The grand conspiracy of the members against the mind, of Jews against their King as it hath been delivered in the four following sermons / by John Allington, (a sequestered divine).

The grand conspiracy of the members against the mind, of Jews against their King as it hath been delivered in the four following sermons / by John Allington, (a sequestered divine).

Table of contents

Title page

SERM. I. Preached, 1644.

2

Title page

SERM. II. Preached, 1647.

3

Title page

SERM. III. Preached, 1649.

4

Title page

SERM. IV. Preached, 1649.

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THE GRAND CONSPIRACY OF THE Members against the Mind, OF Jews against their King. As it hath been delivered in the four following SERMONS.

By JOHN ALLINGTON, [A Sequestred DIVINE.]

THE THIRD EDITION.

LONDON, Printed by E. C. for R. ROYSTON, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1654.

SERM. I. Preached, 1644.

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ROM. 7. part of the 23. v.

But I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Minde, &c.

IN these words (though I say it not) some may, perchance, fancy a proper Emblem of the Times; for here is the Inferiour warring against the Superiour, the Lower house against the Higher, the Members against the Minde, and, which is somewhat more, both pretend a legall Combate, both plead the Law is on their side; for the Members, as well as the Mind, pretend a Law, Law against Law; I finde a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Minde; so that both Mind and Members warring, give out, and boast they have Law for it, whilest each seek the destruction of other, they both profess, as legall, to justifie their proceedings.

[Page]In the grand Difference and sad Combustions of these dayes, no Man (I suppose) will hold a private Person to be a competent Arbitratour; and yet in this great Dissension and Mutiny between Mind and Members, between Flesh and Spirit (I conceive) there is no man so little interessed, but it concerns him neerly to be able to say in which of these is the Legislative Power, it concerns every of us to be able to say whether it be in the power of the Mind, or the Members to propound a Law; whether it be in the power of the Mind or the Members to denounce a War; whether the Mind or the Members ought in this case, to have the Negative, or the Over-ruling Voice.

For, How shall it be found possible to compound this difference? How in this War can we possibly be able to say or determine on which side we ought to be? (for Neutralls in this fight no men living can be) Whether we ought to side with the Mind or the Members? Whether the law of the supremest or of the lowest portion of the soul ought to sway the [Page] whole man? This (say we) cannot, before it evidently shal appear in whether of these God hath placed this Power.

For, if the Members have the Power, if they must give the Law, it is then Rebellion in the Mind not to be ruled, or to war against them; But if the Mind have this preheminence, if Law and War shall prove only at her dispose, 'tis then Rebellion in the Members, not to be captive at her Will, not to be guided by her Law, not to lay down Arms whensoever she commandeth. So that the main businesse in this Text is too too like the discourse of these dayes, point of Prerogative, Supremacy, Monarchy; for this the Members would have, this they claim, this they war for; and this the Mind will not assent unto. For,

This she challenges as her Royalty, as her Crown and Dignity, as her Right, and inseparable Authority; This she claims, and professeth to hold from God; with this she pleadeth, that she, and she only, is by God entrusted; yea, that she is in conscience bound to plant, not only a guard [Page] about her person, but being as the text implies, the Members are first in arms, she is also bound to muster up all the Forces she can, to the subversion and utter extirpation of what Law soever is enacted, or of what war soever shall be raised or commenced against the Mind: Now whether Mind or Members can in this case produce best evidence, the sacred records of Scripture will clearly manifest; in them we shall impartially see which doth usurp, and which usurpeth not; which may raise war, and which (without apparent Rebellion) may not stir a foot; which law we must, and which e contra we must not be ruled by. I finde a law in my Members, &c.

Law and War are points of great consequence: as then in high Courts points of that nature use to be; even so in the discussing of this Text shall we proceed. First we shall put it to the Question:

1. Whether to Mind or Members God hath given power of

Law?

Warre?

2. What is the Law of the Mind? And what the Law of the Members?

[Page]3. Whether it be not damnable Rebellion to disobey or resist that part which God hath invested with this Power?

4. Being resolved upon these questions, we shall see what ought to be every Christians resolution; Whether a man ought to be guided by the Minde, or by his Members? yea, whether a man is not bound in conscience to war against the lower and inferiour of them?

1. Whether to Mind or Members God hath given power of

Law?

Warre?

There is no power (saith the Apostle) but from God. Rom. 13. God without doubt is the originall of all power, of his fulnesse it is, that every thing which hath power, hath the power it hath; for that man is superiour to the beast of the field, and not they to him; it therefore only is, because it pleas'd the Lord to give Man Power and Dominion over them, and not them over him. Or that Man, and not Woman,Gen. 1 2 [...]. is the nobler sex; that the Man over the Wife, and not the Wife over the Husband, hath the ruling or commanding power, this is also from the [Page] disposition of the Almighty, because to the first of all Wives he was pleased to say,Gen. 3.16. Thy desire shall be subject to thine Husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Whether then of the grand Contenders in the Text? Whether the Minde or Members ought to have the prehemimence and the superior power? This we must learn from him, who is the fountain of all power, and the first ordainer of all Disparity; for what he hath given to the Members, the Members must have, and what he hath allotted to the Mind, the Mind must not be deprived of; where the power of Law, and the power of War hath by God been placed, that is the most proper seat, there we must maintain, there look for it.

In the beginning of times, when it pleased God to create the World, we shall read that he therefore made Beasts to be subordinate, and under Man,Gen. 1.27.28. because after his own Image, and according to his own Likenesse created he Man. Now between Mind and Members there is a much what like proportionable distinction, for as the [Page] Beasts and Brutes of the field, even so the Members, that is, the Passions, Flesh, and lower parts of Man, they are wholly led by Sense, and are in compare unto the Mind, no better then brutish, and void of understanding. As then man, by reason of his being created in the likenesse of God, is therefore superiour over the beast of the field: even so for as much as the Mind is that, wherein man is made like unto God, and the Members, those portions or passions by which man agreeth, and is like to Brutes, therefore must the Mind be superiour to the Members, and have like power over them, as Man hath dominion over the Beast of the field.

For as these two, Sense, and Reason, make the specificall difference between Man and Beast, even so doth it between Mind and Members; the Mind is that part of the soul in which God placed Reason; Understanding, Judgement, that part of the soul in which Grace, freedome of will, and choice of good is fixed and seated; whereas on the other side, by the Members we are to understand either [Page] the outward Senses, and corporall Members of the body; the sensual appetite, whether Concupiscible, or Irascible; that is, all our Passions and Affections, such as are, fear, joy, wrath, love, hope, grief, or the like. In a word, all whatsoever (which is indeed the Totum and all) all that we have (and may find the like in Brutes, all such) whether Passions, or Desires, or Affections, they are comprised and comprehended under this word [Members.]

If then Man himself, because he is the Image of God, is therefore made superiour to the Beasts which have no understanding; certainly then that part of man, in which this similitude or likenesse doth consist, that power and portion of the soul, in which this Image of God is, that must needs be the supremest, noblest, and chief commanding portion, in that doubtlesse (if in any) there must reside the power of Law, War, and direction in all proceedings.

Now the Apostle plainly tels us, the New man (that is, that part of man which beareth the Image of his Maker, [Page] and the likeness of his God) is that portion of the soul which is capable of Knowledge, Col. 3.10. Eph. 3.24. capable of Righteousnesse and true holinesse. And this must needs be the mind of man, for the Affections and Members they cannot rise to so high a pitch; hinder they oft both may, and do, but lead or guide they cannot, into the paths of righteousnesse.

Col. 3.5. You have these words, Mortifie your Members which are upon earth. The power of life and death cannot be in any other but the supreme hand; whereas then the spirit of God saith, Mortifie your Members, whereas it puts a kind of killing power (and that over the Members too) this manifestly infers the mind to be the superiour faculty; yea, the Mind is that in which God hath placed the power of both Law and War.

Again, if (as before I have proved) Eve was therefore subject unto Adam, because she once daring to direct, misled her husband; then for certain, the Affections, Senses, Members, they must all be captivated and subject to the Mind, for they never lead, [Page] but they misguide the mind, they never counsell, but (as we very well phrase it) they Transport the soul. That this our Kingdome is not now, as in our state of more innocency it was wont to be (a pleasing paradise) that now so many Swords are drawn, and so many sluces of bloud let open; is not this because we have (even yet) too many uxorious Adams? because we have yet too many that suffer their Eves to lead them? or, to give it in the phrase, and bounds of my Text, is it not because things are managed rather by disaffected passions, then by Law and Conscience, rather by jarring Members then a composed Mind?

The Scripture assureth, if the blind lead the blind (both will at length precipitate) both will fall into the ditch; the eye and light of the soul is the mind of man, in it and it only shineth the light of grace; all the Affections, Passions, and carnall Desires, they are as so many Clouds, darkning and eclipsing this blessed light, and therefore if by them we shall suffer our selves to be led, if we shall square our actions by their Law, [Page] and order all our doings to give them content, we shall too late finde we have followed a blind guide, and that both Mind and Members must infallibly perish in this course.

In the first vers. of the following Ch. they who are in Christ Jesus, they who in him would be found without condemnation, they must walk, not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit: a plain evidence, that not the Passions, Lusts and Affections, not the Flesh, and Members thereof, but the Spirit (that is the mind of man endowed with the Spirit) that is it that must lead the way, that is it that must give the Law and Rule of walking; we must not walk after the Flesh, but after the Spirit; not after the Members, but according to the Mind.

Ecclus. 37.16. Let Reason go before every Enterprise, and Counsell before every action. That part and portion of the soul, in which God hath placed Reason, Counsell, Conscience, Grace, that is it which must give direction to every Enterprise; our judgment, and not our lusts, our Mind, and not our Members, which have [Page] the power of Law and War. Pass we then to the second Considerable, let us see what is the Law of the Mind, and what is the Law of the Members.

The Law of the mind is indeed no other but the Law of God, for I delight in the Law of God concerning the inward Man. Verse 22. The inward Man, that is the Mind, Spirit, and better part of man, that acknowledging (like a Monarch) no superior but God only, will not yeild to any but Gods Law, and therefore saith the regenerate mind, I delight in the Law of God.

The Law of the Members, that is indeed rather a tumultuous Ordinance then a Law, it is rather a mutinous Enforcement then a legall Course; it is, saith the Apostle plainly,Verse 25. the Law of Sin, a Law which hath nothing of a Law in it, for it is indeed the breach of all Law, it is sin (saith St. Paul) and yet because the Members have so voted it, it must be called a Law, I see (saith the Text) Another Law in my Members.

Another Law, a Law clean contrary to the Law of the Mind; a Law (I may well say) clean contrary to the Law [Page] of God: For, as in all Monarchies, it is the Law and Order of God Almighty that Subjects receive from, and not give unto their Soveraigne Laws; even so it is the Law of God, the mind unto the members, not the members unto the minde prescribe a Law: all our senses, all our members, all our actions, and all our thoughts are bound to follow her guidance, they must come and go, do and suffer, when and what she prescribeth.

Sure I am, it hath been resolv'd of old (but wanting books I cannot cite the Authors) in matters of high consequence and concernment, that they who are bound to obey, are not so much to attend the reason as the authority of a command; the Subject is not bound to sift his Soveraign, for if he were, I see not how it could be said,Prov. 25 3. The Kings heart can no man search out: yea very good proof I have to say, our Saviour commanded St. Peter to do what he understood not,Job. 13.7. What I do (saith the Master) thou knowest not now, and yet, under a fearfull commination, he urged his Obedience. And indeed were it not thus between [Page] mind and Members, were not the senses and affections to obey the mind till they were satisfyed, and saw reason for it; if that old saying be true, Amare & sapere ipsi Jovi non datur, that lust and wisdome can never consist together, then for certain no exorbitant passion would ever become obedient and pliable to the soul.

But indeed, so absolute a Monarch is the mind to the soul of man, that if any one affection, any one sense, passion, or member shall dare to do any things against her judgement and her resolve, that Person is really disaffected, that Sense infallibly malignant, and that member without all question delinquent in the Court of Heaven: For look what is said of a King, and by a King, the same is very appliable to the soveraignty of the mind,Eccles. 3.4. Where the word of a King is, there is power. Where the Mind hath said the word, there is no power in Man, to warrant the gain-saying of it; and if the following Interrogation in that verse must positively be read, that is, —No man may say unto the King, What dost thou? Then [Page] is this regall preheminence a most pertinent explication of the Minds superexcellency; for to it, no Sense, no Member, no Passion, no Affection may say, What dost thou? Yea, so severely hath God subjected the whole man to the direction and Law of the Minde, that albeit the Mind misguides, albeit she issues forth an Order, which will destroy the Members, yea, and the whole man to boot: yet Ment erronea ligat, yet for as much as the Minde or Conscience is the supreme Judicatory in men, for as much as the Mind is (as we have sworne our Soveraigne is) the only supreme, sin we needs must, should we not follow her even in a wrong direction, much more if we adhere not close, whilst yet her Law is the Law of God, and all her Judgements consonant to his glory. In a word, the Law of the regenerate Mind is to go before, to guide and order even the whole man in the paths of righteousness.

Now the Law of the Members, that is (as the Text speaks) Another Law, that is a clean contrary course: for whereas it is the legall and divine [Page] prerogative of the mind to give Law unto the whole man: the Members finding this a curbe unto their liberty, and a main suppression of their desires, they strive by all means possible to subvert this Order, to change this Government, to overthrow this Fundamentall Law; for they being carnall will not endure a spirituall Governour, they being many, will not abide that the minde being but one, should over-rule them, and therefore (as if it were their Charter, their priviledge, and their right) they strive to give law unto their mind, and resolve to wage a war, if she be not led by them.

James 4.1. From whence are Wars and Contentions amongst you? are they not hence, even of your lusts that fight in your Members?

The lower House of this Naturall Parliament in Man, consists of many Members, of many Lusts, of many disordered passions; all which, though they Combine, Covenant, and so farre agree, as to warre against the Minde, yet they have also their severall designes, and their particular [Page] ends; for as when there was no King in Israel, Judg. 17.6 Every man did what seemed good in his own eyes; even so, to the end that every man may walke as his Lusts lead him, that every Lust may be a Law unto it self, therefore as against a common enemy, the Lusts and Members are continually warring against the Mind.

Nor only so, but as St. James observes, They fight in our Members too; The Lusts war against, and quarrell one with another; and indeed no wonder, for amongst equals who should command? who obey? Why should not Wrath have as much command as Joy? Why not Joy as much as Love? Why not Love as much as any? That Member which desires a Monopoly of pleasure, wars against that, which stands upon Honour and Repute: and that Member, whose designe is Honour, endures not that which is bent upon Wealth and Riches. The Lusts of Man (even like contrary winds) they rage and swell one against the Minde, they admit a league; they are all like those wicked [Page] Citizens (in this they agree) We will not have this Man reigne over us. Luk. 19.14. The Law of the Minde shall not rule, regulate or order us; so that, as St. James hath taught us, even thence are Wars and Contentions, because our Lusts fight in our Members.

Eccles. 10.7. I have seen (saith Solomon) Servants on Horses, and Princes walking as Servants on the ground. That sight of Solomon, is indeed that which the Mind and Members differ and war about; for the Members, they, though Servants, would be on Horses; Yea, they would have the Mind, though their Prince, to walke and wait upon them. And this is apparent from the words next following in the Text, for that which St. Paul complaines of, (though it bear the name of a Law) himself sheweth was flat Tyranny; for the Members endevour to make even a very slave of the Mind—I see a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind, and leading me Captive unto the Law of sinne, which is in my Members [leading me Captive] Nothing will content the [Page] Members, unlesse they may captive and enslave the Mind; and for this I am confident, there are very few of us, but may find in our souls, even an experimentall proof.

For, what Passion can you imagine in the soul, which, whilest it is predominant, expects not from the Mind, what service and assistance soever it shal please to challenge, yea, the Mind must leave all, and give diligent attendance to it only?

Is the soul of any of us enflamed with Malice, and the thirst of Revenge? Is there a Mordecai whom we stomach, and will have removed from the Kings gate? Doth not this Passion solicite the Mind, to contrive the means, and to lay the plot how this cruelty may be satisfyed? Yea, is not the Court full of terror and disturbances? Is not the Mind a restlesse wretch? Is she not perpetually vext and molested, unlesse she passe what Bill soever this Tyrant in that behalf shall present unto her?

Or, suppose Covetousnesse and desire of gain to be predominant, can the Mind be quiet? Will this [Page] passion be satisfied with either Reason, or Conscience, or any manner of Moderation?

Acts 5. So Religious was the Princely part, and so devout was the Minde of Ananias and Saphira, that in Judgment and Piety, they thought all they had but a competent Oblation for the Lords service: But when their Members and covetous affections began to mutiny, when the feare either of future want, or the Carnall and Covetous thought that they had promised too much; when these began to bustle and gather head, when these had raised a Tumult and Combustion in the soul; the poor distracted Mind, even against Honour, Conscience, yea, to her own undoing, is forced to repeal what she had before enacted: and though no lesse then the robbing of God was concerned in it, assent she gives to their violent importunity. And therefore very lively is St. Pauls expression, I see a Law in my Members, leading me Captive to the Law of sinne. Nothing can or will content the Members: No Law, no Peace, unlesse they may [Page] lead the minde Captive, and make her the Soveraigne become a slave unto their Lusts. Pass we therefore to the third considerable, viz. Whether it be not damnable Rebellion to disobey or resist that part which God hath invested with this power.

3. Of Rebellion indefinitely Samuel hath said, it is as the sin of Witchcraft, a sin most abominable before God. Nor indeed have I yet met with any, who question the guilt or Damnability of this crime, uno ore (for ought I know) all men in this agree: That which is indeed Rebellion, is a crying sin, and a most damnable designe; all the difference and doubt is, what indeed Rebellion is, and what that power is which is damnable to resist.

I must not forget that my text is between the Mind and the Members, and that Rebellion at this time concerns me no further, but only as it respects the outward and the inward man, the Monarchy and Government of every regenerate and good soul.

Now for the better stating and explicating of this, I have observed [Page] from Scripture, that every Jar, War, and opposition is not Rebellion; for Rebellion it was not, for the Kings of Judah, and the Kings of Israel to wage War against each other; Rebellion it is not for Subject to contest with Subject, neither is it a Rebellious act for the Soveraigne to Tyrannize over, and oppresse his people.

For as by Scripture phrase, I am warranted to speak, Rebellion is ever the opposing of some higher power, and in speciall of that power which by the Ordinance of God, they (who rebell, oppose and resist) are bound to obey and suffer under; so that it is an act of Rebellion to withdraw from, or stand against that power, under which till some difference, distaste, opportunity or grudge arose, we ever held our selves bound to live and to be governed by.

For, let the ground of Israels Revolt from Rehoboam their naturall King be what it may be, (sure I am) when they so did, the Scripture saith, Israel rebelled against the house of David: 1 King. 12.19. Let the case be what it may be, when Edom deserted Judah and [Page] made a King over themselves, the Spirit of God saith,2 Chron. 22.8. Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah; yea, and albeit some countenance the fact, and seek by a Religious pretence to war [...]ant the attempt, yet, when the Citizens of Libnah turned from their lawfull (though Idolatrous) King Jehoram, the Scripture phrase in the Geneva Translation is,Vers. 10. Then did Libnah rebell; whence to me it seems very clear, that we are bound under perill of Rebellion and the guilt thereof, to obey or suffer under that, whether it be Part, Person, or Faculty, which God hath invested with the power of giving, or prescribing Law unto us.

And indeed if you please to rely upon the Geneva Translation, I then needed not to have thus wheeled about; for though our last Translation read it, I see a Law in my Members, Warring against the Law of my Mind, it is there said, I see a Law in my Members Rebelling against the Law of my Mind. And indeed from the premised instances it seemeth very clear, that all Warre against that power [Page] which ought by Gods Ordinance to be obeyed, is indeed Rebellion.

Rom. 14.23. St. Paul hath delivered it as a rule beyond exception, Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin. Now that sin (if deliberately done) cannot but be Rebellion: for, Faith being in that place no other thing then the Law of the Mind, then the Judgement of Reason and Conscience; Faith being in that Text no other thing, but the Order and Direction of the Supremest power; for a man not to do according to these directions, not to obey and be ruled by the highest Commander in the Soul; for a man not to submit to the Mind, which is to him Gods Vicegerent, is indeed to rebell at once, both against God, and his Heavenly Ordinance.

And in this respect, it seemeth to me, that God in holy Writ, doth so oft call sinning Israel, a Rebellious people; a people who would rather be led by their own lusts, then by his Law, by their own affections, then by their own mind.

Ezek. 2.5. Son of Man (saith God) I send thee to the Children of Israel, to [Page]a Rebellious Nation that hath rebelled against me.

They in Gods esteem, Rebelled even against him, against God himself, who would neither submit to that power which God gave his Prophets, nor yet to that wherewith he had endowed their minds, for the due ordering of the Affections, Actions, and endevours of all turbulent and inferiour Members.

Gal. 5.17. The Flesh lusteth contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the Flesh. Flesh and Spirit, Mind and Members, they are ever contrary and one against the other. War (as will appear in the next point) will ever be between them, for their deeds and their designes are contrary. But as I never read, neither can conceive, that a King, compared to his Subjects, can be a Rebell ▪ So neither do I conceive it imaginable, how the Warre waged by the Mind against the Members, can be Rebellion; nor on the contrary, how that which they raise against the mind, can possibly be any other: For between Superiour and Inferiour, there [Page] cannot possibly be a War waged, but Rebellion it must be, and how the higher powers can be guilty of this crime, I am yet to learne. Whether then it be in the body Politick, or in the naturall Polity and Order of every particular, every soul must be Subject to the higher, or, as the Originall, the supper-excelling power: As the Subjects to the King, even so at least must the Members be to the Mind; which to make the more clear and evident, we will passe to the last considerable, and IV that is the Result or resolution of a Christian, viz. Whether a man ought to be guided by his Mind, or by his Members, yea, whether a man is not bound in Conscience to War against the lower and inferiour of them.

Boetius l. 1. m. 7.

—Si vis lumine claro cernere verum

Gaudia pelle, pelle Timorem.

