A receipt for the state-palsie. Or, A direction for the setling the government of the nation: delivered in a sermon upon Proverbs 25.5. By S.S. Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696. 1660 Approx. 38 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 14 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A93057 Wing S3043 Thomason E1015_4 ESTC R208172 99867149 99867149 168773

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A93057) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 168773) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 150:E1015[4]) A receipt for the state-palsie. Or, A direction for the setling the government of the nation: delivered in a sermon upon Proverbs 25.5. By S.S. Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696. [8], 19, [1] p. printed for Henry Mortlocke at the Phœnix in Pauls Church-yard, neer the Little North-door, London : MDCLX. [1660] S.S. = Samuel Shaw. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Feb: 2. 1659"; the 'X' in the imprint date has been crossed out. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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 eng Bible. -- O.T. -- Proverbs XXV, 5 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800. Sermons, English -- 17th century. Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-05 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-05 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-06 Sampled and proofread 2011-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

A RECEIPT FOR THE State-Palſie.

OR, A Direction for the Setling THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NATION: Delivered in a Sermon upon Proverbs 25. 5.

By S. S.

LONDON, Printed for Henry Mortlocke at the Phoenix in Pauls Church-yard, neer the Little North-door. MDCLX.

TO THE Supremacy, & Magiſtracy OF ENGLAND Sirs,

IT is preſumed that yee ought, & it is hoped that ye do know how, and when to draw, and wield the ſword, which God hath put into your hands; But it is certain, and ſad, that it hath long lain ruſting in the ſcabbard of partiality, eaſe, and error; inſomuch that not only your perſons begin to be diſhonoured, but even ſo much of God as is in you, your Authority, begins to lie under the foot of pride and petulancy, God hath been emptying you from veſſel to veſſel; he ſeems to be almoſt ready to pour you out upon the ground, becauſe you will not be purified from your lees: He hath been looſning you a good while, and he ſeems to have a good mind to knock you off, becauſe you have not as yet done that vindication to his name, which the verieſt Moſes of you all would have done to your own, if ſo blaſphemed. And certainly, however you may create to your ſelves ſome carnal crutches for a time, and promiſe your ſelves ſettlement upon them, yet though you were as the ſignet upon Gods right hand, hee will pull you thence; and if you will not by the ſword of Juſtice revenge the quarrel of Gods covenant upon wicked men, he will ſend a ſword which ſhall revenge it, both upon them and you. Your coldneſs and partiality have made you changeable, your change (with many) hath made you ridiculous, and if you ſtill go on to neglect what is the very eſſence of your duty, and notwithſtanding your changes, yet will not fear God, he will never leave emptying Hodie mih • Jupiter eſto, Cras mihi truncus eris. you, till hee have changed you from the clouds to the clods, from the Throne to the dung-hill, from a temporary Authority to an eternal calamity. Which that it may be ſeaſonably prevented, and that you Gods, may become all of you the Sons of the moſt High, both in the execution of Juſtice here, and in the fruition of eternal Crowns hereafter, is the ſole intendment of theſe printed pains, and the continuall breathing of

Your Servant in the Lord.
TO THE Sober Reader.

IT was rightly obſerved, Rarus eſt faelix, idem que ſenex, It is hard to bee great and live long. We in England have had large experience of the unſettledneſs of Government, and the daily rotation of our Governours, inſomuch that the Crown hath hardly given time, to any of late years that wore it, to give Judgement, whether it fit the head or no. With much ado many have gone up to the Throne, only to come down again; and the Government of the Nation may be put into the Proverb with Seianus his horſe, that was ſtill unfortunate to his rider.

