Monarchiae Encomium EST Sceptrum ſive Solium Justitiâ Stabilitum; OR A Congratulation of the Kings Coronation, Shewing withall, the right way of Setling and Eſtabliſhing the Kings Throne, and cauſing his Crown to Flouriſh upon his Head.
By way of Explication of the five firſt verſes of the 25 Chapter of the Proverbs of Solomon,
With an Application of them to the Occurrences of theſe times, Publiſhed
By Tho. Malpas Preacher of the Goſpel at Pedmore in Worceſter-Shire.
LONDON, Printed by T. Leach, and are to be ſold by William Palmer at the Palm-tree in Fleetſtreet, and by Joan Malpas in Sturbridg in Worceſter-Shire, 1661.
MOſt Dear and Dread Soveraign, In moſt humble wiſe, I proſtrate, and preſent my ſelf with this ſlender enſuing Treatiſe before the Foot-ſtool of Your Sacred Majeſty; Firſt craving pardon for this my bold and raſh attempt: For although I muſt ingenuouſly here confeſſe, Non eſt meae humilitatis veſtrae Celſitudini dictare, It doth not become nor beſeem the meaneſſe and obſcurity of my place and calling, to dictate or preſcribe any thing to Your Highneſſe; Yet as Philip the King of Macedon, permitted and appointed a little Boy to come every morning to his Chamber-door and to ſay theſe words, ó〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O Philip remember thou art a Man: So give leave (I humbly beſeech You) to Your poor Servant, and faithful Subject, thus far to be your Remembrancer, as to ſay as David doth, or rather as God himſelf ſaith by the mouth of David, Pſal. 82.6. Dixi Dii eſtis. I have ſaid yee are Gods, but yee ſhall dye like men, and fall like one of the Princes.
There's no Eſtate or Calling of men, ſo high, eminent, or puiſſant, but as they are called Stewards, ſo they muſt give an account of their Stewardſhip as well as others. I pray then (moſt Gracious Soveraign) vouchſafe to hold out the golden Scepter of your favour that I may touch the top of it; or at leaſt have the grace and privilege,Heſt. 5.2. to kiſſe your hand, and let Your Princely hand take this Enchiridion, as an humble Advertiſement and wholeſome Admonition, which I here prefix and propoſe unto you; Non quòd de te dubitem, ſed ut tibi Currenti Calcar addam cum fraeno; Nôſti deum imprimis Colendum, Colere ſine fide non potes, & fides vera ubi eſt, niſi ex dei verbo? Hoc ſcrutêris Cavens de papiſmo ac ſchiſmate: It is the duty even of Kings to be Converſant in the Scriptures, and to meditate and delight in the Law of God: they are admoniſhed ſo to do when they ſit upon the Throne of their Kingdom. Thus did Hezekiah,Deut. 17.18. Thus did Joſiah, and thus did King David, he made the word of God his Counſellor,Pſal. 119. and in the 56 Pſal. ver 10. he ſaith, In Gods word will I rejoyce, In the Lords word will I Comfort me, and in another Pſalm he ſaith, In the multitude of the Sorrows that I had in my heart, thy Comforts O Lord have refreſhed my Soul:Pſal. 94.19. he means the cordial and vital Comforts that he found in Gods word; if then you can freely and thankfully acknowledge with holy David, and ſay it out of your own particular and perſonal experience;Pſal. 119.21. