CONSPIRACY AGAINST KINGS, HEAVEN'S SCORN. A Sermon preached at Westminster-Abbey before the judges, upon the fifth of NOVEMB. 1622. BY RO: WILLAN, Doctor in Divinity. Sitotus orbis adversum me coniuraret, ut quippiam moliar adversus regiam Maiestatem, ego tamen Deum timerem, & ordinatum ab eo Regem offendere temerè non auderem. BERN. Epist. 170. ad Ludovic. Franc. Regem. LONDON, Printed by JOHN BILL. 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND REVEREND FATHER IN God, JOHN, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, Keeper of the great Seal. MY LORD, A Great part of this Sermon is spent upon a Quare: perhaps a Quare will be put to the Sermon itself; that in job, Quare misero data est lux? why doth this poor Labour behold the light? I can answer nothing, but the Reverend judges, before whom it was bound to appear upon trial, adjudged it to be pressed. Appealing to the Chancery, so great union and harmony is between the Courts, no reversing of the Doom was to be had there. So Obedience, Gratitude, and Modesty striving together, the last could not alone make her party good against two. Obedience pleaded, that authority is dissolved, when sullen silence possesses such as are commanded to speak, (or print, all is one.) Gratitude advised me by an Embolisme, or intercalation, to insert my private thankfulness among the public gratulations of all men, some for redress of their wrongs, some for the dispatch of their interminable suits, some for fair denial of their unjust petitions, accounting your Lordship another Cato, of whom they durst not ask any thing irregular; the good rejoicing to see, as the Athenians sent out their Salaminian ship, swift and sure, in dangerous seasons: so this acedious and corrupt Age, encountered with your assiduous and active integrity, the most curious interpreters of great actions, even those, who wished not such honour to your profession, deeming it an Egyptian spoil, (and a mystery disclosed, that a Governor might be chosen out of Rome) confessing, where many were thought capable of high place, until they attained it, Imperio proditus inferior; your Lordship by the assistance of His grace, which will conduct you to the races end, hath satisfied, if not exceeded, expectation. Then Modesty, though blushing at Unworthiness, yet hoping to shun the censure of overforwardnesse, never adventuring, but Candidior postquam tondenti barba cadebat, consented to tender it unto your protection; Nil illum amplexa verebor. Vouchsafe then from your first Chaplain, these first Fruits, & capitur minimo thuris honore Deus. When God gave his people an harvest of fruits, he reserved to himself a sheaf of thankes; such a sheaf for the harvest of favour and maintenance is this, accompanied with prayers to that high God, who gives salutem sublimium orationibus humilium, still to multiply his graces upon you, and give you the true happiness of this and a better life. Your Lordship's humble and thankful servant, RO. WILLIAM. Gresham Coll. Decemb. 4. PSAL. 2. 1 Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people meditate a vain thing? 2 The Kings of the earth stood up, and the Rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed. 3 Let us break their bonds a sunder, and cast their cords from us. 4 He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. THis Text like janus looks backward and forward: Back, to revive the memory of this Day; 'twas a day of conspiracy, and this is a Text of conspiracy: Forward, to represent the face of the times present; tumultuary times, and this is a tumultuary Text. Although, blessed be God, and the care of our Sovereign, we enjoy Haltion days, yet it is not so in other Christian parts of the world. They have found them (pardon the word) Dog-days; it is Tertullians' Canicula persecutionis. Such is the fury and rage of one against another, that the fume and smoke thereof prognosticates the fire * of conslagration, ready to break 〈…〉 Naz. ●rat. 3. the 〈◊〉. forth to consume all. When the Apostles were forbidden to preach in the saving Name of jesus, they took their encouragement out of this Psalm. Memorable Luther, when all the world was in opposition against him, found his best comfort in this Psalm. Why should I (says he) be Heraclitus, when God is Hilarius and Gelasius? or vex myself with discontent, * 〈◊〉. ep. ad 〈◊〉 when God vouchsafes to be merry, and laughs at their vain attempts. We ourselves may make a double use of this Psalm: To raise up our thankfulness for our own happy deliverance past, and our peaceable estate present, while others struggle against luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras, and withal be affected to compassionate the contrition of joseph. And so I come to unfold the words; wishing I had Saint Ambrose his faculty, In Psalmis Davidis explicandis eius lyram & plectrum videtur mutuatus Possevin. Apparat. * who in the exposition of David's Psalms, is said to have borrowed David's own Harp; so properly he expressed his meaning. The Text may be considered three ways: As a Prophecy, as an History, as an Emblem. David represents a threefold person, his Saviour's, his own, and ours. David was no sooner designed King over Israel, but the bordering Nations, and the ten Tribes made head and conspired. What he saw acted against his own person, he foresaw in the eye of Prophecy should be accomplished upon his Saviour. For so S. Peter upon the forenamed place, applieth these words of the Psalm, to the Passion of our Lord jesus. As an Emblem it fitteth this day, wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and utter subversion of this flourishing Kingdom was intended. The parts of the Text are two: First, David's hard plight and condition. Secondly, David's sweet comfort and consolation. The first in two particulars: 1. A conspiracy: 2. the cause of it. In the conspiracy, observe the actors, and the managing. The actors, all sorts of men; the basest, and the choicest spirits, the Ruler and the vulgar; every one hath a hand in it. The managing is described in four Verbs, Raging, Meditating, Banding, Plotting: so it hath four