Sermon

A SERMON PREACHED AT the last General Assise holden for the County of Sommerset at TAVNTON.

T He Prophet, whether Asaph or David, having taxed the injustice of the Judges of that time, and addressing himself to denounce God's judgment against them, in these words seems to preoccupate the secure thoughts of their pride. God's they were by office on earth, without control therefore of men; and, as they seemed to conceit, exempted from censure of God himself.

The answer is in the person of God: 1. by concession, Its true, I have said ye are God's: 2. by correction, but ye shall die as men.

In the words are two things observable: 1. the dignity of the Magistrates office; 2. the infirmity of their persons: their dignity amplified, 1. by the author, God, I have said; 2. by the eminence, ye are God's.

Their infirmity noticed in their death, in their fall; both amplified by similitude or parity; ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes.

First of the author: I have said. This dixi of the Lord for Magistrates office, sounds aloud in Scripture, in nature, in heaven, hell, the creatures, man's nature and conscience.

By me Kings reign, saith God's essential wisdom: he means not only by the secret disposition of his providence, but by express warrant of his ordinance. The Apostle in New Testament (to prevent the idle exceptions of Anabaptists) There is no power but of God: Siue iubente, sieve sinente, saith Augustine, by God's either commission or permission: thats Augustine's gloss: the text adds more: The powers that are, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ordered and ordained of God. The persons are sometimes intruders, as in case of usurpation; sometimes abusers of their authority, as when they tyrannize: but the powers themselves have God for their author.

S. Peter indeed calls them human ordinances; but he speaks of the several forms, not of the substance of government.

In nature it self are found impressions of this ordinance: in heaven amongst Angels are principalities and thrones. And there is an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Michael the Archangel. Amongst the Spheres, there is one first movable commander of all the inferiors with his motion. Amongst Stars, there are greater and lesser lights, rulers amongst the rest. Yea such a power there is of this dixi, that the sound thereof hath pierced down to hell. Devils have their principalities, not only over other creatures, but respectively amongst themselves: therefore it is said, the Devil and his Angels, and Beelzebub the Prince of Devils.

To say nothing of brute creatures, amongst which yet Philosophers have observed a perfect form of regiment and policy: in man that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , how doth everything plead for government? his constitution, his inclination, his conscience. So hath God tempered him in his fabric and constitution, that we shall see in every part of his nature something that rules, something made to be ruled. In the composition of his body there is an element predominant; the soul hath over the body Imperium 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the mind over the affectuous part Imperium politicum. If nothing else evince it, that awful submission to regiment, which conscience suggests to sauages, sufficiently proves it. As far as that principle is heard of, that there is a Rex Regum, and Dominus Dominantium; where ever its known that there is a God that judgeth the earth, its known also and received, that there are nominal God's on earth, with reverence next to the supreme Majesty to be adored. Amongst the barbarous Nations of late discovered, hath been found, as some religion and worship of God, so some form of policy and civil government. Let it be true that Tully hath in commendation of his Oratory, that it first drew into civil communion the dispersed and brutish companies of men: yield that that others have, that fiction of divine visions procured authority to laws: let these be means; some principle there must be acknowledged in man's nature, fit to acknowledge equity of such constitutions. Aristotle saith there is in every man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an affectuous and no less then impetuous inclination to such society. And if any be vnfitted for that state, he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a brute; if any need it not, he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God. But over and above all this, it more then seems that natural conscience, amongst other common notions, hath received the impression of this principle: how else comes it, that (a few extravagant natures only excepted) such awful submission is found in all, to men of our own mould? yet in our apprehension clad with such venerable majesty, that the culpable scarce behold them without trembling; and the guiltless yield willing reverence to their persons. So every way hath God pleased to make known his ordinance for magistracy.