He, who would walk as a Child of the light, and would clearly discern truth from error, must (as Boetius well admonisheth) clear his soul of the thick mist of passion; neither Joy, nor Fear, nor Hope, nor Grief, nor [Page] any other affection may sway, or be predominant in the Soul: For,

Nubila mens est, victaque sraenis, haec ubi regnant.

ibid.

The mind is clouded, hood-wink'd, yea, as the Law of the Members would have it, the Mind is Captivated and inslaved where these reign.

Medea in the Poet confest the Law of the mind shewed her good things, yea the better way,—Video meliora proboque, I see and approve what's best; but such was the violence of her Members, such the confusion of her enrag'd affections, that she concludes (Deteriora sequor) not with the better mind, but with her violent and overpowerfull Members.

Pilate at the arraignement of our Blessed Saviour protested, that according to the Law of his Mind, his Judgement, his Conscience, he saw nothing worthy of death in him; yea, he called for water, and washing his hands, said,Mat. 17 24 I am innocent of the bloud of this just man. And yet for all that, rather then the people should want a Sacrifice, rather then endure those [Page] terrible things which his troubled affections and passions present unto his Mind, in despight of Mind, Law, or Conscience, he doth (not as his Judgement, but) as his Fears command to please the many, he delivereth up the Innocent. And indeed from hence, even from the Law of the Members it is, that such there are of whom the Prophet complaines, who call evill good, Esa. 5.20. and good evill, which make darknesse light, and light darknesse, who call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter. In these sad times of distraction, wherein the dearest things we have, our Goods, our lives, yea, our Mind, our Consciences are at stake; It behoves every of us sadly, and severally to consider, what is, and what hath been the main principle and direction of all our present Actions; whether the Mind or the Members, whether judgement or passion, whether Conscience, or only carnall, smi [...]ter and by-ends? I do verily believe, there never were more bitter conflicts then now there are between Mind and Members, between Flesh and Spirit; yea, it is to be feared, the Mind, that is, [Page] the Judgement, Reason and Consciences of too too many of us, are so overwhelmed and hurried on with violent passion, rash engagements, and resolute [...]xorbitances; that it will be very hard to re-inthrone the Prince, and to set the Mind again, where God hath placed it; very hard to dispossess the soul of those, which without all peradventure are truly malignant, and evill counsellors; such as will do all they can to keep back all saving, peaceable, and sound intelligence; for such without all doubt, is the endevour and Law of our insinuating and Tyrannizing Members: Nothing will they relish, but private interest.

The Law of the Mind of old was, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are Gods. The Law of the Members is, let us make him like one of us, and as for God vote him incapable of any property. The Law of the Mind was, That even for well-doing we should patiently suffer; The Law of the Members is, that we suffer nothing which we can resist. The Law [Page] of the Mind did run thus, It is a snare for a man to devou [...] that which is sanctifyed, Prov. 20. or that which is holy; But the Law of the Members pronounceth (as St. Peter did sometime in a dreame) that things are common,Acts b [...]. though they appertain to Heaven: The Law of the Mind was, After the vow enquire not, Heb. 13. that is, be assured, what is once vowed to God, no after-thoughts can disanull: The Law of the Members is, such vowes were superstitious acts, and we may convert to other use, what in piety our forefathers gave unto their God. The Law of the Mind was, Obey those that are set over you, that is, saith Hemingius (who was no Papist, nor suspected) the Pastors and Governours of the Church; The Law of the Members is, ye shall be so far from obeying, that ye shall vow the extirpation and their rooting out. By the Law of the Mind, Bishops and spirituall Overseers they are bound to watch over, and to give account for Souls; but by the Law of the Members, Ghostly Fathers may not command their Children, nor may they, who are [Page] bound to give an account, passe any binding sentence without lay-approbation: Yea, whereas in all former Reformations, the Law of the Mind ever was, that the better forme actually should be, before the worse were put away: The Law of the Members is, that we swear to extirpate what we have, before we can so much as conjecture what shall be. Nor indeed can I imagine what other guide, or what other Law, but the Law of the Members steereth, and directeth those Pens and Tongues, who under the Vizard of Popery, strive to make odious all exteriour piety; who for the better Liberty of the Subject, have lately Printed, and by an Argument e concesso claimed,Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: a book dedicated to the P. and Assembly. that 'tis more lawfull by Scripture to put away a perverse Wife, then to Rebell against a Tyrannous Prince; yea, that there is a necessity both in Charity, and Conscience, for that Man and Wife to be divorced, whose dispositions naturally disagree, who cannot live loving [...]y and quietly together; yea, it hath now past the Presse for a Popish Practice to make a Sermon upon a [Page] Text. I should tire both you and my self should I follow those, who thus follow the extravagancy of their Members, the rancor, violence and exorbitance of their passions.

Plutarch in his Tract of Superstition tels us, there was one Tyribastus, who, when he should have been apprehended by the Persian, drew his Cemiter, and (as he was a valiant man of his hands) defended himself valiantly; but as soon as they who came to lay hands on him cryed out, and protested, that they were to attach him in the Kings Name, and by Commission from his Majesty, he laid down his weapon aforesaid immediately, and offered both his hands to be bound and pinioned.

An example strongly convincing me, that even the Law and light of Nature, were it not clouded with carnall and perverse affections, even that glimmering light were enough to teach the Mind, that resist we may not against Gods ordinance. Tyribastus threw down his Cemiter, and apprehends, in the very Name and Authority of a King, a Majesty, and [Page] Reverence not to be resisted.

The very Pagans whose Gods were Idols, yet for as much as in their apprehension they were as Gods, of those their Temples there were such venerable estimators, that what they sought to have secure indeed,Pat [...]icius Sines [...]lis. l. 8. Tit. piet. 15. they repos'd in their shrines. Thus did Alexander (that great Commander) who in the Temple of the Sun in Sicily, laid up a great treasure; and one Clastenes a most noble Greek, fearing the plundering of his Estate by Tyrants, laid up his Daughters dowry in the Temple of Juno Samia, and till this very day among learned Christians it is determined Sacriledge, Non sacrum de sacro tollere, to steal from an Holy place a common and unholy thing. This I am sure was and is the Law of the mind.

But the Law of our Sacrilegious and ungodly members is such, that it will not allow, no not to God himself a Property, nor the Church to be a Sanctuary for its own goods: like the Roman Pagan presidents, they seem to professe the Son of Mary unworthy to be served in costly vessels [Page] making all holy things so common, that they are now become primi occupantis, catch that catch may; The ready way to provoke God (if not already so far incens'd) to give such over even to a reprobate mind; that is, to follow the Law of the Members; which undoubtedly will at length bring even to the gates of death.

Eccles. 18.30, 31. Go not after thy lusts, but refrain thy self from thine Appetites, (for) if thou givest thy Soul the desires that please her, she will make thee a laughing stock to thine enemies that maligne thee. The ready way to captivate the Mind, and to bring its Soveraignty under the power of Malignant Enemies; is to give way to thy Lusts, and to let the Members prescribe a Law unto thee; let them but have their desires, and thou shalt soon be made a laughing-stock to thy Enemies round about thee: It is very likely, as the Devill to our Saviour, thy Members may promise thee a condition most glorious:Mat. 4.8. All the Kingdomes of the World, and the glory of them will I give thee; That is, all possible content and Honour: [Page] But if thou once fall down and worship, if thou wilt suffer thy Mind to prostitute, and yeild up it self unto the Members, they will soon (instead of a glorious state) bring thee to an ungracious servitude. They will not allow thy Mind a Negative in any thing, for the ambition of sin is, to reigne in our mortall Bodies.

What then must the Mind do? without doubt Warre it must; for as therefore the Inferiour may not War, because it hath a Superiour to appeal unto: even so on the contrary, for as much as the Mind is the Supreme, War she may, yea War she must against the Members; for she for them, not they for her, must be accountable to God.

Ever since the days of Job, it hath passed for a rule, The life of Man is a warfare; and ever since the Prophet Micah's time, it hath been delivered as a Caveat,Mic. 7.6. A mans enemies are those of his own house. Now the Generalissimo, or chief Commander in this War it hath ever been the regenerate Mind; The Mind of man (even in all ages) hath been entrusted, yea commanded [Page] to this War, commanded to charge upon, to subdue and reduce the Members.

2 Cor. 10.4, 5. The weapons of our Warfare (saith St. Paul) are not Carnall, but mighty through God. Aske you what to do? It straight followeth, To the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

A larger Commission was never granted then the Regenerate minde hath; For should the Members Garison themselves (as they too oft do) within the strong works of Ambition, Pleasure, Profit, she is (even by him that is able) promised relief enough, even to the pulling down of those strong holds; nay, she may not leave so much as an imagination, nay, not any thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God.

Yea, what power can be desired in a Commission, which she hath not? To lead Captivity Captive power she hath, for to the obedience of Christ, she is bound to bring into Captivity [Page] even every thought: Power over life and limb she hath, for saith our Saviour, If thy right hand offend thee, [...]ut it off; Mat 5.29.30. if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out. Power she hath to afflict, to kill, yea to put her enemies and Rebels to the most not only painfull, but most shamefull death.

Mortifie your Members which are upon Earth, yea, not only so, but our Flesh,Col. 3.5. Affections, Lusts, they must be Crucifyed. Gal. 5.24. They must, because they have been Traytors and Rebellious, be put not only to death, but to a shamefull death; not only must we mortifie but crucifie the Members. And indeed, till the Mind shall thus do, we can neither look for peace nor truth.

Affectus corrumpunt Intellectum. As Bribes blind the wise, even so the Affections and Members they corrupt and pervert Judgement. As Justin Martyr of old, Scimus quosdam ad iracundiam suam evangelium pertrahentes, observed, that some made the Gospell to be suitable to their fury: even so nothing must be truth, nothing must passe for good or godly, nothing must men make [Page] conscience of, where the Members, Lusts and Passions are predominant; nothing may such a Mind passe, either for Law or truth, but only what liketh and pleaseth them.

And as no Truth, even so no Peace, where there are ruling Members; ruling Members being ever as Turbulent to the Mind, as ruling Elders will prove unto the Church. And therefore if whilest yet we may, see we will what belongs to our Peace, resolve we must to submit to the Ordinance of God; to bring every thing under that Obedience, which he hath made the supreme; that is, the Subjects to their King, and the Members to the Mind. So shall we enjoy unity of Spirit in the bond of peace, so shall we indeed be (as St. Peter speaks) A chosen Generation, 1 Pet. 2.9. a royall Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People.

Perchance some may dream, unlesse the Members may have power to curbe the Mind, the Mind as supreme may with all impunity oppress and destroy the Members; whereas indeed, so fearfull vengeance as for the supreme Offender, there is none [Page] treasured up. For as those blessings which are the immediate issues of Gods own hands, are far more excellent then those, which by ordinary means are conveyed to us; even so those wretches, those miscreants, which God hath reserved to his own immediate punishing, those of all Creatures are most miserable.

Tophet was ordained of old, Yea, Isa. 30.33. for the King it was prepared; The King who because Supreme can in this life have no Avenger for him, (witnesse Gods Truth, though his Subjects use no other then right Christian Weapons, Prayers and Tears) there is torture enough prepared. And indeed, look but into our own breasts, we may find conjecture enough of this severity, for whoever (as the Apostle speaketh) is, [...], self-convicted, whosoever is, as the Poet renders it, surdo verbere caesus, lasht with the sting of an invisible whip; whosoever is, as Jeremy told Pashur, he should be, Magormissabib, a terror to himself:Jer. 20.4. This bosome-vengeance, this secret and private Executioner, as it is upon [Page] the Supremest power, so is it the severest torture. And therefore it highly concerns the Mind to preserve it self, and to order according to Gods Law, the motion of every Member. For the power of Law and War it is in the Supreme, and that is the Mind, and therefore her Members must have no other but the Law: she from God, and they from her must take their Government. So shall men be able to give God the glory, and to suppresse that unnaturall War which sin fomenteth in the Members.

Rom. 6.12. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies. Whosoever gives Law unto us; it is he that reigns over us; unto what member or lust soever we yeild to obey, that's our King, that's our Governour, ambition, luxury, covetousnesse, malice, these are they which would reign, these are they which would give Law unto us, but I have abundantly shewed you, it is the Mind, and the Mind only, which God hath entrusted with this power, not sin under any pretence of Law whatsoever; but the regenerate Mind is that must reign over our [Page] mortall bodies, not the Law of the Members, but the Law of the Mind is that we must hold to; yea, for this Law we must war, in defence of this Law we are bound even to die the Death. So fight I, saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 9.27. not as one that beateth the Aire; but as one who had a reall enemy to subdue, for it straight followes, contund [...] corpus meum, I beat, I chastise, I bruise my body; he would rather live upon Bread and water, then suffer his members to give Law unto him. And indeed this is the fight, that good fight we are all to finish; this that fight, in which striving we must resist unto bloud, every imagination, every thought, every desire, lust, or act which exalts it self against that knowledge and Law of God. This we are to bring under, this we must lead captive, for not a member can go to Heaven, which doth not orderly follow the Mind thither. In a word, to conclude all, It is an observation amongst controversall Writers, and too true, That when mens affections and Members do frame Opinions, and pass Lawes, men are much more earnest in defence [Page] of such errors, then are sober Christians in the maintenance of what the mind and solid judgement proposeth to them: there is no diligence, no care, no means wanting in the pursuit of that which the affections and members declare expedient. And indeed, in this my hearts desire is, the minds of us all should be instructed by our common enemy, that is, to follow with more earnestnesse the War and Duties which God requireth we should manage against the Rebellious Members; so shall God of his Mercy then give grace unto the Mind, that it may subdue the Members, that so the whole man may from this his Militant Kingdom of Grace, be translated and advanced to his Eternall and Triumphant Kingdom of Glory, and that for Christ Jesus sake, the only King, without rebellious members: To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory now and for ever, Amen.

Sit Deo omnis gloria.

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THE GRAND CONSPIRACY OF Jews against their King. A SERMON Preached in August, 1647.

ROM. 5.7.

Scarcely for a Righteous Man will one dye, yet, peradventure for a Good Man some would dare to dye.

LONDON, Printed by E. C. for R. ROYSTON, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1654.

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SERM. II. Preached, 1647.

JOHN 18.36.

Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this World; if my Kingdom were of this World, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.

OUr Blessed SAVIOUR,Mat. 2. Born King of the Jewes, is in this Chapter brought in question for his life, accus'd, arraign'd, and condemn'd for the defence of his Birthright. A dangerous thing (it seems) to be born a King. But yet behold, he hath a Personall Treaty for it, and that not in Patmos, but in the City Royall he is brought before Pilate, to whom, even in Jerusalem, as my Text tels you, he put in this answer, My Kingdom, &c.

In the words are here two generalls,

[Page]I. An Assertion, a Kingdom I have, but my Kingdome is not of this World.

II. The Proof of this Assertion, If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, &c.

1. O [...] the Assertion, a Kingdom I have, but my Kingdom is not of this World.

That Christ had and hath a Kingdome, this the very first Particle in his answer doth imply, Regnum meum, my Kingdom; now a Kingdome there must be, in which he hath a property, or else he could never have said, My Kingdome is not of this World: and again, If my Kingdom were of this World, then would my servants fight. And indeed thus Pilate understood him, for in the verse immediately following, Pilate replieth, Art thou a King? Yea, in his Condemnation Pilate thus testifyeth of him,Joh. 19.19. Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.

A King he was, and a King of the Jews too, for, Tell the Daughter of Sion, Mat. [...]1.5. Behold, thy King cometh unto thee meek, and sitting upon an Asse. The King of Sion, a meek King, and [Page] this was indeed his ruine; for a meek King is no fit King to be King of Jews. Had he come to Sion as a Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, had he come in fury, had he manifested his power in the confusion of some thousands of them, then he should have been King; then Grandees as well as the Boyes would have cryed out, Hosanna in the Highest. But if he come without his Militia, if he come meek and sitting upon an Asse, if he be content for the peace and happinesse of his people to make himself a Sacrifice, to vail his Majesty, and lay by his Scepter: Then, as if he were in a condition not fit to governe, they apprehend his person, Declare against him, and though they can prove nothing, they deliver him up to be judged by a Foraine power. So that, what we sometimes said of a neighbour King, that he was Rex Galliae, but not Gallorum, King of France, but not of French men: Even so might our Blessed Lord and Master say, he was Rex Mundi, sed non Mundanorum, He was King of [...]he world, though not King of the Men [Page] of this world; a Kingdom he had, but saith he, My Kingdome is not of this world.

Now for the better explication of this assertion, we shall proceed by these three degrees:

1. The Kingdome of Christ is over this world.

2. Christ hath a Kingdome in this world.

3. The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world.

First, The Kingdom of Christ is over this world. Psal. 99.1. The Lord is King, be the People never so impatient. The Lord is King, even our blessed Lord and Saviour, and that not only as God,Mat. 28.18 but even as Man also. For being it is said that All power is given to him both in Heaven and in Earth; Clear it is that he hath, and that he hath as Man too, power and dominion even over the whole World. For being it is said, All power, the Power of Soveraignty and Dominion cannot be exempted: And, being it is said, All power is given, This shewes in what capacity he hath this power, to wit, in that by which he [Page] is lower then the Father,Isa. 49. in that by which he is made capable to receive ex dono, to take of gift, in that by which he is become the Saviour of the world. So that indeed the same person, who was the Saviour, he is also the Soveraign of mankinde.

And this may not improbably teach us▪ that Kings, his Vice-gerents, they are proportionably Saviours, as well as Soveraignes, nursing Fathers as well as potent Princes: So that to withdraw from the protection of a Soveraigne, it is to despise and throw off a Saviour. He who was the Saviour of the world, he is also King of Kings, and as St. Paul speaketh, The only Potentate. 1 Tim. 6.15. And he under whose wings we have been securely safe, let the sad want of him now say, it was Christus Domini, the Lords Anointed, the only Potentate, the only supreme Governour of this Kingdome.

Or, take the point thus, Is it so that he, whose Kingdome is not of this world, hath for all that Power and Dominion over all the Kingdoms of this world? Maugre then all the designes, plots, jealousies and [Page] fears, that Devill or Man can set on foot; Our Lord the King shall reach his end,Psal. 2 3. Our Lord the King shall break their Bonds in sunder, and cast their Cords from him. For to him all power is given.

Indeed if in the perusall of the Gospell, we should stand to observe the Industrious malice of his Enemies, we shall find their plot and designe was, even root and branch to cut him off; they endevoured to kill him with shame, and to bury him with Infamy: Mat. 27.64 For when as a Malefactor they had put him to death, their greatest care and thought of heart was, to prevent his Resurrection. And therefore their great suit to Pilate is, Command that the Sepulchre be made sure. Rebels are afraid of a King, though he be in his grave.

And indeed they had cause so to be, for though his Kingdom was not of, yet I have shewed unto you it was over this world, over their Designes, over their Plots, over their Malice; in so much that you may read, that very stone, which they rejected, it [Page] became the corner stone; And that very Soveraign, whom they ignominiously laid in the grave, and thought to secure by Souldiers, he had (witnesse those very Souldiers) a glorious Resurrection, so that indeed there is no contesting against Soveraignty.

As the Kingdom of Christ is over this world, even so Christ, whose Kingdom is not of this world, yet hath a Kingdom in this world.

If you peruse the Gospell, you cannot but finde that even then, when the major part, and prevailing party was most against him; even then, this Soveraigne had some Loyall Subjects, he had in his lowest condition some, who though timorously, yet most cordially stuck unto him; so that he alwayes had a Kingdom, even in this world. And this is apparent from that last solemne prayer of his, where when he prayed for these, for these who were Loyall and true of heart, his Petition runs thus,Joh. 17 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world: Out of the world he would not have his Subjects taken, for though not of the world, he was resolved, and [Page] doth to this hour preserve a Kingdome in this world.

And this the Jews, his Adversaries, did too well perceive; for such was his goodnesse, such his meeknesse, such his charity, that he did indeed draw all men after him.

Whilest he was yet at liberty, and the people might have accesse unto him, they flocked unto him from all places,Mat. 19. and he healed them; Multitudes followed him, and he without respect to what part they took, touched and cured such as came unto him. In so much that his Malignant persecutors are not ashamed to vote what was done, digito Dei, with the finger of God, to be done by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils: not ashamed to say,Joh. 11.48. If we let him alone, all men will believe on him. If we let him alone, the people will leave us; if we let him alone, he will recover his king [...]ome; if we let him alone, what will bec [...]me of us? So apparent it was, [...] to his Jews, that he had a party, [...] he had a Kingdome in this [...]ld.

[...]nd indeed a Kingdome he hath in [Page] this world, a Kingdome whereof it concerns every one of us to be a Subject▪ for those only who have been Zealous of his Laws, and Loyall to his person, Those only are they who shall sit upon Thrones, those they who shall reign with him hereafter.

Indeed we have now amongst us a Generation of Saints, who reckon much upon that old Millenary error, who believe those thousand years are now approaching, in which the earth shall abound with peace, plenty, pleasure, in which the Saints shall reigne, rule, and enjoy what ever their souls lust after, in which Christ shall descend, & manifest that he hath a Kingdome in this world. And unlikely it is not, but the conceit of this Epicurean paradise, may be a cause that many run such mad couses as they do, confidently believing they shall presently have a Kingdom in this world.

Job. 19.25. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth. Now if it must be the last day before our Redeemer shall manifest himself, and stand upon the earth; Or if, as it is, [Page] Heaven must receive him, untill the times of restitution of all things: Act. 3.21. How then can he be a thousand years with his Saints upon earth, before the last day? Yea, how can he be expected to live upon the earth at all, whose last coming is described to be not on the earth, but in an higher Element?1 Thes. 4.16. For, The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-angel, and with the Trumpe of God,—And then observe the sequell,—The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are olive and remain, shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord —Observe, where not below, but in the clouds; not on the earth, but in the Aire. We shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the Aire; and then lest peradventure it might be thoughts he would descend lower, and live upon the earth with us, it immediately followeth, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Vers. 17.

As Loyall Citizens to entertain their long absent King, put on their best roabs, and go out to meet him: Even so when Christ the King of [Page] glory shall return, all, who have been Loyall Subjects, all, who have been obedient Christians, all who have faithfully kept their Allegeance to this Soveraign, all such they shall be caught up in the clouds, they shall go out to meet the Bridegroom, yea, they shall ever be with the Lord their King.

