COncionem hanc, cui Titulus, Caesar's Due, and the Subjects Duty, molliendis hominum Animis, Offensaeque deprecandae habitam Eboraci à Rdo Viro Tho: Bradley S. T. P: legi, perlegi; & quia à summâ ad imam usque ejus chordam nihil uspiam reperire est nisi quod eò plurimùm faciat, Typis proinde publicis mandandam censui Edm: Diggle, S. T. P. Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Archiepisc'. Eborac '. à sacris domest'. Episcopo-Thorpae Aug: 11. 1663. CAESAR'S Due, AND The Subject's Duty: OR, A PRESENT for CESAR. IN A Sermon preached in the Minster at York, at the Assizes there holden Aug. 3. 1663. by way of Recantation of some Passages in a former Sermon Preached in the same place and Pulpit at the last Assizes immediately before it. Both of them By Thomas Bradley, D. D. Praebendary of the Cathedral & Metropolitical Church there, and Chaplain to his late Majesty of blessed Memory; Oxon' Exon ' YORK, Printed by Alice Broade, and are to be sold by Richard Lambert at the Minster-Gates, 1663. Matthew 22.21. Give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. THese words are a cautious Answer to a captious Question proposed to our blessed Saviour by the Herodians, not so much for satisfaction, as for Cavil, that they might entrap him, and ensnare him, and that in his Answer they might catch something from him, whereof they might accuse him unto Cesar. Four such Questions were there proposed to him in this Chapter by four several Sects or sorts of people; all which took their turns to oppose him, and took placet one of another to dispute with him; The Sadduces, the Pharises, the Scribes, and the Herodians. The first three of these he had easily shaken off, and gave them such full satisfying or convincing Answers that they had no heart to ask him any more Questions, ver: 46. But now in the 4th place comes in the Herodian; and he charges most dangerously and desperately of all the rest, both in respect of the matter of his Question, and of the manner of proposing it. First for the matter of it, all the other Questions were concerning matters of Religion; this matters of policy, and of State, and that in a point of high concernment, about Cesar's Revenue, the Tribute money: As to the manner of proposing it, all the rest in plain downright terms propose their Questions, but the Herodians go more subtly to work; for first, to avoid all jealousy, and to prevent all suspicion of their evil intentions towards him, they court him with a fair compliment Master, ver: 16. Secondly, they give a large testimony of him for his wisdom & courage, sincerity & impartiality in teaching the ways of God truly, and not regarding the person of Man, and to all this they themselves subscribe Scimus, We know it: And thus having by their hypocritical flattery and dissembling Insinuations laid their train, they give fire to it, and propose their Quaere, Licetne? is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar or not? But what an insidious Question was this? and how dangerous for him to answer to, what a horned Dilemma that pushed both ways, Answer which way he could; for had he resolved in the affirmative, Licet, it is lawful, and you must pay it, than had he set the Pharises against him, which could not endure to hear of any such Taxes or payments: or had he resolved it in the negative non licet, it is not lawful, and you need not pay it, than had he incurred the just displeasure of Cesar, and the Herodians, as an enemy to his Revenue; so that take it which way he would, he had a Wolf by the ears, and guide as steadily as he could (on the one side or on the other) he was in danger to be bitten. But in vain is the Net spread before the eye of that which hath wing; full well did our Saviour see the fallacy, and the policy of this subtle Question, and discover the Ass' ears under the Lion's skin, and as wisely and warily did he shape his Answer, to avoid their snare, not by answering their Question, but by ask them another, unto which they could not answer him, but they must answer themselves too to the Question which they put to him, and condemn themselves for making a Question of it; Whose Image and superscription is this? ver: 20. as if he should say, you will all confess that to your Cesar, your Sovereign, there is a Tribute due from his Subjects, and you must acknowledge that he whose Image you do own upon your coin, whose stamp upon it, and superscription or circumscription about it, makes it currant amongst you, is your Cesar, your Sovereign, why then do you ask me this Question, to which (in this solution you have given to me) you have answered yourselves? read your duty and Caesar's due, not out of my answer to you but out of yours to me, and out of the Coin which you carry about you, and out of the superscription upon it, or circumscription about it, that will tell you, that it is not only lawful to pay it, but it is unlawful not to pay it, and therefore Reddite Caesars. Give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's In which words here are three things offered to consideration. 1. The Person to whom this Tribute is due, and that is Cesar; Give unto Cesar. 2. The things that are to be given unto him, with his right unto them, they are his own, The things that are Caesar's. 3. The manner after which they are to be given, and that is by way of rendition or return, redite, render; thus give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's: And every one of these three parts carries its reason in it, enforcing the duty, and so binds it upon us as with a threefold cord, not easily broken. Upon a review, every one of these branches divides itself into two, or hath two particulars included in it: In the first, the person of Cesar is here offered to us; first to consider of Government in general, with the benefits the Subjects receive under it: and secondly more particularly of the Cesarian or Monarchical Government in the Text the most perfect and absolute of all other. In the second, the things that are Caesar's; here are two things to be considered; first what things they are, secondly the right that he hath unto them, because the Text says they are his own; the things that are Caesar's. In the third we are to consider upon what account the Subject brings in Caesar's due, and that's by way of return, in the word Redite: And secondly after what manner they ought to be brought in, and that's freely in the word give, Give or reader unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. I begin with the first of them drawn from the consideration of the person to whom it is to be paid, and in him of Government at large, and the benefits that Subjects receive under it: For it is clear our Saviour mentions this as an Argument why they should pay Tribute to Cesar, because he was their Cesar, their Sovereign, and under his Government they received many benefits; even the benefits of Government. What Tertullus the Orator speaks to Felix the governor of Caesarea, Acts 