A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE KING CHARLES, March 27. 1627. Being the Anniversary of his MAJESTY'S Inauguration:  
BY ISACC BARGRAVE, Doctor in Divinity, Then Chaplain to his MAJESTY in Attendance: And DEANE of CANTERBVERY:  
BY His MAJESTY'S special Command.  
LONDON, Printed by john Legatt, for Peter Paxton, and are to be sold at his shop at the Angel in Paul's Churchyard. 1627.   
1. Sam. 15. vers. 23 Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft, and stubbornness as the wickedness of Idolatry. 
OUR alwise God, who made Order the measure of his creation, placed man among the creatures here below, as the chief Administrator of order. Man was then planted as a tree by the rivers of waters, Psal. 1. 3. and, had he grown on in the order wherein he was planted, his leaf had not withered, he had brought forth his fruit in his season, and whatsoever he had done, had prospered. But alas! disobedience and order could never long dwell together. The worm of pride had no sooner corrupted the root of mankind, but instantly this goodly tree lost both leaves and fruit too; nay all the stems issuing from that corrupt stock, have ever since proved naturally fit for infernal fuel, then for the service of God's Temple. Man in his corrupt nature, joins in this with the other creatures; non vult domari. If the wind be stayed in his course, it will root up the strongest Oaks: if the water in her motion, she will swell, and overswell the banks. And though God himself be the Commander, yet rather than men will want their will, they will summon a whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against him, as in the 2. Psalm, The Rulers taking counsel together, and the people imagining a vain thing against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us.  
Thus doth wretched man, by endeavouring to cast off the lighter yoke of God's Law, pull upon himself an heavier: The law of his own lust and will, walking on thorough the paths of wilful disobedience, to unavoidable destruction. To cure which swelling sore, as God holding his Sceptre in heaven, labours by all the means both of his mercies and judgements, to retract us from that fatal way: so he establisheth Sceptres on earth, as a ready means to help to reduce us to the perfection of our first rule: making the duty of the second Table, a step to our duty of the first, subduing our will to the will of man on earth, that so he may the better subdue us to his own Will in heaven. First, as an invaluable blessing upon a Land, God gives us a King; and then as the power of that blessing, he prescribes obedience to our King. So that in reference to the God of order, as we should esteem no day happier than this whereon God hath blest us with a true Successor of his Father, a just and pious King; so can there be no sacrifice fit for this happy I D●y, than the sacrifice of obedience both to God and to our King. The breach of which duty to either in their degree, being no less then as the sin of Witchcraft, and as the wickedness of Idolatry.  
As faith is the clearest gloss of the Gospel, so obedience the best exposition of the Law, better than the best of sacrifices, the fat of Lambs, as in the former verse. Better, because the wickedest man alive may offer Sacrifice; none can obey but the good. Nay, even from good Abraham, God refused the Sacrifice, 
〈◊〉  but accepted the obedience. Whereas on the contrary, disobedience to God and his Deputies, though it proceed from weakness, is a sin. But if it swell to stubbornness and rebellion, it is a great sin; great as Idolatry, which is the worst kind of sin; great as Witchcraft (which in blessed King JAMES his phrase) is the worst kind of Idolatry.  
To the truth of which assertion, that I may lead you thorough the path of method, I shall first view it generally and in Thesi, as it may concern all men, High and low, rich and poor, one with another. Then particularly, and in Hypothesi, as it strikes at the offenders in this Chapter, Saul and his people. In the general, we shall find first in positivo, that rebellion is both a sin and the cause of all sin: hear therefore and avoid it. Secondly, in comparativo, that it is the foulest of sins, even as Witchcraft and Idolatry. Be pleased to hearken, that you may hate it.  
A subject (I confess) it is of such importance and authority, that none so fit as Samuel himself, to have delivered it. Fit had it been for me with Aaron to have stood below among the people: but since with Moses I was summoned up to the mount, I would not fall within the censure of mine own text.  
Now, to follow these steps as they are laid, and so to make the passage more easy, first in positivo we will consider the nature of rebellion in general.  