fearful supporters, Malice, Industry, Power, Policy. The cause none on David's part, for that is employed in the Prophets Quare: The motive on his enemy's part, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast the yoke from us: I, there it is; The cause of sedition, is the dislike of Government; they will not brook either State, or Church, no Law, no Religion. The second part; David's consolation, and that twofold; within him, without him. First, the testimony of his own conscience, that no ambition of his own, made him aspire to a Crown, but God called him, and the Prophet anointed him. Without, the protection of heaven; God looked upon him with an eye of favour; upon his enemies with an eye of scorn, He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn. A double description of God; by a Periphrasis of the place of his abode, He dwells in heaven: By a Prosopopeia, attributing improperly, but significantly, a splen and laughter unto God. So the Catastrophe and conclusion of all conspiracy, is the Sarcasmos, and bitter scorn of God. Neither is the ingemination of the word a needless tautology, but an amplifying Emphasis, repetens iterum iterumque monebat, doubling the admonition to beware how men fall by rebelling against God his Anointed, into such a degree of misery, as to be contemned of God. I begin with the Text as a Prophecy. The old fiction of the Giant's war is here represented in a true action. The petty Potentates of the earth are in arms against the grand Lord of heaven, who if he thunders, the greatest of them tremble, and with Tiberius fly for defence, to the poor refuge of a Laurel wreath. If he makes the earth to shake, What privilege have their Palaces, above the meanest cottages? will the Angels come at their call, or the Sun shine at their command? Nay, come lower, in the air beyond a Nimrods' tower they cannot build, which the birds will fly over. In earth is their dominion; and that limited, circumscribed; their bounds dooled out by him whom they oppose. The Persian Monarchy did not pass the narrow Hellespont. The Grecian never had one foot in Africa, nor the Roman beyond Euphrates. Over men they rule, neither those which are past, nor those which are to have being, not over one whole man; the body they may destroy, the soul is out of their reach; they cannot compel the will, nor alter the affection of the meanest. What Forces then can you bring into the field? weigh your strength. Are you able to resist his power, from whom your own is derived? no surely, this rebellion is not directly intended against God, but his Anointed jesus Christ; 'tis a mistake, they cannot be severed. He that doth not honour the Son, doth not honour the Father who sent him; 'tis against both, but especially against King jesus: a King indeed, even as a man, by most just title; the Deity being united to the humanity, gave him right over all things; having purchased the world by the effusion of his blood, he is absolute Lord over it; his humiliation promerited this exaltation, and being the natural Son of God, he obtained it as his patrimony. Is he a King? what are the Ensigns of his authority? where is his crown? not like David's which he reached from Hadarezers head: that was of pearl, his of thorns, which mille puncturis, with a thousand stings pierced his royal head. Yet S. john sees not only many crowns upon that head, but all crownes cast at his feet. Is he a King? where is his throne? not like solomon's of ivory; his was of wood, the Cross; Dominus regnavit a ligno. The malicious jews razed the last words out of the Text, * justin Mart. Triph. Tertull. aduer. Mar. yet by the Title they set up, they acknowledged his sovereignty, and their own rebellion. Quem Israel crucifixit ut maleficum, * Clement Alex. coronavit ut regem, Whom they crucified as a malefactor, they styled a King. Is he a King? where is his court? beside that in heaven, in the hearts of his chosen, there he keeps residence. Is he a King? where lies his Exchequer, and revenues? not like Augustus, who taxed all the world, and did no more than he might. Tribute is Princes due, as marks of their power, sinews of their maintenance, recompenses of their labours. But this King exinanivit seipsum, did empty himself to in rich his subjects, and out of the treasury of his mercy paid all their scores: as Elias gave the widow oil enough to satisfy her creditors, and to live beside; so this King bestowed upon us his sorrows and obedience, to cancel the hand writing against us, together with the rich talents of his grace, which well employed will make us live for ever. The Tribute he requires, is praise and honour of his holy Name; the rent he calls for, is faith in his merits; the homage he expects, is obedience to his Laws. His Laws, what are they? Mandata eius non sunt gravia, His commandments are not grievous; whatsoever he teacheth is truth, what he inioynes is righteousness, what he promiseth is happiness; and yet against this King, David foresee this great tumult and opposition. No sooner did this King display his banners, so Esay calls it, * Esay 11. 12. In signum populorum, for a sign to the people, to muster up the world to an holy war, against the devil and sin, but presently they band to overthrew his standard, and to tear his colours. Esay his Signum populorum, becomes * Luke 2. Simeon his Signum contradictionis. It is a Metaphor from Archers, who set up a mark to shoot at, and strive to stick their shafts in the very centre of it: Such a mark was King jesus, upon whom both jews and Gentiles did empty all their quivers. Herod the father began the leading shoot with a deadly arrow, to entrap the life of Christ in his cradle: he caused fourteen thousand infants to be put to death, but miss his aim. Herod the son shot at him an arrow of scorn, and mocked him. The Priests and people shot at him an arrow of accusation, Gens tua & Pontifices tuj accusant te; & Pilate the Roman judge shot the upshot of condemnation: but as elegantly Ambrose, Absoluit iudicio, condemnavit mysterio, He absolved him in his judgement, and condemned him in a mystery; What mystery? this of the Text, the heathen and the people, jews and Gentiles, the vulgar and ruler, Herod and Pilate, Annas and Caiaphas conspired against King jesus. Hear is the accomplishment of this Prophecy, once fulfilled in Christ our Head, ever to be fulfilled in the Church, and his members. As long as it continues upon earth it shall ever be haunted with one of these three Furies; 1. Persecution, 2. Variety of opinions. 