24.2. That may all Subjects in general speak to and of their Sovereigns respectively, and upon the same grounds and reasons: Forasmuch as by thee we enjoy much quietness, and many good things are done to our Nation by thy Providence, we acknowledge and accept it always, and with all thankfulness, (most noble Cesar.) It is by their care and providence under God, and by their faithful and prudent Government of us, and executing judgement and justice in the Land, that we enjoy our peace, our plenty, our liberty, our property, our Religion, our all that we have; Take away Government from among us, and what will become of us, and of all these? which of us can say that any thing that he hath is his own, or secure himself of his life for one hour? Oh bless God for Government, certainly the greatest blessing that ever God sent down from heaven to earth in temporal things, is the blessing of Government, it is the very stay of the world, the band that holds all together, which once being loosed, it is impossible but we should fall all into heaps of confusion, and be reduced again into the first Chaos; and therefore among all the creatures in the world the wisdom of Almighty God the high disposer of all things, hath set and established a Government: If you look into heaven, there is Government and order; we read of Angels, and archangels, and a glorious Hierarchy in the Church Triumphant: if you look into Hell (the very emblem of confusion) there is a Government; we read of a Prince of Devils: if we look into all the Creatures between them both, we shall find a kind of order and Governamongst them; the fowls of the air have their Eagle, the beasts of the earth their Lion; the Fishes of the sea their Whale; even amongst those feeble Creatures the Sectilia, the Bees acknowledge a Master, the Grasshoppers have no King, yet go they forth all by Bands, which shows they have their Leaders; All Creatures in heaven, in earth, and under the Earth cry up Government and with one voice acknowledge it the Mother of their peace and joy. Therefore give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's, because he is your Cesar, your Sovereign; and for the good you receive under him, the benefits of Government. But secondly, as Government in general is necessary among all, so among all sorts and kinds of Government this in the Text, the Cesarian, or Monarchichall Government is the most perfect, the most absolute, and excellent above the rest. I will not here spend time to read amongst you a Lecture of Politics, to show the sever all kinds and forms of Government which are found amongst men, nor put them into the Balance to weigh them, and to compare them one with another: there are but three principal sorts which stand in competition for preeminence, Democracy, Aristocracy, and Monarchy; among all which, Monarchy holds up its head above the rest, as the Cedar among the shrubbs, or as Saul among the rest of the common people, higher by the head and shoulders, and hath clearly the preeminence in five respects. 1. In respect of the Nobleness of it, it is the most noble form of Government, and that which most nearly resembleth that whereby Almighty God governeth the world, and that's purely Monarchical. What were all the Governments of the world to the four great Monarchies, the Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman, under which the world was governed for the greatest part of the time since it was created; and whose same hath drowned all other Governments in comparison of them? 2. For the Antiquity of it, it is the most ancient of all other: It is a mistake in policy to imagine that Monarchical Government sprang out of Political, as that out Economical, and so was merely founded upon the consent and agreement of men only; whereas it owns God only for the Founder of it, and is as ancient as the world, or man upon earth: The first man that was in the world was a Monarch, and that not only over his own Family (which he was by a paternal Right) but over all the families of all the Generations which were in his time, which was little less than a thousand years. In Abraham's time we read of Melchisedech a King of Salem; Moses was a King in Jesurun; and Job (in all probability ancienter than Moses) was a King in the East, as the Ancients tell us; so that neither was Nimrod the first Monarch, (as some would have it) nor Saul the first King; (as others) there were Monarches ancienter than them both; and before Democracy or Aristocracy were cast into forms of Government. 3. Monarchy is the most perfect form of Government in respect of the unity that is in it; it is the great happiness and safety too of a People when they all as one man are united together in one body: this was the happiness of Jerusalem, Psalm 132 2, 3. Jerusalem is a City that is at unity within itself. and Balaam speaking of the many thousands of Israell●, Numb. 23. speaks of them all as one man, God brought him out of Egypt, he hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn; he shall couch down as a Lion, and as a great Lion, who shall rouse him up. and in this language all along, he speaks of them in the singular number, he, him, and his, all singulars; and compares the whole body of them to some one Noble creature, a Lion, a Unicorn; all speaking their unity, which was their happiness, their honour, and their safety too. But there is no form of Government of that force to keep multitudes together in unity, as the Cesarian or Monarchical government is, wherein so many thousands of people, of so many several Nations, several Languages, several Religions, several Customs, Callings, manners, interests, or howsoever different one from another: yet as the members of the natural body (as different as they) united together under one head do concur to the making up of one beautiful body natural; so all these united together under one Head and Monarch, conveniunt in eodem tertio, and concur to the making up of one body politic. 