Imprimatur,  
Julij 23. 1685. H. Maurice, Rmo in Christo Patri Do. Guilo. Apo. Cant. à Sacris Dom.   

A SERMON Preached July, 5th. on the Occasion OF THE Late Rebellion.  
By JOHN PETTER, M. A.  
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Walsal, at the Heart and Bible, near the Royal Exchange in Cornbil. 1685.   
JOH. XXI. 22. — If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Fellow you me. — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
OUR Saviour saith unto St. Peter in the nineteenth verse of this Chapter, Fellow you me; (i. e.) to Death: But he being backward and neglectful of that which he was called to, and too much pragmatically inquisitive into St. John's business; seeing him, said, Lord, what shall this man do? vers. 20. What shall he do for thy Name? What shall his Fate be? Whether shall he, because he loves thee much, glorify thee likewise by Death, as well as I? Or whether shall he be free from the Punishment of Martyrdom, and I only follow thee? All which was a great Curiosity in St. Peter, however it came to pass; whether out of that great love he bore to St. John his Colleague, or for that he desired a Companion in his Sufferings: Solamen miseris, etc.  
But upon what score soever it was, we have Christ's Reprehension of it subjoined in the words of my Text, If I will that he tarry till I come, etc. As if he should have said; Be not you so inquisitive about him, nor so backward in yourself: Take heed, that while you cast your Eye upon him, you neglect not that which is enjoined you, I will that you follow me.  
The Words are partly CORRECTIVE, and partly DIRECTIVE.  

1. CORRECTIVE of St. Peter's Curiosity with a severe Check; quickly taking up his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; What shall this man do? with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; What's that to thee?  
2. DIRECTIVE of his own future Course of Life, suddenly putting him upon what was best for him to do, with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Fellow you me.   
In the former, the Reprehensory Part, we have,  

1. Christ's Hypothesis, or Supposition concerning John's tarrying; If I will that he tarry till I come.  
2. The Reprehension itself; wherein our Saviour answers Peter's What with a What's that to thee?   
(1.) Christ's Hypothesis, or Supposition concerning John's tarrying; If I will that he tarry till I come.  
It would be needless at present to give you the various Readins of these words; for Christ seems chief to check St. Peter's Curiosity; and so all of them may fall into one sense: The Result of the business is then in these two words, Tarrying, and till I come.  
Tarrying here by St. Chrysostom is read according to the word, (i. e.) If I will that he tarry here, and be not sent abroad into the World, as the rest.  
Others say, this tarrying is, not dying; but then the difficulty lies in till I come.  
Some understand it of the end of the World, but then St. John must be now alive.  
Others understand Christ's Metaphorical Coming, (viz.) by his Power and Virtue, as he did by Titus and Vespasian to destroy Jerusalem.  
But if we will search the Scriptures, they will clear us in this point; for there we shall find a threefold Coming of Christ, ad, in, contra homines; the first is passed, the last is yet to come, the second is his coming in the Promulgation of his Gospel; and that St. John lived to see.  
In Mat. 16. 28. we have the parallel of this place; Verily there be some standing here, that shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom: Which tastiing of death corresponds with tarrying (in the Text) the Son of Man's Coming. Till I come, and the Kingdom of God, what is it, but the full Manifestation of the Gospel, to the Conversion of the World? which how largely it was spread abroad, St. John tarried to see, even in the days of Trajan the Emperor.  
From the words of the Hypothesis thus explained, I pass to the second part, the Correction, What's that to thee? Ad te, quid ad te? so the Syriack doubles it with an emphatical Check, to denote to us, that this Sin, wherever it is found, deserves a Check, and a severe one too.  