It is a common rule in Divinity, that in all the sons of decayed Adam, that whatsoever is most natural, is to be suspected as most sinful. Now, by nature we are all as oxen unpliable to the yoke. Animam Regis quisque portat: that which is the hope of the jews at the coming of their Messiah, Every mechanic would be a King, no man would be a Subject. Man naturally hath such a will as cannot be subject. We are all borne the enemies of God, and as the unruly 
Rom 8 7. judges 19 22.  sons of Belial. Viri absque iugo, like an untamed heifer we are ever kicking against our Maker. Multi in jesum, pauci in Dominum; many will willingly 
jer. 31.  hear of God as a Saviour, but if you propound him as a Commander, their answer is ready, our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us? 
Psalm 12. 4.   
Thus it fares with God, and worse with his Deputy: Est multis the saurus in lingua situs, ut quaestui habeant 
Plaurus Paenul.  male loqui melioribus. Though the earth swallowed up Core and his complices, yet too many of their generation remain still: men, whose purity consists in parity, whose conscience in disobedience. Wherefore shall any men lift themselves up above the 
Numb. 16. 3.  congregation of the Lord? Well; whence this fruit proceeds the root will demonstrate. Even when God on the Mount had taken obedience for his text, than did the Devil divert his people to Idolatry and rebellion. Even when Christ was giving judas the blessed bread of salvation, than did Satan persuade him to plot his Saviour's destruction. Thus did both Law and Gospel begin with opposition a plain argument, that it is the work of the Devil the Author of rebellion.  
A truth, which will yet reflect far more clearly, if you behold it in Comparativo, whether you compare rebellion with the contrary virtue Obedience, as in the verse before; or with the parallel vices in the text, witchcraft and Idolatry. First, by the rule of S. Gregory, ex adverso melius ostenditur, the light will best appear through the contrary virtue. Now, by the rule of contraries, as Arist. Eth. 8. says, Primus actus virtutis opponitur maximo vitio, et minimus minimo. If obedience be the best of virtues, than rebellion is the worst of sins.  
Look then first in the old Law, Sacrifice was the best in that: yet behold, obedience is better than Sacrifice. And the Adeps, the fat, was the best part of the Sacrifice (God always reserved that for himself) yet see, obedience is better than the fat of Lambs. To offer many Sacrifices with the Papists, without obedience, is little other in their own Tostats phrase then studium nequitiae, a kind of devotion by which a man takes much pains to offend God. Sacrifice? Alas, that was commanded as the mere Schoolmaster to obedience. Obedience is good in itself, Sacrifice only in respect to the Law that commanded it. Obedience did that which all the legal Sacrifices could not do, it ransomed us from the power of the Devil. In Sacrifice, beasts were killed; in obedience, the lusts of our own flesh are mortified: to Sacrifice our beastly affections, must needs be much better than to offer beasts. As Faith is the best of the Theological, so obedience the chiefest of the moral virtues: Nay Legal justice which is nothing else but the obedience of the whole Law, is omnis virtus, saith Aristotle: nay it excels, saith he, all other virtues, quantum lucifer inter Astra, as the morning Star excels all others in beauty. In a word; active obedience, says one, is the Father, and passive, the Mother of all virtue. And therefore if Christ's example will move us, perdidit vitam, ne perderet obedientiam, he chose rather to lose his life then his obedience.  
Why, see then the issue of this first comparison; if obedience to God and his Law, be not only a virtue, but omnis virtus, all virtue: then rebellion to God and his Law is not only a sin, but omne vitium, all sin: so that take it generally, and to compare any sin with it, is to compare a part with the whole.  
Nor is this yet enough. The holy Ghost yet farther aggravates it in m● text, by a second comparison; with the parallel sins, as well as with the contrary virtues. Rebellion causeth all sin in general, and is as great as the foulest sins in particular, even as witchcraft and Idolatry. Such is the monstrous nature of man's disobedience, that simple and positive notions cannot express it, it must be heightened by comparisons; nor can every comparatine reach it: nothing can arrive at the top of man's sin, but the sin of man; and no sins will parallel rebellion, but those of witchcraft or Idolatry.  