Rom. 8.17. If so be that we suffer with him, we shall also be glorifyed with him. Those who have stuck to their King in his low condition, those who have been content to suffer for him, those who looking upon his bitter sufferings have been moved by so patient an example to suffer with him, those also shall fare as he fareth, they shall be glorifyed with him.

Mat. 19.28. Verily I say unto you (saith the King in my Text) ye which have followed me in the Regeneration, ye who for my sake have been Sequestred from Houses, Lands, and the comfort of wife and children—When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his glory (then) ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones. The King hath a speciall eye upon his suffering Subjects, he is resolved to bring them to [Page] Honour, resolved, when he is upon a Throne himself, to enthrone them also.

Whereas then our Saviour and Soveraigne told Pilate, that His Kingdome was not of this world, yet you see most apparently, he hath a Kingdome in this world, he hath Subjects whom he doth most dearly tender, such whom he doth intend shall sit on Thrones and reign with him.

But for such a Kingdome as our new Saints imag [...]ine, for such a time, in which all power shall be given unto them, and they shall rule as Kings upon earth; that our King in this world hath such a Kingdom, cannot I conceive stand with this next position, —My Kingdome is not of this world. My Kingdome is not after the guise, pomp, and manner of this world.

Now for the better explicating of this main point, we shall consider of this proposition, according to the double acceptation of the preposition, [...], de, of, from.

1. My Kingdome is not de mundo, Not of this world.

2. My Kingdome is not [...], From this world.

[Page]First, My Kingdome is not de mundo, Not of the world.

There is a great deal of difference being of the world, and in the world. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Holy men in those dayes. Peter, Paul, Nathaniel, and all the Saints of their time; these were as much in the world, as Cain, Esau, Manasses, Judas: Christ himself was as much in the world as any sinner was, but of the world neither they nor he were.

In the world then, are all those who live in the world, whether good or bad, whether Rebellious, or righteous: But of the world those only are, who conforme themselves unto the world; for as it is one thing to live in the Flesh, and another worse thing to live according to the Flesh:Rom. 8. Even so it is one thing to live in the world, and a far worse thing to live according to the World; for as they who live according to the flesh, deny nothing to themselves which the flesh requireth, but satisfie their lusts in the desires thereof: Even so, such as live according to the world, such who are men of this world, they so live unto [Page] it, that they know no King but the world ▪ For, they will obey nothing, professe nothing, defend nothing, but what pleaseth the world; Let their King be never so much vilifyed and dishonoured, let him be assaulted with Swords and Staves, let him be arraign'd, condemn'd, and nayled to a Crosse; The men of this world they are resolv'd to hold their own, they are resolv'd they wil not part with their interest for his Honour.

Whereas then our Saviour and Soveraigne tels Pilate, My Kingdome is not of this world: The meaning of this expression cleerly is, my Subjects are not men worldly minded, my Kingdome is not of such who are wedded to the world. As if he had thus said to Pilate, —Whereas I stand here accused for the affectation of a Crown, and for being no friend to Caesar; the truth is, there need be no such jealousies, or fears of me; for nor do I, nor mine, affect such a Kingdome as he hath, My Kingdome is not of this world. My Kingdome is not of such, who study either for the Honour, the Pleasure, or the Profits [Page] of this world: My Kingdome is only of such, who prefer me their King, even before themselves: My Kingdome is only of such, who as I my self, by patience and sufferings make their way to glory.

Mat. 16.24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. And whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.

He who here saith, My Kingdome is not of this world, he teacheth his Subjects a Self-denying Ordinance, teaching them as so many resolute Souldiers, to renounce and dye unto the world. So that indeed the Kingdome of Christ is of such only, who look neithe upon life nor livelyhood, when the honour and glory of their Saviour and Soveraigne is at stake.

Those then who violate his Statutes by their Ordinances, those who prefer their Votes to his Lawes, those who counterfeit his Seals, subvert his Fundamentall Government, and make his Sacraments of no effect, such as these are not only in, but of the [Page] world. Such may be Rebels in, but not Subjects of his Kingdome; for he who said, My Kingdom is not of this world, he in so saying excludes all Rebellious, Malicious, Refractory, and Worldly people.

Secondly, As our Saviours and Soveraigns Kingdome is not de mundo, of the world, so neither is it [...], neither is it from the world; for as Saint Paul in the Front of his Epistle writes himself Paul an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father: Even so our glorious and gracious Soveraign in the Text, he may write himself Jesus Christ the King, not of the world, neither by the world, but by God the Father; not of the world, I have shewed you, not from the world, will as readily appear.

Harding.That which was of old the Popish Position of Parsons the Jesuite, is now grown the Darling Doctrine of these Times, viz. That Kings have their Authority from the People, as if the People were the Centre, and the King only a Ray or Beam of Majesty.

Sure I am, with the King in the [Page] Text it was not so, he neither had, nor would have any suffrage from the people. My Kingdome (saith he) is not of this world. That I am King, it is not from any Aid or Assistance the world can give. Regnum meum non est hinc, My Kingdom is not hence. And indeed, not only himself, but his Father also beareth witnesse to this Truth: For, I have set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion, Psal. 2.6. I (saith the Lord) I, whose the Hill of Sion is, ego constitui Regem, as Vatablus, I have appointed, or, I have set up my King, not from the World, but from the Father, he holds his Kingdome. And indeed it is remarkable in the Gospell, that when the people in a gratefull mood would needs have made a King of him, our Saviour by all means declin'd it: For,Joh. 6.15. When Jesus perceived that they would come, and take him by force, to make him a King, he departed againe into a mountaine himself alone. He would rather live as a Sparrow upon the house-top, alone upon a mountain, then be a King of the peoples making; yea, he so abhorr'd their assistance to Regality, [Page] that the Vulgar Latin renders it Fugit, he not now as at other times only withdrew himself, but he fled away: and therefore no wonder to hear such a King say, —My Kingdome is not of this world, or, My Kingdome is not hence. Which the better to conceive of, we will passe to the proof of this Assertion, in these words, If my Kingdome [...] of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.

From which words we shall deduct and proceed upon these three Observations:

1. The Kingdome of Christ hath no need of a Sword to set it up.

2. Where there is such a King there is no Co-ordination, no Medium between Christ and his servants.

3. How far Subjects are servants, viz. to defend their Soveraign from injury or imprisonment. My servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews.

First for the first, The Kingdome of Christ hath no need of a Sword for to set it up; for in this the Kingdome of Christ differeth from the Kingdome [Page] of this world. A King and Kingdom of this world, the Subjects and servants thereof must fight for: But, saith our Saviour to Pilate, My Kingdome is such an one, that you see I have not a man so much as to plead or fight for me. And indeed it is the singular and great glory of Christs Kingdome that i [...] hath planted it self without a Sword, and made a Conquest of the world without Bloud.

1 Chron. 22. When David in his prosecution of his pious intendment had made large provision toward the building of a Temple to the Lord, he calling to his Son Solomon told him, My Son, the Word of the Lord came to me saying, Thou hast shed bloud abundantly, and hast made great War; thou (therefore) shall not build a house unto my name, &c.

God would not that the very Type and Figure of the Kingdome of his Son should be erected by a Swordman; yea, though he was otherwise a man after Gods own heart; yet because a Warriour, because a Fighter, though but of the Lords own Battells, God will not have an house [Page] built by him; Solomon, the man of Peace, he it is that must do it.

Certainly then, the way to set up Christ upon his Throne, the way to enlarge his Kingdome, and advance his Scepter, is not to enter into a Conspiracy, to swear a Covenant, and to take up Armes; for if it so were, then were Christs Kingdome of this world; for it is the way of the men of this world, by force and fighting, to manage their Designs, so that they who would put such a Forme upon Christs Kingdome, which never [...]in any place under heaven, but by So [...]tion and the Sword got sooting, They are like to those insolent Subjects, who conceit they may give Law unto their King, or like those rebellious Servants who in stead of fighting for, do fight against their Master.

Indeed, the King of this Kingdome, our blessed Lord and Saviour, he hath an Army, but it is of Martyrs: he hath Servants, who strive, and who do defend his Kingdome, but 'tis by their own and not by the bloud of others: he hath Souldiers, and fighting Ministers, but 'tis not with carnall [Page] weapons: he hath Laws, and Statutes, and Seals, and Ordinances, but none of these More Hominum, after the vain manner or humor of men, and therefore very well might say, My Kingdome is not of this world.

1 Cor. 1.23. Christum praedicamus Crucifixum, we preach Christ Crucifyed. Did ever any Subject, who desired to make his King glorious, and his Kingdome eminent, publish the infirmities and preach the shame of his Soveraign? Did ever Embassador for the glory of his Master, report in forain parts how his Subjects had sold, vilifyed, banish'd and imprisoned their Soveraign? (All too true.) Is it not rather the custome of the world to magnifie his power, amplifie his greatnesse, and extoll him at least for an high and mighty Potentate?

Now behold, and see the wonder: He whose Kingdome is not of this world, by a course clean contrary to the world, he hath made himself the most glorious Kingdome in the world; For, not by the Arm of flesh, but by the Foolishnesse of preaching; not by glorying in his Victories, but in publishing [Page] of his Sufferings; not by the Sword, but by his Crosse hath he been highly exalted,Phil. 2.9. and got him a Name above every Name: we preach Christ crucifyed (saith the Embassadour.) Now look upon all the Kingdomes of the World, and tell me of any one King, who without a Sword, hath captivated and subdued a People: Whereas if you look upon the King in my Text, you shall scarce find a People under Heaven, which first or last he hath not conquered; for His sound is gone forth into all Lands. Rom. 10:18.

All Lands, those who had the strongest and the most mighty Princes, those who had the most learned Doctors, and the most famous Orators, those who had the best setled Laws, and the most religious Customes; all these vail'd and threw down their glory, all these (and that without a Sword) gave way unto the Crosse, so that the opposite and clean contrary erection of this Kingdome might move and warrant this King to say, My Kingdom is not of this world.

Indeed if we look into the beginning [Page] of his Reign, we shall find Swords enough drawn against his Subjects: for to have been a Christian, to have profest Loyalty; it was Malignancy enough, 'twas Capitall, 'twas indeed All. Bonus vir Cajo-Sejus, modo Christianus; Cajo-Sejus was a good man, only he was a Christian: and indeed the worst Tyrants had to object in those days; it only was their Allegiance, only because they protested, and according to protestation stuck close to the Lords Anointed.

Now here again is the wonder of this Kingdom, that lex nova non vindicat se ultore gladio. These poor oppressed Subjects, they did not combine and make an Army, they did not associate and make an head, they did not whet their Swords and make ready their Arrowes, but they laid down their lives, they resign'd up their bodies, they neither feared nor cared what man could do unto them. Et sic crevit Ecclesia. And hence it was that this Kingdom became so ample, hence it was the world became so full of worthies, and hence it was that Christ came to have a Kingdom that is not of this world.

[Page]A Kingdome and Generation of Subjects who are resolv'd to drink of the same Cup, and to be baptized with the same Baptisme wherewith their King was. A Kingdome and Generation of Subjects, who either long to be where their King is, or extremely desire that he may gloriously returne to them: A Kingdome and Generation of Subjects, who joy in nothing like their King; A Kingdome and Generation of Subjects, who are readier to be sacrificed then to rebell against a Soveraign. So that

The Motto of both King and Subject is, Vincit qui pa [...]itur. The patient abiding of the meek shall not for ever be forgotten. And indeed the Triumphs, Trophies, and Conquests of Patience are to be found no where but in the Annals of this Kingdome. This is the only Kingdome, that without a Sword gets victories: And therefore most emphatically, and above all Kingdomes is it here said, My Kingdom is not of this world: Sufferings, not the Sword, hath set up Christs Kingdome. Pass we therefore to the second Observation; which is,

[Page]Where there is such a King, there is no Co-ordination, for no Medium in the Text between Christ and his Servants. If my Kingdome were of this world, my Servants would do their duties, my Servants would fight for me.

Since Authority hath been disputed, though the Word hath been kept, the Power of a King hath been much eclipsed, so that now we may admit of this distinction; a King Nominall, and a King Reall, a Person so called, and a Personage that is so indeed.

Theopompus King of Sparta, Lib. Moral. Tract. Against an unlearned Ruler. to take off the Odium of absolute Royalty, brought in (as Plutarch observes) those five Members called the Ephori, and these (as is observed) so ordered and moulded the Lacedemonian State, that (after) Kings had nothing left but the Name only: And indeed with such, with Nominall Kings, a Co-ordination may very well be; but then they cannot take up the words of my Text and say, My Kingdome, My Servants, or my Subjects, But, our Kingdome, our Servants, and our Subjects will fight for us: For indeed no Nominall King can be the only Supreme, [Page] nor hath any Nominall King more then his share, and his personall interest in the Government.

Now such a King was not the King in the Text, he was not only in Name, but most really, and in power a King: God his Father, who set him upon the holy hill of Sion, he joyn'd none in Commission with him, he appointed no Ephori, no five Members, no Committees for to over-see him; to him was given [...] the whole Authority,Mat. 21. all Power. The Government was setled upon his, and his only shoulder: He and he alone was Princeps pacis, Isa. 9.6. the Prince of Peace: He and he only it was that could settle his Kingdom in peace: so that with such a King as he, impossible it is there should be a Co-ordination; as possible to have two Saviours of the world, as two Soveraignes of one and the same Kingdome, so that he might very well say, My Kingdom, for he had no compeer, no fellow in it: he might very well say, My Servants, for no Coequall, he had to fight for him.

Indeed it is most apparent, our King in the Text he had a Councell, [Page] a great Councell, a Councell inspired with the holy Ghost: He had twelve Apostles, yet though there were twelve of them, he was Ʋniversis major, he was greater then his body, for Colos. 1.18. He is the head of the body;Col. 1.18. he is the Head of his Church.

And indeed, as the head of no man is said to be the head of the Arme, or the head of the hand, or the head of any particular member, but the head of the whole, the head of the body; even so the King in my Text, he who is said to be the head of his Church, he is not head of this or that particular Member, or of every personall body, but he is the head of the whole, as they make one body.

It is most true, every Member may say, this is my Head, and every subject may say, this is my King; but it is the Head, and the Head only, which can say, This is my body; the King, and the King only who can say, This is my Kingdome. So that there may be as well two Heads to one Body, as two co-ordinate Supremes in one Kingdome. The King in my Text (it is most clear) approves no such, where [Page] he hath to do; for he saith peremptorily, my Kingdome, my Servants, all but my self are Inferiours, all but my self are Subjects; If my Kingdome were of this World, my Servants would fight for me.

Indeed, if we look upon the great Councell of this King, if we look upon the Apostles, we shall finde they are in an hot contention, and make great debate, who should be the greatest among them. For when the King in my Text told them, Luke 23.22. Truly the Sonne of Man goeth—It presently followes, There was strife among them which of them should be counted the greatest. Co-ordinate powers they will justle: Take away this one King, and we shall finde none. For as plur [...]litas Deorum est nullitas, As he who makes many, makes no God, even so he who in one Kingdom makes more then one, makes indeed no King at all. For Mat. 26.31. Smite the Shepheard and the Sheep shall be scattered. Take away the head, and the body, like the limbs of Medea's Brother, they will lie uselesse, and scattered about the Kingdome. For when the [Page] King in my text was but apprehended, and taken away by Souldiers, you shall find even of his dearest servants, and of his Bosom Counsellors there was not a man stuck unto him.

So that indeed a Kingdome admits no other then of this Division, Soveraigne and Servants, King and Subjects; for take Soveraignty from the King, and the World shall soon find he will grow a Servant quickly; for as the Disciples, even so al Co-ordinates, they are ambitious to write this stile, my Kingdome, my Servants. And so to the last considerable.

How far Subjects are Servants, which according to my Text hath this extent, Servants to defend their Soveraign from both injury and imprisonment: For, saith the King in my Text, If my Kingdome were of this world, my Servants would fight; and then adds for what, That I should not be delivered to the Jews.

1. They would fight.

2. They would fight in this cause, that I should not be thus abused, that I should not be thus delivered to the Jews.

[Page]1. My Servants would fight.

Our Blessed Soveraigne being to make his Plea before a Pagan Judge, before one who regarded neither Moses nor the Prophets, useth not Scripture but Reason to convince him, and that such a Reason as the very Law of Nations had agreed upon, viz. That Subjects ought to fight for their King: And therefore concludes negatively, In as much as none fight for me, my Kingdome is not of this World, for if it were, my servants would fight.

My Servants. This word Servant it may have a Despicable, and it may have an Honourable estimate; It may imply a Subject and somewhat more, or it may imply a Subject and somewhat lesse.

In that phrase of Scripture, Servants obey your Masters; The word Servant there, it implieth somewhat lesse than a Subject, one who is either a Slave, or serves for Hire, or is under despicable and meane commands. But in these places of Scripture, [...]mb. 12.7. Psa. 78.70. Hag. 2.23. where it is said, My servant Moses, David my servant; O Zerubbabel my servant; Here Servant [Page] is more then a Subject, for it is an Honour even to Kings themselves to be Gods Servants.

Whereas then it is said in the Text, My servants, that is, such who as I am not their Master, but their King, relate unto me: By Servants we are not to understand such who are under a Despoticall, or Magisteriall, but such who are under a Paternall and a Regall Go [...]ernment, My servants, that is, My Subjects. As if it were said; If my Kingdome were of this world, my Subjects would fight for me.

Indeed if we look upon the King in the Text, as we are Christians, we cannot but acknowledge that His Kingdome, it is of all Kingdomes the most absolute, in so much that Kings, our Soveraigns, they are but his Servants. Yea, Angels and Devils, Heaven, Earth, and all that therein is are his Subjects, and all (if he please) ready to fight for him, according to that, Judg. 5.20. The Starres in their courses fought against Sisera; Or, according to the saying of his at his apprehension, Mat. 26.53. Where for his King he might have [Page] had more then twelve legions of Angels. But being (as you have heard) his Kingdome is not of this world, we are to look upon this reason of his, only as it relates to the Kings of this world, for upon that supposition, doth he make this inference, Then would my Servants fight for me.

My Servants would fight. My Servants, They must be the Servants of a Royall Master, the Servants of a King, or no fighting; for Fighting it is the ultimate and last refuge, in so much that not the Sword, but the Laws must decide all private quarrels: No fighting where an Appeal lies, and appeal we both may and must, till we come to the Supreme. But when the Supreme is violated, he may take up the phrase in my Text, and say, Then shall my servants fight.

Mat. 26. When St. Peter in defence of his Master drew his Sword, the King in my Text (to shew that his Kingdome was not of this world) commands, Put up againe thy Sword into its place, vers. 52. As if he had said,Vers. 52. let the Sword rest there, till some temporall King commands it: And [Page] then adds this reason. For, All they that take the Sword, shall perish with the Sword. All those who are not (as the Text implies) Regis Ministri, the Kings Men, the Kings Servants; All such for drawing their own Swords, deserve to perish by the Sword, by his Sword who may say in the words of my text, for as much as I have a Kingdome in this world, my Servants shall, and will fight for me.

My servants would fight. To fight is to hazard Life and Limbe, the dearest things of this World. To fight, it implieth the leaving of Wife and Children, house and home, and to go where the Fight is: So that it may very well be doubted whether those servants have done their Duties, or those subjects discharged their Allegiance, who have lost only the paring of their nailes, or the Haire of their head; I mean nothing but their extraordinaries, nothing but their wonted wantonnesse and fulnesse for the Redemption of their Soveraign.

The King in my Text tells us, The Servants of a distressed King,2 Sam. 11.11. they should rather be Commanders then [Page] Compounders, they should resolve, as did good Ʋriah, whilest The Arke▪ and Israel, and Judah abide in Tents, and my Lord Joab, and the Servants of the King are encamped in the open field; so long they will not joy in their own houses, they will not eat and drink and lie with their Wives. If my Kingdome were of this World (saith our Saviour) then would my Servants, (not plot how to save, restore, and secure themselves) but my Servants would fight. Those who are able and have hearts, they should not spend only their Breath, but even their Bloud, not only their Estates, but even themselves; when the case is so sad, that if they fight not, the King must suffer. Were my Kingdome of this world, my servants (saith our Saviour) would fight, yea [...], they would fight even to an Agony, rather then permit me thus to be delivered to the Jews.

And so we passe to the last particular —the cause which may both move and warrant for to fight, and that is injuries against Royall Majesty. Subjects must rather fight, then see their Soveraign delivered up to Jews.

[Page]2. My Servants would fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.

The Jews considered before they proved Rebellious, and did despight unto their King; they were the most glorious Nation under Heaven, Gods people, a people Honourable at home, and Feared abroad: but when they had so far degenerated as to fall foul both upon Gods Prophets, and Gods anointed, when they Ston'd the one, and Blasphem'd the other; from that time even unto this day they are become the most hatefull and odious people under Heaven, a people into whose hands rather then a King should come, my servants would fight, saith the King in my Text.

By Jewes in the Text then we may aptly understand not only the people of the Jews, but people of any Nation or language whatsoever, that shall be so Jewish, as to endevour to make their King odious, so Jewish as to assault, Arraigne, and Crucifie their King; Subjects or Servants ought to fight, rather then to suffer their King to be in such hands.

Maximilian the Emperour passing [Page] his censure upon four great Kingdomes,R. RegūHom.Asin.Diab. Germany, Spain, France, and England. He makes the King of England to be worse then Rex Judaeorum, then King of Jewes, for he plainly cals him, Rex Diabolorum, the King of Devils, conceiting that none but Jews or Devils would lay hands upon Gods Anointed. So that indeed were it only to avoid this Scandall, only to prevent the Dishonour and Curse, which Rebellion brings upon a Nation, Subjects ought rather to fight, then to see their King delivered up to the Power and Malice, either of Jews or Devils. My servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews, saith the Text.

Would fight. Fighting I have shewed, and we all know it is the hazard of our lives, a hazard that may not rashly and for every punctilio be undertaken: A man who would fight and die as a Christian, he must first sit down and consider whither his soul shall go, if he die in that fight.

It is well known there are in the World, who will sooner fight for a Mistris (I had almost said a whore) [Page] then for a King; who are hotter in vindication of a lie, then of ten thousand lies put upon a Soveraign: who will sooner draw upon refusall of the Kings health, then to keep a Kings Head upon his shoulders: rather upon a Rescue (though for just debt) then for the Redemption of a King, suffering even for their Liberties. But for these and the like fights, Scripture hath no warrant, for these and the like quarrels no good King would say, Then shall my servants fight.

