Die Jovis, 27. May 1647. Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that Mr. Hussey, is hereby thanked for his great pains taken in his Sermon preached yesterday, before their Lordships, in the Abbey Church, Westminster. And he is hereby desired, to cause the same to be Printed and published, which is to be done only by authority under his own hand. Jo: Browne Cleric. Parliamenter. I do appoint John Saywell to print my Sermon. William Hussey. The Magistrates CHARGE, FOR THE PEOPLE'S SAFETY. Laid open in a Sermon, preached before the right Honourable House of Peers, in the Abbey Church at Westminster, at their late solemn monthly Fast, May 26. 1647. By WILLIAM HUSSEY, Minister at Chesilburst in Kent. HEB. 13.16. But to do good, and to communicate forget not, with such Sacrifices God is well pleased. LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper, for john Saywell, and are to be sold at his Shop in Little Britain, at the Sign of the Greyhound, 1647. TO The right Honourable, the Lords assembled in the high Court of Parliament. Right Honourable, WHen God is pleased to do any singular work, Kek. lib. 3. Eth. 5. Cap. 19 either to lay the foundations of Kingdoms, or restore those that are shaken to their integrity; he stirreth up heroic spirits to perform it; great works must be effected by powerfult causes: Now those that are of heroic spirits, are led with vehement desire and love of some excellent end, and lift up their mind to the last and chief end, even to God and holy things, to the highest pitch of honesty; that so they might prefer the public good, before the private, by a certain high prerogative: when desire is found in heroic natures, men will walk with incredible constancy, so as that they cannot be enticed from their proposed endeavours by any pleasure, or hindered by any troubles and difficulties. N●●ue censebat civitatem felicem stantibus maenibus mentibus mo●ibus, Ang de civitate 〈◊〉 libro 2. c. 19 cap. 〈◊〉 that Common wealth is not happy whose manners are destroyed: In caelesti nepublica Dei voluntas lex est, in an holy Common wealth, the will of God is the Law unto which all the members of a Commonwealth must consent, Ut ex sonis harmonia in musica, sic ex summis mediis & infinis concordia in republica, As harmony in Music is made of divers sounds, so is a Commonwealth made of the concord of three states: The differences that arise between the Prince and people must be brought to concord by the third: and therefore Aristotle saith, Arist. eth. 8 c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. as large as any society is, so large is friendship; and Kekerman, Amicitia simpliciter necessaria ad vivendum, men cannot live without friendship. jer. 29.7. Seek the peace of the City, whither I have sent you captive: pray for it, for in the peace of it ye shall have peace: Kek. lib. 1. c. 3. And Psalm 122.6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee: and this is the order that God hath set in nature, that God's Laws should be above all humane. Those that are public above private, that which doth simply respect that which is honest before the public good: You see men must prefer the public good before the private good; because every man's own particular safety is lapped up in the public peace; but men must prefer God, and truth or honesty, before themselves: but you may see that this is more than an ordinary degree of moral virtue, to have an heroic and public spirit: Men naturally when they have power, seek themselves: that is a divine and her ick resolution, when they that have power in their hands, shall use such moderation, as not to make any use of it to their own ends, and opression of the public. When every part of the kingdom may have their due, then certainly the sword is in a good hand: But this is and hath been very rare, when heretofore the flatterers at Court did persuade his Majesty that all power was in his hands, though indeed the orderly and just use of the Sword, was to be exercised by and under the Courts of justice; yet in those times the Courtiers did persuade his Majesty, to carry too strict a handover his Commoners, and not suffer them to plead their privileges and liberties, as in justice and equity they should have been permitted; and therefore God was pleased for a time, to let his Majesty see that it was in his power wholly to have wrested the Sword out of his hand: then there was an opinion passessed the Commons, that they had gotten the Sword: And now again it cometh into consideration, whether they were not over strict in keeping the King and Lords from pleading their rights in a peaceable and friendly way. I humbly and hearty wish that the Houses would both agree to settle the power and privileges of Parliament, in such a friendly way as may conduce to peace, that no part wight make use of their power and interest of the people, to assume to them more than of right doth belong to them, to the prejudice of the other pa●ty; power is a most uncertain thing, where it is not regulated by wisdom and Law; that some course may be taken for the punishment of all delinquent subjects, of what rank soever; and accordingly it might be regularly administered: a course is plain, which way a Lord way be punished by way of impeachment; but which way a Commoner of criminal, is not yet cle●re, which I am confident hath given this boldness to the Army to break out in this extraordinary way. And now I shall take the boldness to inform your Lordships a word or two touching this strange accident that hath lately happened from the Army: First, I say they are the rod of God, which is nothing to the justice or unjustice of their proceed, and that so fare as they shall desire, that course may be taken that the proceed of Parliament may be put in a form of justice, that may afford a speeay trial of such Members of the House of Commons as shall be criminal, that may have a facile and speedy progress and determination before competent Judges. And I hope the Army will be content to inform what they can in a judicial way, against these Members they complain off, and not desire that any judgement of suspension or otherwise, may be passed against them, without trial: They profess themselves just men, I hope therefore their demands, as somewhat the more large for that they saw no way open for their trial, and for that none have yet been punished: which if the way were opened, not only they would be content to walk in the common path, and others that deserve it, may be punished as well as they; the Members themselves made more wary, the people receive satisfaction, and a loving peace confirmed, Which God grant. Your Lordship's Servant, William Hussey. PSALM 2.10. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be learned, ye that be Judges of the Earth: serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice to him with reverence. I Shall not trouble your Lordships with any further preamble than what will make for the argument of the Text, wherein I shall desire to sustain the person, and perform the duty of a Steward of the manifold graces of God, declaring the mind of God, not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but demonstration of the spirit in the word: not like the Scribes, but as one that hath received Authority from God, whose wisdom can shine through the weakest instruments upon a believing heart. This Psalm may be divided into 4 parts; a Prophecy that Nations and Kingdoms shall set themselves against God and Christ in the three first verses. 2. A consolation to the Saints against the fury of them that go about to overthrow the Kingdom of Christ, beginning at the fourth verse, unto the words of my Text. 3. A charge given to the Kings and Judges of the earth, how they should behave themselves in the words of my Text in the 11 verse, and beginning of the 12. Lastly, an Argument to persuade Kings and Judges of the earth to look to the charge. Divers Interpretersdoe uphold the literal sense of David and his Kingdom; but so many great things are spoken of this Kingdom that is set upon the holy hill of Zion, that they are enforced to acknowledge that the principal scope of the words are verified in the Kingdom of Christ, whereof David's Kingdom was a Type. In the first part the Prophet setteth down the enmity that Kings and Rulers bear against Christ, their consultation is to shake off his Dominion. Note earthly minded Rulers cannot easily bear the Dominion of Christ. In the second part, God will laugh them to scorn, disappoint and frustrate their consultations, break them with a r●d of iron, and dash them in pieces like a Petters vessel. Note the vanity of their consultation, and peril 〈◊〉 their persons. In my Text ye have a remedy, be wise now ye Kings be learned ye that be Judges of the Earth. Note that wisdom of Kings, and learning of Judges is the means to deliver a Kingdom from destruction. In the last, the inevitable danger that shall fall on them that use not this remedy, if his wrath be kindled but a little, they must needs be in a sad condition, no way to escape but by trusting in him. Note, no power of man can withstand his displeasure. The words may admit of a general division into three parts, circumstances, persons, charge. 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words that signify with others, and these are three. The two first in this one word now. The latter in these two words O ye. The word now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signify the time, but also an inference or reason; Lorin. nunc habe● uns illa●ro●●. now is as much as to say seeing it is so as it is, seeing there is such power in Christ as there is to dash you in pieces, let this be a motive, be wise therefore, and do not anger him, this is plainly seen in that speech of God to Moses repeated by Stephen, I have seen the affliction of my people, Act. 7.34. and have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them, and now come and I will send thee, that is therefore I will send thee at this time: the Translators therefore have well translated it, now therefore, wherein are contained the circumstance of time, and the reason. The third circumstance is the exclamation, O ye 2. The persons are Kings, and Judges of the earth. 3. The charge itself, and that is, first singly to Kings, be wise. 2. Singly to Judges, be learned. 