In taking the height of which comparison, Peter Martyr and others conceive, that Samuel here aimed not at the equality of the sins, but of the punishment: but to him that well eyes it, it will appear plainly, that as the Prophet had spoken before of the contrary virtue obedience itself, so here he aimed directly at the sin itself; that rebellion was as the wickedness of Idolatry.  
Now, Witchcraft being an high kind of Idolatry, I need not compare them severally; the greater implies the lesser. Nor are we to expect, the comparison should run even upon all feet: It is not comparatio aequalitatis, sed similitudinis, 'tis a comparison of quality, not of equality. But first, as all comparatives should do, these sins they meet in vni●oco, they both communicate in the same form; they are both primarily sins against the first Table; both have the same beginning from Infidelity; both the same end, the contempt of God's Ordinance. The Romish Idolater adores the true God with false worship: so doth he who worships God according to the will of man. The Witch, he makes the devil his God: little better doth he that makes his own will his God. Idolatry? why, 'tis the highest of sins, it being against God, not only as he is a Lawgiver, so the breach of the second table is against God: but a sin directly against God as he is God: And so doth the Rebel oppose him. The Idolater makes a plurality of gods, and that includes a nullity; Dicite plures, dicite nullum: and near as good no God, as no obedience to God. In the breach of the Sabbath, God's honour is diminished; in Idolatry his essence is denied; In swearing God's name is vilified; in Idolatry 'tis annihilated. Diminishing, vilifying, denying, annihilating, all are included in rebelling. In Idolatry they offer to Idols; in Witchcraft they sacrifice to devils; yet behold, rebellion a sin comparative to both; nay, superlative above both, and the cause of both. For were there no rebellion against God and his Law, there could be neither Witchcraft nor Idolatry.  
But if this general gloss seem yet too large, let us now contract it in the particular, and consider the truth of this comparison in Hypothesi, the sin here of Saul and of his people. Which being done, 'tis to be feared lest finding Israel in rebellion, we shall find ourselves likewise in Israel; both guilty of a prodigious sin, like to that of witchcraft or idolatry.  
Now, in saul's offence clearly charactered in this Chapter, two points are most remarkable. His foul commission, his false submission. The first is aggravated by two clear circumstances: The worth of the Gifts which God gave him; the unworthiness of his ends, for which he rebelled against him.  
First, for his person; there was not a more comely among all the sons of Israel. Secondly, for his 
1▪ S●m. 9 2.  place; from the least Family, and the smallest Tribe, he was advanced to be the Head of the Tribes of Israel. Thirdly, For his endowments; The Spirit of the Lord came extraordinarily upon him, and he prophesied. Thus much did God give h●m, and therefore expected to receive much from him. He did from him, he doth from us. Donorum promptus 
Bernard.  quidem Author, sed importunus exactor. God requires his own with usury, Matth. 25. 27. Where God performs mighty works, he looks for effectual obedience. Otherwise woe to Israel here, woe to Chorazin, woe to Bethsaida, it shall be more tolerable for Try and Sidon then for you.  