To speak then only a word of so great a point, I conceive this is a sure foundation [No man may fight, or venture his life for that, which in cool bloud, judgement and right reason is not dearer then life] and of this nature there are not many things in the World. No profit, no pleasure can be this good; for skin for skin, and all that a man hath, he ought in right reason to part with, rather then his life; for of all things pleasant and profitable, Life is the dearest.

Indeed Bonum Honestum, that good which is Honest, Honourable, Religious, for those there are cases in [Page] which a man may dare to die; for Vertue, 1 Tim. 4.8. Piety, and publick goods, they may be dearer then life it self; for seeing godliness hath not only a promise of this life, but also of that which is to come; a life lost or laid down for it, may have what this World cannot give, an heavenly recompence.

Rom. 5.7. Peradventure for a good man some would dare to die. The Rule of Charity is, Love thy Neighbour, as, not better then thy selfe, so that indeed to lay down our life to save anothers, unlesse there be in that other some excellency which may counterpoise a life, we may not be so far wanting to our selves as to lay down a life. So that in a word, to give issue to the present point; I conceive, according to the Tenor of my Text, it must be a publick person, a person exalted either by Majesty or Piety above his Brethren, a person whose life is of more consequence then are many particulars, for whom many particulars may dare to lay down their lives, for whom many particulars may dare to fight.

In the Body naturall, right reason [Page] tells us we ought to venture any Member rather then the head, for as much as the head, it is the guide, the Governour, the preserver of the whole: even so in the Body politick, for as much as all but the head are Members; for the Head, for the Supreme, for the Protector, and Defender of the whole, there is not a Member but may dare to fight, yea not a Member (which is able) but when that's in perill must fight. For according to the vote even of all Nations, saith our Saviour unto Pilate, were I such a King as you take me for, my Servants would take up Arms, my Servants would not suffer me thus to be delivered to the Jews.

Act. 4. The Jews (you may finde) w [...]ere so averse unto their Soveraign, and so extremely bent to destroy his memory, that their great Councell, the Sanhedrim, forbade all further addresses to him, straitly commanding, vers. 18. That the Apostles should not speak at all, or teach in the Name of Jesus: They would have nothing done in the Name of their King.

Now here began the tryall of his [Page] Subjects, here was the experience of the loyalty of his Servants; for when it was now grown capitall, and deemed as Treason to speak in the Name of their King, when they were straitly commanded to take no Commission in his name, nor to teach in the Name of Jesus: Behold even then, Act. 8.28. They filled Jerusalem with their Doctrine, not fearing to charge the very Councel with the bloud and infamy of their King, ver. 30. saying, whom ye slow, and hanged on a Tree.

Now as the spirituall Subjects of Christ were thus tryed, when Christianity was at stake, even so then are secular and temporall Subjects tryed, when Monarchy and Regality is in question: As then Christians, by suffering, must uphold the spirituall, even so Subjects by fighting must uphold the temporall: for were I a temporall King, saith our Saviour in my Text, before the Jewes should thus insult over me, my servants would fight. My Servants for a Royall and a publick would not spare to lay down the lives of their private persons.

2 Sam. 21. The men of David [Page] sware unto him, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battell, that thou quench not the Light of Israel. They would spend their own lives rather then see the light of Israel put out; they will much rather venture their own persons, then the person of their King; yea, they plainly tell him, and that to his face,2 Sam. 18.3. Thou art worth ten thousand of us. So that you see in right reason to defend a King, to defend him upon whose person depends the peace and prosperity of a Kingdome, to defend him who is worth ten thousand, that is all of us; there is (I say) in conscience and right reason, cause and warrant enough, that the servants of such an one fight, yea, die for him.

Instances might be given (and those not a few) even of Pagans, who, albeit they had no after-hopes, as Christians have, yet for a publick good, for the peace and safety of a Kingdome they have dared to die. Codrus the Athenian, Curtius the Roman, both gave themselves up for the good of their Country. And indeed, whether it be to King or Country, [Page] none of us are upon the tryall, none of us can be said to be well affected till we are even upon our perill; when the King is in danger to be delivered to his enemies, then is the time, then must his servants fight. Were my Kingdome of this world, now, even now at this time, (saith the King in my Text) my servants would fight, for they would not now I should be thus delivered to the Jewes. To close this point.

That same distinction, which Chancellor Elsmore in his days pronounced dangerous, and Judge Cooke in his pronounced damnable; even that which those Patriots would not passe for Law, some Divines of late have past for Gospell, preaching it lawfull to fight against a King in his personall, so they fight for him in his politick capacity.

I confesse I cannot make this to agree with my Text, for my Text it speaks only of that capacity, in respect to which, a King may be taken, delivered up, Arraigned, Condemned, Crucifyed; my servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the [Page]Jews, saith my Text. Now how our Saviour could be delivered in any but a personall capacity, how he could be bought, and sold, apprehended, and nayled to a Crosse, but only in a personall capacity, imagine I cannot. And in this, and this only capacity the Text requires, that his Subjects fight for him; my servants would fight, that I (that this very person of mine) should not be delivered.

In a word, to draw up all, Every man, who fights, should seriously consider whether God will reward him for so fighting; consider whether in the face of God he can say with St. Paul, I have fought a good fight, 2 Tim. 4.7. for without a good fight no Crown.

He who fights for his own ends, and his private interest, he who kils men (as some do beasts, for their skinnes) for their estates, he who without any regard to the Cause, fights on; such as these can hardly say, I have fought a good fight.

The good fight, which St. Paul fought,Rom. 7.2 [...] it was against his Rebellious Members; the Warre he waged, it only was to reduce them into subjections, [Page] and to bring them into obedience to the Mind. And indeed, the good fight supposed in the Text, it is against Rebellious Members, 'tis against Traytors, 'tis against such who violate Soveraignty, and are vexatious to the Lords Anointed. For against such (saith our Saviour in my Text) against such would my servants fight, who would deliver me to the Jewes: Then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.

Well, to the Jews he is delivered; they had him: yea, saith the Scripture, they hang'd him, they made him away, they did him all the despight that Devill or Malice could invent; yea, 'tis recorded that they gave money, and bought him for this end. And shall we leave him in their hands? Truly no.

Act. 3.13.For, The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and Jacob, The God of our Fathers hath glorifyed his Sonne Jesus, whom ye delivered up. He who was basely and perfidiously bought and sold, and delivered to the Jews, him, saith St. Peter, hath God glorifyed. [Page] Though then as he did his Son, God may for a time permit even a good and a Righteous King to suffer, yet even then, when his Servants either cannot or will not fight for him, then shall the God of his Fathers glorifie him.

Hos. 1.7. I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them, (I beseech you observe the manner how) Not by Bow, nor by Sword, nor by Battell, by Horses, or Horsemen, but I will save them by the Lord their God. When there is no servant to draw a Bow, no Subject to manage a Sword, no Army to fight a Battell, when there is no visible appearance of any force, then is Gods hour to shew mercy upon the house of Judah.

And indeed till mercy comes to Judah, there is little hopes of it in the meaner Tribes: Yea, it is most evident in the Gospell, that curse, which for betraying and murthering their King, is fixt upon the Jewes: this cannot be taken off, till they strive and study to restore their Soveraign. No Act of Indempnity, but from him; No Messiah, no deliverer, but [Page] him, whom they have thus vilified, no Salvation till they make addresses, and returne unto this King.

Hos. 11.1. Then shall the Children of Judah, and the Children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head. When Judah the Royall, and Israel the Rebellious party, when these shal both accord under one head, then shall they be gathered, when they acknowledge and submit unto their only head, their King, then shall they be happy. And indeed the happinesse of us all depends upon the glorious returne of our gracious Soveraignn. For,

Col. 3.4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in Glory. When Christ our King shall return in glory, then, and not till then can we be glorious; that then we may all be glorifyed, so come and come quickly Lord Jesus. To whom as being King of Eternal glory, be all honour and glory, now and for ever, Amen.

Sit Deo omnis gloria.

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THE GRAND CONSPIRACY OF Jews against their King. A SERMON Preached in January, 1649.

JER. 26.14, 15.

As for me, behold I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent bloud upon your selves, and upon this City, and upon the Inhabitants thereof, &c.

LONDON, Printed by E. C. for R. ROYSTON, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1654.

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SERM. III. Preached, 1649.

JOHN 19.15.

Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucifie your King?

IN these words we have two Persons of remarkable Cognizance, the President, and the Prisoner; Pilate, and the King. And indeed we cannot well understand the Text, before we consider how the President dealt with his Prisoner, how Pilate behaved and carried himself towards the King; Act. 3.13. you may read, St. Peter sharply checking the Jewes for denying him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go; when Innocency and Majesty stood at the Barre, Pilate, though a Pagan President, had so much honesty, so much [Page] Conscience, so much Compassion, that he studied rather to give an Absolution then a Sentence, he was determined, saith the Scripture, yea [...], from thenceforth, or a [...] some of the learned, for this caus [...] because a King, and because innocent, Pilate sought to release him Pilate was so far from being ambitious to passe sentence upon a King, that he assayed and tryed many a way to put it off. I shall name four which are evident;

1. By proposall of his Innocency.

2. Of his Sorrowes.

3. Of his Majesty.

4. Of their own Credit, and Reputation.

First, He would have put off th [...] Sentence, because indeed there wa [...] nothing worthy a Sentence in him Behold I bring him forth to you, that [...] may know I finde no fault in him, v [...] No fault, no sentence: yea, and as [...] it were an indignity for lesse then [...] King to judge a King, he sends him to his Peere, to Herod, Luke 13.7▪ he would have King Herod [...] verdict, before he passed his own; yea, h [...] [Page] presseth his judgment for to quit him, I finde no fault in him, no nor yet Herod. But whom Malice delivers up, Innocence must not acquit; for Envy like Rebellion hath alway a designe against the person; yea, the more worth in the person; the more eager is his Persecution, Joh. 7.46. when the Officers sent to apprehend him, brought this answer, never man spake like this man; his wisdome and sufficiency so astonished them, they were now more then ever set against him; when they saw such was his perfections, that he was ready to convert and draw all men after him, as it is in Joh. 11.50. then as Cajaphas, so they, it is expedient for us that he die the death for us, who cannot reign if he live; for us, who cannot live, if he do; for us, whose designe hath been against his government; for us, it is expedient that one, yea, this one should die; his Wisdom, his Innocence, his Perfections, his Integrity; all his excellencies we are to look upon, as so many perils, and therefore to Pilates proposall of his Innocency and Integrity, the chief [Page] Priests Officers returne this Acclamation, Crucifie him, Crucifie him.

Secondly, As by proposall of his Innocency, even so also of his sorrowes, Pilate sought his delivery: for whereas in most men, there is so much naturall compassion, that when we see a very Malefactor in bitternesse of spirit, our bowels yerne, and we grow tender; Pilate thought to produce an Innocent in such a plight, to shew one who had not deserved a stripe, even to satisfie them so scourged, that his bloud might become a mantle to him. Pilate, I say, thought this, this if any thing might save his life, and therefore in this plight he saith, Behold the Man: but no sorrowes which are not mortall, no sufferings which are not deadly, no bloud but the heart bloud can satisfie the malicious; and therefore albeit crown'd with Thorns, and flea'd with Whips, they still cry, Execution, Execution, let him be Crucifyed, let him be Crucifyed.

Thirdly, Not only by proposall of his Innocency and his sorrows, but as he was a King, as he was the seat of [Page] Majesty, as he was Royall, so also Pilate sought his deliverance, and therefore in the verse immediately before the Text, he saith unto the Jewes, Behold your King, ver. 14. Of the same person of whom he said, Behold the Man, he now changing his style saith, Behold your King: as if he thus said, if his sorrowes as a man move you not, behold him as a King: Behold a King deprived of all his comforts, spoiled of all his goods, sold by his Brethren, apprehended by his Subjects, scourged as a Villain, derided as a fool: Behold a King, who hath no other use of Majesty, but to aggravate his misery. Behold a King, whose sufferings are as transcendent as his person. Behold a King, who hath suffered things bitterer then death. Behold a King, yea, your King, how he hath suffered even every thing but death. And will not this satisfie and content you? No, even all this will not do: For as some timerous fools, who though an Eele be flead, fear it while it yet stirs; and as cowards think no safety while life appeares, even so the [Page] Rebellious Jewes, as if their King might have outlived his wounds, recovered his losses, and turned his Reed into a Scepter; when Pilate said, Behold your King; as if King were the bitterest of all Corrasives, they cry out more fierce then ever, Tolle, Tolle, away with him, away with him, Justice and Execution both, Crucifie him, Crucifie him: And so we are brought to my Text, which was the last attempt; for when Pilate saw that neither his innocency, nor his sorrowes, nor his Majesty could prevail, he then urgeth even their own credit: As if he had thus said, If neither his being without a fault, nor his being in so heavy a plight, nor yet his being a King; yet for your own respects, and for your own repute spare the Sentence; for what is done unto your King will fall upon your selves, it will be dishonourable to you, and the whole Nation, when it shall be said, your King was Crucifyed. And thus you have the coherence and the reason why Pilate said unto them, shall I Crucifie your King?

[Page]Now for the methodicall and better handling of the words, we shall consider of these two points, 1. To put a King to death, is against the judgement both of Jew and Gentile, Pilate and the chief Priests. 2. What Jew and Gentile do against Judgement and Conscience, that they do most barbarously, Crucifie a King

1. To put a King to death is against the judgement both of Jew and Gentile. Jew and Gentile, it was the old division of the World; and thus St. Paul takes it, Rom. 2.9. where saith he, Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evill, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; that is upon every soul, upon all men; so that indeed the judgement of Jew and Gentile, it is the judgement of the whole World. Now that the judgement of Jew and Gentile were against this damnable and most horrid act, the putting of a King to death, this is evident, should we go no further then the present verse; for Pilate the Representative of the Gentiles, the chief Priests, and Heads and Rulers of the [Page] Jews, both these in this very Text declare against it. First, besides all that hath been already said, these very words in my Text argue Pilates disavowing of it, Shall I Crucifie your King? Shall I passe Sentence of Death upon a King? Shall I deal with your King as with a Rogue? Send him to the Gibbet? Shall I do this? not I, ver. 6. if you will deal so with him, do it your selves, and therefore Pilate saith unto them, take ye him and Crucifie him; his Judgement and his Conscience abhorred the cruelty. And indeed no wonder, for if, as a Roman Historian,Quintus Curtius. Regium nomen gentes, quae sub Regibus sunt, pro Deo colunt: If the Gentiles, who lived under Kings, esteemed the very name of a King as a deity, no wonder to hear a Roman President startle at the Sentence of a King. No wonder to hear Pilate say, Shall I Crucifie your King? For they who thus had the very name, they must needs have the person in veneration. Now as the Gentiles, so the very Jews in Judgement abhorred the very fact, abhorred the [Page] putting of their King to death. For when Pilate said, Shall I Crucifie your King? Mark what immediately followeth, the chief Priests answered, We have no King but Caesar: we have no such King, he is no King of ours; were he our King, we would not conspire his ruine; were he our King, we would not have apprehended and arraigned him; were he our King, we would not thus prosecute him: The chief Priests answered, We have no King but Caesar.

The Jews then it is evident, not in his regall, but in his personall capacity, did persecute our Saviour, not as King, but as Jesus of Nazareth they brought him to his block. For in the 19. ver. when Pilate had made this inscription, J. N. R. J. Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes, the chief Priests became suitors to him to change the title, and to write, he said I am King of the Jews, ver. 21. they would not by any means he should be crucifyed under the notion and title of a King. Indeed as of one aspiring to it they would have had it, but that they should be such cursed [Page] wretches, as to bring a reall King unto a Crosse; this even the Jewes abhorred, write him not King, but that he said I am King. And indeed no wonder, for if we search the Scriptures, and observe but how highly, and to what end the Spirit of God useth the Name of a King, we shall finde the Jewes had very good reason to reverence a King. For to shew that the person and stile of a King implies a full confluence of excellencies, when the Spirit of God makes an extraordinary allusion, you shall finde he usually borroweth from a King. Judg. 8.18. When Gideon asked Zeba and Zalmunna, What manner of men they were whom they slew at Tabor? They answered in the 18. vers. as thou art, so are they, each one resembled the Children of a King. The high expression for ornament or beauty it is borrowed from a King, as the children of a King. Psal. 45.14. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within: yea, and without too, for in the 15. v. She shall be brought unto the King in rayment of Needle-worke. When the Spirit of God speaks of Grace, [Page] and glory, both allusions relate unto the King; yea, so are the stiles of God and King interwoven in holy writ, that God is pleased not only to be called by theirs, but to allow them to be called by his Name. Psal. 10.18. The Lord is King for ever and ever, the Lord our God he is a King: And as God is a King, even so the Jewes knew it was no blasphemy to call a King a God; for I have said, ye are Gods, saith the Lord: yea the most odious and highest accusation that could be forged against poor Naboth, was in 1 King. 31.10. Thou didst blaspheme God and the King. Whereas then the Jewes were in the Book of God thus instructed of the Majesty, and excellency of a King, Exod. 2.28. Their Law forbidding them to revile their God, or so much as in thought to curse the King, Eccles. 10.20. 'tis no wonder to hear them disclaime their Soveraign, and to deny him their King, whose life they hunted after; Shall I Crucifie your King, saith Pilate? The chiefe Priests answered, We have no King but Caesar.

[Page]Though they destroyed and made away him who was indeed their King, yet they would not subscribe, they would not as King own either the butchering or betraying of him, so that you see both Pilate and the chief Priests, both Jew and Gentile, they would both wash their hands from this foul offence, they would not, did not put a King to death. The Judgement both of Jew and Gentile was against it.

The Application of this point shall teach us, to take heed that we do not betray our Consciences, that we do not either for fear, or favour, for covetousnesse or malice go against our own Consciences, do against our own Judgement. Most true it is that of the Poet, Nemo repente fit turpissimus, No man at the first mounts to the height of wickednesse; but he who declines his Judgement, and he who can stretch or shrinke his Conscience, as advantage admonisheth, such a one is preparing to all manner of enormities.

Pilate and the chief Priests in my Text, they are fearfull examples of [Page] this truth, for when Fear sate upon the Bench, and Malice stood Solicitor at the Barre; the poor King with all his Innocence, and for all his wisdome, was sure to miscarry in the tryall: Mat. 27.24. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands, saying, I am innocent of the bloud of this just person: See here in Pilate, how Affection and Judgement, how Fear and Conscience struggle: his Judgement that tels him the person was just, the bloud innocent, the King faultlesse, and therefore as if the washing of his hands would have cleered his Conscience, he calls for water and doth that; but him, whom his Judgement and Conscience pronounced innocent, him whom as a just person and a King, he would have delivered, even him, when fear suggested the fury of a multitude, when fear suggested a complaint to Caesar, when fear startled him with the hazard of himself, then I say, even him whom Judgement acquitted, Fear condemnes; him, whom Conscience pronounced [Page] just, Fear delivers up him, who as a King, he was loath to Crucifie, even him, though a King, and a just one too, he will rather send to a Crosse, then venture a Crosse himselfe. So that indeed not only the King in my Text, but even Pilate, the Lord President himself, he had in stead of a Scepter, but a Reed, a Reed shaken with the winde, a Reed not able to stand in judgement, a Scepter that must bend as fear would have it.

When Caiaphas sate in Councell on the King in my Text, you shall finde he did not consider what was just, but what was safe; John 11.49. Ye know nothing at all: as if he had said, if ye move upon Principles of Right, Law, and justice, ye can do nothing, by them ye cannot take him away; but if ye consider the exigences of State, the safety of our selves, the security of the people, then expedient it is that one should die, ver. 50. And indeed which of us is there that hath not a Caiaphas in his bosome? Which of us is there that doth not rather consider the expediency then the justice of an Action? [Page] which of us do not consider whether what we do be not rather secure, then conscionable? much more poising an outward broile, then an inward peace; and is not this the way to become as so many Pilates? Men who will sacrifice both Judgement, Loyalty, Conscience and all honesty to avoid an inconvenience. When Pilate gave eare unto his feares, he feares not with the same lips to sentence, whom but now he pronounced without a fault.

Now the good God grant that there be not a curse impending over this Land, even for such Judges; for such who have rather steered by their Feares, then by their Consciences; for such who have rather for expediency then Justice, condemned the Innocent.

Again, as Pilates feare, even so the Pride, the Ambition and Malice of the chief Priest, these also perverted judgement, and these made the Conscience passe what they pleased: Mat. 27.18. Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered him, the persecution of the King was a meer [Page] piece of envy; they had nothing to lay to his charge, nothing could they prove, nay, nothing did they pretend but some State and forged suggestions: John 11.48. If we let him alone all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our King and Nation. Because they were jealous of the Romans, therefore must he be taken away, whereas indeed the Romans were reserved to be the avengers of his bloud. The Romans came not till that time was come, in which his bloud was required of them and their children, vers. 12. Sometimes his charge is, he made himself a King, whereas indeed he was no admitted, no elected, but a native King, born King of the Jews, Mat. 2.2. yea in vers. 7. He ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God; see the peevishnesse of envy, they accuse him for being what he could not but be from all eternity, the begotten of the Father, and no sooner born, then born a King; and yet because the Son of God, and because a King, he must die the death; yea, yet tis worth the time to [Page] see, how when Envy and Malice persecutes, so the person fals, they care not by what means; care not to ruine themselves, so they see but his fall: The chief Priests in my Text, those who pretended their King must therefore die, because if not, Venient Romani, the Romans will come in, even these, rather then he shall not die, will lay down even their own necks to the Roman servitude; for as if they were the fast friends, and greatest honourers of Caesar, who but they cry out, We have no King but Caesar? Crucifie Christ, destroy Jesus, for behold we are for the Roman party, no King but Caesar.

They who know any thing of the Jewish story, cannot but know Caesar, the Roman foraine power, those were to the Jews the most hatefull things under Heaven: and yet to glut their spleen, and to satisfie their envy, behold Caesar preferred to Christ, and a foraine jurisdiction before their own King: to such a madnesse are men brought, when leaving judgement and conscience, they follow the wilde byas of corrupt affections.