4. For strength Monarchy hath the preeminence, vis unita fortior; it cannot be but where power and authority are united in one, it must needs be of greater force and strength, then where it is divided and distributed amongst many; and the stream running down in one channel must needs be more forcible, deep, and strong, more impassable, and carry a deeper Vessel, then when it is divided into many smaller Rivulets: the Persians at the siege of Babylon found it so; and the sage old Father in his deathbed, persuading his sons to unity by the Emblem or Hieroglyphic of a faggot bound up and impregnable, and the same loosed, and the sticks taken out single, and so easily broken one by one, made them sensible of the strength and security that was in unity, and the weakness that was in division, exposing to danger of ruin and of being broken in pieces; even such is Monarchy in comparison of other forms of Government, as a mighty stream running down in one channel, and they divided into many smaller currents: as a faggot strongly bound up not to be broken, and they as a faggot loosed and divided, and so more easily to be dealt withal. Lastly, the Monarchichall Government is the most excellent and perfect form of Government of all oshers, because it is most free from those incenveniences which they are all subject to, and with which they are usually distempered and disturbed. For Aristocracy the next unto it, how long will it continue free from the mischiefs of ambition, envy, and emulation? how apt are great spirits (with Adonijah) to exalt themselves, and grow impatient of rivality? through divisions in Reuben arise great thoughts of heart: Nec ferre potest Caesaruè priorem, Pompeiusuè parem: Cesar will endure no superior, Pompey no equal: and then the next is to make parties, to strengthen themselves, to accuse and impeach one another, to weaken their adversaries, that under these pretences they may carry on their own designs, and engage a whole Nation in their personal Quarrels, and embroile them in war and blood to serve their ambitions. For Democracy, the ignoblest of all the rest, that placeth Sovereignty in the people; what a monstrous Hydra is it, multorum capitum bellua? how unconstant in theirs resolutions? how tumultuous in their elections? how tormented with divisions, and distracted with factions? what a low constitution at the best? always fain to truckle under some neighbour Prince or other for protection, which at some time or other takes occasion and advantage from their divisions to fall upon them, and to make a prey of them; the usual conclusion of most of them: besides, how continually subject to change? the most dangerous mischief in Government in the world. Denocracy is very apt to degenerate into Anarchy, Aristocracy into Oligarchy, Oligarchy into Democracy again; and thus they are in a continual rotation, whirling and wheeling about out of one form into another, none of which changes are ever made without the expense of much blood & treasure to the danger of ruin of their whole State: and therefore the wise man advises not to meddle with them that are given to change, Pro: 24.21. but mark it, in the same place he bids us fear the King, and from that Government never to desire to change: neither is it so subject to change as these other are, being the apex and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the highest kind of Government, from which neither Prince nor People have any reason to change for any other; not the Prince, for higher he cannot go, and he hath no reason to desire to go lee; not the people of what degree or quality soever, because they cannot mend themselves, being where the meanest may have protection and the greatest account it their honour to be near unto him who is the fountain of honour, and never think much to submit to Sovereignty in a King, which to their Peers in Aristocracy they would not do, much less to their Inferiors in Democracy. But how happy are we of this Nation in this respect, (if we could see our own happiness) which have the Quintessence and whatsoever is excellent in all these united together in one the most happy Government that live under, and that's Monarchy limited by Law; the best of Governments under the best of Kings, CHARLES the second. And this is a strong argument to persuade with us to give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's; And the first proposed, we now pass to the second, wherein we are to consider. 1. What those things are which we are to give unto Cesar. 2. What is his right unto them, because the Text says they are his, the things that are Caesar's And I will acquaint you with the latter of these first, with Caesar's right to the things that are demanded of us, that he may demand them the more confidently, and we may bring them in the more willingly and freely. And a right you see he hath, the Scripture plainly speaks it, when it calls the Tribute and other deuce, the things that are Caesar's, and of this it is necessary we should be fully persuaded: It is a great mistake amongst men, yet general amongst the vulgar, to thick that whatsoever they part with to Cesar, comes merely out of their own store of free gift, a mere Donative, a Gratuity, a Benevolence, that they might choose whether they will pay or no, and so he merely an Eleemosynary in the receiving of it; and therefore men usually pay their Tribute to the Prince, as they do their Tithes to the Priest, with an ill will, as imagining they pay them both upon the same score of free Benevolence; but in both equally mistaken: for first, as for Tithes, they are none of theirs, they are the Lords, as a Rent reserved out of Lands, and he hath disposed them as he hath thought fit, that is to the Church, and to his Ministers: Tithes are mine saith the Lord, and I have given them to the sons of Levi: You may sell your Lands, but you cannot sell your Tithes; you may let your Land, but you may not let your Tithes; they are none of yours to let, they are the Priests: when therefore you pay your Tithes to the Priest, you pay no more than is his due, you give to the Priest the things that are the Priests. In like manner it is with your Tribute to the Prince when you pay Tribute to the Prince, you pay him no more than is his Due; you only give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's: it is not a matter arbitrary, whether you will pay it or no, but a matter necessary, you must pay it: it is not a courtesy, but a duty, not a gratuity, but a debt; St. Paul expressly calls it so, Rom: 13.7.8. To detain it therefore is a sin, not only against the Law of justice & gratitude, but against a Principle of common honnesty. which commands us to give every man his own; and if every man than Cesar amongst the rest; and therefore give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's: And there are three ways by which Cesar comes to have a right unto those things which he requires of us, and so they become the things of Cesar. 1. Those things are Caesar's which belong to him in the right of his Crown, and which are inseparably annexed unto it. 2. Those things are Caesar's which the Law of God giveth unto Cesar. 3. Those things are Caesar's which the Law of the Land giveth unto Cesar, and which by Act of Parliament are settled upon him; and all these are strong rights, and do give unto him an unquestionable Title to all those things that are by all or any of these ways made his. As to the first of these ways, it werehigh presumption in me to undertake to give in an account which are his in the right of his Crown; such things there are, and they are great and many, which are flowers of the Crown, which no Subject may presume to touch much less to crop off, under pain of being guilty of an high Crime on taking away from Cesar things that ere Caesar's. But secondly, those things are Caesar's, which by the Law of God are given unto him, and they are great & many, the Question here moved is only concerning Tribute, Shall we pay tribute to Cesar or not? but the Answer is larger than the Question, and enjoins and includes not only Tribute, but all other deuce whatsoever, the things that are Caesar's. And there are six things which by the Law of God are clearly given to Cesar, first, Fear, 2. Honour, 3. Obedience, active and passive, 4. Defence, 5. Prayer, and 6. Tribute. 