3. Jointly to them both, serve the Lord in fear, rejoice to him with reverence. I shall handle the persons, and part of the charge distinctly, and interweave the circumstances as they shall make for the sense of the words. The persons are Kings, & Judges, who are here charged with the reparation & avoiding the danger that may fall upon them that consult against God and Christ. In the beginning of the Psalm they that consult against Christ are a full Parliament exclusoclero; nay many Parliaments, many Nations, because many Kings: now no Nation can have any more than one King, by the unity of whose person wiser times did provide against faction and division, which I conceive to be the iron rod whereby Christ will destroy them that rise up against him, they shall fall one upon another, and dash themselves in pieces, no peace so firm as that which cometh from the Gospel of peace. The parts of a Parliament are here express, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the People, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings, but the charge of Reformation laid on Kings, and Judges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Doctrine, Doct. when Kings, Rulers, and People, when Nations make Laws against God and Christ, the Reformation is laid upon Kings, and Judges. I shall first explain the words, then prove the Doctrine, and lastly make Application. It may be doubtful whether this be a figure called Hendiades, where the same person or things are set down under divers appellatives, 1 Sam. 8. ●0. the same persons may be Kings and Judges, the israelites desire a K●ng to judge them, and fight their battles, though especially in hereditary Kingdoms, Laws have provided Judges to judge for them, and in Parliaments, Nobles to judge with them, to provide for defects of minority and education that they may with the more honour and state enjoy the pleasure, and undergo the burden of Government; and in war they provide Generals to eschew the hazard and danger of their persons; yet the judgements of peace, and leading in war do belong to the duty of a King, for the preservation of his Country, and good of his Subjects, and therefore Kings and Judges may possibly be the same persons. 2. Kings and Judges may be several persons of several States, such Judges as were before the Kings in Israel, and these were all one in the office and duty of their place, they were chief Governors both in peace and war, differing from Kings in Pomp and State, not in Power and Government. 3. They might be several persons of the same States, for that seldom several Kings and Nobles met together in one consultation; but because many of these consultations might agree in this that they were against God and Christ: Therefore it is said Kings, and Nobles, and People were gathered against God and Christ, for if all the Nations were against Christ, yet they could not be said to consult unless they met and advised one with another. 2. It must be considered what kind of Judges these were, whether superior or subordinate Judges. I conceive they were superior Judges joined with the Kings in judicature. There are divers sorts of Nobles spoken of in the Scriptures. First, Nobles, Court Princes, such as are called Princes of the Bakers, and Princes of Solomon's work, Gen. 40 2. 1 King. 9.22. his buildings and provisions for his house these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the second verse of this Psalm, Pagnin. are translated Rulers, such as had the next degree to the King's chief Counsellors of State, Comites Imperii Barones, Lafords Thanes men of valour and judgement, Pillars of the Crown, whose duty was to preserve the King both in peace and war, from miscarriages, and dishonour by punishing them in judgement that shall misguide the King, or act any thing against Law, by any surreptitious Warrants or Commissions from his Majesty, or transgress their lawful Commissions to the wrong and injury of the people; these had a principal hand in the making of Laws, By me King's reign, and Princes decree Justice, Prov 8.15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the men that were mentioned in the second verse, but in the words of my Text they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges, and therefore it may be doubtful whether they be the same men which did consult in the second verse, which are here charged in the words of my Text; but I conceive they were the same for these reasons. 1. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be ascribed to the highest Judges in the world, to absolute Princes, to Moses, Exod. 18.16. to God himself, Gen. 18.25. and that is to let us understand that these chief Rulers that consulted with the Kings had a place of judicature, that if any thing escape them in consultation, that might be mended in judicature. 2. Those Rulers that were mentioned in the second verse, were guilty of the crime which is here charged to be amended; and therefore it is most rational they should be called to repentance. 3. If Kings, Rulers, and People should once join together and make a Law against God and Christ, it were an hard matter for an inferior Judge to amend it. It is true they may Judge against it, but it would be carried on by the appeal, unless it be reform in the suprcame Court, where the error first began, and so the wrath of God remain unappeased. Thus you see who these Kings and Judges were in all probability, they were several Kings of several Nations, consulting with their own Nobles, and People against God and Christ, that are here called upon to repent of their wicked Decrees, and Laws that they had made against him, so that my Doctrine doth now appear under this form of words. If any thing doth slip in consultation with public consent of Kings, Nobles, and People against God and Christ, the charge doth lie upon Kings and Judges to amend it. But here arise three scruples how it should come to pass that when Kings, Object. Rulers, and People were guilty, the Kings, and Rulers are called to repentance, and the people left out, what will God be content to spare a Nation if Kings and Rulers repent, though the people go on still in their iniquity. I answer in respect of temporal punishment: Ans. It may be sometimes he will: if God would spare Sodom for ten; why may he not spare a people for their Kings and Rulers? If he will plague Israel for David's numbering the people; why may he not save a people as he did for Moses sake? but always he doth it not. The reformation of Kings and Nobles is a great means to reform the people; but if notwithstanding their Reformation the people remain wilful, their judgement doth often fall the more heavy even in this life as may appear. 2 Kiu. 23.25 26. Josiah a most pious and holy Prince, yet God reserved evil to bring upon the Jew●s for that they did not reform. The Prophet rendereth a reason. jer. 3.10 Her treacherous sister Judah did not turn to me with all her heart, but feignedly. Josiah caused them to turn in show, but it was in hypocrisy, though their hypocrisy was none of Josiahs' fault, but their own. 2. But here ariseth yet a second scruple, how it should be in the power of Kings and Nobles to amend that which is done amiss by Kings, Nobles, and people, is it in their power not to put that in execution which is made into a Law? Yes if against God and Christ, if against the Law of God, God's Laws have the force of an universal Law unto which humane positive Laws must give way, lex particularis cedit universali, man's Law is void, Doctor and Student. if against Gods Law. 3. But here will be a breach between these that shall so judge the King, and Nobles, and the people, Object. if that be adjudged against the Law of God, which is newly received for an humane Law; and therefore this doth put Kings and Nobles into straits; Ans. This must not be carried with an high hand as an act of power, but prudently as an act of wisdom, so as God may not be provoked, and dash you all in pieces, nor the people neglected in the particular Covenant made with them. They must wisely use means to revoke such Laws as are made against God and Christ: Yet by their wise and learned carriage give the people satisfaction. This charge of bearing the Laws, the yoke, and bonds of Christ is laid on Kings and Judges for four reasons. 1. Because they of all men are most inclinable to shake off the yoke of Christ; Fabritius exhortatio ●llurecipue necessaria qus gradu & pot●ntia inter honines eminent non sacile se jugo Christs submittunt leges sibt prescribs ●nviti patiuntur. Martinius chstat fastus us volunt emperitivideri quibu, opus est institutione ill● quamvis de officio ●●format●onem eminentie suae authoritatis deformationem interpretantur. great ones never think themselves great enough unless they be absolute, unless they may act so as if they had no superior to whom they must give an account. That exhortation doth principally belong to them that are in Authority, because they do not easily submit to the yoke of Christ, they are unwilling to have any Laws given them; and the other Author Pride will not suffer them to receive any instruction, because they will not seem to be so unskilful as to need instruction, they think any information a stain to their Authority. Such opposition against God and Christ hath been found in all Ages from great ones. Pharaoh, Exod 5 2. 2 King. 8 33 who is the Lord that I should hear his voice? Zenacherib, hath any of the Gods of the Nations delivered his people on't my hands? Ie●. 2.3. we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee. Therefore doth the Lord cry out upon Kings, and Princes, and Judges of the earth, that they should have special care to submit to the Government of Christ: exclamations are used in plain matters, and matters of great weight: It is no small matter for Kings, and Nobles to shake off the bonds of subjection to God and Christ; Vossiu●in minuu & cont-oversis 〈…〉 ex●a●●tio●e p●●● rile & s●igidum. look to it Kings, and Nobles, Kings, and Judges, have a care of your charge, or ye will be broken in pieces, ye will provoke the Lord to anger, and all your purposes frustrated, and your persons destroyed, you have a great inclination to forget me in regard of your greatness; therefore I charge you to beware. 2. Reason, God hath committed the care of his people to them that they should seek their good, he is the instrument of God for thy good, Rom. 13.4. God doth not so set Kings and Princes over his people as to have no care of them himself: But he committeth his people to them, so that he looketh to them himself; he giveth them their charge, and taketh account of them because their inferiors cannot do it so easily; God doth charge the King himself, Deut. 17.18. to have a care that he writ him a book of the Law. He taketh account of the Princes of the wrong done to his peaple. Esay. 3.14, 15. The Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients, and Princes for the wrong done to his people, for ye have eaten up the Vineyard, and the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean you that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, do you think I will take no account of this, will you be broken in pieces with the iron rod? It belongeth to God as supreme to redress all the abuses of the most absolute Princes and Magistrates on the earth. Appeals come to him like the cry: that came from Sodom, no miscarriages shall escape him. 2 Cron. 16●. The eyes of the Lord run too and fro, throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of him, whose heart is perfect towards him: And therefore doth the Prophet David appeal to God. Psal 82.8. Arise, O God, and judge thou the earth, if men will not, the Lord of Hosts will, his Hosts shall. 