You may therefore learn from hence, that if any Privilege, Benefit or Honour be granted to another man, which is denied to you, not to think much, or be continually murmuring at it, and saying, Quid autem hic? For if Christ spared not St. Peter, who had at that time (as many writ) undertaken the care of the whole Church; how much more severely shall he reprove you with a What's that to thee? Fellow you me, do you your own duty diligently in that Station wherein God hath placed you; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
But this is a Vice which may justly be taxed in these our times: And more especially in those who busy themselves in public matters, above their reach; such Busybodies as keep not themselves within the limits of their own callings and Professions; who are never well but when they are taxing or finding fault with something either in Church or State; who can teach their Princes how to Govern, their Ministers how to Preach, what Laws are fit for the Kingdom, what Order for the Church: Ne suitor ultra crepidam. Every man must keep within the bounds and limits of his own calling: The Lawyer must not demur on dubia Evangelica, nor the Artisan and illiterate day Labourer hold himself sufficient to be a Master-builder in Christ's Church: Men of every Profession must not take upon them, to have skill in expounding Scripture. It's well provided by our Laws; that Divines and Ecclesiastical Persons may not take Farms, follow any Mechanic Trades, buy nor sell for return in Markets: And shall Farmers, Mechanics, Men of all Professions, and men of no Professions, turn Divines? No. Every one is to act that part which God hath allotted him: The Tailor must not leap from the Shopboard to the Pulpit, nor the Cobbler from the Stall to the Throne. God hath made Kings to Govern, and Subjects to Obey: 'Tis not therefore for Subjects to call in Question, or be censuring the Actions of their Prince. Rex sub nullo nisi sub Deo; To be accountable to none but God, is the Royal Prerogative of Princes: For who shall say unto the King, What dost thou? 'Tis not for every Tradesman to be meddling with State-affairs: 'Tis not for every Mechanic, every pitiful inferior fellow, that is placed at the lower end of the World, and doth not know how the upper Springs of the Government are moved, to be tampering with them, and putting of them out of place.  
These things are above their reach, they belong not unto them. Every man is not cut out for every Employment; and yet 'tis a common Folly, for most men to think themselves fit for the business of others than their own. Oh what an excellent Preacher could I make, saith the Mechanic! How admirably well could I perform the Office of a Magistrate or Prince, saith the inferior Tradesman! And how forward are too many (whose business 'tis not) to censure State-Councels, and Judiciary proceed? Every man is an Absalon, to say to every man, Your Cause is good, but the King hath appointed none to hear it; 2 Sam. 15. 3. And say our seditious Absoloms, vers. 4. O that I were made Judge in the Land, that every man might come unto me, and I would do him Justice: But if you who never made it your business, think yourselves fit enough to undertake the Employment of others; may not they think themselves as well qualified for, and by the same Right and Justice attempt to discharge your Office, or any other persons which they most fancy.  
And how natural 'tis for such pragmatical Examples as these to have so ill Effects upon others, was wittily represented in the sharp Reproof of an imprudent Action of King Lewis XI. of France, who having appointed a certain Bishop to take the general Muster of Soldiers at Paris, and Chabannes one of his Noblemen, taking this thing in ill part, desired of the King to give him the Authority of censuring the said Bishops Clergymen; to which the King replying, That it was not fit to put one's Sickle into another man's Corn: Yes, saith the other, since the Bishop hath made our Harvest his own, why may not we also as well make his ours? So that nothing will ensue from hence, but great disorder and lamentable confusion; for whilst all men will be every thing, no man at last will be any thing he should be. But what's the Reason that so many of late have thus run out, and forgot themselves? Why, to be reputed a man of Intriegue, a person well versed in the Mysteries of State, to be admired and cried up for a politic and shrewd Commonwealths-man, are tickling pieces of Honour, and the Temptations which have of late betrayed so many thus to run out beyond their bounds, to the disturbance of the public Peace, and in the end will prove to the utter Ruin and Confusion of themselves and others; and then Experience will convince them of their extreme folly, and show them that these Edge-tools are not to be meddled with by every Stripling and upstart Statesman.  
If things be ordered thus or thus in Church or State, by the wisdom of your Governors, What's that to you? Fellow you Christ, by acquitting yourselves conscionably, and like Christians, in the diligent Discharge of those several Duties required of you in your particular Spheres and Stations in which it hath pleased God to place you. Tantúmne abs re tuâ otii sit tibi, aliena ut cures? Study to be quiet, meddling with your own business, Thess. 4. 11.  
But whoever they be that thus run out beyond their own bounds, and exercise themselves in such kind of Practices as these; they themselves shall find in the end, that they have laboured without thanks, lived without love, and many of them will die, as shamefully and untimely, so without Tears, without Pity; save that some may say, 'twas pity they died no sooner.  