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. Then you may alſo ſweetly and joyfully recount and record with your ſelf as the ſame David doth;Pſal. 18.35. Thou haſt given me the defence of thy Salvation: thy right hand alſo ſhall hold me up, and thy loving correction ſhall make me great. Yet here to ſhun and avoid the prejudicate opinion of Cenſoriouſneſſe, which I ever abhorred both in my ſelf and others, let me borrow that pleaſing Complement, or plauſible Acclamation and Inſinuation of the Poet,Qui movet ut facias, quod tam facis ipſe monendo; Laudat, & hortatu comprobatacta ſuo.If then you do, that which is an admirable thing, or a rare and ſingular thing for Kings and Princes to do, viz; in Alto altum non Sapere, to be of an humble and lowly mind in a high and lofty State;— Regis Clementia virtus,A King is Gods Vicegerent and Lieutenant on Earth; he muſt therefore be merciful, as our Father in Heaven is merciful. Cominaeus lib. 6. c. •.It is the part of a Tyrant, in Imperio nil niſi Imperium cogitate; to glory with Lewis the 11th. King of France, that he paſſed his time in making and undoing of men,Contre fauſtum, lib. 12. c. 56. as if he were placed in his Throne not ut proſit, ſed tantum ut praeſit, as Auguſtine ſpeaks; let them remember the ſaying of another learned man,
We read in Hiſtory that wiſe men invented the game of Cheſſe to mitigate the Cruelneſſe of Governours, in which it is inſinuated, that the King hath need of his Biſhops, of his Knights, yea of the meaneſt peaſant that tilleth or toyleth in his Land. And therefore conſidering that He differs only from his Subjects in uſe, not in ſtuff (as Your prudent Grand-father King James of bleſſed memory was us'd to ſay:Baſilicon Doron. lib. 2.) He muſt become a Common Father unto the people, never unadviſedly provoking them unto juſt Indignation and Anger. Which that You may prevent; hear once again what Your pious and peaceable Grand-father ſaith; ſpeaking like another Solomon in his Baſilicon doron; Enrich not Your Self by Exactions, or grievous Impoſitions upon Your Subjects, but account the Riches of Your Subjects Your greateſt or Your chiefeſt Treaſure-Nullâ aliâ re propius ad Deum accidere poſſumus, quàm Salutem hominibus dando. Tully pro Ligar.But I need not urge this, much leſſe inſiſt upon it, for the general voice, and unanimous report of the Country is, that You are rather too merciful; Let me give a word concerning this, Facilitas multa docet mala, & licentia ſumus omnes deteriores; You muſt therefore ſhew Your Self to be a juſt King; I hope I need not to advertiſe You; for ſo the wiſeſt of Kings telleth You; a wiſe King ſcattereth the wicked,Pro. 20.26. and bringeth the wheel over them (i. e. ) the wheel of Judgement and Vengeance for their evil deeds; for it ſeems it was a kind of puniſhment, which was then uſed to be inflicted on Malefactors; for even as Solomons ſtately Throne of Ivory, was ſupported with two Lyons,2 Chro. 9. on each ſide one: So the Throne of every good and pious Prince, is ſupported and stayed up with theſe two Magnanimous and Lyonlike Virtues, Juſtice, and Mercy. Therefore God made Thee King (ſaid the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon) to do juſtice and judgement;1 Kin. 10. and therefore Auguſtine ſaid well to this purpoſe, Ablatâ Juſtitiâ, quid ſunt Regna niſi magna Latrocinia? And this Your diſcreet and mature Wiſdom hath alſo done (for in this respect I may ſay to you as the Widdow of Tekoah did to King David,2 Sam. 14. my Lord the King is even as an Angel of God to diſcern right from wrong) This You have done, by leaving it to thoſe ſage, and grave, and honourable Heroes of this Nation, to make inquiſition for blood, and to bring Just and Condign puniſhment upon the heads of thoſe Inſolent and Rebellious Traytors, who ſpild the Innocent Blood of Your dear Father, and put Him to death wrongfully: Even as David left a Charge with his Son Solomon concerning Joab and〈◊〉. Do Thou according to Thy Wiſdome,1 King. 2. & let not their hoary head go down to the grave in peace; for why? blood requires blood; That great Judge of Heaven and Earth,Gen. 9.6. made it a Statute-Law, which was never yet repealed.
