A SERMON PREACHED IN LONDON BY A faithful MINISTER OF CHRIST. AND PERFECTED BY HIM: AND NOW SET FORTH TO THE public VIEW OF ALL, FOR THE justification of the Truth, and clearing the innocency of his long suffering for it,  Act. 5. 29. We ought to obey God rather than men. 
Printed by Margery Mar-Prelate. 1641.   

A SERMON PREACHED IN LONDON BY A faithful MINISTER OF CHRIST.  GEN. 3. 17. Because thou hast harkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, cursed is the ground, &c. 
When adam's eating of the forbidden Fruit, was so manifest by his nakedness, shame, and fear of God's presence, that he could not hide it, nor deny it, he had no excuse but only this, That the Woman whom God had given to be an help meet for him, she gave him of the Tree and he did eat, vers. 11. Some perhaps will think that this was a sufficient excuse for Adam's part; for why should not he respect her, and harken to her voice whom God had given him for a meet help? What affection of men and women one to another can be so great as the affection of Adam to his wife? She was bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, chap. 2. 23. framed and made of a rib taken out of his side, in the same Image of God with him, and was his second self, the Queen and Lady of the inferior World, who had with him equal dominion and rule over all visible creatures in the earth, and in the Sea; why then should not Adam be excused for his eating, seeing he did it not of himself, nor by the persuasion and example of any other, but one by his wife, and out of respect and affection to her, and to her words and voice. But the Text here shows, that no such excuse could free him from the foul stain of sin in the eyes of God the righteous judge of all the earth. For as the eating itself contrary to God's Commandment, so the harkening to the voice of his wife, and respecting her and her persuasion more than the Word of God, is laid to his charge as a sin, and an heavy curse is laid on the ground for his sake, and many grievous pains and sorrows on him and all his posterity, yea and death itself also, as a just punishment of his transgressions; Because thou hast harkened (saith God) to the voice of thy wife, &c. Cursed is the ground for thy sake. The consideration whereof offers to us this general Doctrine.  
That no affection or respect to any man, no word, command, 
Doct.  or threatening of greatest Kings and Potentates, no persuasion of them that are most near and dear, no importunity of them to whom men are most obliged in love and duty for many great favours, can excuse any act which thereby they are drawn to do against the commandment of God, from the foul stain of sin, nor the doers of such an act, from the guilt of sinful transgression: or to express it in fewer words briefly, No affection of one man to another, whether fear or dread of superiors, or reverence of Benefactors, or love of them that are most near and dear, can excuse any person from the guilt of sin before God, when by them he is moved and drawn to do a thing which God hath forbidden in his word and Law.  
If any such affection or respect could excuse any unlawful act before God, then had Adam's excuse been very good, for the reasons before named, (viz.) because he did eat by the persuasion of his wife, who deserved more love and respect at his hand then any frail sinful person of all his posterity can be worthy of, or expect at the hand of any other: But this excuse was of no force with God (as here we see) that great and righteous Judge, whose will is Law, and the rule of Justice, pronounceth him guilty and worthy of death, and of all the pains, sorrows and punishments which are expressed in this verse, and the two next following: And this God is no respecter of persons, but most just to all without partiality to any. Wherefore this Doctrine holds most true, firm and sure, among all men, even all Adam's posterity of all ages, and in all Nations of the World.  
For the further illustration whereof, and confirming of our hearts in the truth and steadfast belief of it, we have the plain word and testimony of God himself in his Law, Deut. 13. Where he gives a strict charge to all his people, under greatest penalties, to take heed, that neither reverence and respect of extraordinary Prophets which have certainly foretold beforehand things which afterwards have come to pass, nor the love and affection of any one to his brother, the son of his Mother, or to his wife which lieth in his bosom, do at any time draw them into the transgression of his Law by worshipping other Gods: And if a whole City be seduced by some wicked person, and drawn to serve strange Gods, and the people thereof be found to commit Idolatry, (in which Cases many are moved and drawn out of affection and respect, Some to superiors, some to Parents or Masters, some to Husbands, or Wives, or Brethren, or Friends, and Benefactors) the Lord declares all to be deeply guilty, foully stained, and worthy of death, out of what affection or respect soever they are drawn to serve False Gods, and adjudgeth them all to the sword; For he commandeth the whole Nation of his people, to destroy every soul therein with the edge of the Sword, and to burn all the substance thereof as a cursed thing, and to make the city an heap, for a terror to all others.  