It were wonder such a principle should find opposition in the nature of man, by nature the most sociable of all sensible creatures: more strange, that amongst Christians (as they would be esteemed) this constitution should be thought either Heathenish, or Jewish. In a word, two sorts of men we find opposite to this ordinance: First are they that out of a vicious disposition of their hearts, desire to live as Job saith they are borne, like the wild Ass-colt in the wilderness: and for none other thing dislike government, save only that it restrains their unbridled corruption. That brutish strumpet in the Poet quarrels at God's providence, that having set no bounds to the lust of beasts, hath taught men to reverence the bond of blood. A generation fitter to be confuted with a clubbe then with an argument. There once was such a state of God's people the Jews, living without control of authority: see to what extremities corruption breaks forth, notwithstanding all the revelations of God's will from heaven, and the fresh memory of his vengeance upon the Canaanites: the grossest Idolatry, and most unnatural lust they are carried beadlong into. The reason is noted: In those days there was no King in Israel, but every man did what seemed right in his own eyes. And it was a prudent observation of that States-man in the remissness of Nerua his reign: Its better to live where nothing, then where all things are lawful.

The second sort is of them that under pretence of I know not what Christian perfection, have abolished Magistracy amongst other Jewish constitutions, and limit all precepts of subjection given in New Testament, to Magistrates heathenish. Let us see a little whether the ordinance were in likelihood temporary. First, we know no transient ceremony that had place in man's innocence; and have reason to teach, that even in innocence there was a subordination of one to another, though without pain as now it is. That reason of the Apostle, Man was first formed, of him and after him the woman, had place in state of innocence.

Besides, we hold it a rule, what ever ordinance knits man to God, man to man, is of perpetual use to the Church of God: and so much only of Jewish ordinances we think abolished, as alienated man from God, or man from man. Therefore of difference of meats, we say it was temporary, it was part of the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile: therefore of rigor and justification of the law moral, its also abrogated, because it maintained separation betwixt God and man. So we tremble to think of Magistracy.

To be short, if the ordinance were Jewish, what's the reason Paul reckoning up the gifts of God for right ordering of the Church of New Testament, amongst others mentions governments, that is, gifts of government? Questionlesse he saw, that even in state of greatest perfection among Christians, there were that should need restraint by government; and whose best safety should stand in this, that they were assigned to the regiment of others. Let us see whether in likelihood the authority be limited to Magistrates heathenish. The title of Magistrates is, to be Ministers of God; their end and use, the good of the Church. According to this gloss of Anabaptists, the honorablest place of service to God is appropriated to Ethnics, and therein Christians without intrusion cannot meddle. Their end, the good of God's Church, which who can but absurdly imagine, should flow more kindly from heathenish, then from Christian Magistrates?

Paul's counsel is to pray for Kings, and those in authority, that they may be converted; withal he intimates the good issues flowing from their conversion, peace, honesty, godliness, to the people of God. It were strange that from Princes heathenish we should expect furtherance in godliness and honesty, and not rather from them converted to Christianity: nay, why pray we for their conversion, if from their Ethnicisme such gracious furtherances may be expected?

Its promised as a blessing to the Church of New Testament, that she should have Kings her nursing Fathers, and Queens her nursing Mothers. Never saw the Church Christian this promise accomplished, till the happy conversion of Constantine to Christianity; except to suck the blood of the Church, were to be nurses to the Church, such favor never tasted she from heathens. It remains then, that notwithstanding those cauilsome exceptions of licentious Anabaptists, magistracy hath God's ordinance to commend it to the perpetual use of the Church to the end of the world.

This comfort ariseth to Magistrates from this meditation; that they know their standing warranted by God's ordinance.

Thus of the author of their authority: let us consider their eminence.

Ye are God's.] The impertinencies of Jerome and Augustine in their Commentaries, extending the dignity to all Christians, the circumstances of the text apparently discover. To Magistrates, not to all God's children, its said, ye are God's: God's, 1. by analogy: 2. God's by deputation: 3. God's by participation. The expositions have some show of difference, but are all coordinate. The analogy stands in semblance of actions and employments to those of the great God of heaven and earth. As he hath his seat for judgment, so these their Tribunals and judicial Thrones, wherein to judge of the actions of men: tanquam in hoc Deum imitantes, saith Theodoret. There is one Law-giver, saith S. James; he means primarius. And yet of Princes, saith the wisdom of God; By me (that is, by my allowance and inspiration) Princes decree just things. Vengeance is God's, he will repay it; yet Magistrates are Ministers of God to execute vengeance on those that do evil. I am loath to make them transcendents; yet such sure is their authority on earth supra seriem: without control of any, save of that Rex Regum. Colimus Imperatorem (saith Tertullian) vt hominem à Deo secundum, & quicquid est, à Deo consecutum, solo Deo minorem. We reverence the Emperor as a man next unto God, and as one that hath whatsoever he hath from God; inferior to God only. It behooveth thee, saith Agapetus to the Emperor of his time, to charge upon thyself a necessity of keeping the Laws, as having none on earth that can compel thee. So stand the Analogy.