1. Fear, Proverbs 24.21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King. 2. Honour, 1 Pet: 2.13. Fear God honour the King. 3. Obedience, Eccles: 8: 2. I council thee to obey the King's command, and that because of the Oath of God. 4. Defence, Psal: 105.15. Touch not mine anointed. 5. Prayer, 1 Tim: 2.1. I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, especially for Kings. 6. Tribute, as in the Text and Context. These are all due unto Cesar, and that jure divin●, by divine right, and that's the highest and the best right; and therefore if we fail in the payment of any of them, we are guilty of withholding from Cesar his Right, we do not pay unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. But because the question here moved is particularly concerning tribute the last of these six, and that's the very Subject of the dispute in the Text. 'tis fit I should more particularly speak to it; for be you well assured, that not for their sakes alone was this Question here asked, nor for their satisfaction alone, was the resolution given to it, but for ours also, and for all Subjects in all places, and in all ages to the end of the world, (according to the several Laws, Customs & Usages under which they respectively live) who would be as ready to question the due of it as they here were. I shall therefore endeavour to show, first, from authority of Scripture. 2ly. from the example and practice of former times. 3ly. by strong and unanswerable reasons, not only the justice & lawfulness, but the equity & reasonableness of paying Tribute unto Cesar. And first for Scriptures, they are clear and plentiful Rom. 13.7. Render to every man his due, tribute to whom tribute belongeth: and in the 6 verse, For this cause pay we tribute. So there is a tribute to be paid, and there is a cause for it, which the Apostle there shows at large. And of the four Evangelists, three of them have given this very charge, and in the same words, (an iteration not usual in the Scripture unless it be in some serious matter) which they would have well taught and learned, Matt: 22.21. Mark 12.17. Luke 20 25. Rom: 13.6, 7, 8. Solvite, says one Text: Redite, says another: Give, says a third. As a Debt, says one: As a due, says another: As his own, says a third. Thus you have it from Scriptures clear, with line upon line, precept upon precept, commanded and enjoined, and by the Authority thereof a Revenue settled upon Cefar. Secondly for Examples, see Solomon the wisest of Kings, extraordinarily assisted by almighty God for the Government of his people; he had his public Revenue, and great Tributes paid in unto him for the support of his Government and for this purpose he had his Officers to gather them in in all his Provinces, and over all the rest one great Officer of State to take their Audits and Accounts, his great Treasurer as you may call him, that was Adoniram, he was over the Ttibute. 1 King 4.6. And after him Rehoboam his son, who was King in his stead, had the like Officer in the same trust, and that was Adoram, 1 King 12.18. he was over the Tribute. Amaziah levied a Tax, (2 Chron: 25.9.) of 100 Talents: Menahem another (2 Kings 15.19.20.) of 1000 Talents of silver, a great Tax of 50 shekeles a man. In Augustus' time there was a new tax imposed upon the People, and it was a great one; there came out a Decree that all the world should be taxed, that is, all that were under the Roman Empire, and these were extraordinary taxes (besides the standing Revenue) imposed by a new Decree upon occasion, and yet they were paid; where (in the last of them) the pains was more than the pay, for every one was to repair to his own City and Tribe that he belonged to to be taxed: Luke 2. In our Saviour's time we read of certain Officers appointed on purpose to gather up this Tribute-money among the Jews, they were called Publicans, always ranked with sinners, and on the right hand: but what do we speak of these? our Lord himself did not only by his command enjoin it, but by his example confirm and second it; himself paid tribute unto Cesar, Mat. 17.27. what need we any further witness? Thirdly, As Scripture doth command it, and example confirm it, so reason doth persuade it, and strongly evince and demonstrate the equity and necessity of it; and I shall give you these five reasons of it. 1. The first is drawn from the consideration of his public Office, his public capacity; you must not look upon Cesar as a mere man, but as a Magistrate, as a man clothed with majesty, a King, a Sovereign, the head of the Tribes, a Collective person, in whom the many thousands of Israel are united and represented; as the Sun in the firmament, which hath influence upon all, and all an interest in him; as the soul in the body which by the spirits, the cursitors of it, conveys life, and sense, and motion to all and every even the least Members of it; such is Cesar in his Dominions, as the Sun in the firmament, and as the soul in and to the natural body, so is he to the body politic. It is but reason that public persons in public capacities should be publicly supported. 2. As Cesar is a public person, so 'tis for the public that he lays out himself and that which he receives, for the public behoof, for the public service, for the public good; as to himself, what hath Cesar of all that is brought in more than will serve one man? he eats no more, he drinks no more, he wears no more; whatsoever is used about him more than will serve him as a man, is to be charged upon his Office, not upon his person, it is to be imputed to him as in his public capacity, not as a Man, but as a Magistrate, a Prince, a Sovereign, to fit and enable him for the carrying on of the public affairs, and for the managing of the Government, in which we are all concerned; and so in effect it is laid out for our own use, not unto his, who hath only the trouble of disposing it for ours. All Rivers run into the Sea, yet the Sea is never the fuller, for what it receives in one place, it sends forth in another for the good of the whole Land; for part of it is exhaled out of the sea by the warmth of the sunbeams, and so conglomerated into clouds, which are carried about by the wind like bottles in the air (as Job calls them) and so powered down in showers to water the dry and thirsty earth, and part of it is sent and conveyed out of the Sea through the Caverns of the earth (as it were by pipes and conduits, and being defecated in the passage of it from the saltness that was in it) issues and breaks out into springs and fountains, and is conveyed in rivers and streams through the valleys of the Land for the comfort and