Thus we see God in his Law admits no excuse or plea for the breach of his commandment, whether men plead, that the fear and commandment of superiors, (as Judges, Magistrates, Parents, or Masters, or love and respect of Husbands, Wives, Brethren, Benefactors, and dearest Friends, or reverence of extraordinary Prophets, and Teachers esteemed for men of God) did move and persuade them, they shall not be found nor judged innocent. And to this purpose are those words of God in the body of the moral Law in the second Precept, where he forbids making of any Image, of any thing in Heaven or Earth, to bow down to it, or to worship it, as being a similitude of him▪ or a sign of his divine power and presence; I am (saith he) a jealous God, and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. mark the words; First, the Lord saith, I am a jealous God. Now jealousy is the indignantion and wrath of some person against those who withhold and withdraw from him that love and respect which is due to him, and bestow it on others who do not deserve it, and to whom it is not due: As for example; when a wife bestows the love and affection due to her husband upon other men, this provokes him to jealousy, and fills him with anger and indignation against her and her lovers.  
Here God compares himself to such a person; saying, I am a jealous God, which is all one in effect, as if he had said, I am the Lord, the Creator of all things, there is no God besides me, no religious or divine worship is to be given to any but to me alone; and therefore, whosoever gives such honour to any besides me, and doth break any of my commandments out of fear, love, or other affection and respect to any creature whatsoever, he provokes me to jealousy: And then, what follows? I will (saith he) visit the sins of the Fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that thus hate me.  
Now the meaning of these words is not, that he will punish the innocent children for the idolatry of the Parents, For he is the righteous Judge of all the earth, he will not destroy the righteous and innocent with the wicked and the guilty, Gen. 8. 25. He himself protesteth with an oath, That the Father shall not die for the Child, nor the Child for the Father, for all souls (saith he) are mine, the soul of the Child as well as the soul of the Father, Ezek. 18. How then can this saying stand, that he will visit the sins of the Fathers on the Children to the third and fourth generation? Surely the meaning is, That because men often times live to see their Children and their children's children to the third and fourth generation, and if they be wicked Idolaters, haters of the true God, they are examples of evil to their Children, and by exhortations, commandments, and examples draw such Children to commit the same sins, and their Children are led by affection and respect of their evil ways. And hence it is that the father's sins becomes the sins of their children, and the sins which the Children commit in imitation, and by the persuasion of their Fathers, are called the sins of the Fathers: And it is no excuse of the Children; that the example, and their respect of their Parents did draw them to follow their ways, but the Lord in fury and jealousy will proceed against them as hateful sinners, and will visit their sins upon them: And lest any should think or imagine, that the justice of God is not so strict in this point now under the Gospel, but the rigour thereof is much remitted: we have a most clear testimony from the mouth of the chiefest Evangelical Preachers and Publishers of the Gospel; the holy Apostles, wherewith joint consent and one voice they protest, that they might not for fear of men, nor upon the commands and threatenings of the chief Rulers in the Church and State of Israel transgress the commandment of Christ, and by obeying men, disobey God, Acts 4. 19 and 5. 29. Yea, though their preaching of the Gospel publicly in the Temple (as the Angel commanded them from God, Acts 5. 20.) and to all the people in all public Assemblies and their proclaiming of the Lord Christ (whom Pilate by instigation of the High-priests and Elders had condemned, crucified, and slain) and their declaring of him to be the just and holy one of God, and the Redeemer promised to the Fathers, was no less than Scandalum Magnatum in the highest degree, for hereby they brought the blood of Christ on Pilate the chief governor of the Romans, and on them the chief Rulers of the people, and in that respect they did out of state-policy charge them, and straightly command them, not to preach any more in the Name of Christ. as our Saviour had commanded them, Matth. 28. 19 Yet Peter and the rest of the Apostles answered resolately, We ought to obey God rather than you; and they appealed to themselves (though most unjust adversaries) to judge whether it were not right so to do: And therefore it is as great a sin now under the Gospel, as it was under the Law, to break God's commandments, for fear, or any other affection or respect of men, or upon the commandments and threatenings of the greatest Kings and Potentates.  