If You do but ſerionſly conſider (as I confidently preſume, and both hope and truſt that You do) how graciouſly the Lord hath dealt with You, taking a care of You, even ab Incunabilis & à primâ lanugine, cauſing a Star to uſher and attend Your Birth, and to ſhine all the day long, on the day of Your Nativity (as a certain Chronologer related it in his Anniverſary Ephemeris, if I do not miſtake, or forget my ſelf, it was ſo;) and this I hope did not preſage or prognoſticate any ill Omen at all to Your Sacred Majeſty.
If You do often ruminate and revolve, or call to mind the very great Mercyes, the manifold Gracious deliverances, and miraculous preſervations, wherewith the Lord hath bleſſed You, and compaſſed You about with his loving kindneſſe, as it were with a ſhield, preſerving and protecting You both in Bello & in Exilo, in Perſecutione, & in proſcriptione tuâ; Defending You in the fight at Worceſter, from the peril of the Sword, yea both from the Lyon and the Bear,1 Sam. 17. as David was delivered; from the hands of that violent Man, and from the ſnare of the Hunter, from the traps and plot of that perfidious Traytor, who intended to have betrayed You; But the Lord being gracious unto You, You eſcaped out of their hands, as Lot out of the fire of Sodom, or as David did out of the hands of the Philiſtines: likewiſe in the purſute, when thoſe blood-thirſty men, the men of Belial followed hard after You, even as one followeth after a Partridge upon the mountains, the Lord ſtretched forth his holy hand over You, he kept You as the apple of his eye; As an Eagle ſtireth up her neſt, fluttereth over her birds,Deut. 32.11, 12. ſtretcheth out her wings, and beareth them on her wings; So the Lord alone led You, and guarded You, and guided You, and put it into Tour royal heart to fly to an hollow tree, to make it Your Caſtle, or rather Your Cave, to hide and ſhroud Your ſelf in, till the ſtorm of their wrath, and indignation was overpaſt; and this was nothing elſe but Digitus Dei, et Virgula Divina; nothing elſe but the immediate hand of God, to deliver You. Afterwards when a convenient means and time for Your ſafe convoy, and departing hence out of the Land, by his providential diſpoſition, and diſpenſation, was thought upon, contrived and concluded through the help of Your Hand-maid, that vertuous and fortunate Gentlewoman, though You were then in the condition of a poor exile,Eſay 63.9. and baniſhed man; yet then the Lord made bare his holy arm again, and ſent the Angel of his preſence before You,Sicut•e•unt di•unt ai•nt, &c. to conduct You ſafe away, and tranſport You beyond Sea; and when You could not ſtay in France, by reaſon of the Implacable fierceneſſe, and threatning of Your deadly and damnable Perſecutors; You were (it ſeems) forc'd to go into Spain, where You kept Your heart perfect and entire to our ſincere Protestant Religion, and Your Conſcience pure and untainted with any popiſh leaven, notwithſtanding the many ſtrong perſwaſions, and the many great proffers and promiſes of thoſe rich, magnificent Spaniſh promotions, and advancements; belike You were of wiſe Caſsandra's mind; Timeo Danaos vel dona ferentes. Virgil aenead. 10.For behold Your heart was ſtill firm, and entire, and upright with Your God: conſtant and unmovable in that antient Catholick faith, and ſincere Proteſtant Religion, wherein You were born and baptized; much like the heart of Reverend and Renowned Cranmer.