3. God doth especially, charge Princes with their duty of subjection, because they have a great influence upon the people, 2 King. 10.31. especially to evil Jereboam the Son of Nebat made Israel to sin; if Princes, Kings, and Judges be wicked, they shall not want instruments to forward their wickedness: 2 Cron. 21.3.6. & 4. If David will have the people numbered, Joab will act it though against conscience, he said, why will the King be a cause of trespass, and in 6 verse, the King's word was abominable to Joab; yet in 4 verse, the King's word prevailed with Joab. Dan. 3. If Nabuchadnezzar set up a Golden Image, none are found that withst and it, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Esay. 9.16. the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led by them are destroyed. Therefore God chargeth Kings with their duty for the safety of his people. 4. If sins be committed as long as Kings, and Princes execute judgement, the wrath of God is appeased toward that Nation: Numb. 35.33. Blood defileth the Land, and it cannot be purged but by the hand of him that flew. Phinehas hath turned my wrath away from the Children of Israel; Numb 25.11. then stood up Phinchas and executed judgement and so the plague ceased. Psal. 106.36. Use 1 Information that Kings and Nobles are nearly linked together in the government of Nations, God doth not charge Kings alone, but Kings and Judges, Kings and Nobles, the business of Government is to weighty to be undergon by one man alone: There are two special duties of a King, the duty of war, and the duty of peace, in both which he must necessarily have the assistance of Nobles. Let all Histories be examined, and ye shall see that in getting and governing of Kingdoms, Nobles and Worthies, had an especial hand in raising Armies, in managing Battles, in judging the people. Moses was weary of judging alone, though the people over whom he ruled had been slaves, he had been the instrument of their delivery; and God did appear to and for him upon all occasions, & therefore if any man might govern alone, Moses might do it by such special assistance of God; but when jethro saw Moses sitting in judgement alone, Exod. 18.17. he was plain with him, and told him the thiug was not good, and advised him to take help, or else he must needs tire out himself, and the people. Again in stilling the rage of the people, the assistance of Nobles hath been always needful, Kings desiring all power into their own hands make themselves unable to keep their own Courts from oppressing their Subjects, or content their people, by means whereof people have often been enraged against their Governors. Numb. 11 1●. Moses complained to God that the people murmured against him, that he was not able to bear their murmur, and of the danger he was in, desiring God to kill him that he might not see his wretchedness; that is, that the people might not fall upon him in a m●●●rable manner and destroy him: D●● dat. For the remedy of which evil the Lord prescribeth this, verse 16. gather together seventy men of the Elders of the people whom thou knowest to be Elders, and Officers over them, and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and they shall stand there with thee, these were the Officers that the Lord appointed to assist Moses in time to come against the rebelli● the people, these Moses must gather together in the great Counsel: where ye may see of what number and sort of men these must be, they must be seventy a set number, not too many for fear of diffention, not too few for fear of partiality, ye may further see what manner of men they must be, Officers over the people before they were called to the great Counsel, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Icrom. Jerom calleth them prafectos qui docerent ves singula, and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Magistres Indicibus vestris, Masters of your Judges. Implying that these that sat in this high Counsel to help Moses against the commotions of the people, must be high in the people's estimation, and must have the power of the sword in their own hands, in their several Tribes whereby they might execute their judgements and by their authority stop the rage of the people. Without power all judgements were fruitless and void, Tollet de cas 〈◊〉, lib 5. cap 56. J●d●n habeat petellatem, 〈…〉 formam vi●●. judge Dodrig●●itle. Earl●. to what end were judgements if the Judges had not power to put their judgement into execution? and therefore in this Kingdom had Earls the third part of their Counties to make them high in the eyes of the people; they were great Commanders, c●●es, and c●●itatus were relatives, every County h●d an Earl and no more, and Barons had their Baronies, honourable revenue and command, whereby they might assist the King, defend their Country, and do the people justice: honour without command in war, and judicature in peace is useless, Esay. 3 3.4. and a scorn, whereas men whose faces are lifted up above the people, are as necessary for a Commonwealth as bread and water. Honourable men unto whom the people may have recourse in case of imminent danger to be a stay unto them, who meeting in a public Counsel may carry all things for the public good: ye may see what service David did to Saul against the Philistines, & what his Worthies did for him, 〈◊〉 58.5. in his wars against the house of Saul: ye may see what power the Nobles had in the days of Zedekiah unto whom the King did confess the King is not ●e that can do any thing without you. To make a man great in war, that is not great in peace, is dangerous, unless virtue sway, he will love the greatness of his condition too well, he that is as great in peace as in war, will easily change his troublesome and dangerous estate for rest and safety. Use 2 Exhortation, that the King and Lords would join together to submit to the government of Christ● you are required in my Text to join with the King in this duty not to be instruments of the Kings will, so you shall show yourselves servants to the King, but not Judges of the earth, his Majesty's wisdom, and your learning should join together to put on the yoke of Christ to save yourselves, and your people from breaking with the iron rod in the hand of Christ, that is as I have intimated from Civil war, from such destroying Civil War a● will dash you all to p●eces, 〈◊〉. 48.2 the Lord is the Lord of Hosts, a name that 〈◊〉 hath put upon himself, Esay. 47.4. Ie●●va ex●r●iti●●●o●en ●p●s, the great n●me of God, Esay. 4●● Esay. ●●●. all Hosts are his rod, wicked ones, holy ones, just or unjust, ●orra●e, intestine, legal or rebellious, they are all his; he punisheth offenders by them all, what power we have that we conceive our safety, that party that conceive they have the power of the sword, strength in their own hands, they think they may do what they will, but they are mightily deceived, they that have all power to day, may have none to morrow, the Lord is the Lord of Hosts 〈…〉 s●pientia est sui destructiva, force without wisdom will destroy itself. Esay. 3●●. Rabsak●h joineth counsel and strength together, and Aristotle wisdom, riches and power, and descanteth that upon them; men think they have quickly wisdom enough, but power and riches never enough, whereas too much either of riches or power is troublesome, or at least unprofitable: But a man can never have too much wisdom. That power we think we have we cannot claim as ou● own, it is Gods right, strength is in the Host whereof God is the Lord, P●a. 4.28. In the multitude of people is the King's honour, but the want of the people is the destruction of the Prince; it is the Lord that hath hearts of people in his hand, he maketh them subject to their Governors, and moveth them against their Rulers, he uniteth and divideth them in Court, in Council, in field: when he hath a purpose to dash them one against another, he doth divide them; jer. 13. 1●.14 I will fill all the Inhabitants of the Land, the Kings that sit upon David's Throne, and the Priests and the Prophets, and all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the Fathers and the Sons together, saith the Lord: I will pity nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. He can make such divisions that no unity of interest, of condition, of affinity, or consaguity can prevent, he can divide Kings and Subjects, Subjects and Subjects, Kings and Lords, Kings and Commons, Lords and Commons, Lords and Lords, Commons and Commons, Father and Son, Brother and Brother: where still note that the nearer the conjunction the more dangerous the discord. That some differences should arise among the people, is not wonderful, the ordinary course of justice doth heal them, that some greivances should arise between the King and the Commons is not strange, it is the business of a Parliament to redress them: Then my Lords had you a call from God by the duties of your places, to have been the instruments of unity, then should you have made use of your learning to have reconciled them, than you had use for Divinity, Law, Policy, Justice, Power, a little of all these in your hands would have set all things right, if ye and the King had then been tied together with the bonds of Christ, ye might have ruled him, and contented the people. But instead of reconciling the difference between them, ye also fell at odds among yourselves: Parliaments do expect some difference, the first work the Commons use to do is to represent their greivances unto your Lordships, from whom by the very intendment of the Law they do expect redress. You by your places as Councillors to the King, and Judges of the people having power over both, should have acted the parts of good reconcilers; but this iron rod of God's displeasure fell on you also, the very Physician had got the plague. You likewise were divided among yourselves: I blame you not, I rather pity you, your power was broken by the iucroachment of former Princes, you were defrauded of your learning here required, by discontinuance of Parliaments; your education & honour among the people by Courtship: Kings and Commons have heretofore joined together to break the power of Lords, and now they fall out, the Lords have not power to help them. And now I take up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my Text as applicable to this purpose, where I crave leave to speak to your Lordships in the language of my Text. It had been very good, that the King, and your Lordships had always been wise and learned enough to have been always under the yoke of Christ, Psal 72. from 1. to 15. never to have consulted any thing against God and Christ, Mach. Pranespag. 