And here, O English Israel, let the stain of Israel's unthankful rebellion move thee to ready obedience. The Lord hath exalted thee as the King among the nations. For temporal blessings, he hath hitherto made fast the bars of thy gates. Whereas other more thankful people have been oppressed with bloody war; Peace and the Princes of peace have flourished within our palaces. Our wives have been as the fruitful vine, and our children as the olive branches about our table. The God of our gladness hath crowned the year with his goodness, and there hath been no leading into captivity, no complaining in our streets. Nay, God with an higher hand, hath blest us with all spiritual and heavenly blessings; he hath given us means to be good as well as safe; his Word most freely, which is his power to Salvation; the Preachers of his Word most abundantly, in number and knowledge, exceeding all other reformed Churches. Our Land, she is as a mother in Israel, a refuge to all the distressed members of Christ abroad: As a Queen in a vesture of Gold wrought about with diverse colours: here are the seats of justice; here the Schools of the Prophets; here the Temples of the living God; the offertories of our daily prayers and praises; the exercise whereof, (besides our private Soliloquies) we have in every Parish Church every week thrice, in every Cathedral every day thrice. Nay, so frequent are they in our great Cities, that every hour of the day may be spent in public devotion. Lastly, as the crown of all; God, as upon this day, hath given us a careful Guardian of all these blessings, who studies nothing more, then to make them as secure as they are profitable. Oh let us take heed, that with these Israelites here, we rebel not against so gracious a God, so bounteous a Benefactor. It hath ever been a Practic Maxim in Theology, Ingentia beneficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia supplicia: Great benefits, answered with foul sins, and in fearful judgements. And if we, through disobedience, shall despise the riches of God's grace upon us, what can remain, but a fearful consummation of judgements already begun, that as God rend here from Saul a temporal Kingdom, so according to our Saviour's own prophecy, he should take from us a spiritual Kingdom, and confer it upon a people that will bring 
Matth. ●1. 43.  forth the fruits thereof?  
The greatness of God's blessings being abused, they proved to Israel here the aggravation both of their sin and punishment. All which light the heavier upon them, because they did it for such poor and unworthy ends.  
Lord! How straight a charge had God given them, concerning the Amalekites, though it be against the law of Arms, that women and children, who cannot bear Arms, should be slain? yet God, saith Samuel, bade smite Amalek, slay both man 
Verse ●, 3.  and woman, infant and suckling, oxen and sheep. With how strong a reason was this commission backed? Remember how Amalek laid wait for Israel, in the way as they came up from Egypt. Here is command backed with reason, but all notwithstanding, Saul and his people destroyed that only which was vile; but spared Agag the King and all that was good.  
The conceived motives of which their disobedience, though many & courtly, are all, in comparison to the reward of obedience, most poor and contemptible. Some think they did it for covetousness of the spoil, and of agag's ransom; and so made Mammon their god, which is express Idolatry Some 
Phil 〈…〉  conjecture, they spared the fatlings of the cattles, to feast after victory; and so they made their belly their 
Ephes.  god: and that's Idolatry. Some say they spared King Agag▪ that they might lead him as their vassal in triumph, after victory; and so they made their glory their god: and that's flat Idolatry. At the 15. verse it is alleged, that they spared the best of the cattles, to sacrifice them unto the Lord: and so they made Religion a stalking horse to rebellion; and that's the known badge of Idolatry. At the 24. verse Saul confesseth, that he did it for fear of the people, and so made popular applause his god. Now, to worship a monster with so many heads, is gross Idolatry. josephus writes, he spared King Agag, because he was a comely and a beautiful Prince; and Abule●sis, that he did it out of pity; fearing lest the tables being turned, and the dice new cast, it might one day prove his own case. And such indeed are oft the turns in humane affairs: as England by computation won Normandy, the same day forty years wherein Normandy overcame England. Well, grant which you will, or all these conjectures to be true: yet that Saul and his people, for such unworthy ends as these, should reject the Word of the Lord, and run a whoring after their own inventions, what was all this, but the worst of Idolatry, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Will-worship, Selfe-seruice, Sacrificing to their nets? They made 
Col. 2. ●● Abacuc 〈…〉  their Pity, their glory, their belly, their Mammon, their God, in all setting up their own ends and their own will, above God and his will. And this is a lofty pitch of Idolatry.  
Thus foul was saul's rebellion in the commission of his fault; And if you look with a true Christian eye, either upon his false excuse, or his hypocritical repentance; 'twill prove rather worse then better in his submission: for whereas obedience should be no disputant, no murmurer, no framer of excuses; yet Saul, who would not be obeying, would be excusing, and that with a notorious falsity, saying, I have fulfilled the Commandment of the Lord. Now, falsity is a foul fault in a man, much more in a Magistrate: 
●erse ●●  yet an untruth so palpable was here defended, that the very bleating sheep and lowing oxen confuted him. Yet still the sin riseth higher: for as he excused his fault falsely, so he repent hypocritically. How 
ukase 14.  hardly could Samuel bring him to acknowledge his sin! and when he did it, 'twas a Politic design, all for vainglory only; the aim of his ambition was, that the Prophet would honour him before the Elders of his people. 