[Page]I shall conclude this point with that of the Prophet Isay, Isa. 8. 6. For as much as the people refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly, for as much as this people, for as much as the Jewes, would not have him to reign over them, who like the waters of Shiloah, was meek, calme and quiet, behold what the Lord threatned, and they found, now therefore saith the Lord, vers. 7. I will bring upon them Waters of the River, strong and many: they who could not be content with a calme, behold the Lord threatneth to send them a tempest; they who must needs make away a quiet and a peaceable King, a King of their own, upon such the Lord threatens, and hath sent the waters of the River strong and many, and these, as it is in the same verse, shall come up over all his Channels, and go over all his bankes. And indeed what is juster then an inundation, even of bloud it self, to sweep away such a people who have broken down all the bankes, violated all the muniments, and loosned, all the ties of Religion, Law, Reason, Conscience? [Page] for thus did Pilate, and thus did the Jewes, when the one for fear, and the other for envy, delivered to death the Lord of life: for as you have heard, the Judgement and Conscience of both concluded it was not lawfull, it was not warrantable to Crucifie a King.

And so passe from their Passion to our Saviours, from their judgement, to their Execution, and shall thence evidently prove this second Generall; That what Jew and Gentile do against Conscience, and Judgement, that they do most barbarously Crucifie a King. Judgement, Reason, Conscience, are those lights and gifts by which men are exalted and dignifyed above Beasts; so that indeed when Men degenerate from these, they became as Beasts, making as they do, only their Lusts and Passions to be their guides: and hence it comes, that whereas every man should be homo homini Deus, as a God and helper to another, most men are as the inverted saying, homo homini Lupus: speak I of Job? of David? or of the Lion? In my Text we have an example [Page] when the Superior fals in [...] the hand [...] of the Inferior; Asperius nihil est humili quum surgit in altum, Exalted beggery makes the exactest Tyrrannie▪ Satis est prostrasse Leoni, To the offended Lyon, to injured Majesty, submission may passe for satisfaction; but if the Lyon himself chance to be brought under, then as it is in the fable Calcat jacentem vulgus, The very Asse will finde a heel to kick him. Job. 29.25. Job, who when he dwelt as a King in the Army, when it pleased God to suffer him to be Plundred, Sequestred, and brought low, you shall read, whose Fathers he disdained to set with the dogs of his flock, Job 30.1. even these had him in derision. King David, though a good man, and a good King, yet in Psal. 35.15. In mine adversity, saith he, they rejoyced, they, who? It followeth, the Abjects, the very scumme of the people, gathered themselves together against me; and would you know how they used him? they did tear him and ceased not. But what speak I of Job? of David? or of the Lion? In my Text we have an example [Page] surpassing all; for when the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah fell into the hands of the Beasts of the people, when the King of the Jews fell into the hands of his Subjects, when God himself yeilded up himself unto the power of men; never was there such a piece of cruelty, as was then committed; never did Wolfe so use a Lamb, as the Lamb of God was used; for, which is the sum and Catastrophe of this wofull Tragedy, they Crucified their King.

Pilate who as you have heard, had the examination of the cause, when he had sifted and scanned all he could; when he heard all that could be said, and examined all that could be proved, his conclusion is, he could finde nothing but envy in the whole: Pilate knew that for envy they had delivered him, Mat. 27.18. And indeed this envy, though it grew not mature and to the height till now, yet we finde it begun even in the beginning of his reign: for what was it but envy which moved Herod to make him runne before he could go? what but ambition to the throne [Page] made him to seek his life? and indeed run through all his reign, and you shall find it was only the envy of his graces, that occasioned all affront [...] and disgrace unto him: For in the very hour and power of darknesse, such was the lustre of his innocence, that the President evidently saw it was for envy they delivered him: Gen. 37. you shall find how when Joseph the type of the King in my Text was envyed and hated of his Brethren (though they knew no evill in the World by him) yet they could not speak peaceably unto him, ver. 4. Envy is the bitterest persecutor in the World, Dan. 6.3. for as much as in Daniel there was an excellent spirit, the Princes who envied him (though they could quarrell at nothing but his piety) never left plotting against him, till they brought him to the Lions, v. 16. Our Blessed Lord the Soveraign in my Text, when envy took him to taske, it never gave over till it brought him to the grave; nor would envy bring him thither but after an envious manner, Crucifying and killing him, even all the day long, exactly [Page] verifying this our second observation, that what they did against Judgement, and Conscience, they did most barbarously. A glimpse of it I shall indevour to give you under these two heads:

1. The Nobleness of the sufferer, A King.

2. The ignoblenesse of his sufferings, They crucifyed him.

First, Let us look upon the Noblenesse of the sufferer, A King. It is a [...]a [...] much commended in this La [...] of ours, that no man shall be tryed but per Pares, by his equals, by his Peeres; and indeed there may be an excellent reason couched in it, for it is only Peers, only Equals, only such who are liable to the same casualties, who are truly compassionate, and throughly sensible of the like miseries.

Indeed sometimes, as the Father towards the Children, even so pater patriae, the Father of his Countrey, the King and Ruler of his people, he is touched with, is tender and sensible of the grievances and pressures of his people; and for this very end it was, the King in my Text was born, [Page] for this very end it was he dyed, he was both the Saviour and Martyr of his people.

But so rare is a reciprocall Sympathy from the people to the King, that it is not improbable, therefore the King is above their Judgement, because amongst his Subjects he can have no Peers, none of his own rank, no equals, and therefore no impartiall Judges of his sufferings.

And of this there can be no greater President, then the person in my Text; for as there was never any sorrow like his sorrow, even so never lesse regard then he had; for behold a King upon the Crosse, and his Subjects reviling, mocking, and deriding of him: so that indeed before we can be truly and throughly sensible of this passion, of the passion of a King, we must put on higher then ordinary affections, we must be exalted, and through the grace of his bloud, Rev. 1.6. we must be made Kings our selves, that is, men of more high and royall conceptions; we must take it into a very serious consideration, how great a person, how [Page] Noble, how Royall he was that suffered for us.

I know there are some in the world, who are ready to say, what is a King but a man? As if there were nothing more in a King, then in an ordinary capacity: whereas to any man minding the book of God, it is evident, the King is far above his People, as the Hill above the Vale, or the Bramble below the Cedar: Gen. 17. When God renewed his Covenant, and promised a blessing extraordinary unto Abraham, he tels him, that he will not only make him exceeding fruitfull, but he would add this blessing also, Kings shall come out of thee, vers. 6.

Now if to be the Father of Kings were no more, then to be the Father of ordinary men, God in saying, Kings shall come out of thee, had said just nothing; and yet God, you see, as a speciall and singular favour, after the promise of a numerous issue, even of whole Nations, adds, as more then all that, Kings shall come out of thee; so that Kings in Gods esteem are more then ordinary men, more [Page] then whole Nations. As God, so the man after Gods own heart, he thought, and knew so highly of a King, that he taxes it as one of the greatest favours upon Earth, to be allied to a King: 1 Sam. 18.23. Is it a light thing to be Sonne in Law to a King? Yea, that cursed wretch Jesabell, who though she was full of bloud and iniquity, yet saith Jeh [...] (then acting by Gods Spirit) in 2 Kings 9.34. Bury her, for she is a Kings Daughter.

So that indeed, if we should weigh Kings in the ballance of the Sanctuary, it will be found that Kings will weigh much more than ordinary men: Whereas then it is said in my Text, Shall I Crucifie your King? We shall betray the passion, if we take not serious cognizance of the Subjects.

When Divines meditate, and speak of the Incarnation, we thinke it no mean portion, of that great blessing that God hath pleased to send, not some new Creature, not an Angell, not a Seraphim, but his Sonne, that the Sonne became flesh, that God [Page] blessed for ever, would become a Babe, this it even astonished apprehension.

Now as it is not possible we should conceive as we ought, of the Incarnation, unlesse we consider who was Incarnate, and who it was took flesh upon him: even so of the Passion, Agony, and bitternesse of his sufferings, we can never take any tolerable estimate, or any valuable proportion, unlesse consideration be first had of the noblenesse, and who was the person that did suffer: God (qui omnia disponit suaviter) who sweetly disposes all things, though he had been pleased his Son should be borne, yet had not his wisdome had use of this relation, he would never have had him been born a King; or had he been born a King, he would never have taken such order for the proclamation of it; he would never have brought wise men to Jerusalem, to proclaime him King, neither would he ever have so guided the pen of Pilate, as to write upon the Crosse, Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes; but that his will was [Page] and is, we should look upon him a King, as well as a Saviour.

Amongst us men (even the most envious of us) we look upon the fault and failings of Kings, as the most eminent wickednesse. A wicked King, a Tyrant, a Murtherer, we thinke the most execrable of all sinners; as some thought of those, on whom the Tower of Siloe fell, Luk. 13.4. even so men generally hold of wicked Princes, even that they are sinners above them, that dwell about them.

To apply this then to our present purpose, if it be so that the eminency of Princes, and the excellency of Kings so dignifie and exalt their persons, that the same crimes in them are much more abominable, then in meaner persons; certainly then as their crimes, even so their sufferings must be proportionably aggravated by their persons the sufferings of a King must needs be as far beyond the sufferings of a Subject, as are the sins of a Prince beyond the sins of a Peasant.

Whereas then the person in my [Page] Text is a suffering King, we must not look upon his Sufferings as the sufferings of an ordinary person, for look by how much his person, by so much doth his Passion exceed the Sons of men; for if it be (as doubtlesse it is) a great amplification of Gods goodnesse, that he who suffered was a Son, it must yet be more that this Son was a King: for as an extraordinary favour of God to his people Israel, as the Psalmist sayes, Psal. 136.17, 18. He smote great Kings, and flew mighty Kings for their sakes.

When Kings suffer, Heaven hath a great hand in it, 2 Sam. 18. The people of God, the Children of Israel, would not let David their King go out to battaile with them, because say they in the 3. ver. Thou art worth ten thousands of us: The Sufferings of the King must have at least this valuation, for as God knowes how many thousands suffer in a King, even so we may as soon count the Stars, as say for how many millions of men this King did suffer.

A reason then why this Sonne of God, blessed for ever, was not only [Page] born of a Virgin, but born a King, and dyed a King; A reason of this may very well be, because he was to suffer the bitterest of all torments, because he was to suffer sorrow beyond Parallel, because he was to suffer such sorrow, like to which there was no sorrow; and this as man he could not have done, had he not been put into the most high and most honourable condition. For whether we look upon the tendernesse of his constitution, the exquisitenesse of his torture, the anguish and duration of the whole; all this had it been in the relation of a Subject, all this had it been in him, as a person of low condition, could not have amounted to what he did; for neither tendernesse nor torture, neither pain nor shame, neither smart nor sorrow, is so considerable and so valuable in any, as a Royall Subject.

Whereas then, the Sufferer in my Text, is not only a God, but a King also; not only a Saviour but a Soveraigne, in what capacity soever we look upon him, whether it be as God, or wether it be as Man: He was the [Page] only Supreme, and Soveraign sufferer in the world.

Passe we then from the noblenesse of the Sufferer, to take a glimpse of the ignobleness of his Passion, implyed in this word Crucifie, they Crucifyed their King, ver. 11. It was said of old, Multorum manibus grande levatur opus, many hands make light worke; but if we would piercingly and exactly look upon this Passion, upon this murthering of a King, we shall finde many hands indeed, but for work the heaviest that ever was read of; and how could it well be other, when the miseries of this poor King was to satisfie the malice of two parties? Mat. 27.1. When the morning was come, all the chief Priests, and as the Greek hath it▪ the lay-Presbyters, or the Elders of the people, took counsell against Jesus to put him to death; they who prepared, plotted, and purposed their Kings destruction, they who raised an Army, and sent Swords and staves to apprehend him, these were (you see) an Assembly of Priests and Elders, yet these were not they that did the deed, these [Page] were not the Executioners, these Voted, but these did not Crucifie: Now in verse 27. of the same Chapter, you shall find the Souldiers of the Governours took Jesus into the common Hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of Souldiers, and they stripped him, they fooled him, verse 28. they crowned, they mockt him, they spit upon him, verse 29. and when they had sported enough at his sorrowes, then in the 35. verse of the Chapter, They Crucified him; they (not the Presbyters or Elders) but the Souldiers brought him to the block, they Crucified him. Not barely and simply put him to death, but they put him ad mortem erucis, to the death of the Crosse; and indeed this had not been Envies Master-piece, had it not been so, had they not cloathed him with shame▪ as well as macerated him with pain; had they not put him as well to an ignominious, as an irksome death, Envy would have seemed too dull, and too cool a persecutor.

And therefore to expresse the zeal and activity of their cruelty, it is not said here, they slew, but they Crucified [Page] him, that is, they inflicted on him the extremity of shame, sorrow, death. To a person of Honour, and especially to the fountain of Honour, to a King, shame and dishonour, it is bitterer then death: so that indeed it is hard to say, whether the disposition to, and manner of his death, was not more affliction to the King, then death it self: for if we look upon these three particulars (though we must passe over a thousand bitternesses:)

1. What was done before they brought him to the Court of Justice?

2. What was done there?

3. What after Sentence? we shall finde there was nothing done, but what speaks Tyranny and Malice.

For first, to take off the appearance of their Envy, and to make Malice seem zeal unto the publick: behold the King must be brought as a Prisoner to the Barre, and as a Malefactor before the Court of Justice: but if we observe the Tryall, we shall finde nothing but envy and Malice in it.

For in a place I now cited, Mat. 27.7.

[Page]I shewed unto you how the Priests and Elders took counsell against Jesus to put him to death, before ever they brought him to the Court of Justice, before ever any Processe drawn, or witnesses found out, the Priests and Elders had resolved upon the question, they sate in Councell, and had agreed, the King must die, the President must and should give the Sentence of death upon him: So that indeed the bringing him before a Judge, the bringing the King before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate, this his appearance at four severall Courts, it was only to put a faire Face upon an ugly Sentence, it only was, by the mockery of justice to cloak the cruelty of malice; for before ever he came thither, the Councell had determined, Jesus their King must die.

Secondly, see the carriage of the businesse when it came there, and we shall finde that he was not tryed by any course of Law, or by any legall principles: for if we look upon him as before Caiaphas, before the chief Priests and the Elders, Mat. 26.59. [Page] we shall find that all his Judges were parties, for the Scripture expresly saith, the chief Priests and Elders, and all the Councell sought false witnesse against Jesus, all the Councell, all that sate his Judges, or that did rise up in Judgment against him, they conspired and plotted how to put their King to death; or look we upon him as he stood before Pilate, before the President, and we shall finde it was the Multitude, it was the Tumult, it was Voices, not Law, that carryed the cause against him. When Pilate saw that he could not prevail any thing, but that rather a Tumult was made, Mat. 27.24. then he released Barabbas, and delivered Jesus to be Crucified; Tumult and Votes, not Law or Justice, brought the King unto his Crosse.

Indeed in the 25. ver. of the said 27. Chapter of St. Matthew it is written, Then answered all the people, his bloud be on us, and our children; the chiefe Priests and Elders, the prime and close managers of this designe, they interest and intitle the people to it, as if this had been an Act of the whole [Page] people, as if it had been the peoples desire to have their King cut off, all the people said, his bloud be upon us, and upon our Children. Whereas indeed if we look close into the story, we shall find, that had the people been let alone, they would have been as they were some five dayes before, all for the King, they would have prosecuted their former engagement, and have brought their King to his City with safety and honour; they were more inclinable, as it is in Mat. 21. to cry Hosanna, then Crucifie, and had rather have strowed their garments in his way, then have imbrewed his in bloud: Mat. 27.20. The chiefe Priests and Elders perswaded the multitude, the Leaders and Commanders they over-ruled the people; yea if it were as hard to get into Pilates, as it was into Caiapha [...] Court, there might then be more, or at least but few present at his tryall▪ but such who were the Creatures and followers of the chief Priests and Elders; for you shall finde in the 18. of Saint John and the 17. verse, That the doore was shut, and Sain [...] [Page] Peter got not in, but upon the interest of St. John; and no wonder if they spake as they were taught, Crucifie him, Crucifie him: yea, St. Peter in Acts▪ 3.17. imputes it to the ignorance of the people, which Pilate flatly layes to the fury of Rulers▪ and indeed, no People, nor Rulers, but were extreamly ignorant of what they did, when they did this, the foulest of attempts, Crucifie their King.

Thirdly▪ as you have seen what they did before they came unto the Court, and how things were carryed there, even so if we look upon what was done after Sentence, we shall finde nothing but Cruelty, nothing but a studiyd mixture of Infamy and Sorrowes.

And this wil appear from these two things,

1. The place.

2. The Instrument of his death.

First, the place, Jerusalem, the Royall City, the City of David; and must it not needs be an aggravation of shame, and sorrow for the Sonne of David, for the King of Sion, there to lay his head upon the block, there to wear a Crowne of [Page] Thornes, and there judicially to be put to death, where he, and he only should have sate upon the Throne? Indeed it was not done before his Palace, it was not done before his own doors, but it was done in Occidentali parte, it was done in the West part of the City, it was there done where it might bring most disgust and distaste upon him. Mans Calvariae, id est decollatorum, Mount Calvary, that is, according to Jerome, the place of common Execution, the place where Malefactors were beheaded; now there where that same day a couple of theeves were to be put to death, there, and in the midst of them (as if he had been like to one of them) as a Tyrant, a Traytor, a Murtherer, and a publick enemy, they Crucifyed their King, and they put to death even the Lord of glory: So that indeed, not only the place, but the very instrument of his death, that he should be nayled to the Crosse, be numbred among transgressors, and dye a Malefactor, this is to a King, to a righteous innocent King, a thing bitterer then death.

[Page]Secondly, And in a word then to conclude this point, when the Jews were so Rebellious as to conspire and attempt the Killing of their King, they added this wickednesse above all, they killed him after the most ignominious way, after the most irksome and tedious invention, that those times had.

They were not so mercifull as to lay an Axe unto his throat, or a Sword unto his Heart, but in the places most remote, in the Hands and Feet, where they might multiply anguish, and not hasten death; where they might wound, but not kill; where they might afflict, but not dispatch; there they tormented, there they tortured, there they studyed to grieve and vex his righteous Soul: So that of all the sad spectacles under Heaven, of all the cruelties that ever the Beasts of the people presented to the world, there is none like to oppressed Majesty: never is Ambition, Envy, Malice, or what brutish affection soever so predominant, never is Rage and Fury so highly, and so full fed as when it drinks the bloud Royall; [Page] So that the saddest object that was ever yet recorded, it was this in my Text▪ the Betraying, the Buying, the Arraigning, the Deriding, and the Crucifying of their King.

Pilate abhorred and yet gave way unto it, the Jews denied and abju [...]d it▪ yet did it; they were ashamed to own▪ yet not affraid to act the villany, Shall I Crucifie your King? saith Pilate, and do you think we would? say the Jews. We have no King but Caesar. A plain evidence that it was Fear, Passion, Envy, which against all Conscience, Law, Right or Reason, thus barberously used a King: So that all now remaining, is to see what use we should make of it, and that I shall dispatch under these three heads.

1. It should teach us to be patient.

2. It should teach us to be charitable.

3. It should teach us to be penitent.

First, it should teach us to be patient, looking in all our crosses and troubles on a Crucified King. Well known is that Motto, Bona agere, & mala pati Regium est, To do good, [Page] and suffer evill, it is a Royall, and Kingly part; and indeed never did any King so act this part, as the King in my Text; for if we look upon his concessions, and acts of grace, we shall find that they were beyond all that were ever granted.

And on the otherside, if we look upon the injuries and indignities he suffered, if we look upon the provocations, and vexations, the Insolence and Malice, Jealousies and Feares did heap upon him, we shall finde him a Patient beyond President, so that indeed it is hard to say, whether this King did more good, or suffered more evill for us; such good he did, that except the integrety of his soul, he Sacrificed all the rest.

Such evill he endured, he lost but all which man could deprive him of; such good he did, that preserving what might make him a Saviour, he gave up even all, as he was a Soveraign; such evill he indured, that those very wretches, for whom he suffered, triumphed in his miseries, and (though his Subjects) gloried to insult upon him. So that indeed there [Page] cannot be an exacter piece of patience then this harrowed and Crucified King: 1 Pet. 2.2. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

Our King not only suffered for satisfaction, but also for imitation; so that indeed we are not only to look upon him as a Saviour, but also as a sufferer; not only who suffered for us, but also as one who made himselfe an example to teach us to suffer▪ and indeed in what can we suffer, in which we have not him for an example? Honour, Freedome, Estate, Friends, Life, these are the darlings that we dote upon; and in which of these can we so deeply suffer in, as our King did? In Honour we cannot, for his is the Throne, and ours but the Footstoole; he the Fountaine, and we but the wast of his fulnesse. And yet in point of Honour never was such a sufferer as he was, and indeed they could never have made him such a sufferer, had they not first wounded, and devested him of his Honour: we shall see in Num. 16. that grand and first conspiracy of [Page] Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, it began with aspersions, and calumniating authority, vers. 3. Ye take too much upon you, they endevoured to make Moses and Aaron appeare Tyrants, and usurpers upon the people: even so when the Jews had a designe and a desire to Crucifie their King, the first thing they endevour is, to make him odious, and to lay (they care not how false, so prevalent) Treasons, misdemeanours, or any things hatefull to his charge, John 2.17. of whom it is there written, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up, even him they accuse and traduce unto the people, as one who would destroy the Temple. He of whom it was written, By me Kings Reign, he who gave it in expresse charge, Matth. 22.21. To give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, yet even he, Luke 22.2. stands there indicted for forbidding tribute to be paid to Caesar, and for being no friend to Caesar. He who indeed was ipsa veritas, Truth it self, him they charge as an Impostor, or a Deceiver; He in whose mouth there was found no [Page] guile, he who was as a Lamb with out spot, even him as a Malefactor and a Villain, they deliver up. He who was the only one to save, him they traduce, and charge for the perverter of the people. Now I beseech you, which of us should not with al [...] patience heare, and bear the calumny of the people? which of us shoul [...] no arme against accusations, slanders▪ and evill Tongues, when you see the King of Glory, the King of Righteousnesse, the King of Peace, he had his honour laid in the dust, and had those things, which he never thought▪ much lesse did, laid to his charge. Are we accused for Popish perverters of Religion, and as a Roman party? It is no more then our King was, who was charged to destroy that Temple, of whose least profanation he was extreamly zealous. Are we defamed, reviled, persecuted, and undone, for what we never either thought or did▪ 'Tis but our Kings cafe. Should we be mocked as fools, spit upon as Jews▪ whipt as rogues, boxt as boyes, and all this injuriously too? Yet in all things we have a Royall President, a [Page] King, and the best of Kings suffering all this. So that in point of honour, never was a greater violation then what he suffered; first the Funerall of his Honour, and then the Obsequies of himself.