Bleſſed be God, the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for Your undaunted Conſtancy, and Perſeverance in the faith; And both my heart, and the hearts of all Your true, loving, and loyal Subjects, have great and juſt cauſe to rejoyce in that behalf, and to bleſs God unfeignedly for You; As alſo we are likewiſe even all of us bound to bleſs, and praiſe, and magnifie his holy name, for Your happy return unto Your Crown, viz. That it hath pleaſed Almighty God, of his ſingular goodneſs, and eſpecial providence, to reduce, and reſtore Your ſacred Majeſty, to be now Inaugurated, and Inveſted with the Crown, and Scepter of Your antient famous Progenitors, and Predeceſſors; And this hath been effected, and brought to paſs, by the Sweet, Celeſtial, and Sanctified policy, of an antient, eminent, and renowned Worthie of our Nation, without the effuſion of blood, or without the help of a ſtrong and potent Army (happy ſhall that man be call'd, that our deliverance hath wrought) O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong;Pſal. 137.8. for he hath done marvellous things, with his own right hand, and with his holy arm hath he gotten himſelf the victory; The Lord hath declared his ſalvation; His righteouſneſs hath he openly ſhewed in the ſight of the Heathen;Pſal. 98.1, 2, 3, 4. He hath remembred his mercy, and his truth, towards his poor diſtreſſed, and diſtracted Church of England; And all the ends of the World have ſeen the ſalvation of our God. Account I beſeech You my poor ſervice, and this ſmall preſent, which I tender unto Your Majeſty,1 Sam. 17.27. even as Old Barzillai did his Barley, and his Beans, and his parched Corn to King David, when he was at Mahanaim. Pliny writes, that the people did offer to their Gods Milk, when they had no Frankincenſe; and Salt, that had no Milk, and were well accepted. Namque erit ille mihi Semper Deus.Great men give great gifts; Sinetas a handful of Water; the Scholar, Books; I, ſuch as I have. The Lord hear You in the day of trouble: The Name of the mighty God of Jacob defend You; ſend you help from his Sanctuary, and ſtrengthen You out of Sion: make Your dayes long upon the Earth, and Eternal in the Heavens, grant You according to Your heart, and fullfil all Your mind.
1. Theſe are alſo Proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied out.
2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honour of Kings is to ſearch out a matter.
3. The Heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of Kings is unſearchable.
4. Take away the droſſe from the Silver, and there ſhall come forth a veſſel for the finer.
5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe.
THAT peerleſſe mirrour of wiſdom King Solomon, as he was the richeſt and wiſeſt King, that ever reigned in Jeruſalem, or in any part of the world beſide; and in this, a true type and figure of Chriſt our bleſſed Saviour, who is the uncreated and eternal wiſdom of the Father, in whom, even as he is man, are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge,1 ſaith the Apoſtle (Col. 2.3.) The holy Ghoſt alſo giving this rare teſtimony; and ſingular commendation of his excellent knowledge and incomparable wiſdom in the Scripture, namely, that it was ſuch, and ſo excellent and tranſcendent and unparalleld, as it exceeded and excelled the wiſdom, of all the children of the Eaſt, and all the wiſdom of Aegypt; for he was Sans peer, wiſer than any man, &c. 1 Kings 4.29. He was famous for his wiſdom indeed, throughout all Nations round about him, and he ſpake three thouſand Proverbs, and his ſongs were a thouſand and five; and he ſpake of trees from the Cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the Hyſop that ſpringeth out of the wall (which manuſcripts or writings of Solomon for the moſt part are thought to have periſhed, and to have been loſt in the captivity of Babylon, and great pitty it was that ſuch wiſe and worthy Sayings, had not been preſerved from the injury of times, for the benefit and comfort of ſucceeding ages, and for the generations of men that were to come after him) now as he was thus copious, judicious and ſententious both in his ſayings and writings, which are both extant and continue current among other Canonical Scripture; So amongſt the reſt of his writings and proverbial ſayings, he did not forget to ſet down ſome grave and prudent Rules and Precepts wiſe and worthy documents, obſervations and2 Inſtructions, touching the high and eminent place, office and calling of Kings and Princes, witneſſe this 25th. Chapter of his Book of Proverbs, wherein he firſt affirmeth, Honor Dei eſt abſcondere rem, honor autem Regum eſt perveſtigare; It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but it is the honour of Kings to ſearch out a matter.