36. never to have departed any thing from the ways of God and Christ, the ways of judgement and justice, I mean which are his ways. That Turkish, cutlandish distinction found in Machiavil of civilis & soluta potentia which is power above Law, and by Law, had not been misconstrued, and made use of upon all occasions in the King's name at Court in former times: I wish it had been the manner of our Kings always to have ruled by the positive Laws as far as the justice of them would any ways extend, and when any thing of unjustice did fall upon the letter of the positive Law that should be reform by the Law of God, and the universal Law of nature, that had not been done by a cabinet Council, but a Council of State in Parliament: but that time is past, many things have been done by prerogative above Law, I will not say any thing hath been consulted by King, Lords, and Commons against Christ; I fear some things have been done with or without public consent that should not, I judge by the event as every good Christian should when God is displeased: Yet now if King and Lords would be wise and learned, ye might turn away the wrath of God, and keeping off the iron rod from damn shing you all in perces, if not, it is to be feared the iron rod is in the fire to take a new hardening. The division that hath been hitherto, hath on both parts been grounded on verum and veri simile, the King on the one part, the Parliament on the other, one for prerogative, the other for right and interest, both pleading Law: the King pretending all aught to follow him, the Parliament them, and all by Laws, take heed of a subdivision among you, where no party doth or can pretend Law, for by the same reason God may justly bring a subdivision among you, until ye come to utter destruction; for let any wise man consider when wars will cease, if the victorious party shall set up new Principles, and make new Quarrels: you have fought for liberty and common right according to the Laws of the Kingdom, if your victories set you upon higher points, and ye will have all the Laws of the Kingdom altered pro Imperio, while the sword is in your hand, this is certainly a new cause, and if it should breed a new quarrel (which God forbidden) remember I pray you the iron rod is in the hand of Christ, and not yours, God is the Lord of Hosts, and you shall see it if ye have much experience in war, that God which hath owned your cause that was without controversy just, if ye raise a new quarrel upon a new cause, upon grounds not known and stated in the world, may desert you in your new cause: it was not the wisdom of the Parliament, but the justice of the cause, and the hand of God that hath helped you hitherto, you know not what help the colour and opinion of law did you in your cause, if once a war should arise without any colour of Law: if Machievills' principle concerning the power of Kings should be drawn down to the people, that they had power without Law, that, as it were less regular, so it would be more cruel; neither the Authority of the King nor of the Parliament would shelter any, but all would be dashed in pieces with this iron rod; Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be learned ye that be judges of the earth; wisdom is of special use (in consultations) for Kings and Lords, the greatest honour to them in the world is so to deliberate in their public meetings, that they may have cause to rejoice in the wisdom and justice of their consultations; to vote one thing to day, another thing to morrow, is an argument of the greatest weakness in the world; yet if the weakness be in the former it must be amended by a wiser, better to be wise now, then never: I will not lay the supposition of my Text upon your Lordships; I will not say ye have consulted any thing against Christ, but the counsel of my Text, I will, and that in the words of Fabritins and Musoulus: * Fabritius, si sorce quid finistre tentaverint adver sus Christum & Regnum ejus patient●r tunc se, evecari ab errore & pirversis institutu s●●, (& paulo ante) sibi caveam a temerariis, consiliis, & more ititionibus contra Christum & Regnumejus, ut eruditio●em & cast gationem admittant ex verbo Dei. Musculus in locam, & nunc inquit cum Regnum Chris●● ad hunc modum comparatum sit, nt non solum impossibtle sit quod conamim, sed vobit exittosum etiamsihactenus desipuisti tamen vel nune taadem nisi perirejuvat mutata sententia rescipiscite etc. Nam alioqui quod putatu vos reguis vestris per id consulere quod Christo domino repubnatis owniu●● est stule●ssimum. If Kings and Judges of the earth at any time have attempted any thing against God and Christ, they would suffer themselves to be called back from their error and perverse purposes [and before] that they would take care of rash Counsels and endeavours against Christ and his Kingdom, that ye admit of instruction and reproof from the word of God, Musculus: And seeing the Kingdom of Christ is so ordered, that it is not only impossible that ye intent against it, but it is deadly to yourselves, although you have hitherto been unwise; yet now at last repent, unless you will perish, for it is the foolishest thing in the world to think ye shall settle your own Kingdoms by destroying his. But lest some may raise a ground for inconstancy or departing from deliberative consultations, which in plain terms is to vote one thing, and do another, or to be unconstant in your votes●, because the Psalmist doth charge Kings and Judges to be wise, now after they had voted and consulted, Kings, Nobles, and People and were all agreed. My Text affordeth no further warrant for change, but when ye have voted against God and Christ, then indeed it is high time to unvote that again; the Holy Ghost doth not call upon them after consultation to be wise without cause, and so I come to the second circumstance: therefore certainly it is an unwise thing to change a vote without cause, my Text which is the Commission by which I preach at this time, doth require you to be wise after consultation, when ye have consulted any thing against Christ, therefore because it is against Christ, ye may have other causes to alter a vote sometime, but I have Commission from God to charge you with alteration in this case. And let me tell you to alter any thing is a weakness either in the act of alteration, or in the thing that is amended; if without cause, it is folly, if for a wicked cause, it is abominable; If ye have at any time voted any thing for God's glory, and public good, to alter that for a friend, is abominable. I have yet another use of information for your Lordships, which is personal &, therefore belonging to this point. That even Kings & Princes, Kings & Judges of the earth, in the places, of Kings & Judges of the earth must be under the bounds and rules of Christ's Kingdom; or otherwise why should the Psalmist have an especial eye on them in the establishing of Christ's Kingdom; you see God doth call upon Kings and Judges of the earth, and that because he hath set up the Kingdom of Christ upon Mount Zion: some refer all this honour required to the Kingdom of Christ, unto the times after the calling of the Jews. I willingly grant that the glory of Christ's Kingdom shall be more conspicuous after that then before; Rom. 31.12. if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more shall their fullness? But God hath given Christ all power both in Heaven and Earth already, Mat. 28 18. even over all the Kingdoms of the earth, even from the time of his resurrection, Ephe 1. when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in beavenly places, far above all principality, and power, unto the end of 22 verse, therefore doth God here command Kings to kiss the Sun. [That is a note of subjection to the Son of God] threaten them with the iron rod, charge them with care not to offend his Son; if Kings had nothing to do in the Church of God, they might plead against this charge; we know we are thy Creatures, and therefore we are subject to thee as God, and the son as the second Person in the Trinity, but as thou hast set him upon the holy hill of Zion, as he is the head of the Church, so his iron rod is nothing else but the censure of the Church; we may give some respect to it as Christians, but as Kings we shall be bold to call them in question that use it, if they be too bold with it. Again, it may be wondered at, why when the Kingdom of Christ was set up, the Prophet did give no charge to the Bishops or Presbyters, that he had not said be wise now O ye Bishops, O ye Presbyters, and Elders of the Church, but Kings and Judges of the earth, putting no difference between the Church, and the earth; certainly our Expositors did find this want, and therefore Brentius saith, you see by these verses, Vides autem ex hu v●rsiculu non tantum E●●scoperum sed etiam regum & prin●ipum offierum off us cogn●●e●nt ●e vera Doctrinita Ecclelia C●r●sts, & ●urent ut tantum; privatimapp p●etatem sectentor, sed etiam at populus Deumrecte colat. Douai notes. that it is not only the duty of Bishops, but also of Kings and Princes, that they know true Doctrine in the Church of Christ, and have a care not only that they privately follow piety, but that the people also worship God aright; you see he bringeth in Bishops, not by the Authority of this Text, yet by the Text he is enforced to charge the care of the Doctrine of the Church upon Kings and Judges: and the Douai notes on this Psalm say Christian Kings are instructed to know, that it is the duty of Kings to defend the Church against Hereriques, and after it is the property of Apostates to favour Heretics, to nourish dissension, to overthrow the Church: Note cherishing Heresy is to maintain dissension, that is a plot upon the Church will overthrow the Church, let the Commonwealth look to herself, it shall not wholly escape. But I must but give you a taste of this point; if I should enter into the polemical part of it, I should defraud you of the charge, which is the substance of the Text; I come therefore to the charge, which is, first, to Kings, be wise, secondly, to Juoges, be learued. And first of the charge to Kings is intelligite, not sapite, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now this intelligite is understand Principles, that is, such truths that all men (being proposed) would consent to, and embrace, if not by ased by lust; but this may seem too natural, and not any moral virtue, nor properly the matter of an exhortation; men do not use to charge men to be tall or beautiful, or young, but valiant, and virtuous, which have influence upon the will. Butidor 〈…〉 c, 11. This the learned Moralists do thus determine, that to know and consent to such truth as men by nature can easily grant, is no virtue, but to know them so as to adhere to them without fear against all sophistications, and temptations, that can be brought to the contrary; that is a virtue when by the actual understanding of known truths, the mind of man is caused to adhear firmly to indemonstrable principles, such as no rational man can deny in nature, nor Christian in Christianity: and thus much Pagnin doth affirm of the Original word translated here intelligite, firmly adhere to know Principles of justice and truth: such a carriage as this in a King is enough for the duty of a King to enable him by the help of his Lords to redresle all former miscarriages; so as the Lords be such as they should be: Kings ye see are required to understand, that cannot be meant of the natural