Again, as Dishonour, even so Restraint, it is a pressing grievance, especially when the estate that should sweeten, and the Friends that should comfort, are taken also; and yet if it please God to put us to it, it is no more then his own Son, no more then his own Anointed, no more then the King endured. In the 18▪ of John, ver. 12. The Band, the Captaine, and Officers of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him; the Souldiers not only took, but bound the King; not only so, but so disquieted him, that as if they had a desire to have distracted him, they suffered not his eyes to sleep, nor the Temples of his head to take any rest: Yea, not only so, but they crowned him with thornes, and so amazed him with cruelty, that had not he been more King of his Passions, then of his Subjects, miseries and sorrowes would have prevented the Court of Justice.

[Page]Nor do they only take his Freedome, but his Revenue also, dividin [...] his garments, as 'tis in the 23. verse ▪ and casting lots for his coat. As fo [...] his allowance, we can read of nothing but gall, and vinegar; they fed hi [...] with nothing but reproach, scorn, an [...] the bread of affliction; yea, where [...] ordinary and common prisoners hav [...] the comfort of their friends, of th [...] twelve, till after Sentence we find no [...] so much as one, (not so much as [...] Chaplain with him.) So that inde [...] as a great aggravation of his misery and as a considerable augmentatio [...] of his sorrowes, the Prophet in hi [...] person saith, Isa. 63.3. I have trod [...] winepresse alone, and of the people the [...] was none with me: none who woul [...] carry comfort were suffered to have a [...]cesse, or addresse unto him. So that indeed, there was never such a captivity, never such a restraint, as this poor King had.

And therefore, should any of [...] come to that sad condition, as to lo [...] Freedome, Estate, and which is bitterer, the consolation of our Friends; let us still remember the Son of God, [Page] [...]he Son of David, the King of glory [...]ndured all this.

And yet there is a greater evidence [...]f his patience, then all this; and [...]hat is, in this last act, in his so patient [...]ubmitting to an unjust Sentence, in [...]he meek resignation of his sacred Majesty to the stool of wickednesse: [...]ohn 18.6. He no sooner said to the [...]arty that came to look him, I [...]m he, [...]ut for all their Swords and Staves, [...]hey went backwards and fell to the [...]round: a plain evidence that he [...]ad power within to have blasted [...]heir enterprise; but when he saw it was Gods will that those Savages [...]hould be his Instruments, when he [...]new his hour was come, then see his patience, he drinks the cup, carryeth [...]is own Crosse; and when he came to Calvary, when he came to that West where the Sun of righteousnesse was [...]o set, he laid his head upon the block, [...]retching his armes at length, and so [...] a Sheep to the slaughter, yeilds without murmuring to be made a Sa [...]rifice: So that if this example will [...]ot, I know not what can move us to [...]e patient.

[Page] Mat. 10.24. The Disciple is not above his Master, the Servant above his Lord. If then the King be bound in chaines, why should the Nobles murmur at linkes of Iron? If th [...] King, the Royall Heire, be cast ou [...] of his Inheritance, out of Kingdome [...] Why should Subjects repine and fre [...] at meaner losses? If the King were left comfortlesse, and trod the Wine-presse alone, what sorrow can befall us which is not of meaner consequence? In a word if the Heaven [...] have joyes and recompence enough for a suffering King, if to go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, be an advantagious change▪ there can then be neither Pleasure▪ nor Honour, nor any profit in thi [...] World so desirable, but it may an [...] ought to be patiently lost, for God glory, and the preservation of a goo [...] conscience. For therefore also migh [...] our Saviour die a King, to teach u [...] that no person is too great to suffe [...] for Gods sake; no Glory, no Reve [...] nues, no Treasure, no not the Crow [...] it self but is inferiour to a Conscience: St. Paul, Heb. 12. after he ha [...] [Page] [...]pent a long series of examples as the most prevalent of all Presidents, heat [...]ast brings in the sufferings of the King; exhorting in vers. 2. To look [...]nto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith, who for the j [...]y that was set be [...]ore him, endured the Crosse despising the [...]ame.

And indeed it was to no end after [...]im to bring any, for he was the su [...]reamest of all sufferers; so that what [...]olomon▪ Eccles. 2.12. sayes of the Action, [...]he same may I say of the Passion of a King, what can the man suffer, that [...]uffers after the King?

Behold then a Suffering King, [...]uffering in the strength of his years, [...] umbilico terrae, So sayes Beda of Calva [...]y. in the midst of the World, in the midst of his King [...]omes.

Behold John and Mary, and what [...]riends he had helplesse spectators, [...]ehold in Luk. 23.48. All the people [...]hat came together to that sight, be [...]olding the things which were done, [...]ote their breasts: and yet behold or all that, some of his Subjects such [...]nsolent revolters, that they exalt [...]nd triumph over their King, living, [Page] dying, dead; living, as you have heard, they accused him for a Malefactor, and what not? dying they upbraided him, and mocked, saying, Mat. 27.42. If thou be a King, shew thy selfe: dead, they insulted, saying, ver. 63. Impostor ille, We remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, After three dayes I will rise.

Come then in these sad times what crosse may come, be it the losse of credit, freedome, goods, friends, life, we have a patterne, and we are bound to look upon it; for, saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.3. Consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners; consider what the King suffered, and be thou patient.

The second use, as the consideration of a Crucifyed King, should move us to be patient, the Disciple not being above his Master; even so, if we survey the Patient, we shall finde an example as full of Charity as of Patience, Luk. 23.34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they doe.

Love and Charity, St. James cals them, [...], James 2.8. The Kingly, the Royall Law; and indeed [Page] the King in my Text, as an employment truly regall, fulfilled it to a title, and for proofe I shall need appeal no further, then to these his last words, Father forgive them; them, who? those even under whose Tyranny I now suffer, those that have been the causes, and contrivers of my death, those who have flead my skin, those who have furrowed my back, those who with Thornes have crowned my head, those who with their nailes, wounds and Crosses, have brought me to this present extremity, even them, forgive them, O my Father. Nor only doth he pray but plead for their forgivenesse, for he not onely saith, Father forgive them, but therefore forgive them, because they know not what they doe.

Should we look into our own souls or almost into any but a Royall breast, we shall finde another accompt, another temper; for we do not use to extenuate, but to aggravate our injuries, we do not use to excuse but to accuse our adversaries; what was done casually, we are apt [Page] to say was done purposely, and what was done ignorantly, we are apt to say was done wilfully: Whereas if you look upon the carriage and charity of the King, you shall finde him so far from heightning, that he lesseneth all his injuries, forgive them, for they know not what they do; what Pilate attributed to Envy, the King extenuates and imputes to ignorance, forgive them, for they know not.

And indeed Subjects do not know what it is to take away a King,Virg. Georg. lib. 4.—Rege incolumi mens omnibus una est, Amisso ruper [...] fidem: Look what the Poet sayes of the King of Bees, the same is as true of the King of men, in his safety lyeth theirs; for though the Crown be to him that wears it a wreath of cares, yet to the Subject it is vinculum pacis, his bond of peace: the Hive, so long as the King of Bees reigneth, it aboundeth with Honey, abides in safety, every, even the poorest Bee enjoyes its Cell; no plundering Droans, no sequestring Hornets, no dissension while he is in power, but (amisso) take him away, then it just happens to the poor Bees, [Page] as it did to the Subjects of this despised King: Mat. 26.31. Smite the Shepherd, and the Sheep shall be scattered; Crucifie the King, and farewell the Kingdom; so that very well might the Soveraign say, they did not know what they did, when they thus barbarously murthered and slew their King, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

And have not we here a lesson well worth the learning? Shall God and the King be charitable, and shall not we? Shall they forgive, and we persecute? Shall they be Mercifull, and we Tyrants one to another? It was worthy a King, and a King worthy our remembrance, who said, I thanke God, I never found but my pity was above my anger.

Had not the King in my Text been a King, whose wrath was much below his pity, of all men we had been most miserable. If so then we would have that in us, which we commended in others, that in us which we glorifie in our King, we must then not only magnifie, but imitate our King; we must judge charitably, [Page] forgive heartily our very enemies.

Our late Kings charity perswaded him, that it was not his person but his errors, which his Subjects Rebelled against; it was not their malice, but their scruples that put them upon it; just like the King in my Text, rather to weaknesse then wilfulnesse, rather to infirmity then to obstinacy, rather to ignorance then envy, he imputes the high miscarriages against him, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

I shall conclude this point with that Heroick,Plu. Mor. p. 422. and remarkable death of Phocion in Plutarchs Moralls, who when his Citizens had brought him to his last draught, a little before he took off his Hemlocks, they asked him if he had any thing else to say? whereupon addressing his speech unto his Son, he thus said, I charge thee, and beseech thee, not to carry any Rancor and Malice in thy heart to the Athenians for my death; he charged him as a King, and besought him as a Father, to bury all injuries in the grave with him: His last Memento, his last remembrance to his Son, was, remember thou revenge not.

[Page]Now if Magnanimity in a Heathen did this, what should charity in a Christian, especially being animated with such Royall Presidents as we are? Though our blessed King in my Text, suffered such indignities, even the foulest that malice could impose on Majesty, though they spit upon him, Whipt him, and upon his very Crosse derided him, yet in the bitternesse of that pain, behold his charity, Father forgive them.

And so I passe to the last use of this point, and that is, that it should make us penitent; for it will appear, that it was not his, but our sins; not his, but our Enormous crimes that Crucified the King: 1 Sam. 12.25. the Prophet tels the people thus, If ye shall do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both you and your King; not only ye, but your King, so that you see the wickednesse of a people may be the cause of a Kings destruction: If you do wickedly, not only you, but your King also shall come to ruine, ye and your King shall perish.

And indeed, which of us that is a Christian, doth not know that the [Page] King in my Text, was not only slain by, but even for his Subjects: Isa. 53.3. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, yea in vers. 7. He was cut off from the Land of the living, but still it was for the iniquity of his people, for i [...] straight followes, for the transgression of my people was he stricken; yea, not only of this King in my Text, but also of that good young King Josia: in the vulgar Latin it is thus written, Lam. 4.20. Cap [...]us est in peccatis nostris, The Anointed of the Lord is taken in our sins, for the sins of the people God took away their King. So that the losse of King, and a good King, may very well call for penitence.

That sad book of the Lamentations, it is conceived to be principally penned for the slaughter of their good King Josiah, for it is said, 2 Chron. 35.25. Behold they are written in the Lamentations, the Lamentations made for their good King they are upon Record, for indeed his losse was, as it appeares in the next Chapter, the forerunner of the losse of all.

[Page]The King in my Text (our blessed Lord and Saviour) when he had his Crosse upon his back, he was more troubled with the foresight of the misery of his people, then with his own death; and therefore saith, in Luk. 23.28. Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, bvt weep for your selves; weep not for me, saith the King, for I am passing unto glory; where I go, no disturbance can be, no distu [...]bance in the World, but to you the daughters and Inhabitants of Jerusalem, to you my death is the [...]arbinger of many deaths. For in the 29. vers. Behold the days are coming, in the which barrennesse shall be held a blessing; in which you will hold it easier to lie under the weightiest mountaine, then under the burthen of my bloud. You will rue the time, that ever you Crucified your King: And therefore, Weep not for me, but for your selves. And indeed, good Kings are sure Survivors must feel their losse: good Kings are sure they passe to peace, but seldome or never leave peace behind them. And therefore the taking away of a [Page] King, a good King, cals for penitence, and especially the taking away of this King.

In the fourth verse of our present Chapter, Behold saith Pilate, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know I finde no fault in him; a faultlesse King cannot be put to death without a fault: would you know then whose fault it was? It was Pilates fault, it was the Jews fault, it was the Gentiles fault, yea, which is more, it was thy fault, and my fault, it was the fault even of us, who live at this day, our sins as well as his Subjects voted him to death.

It was our Pride that brought him into derision, our Covetousnesse made him poor, our Pomp that stripped him, our Wrath that wounded him; It was our Drunkennesse that made him thirst, our Lust that procured his thornes, our Riot that drew his bloud: so that indeed it concerns not only the Jews, but even us also to be penitent; it concernes not only his immediate persecutors, but even us also to be humbled, and be cast downe for the death of our King; [Page] for not his Enormous crimes, but the Rebellion of his Subjects brought him to his end: Act. 3.19. when Saint Peter had laid before the Jewes the murther of their King, he exhorteth them in these words, Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out; no way to be delivered from the bloud of their King, but by penitence: they must repent that ever they voted, repent that ever they apprehended, repent that ever they Arraign'd, Condemn'd, and Crucified their King.

Pilate in all em [...]nent languages proclaimed their guilt, Hebrew, Greek and Latine spoke their shame; but not a Declaration in all the languages under heaven, not all the oratory in the world, no not any thing in the world but what St. Peter specifieth, nothing but acknowledgement, nothing but repentance can purge this guilt; Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.

The way to change our guilt into an Interest, the way to avoid the curse, and procure the blessing of this [Page] bloud, it is to be truly penitent, to be heartily sorrowfull, to be grieved and pricked at the very heart, that we have done that, for the which Royall and Divine Majesty did so deeply suffer. Nor only must we repent, saith St. Peter, but convert also; that is, we must set the King upon his throne, we must, as Saint Paul renders it, 2 Cor. 10.4. Pull down all strong holds, cast down every imagination, and bring every thought to the obedience of our King. For he who was despised, rejected of men, even he was the beloved, the Anointed of the Lord; he who was insolently▪ triumphed over, and trampled upon by his Subjects, yet even he was more then Conquerour; yea he, who was cut off from the Land of the living, even he yet liveth, and liveth the King of glory.

So that indeed, unlesse we be converted, unlesse we suffer him to raign over us, unlesse we kisse, reverence, and obey the Son, we perish from the right way, we cannot avoid the guilt of his bloud.

In a word, to conclude all with that [Page] in Rom. 8.17. If so be that we suffer with him, we sha [...]l also be glorifyed with him; if the King could not but by sufferings enter into his glory, why should we dream or reckon upon a smoother way? If he through Thorns and shame, through anguish, sorrow, and shamefull death; if he through bloud, even his own bloud, was forced to march unto his throne; how can we hope to sit on thrones, unless we will trample on thornes? No Crosse, no Crown. It is enough for the Servant to be as his Lord, enough for Christians (since their King before was not) even after death to be glorious.

And indeed, did we as he so look upon the joy that is set before us, as to spurne at the splendid vanities of this World, had we an Eye piercing into the Heavens, we would then, as did he, indure the Crosse, and despise the shame; we would not then to go to God much fear or care what man can do unto us. Let us then in all our sorrowes, all our sufferings, in all the changes and chances of these sad Times, remember we are [Page] the professed Servants of a Crucified King; of a King, who as to the immaturity, injustice, shame, scorn and cruelty of his death, suffered more then we can fear, and all this to take away the sting of our sufferings, to teach us looking upon him not to fear to suffer; to teach us that his sufferings are the sanctification of ours; to teach us not to value our bloud in his cause, who was pleased to shed his upon the Crosse for us. To that King then, who bore our shame, let us asscribe al honour; to that King that bare our sorrowes, let us give all praise; to that King who gave his life for us, let us give up our lives; so shall we, who believe him Crucified, behold him glorified, and out of his fulnesse receive such a glory, as shall never be taken from us. Which he vouchsafe, who was Crucifyed for us, Jesus Christ the righteous. To whom be all honour, and glory, now and for ever, Amen.

4

4

§

[Page]

THE GRAND CONSPIRACY OF Jews against their King. A Demonstration of the highest insolencies proceed from men of the lowest and most base Extractions. THE

Husbandmen Kill the Sonne.

Vine-dressers Kill the Heire.

Peasants Kill the Lords Anointed.

Virg. Aen. 12. v. 236.

Nos patria amissa Dominis parere superbis

Cogimur—

Herc. Oet. ad fin. Act. 2.

O quod superbae non habent unquam Domus,

Fidele semper Regibus nomen—

LONDON, Printed by E. C. for R. ROYSTON, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1654.

[Page]

[Page]

Herc. Oet. ad fin. Act. 2.‘ [...]—’

Homer. Iliad. 7. de foeminis Capt.

[...].

I. SIns of Ignorance, sins of Knowledge, some wittingly and some unwillingly, put the Heir to death.

II. Persons eminent either for Honour, or Holinesse, they are the most liable to Envy, Spleen, Hate and Malice. The Heir in whom Honour and Holinesse met in a most eminent degree, him above all others, did the Husbandmen put to the most Ignominie, and most affliction: Lam. 1.12.

III. Since Covetous and Ambitious persons fear no difficulties, the Conscientious and Religious should much lesse do it.

IV. All Conditions are comprehended under Coloni, to teach that all have somewhat so to Husband, as they will answer it to God himself.

[Page] V. Combined wickednesse and united Malice produceth strange villanies, what great great things then might united Devotions, and an associated piety bring about?

VI. Deliberation and reasoning within our selves, and among our selves, more requisite in Religion, and what concerneth God, then in Rebellion and murdering of the Heir.

VII. Sin must be nipt in the bud, for incredible even to sinners themselves are the mischiefs, to which a prevailing wickednesse may bring, witnesse Hazael, David, the Husbandmen in my Text.

[Page]

SERM. IV. Preached, 1649.

LUKE. 20.14.

This is the Heir, come let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

IN this Parable you have the Character of as good a Lord, and of as ungratefull a people as ever lived; a Lord, who for the good of his Vineyard, and for the welfare of his people, did all that could be done: And a people, who for the Ruine, Dishonour, and Disadvantage of this good Lord, most unthankfully did no lesse, then even all they could doe.

The good endevours of the Lord, you may read in these words,Isa. 5.3, 4. O Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge I pray you between me and[Page]my Vineyard; Serm. 4. what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done to it? The good Lord, though indeed our God and our King, He puts himself upon his people, he would have the Vineyard, to say whether he had not done his part! And indeed, for a thriving Vineyard, or for an happy people, what had he not provided? What had not he condescended to?

A good Soil, Heaven watered not a better: A good fence, for no Nation better Laws: A strong Tower; no Church better Ordinances. And, (to keep a right understanding between him and his) Messenger after Messenger, Prophet after Prophet, yea he sent his own Son to compose all differences.

But see the Rebellious ingratitude of an ungodly Nation; That Lord, who crowned their Earth with fatnesse, him they crown with thorns: That Fence, which for their security this good Lord planted, they pull up; That Tower, which this good Lord fortified, they dismantle: Those Messengers which this good Lord [Page] sent, them they Murder; yea, to himself, who gave them Wine, they give Gall; and even him who kept every one of them peaceably under his own Vine, even him they Maliciously and Treacherously cast out of his own Vineyard; for so it is in the very next verse, They cast him out of the Vineyard, yea they said—This is the Heir, come let us kill him, &c.

In which words these generals are considerable;

1. A Confession. This is the Heir.

2. A Combination. Come, let us kill him.

3. An Ambitious instigation. That the inheritance may be ours.

In the confession these particulars.

1. Who this Heir was? Christus Domini,— The Lords Anointed.

2. What he was Heir to? A Kingdome at least—Rex Judeorum.

In the Combination.

1.

The quality and condition of the Combiners,

Agricolae.

Coloni.

Tenants.

Husbandmen

Farmers.

[Page]2. The manner of their Combining —They associated—Come.

3. Their Consultation—They reasoned among themselves.

4. Their conclusion. Let us kill him.

In the Ambitious Instigation.

1. An acknowledgement of the Heirs just Title—No Feoffee in Trust, no Elective owner but an Inheritance.

2. A Resolution to make themselves Successors to what he was Heir—That the Inheritance may be Ours.

First, We are [...] to begin with the Confession, This is the Heir.

Whether we look into the Acts, or into the Epistles of Saint Paul, we shall finde there was in this great businesse, in the making away of this Heir, and in the making away for his Inheritance, two sorts of people; one whose Originall designe it was, and others who meerly through Credulity and Ignorance were engaged in it.

1 Cor. 2.8. Had they known it, they would not have Crucified the Lord of [Page]glory: And I wot (now Brethren) through ignorance ye did it, Act. 3.17. as did also your Rulers.

Whether we look upon the Princes and Lords of Israel, or whether we look upon the Vulgar and Commons of the Land, some of both the Apostle doubteth not to say, through ignorance they did it, some of either knew not that that was the Heir.

But as some knew not, even so my Text positively affirms of other some, they knew it well enough; for they could directly say,—Hic est Haeres, this is the Heir; This is the person that is most considerable, this is he that must be remov'd, this is he that must be caught. Our plots are vain, the Dominion and Inheritance cannot be ours, unlesse this, this the Heir be taken away.

Point. 1 The lesson then for our Instruction is, That there are sins of Ignorance, and that there are sins of Knowledge; sinnes of Infirmity, and sinnes of Obstinacy; some wittingly, and some unwillingly killed the Heir. Some resolv'd to do it, though they knew it; some others indeed did it, [Page] but they knew not what they did.

Now it would seriously be considered, whether the sins that we do commit, yea and have committed even against the Heir, Gods Anointed, be sins of Ignorance, or sins of Obstinacy? Whether we sinned against this Heir, as not knowing of him to be our Soveraign, or because we knew to do our duty, might be a crossing of our Lusts, and an undoing to us.

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, these both knew and were well enough informed, that this was the Heir, they knew he was the King of Israel: But such was the fear and awe of the Jewes upon them, that they durst not appear for him. They durst not confesse and say, this is the Heir,Luk. 23.51 for though Joseph consented not to his death, yet we never finde that in his life he durst shew himself cleerly on his party. Indeed Nicodemus once gave him a visit, but it was in the night, as if it had been a work of darknesse to adore the light, or an act of Rebellion to do homage to his King. The Rulers, Lords, and [Page] Councell of State, what by his Declarations published by his Prophets, Treaties with him, and Answers from him, they were so far convinced, that even at their very Councell-Table, they were forced to say—If we let him alone, all men will believe on him;Joh. 11.47. yea so great and clear was the manifestation of his worth, and wisdom, that so far were the people undeceived, that even they cryed out,Mar. 7.37. Bene omnia fecit; he hath done all things well. So that though ignorance in some might abate more then in some others, yet so clearly were most convinced this was the Heir, that the guilt of wilful Murther it came heavily even upon the whole Nation.