refreshing both of man and beast, even so and no otherwise is it with the Cesar, the Sovereign in his Dominions, if he receives with on hand, he destributes with the other; he receives to have, but not to hold it returns again in the blessings and benefits of Government, and therefore the detaining of it is a wrong not so much to him, as to the public and to ourselves involved in it. I have read some where of a mutiny that was raised by all the members of the boagainst the belly, The members complained and murmurred against the belly that it devoured all and wrought none, the rest of the members did their parts to work and bring in sustenance, and when they had done so, the belly devoured it, and still was calling for more; this they apprehended as a grievance, and for redress in it (upon consultation had about it) they resolve and agree thenceforth towithhold from the belly the usual Alimony and nourishment which formcriy they did afford it; but what was the issue of it? in withholding their contribution of the accustomed supply which formerly they did afford it, they did but punish themselves; for soon after the face grew pale, the cheeks lean, the sides thin, the hands weak, the knees seeble, and the whole body wasted and in a consumption: I need not apply it; say it is but a sable, every Fable hath its Moral, and so hath this. There is mention made in Zach: 4. of a mystical vision: Zacharie sees there a golden Candlestick with a golden bowl on the top of it, seven Lamps burning in it, every Lamp had a golden Pipe belonging to it, which conveyed oil to it: and on either side of it was an Olive-Tree to furnish the Pipes with a continual supply of oil, which they conveyed to the Lamps to keep them burning: there are many Interpretations of this vision, but sure this is plain enough for one, to show that if you would have any light or benefit by the Lamps you must keep them burning; if you would continue burning, you must supply them with oil: if you do either take away the Pipes or cut down the Trees which should supply them with oil, the Lamps will burn but awhile I leave to yourselves the application of it. Certainly, if the suprea Magistrate as a great burning & shining Light consume himself to give light to others, others have no reason to think much to supply him with oil to keep him burning: and this is another reason why we should willingly & freely give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's 3. The third reason is taken from the consideration of the great charge that it required for the managing of the Government of a Kingdom, and carrying it on with that honour and State that is but fitting and necessary: Government is a chargeable employment, there must be Navies abroad at Sea to secure the Coasts, and to keep us safe at home; there must be Armies abroad and at home too, to secure us from insurrections, rebellions and commotions; there must be Ambassadors sent abroad into foreign Kingdoms and States both ordinary and extraordinary, and there must be Ambassadors entertained from sorraign parts to hold correspondence with the Nations, and to gain intelligence; there must be Courts of Justice and honourable Persons sitting in them to minister judgement and justice unto the people; there must be great Officers of State to be employed in the Public affairs; there must be honourable provisions for the Household, with a Port and Retinue becoming Majesty; Debts of the Kingdom must be paid, public engagements taken off, Soldiers must be paid off their Arrears; Men and Arms, Ammunition and moneys always in a readiness, and a thousand things more which I cannot mention: all these require full Treasuries; and whence shall all these supplies arise? or whence should they arise? but out of the public Tribute; Quis militat propriis stipendiis; St. Paul thought it unreasonable that any Soldier should go a warfare in the service of his King and Country at his own charge; much more unreasonable & impossible is it that any Prince should manage the Public Government at his own charge: therefore give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. 4. The fourth reason persuading to this duty of paying Tribute to Cesar, is taken from the consideration of the great pains and care that is required in Government, and which Cesar takes in the execution of his Office, & the discharge of that high Trust which God hath committed unto him. We little know, and less consider what careful thoughts their heads are taken up with night & day, that all may be well under their Government and that their subjects may be preserved in peace and safety: Splendorem videmus, curam & laborem non videmus: we see the outward splendour & glory of Courts, and that dazzles our eyes, but the inward cares, troubles and dangers that attend them in the execution of their great Office and high Trust, we see not: they often wake, when their subjects sleep; their thoughts are often troubled, when their subjects are quiet; they often in danger, when their subjects are secure, every one under his own vine, and his own figtree, eating the fruit of his own labours, when their careful thoughts will neither suffer them to eat, nor drink, nor sleep in quiet that their Subjects may do so. Very sensible of these things was the Philosopher, when he said, That if men did but know the cares, the trouble, and the dangers that lie within the circle of a Crown, they would not take it up to wear it: and gravely Erasmus, Miseros esse Principes si mala sua intelligant, miseriores si non intelligant: that among all conditions of men, Princes were miserable if they knew the evils that did attend them, and more miserable if they did not know them. Very significantly doth the Prophet Isaiah call Government a burden, a burden upon the shoulders, no light burden, such as may be born with the hand, nor carried at arms-end, but such a burden as he must put under his shoulder to bear it: Isa. 9 where speaking of Christ in his Office of ruling the People, he saith, The Government shall be upon his shoulders: such is the condition of Cesar, the Sovereign in his Kingdom and Dominions; he hath his load, the Government is upon his shoulders, we have no reason by our divisions and distractions to add more weight unto it, but rather by our contributions every one to set our hand to it to make it lighter. It is a remarkable expression of the Prophet, which we read in the 78 Psalm, where giving testimony of King David's governing of God's People, he saith thus, He fed them with a faithful and true heart, and guided them prudently with all his power. where we see how many abilities are here met together to make a good Governor, here is faithfulness, and truth, and tenderness, and prudence, and power, and all these strained up to the height to make him a good Ruler and Governor of God's people; even so is it with all faithful and religious Princes; they are fain to put forth all their power, prudence, wisdom, knowledge, skill, and experience, and