power to understand, a man may know his Masters will: and not do it, this maketh him the worse, and his masters will never a whit the better done, but it must be understood of the intellect which is a moral virtue firmly to adhere to known and agreed on truths, to love truth because truth, and stand firm to that without respect of persons, or to their own honours; thus you see the general nature of that intellect here spoken of: But as it is required of Kings, and as it stands in this Argument, be wise now therefore O ye Kings, because that God hath set his King upon his holy Hill of Zion; because he is of that power that he can dash all the Nations of the earth in pieces with a rod of iron, when he is displeased with the; therefore be wise, which is no more but understand your own condition in reference to Christ; you must take yourselves for his s●aves, as bound with his cords, which is the description of a slave, to be whloly at the will and pleasure of another, not in any such condition, as if any thing of your own will or liberty might concur in the things of God, they must know that Christ is their Master, and they must make it the end of all their Government, to serve Christ of all their consultations, to please him, and do that which may advance his Kingdom, and not add any thing of their own to the service of Christ, nor seek their own advancement by Religion, but Christ's, and this doth plainly appear to be the sense of the words in this Argument. For the Holy Ghost doth lay down this in the premises that Kings, and Nobles, and People wereall in a rage, they conceived that God and Christ did restrain them of their liberties, take away the honour of the King's power, of the Nobles privilege, of the People in that they might not have the settlement of their Religion as they pleased for God and Christ but they would bind them up, and restrain them from making Laws against them; here is a quarrel picked with God and Christ, wherein God telleth them how they are like to speed if they look not to it, Christ is their King, nay he is God's King, and their Master, they are not his Subjects only, but his servants: Therefore seeing the power of Christ is so absolute over the Sons of men, the advice to Kings is to understand their own condition in reference to Christ; If any strive with Christ for prerogative, it is likely to be Kings, many Kings have usurped such power over the people of God as is due only to Christ; nay few men of power have rightly understood their own condition in reference to Christ, which thing is here required of Kings, lest they be broken in pieces. That Kings and all such as act as Kings in the execution of humane Law, Doct. must understand what their own condition is in respect of Christ, and act according to that understanding: That is, they must firmly adhere to this as an undeniable principle, that they must receive the Gospel as the commands of Christ; so as Christ doth require them without any limitations, restraints, or circumstances arising from their own wills. Now for the rule of our understanding, the principles of Christianity are contained in the word of God by which we must regulate all our knowledge as it is speculative, Thomas Aquin. 22.47 6. 〈◊〉 habet in operabilibus, sicut princeptum in speculativis. what Principles are to our understanding that aught to be our end in practice; so we must make it the end of all our actions to walk by Principles contained in the word of God; what is grounded on the word of God, that we must firmly adhere to; in matters of Religion we must take all argumments that are against Scripture from nature, bonum publicum, advancement of the Gentry, freedom of the Subject, honour of the Lords, prerogative of the King, to be the sophistications I told you of, against which Kings ought to confirm themselves by continual meditation on the word of God, and actual consideration of of their own condition in respect of Christ. Reasons, why Kings and such as act by supreme Authority must know that Christ is their King, as indeed he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6 15. and act as his Subjects; Nay their Lord, and they must obey his commands as coming from his will without any concurrence of our wills, are three. First, the commands of Christ have the sanction or penalty of eternal condemnation annexed to them that shall be inflicted on the transgressors which no power on earth can resist; the power and strength of any Authority is in the sanction where men can ratify commands with small penalties the transgression is less terrible, and the command less absolute; therefore is the power of a King nothing in comparrison of Christ's. Fear not him that can kill the body, Luk. 12.4. and after that hath no more that he can do; but Christ can do more, he can render vengeance in flaming fire on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 2 Thes 1.8.9. who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord: See men must obey the Gospel of God, or suffer eternal punishments, and this reacheth to Kings as well as others; this Gospel must be obeyed, it is the command of Christ, Mat. 28 ●0. go teach whatsoever I command you. Secondly, Kings must know themselves absolutely under the commands of Christ, because he can execute his own Laws by his own power, if he could not execute his Laws without the consent of Kings, than their consent were necessary; but he doth not govern as the Kings of the earth do by a consenting party, having no natural, but moral power over their wills, they can incline them by acts of love, and with the help of the consenting party move the dissenting by acts of terror: Pro. 14.28. In the multitude of the people is the King's honour, his power is naturally resident in their persons, politicly in their union that is kept and preserved by Laws, prudentially by his virtuous adhering and acting by those Laws. But God and Christ that sitteth at the right hand of God, ruleth by his own power, as in the same argument it doth appear: the Psalmist doth not say he will bring Angels from Heaven, though a few of them would quell all the power on earth; but the Son shall do it himself with the rod of iron in his own hand, and the Prophet telleth us his own arm shall rule for him: Esay. 40.10. God can work upon the hearts of men, physice immediately upon the will, and make them that work deceitfully do his work; jer. 48 10. they that do the work of God deceitfully, shall have a curse for their labour, but the work shall be done though they think not so, God maketh them act what they mean not, Esay. 10 7. yea, contrary to their meaning. Thirdly, Kings must understand their own condition in relation to Christ, that nothing of their own will must enter into, much less sway their actions of Religion; if they do sway their Religion by their own wills, their Religion then is nothing else but policy, and that will make God angry, laugh them to scorn, disappoint their purposes, and break them in pieces; I told you before that Christian Practice must make Christian Principles, the ends of all their actions; they must profess Religion to honour Christ, and not themselves, to do the mind of Christ, and not their own wills; it is plain, if once Princes use Religion to other ends, than the glory of God, they understand not what Religion is, what Christ is, what they are, and then they may quickly anger him, and ruin themselves, He that sinneth against God wrongeth his own soul. Pro. 8 36. This was Jeroboams Religion when he was newly made King over ten Tribes by revolt from Rhehoboam. 1 King. 12.27. It was in common bonum, for the public good of his Kingdom, that his people should be kept from going up to Jerusalem to worship, where Rhehoboam their former Lord (from whom they had revolted) reigned. Jeroboam, said they, will kill me, and return to their Master; all the world would have judged this a wise act in Jeroboam; but by this means he changed the sacrifice, and the Priesthood, which was his ruin. Jeroboam would make Religion stoop to his honour and safety, and by it displeased God, for which his Posterity was rooted out. This was Absalon's Religion, 2 Sam. 15.7. he meant to get the Kingdom from his Father; but asked his Father leave to pay his vow which he had vowed to the Lord in Hebron. You see Absalon sought to promote himself under the pretence of Religion, and prospered accordingly; but I come to the Application. Use of information, that Kings that understand not themselves the servants of Christ, are mistaken in their intellect, though in respect of the goodness and kindness of God, we are brethren to Christ is friends, and all favour is conferred on us; yet must the greatest of the Princes of the earth acknowledge themselves so under him, that his wrath kindled against them will be their destruction; that their duty is to respect and honour Christ, and endeavour so to receive and embrace the government of Christ, as to frame the hearts of their Subjects to the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel of Christ, ea respublica est faelix ubiregit Philosophia, saith the Philosopher; That Kingdom and Nation that will not serve thee, Isay. 60.12. (saith the Prophet) shall perish. Exhortation to Kings, and those that by the duty of their places, aught to advise the King for his honour, to labour that his Majesty may act according to these principles, that he might convert those undeniable truths of God's word which they cannot deny, unto the ends of his actions; we ought all of us to look on the public actions of the King, as such, in which all our good is much concerned: and here I shall crave leave to involve the acceptation of, and politic use that was m●de of Christian Religion in later times, within the miscarriages of the Kings and Princes, and show that the contempt that Court and Country had of Religion, and Christ, was the cause of this iron rod that is here among us, that in consideration thereof, the like may be avoided for the time to come. The rise and fountain of all hypocrisy is, when Principles of Christian Religion are pretended, but they are not made the ends of their actions that did pretend them. There was great pretence of honour done to the Clergy in the Court of England: 2 Thes. 5.13. were the Bishops so much honoured at Court, that Christ might be honoured in them, that Religion might be advanced by them: no such matter, but that they might be popular Orators to draw over the people to put on the yoke of slavery, and that hath drawn so much envy of the people on them. The Principle notwithstanding that was pretended, was a good Principle; 1 Ti●. 