So that if we would ſoon be rid of a man, it is but bidding him (as God bade Moſes) Get thee up into this Mountain (of Supremacy) and die there. Which thing, although it bee the ſport of many ambitious Spirits, who are ſtill hoping their turn may bee next; and the merriment of many reſt wits, who love to Pamphlet out the judgements of God upon the Nation, and put our afflictions into tune; and the fartheſt end of the thoughts of others, who obſerve not the operation of Gods hands: yet certainly ought to lie neer the hearts of all Gods people, and bee a fit occaſion unto our Governours and Magiſtrates, to examine what Jonah is the lading of the ſhip, that wee labour under ſuch renewed ſtorms, and to caſt him out. For the one and the others ſake, I have publiſhed Solomons Verdict in the caſe, finding it ſo applicable to our ſelves. Thou wilt ſee in the following diſcourſe, Englands unſettlement, ſettling it ſelf upon its own bottom, and owning its own Mother, (which is alſo its Nurſe) even the not taking away of the wicked. I intended to ſpeak truly, not finely, Scripture, not phraſes, oracles, not miracles: And therefore wiſh only this, conſent to the Sermon, thy prayers for the Preacher, and thy beſt help (in what thou canst) towards the taking away of the wicked, that the Throne may be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs.
A Receipt for the State-Palſie. OR, A Direction for the ſettling the Government of the Nation. PROV. 25. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall bee eſtabliſhed in Righteouſneſs.

AMongſt all the felicities which the ſons of men lay out their care, and pains, and intereſts about, there is nothing either more diligently ſought, or more rarely found, than ſtability, and ſettlement; (for there goes more art to the preſerving, than to the procuring of our comforts) Inſomuch that the revolution of a year, doth hardly preſent us with ſo many new Moons, as new changes in things ſublunary; it being a very ſtale condition, that is the ſame a month together. Amongſt other uncertainties, the inſtability of Power and Government in the world, is worth our obſervation, and worth the pains of a Saepius 〈◊〉 agitatur ingens Pinus, & celſae graviore caſu decidunt turres, feriuntque ſummos Fulmina montes. Hor. Sermon (if it might be) to cure it. The unſettling winds have ſuch a ſpight againſt the tall Cedars, and the diſtracting Thunder-bolts ſuch a deſign upon the lofty Mountains, and Thrones themſelves lightly are ſo weakly propt, that we may juſtly admire, if not bewayl,

—Heu quam nulla potentia longa eſt!

As for our own parts, Providence hath ſo ſported it ſelf with our greateſt conditions here in England for a long time, that it begins to be an obſervation, that exaltation is the neereſt cut to annihilation; and to bee preferred, is the next way not to bee: And in deſpight of all Grammarians, it is become a proper phraſe, to aſcend downward, to climbe to the ground; Qui jacet in terram, non habet unde cadat.—bene qui latuit, bene vixit.— whereas they onely ſit ſafe, that ſit ſtill; and he only that lies upon the ground, is as firm as the ground hee lies on. Solomon long ſince obſerved the uncertaintie of power, and of all other things below, and hee hath once and again gone about the cure, and preſcribed means to that end. One Receipt for the cure of this State-palſie, wee have in the words here, Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall bee establiſht in righteouſneſs.

It is ſaid, that the great Turk hath a Receipt proper to himſelf; hee rivets himſelf to his Chair of State, the firſt time hee ſits in it, with the bones of his murdered Brethren. But this of Solomon here, is a more honeſt and effectual way: Hee is likelieſt to ſit faſt in his Throne, who rivets himſelf thereunto with the bones of executed Malefactors; Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall bee eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs.

Firſt, Let us ſee the meaning of the Terms of the Text.

Take away] The word in the Original 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not an Imperative, enjoining a duty, but an Infinitive, (which ought to be tranſlated by a Gerund in do, Auferendo) preſcribing a means for the accompliſhing of ſome end. The word ſignifies, to remove or ſeparate; and does not onely import death, but other kinds of puniſhment, as baniſhment, impriſonment, confiſcation, pecuniary mulcts, and any of thoſe waies whereby wickedneſs ought to bee reſtrained, and puniſhed, according to the nature of the fault.

The wicked) The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſignifies an unquiet, turbulent perſon, and ſo a wicked perſon in general, whether erroneous or prophane. Whether you take the word in the one ſenſe or the other, in the Original or in the Derivative ſignification, for turbulent, or for wicked perſons, it ſtill holds, that all ſuch muſt be taken away in order to an happy ſettlement of a Kingdom.