3. The unanswerable conversation of Christians to the rule prescribed. Sometime Tyrants seek to devour the Church, and to root up the seeds of truth, not only those without her pale, but in her bosom. * Del Rio Adag. Sacru. The Monk, who ambitious of Martyrdom told the Sultan, that he was come into his Court, to die for preaching the truth, was answered, (I wish it had not been true) he needed not have traveled so far for death; For he might easily find it among his Princes at home: but force never got ground of truth: all tempters of that kind were enforced to confess with the cruel Queen, Ego prosum sola nocendo. Heresies indeed have done more mischief by deflowering pure doctrine; some so foolish, as made Christianity ridiculous to wise men; some so wretched, as made Christianity rejected by honest men. Oh Christian Religion, the clear fountain of peace and union, how do thy distractions turn thee into a puddle of quarrels and contentions! How are thy Wells become Esek and Sitnah; thy Waters, Meribah, that wert Siloe, flowing in a gentle current! Thy sacred Scripture is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Thy blessed Sacrament, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy reverend Name, the mask of war, and veil of sedition; * thy dissensions portend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian. orat. 1. de pace. thy dissolution. Had not thy Saviour inclined the heart of one by his intercession, as with a Lituus, or augural staff and Warder, to stint & stay the over-nimble hands of begun fury, as the Angel did Abraham's, that monster the sword, whose glistering face flashed forth lightnings of terror, with blood-shotten eyes wildly staring, his steely hands offering rough embracements, his wasteful fear wand'ring about thy pleasant borders, threatening havoc and desolation, his Whale-like mouth wide open to swallow thee up, had surfeited of thy flesh, and been drunken with thy blood. To such a miserable state wert thou brought, by renting of Christ's * Sacramento vest is unitatem Ecclesiae consignavit. Cyprian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. indivisible garment, which the soldiers forbore to tear in sunder. As the Prophet of judah, According to the number of thy Cities, are thy gods, O judah: so of Europe, so many Countries, so many several opinions. But above all Rebels against our blessed king jesus, those for number exceed, who acknowledge him for their Sovereign, and deny him obedience, who embrace his Faith, and by their sinful lives, tread the blood of his Covenant under their feet. * Non est vera fides quae verbo credit, & moribus contradicit. Greg. It is no true faith, when the life confutes the faith. If we be Subjects, why do we live, as Outlaws? If his Disciples, why is our conversation contrary to his Discipline, as though we were trained up under Epicurus, or Mahomet? I have done with the Text as a Prophecy; only I must put the Quare to it: And I find among the Expositors, a threefold Quare; 1. of Inquisition. 2. of Admiration. 3. of Reprehension. If the Quare be put in general terms, how comes it to pass that there are such stirs, tumults and garboils in the world, such and so great, as if God did not sit at the helm? The question is hard, and pressed too fare, may prove curious. Augustine confesseth that this Quare, after it had racked and tortured him to find out the cause of evil, turned him into a Manichean heretic. Solomon tells us that the locks of the Spouse are curled, & his hair black as a Raven. The secrets of God's providence are curled and intortled, we cannot unfold them; his hair black, his ways past finding out. Though he be in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to us he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; he dwells in light, but such light as no man can attain unto. The modest and short answer to this Quare, is that of the School, In particular administrations, a provident Thomas. Ruler preventeth, what in him lies, all inconveniences: but in the universal government, it seemed best to Divine wisdom to suffer some evil, not for want of power to hinder it, but out of his abundant goodness. If God did not suffer some evil, we should want much good; The good of his justice and mercy, which shine forth in his severe judgements, in his gracious indulgence. Goodness had not been so illustrated; her opposite makes it more amiable. And as out of the salt brackish Sea sweet showers are exhaled: so from evil, the Almighty his power drew the dews of grace in our Lord JESUS. And this is as much as I dare add to the Quare of Inquisition. 2. Quare? why should the good and virtuous be always opposed and exposed to the fury and malice of cruel men? Indeed this is res mira, strange & marvelous, but not res nova, any new matter. It was thus from the beginning. No sooner was God worshipped and served, but hatred Inuidiam s●●tita est religio. August. and spite fell to the lot and portion of Religion. The first man who pleased God Livor sacrificij seminarium fratricidij. was slain; the acceptable sacrifice was the seminary of death. It can be no otherwise, dissimilitude and distance of manners breed alienation of affections. There is nothing doth so condemn the lives of the wicked, as the conversation of the godly, the fat kine make the lean seem more ill-favoured; hence their rage and savage behaviour: beside, 'tis the pleasure of God thus to try and honour his Saints, and to produce their patience. What pictures could Apelles draw? did he want a table to work upon? What building could the Architect rear without stones, timber, and materials? This is enough to stay the Quare of Admiration. 