Turn therefore this Curiosity the right way; Traduce hanc curiositatem ad curam salutis tuae; Change Peter's What, What shall this man do? into Paul's What, Acts 9 6. Lord, what will you have me to do? And then you shall hear our Saviour answering, and directing you in the last part of my Text, Fellow you me.  
Which words lay before us, not only Peter's Duty, but every ones; Quod Petro dicitur, omnibus dicitur, Fellow you me: Here's a Precept to follow a Precedent; Plus docemur exemplis, quam preceptis; longum per precepta, etc. But where both meet together to direct us, there we are unadvised not to follow: The Command must be obeyed, it's from Christ himself; the Pattern cannot be denied, it is Christ himself set forth as a Pattern for us to follow.  
Great Examples are of vast importance, inviting the Attendance, and awakening natural Conscience and Ingenuity to attempt things that may excel. It was not therefore without good reason advised in Seneca, that every man should propound to himself the Example of a wife and virtuous Personage, as CATO, SOCRATES or BRUTUS; and by a fiction of Imagination to suppose him present as a Witness, and really to take his Life as a direction of all their Actions. But the best and most excellent of the old Lawgivers and Philosophers among the Greeks, had an allay of Viciousness, and could not be exemplary all over; and the best among the Christians, in the greatest flame of their shining Piety, have fallen short something of the Commandment: We may find among them. Examples, one eminent for this Virtue, another for another, but none for all, excepting the Man Christ Jesus. The Italians got up all the excellent Pictures in the World, that out of them all they might make up one Masterpiece, or most excellent Picture. And we read of a Painter, that wont to one Virgin for an Eye, to another for a Lip, to a third for a Forehead, to a fourth for a Chin, to make exquisite the Face of his Goddess. We need not go to one Saint for this Virtue, to another for that, for perfection; take Christ, and take all: He intended himself an Example of Piety, and led so holy a Life in all the Instances of it, with this design, that he might shine to all the Generations and Ages of the world to come, and become an Example and guiding Star to us in our Journey.  
And he therefore in all the Actions of his Life (in which he propounds himself imitable) did so converse with men, that men after that Example might for ever converse with him. Christ hath suffered for us (saith St. Peter, 1 Ep. c. 2. ver. 21.) leaving an Example to us, that we might follow his steps. And the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 12. v. 2. commands us to look unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our Faith. Look upon him, and so eye him that you may follow him; so follow him that you may live like him, that you may say, Sic oculos, sic ille-manus▪ sic ora forebat.  
When your Eyes are haughty with Ambition, did He carry his Eyes so? No: Like as a Lamb before that bloody Wolf Pilate, his Look was meek and lowly, though lovely. When thou cursest him that anger's thee, Did he carry his Mouth so? No. Father, forgive them. When thou art provoked with Words, and returnest Blows; Did he carry his Hands so? No. Being stricken he struck not again. Summa Religionis est imitari quem colis: Nothing is more Honourable than to be like God. The Heathen Worshippers of false Deities grew vicious upon this Stock, and acted many things contrary to their best Reason, only to be like them. Adulterio delectatur Quis? Jovem respicit. But you have here not only the Command but the Example of Christ, to imitate him in a Life of Piety and Obedience, of Justice and Temperance, of Charity and Devotion; such a Life without which Humane Society cannot be preserved. And therefore, Si precipientem sequi non vis, sequere precedentem, saith Lactantius. If you will not follow him in his Word commanding, yet follow him in his work directing.  
But some things there be which our Saviour did, that you must not attempt to follow him in: Your Imitation hath a Limitation: For there are special Works which he reserves to himself, and wherein he did never command nor commend Man's following him, but rather strikes it down as Presumption.  
1. You must not follow him in the Works of his Power: If Nabuchadnezzar aspire to this, he shall be sent to eat grass with the Beasts of the Field.  
2. You must not follow him in the Works of his Wisdom: If Adam contend for this, he shall be sent forth of Paradise to till the Earth.  