If you will yet see this Truth made more clear and manifest, look into the examples of those several persons, and also of those multitudes of people which are noted for great sinners, and were most severely punished for doing wicked acts, contrary to the Law of God out of obedience to their Rulers, and at the commandment of their Kings who had power and authority over them; the holy Scriptures afford many examples of this kind in several places, where they commend Subjects and Children for refusing to obey their superiors and Parents in things which they commanded against the Law of God; and condemn others for obeying such wicked commandments out of fear, or for any other respect.  
When King Saul commanded Jonathan his son and all his servants that they should wait for an opportunity to slay David his innocent servant and son in Law, and God's great and Noble Champion, he had a fair pretence of state-policy for it (to wit, that David did steal away the hearts of his people, and aspired to the kingdom, and sought to depose him and to disinherit his sons: But because Jonathan feared God, he would not obey his Father in murdering an innocent, contrary to God's Law, but used all means that he could devise to discover his father's wicked purposes to David, and to reserve him out of his cruel hands; and this disobeying of the word and threatenings of the King, his Father commanding him to slay an innocent, is highly commended in Jonathan, and recorded for his praise and honour in the Holy History, I Sam. 19 So likewise we read that Jonathan did ignorantly break his father's rash and foolish vow before he knew it, by eating honey which God unexpectedly offered to him when he was faint and weary in his pursuit of the Phihstines, whom he and his Armour bearer had routed and put to flight, and thereby brought great deliverance to Israel; and when King Saul his Father for this act done out of inuicible ignorance, adjudged him to death, and swore with a great oath, that he should die; the people of Israel his Subjects fearing God more than his anger, did not only abhor the act, and refuse to yield to his commandment, which had some show and pretence of Religion, but also did stand out and oppose themselves against it, and did save and rescue Jonathan out of his hands, saying, God forbid that Jonathan should die, As the Lord liveth there shall not one hair fall from his head to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day, I Sam. 14. 45. Which speech of theirs implies, that it had been a great sin to slay Jonathan, as Saul their King commanded, or to suffer him to die for such a cause.  
But the most pregnant example of all is that of Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief herdsman, I Sam. 22. where we read that when King Saul commanded the men of his Guard (whom he had obliged to him by many preferments and gifts, as his upbraiding words in the seventh verse seem to imply, that they should slay the Lords innocent priests whom he out of false and unjust suspicion and jealousy supposed to conspire with David against him, they would not put forth their hands to fall upon them, as the Text saith verse. 17. and Doeg the Edomite who at the King's commandment slew the priests and mangled and murdered their wives, and children and innocent Sucklings, and like a bloody oppressing Tyrant spoiled their City and all their substance, is by the Spirit of God in the mouth of David cursed with most dreadful curses, though he did these things in obedience to the King his Lord, upon whose favour all his preferment did depend, the sentence of judgement passed upon him, Psal. 52. that God would destroy him for ever, pluck him out of his dwelling, and root him out of the Land of the living, doth most plainly show, that his Act was a most heinous sin and wickedness.  