5. ●●. That he that laboured in the Word and Doctrine, is worthy of double honour; but the honour must be joined to the work, that the work may be done; certainly it is the duty of Christian Kings and Princes, to use all means that come to their hands to encourage the choice of men for parts and education to become Ministers, to make such public provision for Ministers, that men may by that obtain more honour, more maintenance; by it, then by any other public profession, for my part I cannot prescribe rules to the wisdom of a State; if Christ be an absolute King, his Laws must be obeyed: that place of honour in Timothy mentioned to be given to them that labour in the word, is to be understood of maintenance, as appeareth by the argument of the place, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn. Such private persons as did receive the Gospel in primitive times must make them that teach them partakers of all their goods, Gal. 6 6● all good things: such Nations as have received Christ, have made large and honourable provision for the propogation of the Gospel, besides that of Tithes, always accounting that too little: God in the old Law provided public maintenance for his Priests, Cities, and Suburbs, and Sacrifices, and Oblations, besides the Tithes; and hath commanded maintenance to be given to the Ministers of the Gospel under the name of honour: honour is a public reward, and can have no public being without honourable maintenance: the Gospel is sent to Nations, and Nations must receive it, and honour the bringers of it in a national way; as for that distinction of civil and religions honour, that is a fancy only to elude the authority of this Text; it is true there is civil and moral honour, but that is nothing but public and private honour, the King and State must give public and civil honour or none at all; so that Kings and States cannot receive the Gospel, unless they honour the messengers of Christ (according to the command of Christ:) not as beggars and private men give honour with cap and knee, but with honourable maintenance, and command that honour be given them from private Subjects: That honour is due to the worthy is the Law of nature, who are worthy amongst Christians, the Holy Ghost doth declare: they that labour in the word and doctrine; but note that those which have this honour must be so employed about the work, that the honour may redound to Christ, they must not seek themselves in it. But see were the Scriptures searched into, were they interpreted was the knowledge of God advanced in the the Land, if that maintenance that was bestowed on Bishops, and spent rather in the port of a Gentleman or Nobleman had been employed on Schools of Divinity, we need not be beholding to Jesuits for Comments on the Scriptures, who among many good things whereby they sweeten their mischief, take all occasions to supplant the truth. But did those Bishops advance learning and study of Scriptures? I know I shall be cried down, they did, and outfaced, that learning did flourish to the highest degree that diligence can bring it. And therefore now no more care to be taken for learning seeing no better success of it; but havoc may justly be made of all the provision that our Ancestors have made to encourage Ministers to follow their books; this is the common cry of the multitude, ye may see what good learning did in the Bishop's time, we must never look for better from it; therefore down with it; yet this I say, that if the value of but one Bishopric were bestowed on seven honest and able Divines that might maintain a School of Divinity, and the Scriptures interpreted by them according to the best improvement of humane skill, such satisfaction would be given, that the mouths of those that fill the world with new fancies would be stopped, the hard places of Scripture made plain, unity and piety much advanced, which no one man's skill will ever be able to bring to pass, that would make more for the safety of the Kingdom than all the forces and power of the sword. But let it further be examined, whether ever Ministers of the Gospel were received by the State, so as they were sent from Christ, whether opportunity were given them of free meeting, and communicating their doctrines one ta another, and that the Doctrine that was agreed on, were obedientially received by the State: So Christ sent out his Disciples to teach the Commands of Christ, which Commission must last to the end of the world, giving them this badge that they should love one another, sending them out with his own authority; Luk. 10.16. were any Ministers received into this State as Commissioners to preach the Gospel ought? have any sort of Ministers been received as Ambassadors from a King to his own Subjects? were not those Bishops that were honoured by this State, first sized to the Prince's humour, and good experience had of their servile condition, than sent out to stop the mouths of all that were not fitted to the same last, not with the commission of Christ to preach what he commanded; but with a new Commission to preach what the Prince, and his Commissioners should allow: and was all this done with intelligence according to Principles of Christian Religion? or have not all this striving to keep the Ministers of the Gospel under, come from a more corrupt fountain that they might not be bold to preach against their corruptions, or lay on the yoke of Christ too heavily on the necks of Kings, Princes, and People? or hath not this been the consultation spoken of in the beginning of the Psalm? let these words of the Psalmist, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us receive a possible sense, Cornerus saith, these bands are the bands of Christ, & his Ministers: & Martinius saith, Cornerus C●●isti. L●r●. & Mi●●str●●um. Martinius difficil● est in submitter● docend●s quibus ips● so pr●fectes judica●●. it is a hard matter for men to submit themselves to be taught by them, over whom men conceive themselves to have power. Let us: can the Kings of the earth be sensible of any yoke of Christ, but by the preaching of the Gospel; how can they cast off the yoke of Christ, but by saying to the seers see not? but by dsepising the Ministers of the Gospel, and taking order that none should preach, but such as please them, and in such manner as they please, was this done to advance Christ that preacheth by his Ministers to keep them under, that they may not boldly speak the mind of Christ, nor communicate their Doctrine according to their Commission. Let it be considered whether Ministers ever had encouragement to preach the Gospel without the fear of men: for though it be the duty of a good Minister to preach the word notwithstanding any fear; yet it is the duty of those that receive the Gospel to see that the Ministers be without fear. If Timothy come see that he may be without fear, 1 Cor. 16.10. for he worketh the work of the Lord; were not Bishops nursed up to keep the Ministers of the Gospel from speaking boldly in the name of Christ: was not this their stile: no Bishop, no King? I never heard no Bishop, no Christ; but had they relied on Christ, and heard Christ freely speaking to them out of the Gospel, he would have kept them safer than the Bishops did; and I dare boldly say no honour and freedom given to the Ministers of the Gospel, no Christ received in that commonwealth, men dare not say Christ is proud, a course must be taken to bring Christ a little lower, but Ministers are proud, they must be taken down, they must come under the Gentry: if that be the end of taking down the Bishops to make the Clergy below the Gentry, I would feign know by what Principle, must wealth needs be of more esteem than Religion; but let these men speak plain, and tell us they will bring Christ below the Gentry: indeed I have heard a Gentleman that had some influence on the placing of a Minister in a Country Church, should say he scorned any Minister should be so saucy as to tell him his faults, and surely the carriage of the Gentry have been such, as if they were above the commands of Christ. I cannot but say the Clergy as well as other men may have their personal infirmities, some of them may be proud, but in reference to divers that object pride unto them, they may much more truly be condemned of baseness in discharge of their duties, then of pride; though I confess that many that were base enough where they should be bold, were proud enough where they durst. It is plain that Court and Country have ever had a desire to keep down the Clergy; partly, for that they having fed themselves fat with the Abbeys, have ever since desired another bit, and partly to obtain a greater freedom to sin against God; but if casting down the Ministers of Christ be the shaking off the yoke of Christ, and keeping them under, that they dare not speak as men in the room of Christ, be the sin of Kings, and Rulers in this Psalm, then certainly it hath been the cause that many have been turned into potshards by the iron rod of Christ: and give me leave to call upon Kings of the earth, in the words of my Text. O ye Kings understand your own condition in respect of Christ, you must serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice to him with reverence; All your goods are nothing to Christ, but to his Messengers that are in the earth; you cannot honour Christ but in them that come with the Gospel, encourage them to study the Scriptures, and discharge their duties in the name of Christ: Luk 10.16. if heretofore ye have used any means to stop their mouths, to keep them under, either by making them dependant or otherwise, now yet at last while there remain any part of hopes, honours, and persons unbroken, set your hearts to encourage Ministers in their duties, God will not leave a cup of cold water unrewarded, that is given in the name of a Prophet: what you do, do it to them in the name of Prophets, not in the name of Servants, Flatterers, Supporters of your States; God hath begun now to show his displeasure, there is cause therefore you should now understand, that is, adhere to the Principles of Christian Religion, and then advise with your Counsellors the Judges of Judges, or Judges of the earth, the gravest, the most interested, and entrusted Council, the Judges in your Parliament. Let your ends be right, grounded on principles that make for the honour of Christ, otherwise your best Council in the nature of Council, is worst in its moral consideration. Achitophel's counsel that was as from the Oracle of God, 2 Sam 16.23. was morally no better then that an ambitious and traitorous Son should kill a Royal King, and loving Father: never refuse that for the end of your actions, that is represented to your understanding as an undeniable truth, and then take advice of your greatest and wisest Counsel, In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety. If Rhehoboam had followed this advice, Pro. 15.22. his Kingdom had not shrunk from twelve Tribes to two as it did; and now my Text doth charge the King to come to his Parliament, and with them to submit to the yoke of Christ; as a Minister of Christ, I ought to declare the mind of Christ; as a Subject to his Majesty, I ought to seek his advancement, he shall thereby obtain the privilege of such Kings as are Kings his in the Church of God; this was David's privilege that his Kingdom was upon Zion, and hereby God made him first borne higher than the Kings of the earth; It is a preferment to a King to be a servant to