3. What is it you go about? It is to no purpose; you imagine a vain thing, vain impossibly, vain unprofitably. No wrestling of man can evacuate the Divinum consilium dum devitatur, impletur, humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur Greg. purpose of God. Whileman struggles, he is caught, and by resisting the will of God, he doth fulfil it. Second causes are susceptible of impediment, as the burning of fire by the action of water: but there is no evasion to shun the Decree of heaven. All wretched endeavours against Christ and his chosen, are like Caligula his enterprises, who never took any thing in hand if there were hope to effect it; 'tis vain impossibly. And what profit can arise? he doth a shrewd turn who gains by it. To count evil for gain, is unjust, but humane: but mischief intended for mischief's sake, is Devilish. The old way of treacheries began at quid proderit nobis? as in the case of joseph. But now adays a new sin is Nowm & inaestimabile, in plurimis malum est, parum alicui est, si ipse sit faelix, nisi alter fuerit infaelix. Saluianus de Provide. 5. hatched and rife with many; they cannot be pleased to live in quiet themselves, unless they disturb the tranquillity of others. As vipers and the venomous Cantharideses and stinging spiders, are more detestable than bears or wolves, because they sting folk to death without any benefit; So that is an odious design which is vain improfitably. And now I pass from the Sun to the shadow; from the Prophetical conspiracy against CHRIST our King, to the Historical faction against King David. The people rage. For people in any estate to grumble against Governors, is no novelty: never was any Governor so provident or happy, as to eschew the furious clamour of some unbridled and impetuous spirits. A King that hath a great multitude to govern, might as safely Tutior esses pastor ursorum & Tigridum. Petrarch. be a keeper of Bears and Tigers. The Lion will kiss his keeper, the Elephant will be ruled and led about by a little dwarf; but man is an indomable creature. If you recount the Fate of kings, more Curtius. have been endangered by the practices of their own people, then by outward hostility. As it was said of Sejanus; so of the people; They are as wayward, when pleased, as when opposed. Among those who conspired against Cesar, there were more whom he had obliged by benefits, then exasperated by injuries. I, but this is the lot of some oppressing Princes, whose government make the people sigh. Nay, the best that ever were, have found enough to do, to keep the people in good order. Meek Moses, to shun a shower of stones, is glad to take sanctuary, and fly to the Tabernacle. Good David is not free from rebelling Sheba, reviling Shimei; and, as the text tells us, the people rage at him. No King like David; the Scripture propounds him as a pattern to Princes. When it honours the good, they are sicut David: when it blames the degenerated, non sicut David. The holy Ghost, describing the genealogy of our Saviour, from how many Kings he was descended, vouchsafes none of them the style and title of a King but Matth. 1. David, and him twice in one verse. For a literal and a moral reason; partly, because he was the first King, settling and establishing the kingdom of Israel; but principally, for that he was endued with all princely qualities of justice, wisdom, clemency, courage and devotion. Yet see here the unruly people rage at him. And not only the giddy people, but the Rulers. It was a good Emblem of Farnesius. the Cardinal, describing the bootless attempts of an unguided multitude, a Beech tree with the top off, the Motto, Ruina reliqui; for as that tree withers when it is lopped, so multitudes vanish without leaders, and become a burden unto themselves, and a prey unto others. Therefore the Rulers come in. As the Planets in these Epicicles or little orbs are carried irregularly against the heavenly motion: so sometimes petty greatness is prone to stray from their duty toward their Supreme, if either the rays of favour fall not so directly upon themselves, or upon others more than they wish. For although Principi● est virtus maxima, nosse suos. Princes can best judge of the fitness, worth, and fidelity of their own instruments, and, like the Sun, shine more brightly upon a clear smooth glass, then upon an uneven clod, neither apt to receive nor reflect the beams: yet as in building, so in States, the turret overlooking the bordering houses, is wished down, and the hand disliked that set it up. If David make but a feast to Abner, joab will expostulate with him. Sometimes men of high spirit and mean fortunes will distemper David's peace, sowing dissensions among the Nobles: The contentions of prime men being their Curio nil habuit in censu, praeter discordiam Principum. Plin. only revenue. Perhaps they will take pet, if the secret affairs be not imparted, when their open bosoms full of chinks are no casks to contain them. Antigonus would not reveal, being asked of his own son, what time he would remove his camp, but said, the sound of the trumpet should give them notice. It is enough if David vouchsafe to disclose Ardnum nimis est meruisse secretum Principis, ubi si quid cognoscitur prodi, vel ●b alio, formidatur. Cassiod. variar. 