God's by deputation, ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, saith Jehoshaphat, the judgments is God's saith Moses. Magistrates are his mouths to pronounce, his hands to execute it. Kings and Princes are God's vicegerents on earth, by whom as by second causes he governs the world. Therefore Samuel being contemned in his authority, when he puts up his complaint to God, receives this answer, The people had not rejected him, but God Cuius scil. vices gerebat, saith Aquinas, de regimine principum.

God's by participation; Participando fiunt Dij saith Augustine, tanquam luminaillum▪inata. As stars participate their light from the sun, the primum lucidum; so these their authority from the supreme majesty. The glorious majesty of God hath pleased to cast on them, some beams of his own excellency, to make them venerable in the eyes and hearts of men. Ye have heard your dignity; I beseech you take notice of your duty.

Its true I confess, this eminence of dignity is originally in the supreme Magistrate, yet is there a stream thereof derived to his delegates, which ye are. Thus think, the higher the Lord hath advanced you, the more he expects to be honored of you. The rule is Levite. 10.3. God will be sanctified in those that come near him; either by a more then ordinary measure of holiness in their lives, or by his extraordinary vengeance. Ye utterly mistake the matter, if because ye have the moderation of human Laws, ye think yourselves exempt from strictest observance of the Laws of God. Kings themselves have charge, to read in the Law and to fear that God that hath so highly advanced them. And sure it is, whatsoever we think; sins take their greatness in part from the greatness of the persons by whom they are committed. The sheckle of the Sanctuary, was double in weight to the common sheckle; to peize as well the sins of the Priests, as the offerings of the people. The expiatorie sacrifice, for the sin of the Priest, was as great as that for the whole congregation. The reason I think is all one for the Magistrate. God's mercy as great to him in his advancement; his sin in the issues as pernicious.

If that prevail not, weigh well how every way quarrel-some at the lives of Magistrates the people are. Cimon at Athens was taxed for this, that sometimes he drank wine. Romans, that could find no other fault in Scipio, made his sleep a matter of imputation. In Pompei the great it was made matter of criminous observation, that he scratched his head with one finger. And generally you shall find it true that Plutarch observed; As the least blemish in the face, be it but a wart, is more conspicuous and troublesome, then were deformed scars in the rest of the body; so the motes of rulers lives, seem beams in the eyes of the people.

Consider also how prevalent your examples are, either in good or evil: if good, none so effectual or wholesome; if ill, none so pernicious for imitation. Saith Paul to Peter, Why constrainest thou the Gentiles to be circumcised? what compulsory work had Peter over Gentiles? how constrains he them to circumcision? his gifts, and gracious carriage, had won him esteem in the Church of God, and his example seemed a Law; therefore said Jerome truly; Coegit non verbo sed exemplo. As in sailing, saith Agapetus, the error of an ordinary ship-man brings little detriment to the burden, but the mistake of the Steres-man, or Pilot hazards the whole voyage: So in the Common-wealth, the sins of the vulgus do little harm by infection; but the evil example of eminent Rulers, are no less then pestilent and baneful. Now blessed be God that hath inclined your hearts, to more then wonted conscience of the Sabaoth; my hope is, former neglects have been lamented. God's people, I dare say, bless his name for the amendment. But this I assure you, howsoever the odds be great betwixt the important affairs of a Kingdom, and the base pleasures of the multitude; yet more prevailed the example of you mortal gods to encourage to profaneness then the example of the great God of heaven and earth, propounded in the precept, to persuade the sanctifying of the Sabaoth.