From before] The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 does not imply, that wicked men muſt onely bee reſtrained in the preſence of the King: But although they muſt be univerſally taken away where-ever they be, yet more eſpecially in his preſence; ſuch muſt not be of his Councill, his Family, or Familiarity: They muſt bee taken away out of the Country, but eſpecially out of the Court. David reſolved to deſtroy all the wicked of the Land, hee would cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord; but eſpecially hee would rid his houſe of them that worked deceit, Pſal. 101. 7, 8.

The King] That is, not onely the perſon of the King, but by a Synecdoche ſpeciei, All Magiſtrates.

His Throne] That is, by a Metonymy of the Adjunct, his Kingdom, Power, Authority, Government.

Shall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs] The word [righteouſneſs] may either bee underſtood of holineſs and uprightneſs; hee ſhall have a holy Kingdom: or elſe righteouſneſs is put for peace and proſperity; as it is uſed, Hoſ. 10. 12. for a ſettled and compoſed State, as it is to be underſtood, Iſa. 48. 18.

The words being thus explained, may be thus divided. 1 An end propounded, viz. the ſettlement of a Kingdom. 2 The means preſcribed, i. e. The taking away of the wicked.

Being thus divided, they will afford this natural obſervation.

It conduces much to the ſettlement of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men be puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate.

Before I proceed to proſecute this Obſervation, it will be needful to premiſe a few Rules, that Rules premiſed Rule 1. ſo I may not bee taken off to do it in my diſcourſe.

1 That it is the duty of Civil Magiſtrates to bring wicked men to condign ſhame and puniſhment. This is ſecretly couched in the words, and elſewhere expreſly taught, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter.

2 That (notwithſtanding) wicked men are to bee differently dealt with, according to the different nature, and degrees of their ſins. This taking away here, is not meant by Solomon, nor expounded by the Learned, of inflicting death upon all Offenders, but of diſcouragements and puniſhments of a lower nature, bearing proportion to the dimenſions of the fault, as I hinted before.

3 It conduces much to the honour, as well as to the ſettlement of a Nation, to have the wicked thus taken away; to have the droſs purged, the chaff winnowed, the tares ſeparated; for by ſuch names the Scripture gives us to underſtand wicked men. This appears plainly by Solomons compariſon here in the verſe foregoing the Text. As it is for the profit and credit of the Finer to take away the droſs; there will come forth, not onely a precious veſſel, but a veſſel of honour for him: ſo it is not onely for the gain, but for the glory; not only for the eſtabliſhment, but alſo for the Ornament of a Nation, that the wicked bee taken away from before the King. Wicked Jeroboam, whom God raiſed from the Dung-hill, is compared to dung, defiling the Chair of State, and therfore God took him away, 1 Kings 14. 10. Wicked Subjects are as dung, defiling the glory of a Nation, and therefore let them be taken away. As God took away the dung-hill King, ſo let the King take away the dung-hill Subjects, and it will conduce to the honour of his Kingdom.