In like manner when Jeroboam commanded the Israelites who had chosen him for their King, to worship God who brought them out of Egypt in the Images of golden Calves, such as Aaron had before made at Mount Horeh, it is said in the Text, that he made them to sin, his Command●ment did not excuse them, and their worship of Images, neither did God spare to punish them for it, but (as the Prophet Hosea testifieth, cap. 5. 11.) Ephraim, (that is, the Israelites of the ten Tribes) was oppressed and broken in judgement, because he willingly walked after the commandment (that is) of Jeroboam, and also of Baasha, and other wicked Kings, who walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and made Israel to sin. And although Omri, Ahab, and Jezabel were cruel Tyrants, and by Statutes, tyrannical commands, terrors, threatenings, and slaughter of the Lord's Prophets, teachers of God's true worship, did not only draw▪ but drive and force Israel their people and subjects to worship Baal, yet this excused not the people's Idolatry, but the Lord threatens them by the Prophet Micha 6. 16. that because they kept the Statutes of Omri, and walked in the counsels and ways of the house of Ahab, therefore he will make the Land a desolation, and an hissing and reproach; and for their forsaking of God's covenant, and worshipping of Baal, Idols and Groves, Eliah the man of God accuseth them all as great offenders deeply guilty, saying, The Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant and broken down thine Altars, 1 King. 19 14. And God in his answer to Eliah's accusation exempts none from the guilt of these sins in all Israel, but only those seveven thousand men who had not been drawn by the terrors, threatenings, and cruel commands of Ahab and Jezabel to worship Baal, but had kept their knees from bowing to him, and their mouths from kissing him, as we see vers. 18 What man can plead more plausible for any disobedience to any commandment of God, than the man of God which came from Judah to Bethel to prophesy against jeroboam's Altar, might plead for his eating bread and drinking water in that wicked Idolatrous place, contrary to God's particular commandment given to him; First, the thing forbidden, was a matter in itself very indifferent, there was no appearance of any evil in it, so long as he did not eat and drink with infectious and infamous Idolaters which might be a snare and scandal to him: Secondly, his resolution and endeavour to keep this commandment was such that when King Jeroboam thankfully invited him to eat and drink out of kindness for healing his withered hand, he could not be overcome with any entreaty, nor promise of great gifts and rewards. Thirdly, when he was seduced and drawn to eat and drink in the place forbidden, it was the authority of the old Prophet, and his respect to his words which he confidently affirmed to be the words of God which persuaded him to return with him and to eat bread with him; and yet all this could not excuse this man of God from sin in doing contrary to God's commandment given to him, for God presently makes the old Prophet which deceived him, a Messenger of death to declare unto him his untimely death for his disobedience, and that his dead carcase torn by a lion should not come to the Sepulchre of his Fathers, 1 King. 13. Whereby it is manifest that no power or authority of any man how fairly soever it is pretended to be from God can excuse any act done against any known commandment of God, though it be a commandment of a small indifferent thing, given only to try man's obedience, but whosoever upon any respect to any creature, or by any persuasion doth transgress any Precept or word of God, he is guilty of sin and worthy of death before God's just tribunal: Saul's letters from the High-priests which gave him a Commission and authority to persecute Christians did not excuse him from sin though he did it in ignorance and blind zeal for he calls himself the greatest of sinners for that act of persecution, 1 Tim. 1. 15. But I hold it needless to spend time in rehersing more examples to prove this doctrine, though it is of all Doctrines the chiefest and most necessary to be believed, continually kept in mind, and observed of all Adam's posterity. I will only add one strong and invincible argument and demonstration to convince all men of the truth thereof grounded upon divers solid principles of Reason and Religion.  