It would then by us be seriously and timeously considered, whether those sins will be allowed as sins of Ignorance, which we act against Knowledge? or those sins of Infirmity which we act meerly to save a peny, or to satsfie a Lust?

This is the Heir. As the ungratefull Husbandmen could not but confesse, this whom we intend so much mischief to, and dishonour against, [Page] is the Heir. Even so, which of us is it that cannot say, this is the will of God, thus God will have it; and yet for all that, as the Husbandmen against the Heir, even so we Rebell and engage even against Gods will.

This is the Heir, and this Heir he was Christus Domini, the Lords Anointed, for this is that Heir of whom it is written, Heb. 1.2. In these last dayes he hath spoken by his Sonne, whom he hath appointed Heir of all things. This is that Sonne and Heir, who is said to be the Lord, the Christ, the Anointed of God;Act. 4.26, 27. And indeed his being thus, his being Gods Anointed, his being such an Heir as had no superiour but his Father, no equall upon earth; His being such an Heir, as was next and immediate under God, such an Heir as was not simply the Landlord, but the King of the Vineyard, The Covenanting and Combining and making an head against such an Heir: This, this is the Treason, the Villany, and the abomination in the Text. So that the point for instruction may be this,

[Page] Point. 2 Persons Eminent, either for Honour or for holinesse, they are (of all other) the most liable to Envy, Spleene, Hate and Malice. Ʋncti Domini, The Lords Anointed, Priests, and Princes, they are of all conditions most hated, and (to their power) most abus'd and scorn'd by Vulgar people.

Psal. 98.1. Dominus regnavit, iraseantur populi, The Lord hath raigned (and as St. Augustine infers) the people are vext, and angry at it. They would not that God himself should be a King; for the most part, the people are of their seditious temper,Numb. 16.3. who cryed out, All the Congregation is Holy, all as fit to rule as Moses and Aaron.

Homines nulli magis repugnant, quam illi contra quem sentiunt imperium tenere. Vid. Keck. in Politic. pag. 173. Xenophon long since (though he excepteth Cyrus) told the World, men are so averse to none, as to him they finde to hold the Reins, and to beare rule over them. And Plutarch in a Tract of his, Omni populo inest aliquod Malignum, & querulum in imperantes — People are generally [Page] Malignant and querulous against their Governors; yea, saith Seneca—quamvis id agat princeps, ut ne quis merito te oderit, erunt tamen semper qui te oderint. Though thou being a Prince, dost nothing whereby any one should deservedly hate thee, yet for all that there will be alwayes some that will hate thee. And though our English Translation doth not speak it out— Tremelius as a Text of Gods owne word thus translates it, — Non esse finem ulli populo de ullo qui praesit ipsis, The people are never content with their Governour: And then in his Comment addes,Eccles. 4.12.—Populus, ne quidem in Sapiente principe, sive Rege, acquiescit, The people will not be content, no not with a wise King. And indeed we have had evidence enough, yea, too much of this truth; For though the Heire in my Text was Gods owne Sonne, of the same Essence, Wisdome and goodnesse with the Father, yet content he could not give you, such discontent the Abjects, and his Subjects tooke at him, that they fear'd not to say, This is the Heire, this is he that stands between [Page] us and a Kingdome, come let us combine, and kill him. So averse to Honour and Authority, are an undisciplin'd Multitude, that though God send them a King from Heaven, send downe his owne Sonne to be their King, they will not Reverence, nay they will not suffer him so much as to live among them. This is the Heire, come let us kill him—

Secondly, as I have shewed who this Heire was, Christus Domini, the Lords Anointed, we must now consider what he was Heire of. And for that, to any one who please to peruse his writings, there will appeare evidence enough; for whether we consider his Birthright, or his Inauguration; whether we consider what he was born to, or what he was invested with, we shall finde he had a Princely, yea, a Royall Inheritance.

His Birth-right, that we have in these words,Mat. 2.2. Where is he that is borne King of the Jews? He was borne a King, but indeed it was but a petty Kingdome he was born to. The Land of Jury, and the Kingdome of the Jewes, it was but a small Dominion. [Page] But if we consider his Inauguration, and the Additionalls to his Birth right, we shall then finde him an Heire of great Consequence; For though where his Birth-right is spoken of, he is onely stiled King of the Jewes, yet if we looke upon his Investiture, and Gods Designation, we shall finde it was not onely the Land of Judea, but even the whole World was his inheritance. And therefore it is written,Heb. 1.2. The Son (who though born only King of the Jewes) yet Haeredem constituit, Hee hath appointed, and made him Heire of all things. And, Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, Psal. 2.8. and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy possession. So that as the Poets fondly intituled a Goddess of theirs to three Dominions, Diana upon Earth, Luna in Heaven, and Proserpina in Hell; even so really and truly this Heire had just title to Three mighty Kingdomes; To Heaven, and the Inhabitants thereof, by Creation; To Earth, and people thereof, by purchase; To Hell, and the vassals thereof, by Conquest; for it is written, [Page] Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands. John 13.3. And yet against a King of three Kingdomes, behold a Conspiracy, This is the Heire, come let us kill him. Whence the point of Instruction may bee this,

Point. 3 Since the Covetous and Ambitious feare not difficulties, the Religious and Conscientious should much lesse doe it.

Behold in my Text a Prince of Power, a Solomon, yea a greater than Solomon; and yea behold the Covetous and the Ambitious; They neither feare his Power, nor Reverence his Wisdome; neither Regard his Majesty, nor feare his Judgements; But on they go, yea on they so industriously did goe, that notwithstanding he was Gods Anointed; notwithstanding their King, notwithstanding so True, and so Right an Heire, they kill and cast him out of his own Inheritance.

Shall now Rebellion be thus active? and shall Religion bee dull and sluggish? Can Covetousnesse and Ambition so heat and heighten the Spirits, [Page] that men attain to base ends, will venture through a Sea of Bloud! yea, to unthrone a King! Certainly then, to attaine the Kingdome of Heaven, to be a co-heire with the Heire in my Text, and to gaine a glorious and Righteous Inheritance; This should move the Conscientious, and the Religious to Master all Difficulties. For, if the Husbandman spared nothing they could doe, to take away the Glory, and to take away the Inheritance from him, whom they knew and confessed to be the undoubted Heire; What should not we, who are listed under his name, what should not we who glory to be called Christians? what should not we doe to restore the Heire unto his owne, and to recount unto Christ all glory possible? I am even asham'd to say it, and yet most true it is, thousands and ten thousands take more pains, and are at more cost to descend to Hell, than the most of Christians are to ascend, and get to Heaven. So that they who injure, wrong, and abuse the Heire, they who killed and cut off the Lords Anointed, they did and doe it a great [Page] deale more heartily, than doe we who professe to Honour, Worship, Glorifie, and be loyall Servants to him.

Rom. 8▪ 29▪ Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son—To the glorious and Beatificall Image of the Son, to this we all would and desire to be conformable: But to the Passionate Image, to the suffering condition of him, to be cast out of our own Vineyards for him, as he hath been for us, this we have not Christian patience enough to heare of.Phil. 3.10. And yet this (witnesse St. Paul) even the Fellowship of his sufferings, a Conformity to his death, as well as to his glory, is to be expected by us.

God forbid, God forbid, we should have such Difficulties between us and Heaven, as necessarily are between Husbandmen and a Kingdom: And yet, as it followeth, the Husbandmen did so combine, and so associate, they mastered all their Obstacles. And therefore if we would have a Kingdome, and that a Heavenly one, we must so resolve, as to Master all lets, [Page] which the better to incourage us in, we shall passe from the Confession to the Combination, to see whether this their Industrious mischiefe will not shame us into an Holy Industry. For that Husbandmen, Men of Earth, Terrae filii, that such as these should bee able to undermine such an Heire; This must needs inforce an unwearied Industry. Passe we then to a survey of it, in these words, Venite, Occidamus, Come let us kill him. And here I premised these foure particulars,

1. The quality and condition of the Combiners, Coloni, Husbandmen.

2. The manner of their Combining, —They associated. Venite, Come.

3. Their consultation. They reason'd among themselves.

4. Their Conclusion. Let us kill him.

First, of the quality and condition of the Combiners, and that you have in the beginning of this verse,—When the Husbandmen saw him.

By Husbandmen we must here understand even people of all Conditions, [Page] and indeed people of All Conditions are accessary to the Murther of this Heire. First, that by Husbandmen we are to understand not only Coloni, but as the Italian, Colonelli, not only the base, but the Honorable, not onely Clowns but Colonels, not only the people, but also the Priests, this is apparent, for it is written,Vers. 19.—The chiefe Priests and the Scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him— And that (as it followeth) for this very reason, because they perceived He had spoken this Parable against them—They perceived that they were in the account of these Husbandmen.

Secondly, not only chief Priests and Scribes, Lords and great ones, but also vulgar and meane ones, the very s [...]umme of the people were also concerned in it. And therefore you shall reade,Vers. 9.— He began to speak this Parable, ad plebem; He spake it to the people, to the Vulgar, to the Meaner sort. And indeed he very well knew it was their madnesse, that was to compleat this mischief, and their many hands that were to divide this Inheritance.

[Page] Point. 4 The point then for our instruction is, that whether High or Low, Rich or Poor, we are in the esteem of God, Coloni, Husbandmen. That is, every one of us hath somewhat so to Husband, as we will answer the Husbandry of it, to God himself.

Bern. super Cant. serm. 63. Viro sapienti vita sua est vinea. Every wise mans life and Conversation, is a Vineyard, whereof the Heire in my Text is and ought to be the Lord; So that indeed unlesse we bring forth fruit to him, unlesse we yeild to him the due Harvest of Tribute, Honour, and Obedience, unlesse our lives be such as speak his glory, we can scarce avoid the very guilt in my Text, which is the casting him out of his own. For, though the Heire in my Text, and the Lord of our Vineyard, is now taken away and in the Heavens, yet he may be, and daily is, cast out of his Vineyard; For if we obey not whom he hath appointed to succeed him; if we obey not his Lawes, and so order our lives (which are his Vineyards) as he hath given in command, what doe we but cast him out of his [Page] Vineyard? If our obstinate wils, like those Rebellious Citizens, cry—No [...]umus hunc Regnare, we will not that he rule over us, but we will be Laws unto our selves, are we not then resolv'd to be the Lords,Luke 19.14. and no more the Husbandmen?

Again, that all conditions are couched under this homely Appellative, Coloni, Husbandmen; This should teach us, that the proudest, and the highest of us are but in a subordinate condition; we are not Pares, we are not Peers, we are not Equals, we are not Co-ordinate with the Heire of the Vineyard; for we are Coloni, the Husbandmen, but the Heire he is Dominus Vineae, He is the Lord of the Vineyard.

Lastly, Whereas the Lord when he spake this parable directed his speech, [...], to the Plebeians, to Commons, to the Vulgar; a reason of this may be, because they are commonly sensible of no [...] injury but their own, at least of none above their own. Like that rich Churle Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.5. they are ready to say, who is David? Though David [Page]Gods Anointed, was a Protection, and a Wall of Defence unto him,Vers. 16. yet when David was in distresse, so little was this Clown affected with the Sufferings of a King, that you shall finde he prefers his Sheep shearers before a Soveraigne;Vers. 11. he would not spare of what he had provided for them, to give part unto a King. And just so it was with the Hinds, and Husbandmen in my Text; Of the Heire, and of his sufferings; of the Lord, and of his losings; of the Sonne and of his losses, the Husbandmen, the Farmers, the Occupiers and Tenants to the Vineyard they had no regard.Lam. 1.12. Yea, as if the very Demand of Rent it selfe had beene a grievance, when the Heire came in Person to demand his Due, they presently combine and say, come, come, this is the Heire, come, Now, this is the Time; Now we have the Heire in our power, now or never is the time to make us a Free People. And this is the second considerable in the Combination, They associated, Venite, Come.

And indeed without an association it could never have been done.

[Page]For so just an Heire, one who could doe nothing to forfeit his Inheritance; so great an Heire, one who had no Judge upon the Earth above him; so strong an Heire, as had the power of Kingdomes in his hand; so wise an Heire, that they Trembled to Treat with him;Luk. 2.47. being (as it is) astonished at his understanding, and Answers, —Such an Heire could not be robbed of his Birth-right, nor deprived of his Inheritance, but it must be done with violence, and that violence could never had hands enough, without an Association.

Point. 5 The point then for our Instruction is, to behold the strength of Combined wickednesse. How an united Malice produceth strange Villanies?Lessius de Jure & Iust. cap. de Magia. 45. Of the Devill himself it is observable, though he be the Prince of Darknesse, and hath in himselfe, a very powerfull Malice, yet, even he, unlesse united, cannot doe nigh so much mischief, as in Conjunction. And therefore when he hath any notable Villany to bring about, when he would effect and do such a Masterpiece, as this in my Text, to disinherit [Page] an Heire Royall, or subvert Kingdomes, he then doth, just as the Husbandmen in my Text did, He associates; He saith to the discontented and disaffected Sons of Men, Venite, come; Come and joyne but your Hands to my Head, and we will have our wills, such and such shall not raigne over us. And indeed to such an Associate and combined Malice, where the Devill is the Counsellor, and Man the Actor, God permits a great deale more mischiefe to be done, than he will to a single Malice. Yea, without peradventure, to an Association of Villanies (though all men) God permits much more than he will to any single Tyrant.

Act. 4.25. The Apostles speaking of the very Association in my Text, speaking of the people saith—The people imagine vaine things. But when there was to the people an Association of great ones—when as it followeth —The Kings of the Earth stood up, Verse 26. and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ: Then, as followeth in my Text, the Father gave such way unto [Page] this Malice, that they took, yea they killed the Heir.

The use we are to make of this point is, to take heed that we do not engage, and associate with the Devil, that we do not strengthen his malice; for he was not more busie to bring the Heire to his death, then he is at this hour to suppresse his Kingdome; he would not by any meanes that Christ should rule, or live within us; and yet sure we are, if we associate not,Mat. 16.18. the Gates of Hell cannot prevaile.

Again, Is it so, that an Association and a Combination in wickednesse strengthens the hands, and impowereth malice? what then would an Association in godlinesse and good things doe? Indeed Religion it self, if we attend the Word, it is only an Holy Combination, a Religation or Obligation to the things of God. Should we then but change that wicked Venite in my Text to that holy Venite of the Church; Did we but so come, and so worship, and so fall down before the Lord our Maker, as it behoveth penitents, and a chastised people; such [Page] an Association it would move even God himself to be our Helper; such an Association it would preserve every man in his Vineyard, and restore the right Heire unto his own. And so we shall passe from the Summons, to the Meeting, from the Association to the Consultation.

They reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the Heire, Come.

They reasoned among themselves. Their first meeting it is (as the French) Parlar, to parle, to consult, to lay the businesse; And indeed as there were many Hands to do it, so there was a need of many heads to plot it. And yet if you observe it, they were selected Heads,Inter seipsos in secreto consilio. Capit. super. Mat. 21. [...], They reasoned (not before others of another judgement, or before such as were true of heart, but) [...]. They reasoned among themselves, when there was none with them, but such as themselves▪ when they were as in a close Committee, then they reasoned upon this matter, then they took it into debate what should be done with the Heire.

[Page]The point then put to the question, and that which they were to reason of, we may finde by the connexion of the precedent to this present verse; for, saith the Father there,Vers. 13. I will send my beloved Sonne: and then followeth to what end, and that is to see whether they will reverence him, or no? Now upon this they meet, upon this they consult, and in the negative they conclude, and vote they will not reverence. So that their debate and reasonings, was probably upon these two heads:

1. Upon what they had done.

2. Upon what they were resolv'd to doe: And both these we have within the confines of our parable.

First, an Epitome of what they had done, we have in the 10.11. and 12. verses; and that briefly is, A contempt of their Lord, in the abuse of his Messengers.Mat. 21.35. And indeed the first step to pull down the Master it is to trample upon the Minister; They beat, they put to shame, yea they put to Death such as were sent unto them. Not onely did they deny their Duties, to pay their Tribute, and to send [Page] fruit; but as if those whom the Father sent, had been so many Evill Counsellors, they take, and hang them up as Male-factors. Yea, and that they then doe, when indeed all their messages were messages of peace.

Now having been not only rebellious in denying their Obedience, but also ungratefull, even unto bloud, in the slaughter of the Prophets▪ The Husbandmen might very well fall a Reasoning what was now to be done, whether Reverence, or Resistance, whether a Submission to the Heire; with an Act of pardon and Oblivion? Or a proceeding to higher mischieves? which was to Revile, Rebell, and to cut off even the Heire himself▪ It is Resolv'd upon the question they will owne no guilt; They will confes [...] no fault, what they have done, whether in Ʋsurping the Vineyard, Denying their Dues, or Butchering the Messengers, they will acknowledge nothing. Yea, as if the Heire had necessitated, and put them upon all these villanies, they Resolve further, they will be Avenged upon the Heire, and that is the second point they Reason, [Page] and consult about—They Reasoned among themselves, saying, this is the Heire, come—let us take some order with him, let us so deale with him, that the Inheritance may be ours; so deale with him, that he may be countable to us, not we to him; In a word, they Reasoned, saying—This is the Heire, come let us kill him. So that the second and maine part of their Reasoning was how to dispose, and order what was requisite to this end; And indeed this required a great deale of Reasoning too. For, if we looke but upon vers. 5, 6. of this Chapter, we shall find they stood in such Awe of the people, that they durst not passe a rash judgement, no not upon the Baptisme of John, much lesse upon the Heire in the Text. And therefore they first reason among themselves how to take off the people, and how to make him despicable in their esteeme. And indeed, to summe up that long work in a word, this they did by taking his Revenew and his Honour from him. For take from the Heire his Vineyard, take even from Majesty it selfe what should [Page] support it, Reverence and Revenew, and then the Heire will be lookt upon more like a Carpenters Son, than the Lord of a Vineyard; so that in denying to reverence the Sonne, they rais'd a Scaffold for the ruine of him: And that's the Consequence of their Treaty, after they had reason'd among themselves, they conclude,— Occidamus, Let us kill him.

Point. 6 The point for our instruction then may be this, Is it so that the Husbandmen in my Text would not venture upon an Act of Rebellion, no not upon Oppression, nor Murther, but they would first meet, reasoning not only [...], but also [...]; reasoning not onely within themselves, but also among themseves? Certainly then, either Acts of Religion must be of lesse consequence than Acts of Rebellion, and the things of this World more to be stood upon, then the things of God, or else Consideration, Deliberation, and Reasoning both within our selves, and among our selves, is as requisite in the wayes of godlinesse, as in the wayes of wickednesse. Shall [Page] the Husbandmen reason and deliberate how to doe service to the Devil, and shall we think what comes first, or what lies uppermost, good enough to give unto our God? Certainly if an Assembly, Counsell, and Reasoning were found requisite for the disinheriting, and dishonouring of the Heire, we cannot be too carefull, too curious, or too considerate when we are about those performances, which must honour, and advance the Heire. The Husbandmen consulted, and Reason'd among themselves how they might kill the Heire: much more then concerns it us to Reason, Consult and study how to get this Heire to live and raigne with us. And so I passe to the last Act of this Horrid Combination—and that is the fatall and unparallel'd president and Conclusion—Occidamus, Let us kill him.

When Cataline was deeply engaged in his Conspiracy, He concluded, His ills were such, he could not be safe; but Audendo majora, by attempting greater. The Husbandmen in my Text, they had committed so [Page] many outrages, and so many enormous villanies against the Lord of the Vineyard,Hom. 69. oper▪ imperf. that, as Saint Chrysostome observes,—quum veniam peccatorum petiisse debuissent, When they should have come humbly to have crav'd pardon for them—just as seditious Cataline, scelere certant, they contend in wickedness, and priora ultimis superare contendunt, strive by the last to exceed the former. As Cain thought of his sins, even so thought these Husbandmen of their exorbitances, such they were as the Heire could never forgive, and therefore no safety but by his death,—Occidamus, even in our owne Defence we must kill him. And indeed from the killing of Prophets, to the killing of Kings, is an easie progresse. For as God Almighty (for their protection) thus coupled them—Touch not mine Anointed, Psal. 105.15. and doe my Prophets no harme, even so (in order to their Destruction) the Devill thus: First he teacheth to despise the Prophets, and to harme them; and then, to Men th [...] flesht, flesht in the scorne and bloud of Prophets, such they shall make [Page] nothing to touch, yea to cut off Gods Anointed.

Luke 13.34. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee. — When Jerusalem was grown so daring as to kill her Prophets, then when the Lord of the Prophets, when Gods Anointed, when the Heire himselfe came amongst them, they feare not to lay hands upon him, and to say,—Hic est Haeres, This is the Heire, —Occidamus, Let us kill him.

Point. 7 The point for our instruction is, that we crush the Crocodile in the Egge, and that we permit not sinne to grow and encroach upon us: for incredible (yea, even to our selves) are these mischiefs which a prevailing wickednesse may bring us to.

2 Kings 8. When the Prophet Elisha told Hazael, that the time would come in which he should fire the strong holds of Israel, slay the young men with the sword, dash their children. and rippe up the women with childe, Hazael was so amazed with this, that he cryeth out,—Is thy Servant a [Page]Dogge that hee should doe this? He thought it was not possible he should become such a Savage. And yet when, like the Husbandmen in my Text, when he had destroyed the Heire, and kill'd the King, when he had made himselfe Supreme, there was not a supreamer Tyrant in the World. In this Nation of ours, how many Hazaels are there? How many are there who have acted that, which seven or eight yeares agoe, they would have abhorred to have thought upon? Little did David when he first beheld Bathsheba, think upon the murthering of Ʋriah, and yet when Adultery had engag'd him, then (as if necessity had no Law) Ʋ riah must die to save his Credit. Engaged sinners they know not what they doe, they are just like to one who would maintaine a lie, and that cannot be done, but by multiplying of lies.