the utmost of their abilities, and all little enough in the governing of their people: we may take a conjecture of this in the Government of some lesser Societies which we are better acquainted with, suppose it be but of a College, a Corporation, or a Family; how hard a matter do we find it to govern them in peace, and to keep them in order? how much ado have we to keep them from factions, and from divisions, and to hold them together in unity? and yet if the Supreme Magistrate do not so by all our Families, and all the Societies consisting of them, and by all his people in all his Dominions to the satisfaction and contentation of all Parties howsoever distracted and divided among themselves, presently we are ready to fall foul upon the Government, and to think hardly of him that hath the managing of it. The Greeks have a very significant Proverb amongst them, and it speaks something to our purpose: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: There is one great servant in a great family, and that's the Master; si licet exemplis in parvo grandibus uti: if I may make such uneven Comparison, 'tis true of great Princes in their Courts and Kingdoms aswell as in a Master in a private Family, they are called the great servants of State, and truly so they are (pardon the expression) and the greatest care and burden, the weight of all lies upon them. Let this be a fourth reason why we should render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's; the sense of the great burden that lies upon him, the difficulty of Government, the danger he is exposed to in the managing of it, the great pains and care that he takes to govern us with justice and to preserve us in peace: therefore render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. Lastly, give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's for the good we receive under and by his Government, the very word in the Text imports as much, and implies that consideration as the reason of the duty; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, says the Greek; redite, says the Latin, not give, but render in both: but rendering presupposeth a receiving first, what we render we do but restore what was before delivered to us; we do but return with one hand, what we received with the other; therefore give to Cesar, because you receive from Cesar more than you give, and better than you give: and what is it that we receive from Cesar? it hath been already showed in part, in the beginning of this discourse; what do the sublunary bodies receive from the Sun? what do the members of the natural body receive from the soul that animates them? the same do the Subjects receive from their Cesar, who is as the Sun in the firmament of his Kingdoms? and as she soul of the body politic of his Dominions. Daniel in his vision, Dan: 4. sets forth the benefits of Government under the emblem of a goodly Tree spreading forth his boughs and branches every way fare and near, even to the uttermost parts of the earth; the fowls of the air sat in the boughs and branches of it, and the beasts of the field, great and small lay under the shadow of it; he adds further that the Tree was full of fruit, and all Creatures fed upon it, and had sustenance from it: even so it is with a great Monarch in his Dominions, he is a universal good amongst his subjects, and the influences of his Government flow forth to the utermost of his Dominions unto all sorts of people, Clergy and Laiety, great and small, as well as the smaller Birds that sit and sing upon the lower or outward branches where they can get footing, as to the greater fowls that sit upon the higher boughs & top-branches of it, as well to the smaller Cattles that quarter on the outsides, as to those more noble creatures, the Lions, and Unicorns etc. which quarter nearer to the body of the Tree; they all receive from him both food and shadow, shelter and protection, countenance and maintenance and all, it is from the Tree, from the Monarch, inasmuch as it is by his means, by his care and pains in the wise managing of the Government and in executing judgement and justice amongst his Subjects that they do enjoy them, and are protected in them, as Tertullus acknowledgeth, Acts 24.2. The Royal Prophet David was so sensible of this, that he seems in a manner to impute all that the Subject enjoys to the King, as the royal fountain of Government and security, by which he streams it out and conveys it to them: In the 2 Sam: 1.24. where exhorting the daughters of Israel to mourn for Saul their King now dead, he makes this his argument, because living he did so much for them, and they received such benefits from him, even to the very garments which they wore; Ye daughters of Israel mourn for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights; who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel: how did Saul them which he never saw, nor probably they him, but a few of them? but only thus, that under his prudent Government and protection of them, they with their Parents and Husbands thrived, and prospered, and grew rich, and were protected in the peaceable possession and enjoyment of what they had, which otherwise they could not have been secured in: and upon this account David imputes it unto Saul, that they enjoyed all these precious things from him, as if he had freely given them unto them, as it were out of his own Wardrobe and Jewel house: Ye daughters of Israel mourn for Saul, who clothed you in scar let, with other delights; and put on Ornaments of gold upon your Apparel. The case is the same, and the reason the same to all other Subjects under the government of their Sovereigns and Caesar's respectively; and therefore in the same language will I apply it to all sorts of people among us, under a better Government then that was, and under a better King than Saul was. Ye Daughters of England mourn for him that is gone, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, and put on ornaments of gold upon your Apparel; but rejoice in his living Image left behind, under whose happy Government and Protection you enjoy the like benefits, privileges, and favours. Ye Ladies, which like the Lilies of the field neither sow nor spin, yet Solomon in all his Royalty not clothed like one of you; remmember who it is that you in scarlet, with other delights; that puts on ornaments of gold upon your apparel, with gems, and jewels, pearls, and precious stones, with which you are so illustrious; be thankful to him, glory in him, and rejoice before him. You noble Lords and great Ones, whom he hath taken near unto himself, and made Princes of the first List, in advancing you to Honours and Offices above others; remember who it is that clothed you with scarlet, with Robes and Ermines; who it is that put the Coronet upon your Heads, that put upon you the Collar and the Garter of Honour, and other Ensigns of greatness and of glory; be thankful to him, glory in him, and rejoice before him who is