First, it is a thing which none but Atheists can or will deny, 
Reason.  that when any creature stands in competition with God, and seeks to be respected and obeyed before God, and to have his demands and commands yielded unto, which are contrary to the will and Law of God, as he in that case seeks to rob God of his due honour and glory, and to exalt himself above God, which is Luciserian pride & rebellion; so they who in such a case obey him, whether for fear, or love, or any respect and affection in a thing contrary to any Word or commandment of God, they do undobtedly rob God of his glory and of the honour which properly belongs to him, for God as the Creator of all things, and giver of being, life and breath to all creatures severally, who also upholds and preserves them all in being and well being, and sustains them by his providence; so he is the chief Father of all, worthy to be respected, loved, and obeyed above all other Parents and Benefactors, who are but instruments of his bounty, and subordinate means of our being and other benefits: He also by the right both of Creation, and also of redemption is the chief King, Lord, owner and possessor of all things in heaven and earth, to whom all hearts, hands, wills, desires and affections ought to be subject and obedient in all things, and at all times. Besides, if we consider God in himself as he is revealed in his word and works to be the one only true Jehovah, eternal, omnipotent, immortal, immutable, infinite in goodness, bounty, wisdom, mercy, justice, faithfulness and truth, most mighty wise and prudent to order, rule and govern all the world, most bountiful to reward all obedience, and most just to punish, and dreadful and terrible in revenging all disobedience against his Word and Law; we cannot but acknowledge and confess, that he is the supreme Lord of all Lords, King of Kings, and the eternally blessed and only Potentate, who is in all things to be obeyed above all, and before all; and all Lords, Kings, Fathers, and Benefactors are to be obeyed only in and under him as his Substitutes, subordinate Vicegerents, Stewards, and Messengers, whosoever do, out of fear, love, or any affection and respect to any creature, do any thing contrary to his kowne will, word and commandment, they rob him of his honour and glory, set up the creature above the Creator, and make it their God, which must needs by all reasonable men be confessed to be a most heinous and grievous sin worthy of God's wrath and all punishments. This is the solid argument and invincible demonstration which fully proves the Doctrine, which I will briefly reduce into the strict form of a syllogism, thus,  
Whosoever robs the King, and Lord of Lords, the blessed and only Potentate and chief Father and author of all being goodness, and bounty, by taking from him the honour and glory which doth properly belong to him, and setteth up the creature and servant above his Lord and Creator, he is guilty of most heinous sin and transgression.  
Every one who out of fear, love, or any affection and respect to any creature, doth any act contrary to the revealed will, word, and commandment of God, robbeth thereby God the supreme Lord, King, Father, and Benefactor; and setteth up the creature and servant above his Lord and Creator.  
Therefore he is guilty in this of heinous sin and transgression; and by consequence it followeth necessarily, that (as this Doctrine teacheth) no fear, threatening, or commandment of earthly Potentates, no love, or respect of Parents and Benefactors can free from the foul stain of sin in any act, which they draw men to do contrary to the commandment of God.  
This Doctrine is of special use: First, to admonish all 
use 1.  God's people to be careful and diligent above all to know and acknowledge God aright, and to set their hearts and affections chiefly on him as the supreme Lord and Father of all, and the chief Author and fountain of all goodness, and to put on a settled resolution to obey all his commandments, though all the world should persuade & command them ro the contrary. It is true that Kings, Rulers, and Potentates of the world are set up by God to rule by him and under him, as his Vice-geren●s, Stewards, and Messengers, and all men who are under them, especiaily Christians (God's free and willing people) ought to give them all honour and reverence and to fear and obey them for conscience sake in and under God; the very law of Nature binds all men to love, reverence, honour and obey their Parents and Benefactors, who are God's instruments of their being and well being; and not only Civility and the Common Law of Nations binds men to honour and respect them who are honourable in wisdom, gravity, and authority, but Religion and God's Word teach men to honour and affect such as are Prophets, Preachers, ambassadors and Messengers of God unto them: But yet all these are to be loved, feared honoured and respected in and under God, and with fear, love, and affection subordinate to the fear, love, and affection which they have towards God above all: Wherefore let all God's people take heed and