The Husbandmen in my Text, for as much as their proud soules would not acknowledge and confesse a guilt, there was no way in the World for them to justifie what they had acted, [Page] but to act it out; Their Swearing, Lying, Killing and Stealing, could not be made good, but by Stoning, Killing, Ʋndoing and Murthering of all Gain-sayers. As they dealt with the Prophets, so they were forc'd to deal with the Son, this is the Heir, this is he who will Sentence us, if we do not slay him, and therefore Occidamus, let us kill him.

Whosoever then would do his Duty, either towards God, or toward Man, he must nip in the bud what ever he findes but putting forth against it. 2 Cor. 10.5. The Apostle in behalfe of the Heir in my Text, challengeth length that every thought be brought into Captivity; and indeed unlesse we there stifle it, wickednesse will soon grow to what we never thought it would.

Eccles. 10.10. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought. Had the Husbandmen observed this Rule, had the Husbandmen preserved their thoughts, had they had the Son in Reverence there, Reverend thoughts would have been such a Religious curbe, they would never have proceeded [Page] to say, —Occidamus, Let us kill him. But when in stead of Reverence,Plutarch in Engl. p. 307. Envy, Spight, Covetousnesse, Ambition, and the thirst after Kingdomes, had filled their thoughts, when Husbandmen, like Agathocles, from making pots, began to thinke of making Lawes, and from the Forg [...] began to thinke of a Throne: No wonder then if they proceed to say This is the Heir, Venite, Occidamus come let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours. And so we ar [...] brought to the last considerable,

Their Ambitious Instigation, Th [...] the Inheritance may be ours.

And here are two points considerable,

1. An acknowledgment of th [...] Heirs just Title—No Feoffee i [...] Trust, no Elective owner, —B [...] an Inheritance.

2. A Resolution to make themselves successors to what he w [...] Heir,—That the Inheritance may [...] ours.

First, here is an acknowledgement [...] the Heires just Title, An Inheritance.

[Page]Inheritances they are lookt upon as the best of Titles, as including the most unquestionable of all properties. For he who is only a Feoffee in Trust, he hath only a relative Interest, and must be countable to those, for whom he is entrusted: He who hath only an Elective and Conditionall property, of his property the same may be said, that we proverbially say of Service, it is no Heritage. But he who comes as Heir into a possession, he who holds what he hath as Inheritance; such an one we look upon as an absolute owner, as one who so holds, that nothing but Treason or his own Exorbitances, can deprive him.

1 Kings 21. Poor Naboth, for as much as his Vineyard was his Inheritance, Ahab (though a King) could neither Command, nor Exchange, nor buy it of him. Jezabel her selfe was fain to lay blasphemy and Treason to his charge, yea,Ver. 10. to take away his life, before the Vineyard that was an Inheritance could be gotten from him.

Whereas then the Husbandmen in [Page] my Text, acknowledge the person whom they killed to be an Heir, and his Vineyard to be an Inheritance. The point for our Instruction may be this,

Point. 8 Ambition and Covetousnesse, as they fear no difficulties, so they stagger at no guilt. Those who are resolved to satisfie such Lusts, they make no conscience of any wayes, nor do they scruple at any wickednesse.

The Inheritance in my Text I have shewed unto you, it was not lesse then a Kingdome: Now in a Kingdome the two main things considerable, they are these, Power and Profit; and both these the Husbandmen confessed were none of theirs: both the Militia and the Reditus, both the Tower in the Vineyard, and the Fruits of the Vineyard, they acknowledge to be the Heirs, yea, they acknowledge it to be the Heirs Inheritance, to be undoubtedly his. And yet, so ambitious are they of the power, and so avaritious and covetous of the profits, that though his, and though his Inheritance, they thought it fit, and were resolved they would have it from him. [Page] And when thus resolved, no Guilt, no Villany, no not Bloud it self shall be scrupled at; Occidamus, let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours.

The Poet could long since say,

Juvenal. Satyr. 5. ver. 175.

—Quae Reverentia legum,

Quis metus, aut pudor est unquam properantis avari?

The covetous, and such as are resolved to enrich themselves, they neither reverence the Lawes, fear God, nor have any shame or honesty in them. Just like the Husbandmen in my Text, who though they knew the Heir, and knew his Title, knew what was his, and how it was his, yet against all the Law of man, against all the fear of God, yea, against all common shame and honesty, they are resolved to cast him out of his Vineyard, to seize what they acknowledge his, yea, his Inheritance, and to hold it as it were their own.

As Covetousnesse, even so Ambition, it driveth thorough all enormities: For as the Disciples, who that they might fit highest, and nighest unto the Heir in my Text, resolved [Page] they would be baptized with any Baptisme, Mat. 20.22 and drinke of any Cup: Even so they, who are resolved to build their Neasts, on high, they who are resolved to make themselves greater and higher then God would have them; Oathes, Titles, Laws, Conscience, or what ever barres a good Christian, they must all be held as Almanacks out of date, as Trifles, and not to be stood upon by such as they are.

It is reported of Agrippa, the Mother of Nero, that she was so highly besotted with the ambition of having a Sonne to be an Emperour, that she poysoned her Husband, and cared not herself for to be killed; so he might reign. If now ambition to make way for another, can make the wife to make away her Husband, be content her self for to be murthered; no wonder then if the Husbandmen in my Text, that they themselves might reign, and they themselves might have the Inheritance; no wonder if they, that the Vineyard might be theirs, reasoning among themselves, concluded, saying, This is the Heir, let us kill him, that [Page]the Inheritance may be ours. Ambitious and Covetous wretches they know not godlinesse, but gain, nor care whose that should be, which by craft, or power, they can make their own. Be it an Inheritance, and be it known to be so, yea, be it, his Inheritance, who is immediate Heir to the Almighty: be it the Inheritance of Gods anointed, even the Son of God, yet even his Inheritance (be the guilt what it may be) they are resolved to make their own; for though they confesse and acknowledge he had the Right and Title of Inheritance to his Vineyard, yet they say, Come let us kill him, that the Inheritance may be ours.

The use we ought to make of this point is, That we be content (as servants ought to be) to serve God, in what place, or office he please, and not proudly to thrust our selves into such places and dignities as he never ordained for us, or us for.

To be Husbandmen and Labourers in Gods Vineyard,Mat. 21. to this we have a Call, to this we are hired; But of Labourers to make our selves Lords, and from Husbandmen to make our selves [Page] Heirs: This is that we cannot do, but by running (as the Husbandmen in my Text did) even through hellish villanies.

Saty. 6.

Vos ego pupillos moneo, quibus amplior est Res,

Custodite Animas.—

Juvenal long since observed, when those who had the Wardship, and were only Guardians to rich Heirs, had a desire (as the Husbandmen) to make the Inheritance theirs: Then the next thought it was of Vipers, Mushromes, or some dispatching poysons: They who cannot be content in the conditions in which God hath placed them; those who will ride as Princes, when it is Gods Will they should walke as Servants; since they cannot reach their Ends, cannot feed their Ambition, cannot satisfie their Avarice, but they must leave the wayes of God, and to gain what the Devill proffers, —The Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them, they must fall down and worship, that is, agree to do even whatever he will have them.

1 Kings 21. When Jezabel without [Page] the usurpation of poor Naboths Vineyard could find no conveniency in a Kingdome, this pety covetousnesse it put her upon high designes, for she issued out the Kings Writs, summons and cals, as to a Court of Justice, the Elders and the Nobles, proclaimes a day of Humiliation, commands a Fast,Ver. 9. calls Naboth as to a Tryall, suborns Witnesses, overrules the Judges: And all this only with the mockery of Religion, and Justice, to cloak the cruelty of murther and oppression.

Now, if the thirst of such a petty thing as Naboths Vinyard, Ver. 2. if the unjust desire but of a Garden plot, of a place only to sow Herbs in, could move a King and Queen, Ahab and Jezabel, to wash their hands in the bloud of a Subject, what wickednesse will they boggle at? What mischief will they decline? Yea, what Abomination will they not act and dare, who strive to make themselves Kings, and to share a Vineyard, which is rather a Kingdome of Kingdomes, then a Garden-plot?

Venite, Occidamus, come (say the [Page] Husbandmen in my Text, in plain English) let us Murther, make away, let us kill the Heir. For as he, who would have a Golden Fleece, must not fear to pill, no, nor if need be, to kill the Lamb; so neither must we the Heir, if we would have the Inheritance to be ours. And that is th [...] last considerable in the Text.

The Husbandmens Resolution to make themselves successors to what he was Heir, in these words,—That the Inheritance may be ours.

Forasmuch as the Inheritance in the Text is expressed by a Vineyard; Vineyard in Scripture phrase denotes and deciphers a selected people,Ver. 9. a people upon whom God looks, not only as men, but as men under such a profession, so that Vineyard indeed signifyeth—Ecclesia Dei, the Church of God: For, though the whole world be the Heirs, yet only his chosen are his Vineyard, only such as fear and serve him, they only are his Inheritance.

Whereas then, the Husbandmen in my Text say—Let us kill the Heir, that the Inheritance may be ours.

[Page]For the understanding hereof, we must consider of this Inheritance, or Vineyard two manner of wayes:

1. Spiritually.

2. Secularly.

Spiritually; the Inheritance of Christ being the salvation and redemption of his Church; of this they could not rob him, that is such an Inheritance that cannot be taken from him. And therefore, a little before they laid violent hands upon him, the Heir gives thankes unto the Father, saving,— Those that thou hast given me I have kept, Joh. 17.1 [...]. and none of them are lost but the Son of perdition: Though they had power to take his Life, and shed his Bloud, yet they could not deprive him of his Glory, his spirituall Estate, and ghostly Inheritance, that they could not take from him.

Indeed, secularly and temporally considered, his Kingdome in this world, his earthly Vineyard, and his temporall Inheritance, that which he least esteemed; this was that which they were most inflamed upon, therefore they reasoned, associated, and resolved to kill the Heire, that [Page] his secular Inheritance might be theirs.

Homil. 40. in Mat. 21.St. Chrysostome in his explication of this very Parable, makes this Observation, —Postquam introivit in Templum, — After our Saviour entred into the Temple, and began to purge the House of his Father from Sacriledge and Prophanation, when the Heir endevoured to bring Religion to its purity, when he began to cast out those things, in quibus Sacerdotes avari delectabantur, in which the popular and covetous Clergy took delight, tunc praecipue cogitarunt eum occidere. Then, saith he, even from that time, then when they saw the people were like to be undeceived, and, as the Father goeth on,—Non erit populus iste possessio nostra, that they no longer were like to have power over them; then did they gather an Assembly, reason, and conclude, they must either kill the Heir, or lose the People; so that if you would know what the Inheritance was, which the Husbandman killed the Heir for; in a word it was— the Power and the Profits of the people; [Page] or, to continue the Metaphor in the parable; they killed the Heir, that the Towers and the Fruits of the Vineyard might be theirs.

Point. 9 The point then for our instruction may be this; Wicked, worldly, and Carnall men, they prize no inheritance to what is carnall, and of this World, whereas the Heir, and those who are spiritually his, they minde nothing to an Heavenly Inheritance. Occidamus, let us kill, and take possession, saith the worldly,—Non habemus hic,—we have here no continuance, saith the godly; let us Eat and Drinke, Raunt and be merry, for This is our Inheritance, (say the men of this World) let us take off our Hearts, let us wean our Souls, and, since the Heir is kill'd, let us look rather for Crosses then for Crownes, say those of his party. In a word, that Religious resolution, ‘Hanc animam concede mihi, tua caetera sunto;’ Spare the Soul, and take the rest: This must be the care of all good Christians. No matter what becomes [Page] of these Earthly Tabernacles, can we but assure the Heavenly Inheritance to be ours; and indeed, nothing can be so ours, nothing can be durable and as an Inheritance to us, but that only; for though the Husbandmen killed the Heir, and therefore killed him, that they might seize and share the Inheritance; yet when they had thus done, when they had throwne him out of his Vineyard, when they had cut him off from the Land of the living, yet even then they could not say, The Inheritance is ours. For though they all agreed to divide the Heir, to divide the Inheritance proved a sharper businesse.

Let us kill the Heir, that the Inheritance may be ours.

Ours? whose? Ours say the chief Priests, Ours say the Elders, Ours say the men of Warre, Ours say the Elders, for we are [...], we are the chief of the people, Ruling Elders; We are those who plotted and laid the businesse; Ours say the chief Priests, for we brought on the people, we raised an Army, we bought [Page] the Heir. Ours say the men of Warre, for we did the businesse, we sought, we caught, we killed the Heir, and therefore the Inheritance shall be ours.

And indeed, could we pierce deeply into the designe, there was not an hand lift up against the Heir, but it was for some Inheritance; so that if in such a crying abomination, as the murthering of the Heir, there be any thing condemnable, it is that the Husbandmen without any Maske of Religion, or cloak of Godlinesse; without any pretence of freeing themselves from Tyranny, Arbitrary Government, or any manner of oppression; They Declare clearly, (what more subtile Rebels would not) that the reason they prosecute, bought, arraigned, and killed the Heir, it meerly was for his Inheritance—That the Inheritance may be ours.

Point. 10 Whence the point I shall raise for our Instruction is,—That we glorifie God in the acknowledgment, and in the confession of our wickednesse. Let us not pretend what [Page] the good God knowes we intend not.

Among us of the Ministery, how many are there who cry out, the Gospell, the Gospell; they must Preach the Gospell; when indeed they make that chiefly their Gospell which will gain them an Inheritance? How many are there who have thrust into, and invaded other mens Vineyards, Preaching this, and Praying that, (meerly as the Husbandmen kill the Heir) that their brothers Inheritance may be theirs! How many are there who plead at the Bar of Injustice, under pretence of Law? How many are there who lay their hand upon the Sword, under Colours of Holinesse and Religion? How many are there Protest, Covenant, Engage, and tenter their Conscience, under pretence of this, and under colour of that? Whereas indeed, would they, as did the Husbandmen, confesse and speak ou [...]—All they do, say or swear, it only is, that the Inheritance may be ours.

Ours, not his. Monarchy as founded [Page] in Unity, is an enemy to division;Luk. 12.13 Anarchy as founded in Confusion, is as averse to Unity; as then the Heir would not meddle with the Dividing of an Inheritance, so neither would he have had his own Divided.

But the Husbandmen, who had none, unlesse they could get his, they who thought it ill, that one should have so much, and they so little, one a whole Vineyard, and they not a Cluster; They like worldly wisemen cry out, Divide & impera, Not his, but ours.

Point. 11 Here then, in stead of a point of Instruction, I may for Instruction change that question of our Saviours concerning the Baptisme of John, Ver. 4 [...] into this,—Whether for One to have Rule over Many, or for Many to take the Rule and Dominion from one, be from Heaven, or of Men? Now the Text, it is positive, for One, and for one onely; one Vineyard, one Heire, one Lord of all. Indeed this Lord was a Steward; but as appeares in that Chapter, not the Peoples, but the Fathers. Mat. 21.8. He [Page] had power to call the Labourers, but the Labourers had none to call him to an account. So that not from Heaven, but from Men, not vox Dei, but vox Populi; It was not the voice of God, but the voice of Men; The voice of low and poor conditioned men, the voice of labouring and Husbandmen, who said, Not one, but many, not his, but ours.

Our Inheritance. They who endure not an Inheritance in the Heir, when themselves have got it, then they could be well content to say, Our Inheritance: But see how differently unjust men, and the just God account, for that which the Husbandmen call ours, and our Inheritance; that the just God makes to them as Jonahs Gourd,Jon. 4.7. a thing of no continuance. So that the Husbandmen, when they cast out the Heir, they were as farre mistaken, as if the Mariners in Jonahs story, had in stead of the Prophet cast out the Pylot. For whom they cast out was not the cause, but must have been the calmer of the Tempest. One whose biding in the Ship, one whose want in the [Page] Vineyard, was the utter Ruine of it. And therefore it followeth,Ver. 16. The Lord (in stead of confirming their title) shall destroy the Husbandmen; and in stead of giving them Inheritances, He shall take the Vineyard from them, and give it to others.

Point. 12 The point then for our Instruction is,—If we would have power to call any thing Ours; if we would have a durable inheritance, we must have a care that we come righteously by i [...] and that we spend what we have to Gods glory; for being the sin of the Husbandmen was the denying to the Heir the profits of his Vineyard; God will undoubtedly take that Vineyard from us, which we shall deny him the fruit of.

There is a story of a certain Tradesman of Constantinople, Part 4. of Causins Holy Court. who gave all the wealth he had gathered in his whole life, to wear the Imperiall Crown but for an Hour, and so in an Hour became of a conceited King, a reall Beggar. The Husbandmen in my Text, or all, who as they did, by Usurpation and unjust wayes seek Inheritances, they perchance may, as [Page] did that Foolish Tradesman, aspire, get and wear a Crown. But as he, 'twill be but for an Hour. For never were the Conveyances of any sound and firme Title writ in bloud.

1 King. 21.23. Jezabel drew up the Conveyances of poor Naboths Vineyard in his own bloud, but it was cancel'd quickly, and washt out with hers. Athalia (like the Husbandmen in my Text) with the bloud of Heirs, 2 King. 11. with bloud Royall writ her cl [...]me. But for as much as bloud will not as Ink dry up, after few years it was blotted out again; Yea, the Lord himself conplaines of some, Who built up Zion with bloud, Mich. 3.10 and Jerusalem with iniquity; some it seems would have had the reformation both of Church and State, Zion and Jerusalem, writ in Bloud, and drawn up with deceitfull Hands, Hands full of iniquity; But then it straight followeth, Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a Feild, Ver. 12. and Jerusalem shall become Heaps, &c.

And indeed (would time permit) it were not hard to shew these Husbandmen, who by the Red Sea of the Heirs bloud, thought to bring themselves [Page] to Canaan, in stead of Canaan brought upon themselves a Miserable Desolation.

The Priests and Presbytery, those who first conspired, and plotted against the Heir, those who reckoned upon large Vineyards, and golden Inheritances; even these by their own stratagem, were frustate in their hopes, and deprived of their Inheritance. For as they by pretence of Just and Holy men, sought to undermine the Heir, Ver. 20. and to engrosse the richest Vineyards: Even so another Generation, under pretence of more zeal, and under pretence of more purity, Those whom Josephus cals the zealous, they enter upon their possessions, and they cast even them out of their Vineyards; yea both the one and the other, when the Romans came, were themselves serv'd as they serv'd the Heir, they were kill'd, and were cast out of their Inheritance; yea, it was made capitall for any of these Husbandmen, so much as to look towards their Inheritance. So that of whatever shall be got by bloud, Usurpation and unjust wayes, of that God will not suffer us [Page] to have an Inheritance, nor permit any of us long to say, This is ours.

Ps. 37.18.To conclude all, The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright, and their Inheritance shall be for ever. Whosoever desires to have a durable Inheritance, whether it be here or hereafter; the way to it is Righteousnesse and Ʋprightnesse: He who would hold as an Inheritance, and have the blessing of God to descend upon him and his, he must be sure there be nothing in his Estate, which belongeth either to God, to Cesar, or to the Poor, who hath no Helper, no Achan [...] Wedge, no Devoted Treasure, no Naboths Vineyard, no Poor mans Acre, no not the least parcell of the Heires inheritance. For (as you have heard) those who so highly dared, as to possesse his Vineyard, and to call what was the Heirs their own; in stead of being Heires, the Father hath made them Vagabonds to this day: so that what the Heir in his persecution said of himselfe, the same may to this day be said of those rebellious Husbandmen, The Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the ayre have Nests [Page] but in that Zion, which they sought to build with bloud, and in that Jerusalem which they thought to establish by iniquity; those, their children who slew the Heir, they have not where to lay their heads. And so, Lord, let it be to all those who have evill will to Zion, so to them who delight in bloud.

Indeed, the Inheritance of the Saints, and that which all good men look after, it was purchased with bloud, and with the bloud of the Heir too: But, 'twas not purchased for such who delight in bloud, for such who glory in their shame, nor for such who still continue murthering of the Heir.

If so then, when this transitory Inheritance shall fail, we would be received into everlasting habitations: If we would be Joynt Heirs with the Heir in my Text, and share with him in his incorruptible Inheritance: Know we must, Transit Haereditas cum onere, This Inheritance passeth to none, but carryeth peculiar burthens and conditions with it, such as are— Penitence, Faith, Obedience, Charity, Meeknesse, Humilitity, and whatsoever is agreeable to found Doctrine: [Page] So that in a word, I shall close with that of St. Paul, Rom. 3.1. If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorifyed with him. The way to be joynt Heir with the Heir in my Text, is not (as the worldly wise) to comply with all Interests: but it is so to set our soules upon Conscience, and heavenly Inheritance, that we esteem no worldly heritage, nothing that we call ours, not our goods, not our bloud, in order and relation unto it. For indeed, if we respect the comfort and duration of it; we can Inherit, that is absolutely possesse as ours, nothing at all till we come to that; All then remaining is, that we betake our selves unto our prayers, that so our guilt of that Bloud may be exchanged into the Merit of it, and that we for his sake may be made Co-heirs of such an Inheritance, as never shall be taken from us. Hear us, O Father, for this thy glorious Heirs sake, Jesus Christ. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Deo Haeredi sit omnis gloria.

THE END.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The grand conspiracy of the members against the mind, of Jews against their King as it hath been delivered in the four following sermons / by John Allington, (a sequestered divine).

Allington, John, d. 1682.

Edition statement

1654

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A23813

ID [STC]

Wing A1209

ID [STC]

ESTC R15485

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12854889

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12854889

ID [VID]

94606

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A23813)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94606)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 705:15)

Source

— The grand conspiracy of the members against the mind, of Jews against their King as it hath been delivered in the four following sermons / by John Allington, (a sequestered divine)., Allington, John, d. 1682.. The tihrd [sic] edition..

Extent

[2], 214 p.

Printed by E.C. for R. Royston ...,. London :: 1654.. (Sermons 2-4 each have special t.p.) (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.) (The grand conspiracy of Jews against their King : a sermon preached in August, 1647 -- The grand conspiracy of Jews against their King : preached in January 1649 -- The grand conspiracy of Jews against their King : a demonstration of the highest insolencies proceed from men of the lowest and most base extractions.)

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