the fountain of honour, and by whom to be honoured is your highest glory. You Right reverend & holy Bishops of the Church, the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, whose very Robes speak your Gravity, Innocence, and Purity; remember who it is that set the Mitre upon your Heads, that granted out your CONGEE DELIERS, that clothed you with aaronical Garments, garments for beauty and for glory: be thankful to him, glory in him, and rejoice before him. You Reverend and learned Judges of the Land, whose honour and Office is to administer judgement and justice unto the People; remember who it is that clothed you in scarlet, from whom you receive your honourable Commmissions of Oyer and Terminer, and from whom you have your Authority delegated; be thankful to him, glory in him, and rejoice before him. You Reverend & learned Academics, Doctors, and Dignitaries, who have attained the highest degrees of Schools in either of the Universities, many of the faculties; remember who it is that hath clothed you in scarlet, and who is otherwise your high Patron, and munificent Benefactor; be thankful to him, glory in him, and rejoice before him. Et spes, & ratio studiorum in Caesare tantum. You rich Merchants, grave Citizens, honest and ingenious Countrymen, all of all sorts, remember from whom, and by whose means (under God) you do enjoy your peace, your plenty, your security, your protection, by whose care it is that the Ships sail in safety, that the shops are open with security, that the Plough goes in peace, that you reap your harvest quietly, and eat the fruits of your own labours; and think not much to return an acknowledgement for these benefits; do not grudge and grumble to pay Tribute to whom tribute is is due, upon such valuable considerations; and cheerfully render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's: which brings in the third part of the Text showing the manner after which they should be done, in the verb, Give, or Render. That is, do it freely, do it fully, do it timely; As God, so the King loveth a cheerful giver: disputes & delays in these cases are interpreted denials, & viscosa beneficia, as the Philosopher calls them, benefits or gifts which hang like Birdlime upon the fingers of those that give them, as if they were loath to part with them, ingrata sunt, they lose their acceptance, and forfeit their reward; therefore give, and give freely; render and render readily, not as upon constraint, but as of a willing mind; and surely if this must be done to a Tiberius, to a Nero, how much more and more cheerfully to a Constantine, to a Theodosius. And here to stir up all good Subjects to the ready performance of this duty, I entreat you to consider with me these four things. First, In what state our Cesar found this Kingdom, whenby God's goodness he returned to it; the Exchequer empty, the Crown jewels & goods sold, yea the Crown itself, with the Sceptre, and Globe, and all the rich and precious things which his Royal Father and his Ancestors had stored up and preserved, of inestimable value made away; The wardrobes plundered and rifled, the Plate and houshold-Stuffe in all his Majesty's Palaces taken away, yea the Palaces themselves pulled down and ruined, and the very materials of them sold; the Kingdom deeply in debt, in vast and incredible sums; a numerous Army of Horse and foot deeply in Arrears to be paid off; a great Navy at Sea fare more chargeable than it to be discharged: to say nothing of his Majesties own Debts, for we cannot imagine that he could live by the air so long in foreign parts; so that his condition at his return was much like unto our Saviour's when he was upon the earth, that had scarce a place to lay his head, nor bread to put into it. Secondly, consider what great things he had to do, and in part yet hath; to set in order a tumultuous Kingdom, and a ruinous Church, both of them so miserably out of frame, that it is the work of an age to set them to rights again; to keep in pay great numbers of Horse and foot for Guards and Garrisons, the restlessness of discontented people necessitating it; to pay off the Navy and the Armies, and the debts of the Kingdom; to build and to repair, and furnish anew his Majesty's Royal Houses and Palaces demolished, neither Crown, nor Sceptre, nor Globe, nor Robes, nor Wardrobes, nor Plate, nor Householdstuff, nor any thing to speak on left, except he would buy it anew with his penny, nor so much as bare walls to bring them to until he build them. Thirdly, Consider his frugality since his return, so far from waist and profusednesse in expenses, that the very necessaries are very slender; for his household provisions, if you should compare them with solomon's, you would wonder at the vast difference between them, in the 1 Kings 4. We have the constitution of Solomon's house a List of his Officers, and of the Diet and daily provision of his house, and this was his provision for one day, thirty measures of fine flower, and sixty measures of meal, ten fat Oxen out of the stall, and twenty out of the Pastures, a hundred sheep, besides Hearts, and Roebucks, and fallow-Deer, and fatted fowl; if you compare these with the household of our present Cesar, you will wonder at the difference, and yet his Kingdoms and Dominions are far greater and of larger extent; but it seems his contribution and his Tributes are not so great. And take a conjecture of his frugality but in one instance more: Here have three of the blood-royal (very near unto his Majesty) died since his Majesty's coming in; the Funeral expenses of all these three came not to the third part (I think I may say the thirteenth) of the expenses of the funeral of the late Usurper. Many other things might I allege to bring on this duty with cheerfulness & readiness, his unparalleled sufferings, his invincible patience under them; his constancy in his religion against trials and temptations, not without much grace and strength to be resisted; his stupendious mercy showed to his implacable and desperate enemies; his indulgence to tender Consciences; his studious endeavours to compose all differences, to satisfy all parties, if it were possible; never did any Prince study his Subjects as he hath done. Fourthly and lastly, to crown all the rest, he brought with him an Olive-branch, the emblem of peace; hath put an end to our civill-warrs; hath broken our swords into mattocks, and our spears into pruning-hookes; hath restored our Religion, revived the Laws, settled the Courts of Justice; hath under God, and God by him, made good to us and to our Nation that gracious promise made to the people of God upon their return: Isa: 2. He hath turned his hand upon us, and purely purged away all our dross, and taken away all our tin, and restored our Judges as at the first, and our Counsellors as at the beginning. Great are the things which God hath already done for us by him, and great things we hope he hath yet by him to do for us; haec si non moveant singula