beware, and carefully look to it, that they give not too much way to human passions and affections by regarding and respecting secondary means and inferior causes more than God the first and chief cause, Author and bountaine of all blessings, or by accustoming themselves to esteem too highly, or to love, fear and admire too excessively the persons of men, how great, wise, and learned, or how aimiable and honourable soever they appear in their eyes; If men once give way so far to the reverence, awe, fear, and dread of earthly Kings, Rulers and Potentates, that they become more afraid of their faces, angry countenances, menacing and threatenings, then of the terrors of God's Law and of his wrathful judgements; this is that which will draw them to disobey God's Word and Law, out of respect to mortal men and will bring them under the stain and guilt of unecusable sin laid open in this Text and Doctrine: So likewise excessive love, carnal affection, and respect of Parents and Benefactors (while men set their eyes and hearts on the things which are visible and sensible, and on the outward means more than on the invisible hand, power and goodness of God) may easily supplant them and make them fall in like sort into heinous sin and inexcusable transgression. But most dangerous of all is that superstitious fear, reverence and respect which men out of blind and undifereet zeal without knowledge do show to such as are set over them to rule and direct them in things which concern God, Religion, and godliness, and hold the place of Prophets, Messengers, Bishops, wise Pastors and learned Teachers in God's Church; when men are so enthralled in their wills, and become Slaves in their affections, that they are ready to believe and embrace whatsoever they hold and teach without proof from God's Word, or examination of things taught by the word or consent with the word and rule of Faith, they are in the high way to horrible and dangerous errors and disobedience to the Law of God, into which whosoever fall being led by immoderate affection and more than due respect to any persons whatsoever, he may here learn from God's proceeding against Adam (the common Father and root of all mankind) that God will admit no excuse for breaking any of his commandments out of any respect, or any fear, reverence, love or affection to any persons, how great, wise, learned, honourable or aimiable soever they appear to him. As Adam by his excuse could not turn away the guilt and punishment of his disobedience, but had a curse laid on the ground, and all pains, sorrows and death itself on himself and all his posterity: So it shall fare with all Adam's seed and children in the like case, For there is no respect of persons with God.  
Secondly, this Doctrine discovers unto us abundance of error 
use 2.  in the judgements, and iniquity in the practice of many worldly-wise and learned men, especially in those State-polititions, admirers of worldly power, greatness and authority, who do think and hold, that they may lawfully do things commanded by such as have the rule over them, without examining whether they be allowed or forbidden in the Law of God. If Kings and great Potentates command them under great penalties, as loss of goods, liberty, or lives, torturing, imprisoning and death to make Images of God, and to bow down to images and Altars of wood and stone, and to practise superstitious will-worship, or to do as proud and potent Nebuchadnezar commanded all his people to worship his Image under pain of burning to ashes in an hot fiery Furnace: Or if a law and decree were made (like that which Darius made by the advice of his wicked and malicious Princes) for a snare to God's people, forbidding the true worship of God. It is the common opinion of self-conceited worldlings abundantly wise and politic in their own opinion, that there is no danger in obeying, no fear of unexcusable sin, and that they who are afraid to obey such commands, and to stir their consciences with guilt of sin by breaking God's Law, are too scrupulous, worthy of contempt; yea that they are mad men, who in such cases will hazard their lives, goods, or liberty. But the 3. faithful servants of God, full of the holy Spirit were of a contrary opinion and resolution, (as Dan. 3.) Though Nebuchadnezar was a mighty Potentate, and had highly promoted them to honour and dignity, and the thing which he commanded was only to fall down and worship his golden Image, yet they utterly refused to do such an act forbidden in God's Law, and did rather choose to yield their bodies to death and to be burned in his hot fiery Furnace: And so likewise Daniel that holy servant of God, so famous in his time for learning wisdom and favour with God, he regarded not the Decree of the wicked Princes which restrained him from the worship of his God and from praying to him for the space of thirty days under pain of being cast into the den of Lions, but notwithstanding it was confirmed by his great Lord and King Darius and sealed with his seal, he would not refrain from his constant course & custom of prayer and worship of his