ver●e 〈◊〉   
Thus did sin thrust on sin, as one wave drives another. And if by these degrees his rebellion climbed not high enough to reach the sin of Idolatry, behold yet two steps more, by which it will arrive at the very top of it. First, it was a sin of knowledge, not of ignorance: For he had a precept enjoined, Go smite Amalek. He had a reason adjoined; Remember that which Amaleck did, how he laid wait 
verse ●▪ verse 3.  for Israel oft. Why behold, Abraham obeyed God even against reason; dispensing with all his dear and near affections: at God's command, ready to kill his own and only son: yet see disobedient Saul● though he have the Lords express warrant, backed with unanswerable reason, will to the contrary, spare Agag, a stranger, an Amalckite, a professed enemy to God and his chosen Israel.  
Secondly, which was the pitch of his iniquity; it was not a sin of knowledge only, but of stubbornness; a sin of the will; plain rebellion; a wilful desperate contumacy. God's dearest children fall every day by sins of infirmity; but they in their offences are passive, rather than active; they do not that which they would, they do that which they would not. Have they 
Rem 〈…〉 2. Cor 〈…〉  but a willing mind? Why God accepts according to that a man hath. There is as great a difference betwixt stubborn presumption and a slip of frailty, as betwixt murder and chance▪ medley. Saint Paul makes it the property of Antichrist himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one whose will is his law; and his children, the children of disobedience, are styled by the holy Ghost, The sons of Belial, the sons of perdition. Deus est sua cuique cupido. Of all Idolaters he is the most incorrigible, who makes his will his God. Every sin is so voluntary, that it were no sin, if it were not voluntary. Sins of infirmity are especially said to be committed against God the Father, whose especial attribute is power; sins of ignorance against God the Son, whose especial attribute is wisdom: but sins of malice are sins against God the holy Ghost, whose especial attribute is love. 'tis ill to offend in the former; 'tis fearful, with Saul and his people here, to offend in the latter kind. If therewere no will, saith holy Bernard, there would be no hell. Not but that if our will be subject to Gods will, it is in one respect the best of all the soul's faculties; it being the faculty by which we enjoy all other good things. Never sacrifice more acceptable to God, then that of Christ to his Father, non quod ego volo: Not as I 
Math. 2●. 39  will, but as thou wilt. Whereas on the contrary, nor witchcraft nor Idolatry could be more displeasing to God then saul's Rebellion: insomuch as God's Spirit forsook him, because he would not forsake his own will. Non obedire, not to have done the will of the Lord, this might have been only a sin of error or infirmity: but nolle obedire, (as it is here in this Text) rebelliously to reject his Word, & resist his Spirit, and not to be so much as willing to do his will, such stubbornness and contumacy was as the iniquity of witchcraft and Idolatry.  
So that now I am come to the very aim of my text, and could wish I had no occasion to proceed: I would to God that Saul and his people were only guilty of this sin: but I fear (too justly) that I have been all this while but telling our own tale, mutato nomine de nobis fabula. I profess in verbo Sacerdotis, that my conscience apprehends nothing so likely to provoke yet Gods heavier judgements upon this Land, than our wilfulness and disobedience; our stubbornness and contumacy, first, against God in heaven: secondly, against his Deputy on earth. For the first; how often hath the Lord called us by his Word? how often by his judgements? yet, at what easy rates have we sold our obedience to our good God?  