If none of these move, weigh well, how according to rules of Scripture, the sins of others, committed by any our occasion, become ours by just imputation. What evil is this that ye do in breaking the Lord's Sabaoth? said Nehemiah to the Rulers of Jerusalem; that sinned, not by personal commission, but by partial connivance, and toleration of the sins of others. Now, God be merciful to the sins of our persons. If thou shalt be extreme to mark what in our own lives we do amiss, who shall be able to abide it? To these, if the burden of other men's sins be added, committed by any our occasion, how can our souls but sink under the weight to the bottom of the nethermost hell?

Pardon my length in this admonition: the hearts and lives of your Lordships are to me unknown charity binds me to think the best; and I have learned of Solomon, not to blaspheme eminent Rulers, no not in my secret thought. Your wisdom I presume hath learned to interpret admonitions, not always as imputations, but when we are guiltless, as preventions.

But shall I tell you what is observed in our petty gods? our Dij minorum gentium: Mentior, if their lives proclaim not, that they think authority an immunity from obedience to the Laws of God: and so live, as if they fancied no other happiness in their dignities, then that they bring with them license to sin without control of any. Tully tells of one, Qui peccandi licentiâ foelix appellabatur, had gotten him Felix almost for his surname, because he was a licentiate in sinning. O miserum, said Augustine, cui peccare licebat. Wretched man that had license to sin. Let that happiness betide that person with whom God is angry forever.

And generally ye shall observe, even superlative sins prove diminutiues when they fall into great persons. As the audacious Pirate challenged by Alexander for infesting the sea, made answer freely; Because I do it in a Fly-boat I am called a Pirate; because thou in a great Navy, thou art called an Emperor. That which we silly men call the language of hell, profane daliance with God's name in common swearing, amongst our gallants hath the esteem of Retorique; and oaths they reckon amongst the ornaments and flowers of speech; they serve to fill up the hiatus of their broken sentences. Voluptuous living, to eat, drink, sleep, and rise up to play, we in our simplicity term the life of a beast. That bonum pecudum, great ones count their felicity, and have closed it now in their definition; what is a Gentle-man but his pleasure? Vox pecudis non hominis, saith Tully truly, As if they were made in the earth, as Leviathan in the sea, for nothing but to take their pastime therein. What should I speak of that gluttonous bouzing, taken up in great houses, as part of their devotion? as Ambrose notes the beastly custom in his time. Bibamus pro salute imperatorum, & qui non biberit, sit reus in deuotione. Let us drink to the health of the King, who so pledgeth not his health, let him be culpable in point of devotion. O obsequie of pious devotion saith Saint Ambrose, ironically, or rather ô foolishness of men, that think drunkenness a sacrifice to God; as if the God we serve were as Bacchus the Idol of the heathen, to be propitiated with intemperance. Oremus pro salute Regum, pray for the health and salvation of Kings, that's Paul's devotion. If such be your lives, this your observance of that God that hath so highly advanced you, take heed it prove not your portion at the last, that the wise man hath; Potentes potenter tormenta patientur, mighty men shall be mightily tormented.

One thing more let me add on this ground, as more nearly concerning your Lordships: Analogy you have in dignity to the great God of heaven and earth: I beseech you be careful in your executions to maintain the proportion. Jehoshaphat hath particularized it in his charge to the Judges of his time, upon this ground, either of analogy, or deputation: Ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, therefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. The charge runs often for impartialitie in judgment: ye shall judge the small as well as the great, and have no respect of persons in judgment; not fear the face of the mighty, nor esteem a poor man in his cause: not favor the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. Know it for surety, iniquity dwells not all in cottages, but finds entertainment in ceiled houses. I would they were not, some of them, as its said of Shinar, the land where wickedness is settled as upon her own base. Jeremiah in the search he made in Jerusalem for a man, found goodness as rare among the great ones, as amongst the vulgus. The state of our time and Kingdom is not much unlike. My counsel is this only: Let never cauillers have cause to say of our laws, as Anacharsis spake tartly of those of Scythia, they are as spiders webs, the great flies break thorough, the smaller only are holden.