8. cap. 10. himself to his faithful Cushais, whatsoever be pretended. Disobedience in a vulgar man, may admit vulgar apologies: but in a ruler, or man of quality, it is a decompound sin; the example more spreading and contagious; their eminency makes it more conspicuous. Observe how fitly the Prophet speaks; he attributes rage to the vulgar, power and policy to the Rulers. They meditate, band, and plot: A word of each verb. They meditate: All sin is painful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and laborious, the Poet was deceived, when he said, Facilis descensus Auerni, the way thither is of hard access. The covetous make their passage thorough stony rocks of hardness and penury. The ambitious clambers up steep hills, and craggy mountains, to get a place as slippery and tickle, as the chair of Eli. The voluptuous tramples in dirt and mire, besprinkling himself with shame and infamy. The Revengeful breaks through hedges stuck with thorns, making him all gore and blood. The Envious walks * Quot bona faelicium, tot tormenta invidorum. Seneca. in dark and shady places, that he may not see an others happiness. But especially the sin of Mischief, is a vigilant, painful, indefatigable sin. judas will be awake when Peter is asleep: the Tare-sower in the field, when the Husbandman is in his bed; 'tis their care, study, meditation. Again, observe what a cowardly thing sin is. Eve had no sooner offended, but she sought out a fellow and companion. Upon Cain his cruel designs, how he trembled and quaked, there being none in the world to fear but his parents and sisters; yet he thought in every bush an ambush laid for him. All sin is timorous, but above all, the sin of Conspiracy. The ten Patriarches durst not set upon one joseph, without a venite occidamus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plut. in vita. Agid. They who are most strict observers of order and government, and fearful to offend laws, are most valiant and courageous in a just cause. But Conspiracy is a sin of such ugly shape, and horrid representation, as the party dares never look upon himself single and alone, but runs as a dear to the herd; then they troop and band. And because power not directed is but armed folly, they take counsel together. Counsel, mark their secrecy: together, mark their unity: Counsel to a design, is as the foundation to a building; secrecy seals it safely up. Mines, if they be discovered, return upon the engineer; and coals moulder to ashes, if the sun shine upon them. The Conspirator learned this Lesson well, who being asked his knowledge, answered, If I had known Ca●ius apud Senec. it, you had never known it. And if unity keep them not together all is marred I he division of jordan makes a passage to the Ark; the disbanding of a faction is the overthrow of it. Cyrus' coming to Euphrates, found the swelling river impassable, dividing it into three hundred streams, it was fordable every where: but David's Rebels stick close, and take counsel together. By this time you perceive David's hard case, and indeed the case is very hard. There be two Pillars of Government; Direction, in the Superior; Obedience, in the Inferior: the Eye to see, the Ear to hear, God made both, saith Solomon. Pro. 20. When these meet, the State is successful; divorced, nothing right. The Grecians expressed this well in the Marriage jupiter made between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the child brought forth between them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aeschilus'. When authority is married to obedience, the fruit of that match is happiness: It was not now so with David, and yet the worst is behind, for I must put the Quare once again. Wherefore is all this malice, this stir, combining and plotting? it is for all, pro aris & focis, the safety of his Person, the security of his State and Kingdom. They will break the bands asunder, and cast the yoke from them. By bands, all Interpreters understand good Laws. By Ve●us & 70 Inter. the yoke, some allude unto Religion, that sweet and easy yoke of Christ; nor is the Metaphor unfit. A yoke and collar do bow the neck, and Religion tames the stubborn nature of man, and makes him yield due obedience; It is the cement of society, and strongest Pillar of Government. I begin at the Bands: The Commonwealth is a Tabernacle or Tent; pitched up to shelter men from wrong and injury, that they may live happily together: Laws are the cords of it; break the jer. 10. 20. cords the Tent falls; My Tabernacle is fallen, my cords are broken. Laws are Bands, for the wild, to cicure them and humble them, for the weak to secure and keep them: as in Vines, they are underpropped and bound up, to make them fruitful in vessels, they are hooped to contain liquor: so Laws are bonds to hold the evil in awe, & the good in safety. They bind all without exception, I speak not of Princes, Laws were Leges Principinemo scripsit Plin. not written for them; Laws do not, like death, equal the Sceptre with the spade: yet as it was said of the blessed Virgin, offering her legal sacrifice for her Purification, Supra legem fecerat gratia, sub lege humilitas; so of good Princes, their high Calling makes them above Law, their humility respects it. I speak before an Honourable Audience, before Him, cuius dignatur ab ore Caesar in orbe loqui, and those whom our David hath made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Guardians, and Precedents of his Laws. Take care, I beseech you, of the Cordes, for danger of the Tabernacle; Your innocence will pardon my humble boldness (audacem faciebat amor) do not yourselves break David's bands. The Law is good, saith the Apostle, but take it together, if it be used lawfully, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Suffer not the Proverb to be verified, Laws which are virgins Leges in cala●●● virgins, in for● meretric●●. in the penning, become strumpets in the pleading; and that they do, if either they be too much prostituted by vendible tongues, or wrested and perverted by any sinister interpretation. It was the Chilo apud Plut. wise man's speech; That Common wealth is best, where the Laws are more heard than the Orators. Let the Law be a Sanctuary to the oppressed, no shambles for the innocent: A lantern to guide, no labyrinth to wander in: A haven for harbour, no rock to dash upon. How will you answer it to your David, here; to the Lord of David, hereafter; if you violate what he hath charged you to maintain? For the people, Laws are to them a threefold bond, for their lives, their estates, their conversation. 