juncta movent: All these things surely may be of great force with all good Subjects freely to give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's, and tribute to whom tribute belongeth; tribute of Subsidies, tribute of Customs, Tonnage and Poundage, tribute of First-fruits and Tenths, tribute of Tax or Contribution, tribute of Confiscations (from which the Treasury hath its name fiscus; Nehem: 10.8.) tribute of fines, tribute of Hearthmoney, tribute of Excise. And because this last is the tribute which is so much talked off, and so much trouble hath been about it, because of all other it is so much grumbled at, and comes in so hardly, and I myself have been complained off for Preaching against it in this place and Pulpit at the last Assizes; it is very fit that in it I should more clearly and fully declare myself, and in discharge of that duty, I do here openly, clearly and confidently declare and assert, that the Excise as it is here established in England, is (in the constitution of it) a Legal and just Revenue, and one of the Tributes here in the Text due unto Cesar: and therefore if any man ask me as the Herodians did our Saviour in this Context, Licetne? is it lawful to pay it or not? I answer as our Saviour did them; Licet, it is lawful to pay it; it is utterly unlawful not to pay it: fore Render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. And that you may do it cheerfully and readily, without murmuring or disputing, I will give you in some reasons showing not only the justice and lawfulness, but the equity and reasonableness of it; and they are these. First, it is established by Law, and that silences all disputes, it is settled by Act of Parliament as a part of the Revenue; and therefore a right not to be questioned. Secondly, As to his Majesty he is no gainer by it, he hath parted with a very honourable Revenue in lieu of it, to wit, the Court of Wards, one of the fairest flowers in the Crown, so fair, that the great Counsellor, Lord Treasurer Burliegh, once Master of that Court, did in's deathbed advise Queen Elizabeth never to part with it out of her hands, for that it was an unknown Revenue, and one of her Majesty's best Farms; but howsoever that being taken away, and only this left in the room of it, if we should withhold this too, what shall we leave him? Thirdly, The third reason is taken from the consideration of the subject out of which the Excise o'th' arise, the commodity on which it is imposed, and that's strong-drinke, an element upon which there is more thrown away in vain expense, then upon any one thing, nay, may I not say upon all other Commodities, in the Land; upon which, especially in great Towns, and by many other persons in many other places too, there is near as much thrown away in waist as would reasonably serve for all other necessaries: and in the excessive and intemperate use or rather abuse of which, there is more sin committed and occasioned in the Land, then about any other thing whatsoever: if then the wisdom of the Parliament to take men off from this excessive and intemperate abuse of it and themselves, have laid such a legal charge upon it, who can judge but that it was an Act of Wisdom and Prudence, of Piety and Religion in them for the restraining of abuses. Fourthly, The last reason is taken from the freedom that men have to take up the profession which makes them liable to pay Excise, or not to take it up, to use it, or not to use it; there's no man compelled to it, and if he like it not upon those terms upon which he is to be Licenced and admitted, he may let it alone, and there's no hurt done, if he like it not with the encumbrances, he may pass by and leave it, and the Excise shall never trouble him: Volenti non fit injuria. Upon all these reasons and considerations I conclude, That the Excise (in the constitution of it) is a just and a legal Revenue, that the imposition of it upon those commodities upon which it is laid, is no wrong to any man: that not only by law, but in reason and equity, it may justly be demanded and ought to be paid; and therefore I exhort and admonish all persons concerned in it, not to dispute it, not to quarrel it, but willingly and readily as in all other Tributes, so particularly in this of the Excise to Render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's. And so I have done with my Text, and now come to my task; a task enjoined me here this day, and that's not less than a Recantation of some indiscreet passages, in a Sermon which I here preached at the last Assizes in this place and Pulpit; the main Charge against me in it was, That I preached against the Excise, and Excise-Men, it lies in the 38 and 39 pages of the Book, for it was since printed; the words than delivered I confess were unadvisedly spoken, I was too sharp in those expressions, and while I spoke of and against Biters, I myself became a Biter. Another passage there is which is excepted against, and it is contained page 23. where my illguided zeal put me on too far in pleading for the resurrection of a Presidentiary Court in these Northern-parts; so far, as to charge the Westminsterian Lawyers, That they would engross all the law unto themselves, as if they meant to make of it, one great Monopoly; these words were unadvisedly spoken, and I went too far in that charge. Another passage there is, and that's found page 48. wherein I was very bitter against Rack-renting Landlords, and Depopulators; ranking them amongst the Biters, and the Grinders in the Text: in this I confess I went too far, it was unadvisedly spoken, and gave offence, And indeed I am sorry that any thing should be spoken by me at any time which might justly give offence to any, even the least of little ones, much more that should offend Authority; and sure I am that intentionally I never did, nor ever will do so; yet seeing some passages in that Sermon have given such occasion of offence, I am hearty sorry for it, I wish they had not fallen from me, much more that they had not been Printed. And these passages which have been by me here mentioned, I think fit to be retracted, and disowned; particularly that wherein I say, That the government of this Nation is Arbitrary in the maladministration of the Excise; which words, together with all other Indiscretions whatsoever contained in that Sermon and dropped either from my tongue or pen, I do here in the presence of you all, fully retract, disclaim, and disowne. I will conclude with one word which his Majesty spoke to me himself at the Council-table, and it was close and home, and did more silence me, than all that was spoke to me besides, and it was this; That his Majesty thought it was my duty to preach conscience unto the people, and not to meddle with State-affairs: which words, as they were a severe reproof for what was past, so they are a serious admonition for the time to come; and I shall most studiously, and exactly henceforth observe and obey it, and wish all others to do so too. FINIS.