God, which he knew to be a duty daily and continually required by the divine Law, and did choose rather to forgo all the honours and promotions which the King had bestowed on him, and to be cast into the den of Lions, then to disobey God's commandment by obeying the King's decree: and such hath the opinion, resolution and practice of all Gods noble Wortheys and faithful serevants been in all ages. Wherefore let me here be bold to spend some few words in arguing against, and convincing the blind carnal wicked world, and in discovering that wisdom which is commonly call State-policy, to be folly and enmity against God, which I will do very briefly by answering and taking away those foolish excuses of carnal men which are as vain and unable to shroud and defend them from the stain of sin and God's just wrath, as the fig-leaves patched together by our first parents were unfit to cover their nakednes●  
Some when they are commanded by great Potentates & cruel Tyrants to worship God in Images and in Altars of wood and stone or the like, or are forbidden to profess the truth and true religion and to practise the holy worship of God, that under pain of death, persecution, imprisonment, spoiling of their goods, and loss of all worldly substance, they are very f●●ward and earnest to plead, that authority must be obeyed & the powers must not be resisted, and that it is no wisdom to undergo loss of goods, liberty and life for conscience and needless fear of breaking God's commandments. But let me tell such pleaders, that Ephraim, & the Israelites of the ten Tribes had as good a plea, and the same excuse for their forsaking of the Covenant of the Lord, & for worshipping of Baal, Calves, Idols & Groves, in the days of Jeroboam, Ahab & other wicked kings, their Kings did command them so to do for a politic reason of state even to keep them from going up to worship God at Jerusalem, lest by that means they might be drawn away and revolt to the house of David, and reunite themselves to the kingdom of Judah: Also some of their Kings were cruel Tyrants which persecuted the true. Prophets and worshippers of God, and by fear of death and other great penalties forced and compelled men to commit Idolatry, as we read in the days of Ahab and Jezabel, and as appears by Eliah's complaint unto God, 1 King. 19 And yet this was no excuse of the people's Idolatry and sin, for Ephraim was oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly walked after jeroboam's commandment, as Hosea testifieth, Hos. 5. 11. And because they kept the Statutes of Omri, doing the works of the house of Ahab, and walking in their counsels, the Lord gives this sentence against them by the Prophet Micha, That he will make their land a desolation, and them an hissing and reproach, Micha 6. 16. Our Saviour in the Gospel discovers to us how vain and frivolous all such excuses will be found before his tribunal, where he saith, that whosoever loves houses, lands, goods, or life itself more than him, insomuch that they will rather deny, and not confess him before men, then endanger or lose their life, liberty, or worldly goods, they are not worthy to be counted his Disciples, and he will deny them in the presence of his Father and before his holy Angels; and as they feared them who could kill the body only and were not able to kill the soul, more than God who could destroy both soul and body in hell; so they shall lose their life which they loved more than him they shall also be excluded from life eternal, and so cast wholly both souls and bodies into hell, into the fire which never shall be quenched, and die and perish eternally, Matth. 10. 28 Mark 8. 35. Luk. 9 24. Secondly, whereas oaths are to be given and taken in truth, in judgement, and righteousness, Ier. 4. 2. That is, men must not swear any false thing but only what is true, neither to raise up strife, nor to do injury, or to hurt any man, but to put an end to strife by laying open in judgement things as they are, neither must they bind themselves by oath to do any vain, unjust or wicked against Christian charity, or to execute any unlawful office. Now there are and have been in all ages divers politic worldlings and cowardly Hypocrites, who when vain or sinful oaths are imposed on them, such as the Elders and Nobles of Jezrael imposed on the wicked men whom they set up to swear falsely, that Naboath blasphemed God and the King; or such as the Jews took to kill Paul, Act. 23. 12. or such as traitors take to conceal or act Treasons; or as many corrupt men take to execute unlawful offices and unjust designs, which are hurtful and injurious to divers others either in Church or commonwealth. If these oaths be imposed by men of authority, who rule over them, or under great penalties, as trouble, vexation, imprisonment, and loss of liberty, or with hope of some preferment, profit, and gain, which they may reap by executing an unlawful office; they are ready to plead for themselves that they are excusable, because they did take such oaths, and do execute such offices by command of superiors and in obedience to authority, and that otherwise they should forgo a profitable office and trade which doth maintain and enrich them and their Family, and should be vexed, troubled, fined, impoverished, imprisoned, and deprived of their liberty. But let me answer such in the words of Holy Job, chap. 