1. Their lives in the protection of David's Laws. Life is of all natural things the most excellent. Look into Nature: We see in plants the root, where life lies, is hidden in the ground to preserve it; in beasts, the Serpent fenceth his head, in man, the very fabric and constitution of his body expresses it. Man's heart, the fountain of life, is not only enclosed with a thick skin or film, but environed with a strong wall of ribs. And as Anatomists Pliny. do observe, the bones about the heart do bear the fashion and representation of a sword to defend it. Life is such a blessing, as the happy man desires to continue, and the miserable man is unwilling to forgo it. Imagine than you hear David's people speaking unto you, as the Captain over fifty to Elias; Let our lives be precious in your eyes; keep the bond of life, as God did the tree of life with a flaming sword to guard it. 2. Their estates and livelihoods. The power over it is in the King, * Quicquid habet locuples, quicquid custodit avarus, jure quidem nostrum est, populo, con●edimus, usum. Gunterus. Quod haec villa mea est, illa tua, ex iure Imperatorum est. August. tract. 6. in johannem. the property in his Subjects, the tuition in his Laws, the fruition their own. Unless Mephibosheth enjoy his lands, and Naboth his ancient patrimony, every one sits in peace under his own Vine and figtree, the bond for estates is broken. 3. The bond of morality in conversation. Plena turbis, & turpitudinibus. Saluianus. What a field I have now, might I expatiate? It may be said of this Kingdom, as of Carthage, It is as full of sin as of people. And as the father said of Lazarus, Quot ulcera, tot ora Austin. So many sores, so many mouths calling for pity and help. The idleness, drunkenness, pride, and all manner of dissolute licentiousness, are so many tongues crying out, that the bond of morality is broken. Now the yoke is Religion, the soul and life of government, without which it cannot prosper and flourish. It was a vain conceit of the Emperor, who refusing Bassianu●. the name of Pius, would be called Faelix, Happy, and not godly. There can be no felicity but in appearance, where God is not truly served; Godliness hath the promises of this life, and that which is to come. A yoke by the grace and mercy of God we have cast off, jugum oneris, a burden neither we nor our fathers were able to endure. They took our silver, and gave us no bread, emptied our purses, and starved our souls. A yoke we have embraced, the Doctrine of JESUS CHRIST purely and frequently taught; put we our feet into the links, and our necks into the chain, bow we down our shoulders unto it and bear it. Let us Eccl. 6. 23. never be weary of the bands; at the last we shall find rest in it, and that shall be turned into our joy. Never could any King or Governor contain all their people under the yoke of one and the same Religion. Not Adam in his little Kingdom, great in circuit, small in number of persons; difference in so few increaseth the difficulty of the work. Not Noah in his octonary family. Not Moses invested with extraordinary power of working miracles, apt to gain credit and belief. The Israelites in his time followed strange gods, Belphegor & Moloch. What hath not our good David's religious care endeavoured to keep this yoke from being cast off? By his example; what private man doth more frequently tread in the Courts of the Lord, or visit his Temple? What Prince did ever so teach his Courtiers to pray? By his writings? What reasonable man sees not the force of his arguments? Sibylla prophesied of Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that papers should be his destruction; the prophecy is fulfilled in his MAJESTY'S papers: and of him may the adversaries of his Religion say, as Charles the fift of Luther, Vnus homo nobis scribendo perdiderat rem. As for the objection, that the edge of the Law seems to be blunted, towards such as embrace not this yoke, 'tis light; for many times a contrary wind drives a ship into a safer port than it sailed unto. Relaxation may do that good, which rigour could not; truce begets Tempus inane peto, requiem, spatiumque furori, Dum mea me victam doceat fortuna dolere. peace, respite assuageth rage, and calms the storms of unquiet minds. Whensoever time discovers favour to encourage the sons of Belial, whether he be Guelph, or Gibiline, Papist or Puritan, he will find the wheel turned upon those that seek to turn the wheel of our Church-prosperity. By his last heavenly directions, which followed well, may place Religion where it is not, and settle it where it is already entertained. He who is not moved by his example, nor instructed by his works, nor won by his clemency, nor observant and pliable to his direction, I do not say resists, but argues and makes doubts, fearing where no fear is, is a plain rebel to CHRIST in heaven, to David on earth. Intonante Dei praecepto, obediendum, non disputandum. Austin. For when God's precept thunders, and that is when the voice of his Deputy speaks, we must submit and not dispute or else the yoke is cast off. In the last gasp of allotted time I proceed to the last part of the text, David's comfort twofold. Within he stands upon his innocency, that he was no intruder, nor sought the kingdom by any evil arts; the right owner placed him in it, he was Gods anointed. I pass the word handled already by him, cui doctior orbis submissis defert fascibus imperium. Only this word held up David's head in trouble, and may be a sure comfort, not only to David the supreme, but to every subordinate whom God raiseth up, they must meet with much difficulty and more envy. But as he never manageth a place happily, who comes to it indirectly: so when God gives authority, he gives ability to undergo the first, and a clear conscience will bear out the latter. His outward comfort is from heaven. He that dwelleth in the heavens, That is a cheering word, from thence all blessing descend, from thence delivery out of all danger. There is the court of Audience for the Ambassadors, which are our Mittimus preces & Lachrymas ad Deum Legatos. Cypr. tears and prayers. Saint john sees twelve gates in heaven, all open, and all day open, to entertain suitors repairing thither. He that dwelleth in heaven is a word of terror also. As out of a watch tower he beholds all secret and close practices, no doors shut, no curtain drawn, no parapet or wall to shelter, no veil between, no vault to cover; All things (saith the Apostle) are naked and bare before him, the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a word taken from Anatomy. As when the skin is flayed and the flesh pared away, all the inner parts are laid to sight, such are our actions to God. Man sins, as if he had a Dan. 2. 