4 It is a duty incumbent upon Miniſters alſo, as well as upon Magiſtrates, in their places to take away the wicked; i. e. To diſcern, diſcriminate, ſeparate, declaratively by the preaching of the Word, and executively by Church-cenſures. See for this the Apoſtle treating about the inceſtuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5. There are many and juſt complaints of the unſettledneſs of Church-government: I wiſh the work bee not obſtructed through the neglect of the thus taking away of the wicked, by the deſuetude of Church-diſcipline. For my own part, I am as ſorry that the wicked are not thus ſeparated, as I am ſure that there are too many wicked ſeparations amongſt us; and I fear, for the want of this. God doth, as a judgement upon the Church of England, give up men to diſorderly ſeparations from us, for want of our juſt ſeparating them from our ſelves, by the judgement and cenſure of the Church. God ſuffers that to bee done ſinfully and diſorderly, the orderly doing of which is neglected. Whoſe doors this neglect may bee laid at, I know not; but ſure I am, that God ſharply reproves and threatens the Angels of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatira for ſuch a like fault, Rev. 2. 14, 15, 20. Nay for a leſs fault: for whereas it is ſaid there, that God had a few things againſt the Church of Pergamos, becauſe ſhee had there them that held the Doctrine of Balaam, and alſo them that held the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans; It may be ſaid of us, that wee have them that hold the doctrine of Papiſts, with many Alſoes; Alſo them that hold the Doctrine of the Anabaptiſts, alſo of the Browniſts, alſo of the Arminians, alſo of the Socinians, alſo of the Quakers, and alſo almoſt every doctrine that God hates. Therefore God hath many things againſt us; and I fear, that therefore the Pulpit, no more than the Throne, is eſtabliſhed, becauſe the wicked are not taken away, ſeparated by Church-cenſure.

Theſe things being premiſed, wee will fetch ſtrength from Scripture, and Reaſon, to confirm the poſition laid down, that it conduces much to the Settlement of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men be puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate.

Confirmation from Scripture. 1 From Scripture. See it almoſt in ſo many words, Prov. • 9. 4. The King by judgement establiſheth the Land. As great houſes are eſtabliſhed by leaning upon their Pillars, ſo a Nation is eſtabliſhed and preſerved by judgement: As David ſaith, that by the pure Adminiſtration of Juſtice, hee bore up the Pillars of the earth, Pſal. 75. 3. Upon theſe two, Jachin and Boaz, Religion on the right hand, and Juſtice on the left, doth a Kingdom or Common-wealth ſtand: Nay the earth (as ſtable as it is, Eccleſ. 1. 4.) is ſaid to bee eſtabliſhed by the due execution of Juſtice, viz. When it brings forth abundant fruit, and ſuſtains the lives of the inhabitants, that do depend upon its increaſe, as upon a Foundation: See Pſal. 72. 1, 2, 3. Would you have a Throne eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs? It muſt be by righteouſneſs that it muſt be ſo eſtabliſhed, Prov. 6. 12. Now the execution of judgement upon the wicked, is accounted righteouſneſs, Pſal. 106. 30, 31. But

2 Reaſon will contribute ſomething towards the eſtabliſhment of this truth, That It conduces much to the Eſtabliſhment of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men bee puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate.

Reaſon forms theſe following Arguments for it.

1 It appears, that It conduces much to the Settlement of the Government of a Nation, that the wicked bee puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate, in that The toleration of wicked men is found to have troubled and diſturbed the Affairs and State of a Nation. And the Argument will be Logically this, Quo lapſo aedificium ruit, illud eſt ſtabilimentum aedificii, ſed neglectâ juſtitiâ collabuntur Reſp: Ergo juſtitia eſt Reip: ſtabilimentum. If Kingdoms and Commonwealths be diſturbed and diſſolved by the taking away of Juſtice, then they are preſerved and eſtabliſhed by the juſt taking away of the wicked. But, &c.

Achan not taken away, though as yet not convicted, troubled the whole Camp of Iſrael, Joſh. 7. Sauls partiality in ſparing what God had devoted, and ſin had expoſed to ruine, diſſolved his Kingdome, 1 Sam. 15. 26. It was Jehoiakim's not imitating the juſt proceedings of his Father Joſiah, that ſtript him of his Royal Robes; and his not removing the wicked from before him (according to the Advice here given) cauſed the Kingdome of Judah to bee removed out of Gods ſight, 2 Kings 24. 3. compared with Jer. 22. 15. &c. But what need I fetch inſtances ſo far off? Do not our own long and ſad diſtractions ſufficiently exemplify this? We have many known Malefactors, that have plundered more than the worth of a Babyloniſh Garment, a wedge of gold, and two hundred Shekels of ſilver, and things as ſacred, as thoſe were curſed, and yet not a ſtone caſt at them. We have ſpared and tolerated bleating Hereticks, under the pretence of piety and good devotion, as Saul did the Sheep for ſacrifice forſooth: And doth any one ask why we are unſettled in our Government? And if wee ſtill go on to ſpare, and ſend away with Covenants, and I know not what, thoſe whom the Lord hath appointed to utter deſtruction, wee may juſtly fear the juſt doom of Ahab diſmiſſing Benhadad, 1 King. 20. 42. Life for life, and people for people.