3. You must not follow him in the Works of his Miracles: If Simon Magus will be mounted up like God, and fly in the Air, he shall be hurled down, and break his Neck.  
4. You must not follow him in the Works of his Majesty: If Lucifer will aspire to be like God in this, he shall be thrown out of Heaven, and damned in Hell. And therefore, whereas our Saviour saith, Learn of me; St. Augustin saith, What to do? not to create the World, not to walk on the Water, not to raise the dead: You must follow him, non in quantum filius Dei, sed in quantum filius hominis. Neither in them must you expect to take such large Steps as our Saviour did, but you must step so far as you can, and walk so fast as you may. Fellow you must carefully and cheerfully, tho' non passibus aequis: Tho' you cannot reach Christ's mark, yet if there be a willing mind, 'tis accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not.  
I shall instance in one pathway or two wherein you must follow him, and so conclude.  
1. You must follow him in the way of Piety and Holiness; of which that he was a most eminent Example, no Christian will deny.  
2. You must follow him in the pathway of LOYALTY and Obedience, which is a very necessary one to be insisted on, and more especially at this juncture of time; and without following of him in this, your following of him in any other will avail you nothing. For our Saviour having showed himself a most eminent Example of Piety and the Fear of God, is also a most perfect pattern of Loyalty, and Obedience to the King. And as you have his Pattern, so his Precept too; for he commands us to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's: And to show us, that Religion and Loyalty go hand in hand, in the same Sentence and breath enjoins us to give to God the things that are God's; which doth declare, that there is such a necessary Connection betwixt the true Fear of God and Honour of the King; that whoever he be that saith he fears God, and at the same time disobeys the King; we may say of him as St. John doth in another case, He is a Liar, and the truth is not in him, nor the fear of God.  
What therefore may we think of that Arch-Rebel who hath put out his Traitorous Declaration, to excite his Majesty's Subjects to rise in Rebellion against him; who hath set up his Standard in the West against his lawful Prince, and hath placed God and Religion in the Front of his Traitorous Designs. Why? He draws God himself to his horrid Conspiracies, and makes a mock of him and his Religion too: For RELIGION and REBELLION are as opposite as white and black; and a Disloyal Christian is as great a Contradiction as a just Robber, or innocent Murderer. But HE, with those that side with him, or any way countenance his rebellious Undertake, or wish well to his Traitorous Proceed; nay those that do not act against him as vigorously as they can, but stand neuter, watching which side will prevail, determining to close and comply with that, making sure to save one, and sleep in a whole skin; they who under pretence of Authority can tune their tongues to any thing, but Authority discountenancing them, can forbear, and times turning head again can do as they did; they who are such Time-servers, that Proteus-like can change themselves into any form or fashion, who are such lukewarm Converts, as for a while (to secure their Interest and the main Stake) put on an outside colour of Loyalty, but upon the least prospect of advantage reassume their beloved Principles of Sedition and Rebellion; they who are such Pharisaical loyalists, to fear the King (as the Indians Worship the Devil) to prevent his hurting of them, and not out of any right or sincerity of their Duty; they who upon any pretence do take up Arms against their lawful Prince; nay, they that do not rather fall a Sacrifice to the fury of such a wicked Rebel, than forfeit their Loyalty by complying with him in his wicked designs, they are so far from following Christ, they are so far from transcribing that Copy which he hath set them in this particular, that they bring an eternal Scandal and indelible Reproach on that Religion of which he was the Author, and whose Doctrine countenances nothing that is so manifestly inconsistent with Allegiance to our Prince, the Peace of Societies and Civil Government: Is this the way to take off that Reproach which those Sons of Belial have brought on this our Nation, by shedding the Innocent Blood of King Charles the First (who will ever be remembered for his eminent Virtues and Sufferings, by all Religious and Loyal People that fear God, and honour the King) by endeavouring to imbrue their Hands in the Blood of his Son: But how can we expect that he to whom his Father might have said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, should give the Brother of that Blessed Prince occasion to say less than Cujus presidio tutus etiam adversus hostes esse debueram, illius infidiis circumventus, tutior ab hostibus quam ab illo sum.  