12. Qui ita nos aspicit ut à nobis aspici nequit, eo magis timendus, quo cuncta videns a nemine videtur. Greg. sup. job ca 23. Gyges' ring to make him invisible: but when we are in darkness, God is in light, and by extramission of his own rays makes opacity visible. As if some lay hidden to entrap us, but we see him not, our caution is raised, and our fear doubled: so should our care and circumspection increase, who live in the presence of Allseeing God. He that dwelleth in the Heavens, Is a word of instruction. Earth is but a turf for man to trample on, heaven is our home: here we have but booths, there are the mansions, In my Father's House are mansions. No mortal Vitrwius can make an immortal habitation. The silly Spider may teach us, who upon the least touch of her cobweb; flits and remooues. The world is a copweb-world to be swept down with the broom of fire; therefore let us so live, as that we may live and dwell with him who dwelleth in the heavens. What does he there at this time? He laughs. That is a hard word at the first view. Are the injuries of his Saints, the cruelties of their enemies, the wicked enterprises against his anointed, matter of laughter? Laughter is a diminution of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sopater. apud Stobaeum. state, as he told Princes. Severe Cato thought it became not the gravity of a Roman Consul, and is it attributed to the Majesty of heaven? There is a threefold Theology or way to discourse of God. 1. Negative, honouring him in silence, not daring, because not able to express him, as when he is said to be invisible, incorporeal. These Negatives do secretly grant a more excellent knowledge, then can be attained, silence being the best eloquence. 2. Affirmative, speaks of Diserti multi Austin. 1. confess. cap. 4. God in few words, and those of perfection; as when he is styled good, wise, just. The first, like a Statuary, hues & hacks out matter; the second, as a painter, illustrates and sets it forth in colours. The 3. way is Symbolical, attributing all things to him which may make way to our understanding, as here laughter. Not to insist in the point, how affections are said to be in God; Nazianzen dispatches it in one word, they are in him by Antistrophe or a conversion. Look how man is affected, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nazian. in jamb. when he beholds some Dwarf buckling to grapple with a Giant: so our shallow capacity, not able to express him otherwise, describes him, as ourselves would be, in a merry disposition, deriding vain attempts. God's laughter imports these 4. particulars. It expresses how easy and facile it is to the Almighty, even at pleasure with a smile, to overthrew wicked designs, Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus. It shows the patience of God in his quiet forbearance, who could in a moment destroy them. The Poet's fiction hath a grave moral. They fain lame Vulcan to be the Cutler of heaven, and Armour-maker to their gods. The true God is slow to wrath, and unwilling to punish, proroguing his judgements, expecting repentance, yet so as by delaying, he brings his own purpose to pass. Some times he suffers them to device plots, as Pharaoh imagined that he had found away by drowning the Israelites males, to root out their name from the earth: but did not God smile, when at the same time his own daughter, in his own court gave princely education to Moses their deliverer? julian supposed by rearing up the jewish ceremonies, to supplant the new Isoe. Eccleshist. religion by the old, and therefore would be at the cost to build the Temple again: but did not God smile, when from under the foundations, as from Veswius hill, flaming fire broke forth and dissolved all his works? Sometimes he lets them make some progress in their attempts. The Philistines surprise his own Ark and carry it away: but did not God smile, when their idol Dagon tumled down to do it reverence, and themselves so tormented with sickness, as they were enforced to restore their pilfer with shame enough? When superstition and idolatry seem to be advanced, the restauration tends to the greater ruin. Is Dagon perked up to his place again? short is the wickeds joy: Gods smile takes off his head and hands, leaves him neither wisdom to guide, nor power to subsist. He permitted his Temple to be sacked & rifled, the holy vessels to be profaned and caroused in; but did not God's smile make Balthasar to tremble at the hand-writing upon the wall! Oh what are his frowns, if his smiles be so terrible! We may not judge of God's works until the fift act, the case deplorable and desperate in outward appearance, may with one smile from heaven find a blessed issue. 3 This laughter argues not so much what God doth, as what they suffer by discovering and frustrating their practices, he exposeth them to scorn and contempt. Above hell there is not a greater punishment, then to become a Sannio, a subject of scorn. Samson bare with more patience the boring out of his eyes, then the ludibrious scoffs of the Philistines. Alcibiades did profess, that neither the proscription of his goods, nor his banishment, nor the wounds received in his body, were so grievous unto him, as one scornful word of his enemy Ctesiphon. Good Queen Ester in her prayer to God for her people doth humbly deprecate this height of infelicity, O let them not laugh at our ruins; and David holds it for a singular token of God's favour; By this I know thou hast a respect unto me, that mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 4 Lastly he laughs, that is he despises their prayers, and stops his ears when they call upon him. A Chirurgeon never cures a wound while the iron or steel remain in it; nor doth God hear the suits of those, whose will continues in sin, whose thoughts are iron, steel & gunpowder. They may conceive prayers and take the Sacrament; but God