2 It appears, In that They of all others, have had the moſt ſettled Kingdomes, that have had a care to takeaway the wicked from before them. See Davids care in this thing, beſt deſcribed by himſelf, Pſal. 75. and Pſal. 101. And who faſter in his Throne than David, whom God nailed therein, 2 Sam. 7. 16? Solomon in the twilight of his Royalty, being the juſt Son of a juſt Father, took away the ambitious Adonijah, the murderous Joab, and the peſtilent Shimei from before himſelf: And it follows thereupon, The Kingdom was eſtabliſhed in the hands of Solomon, 1 King. 2. ult. Joſiah ſucceeded both theſe in the ſame grace, He did judgement and juſtice; And it was well with him, Jer. 22. 15. His eies ſaw not the diſſolution of the Jewiſh ſtate, 2 King. 22. ult. Phinehas the Son of Eleazer, executed judgement, Pſal 106. 30. And therefore hee had the like Settledneſs in his Government Eccleſiaſtical, The Covenant of an everlaſting Prieſthood, Numb. 25. 13.

3 It appears, that it conduces much to the ſettlement of the Government of a Nation, that the wicked be puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate, in that this is the very execution of the Magiſterial office, as it is committed to them by God. So to do, is to diſcharge that Office aright; And that muſt needs bring a bleſſing with it. It is of the eſſence of a Kingly office, What? To live delicately, idly, luxuriouſly; to oppreſs, inſult, tyrannize, according to the corrupt manner of Kings, ſpoken of, 1 Sam. 7? No, but to ſcatter away evil with their eies, Prov. 20. 8. What is of the eſſence of the Office of Governours and Magiſtrates? How runs their Commiſſion from the hand of him that ſends them? To break the Laws that they command others to keep? To commit things worthy of puniſhment, by getting into a power of puniſhing others? No, but they are ſent for the puniſhment of evil doers, 1 Pet. 2. 14. And certainly, the honeſt diſcharge of an employment before God, will conduce to a bleſſing thereupon: God will not diſ-commiſſion them that have been faithful in the Commiſſion that he gave them.

To which I might adde, that this grace Juſtice, is ſo conducible to the Settlement of the Government of a Nation, that even the very picture, the very counterfeit of it, hath ſome tendency this way. Jehu in raging againſt the accurſed family of Saul, hath a leaſe of the Throne for four lives, 2 King. 10. 30. Now if the ſhadow of Juſtice do nail an Hypocrite in his Throne, ſurely the grace it ſelf will clench the righteous man, and the righteous powers in their Government: If the unrighteous executing of a righteous command be of ſuch ſtrength; of what ſtrength ſhall wee imagine the righteous executing of unrighteous men to bee?

But not to multiply Arguments in ſo clear a truth, nor to fetch more of reaſons crutches to ſupport a Doctrine which hath Scripture for its Foundation; let us ſee the grounds or reaſons why it conduces much to the ſettlement of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men bee taken away by the Civil Magiſtrate? And theſe I ſhall deliver out rather by weight than number.