Though Caesar permitted a man to break his oath, yet he would have it done for a kingdom. Silvester the second, as Platina reported, gave his soul to the devil; but it was for a Popedom. Fearful bargains these! Alas, What profits it a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own soul? Yet see! our contracts are more wickedly ridiculous: We wretched worms will disobey our God, for the least interest of gain; the least wantonness of the flesh; the least punctilio of honour; the least atom of vanity; for very vile and wretched things, that vanish as smoke: and if we compare them, either with the eternity of God in Heaven, or with the incertainty of our life on earth (things that are, as if they were not at all) yet, for their sakes do we become worse than judas himself; for he sold Christ but once, and that for thirty pieces of silver; we daily sell him thirty times; and that scarce for the price of one piece. We sin, because we will sinne; for every trifle, swearing by his precious wounds; abusing his gracious blessings; being as bad as Pilate also, crucifying again the Lord jesus, to give life unto Barrabas a murderer; that is, unto our sinful will that slays our souls. That will and heart of ours, which we should give up to God, our lust hath it, or our ambition: either new Wine hath 
Hosea 4. 1●. Matth. 6. 2●  taken it away, or else where our Treasure is, there is our heart also. Would we but look conscientiously into ourselves, we should find that there are two wills in man: the will of the flesh, and the will of the spirit; the one from our selves, the other from God. If we will follow that only which is our own, (the will of the flesh) we are mere Monothelites, as bad as beasts themselves: but if we submit the will of the flesh, to the will of the spirit; Tunc erit vera pax hominis, quando & caro animo iudice regitur, & animus Deo praeside gubernatur. Then is there perfection of happiness in the soul of man, when the flesh is governed by the Spirit, and the Spirit by God. At which Christian perfection if we will aim; when God commands, we must not spare to slay our Agag, to mortify our nearest & dearest sins. Nay, Obedire est obaudire: so to captivated our wills to God, that we must hear him not only against our sins, but against ourselves too: And that not only in prosperity, but in adversity also: otherwise we shall be like a bow, which will bend in the belly only, but not in the back. In a word, Obedience to God is a Royal Sacrifice; The fear of the Lord, is the glory of the King. Though Kings 
Psal. ●. 10.  have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the will of the subjects under them; yet God hath the will of Kings under him. Though Kings be Gods before men, yet, they are but men before God; though Gods on earth, yet, but Gods of earth; subjects to the God of Heaven. God raiseth one King by the death of another, to let us know, that the living King depends upon the living God: Though ye are the children of the most high, yet, ye shall die like men, Psal. 82. No foundation of a King so sure, as obedience to him that made him King. No Sacrifice so acceptable, as for the King to lay down his will at God's Altar. As nothing more hateful in a subject than rebellion to his King: So nothing more dangerous in a King, than rebellion to God: but if the King trusts in the 
Psal. 21. 7.  mercy of the Lord, he shall not slide. For he giveth deliverance to Kings, and reskues David his servant 
Psal. 144. ●●.  from the hurtful sword.  
Nor doth the benefit of Royal obedience to God redound to the King alone; the King by his righteousness 
Prou. 2●. ●.  maintains the Country. Foelix Respub: in qua qui imperat, timet Deum, saith justin; How long hath our own happy experience demonstrated to us, That the Piety of the King, is the preservation of the Commonwealth? Nor can we justly forget the happiness of this Day, wherein our own souls know, that God hath enlarged us the continuance of this unualewable blessing, a most Pious Son, succeeding a most Religious Father. 'tis not with us, where the King obeys the jesuite, the jesuite his Rector, the Rector his General, his General the Pope, the Pope his own Traditions, above the Oracles of God. The King resolves with David, I will hearken what the Lord God will say unto 
Psal. 85. 8  me. To which end, how constant is He in his private, how frequent in His public Devotions? how reverend in His gestures? how exemplary in His life? Ye cannot count that flattery; which our just comfort, and which the duty of the Day calls for. If Regis ad exemplum be a good rule, can the Kingdom find out a better Master to teach the Atheist, Religion? the glutton, temperance? the drunkard, sobriety? the prophaner, sanctity? the lascivious, chastity? the Idolater, Purity? Insomuch as would the subjects well learn their King's lesson, we could not have such cause to fear the wrath of God in the prosecution of his judgements upon us: since the Obedience and Piety of this our holy Guardian stands like the good Angel, like Moses in the gap, to divert God's plagues from us. Oh, that therefore His example, and the consideration of our own good, would move us to express our thankfulness in our obedience to God first and chief!  