highly disdains, that his dreadful name & holy institution should be so profaned. Prayer is our bill of exchange, and is allowed in heaven, and returns with what sums of blessing we desire, if agreeable to his wil But when mischievous intentions appear, God protests their bills, and proclaims them bankrupts of his grace to all the world. So then David hath found great opposition, but withal a sure protection; men sought his overthrow, God wrought their confusion. Rebellious doom is heaven's scorn. One word of this text, as an Emblem to this day, shall give a period to your patience. This day, the fift of November, a fatal inauspicious day, branded in history with a black coal for mischief. Among the Grecians it was kept with sad solemnity for the loss of noble Aratus, the often Plutarch. in rita Arati. Manlij Calendarium. preserver of his country. Among the jews famous for the slaughter of Zacharias the Priest, that day butchered in the temple, between the porch and the altar, our Saviour upbraiding the murder, many years after the fact. Among ourselves never to be forgotten, a day for which we need no Darius' prompter, Memento Atheniensium; A day, quem semper acerbum, semper honoratum, as he said of his father's death day, ever to be thought upon with sadness, and yet ever to be remembered with joy. For as Lucullus said of a day ominous & fatal, he would make it lucky and prosperous: so blessed be the change, God hath turned the funeral into a festival. I will not recount the well known story, only I must put the Quare, why against our gracious Sovereign? Can any complain of his justice? That is such as it were not best for any greatness to adventure upon. Or of his mercy? that is such as his enemies never implored in vain. Or of his unquiet disposition? he is the Nestor of the times; Componere lites inter Peliden festinat, & inter Atriden. He was ever, ever will be, the Noah of the age, borne to give men rest from their toils and labours, the lodestar of his actions is peace: he hath always called to the raging Christians, as the moderate Roman, Parte civibus Pompey. Spare your blood, spend not that prodigally among yourselves, which thriftily employed, might ransom your friends, and ruin your enemies. What cause then can you allege? yes a colour; one fault his Majesty hath, which sure he will never amend; the same fault which was found in Daniel long ago: he was so faithful as no blame, no occasion found, but only in the worship and service of his God. That is the true Quare. His Majesty doth not open his windows to the Roman Saints, but toward jerusalem above, and prays to the God of Heaven. No roaring of Bulls can make him set up an Idolatrous calf, as jeroboam did: He will not erect Images, as Nabuchadnezzar did; nor, to gratify any foreign Power, set up an Altar, according to the pattern of Damascus, as Achas did; nor altar his Profession for Affinity, as Hemor and Sichem did. This was the Quare of their malice, and withal of God's mercy towards him. For as all Kings and Kingdoms are under the wings of God's protection: yet those principally, where his Church is fostered, and his saving knowledge spread. It is his custom, those who promote his service, and take care of his holy business, he usually provides for their safety. Do the Israelites go up to his solemnities, & leave their country unpeopled, to perform his command? Tho Borderers be prone to take occasion of enlarging their Territory, Quemque suae rapiunt scelerata ad proelia Luca. causae; God will take away that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and itching appetite of encroaching: no man shall desire their land, no man dare invade them. If the Quare be asked for the Parliament: Why raged they against it? The Text shows, that the breaking of the Bands was their intention; there the Laws were made which held them in awe. This Place where we now are, calleth for a Quare: Why should this stately Pile have been demolished, and not one stone left upon another? This is Abraham's Machpelah, the burying Cave of the Patriarches, Hierou. ad Marcel. David's Mausolaeum, so Hierom called his Sepulchre, whereat he was wont to pray: This is Solomon's royal Reconditorie, wherein were one and twente receptacles, or Cells; as if in the spirit of Prophecy he had foreseen, how many Kings should be interred there, for just so many in number, if you account from David to Zedechiah: This is josephs' Garden, a dedicated Cemetery, containing veterum decora alta parentum, the sacred urns, and dear relics of our famous deceased Princes. Why did the heathen rage? For say the people were Christian; yet the rage was heathenish, and barbarous above all madness. The Lunatic in the Gospel, who lived among the Graves, did not root them up. I end all: He that dwelleth in the heavens looked down upon us, let us look up to him: since by his mercy we live and breath, let us live to breath Praise and Thanksgiving unto his Name. He hath neither zeal to Religion, nor love to his Country, nor loyalty to his Sovereign, who this day binds not the Sacrifice with cords to the horns of the Altar; who this day sends not up to heaven some incense of thanks. The jews once a year were wont to celebrate a Feast to sorrow, wherein they went barefoot, and with bitter imprecations they cursed Titus and Vespasian, for the destruction of their City and Temple. I speak confidently, fidenter quia fideliter; and I may say it without breach of any rule of charity: Priests, jesuits, and all such Romanists, as have evil will at our Zion, this day do keep a feast to sadness, if not for grief, that this hopeful Plot miscarried, yet for shame (unless they be passed shame) that it was attempted. Let their sorrow increase our joy; let our joy increase our Thankfulness. As Caesar said of Phraates, he was prius victus quam visus: so this Conspiracy against our David, was knetched before it was fully hatched, undertaken, but overtaken, He that dwells in Heaven laughed it to scorn. To him therefore, this day and ever, be ascribed all Honour, praise, and glory. Amen. FINIS. LONDON, ¶ Printed by JOHN BILL. M. DC. XXII.