1 It conduces much to the ſettlement of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men bee puniſhed, ſuppreſſed, diſperſed, and taken away by the Civil Magiſtrate, becauſe wicked men, men that are not restrained by any conſcience of their duty, will be the readieſt to disturb the peace of a Nation, and to make defections, if any encouragement be adminiſtred, if any hope of gain, or fear of ſuffering do appear. They are the moſt dangerous members of a Kingdom or Common-wealth. They are Traytors and enemies diſpoſitively at all times, and will be actually in time, if they be ſuffered. There wants nothing to make Hazael a murderer of his Maſter, but a wet cloth; nothing to make Abſolom a delinquent from his Father, but a little intereſt in the peoples hearts: which when the one and the other have got, they ſoon execute their treacherous and diſloyal intentions. The beſt men are the beſt ſubjects, whoſe conſciences do ingage them to the obſervance of the Apoſtles Rule, Rom. 13. 1. But as for men of wicked principles, who onely give an eye-ſervice, and think that whilſt they keep their Swords within the ſcabbards, they have committed no Murder, it is not ſafe to truſt them, nay nor to ſuffer them: But rather to execute them, before they can execute their wicked diſpoſitions: For being men of graceleſs Principles, they will be alſo of faithleſs practices, and will mercenarily follow Abſolom, or Adonijah, or any one that puts up finger, that blows the trumpet to them.

2 Suppoſe wicked men ſhould be faithful, and ſhould machinate nothing towards the diſturbance of a Nations Government (which yet it is ten to one but they will, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 improbi, are alſo irrequieti) yet their very being in a Nation proves oft-times deſtructive to the being (or at leaſt the wel-being) of the Nation wherein they are: their very preſence is deſtructive to peace and ſettlement. As God could doe nothing againſt Sodome, whilſt Lot was there, Gen. 19 22. ſo hee would doe nothing for the Camp of Iſrael whilſt Achan was there, Joſh. 7. 12. the remainder of Saul's bloudy Family had like to have ſterv'd all Iſrael; they had nothing but Famines year after year, till the hand of Juſtice had revenged the bloud of the Gibeonites upon their heads, 2 Sam. 21. 1, 14. And if it be true what Solomon ſaies, Prov. 11. 11. that even by wicked words a City is deſtroyed; it muſt needs be as I ſay, that by wicked works it is diſturb'd and diſſetled. By not puniſhing the guilty, a Nation devolves a guilt upon it ſelf; and hence it comes to paſs, that many times by ſuffering one ſinner, many come to ſuffer. Bee wicked men never ſo faithful, never ſo free from deſigns, yet their very preſence is deſtructive; and therefore ought they to bee taken away in order to an happy ſettlement, an eſtabliſhment in righteouſneſs, ſuch an one as Solomon ſpeaks of here.

3 Becauſe if wicked men bee not taken away, they will corrupt more. Wickedneſs not ſuppreſſed, will ſoon bee encreaſed; Sin unpuniſhed, will ſoon become ſin multiplied. If by the due execution of Juſtice, the droſs bee not ſeparated from the ſilver, the ſilver will become droſs, or at leaſt very droſſie. Jeruſalem was ſometimes full of judgement, but that decayed, And what follows? The ſilver is become droſſe, Iſa. 1. 21, 22. Know yee not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5. 6? Wicked men unpuniſht doe propagate their wickedneſs, and doe corrupt both the religious and civil manners of many others, make them naught both towards God and Superiours. The inceſtuous Corinthian, if not taken away, was likely in the Apoſtles apprehenſion, to encourage many to commit inceſt. And as for mens obedience, ſubmiſſion, and loyalty towards Superiours, daily experience tells us, how much it is corrupted by the impunity of others. Who would not be a Rebel, if rebellious Abſolom muſt bee ſpared? Certainly David acted the Father, more than the King in that buſineſs. As the Aſſes doom in the Fable taught the Fox to divide the Prey aright to his Soveraign; ſo on the other hand, the ſafety and impunity of many wicked Subjects, teaches many Foxes to make a Prey of their Soveraigns; who afterward will not ſtick to inſult over them, with the Gregarian Souldier, that kill'd the edge-tool Emperour, Peris gladio quem ipſe feciſti. Not to take away the Traytor is to hatch Treaſon, or at leaſt to make a Neſt for it; not to puniſh diſobedience and diſloyalty committed, is to encourage to the commiſſion of it; therefore the Poet concludes upon good reaſon,

—Immedicabile vulnus Enſe recidendum, ne pars ſincera trahatur.