Christ, and his only safety against the disappointment of his actions, Psal. 89.27. and the peril of his person. I beseech your Lordships to harken to the second charge of my text, which is your particular portion, be instructed ye Judges of the earth, the charge that lieth upon you is to be instructed; the word signifieth castigare, to bind, instruct, compel, correct; which discipline, Laws, bonds, punishments, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yourselves, that you wander not, and live after your own lusts, the discipline and correction ye ought to restrain yourselves withal, aught to be straight such as we use to children in their tender years, the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this ye must receive as Children from the word of God, subjicite vos reprehensioni verbi, Cajetan. Dei submit yourselves to the reprehension of the word of God. From this second part of the charge; Doct. that if any thing be consulted and agreed on against God and Christ, the Nobles and Judges of the earth must receive instruction, reform, and amend themselves, and together with the King submit to the government of Christ; but the charge lieth upon yourselves in this clause, though the consociation with the other clause require your conjunction; but I am now come to your duty as it standeth singly in this part of the charge. Ye see my Lords, more is required at your hands, then of the Kings in point of knowledge: ye ought to be the King's Treasurers out of which he ought at all times to draw wisdom; ye ought to be that multitude of Counselors that might make all the King's purposes successful; if the King want counsel he must repair to you, if you want it, ye must provide it for him, it is the duty of your place; therefore if ye be not learned ye must receive instruction, if never so learned information, if ye be morally vicious ye must amend yourselves by Laws, Discipline, correction; ye must use yourselves as men use Children, correct yourselves, or if need be as men use mad men, bind yourselves; rather than wander after unworthy & sinful lusts; whosoever are ignorant, ye must be knowing, though corruption of times may lead some others into swearing, lying, drunkenness, uncleanness, profaneness; yet none of all these things should be found in you. It is a shame that a Christian Lord should not be eminently above unchristian and heathenish vices, Her●s est supra ●mnem legem humanam, more virtuous than any humane Law can require: how shameful is it that they should be more vicious than any heathen Law should suffer? It is sufficient for a King to understand and walk by principles, such as no man can deny to be truth, to make good principles the end of his actions, you must help him to the means which is the act of Council, when the end is agreed on, Council must find out the means to obtain the end, and that is properly wisdom, learning, and prudence, the same word is translated, be learned and amend yourselves, learning is a great means to amend a man; again it signifieth correct or punish yourselves, nothing is so ready a way to amend a man as punishment, because prudentia moralis versatur circa aff●ctus, moral wisdom is conversant about affection's, which are not moved with any reason, but much with strips, nihil suasionibus plurimum flagris, as Moralists all agree, and therefore is it that such creatures as are only sensitive are not wrought upon by reason, but stripes only. I shall distinguish the requisits of a Judge into learning and honesty, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both contained in the original word which cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discipline or correction by learning instruction threats either active or passive. Again the learning that is required to Judges may be distinguished into the learning of inferior and supreme Judges, honesty ought to be common to all Judges, as likewise that learning of their own condition in reference to Christ. The learning of an inferior or subordinate Judge must be either habitual, or upon all emergent occasions capable of new instructions. His habitual learning must be the knowledge of the positive Laws and customs of the Kingdom containing the right of the King and Subject, so as they are applicable to continual practice; he must likewise know the rules of moral Philosophy, a study much neglected in this Kingdom, the Lawyers rather going by particular precedent, then rules of justice (which is rather emporicall then learned) and from particular precedent gather an universal rule, which is too much used for Lawyer's Logic, when they are pleased to make use of it, but they can forsake it for a friend at pleasure, which maketh the Laws of England so liable to abuse, and leave the Judges too great a latitude to do amiss and yet excuse themselves, if they walk by a precedent they are excused, if they desert their precedent, and make new (as in some cases they may and aught) the weakness of this collection it was done, therefore well done, it was the opinion of these Judges, therefore right, may well excuse them, whereby the Judges have a latitude to judge, which way they please without blame; because the study of the Law is rather by induction then demonstration, rather by the will of former Judges, then rules of justice which are to be found in the learned skill of moral Philosophy, and aught among us Christians be regulated by Scriptures, with which in matters of justice the light of nature doth agree; these Rulers of justice ought to be the only guide to judges in matters of judgement, to Parliaments in making Laws; therefore in the Scriptures is justice annexed to judement. Judges and Officers ye shall choose, Deut. 16.18. and they shall judge the people with righteous judgement. Ex. 45.9. Let it suffice O ye Princes of Israel, remove violence and spoil, execute judgement and justice, take away your exactions from my people, jer. 22.3. execute judgement and justice. Justice is the rule, judgement is the application of it to time and place. 2. There must be a learning that ought always to be in fieri upon emergent occasions, that is, a diligent care to find out the fact, job. 29.16. that cause which I kn●w not I sought out diligently, this was the glory of Solomon in case of the Harlots, and this must be in all Judges high or low. 3. There must be a sagacity or quickness in a Judge to make application of the Law to the case in hand; this is the principal, if not the sole duty of a Magistrate to execute the Laws, to see that all men that seek justice may h●ve it without partiality; this belongeth to a Magistrate essentially, and cannot be taken from him while he remaineth a Magistrate, Judex debet habere potestatem veritatem formam vim, Tollet. that is, he must have authority, truth, and form before, and in judgement, and force following it to put it in execution. The reasons why Judges ought to have such learning, are, first, because no action can be rational that is not grounded on some Principle of humane understanding; God hath given man understanding to rule all other faculties of the soul; if man shall act any thing that is not first well digested in the understanding, that is brutish, and therein men act not as men, but as beasts, and therefore the Scripture doth resemble those actions of men, wherein they transgress the Law of God, and right reason to the actions of beasts, Psalm. 32.9. jer. 5.8. Be ye not like Horse and Mule, which have no understanding, They are 〈◊〉 fed Horses, every one neighing after his neighbour's wife; now if all actions ought to be guided by reason, or else they be beastly, the judgements of Judges, if without rule, must needs debase them far below their condition. 2. That judgement that hath no better ground than a Judge's opinion, Aquin. 22.5 e. 1. Omni● scientiae habetur p●r aliqua pr●●●pia per s●●o●a. hath a very frail foundation: Judges must be learned, not wilful and imperious● but learning is habitus acquisitus, men are not borne learned, nor can become ●o without diligence and study; now science is the knowledge of conclusion, which depend on certain Principles known by themselves, which are delivered and received in the science that is studied, the rules of a science are not uncertain, liable to mistake nor subject to the wills and affections of men, quam minimum relinquendum non judi●ibus propter affectus, the Laws ought to be clear, fully and plainly delivered, things may be set down as clearly in matters of Law, as in any thing: Laws are not conversant about unknown motions of Sta●s and Spheres, nor in the Mathematical speculations of accidents remote from matter, but the manners and actions of men visible, sensible, apparent actions. Again they ought to be expressed in words whereby men are able to express their minds most fully; therefore Aristotle saith, Quod Lex non potest exprimere 〈◊〉 h●m● quidem potest. that which the Law cannot express, that man cannot express, that cannot be said to be learning, that is contained in the mystery of one or some few men's abilities, but that which is in praeceptis scientiae traditis, which is made common and public for every man to study; such aught the learning of a Judge to be, that it may be rational, certain, and not subject to lust: Thomas Aquin. 12.98.1. c. Lex bona quia consonat rationi, and this the Lawyers profess; the Law is reason, but being pressed with this argument, if the Law be reason, than men that are not bred Lawyers must understand it; they answer it is reason to him that is learned in the Law, what doth the study of the Law change the nature of the man? reason cannot agree to a man quatenus, a Lawyer, bu● quatenus, a man; that cannot be said to be reason, which a man cannot understand, unless he be a Lawyer; this were to make a Lawyer differ specie from another man. 2. Reason, why Judges must be learned, because Judements are matters of the highest concernment in the world, and that in two respects. First, because they procure the favour or displeasure of God, Pro. 2●. 3. Esay. 5.7. and 5● 15. to do justice and judgement is more acceptable to God then sacrifice, therefore the Prophet saith, that Go● looked for judgement, but behold oppression; the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgement. 2. They are of highest concernment to humane society, they are the causes of peace and war, Am●s 5.6.7. Seek the Lord lest he break out like fire and divoure you, ye that turn justice into wormwood: War is the breaking out of the Lord upon an unjust people: I dare say, had the judges walked in judgement according to the petition of right, punished those that first took monopolies, tonnage and poundage, not exacted, because not granted in Parliament, or the exacters punished in judgement; Shipmoney not judged to be Law contrary to Law, it had been impossible to have brought the people into such a distemper as to fall one upon another; the fault was laid upon the Bishops and Clergy of the land: I will not excuse them as far as they had any hand in overswaying the judges, putting down the good ones, and setting up such as were servile, and might easier be bend to serve the lust of the Court against Law, or as they were active themselves in arbitrary Courts to the oppression of the people, such as were the High commission, Star-Chamber, Council-table; but this I dare say the most immediate causes of breach of peace have been failings in judgement: all failings in judgement are oppressions, therefore is judgement opposed to oppression. Judgement stood a fare off, he that abstained from evil maketh himself a prey. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them because they refused to 〈◊〉 judgement. Psa. 5.7. and 56.14. Prov. 21.7. Ye see the Holy Ghost doth plainly affirm, that refusal to do justice is robbery, and the cause of destruction. 3. Subordinate Judges must be learned that they may discern the flourishing of Rhetoric and fallacies in the arguments that are brought against the truth, that he may be able to judge rightly of a cause, notwithstanding the industry and ability of an advocate: advocates will be subtle, and no cause can be so bad but it will find some to plead for it; the devil will be sure to get as good counsel as he can, he that pleadeth his cause shall have a double fee: if the Judge be not learned he will often prevail, he knoweth if he can but pervert judgement, by what means he careth not, he shall promote wickedness, advance his kingdom, and murder men, which is Satan's delight; therefore the Judge must be learned to judge between plea and plea; Deut 17.8. plea against plea make matters difficult in judgement; the want of learning to decide them, the cause of divisions; this is the cause of civil dissensions when matters are put in execution with an high hand, before they are peaceable and clearly determined in judgement: I shall put you in mind of the great questions that were raised in the beginning of these troubles which were not peaceably and clearly determined in judgement; objections were sent abroad among the people without the● answers, which caused divisions among them. 1. Concerning Power. 2. Concerning Law. Whether the King had power to call and break a Parliament or no, the Lawyer's logic was clear enough for the King, they had precedents enough: That the King's counsel had an hand in the call, is most plain by the Writ; but whether this counsel were a select counsel of Lords and Commons, some Lords, some Commoners, Secretaries of State, officers of his Majesty's household, such as he should choose, which as to the security of the Kingdom were as good as none, or the Earls and Barons of the Kingdom, or what power they had in this great business the learning of the Law did not determine; the practice of the times did carry all by the will of the King, whereby Parliaments were rendered useless to the Subject, and the whole Kingdom lay open to any such violence as evil counsel, should at any time lead the King into. The want of learning in this point was the first cause of this dissension, learning could not, and therefore it was put to the determination of the sword. 2. When Parliaments were called, what power the King had, what the Lords, what the people or Commons, what jointly, what severally, was not clearly enough determined in the Law, and therefore left to the determination of the sword; learning was wanting, and therefore God brought in his iron rod. In matters of justice what ought to be adjudged treason, what not; how those treasons mentioned in the Statute, and referred to the Parliament to be determined, aught to be judged, and by whom, the learning of the Law did not clearly determine, and therefore left to the determination of the sword. The learning of the Law did never yet clearly and publicly determine between Plea and Plea, in these objections following, that none ought to be adjudged but by positive Law; Secondly, that all Laws ought to have publication, none ought to suffer for any attempt, except against the King's Person, which objections would easily have been answered, if the study of moral Philosophy had been well taken into the study of the common Law. I shall only acquaint you with some few rules of morals concerning these points. First, ignorantia juris universalis non tollit peccatum; that need no publication, the boy to the ancher and cross of the door hath no place here, that publication doth belong only to particular Laws, not universal. 2. Though subordinate Judges may not, yet the supreme Judge may judge by the universal Law, salus populi suprema Lex. 3. Attempts against the King's Person are only criminal by positive Law, but there the fact is likewise treason; but where the fact cannot be punished, the attempt must by the universal Law of self preservation as an attempt to conquer the Kingdom, change the Government in any Subject must be punished, the fact cannot prosperum & faelix scelus virtus vocatur: when such questions as these were on foot, the learning of the Law ought to have been clear, the Judges should have been learned, but they were not, and therefore God was angry, it's now therefore high time for Judges to be wise, there hath many miseries happened to us of late, which are yet hard to be remooved for want of learning, and therefore there is great reason all means should be used to get it; there is great cause therefore the Holy Ghost doth cry out upon you, O ye Judges be learned, Children and women cry out for fear often where no dangers is; but where wisdom itself doth cry out, there the danger must needs be great. But now my Lords, I come to the learning that is required in your Lordships as Judges of Judges: It cannot be denied that all learning that can be desired in any, would adorn and beautify a Lord; yet let not any cunning Sophister persuade the world that a Lord is not fit to be a supreme Judge, unless he be a cunning Lawyer; if any Law be hard for a Lord to understand, it is too hard to be a rule for men to walk by. It is sufficient for a Lord to know unjustice, when it is so obvious that it is become a public grievance, to keep the Judges from bribery and flattery of the King, or oppression of the people, that nothing be done by violence without judgement, or in despite of Parliaments. If your Lordships could have but hindered the gathering of tonnage and poundage, taxation of shipmoney, raising of monopolies, used means to have Parliaments orderly called; told the King his duty, punished his instruments when unjust, so far as they appeared to public view, advised the King to forbear any illegal power over his people, punish such as should advise him to any unlawful thing, when proved, and plainly appearing to you, and by your power suppressed all power raised against Law, This had been sufficient, to have preserved the Kingdom from ruin, seditio non oritur levi de causa. That which is principally required of your Lordships in point of knowledge, is to receive instruction, ye cannot want knowledge enough if ye will receive it to deliver the Kingdom from the stroke of God's wrath, the dissension of the people. I cannot but confess these times have involved your Lordships in very great difficulties; but the greatest difficulty is to amend yourselves, if you could but give testimony to the world, that you see yourselves partly by the fault of your Ancestors, and partly by your own, disabled from doing your Country that service which the duties of your places do require, and that you earnestly desire a reformation of yourselves; if you could but undertake the principal duty of your places, to be reconcilers of the King and people, and propose such terms of agreement as may be fit for Prince and people to receive, God would certainly assist you. All Governments are species amicitiae, kinds of friendship, the differences that are at this time between the King, and his people are very great; you my Lords ought to use all means to set them at one; you are the Umpiers of the State, your wisdoms ought now to appear, you ought to deal plainly with King, and people, where you find the fault lay the blame, press the King to his duty, and the people to theirs; let your Propositions be legal, reasonable, and wholesome for the State; God, and good men will not leave such endeavours without comfort & success, you ought not to join with the King against the Commons, nor with the Commons against the King, but carry the Balance of justice so justly and friendly between them, that they may join in friendship one with another, you are trusted with the honour of the Crown, the justice of the people, the setting up the honour of Christ's Kingdom, ye must not suffer any of these to sink. 2. Ye must amend yourselves in point of unity, you ought all of you to be united as one man. Unity is the safety of the people, in no sorts of the people so dangerous as among Lords, pauci viri boni non minus conjuncti quam si essent unus homo, it is that only that shall make you able to save yourselves, and your Countries: the difference is between the King and the Commons: if one part of you side with the King, another with the Commons, and look towards the sword, by it to bear down the adverse party, you make your Country become a prey, and ruin yourselves and your Posterities; the end that ought to be before your eyes to bring the government, subspecie amicitiae, that you cannot endeavour until you keep and preserve unity among yourselves, you cannot seek unity between the King and his people, until you seek it first among yourselves. 3. Ye must look to this charge of my Text; remember what ye are in reference to Christ, ye are his servants, ye must take his advice, call such as can show you the mind of Christ, to your assistance; ye must receive instruction from him as he is pleased to give it by the Ministers of the word; Luk. 10.16. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, he that despiseth you, despiseth me; ye see Christ doth own them as his Deputies, if ye receive them into your Counsels, ye receive Christ, if ye cast them out of your Counsels, ye cast Christ out of your Counsels; if any such thing have been done in height of opposition, be learned, receive instruction, and learn to amend; Nations must hearken to the commands of Christ Parliaments, that act as Nations must do it, or else they will displease Christ. 2. Let nothing be carried with a strong hand, till they be peaceably descided in a friendly and Parliamentary way the prerogative of the Crown, the right of Lords, the honour of the Messengers of Christ, the Privileges of the people; let no parties presume by power of the sword to overbeare another. 3. Ye my Lords ought to preserve the dignity of your public places: it may not be esteemed an act of humility in a Magistrate or a Minister to lose the right that belongeth to their public places, that is breach of trust, and neglect of duty; therefore ought Magistrates, to maintain the honour of their places, and act by them for the good and peace of their Countries, and honour of Christ, that so they may escape the anger of God, and the stroke of Christ's iron rod. FINIS.