For gifts, how professeth the great Judge, that herein requires your imitation, a holy scorn of them? Thousands of Rammes, and ten thousand rivers of oil, none of these so precious in his eyes, as is the preservation of justice. Let the same mind be in you. What Peter speaks to Simon Magus, say you to corrupting bribers; Thy money perish with thee, that thinkest so sacred a thing as justice, may be perverted by money. Withall forget not what Augustine admonisheth, that there is something equivalent to a bribe, as much tainting the soul with guilt of injustice, whether it be done prece or pretio, timore or amore, the sin is the same. Pilate perhaps could wash his hands of bribes, not therefore of Christ's blood. The fear or favor of Caesar, suggested by the people, ( Thou art not Caesar's friend ) was equivalent to a bribe, and swaied him against justice to condemn an innocent. The Judges of Israel that sentenced Naboth to death, we read not to have been corrupted with bribes; but there was something equivalent, for which their souls to this day fry in hell, except they repented; whether it was fear of Iesabels violence, or hope of favor and preferment by her, that procured their cruel obsequiousnesse to her bloody mandate. My Lord's, he that said ye are God's, requires you in judgment to put off all partial human affections, and to frame your proceedings to those of the great Judge of heaven and earth: so doing, his promise is to be with you in the cause and judgment. Give leave now a little to direct my speech to those of inferior rank employed in this service: they have also their meditations naturally afforded from consideration of your dignity. Consider it seriously, beloved Christians, you that have to deal, whether by way of information, or testimony, or howsoever. They are God's by office and deputation, before whom ye stand; and the great God of heaven and earth protesteth his presence in the assembly of his Vicegerents. Know for a surety, ye have God a spectator, a witness, a Judge of all your proceedings. The obligation of an oath is sacred, wherein you contest the divine Majesty, and engage your souls to his wrath, in case you deal falsely or fraudulently before his Deputies. Let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Tremble to play with the name of God in an oath before his Vice-gerents. The sins of the Country you cannot be ignorant of, they are grown clamantia, and the sinners of no less then Sodomitical impudency: They declare their sins like Zodom, and hide them not. The modesty of Paul's times is long since worn out of use. It was wont to be said, They that are drunken, are drunken in the night: and the speech was once proverbial, He that evil doth, hates the light. Deeds of darkness are now done at noon-day; and gluttony is now no longer matter of chambering, the very streets are filled with filthy vomitings.

I could wish it were matter of inquiry by your Law, the horrible dalliance with God's name in vain swearing; and can but wonder, how in a Christian Kingdom, a sin of so great impiety hath so long wanted restraint by penal laws. The names of Princes we are justly tender of, and the reproachful traducing of their persons is in some cases capital. For my part I could wish Moses Law revived, Who so blasphemes the Ruler of the people, shall be put to death: but withal cannot but lament, that the dreadful name of the Lord of hosts should be so freely permitted to the profane abuse of every godless miscreant; and shall never think the Kingdom secured from God's wrath, till such time as we have learned to fear an oath. Because of oaths the Land mourns. And questionless that damned crew of mercenary periuers issueth out of this damnable crew of common swearers. Through too much familiarity with oaths, God's name is grown into contempt; and whilst men make no conscience of swearing vainly, they grow at length to make as little of swearing falsely.

That of Recusancy I know is commonly matter of inquisition; and yet to this day, the several sorts of Recusants are either unknown, or winked at. There are besides our superstitious Recusants the Papists, and the curious Recusants, the brethren (as they would be called) of the unbrotherly separation, a sort of profane, I know not whether I may say Recusants or Negligents: men that our of a godless disposition, in very contempt of all Religion, forsake our assemblies. The living God is scarce served with such devotion in his Temple on the days of assembling, as Bacchus the Idol of the heathen by these men upon their Ale-bench. I beseech you that have to deal by way of information, of all others let not these profane persons be forgotten. We wonder much without any cause of wonder, at the multiplying of Recusants. Know this for a rule, Popery hath a natural issue out of profaneness. And we have no reason to marvel that men should fall from atheism to superstition, from profaneness unto Popery. Its God's just judgment on them that have not received the love of the truth, to send upon them strong delusions to believe lies, that they all might be damned that believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Lastly, (that no sort of men may lack their portion) are they God's Vice-gerents that are authorized to judgment? Mee thinks then they should tremble that have to deal by way of aduocation or pleading, to give patronage to an evil cause. How true it is I say not; but its vox populi, that Lawyers in their covetousness are of Absolom's mind in his ambition; Every man's cause is good, it lacks but indifferent audience. Its an ill cause, they say, that admits no color, that finds no advocate; a rough stone sure, that some men cannot make smooth. But woe to him, saith Isaiah, that speaks good of evil, or evil of good: and He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemns the righteous, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Proceed we now in the text: And ye are all the children of the most high.