And I conclude with this third and laſt reaſon, that therefore it conduces much to the ſettlement of the Government of a Nation, that wicked men be puniſht by the Civil Magiſtrate.

But here comes to be pretended Nobleneſs, and Pitty, and I know not what.

1 To which is eaſily anſwered, that that is true Nobleneſs that makes men like God, And he (we know) cannot abide to behold iniquity, and he is a Perſon of the greateſt honour who highly eſteems the Honour of the great God. Beſides, is it not an idle thing, to ſtand upon terms of Honour, and in the mean time to doe that which will certainly lay our honour in the duſt; as the toleration of wicked men undoubtedly will?

2 As for Pitty, I ſtick not to ſay, 'tis fooliſh pitty. And Solomon (who knew well enough what was Wiſdom) will bear me out: for ſayes he, he is a wiſe King that ſcattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel ever them, Prov. 20. 26.

Nay, that nothing may be forgotten which will encourage men to forget the execution of Juſtice, Scripture muſt be pretended too, eſpecially that, Mat. 13. concerning the tares in the Parable ſuffered to grow till Harveſt.

To which it may be eaſily anſwered.

1 That that text is to be underſtood of ſecret and unveyled Hypocrites, not of ſcandalous and open ſinners.

2 Suppoſe it to be meant of men of notorious and ſcandalous lives, yet when the Magiſtrate has uſed his utmoſt care and ſeverity, to pluck up the Tares, to take away the wicked, yet there will be enough left, to make good the Parable to the end of the world.

For application.

1 See here then the folly of the moſt of the Kings, Parliaments, Powers that are in the Chriſtian world. Solomon in one verſe convinces the moſt of them of a grand miſcarriage. Some think to eſtabliſh their Thrones by heaping together inexhauſtible Treaſures, and to bee upheld by pillars of gold, as Ammon who truſted in their treaſures, ſaying, Who ſhall come up to us, Jer. 49. 4? Some think to preſerve themſelves by Pride, and high living, as Jehojakim, Jer. 22. 15. Some think to maintain their Power by oppreſſion, and tyranny, grievous burdens, and heavie impoſitions, as Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 9. and Rehoboam with his young Parliament, 1 King. 12. 14 Some think to keep out changes by Garriſons and ſtrong Holds, and impregnable Fortifications, as the Jewes and their King did, Iſa. 22. 8, 9, 10, 11. Some think to nayl themſelves to their Thrones, with the bones of all of the Bloud Royal, as Abimelech did, Judg. 9. 5. Some think to confirm themſelves either by a company of ſilly ignorant men, that will bee led blind-fold upon any deſign, as Abſolom, 2 Sam. 15. 11. or vain, light, deſperate fellows, all whoſe religion it is to have caſt away all, as the forequoted Abimelech did, Judg. 9. 4. Some think to carry all with many Regiments, as Amaziah with his three hundred thouſand, 2 Chron. 25. Some think to ſtand upon the leggs of others, and to bee eſtabliſhed by confederate Princes, and Leagues with their neighbour Kings, as Jabin King of Hazor did, Joſh. 11. 1. Some think to ſtand upon the heads of others, and to bee ſafe in the multitude of Counſellours, and Politicians, as Abſolom, making Achitophel of his counſel, 2 Sam. 15. Others think that the goodneſs of their Titles will defend them, their Crowns are made of good and lawful gold, and therefore they muſt needs ſtick faſt to their heads. Many other props doe many Thrones in the world lean upon. But Solomon, whoſe Crown God put on, and Juſtice kept on, preſcribes to all Kings and Powers whatever, a better foundation than any of theſe, and it is here in my text. Be not deceived, it is not the taking of wicked waies, but the taking of the wicked away, that will eſtabliſh Thrones in righteouſneſs.