Secondly, and by a true rule of subordination to God's Deputy our King. To which we are not only sweetly invited by his goodness, but undeniably obliged by the rule of Conscience; for Kings are Gods Christ's on earth, (as the Psalmist calls them,) They are neither from Pope nor people, as some would have it; but hold in Capite immediately from God: By me Kings reign. If with Israel thou reiectest Samuel, 
Proverbs 8. 15. 1 Samuel 8. 7.  thou reiectest God himself. I know there is a generation, who think themselves bound by their holy profession, to quit subjects from their obedience; to authorize the deposition, nay, the murder of Kings; with Pope Sixtus Quintus, to justify treasons and parricides, as rare and memorable Acts. God forbidden any such Zimries or Doegs' should lurk within the tents of our Israel. The Gospel cannot suffer us to swell to this height of rebellion. Yet, that we may not too much over-valew ourselves, give me leave to wish; I would there were none among us, who place their conscience too much in their will; who are all for faith and the first table, nothing for obedience and the second table. I would there were none to tell us, that to obey our Prince, is to betray our country; none, who stamp it as a main brand upon the Clergy, That they preach obedience. Well, Christians, let it be more practised, I dare promise that it will be less preached. Whence we that preach it, have our warrant, I am sure: but in what Catechism these men learn their religion, I know not. From Rome they are ashamed to take it; from Conscientious 
In Esay cap ●  Caluin they could not, who tells us that the performance of the second table is the true touch▪ stone of hypocrites. Much less from judicious Luther, who professed in a point of Canonical obedience, Mallem obedire, quàm miracula facere: That he had rather obey, then do miracles. And therefore these men, who will do nothing without Text, might find Text enough for their obedience, not only in my Text here, but in 1. Peter 2. Chapter, where they are enjoined to obey for the Lords sake: and for conscience sake, in the 13. to the Romans 2. where to disobey is damnation. In the whole current of the old Testament, where we find that for man's disobedience, the pestilence hath devoured them; Fire from heaven hath consumed them; The earth hath opened her mouth and swallowed them. Filthy dreamers (as holy jude calls them) who despise Dominion, and speak evil 
jude ● 1●, ●  of Dignities, woe unto them: for they have perished in the gainsaying of Core: Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.  
It was the speech of a man renowned for wisdom in our age, That if he were commanded to put forth to the sea in a ship that had neither mast nor tackling, he would do it. And being asked what wisdom that were? replied, The wisdom must be in Him that hath power to command, not in him that conscience binds to obey.  
Hear yet a wiser than he. My Son, fear God and 
Prou. 24. 3.  the King▪ and meddle not with them who are given to change: for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin of them? To conclude; pretend these men what they will, Sine obedientia quisque infidelis esse convincitur. S. Gregory had no faith in their faith who professed against obedience. Nemo humanam potestatem contemnit, nisi qui prius Divinam contempsit. No man hath learned to disobey his King, but he had learned before to disobey his God. Oh, let us all therefore take heed, That while we fly from Idolatry, we run not into Rebellion. Fare be it from us to be found with Israel a disobedient and gainsaying people. But as God with one hand, hath as upon this Day, derived to us an Inualewable blessing, a true Defender of the Faith, and Protector of the Gospel; a King resolved to pursue Amalek, who hath so often laid in wait for Israel: so let us with another hand offer on the same Day, the best of Sacrifices, Obedience. Obedience to God, who hath blest us with such a King: Obedience to our King, who is such an example of Obedience to God.  
To conclude, Let us pray for ourselves, that we may resist all sin, especially presumptuous sin, especially Rebellion, The sin parallel to Witchcraft and Idolatry. And let us pray for our King, that we long and constantly obeying Him, and He long and constantly obeying God; may live and prosper in the favour of God, and the love of his subjects; to the confusion of our malicious adversaries, and to the glory of the Gospel. This grant, O Thou eternal King of Kings, God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; to whom eternal Trinity in Unity; be all Praise, Power, Glory, etc.  
AMEN.  
FINIS.