There is a child by generation, the express character of his Fathers person: so Christ the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Vnigena, the only begotten Son of God. There are sons by creation, and specially of resemblance in purity; so are Angels called the sons of God.

Sons by adoption and regeneration; so all the faithful: it were comfortable if so were also all Magistrates.

Children by semblance of majesty and glory, as God's lively images in authority: so Magistrates and whomsoever God hath invested in the glory of ruling power.

Are they all in this sense sons of the most high? What say we to the case of impiety? Suppose them impious, said Amarcanus. All title to dominion hath foundation in the grace of justice and charity; therefore impious men have no lawful dominion, but by impiety make forfeiture of their authority.

Thus we distinguish: Its providence, not grace, that disposeth civil titles: grace, not providence, that makes them comfortable. It is true in a sense, impious men are all usurpers in whatsoever they enjoy: the air they breath in, the earth they tread on, the meat they eat, the clothes they are warmed with, are not theirs; I mean by spiritual right, that can give them comfort before God: yet have they a title indefeisible amongst men, by birth-right, succession, election, or if there be any other course that providence hath chosen, thereby to deuolue such titles upon them. Therefore we say as Austin truly: Qui dedit Mario, ipse & Caesari; he that gave the Empire to Marius, gave it also to Caesar; he that to Augustus, the same to Nero; he that to the Vespasians the father and son, those sweet Emperors, the same to that most cruel and bloody Domitian. And in a word, he that to Constantine the Christian, the same to Julian the Reuolt. Pray for Kings, saith Paul, yea though they were such as gentiliter vixerunt, said Optatus M •• euitanus.

What say we to the case of tyranny? Suppose them tyrants; retain they still their honorable title and function?

Answer. If by tyranny they mean usurped regiment, perhaps its true that Albertus hath; subjection may be performed, quoad sustinentiam; needs not be performed quoad obedi ntiam: our patience may bear their tyranny; our conscience seems not bound to yield them obedience. If by tyranny they understand ordinate power degenerating into cruelty by abuse, howsoever Papists and some other Divines give liberty with cautions to throw off the yoke, yet vetera vera: The Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come, or he shall descend into battle and perish. But God forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed, saith David of Saul, a tyrant by abuse of power, though not by usurpation. Their unction makes them sacred: the hurtful touch of their persons makes the subject sacrilegious. They are flagella Domini, as is said of Ashur, the Lord's rods to chasten the security and disobedience of his people: yet so his rods, that the Lord only hath authority to cast them into the fire.

What think we of the state of incorrigible heresy, attended with excommunication? Popish divinity is known: the subject (they say) is absolved from his allegiance.

I mean not to enter the question, whether Kings be subject to that censure: its probably disputed both ways. Yield that Ambrose did justly with Theodosius in that abstention; for I profess I am yet to learn whether it were a complete excommunication: but yield it ex abundante.

The sentence of our Savior is direful; Sit tibi sicut Ethnicus: Let him be to thee as an heathen or Publican. Grauius est, saith Augustine; Its more then if a man were slain with the sword, or consumed with fire, or cast to wild beasts to be devoured: yet is it but a tanquam, not a plusquam. It make them as Ethnics, not in worse case. Suppose them therefore in case of Ethnics being excommunicate: is not loyalty to be performed to Ethnic Kings? What was the state of Emperors and Kings when the Apostles gave those precepts of subjection, but heathenish? yet is it their constant rule, Be subject to the higher powers. And saith the Lord by Jeremiah, Seek the peace of the Land whither I have caused you to be carried captives, and pray unto the Lord for it. And who but he that hath sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of God, dares teach, that excommunication makes parricide lawful to the child? or that children are absolved from duty to parents lying under the sentence of excommunication? Or why should we think it brings more detriment to authority in the weal public, then to that in private families? To shut up the point: That spiritual sword deprives of spiritual rights, that concern the kingdom of Heaven, deprives none of his civil rights, which he hath as a member of civil society. The keys are given to the Church, to open and shut the kingdom of heaven, meddle not at all with the kingdoms of the earth.