2 See here one great cauſe of Englands unſettlement at this day. There are not more admirations at, than falſe conjectures concerning it. Some impute our changes to chances; ſome lay the fault upon the Court, ſome upon the Camp, ſome upon the City, ſome upon the Country; nay ſome ſtick not to lay them at our Church doors, to impute them to the Clergie, ſaying, there was never good world ſince there was ſo much praying, and preaching; being acted with a ſpirit like unto that of Ahab, who ſaid to the Prophet, 1 King. 18. 17. Art thou hee that troubleth Iſrael? although that were true directly, Evangelium ciet bellum. Others ſay ſomething but not the whole, that Factions doe create our Fractions: For if they were not tolerated, they would not be, or at leaſt they would not be ſo intolerable. But Solomon here preſcribing the means of ſettlement, ſeemes to deſcribe to us the cauſe of our unſettlement, the not taking away the wicked. I know that oppreſſion, uſurpation, ambition and other ſins are fore ſhakers of the Government of a Nation: And I know we have a compoſition of all theſe ingredients, and a complication of all theſe diſtempers; yet if one ſhould ask me what is the grand cauſe, the ſtrongeſt hand that thus rocks the Throne of England, and ſo keeps them that ſit in it from ſleeping in it, I ſhould fetch an anſwer from Solomon, The not taking away of the wicked, hinders the Throne of England from being eſtabliſht in righteouſneſs. What peace ſaid Jehu to Joram, ſo long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel, and her Witchcrafts are ſo many? What peace, may one ſay to the Powers, and Primates of England, ſo long as their Sectaries, Schiſmaticks, Hereticks are ſo many? What eſtabliſhment, ſo long as the wicked, erroneous, perfidious, rebellious, ambitious, and treacherous are not taken away? Except theſe abide in the ſhip, ſaid Paul (ſpeaking of the Ship-men) yee cannot bee ſaved: except theſe bee taken away out of the ſame Ship the Common-wealth, wherein we all ſayl, as in one common bottom, wee cannot be ſafe, nor ſetled. I doubt wee are not yet fit for ſettlement for a proſperous and compoſed State, becauſe the accurſed things, the wicked are not yet taken away. Some of our Governours have done worthy things, as ſome of the Kings of Iſrael did, but yet the People ſacrifice ſtill in the high places, every man is left to the free choice of his own God, and his own Religion, and therefore the Throne is not yet eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſs. One may weep over Englands ſhakings, and ſay to it, as the Prophet ſometimes to Iſrael, O Iſa. 48. 18 that thou hadſt hearkned to Gods Commandements! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteouſneſs as the waves of the ſea; i. e. for duration, whereas now wee are as the waves, toſſed to and fro.

The ſecond Uſe would bee to exhort and excite Rom. 13. 3 all Magiſtrates, not to bear the ſword in vain, but to uſe it, for the terror of evil doers, as the Apoſtle phraſeth it, or to take away the wicked from before them, as Solomons phraſe is here. What need I more Motives? Therefore are wee emptied from veſſel to veſſel, becauſe the wicked ſit ſtill upon their lees: Therefore does England lye bleeding, becauſe the Sword of Juſtice does not revenge Gods Cauſe upon the bloud of the wicked.

The third Uſe would comfort all thoſe, that doe earneſtly and ſeriouſly endeavour the extirpation, and ſeparation of the wicked, according to their power, place, and intereſt, although they cannot effect it according to their endeavour. To theſe I ſay, concerning the ſeparation of the wicked, what God the Father ſaid to God the Son, concerning the gathering of Iſrael, Iſa. 49. 5. Though the wicked bee not ſeparated, yet they ſhall be glorious. Of ſuch a man I will ſay, as God ſaies of David, Though the Crown of England be not eſtabliſhed, yet upon himſelf ſhall his crown flouriſh: though the Scepter of England ſhake, yet hee ſhall bee faſtned as a nayl in a ſure place. But as for all erroneous, idle, fearful Magiſtrates, that are not a terrour to evil-doers, I doe denounce againſt ſuch, that God will one day make them a terrour to themſelves for their evil deeds, and either take them away here, or caſt them off hereafter, for their not taking away the wicked, whereby the Throne might be eſtabliſhed.

FINIS.