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite that he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? What will his gainful office advantage him when God findeth and judgeth him guilty for profaning his holy Ordinance and taking his Name in vain? Yea, our Saviour fully answereth such Hypocrites, and discovereth the folly of such worldly politicians in express words, saying, What is a man profited to gain the whole World, and lose his own soul; or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul, Matth. 16. 26. All the liberty and freedom from bands and imprisonment, all the worldly profits, pleasures, goods, and wealth which men purchase and procure to themselves by their obsequious observing of great ones, and obeying the authority and commandments of men in things contrary to the Word and Law of God, will yield them no comfort at all, but rather add to their torment in that flaming fire wherein God will render vengeance to them, and punish them with everlasting destruction from his presence and the glory of his power, and shut them up with the devil and damned spirits in the prison of blackness and darkness for ever world without end. Lastly, whereas many who are wise in their own conceit, and most politic for the world and in worldly matters, when they are commanded as Doeg was by Saul his lawful King to mangle, murder, and massacre the innocent servants of God, and to oppress and spoil them of goods, lands and lives, as the Nobles of Naboaths City were by Jezabel's Letters written in Ahab's name and sealed with his seal, or to execute cruel and bloody sentences given by Judges of unrighteousness under the name and colour of the Law, by haling to prison, torturing and punishing Christian people men and women; as Saul did when he was a persecutor armed with Commission and Letters from the High Priests, they persuade themselves and plead confidently, that it is no sin in them to do such things, though in themselves most unjust and contrary to the Law of God, but that the sin and guilt lies wholly on their superiors, and on the Judges, which by their authority and imperious commands, do impose upon them such executions, and they the executioners shall never be called to account, nor undergo the punishment of just revenge from God: Let all such be admonished by this Doctrine, that this their plea and persuasion will never excuse them before God, but as they have an hand in wicked works, and are executioners of cruel and ungodly sentences, so they shall have their share in the just punishments of such heinous transgressions, and the righteous and supreme Judge will cause just vengeance to be executed on them also: It is true that seducors and persuaders of others to sin; and all they who by their power and authority, fear and awe cause others to commit wickedness, as they are chief authors there of next under the devil, the Father of all iniquity, and the blood of those whom they have seduced, compelled and caused to transgress God's holy commandments, shall lie heavy upon them, and God will certainly require it at their hands, so shall they chiefly bear the curse and punishment: But they who are seduced and led by them through blind obedience shall not escape, but shall also fall with them into the pit of destruction; And all they who are voluntarily instruments of cruel oppression, violence, or any wickedness, they shall undoubtedly die and perish in those sins of which they are partakers with them, who set them on work to do wickedly, there is no way for them to escape God's revenging curse but by godly grief and sorrow to repentance, and by seeking and finding pardon in Christ. Wherefore behold your folly and wilful madness ye worklly politicians who are so wise to work your own ruin, who by vain excuses and subtle fallacies of fleshly reason do blind your own eyes, and hardon your hearts not to repent; Alas! what comfort will it be to you that your great Lords whom you feared and obeyed, and the unrighteous Judges, whose cruel sentences ye executed, do chiefly bear the curse and punishment of that cruelty, injustice, and iniquity, which they acted by your hands? what ease or mitigation of sorrow, pain, and grief, will it be to you, that you see them lead the way and go before you? when you also follow them at the heels, and dance after them attendance unto Hell, there to remain for ever in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, where the worm dyeth not, and the fire never goeth out, but burneth eternally, and is unquenchable world without end. From which wrath and eternal woe the Lord deliver us for his mercy's sake, and through the meritorious satisfaction of the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Saviour; To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all glory, honour and praise now and for ever.  
Amen.  
●INIS.