I conclude it with that admonition of Solomon: My son, fear the Lord and the King, and meddle not on any pretence with them that are seditious. Are they impious? pray for their piety? Are they tyrannous? pray God for thy patience, and their inspiring with clemency. Presumes any to excommunicate? Know first, if any such power be given unto men over Kings and Princes, yet is it invested in the persons of their own Pastors. 2. If it be not regularly done, a nullity there is in their conscience, and ought to be in thine esteem. 3. If never so ordinately, it deprives but of spiritual, not of civil titles.

The last thing remains, the infirmity of your persons: ye shall die as men. The original is as Adam, which Jerome takes properly, others appellatiuely; the sense is both ways the same.

The sentence some conceive a commination, some only as a monition, the latter clause is no doubt a threatening; this former best interpreted a monition. It comes in, me thinks, as that stake in Paul's flesh, after his extraordinary revelations, least he should be exalted above measure: or as the voice of the crier following the tryumphers Chariot in Rome, eftsoons ringing that in the ear, memento te esse mortalem.

A meditation necessary for all men; most for them of highest dignity: how prone we are to conceit in our very nature something more then human, because our persons are clad with divine dignities, we see in plentiful experience. Herod in his magnificence admits the applause of the people, The voice of God and not of man, till he learned by experience that the worms should eat him. That monster of men in Rome, puffed up with success of victories, attempts to imitate thundering Jupiter. Seneca scoffeth at his pride: but so true it is that the Psalmist hath; Man being in honor hath no understanding, nor so much as remembrance of human infirmity.

I confess, I seldom read of any that could hope for immortality upon earth. But the absurd desires of some I have heard of, wishing, if it were possible, to perpetuate a miserable life in this sinful state upon earth; rather then to adventure their souls upon uncertain hopes (as to them they seem) of a better state in the life to come. I marvel not at it. Its their profession; this life they know, that other they know not. A speech savoring of the little relish of the things of God: and euidencing their no title to the comforts of God's kingdom. This life they know; would God they knew it, either as Apuleius, or but as Augustine describes it. Inter casus ambulamus: We walk amiddest a world of casualties. Si vitrei essemus: Yet were our metal but as glass, less reason we had to fear mishappes; but its much more frail. Fals by mishaps we fear for those brittle vessels: but age or sickness we fear not in respect of them. Man therefore more frail them they; who besides the many casualties that have continual intercourse in his life, lies open to infeebling by age and sickness; for suppose no casualty betide us: yet tempus ambulat, vitat homo ictum, numquid vitat exitum?

I am sorry we should have cause to teach by instruction, that which fools may learn by experience. Death pit • eth not poverty, nor reverenceth riches; spares no man's birth nor quality, nor age, the ods is this only • etwixt old and young, Se • ibus in ianuis, adolescentibus in insidijs est. My purpose is to be your remembrancer, no teacher of mortality.

This only I beseech you consider with me, Wha •• oeuer eminence of dignity God hath clothed you withal, • ee hath not exempted you from condition of mortality▪ Ye shall die like men 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the eminence of dignity, ye are like unto God; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the esse • ce of your body, of the same condition with meanest men. The principles of your constitution alone; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Clay we have all the first father and founder of our generation; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : As well the Prince in his throne, as the beggar under the bush, our genus is lutulentum; dirty, at least dustie; and our ende resolution into the same principles. It is appointed to all men once to die. Remember the consequent; after that comes judgment. Thus think even when ye sit Judges of other men's lives, ye have not arbitrium, no not of your own. There is no man that hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is there discharge in that war. When thoughts of pride, or perverting justice shall arise, thus think; My breath is in my nostrils: What if the Lord should cite me to his tribunal, even now when I think of abusing justice, a thing so sacred? As the tree falls, so it lies; so as we die, so are we presented to judgment.

