feare of the King, but no feare of God at all; or if any, yet but heartlesse and worthlesse, onely for feare of the King. No, without Deum (you see) the Text ha's ne're a Time here for Re­gem; no right feare of the King, if God be not first feared. He that feares God but for feare of the King and his Lawes, in truth makes the King his God; and he that feares the King more then God, in heart wishes there were neither King nor God.

So that in the Conclusion, these two, our Time Deum, which is our Religion, and our Time Regem, which is our Allegiance, they are sure and perfect Proofes both, either to, either of other. Look what e're is pretended for the King, yet it is Fraude not Feare, Craft not Allegiance, plaine Brokage, and not Obe­dience, unlesse it first issue from the Throne of Heaven, spring from true Devotion, and be founded upon Religion. Againe, look [Page 42] what e're is professed for God (as where have we not swarmes now of great Profes­sors?) yet it is not Feare, but Faction, not Devotion, but Hypocrisie, not Religion, but Abomination, unlesse it fall downe before the Throne upon Earth also, be the life of spot­lesse Allegiance, and the quickning Soule of all Civill obedience.

The Text imports no lesse, and God en­joynes no lesse, and no lesse can I charge the Consciences of all that this day heare me with, but TIME DEVM, FILI MI, ET REGEM, Feare GOD, my Sonne, and the KING; God and the King, both together; shew a due feare of them Both, but yet both in that Order: That so approoving our selves respectively to God and King, as Sonnes to both, ingenuous Sonnes, here in the life of Grace; our Feare at last may be changed into Ioy, and our De­votion into Fruition, and We be made not Sonnes alone, but Kings also with GOD, in the life of Glorie, by the Merits of the SONNE of GOD, the KING of eternall Glory, IESVS CHRIST our Saviour:

To Whom with the FATHER, and the Blessed SPIRIT, be all Honour and Glorie, now and for ever. AMEN.