But these are not the measures of Allegiance and Obedience chalked out to them in the Example of their blessed Saviour: For he was not one of a Factious spirit, no raiser of Sedition, no Encourager of Tumults and Rebellion. He never plotted or designed any thing against the Life or Dignity of his lawful Governor. He never entered into any Combination, Association or secret Consult about raising of Men or Money to set on foot or carry on a Rebellion: He never Libelled his Prince, nor stirred up the People against his Person or Government; but plainly condemns all kind of Resistance of Lawful Authority by force or violence, in reproving St. Peter's drawing of the Sword against those who acted by it. He hath secured the Right and Interest of Princes, the Liberty of Subjects, and Peace of Societies, in not allowing Subjects Right or Liberty on any pretence whatever to take up Arms against the lawful Powers. And from his words to St. Peter, Put up thy Sword into its sheath, etc. you may sufficiently learn his mind and will concerning the Resistance of them. For if ever there was or can be any case wherein Resistance of lawful Authority by force is justifyable, it must had been in this: And yet then our Saviour disallows of drawing the Sword against or without lawful Authority: When the greatest Innocence was assaulted, their Lives and Estates in great danger, and the very Foundations of Religion struck at: And thought it more for the safety of every Subject, that the Sovereign Power should be invested with an absolute, unaccountable and irresistible Authority, subordinate to none but God himself.  
Tho' this Authority should degenerate into Tyranny, yet it must by no means be resisted by his followers; which plainly appears by his behaviour towards those Tyrants that reigned in the World in his time, most infamous for their Cruelty and Oppression: For though some might be in danger when it thus happened into ill hands, yet more would be in danger, and in far greater danger too, when it might be resisted: And therefore our Saviour allows not of a Prince's Maladministration of Affairs, failures enough to forfeit his Commission, and supersede his Authority. But by his Precept commands us, and by his Example shows. us that we ought (when the Precepts of the Gospel will not allow us to pay an active Obedience) with all Christian humility, to submit to the severest Penalties, in the Ordinances of our lawful Sovereign.  
The Primitive Christians and Martyrs by a passive Valour and Courage, shown their Love and Constancy to their Saviour and his Religion, by suffering gladly the spoiling of their Goods, and rejoicing in the midst of scorching Flames: Not by fight for it, or making it a pretence to rebel, though they wanted not force sufficient to have opposed the Heathen Emperors; yet they willingly submitted to the unjust Sentence of their Governors, following the example of their Blessed Lord and Saviour: One would therefore think that those many excellent discourses, which have of late been made to press this duty of Loyalty and Obedience, might have been unnecessary, at least sufficient to have attained their designed ends: Since 'tis not to an Heathen Emperor or Tyrant; but to a Prince well furnished with all Wisdom, that is most fit for so great a King, to one who esteems our welfare his happiness; and makes it his daily care and study: Ne bona caduca sint, ne mala rediviva: That those good things which we enjoy by him, may never departed from us; that those Evils which we suffered before him, may never return unto us: To one who hath most graciously engaged to defend and protect that Religion which the Royal Martyr his Father of ever Blessed memory hath sealed with his Blood.  
'Tis our Duty therefore (without any causeless fears or jealousies in ourselves, or stirring up any in the People) to rest quiet and peaceable in this assurance, and to do our part, in following Christ in this pathway of Loyalty and Obedience, and thereby make his Reign safe, easy and prosperous, and himself a glorious Prince; and we may rest assured, that he will not be wanting in any thing on his part, that may make us lead under him a quiet and peaceable Life, in all Godliness and Honesty, and thereby become an Happy People.  
In vain are we called Christians, if we follow not the Example of Christ the Father of the Institution: Dictum Malachiae Abbat apud S. Bern.  
To conclude therefore: Fellow Christ, by despising all those gilded Vanities that he despised, by fearing none of those Sadnesses and hard Usages which he suffered, by practising all those Doctrines that he taught: So than you shall at last be added to that glorious Company of Apostles and Martyrs which are gone before you, and together with them, follow Him into Eternal Glory:  
To whom, with the Father and the Blessed Spirit, be ascribed by us and the whole Church, as is most due, the Kingdom, the Power and Glory, for Ever and Ever. AMEN.  
FINIS.