It is an error of man's pride, to think they shall have esteem at that day, according as they were more or less clad with dignities in this life. Death strippes of all dignities, and we are presented naked to the Lord's tribunal. Blessed is the man that dies in the Lord; his works follow him; his pomp he leaves behind him. Yet hearken to a course whereby ye may perpetuate judicial dignity, and at the great day sit on Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel. Not dignity, but sanctity makes us Christ's Assessours. The Saints shall judge the world. This sanctity manifest in your lives, in your callings, my soul for yours, your resurrection shall be glorious. In case it be neglected, hear what, not I, but the Lord by his Prophet threateneth; ye shall fall like one of the Princes.

They are witty and industrious niceties that Jerome hath, enquiring the sense of this commination. This one of the Princes he conceives to be the devil, that prince of the air, Lucifer the prince of the devils, the prime devil amongst the Legions of infernal spirits. As Lucifer, so shall ye fall. Non potest Angelica dignitas mortem recipere, sed tantùm ruinam. The devil died not, but fell from the dignity of his creation. Thus Jerome; with whom accord Augustine and Theodoret.

Thus rather conceive the Prophet, upon hypothesis of their injustice impenitently continued, to threaten the ruin of their thrones, and destruction of their persons, by some special hand of God. And the better to set before their eyes the horror of their fall, and withal to prevent the security might arise from their present greatness, he remembers them of God's wrath and powerful destruction poured out upon the Princes of the Nations, which the Lord had cast out before their eyes, suppose upon Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunnah, whose overthrow to like purpose the Prophet mentions in the next following Psalm.

The point here to be noticed is the judgment of God against injustice and cruelty, threatened and exemplified. Consent of Scriptures for like threatenings read at your leisure, Mich. 3.9.11.12. Zeph. 3.3.4. Ezek. 22.27.31. Others many you may observe as you read. Executions perhaps will more move; and in this kind stories abound. The downfall of Eli, a dear servant of God once Judge in Israel, for connivance only and foolish pity, (where bowels of nature might seem, if not to dispense with severity, yet to excuse his lenity) Scriptures have registered for our warning and terror. For higher degrees of injustice, records are plentiful: few tainted with that sin have died the common death of men, or been visited with the common visitation of all men. Of Pilate write Eutropius and Eusebius, how under Gaius the Emperor he was miserably tormented, and in the anguish of his soul chose this compendium of his tortures, to be his own deaths-man. Vigelius Saturninus President and Judge at Carthage, the first (saith Tertullian ) that drew sword against us, lost his eyes. Claudius Herminianus President of Cappadocia, after many cruel vexations of Christians, stricken with the pestilence, was eaten up of worms. Antiochus President and Judge under Aurelian, whilst Agapetus the Martyr is in his torments, falls suddenly from the judgment seat, and crying out of the burnings he felt in his bowels, gives up the ghost. These you will say were at the highest point of injustice, persecuting to death Christ in his members. But remember, 1. that in injustice as in other sins, the downfall is headlong, and men once giving reins to themselves in evil, know no stay till they come to extremities. 2. Besides, where the fact is not so foul in it self, circumstances may make the injustice as damnable in us. These are examples of God's immediate executions: there are others wherein he hath used men as his instruments. The Roman laws of the twelve Tables appointed death for that Judge that should be convicted to have perverted justice for money: according thereto were their executions, till such time as corruption growing into great personages, they mitigated the severity, and exchanged it for banishment and consiscation of goods. Cambyses King of Persia, having detected the corruption of a Judge in his kingdom, commands him to be put to death, his skin to be plucked off, and spread upon the judgment seat as a carpet or hangings, his son to sit in the fathers Throne so adorned, that he and all posterity might fear forever to pervert justice, and to deal untruly in judgment.

My Lord's, of these whether immediate or mediate judgments of God, thus think as Paul adviseth: They happened to them as ensamples, and are written for your warning, to make you cautionate how ye fall by example of like injustice. I say as Ambrose when he closeth the Story of Ahab and Jezebels fearful end: Fuge ergo diues huiusmodi exitum. Sed fugies huiusmodi exitum, si fugeris huiusmodi flagitium. My Lord's, tremble at such ends, and be careful to avoid them. Such ends ye shall avoid, if ye carefully fly from such like injustice. Faxit Deus. Cui gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.