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; and why? The Apoſtle renders a reaſon of it: Quia inſcrutabilia ſunt ejus judicia, & viae ejus imperveſtigabiles incognita mens & conſilium ejus, his judgements are unſearchable, and his ways paſt finding out: for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſellour? Rom. 11.33.34. verſes, Moſes that man of God, that was ſo familiar with God, was permitted only to ſee his back-parts, he was licenſed to ſee him, But how? not â priori, but a poſteriori, ex poſtico tergo licèt non ex anticâ facie, My face thou ſhalt not ſee, ſaith God, Exod. 33. This is the right ſtamp and character of his Deity, of his individual and incommunicable propertie, and by this he will be differenced and diſtinguiſhed from men, and made known to be God; thus it is the glory of God to conceal ſome things from man. As firſt he doth the decree of Election and Predeſtination, ſo ſaith Paul 2 Tim. 2.19. the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having his Seal, (Dominus novit qui ſunt ſui) the Lord knoweth4 them that are his: For as it is reported by Herodotus, Diodorus, Sicolus, and divers other Hiſtoriographers, that the head of the River Nilus could never yet be found, ſo the depth of that ſecret decree could never yet be faddom'd or found out, which made the Apoſtle cry out with more than ordinary admiration and aſtoniſhment,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God! Secondly he conceals the date and times of the execution and expiration of his judgements, as our Saviour told his Diſciples (Acts 1.7.) It is not for you to know the times and the ſeaſons which the Father hath put in his own power. Thirdly he conceals the hour of our death, to make us every hour to prepare and make ready for that laſt hour. It was then good counſel which a learned Jew gave to his Scholar, be ſure that ye repent one day before death, when anſwer was made that the day of death was uncertain, he replyed, then repent this day, yea, repent every day.
Fourthly and laſtly, he conceals from us, the day of that laſt, and great, and general Aſſizes; for of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only ſaith Chriſt, Math. 24.30. Namqueideò4 latet ultimus dies, ut obſervetur omnes dies, ſaith an ancient Father; God would have us ignorant of the laſt day, to the end we might be circumſpect and vigilant every day, and ſtill to be provided (like the five wiſe Virgins) with Oyl in our Lamps, [i. e. ] with faith and grace, and true repentance in our hearts, with joy in the Holy Ghoſt, and the ſincerity of a good Conſcience, as Carthuſian gloſſeth that place in the Goſpel. Thus you ſee, it is the glory of God to conceal a thing; Honor autem Regum; But it is the honour of a King to ſearch out a matter; namely to ſearch out the cauſes, and examine the controverſies and differences betwixt man and man, and alſo to adminiſter true juſtice and judgement to the people.
This is the proper Office and Duty (as I may ſo term it) that belongs unto the Regal Scepter or Diadem; yea this is the right honour and glory of Kings; and I prove it thus. Firſt out of Humane Story. Secondly by Divine Teſtimony. Firſt out of humane Story; It is repotted. That when Phillip the King of Macedonia, did reject and caſt off the earneſt ſuit of a poor Widdow, with this ſlender anſwer, Goe thy way, for I have no leaſure to hear thee now: She replyed thus, and why then haſt thou leaſure to be a King? as if ſhe had ſaid; Haſt thou leaſure to be a King: and haſt thou not leaſure to doe Juſtice, and to hear the Complaint of a poor Widdow, that comes before5 thee for Juſtice? God hath given thee time to Raign, and power to Rule and Govern, that thou mighteſt Apply them, and Imploy them both unto that,Prov. 20.28. and wherefore they are given thee; For Mercy and Truth preſerveth a King: and with loving kindneſs his Seat is upholden, or his Throne is upholden by mercy, as our laſt tranſlation hath it. Even as Solomons ſtately Throne of Ivory, was ſupported with two Lyons, on cach ſide one: ſo the Throne of every good and pious Prince,2 Chron. 9. is ſupported and ſtayed up with thoſe two Magnanimous and Lyon-like vertues, Juſtice and Mercy. Therefore God made thee King (ſaid the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon) to doe Juſtice and Judgment, 1 Kings 10. And therefore Augustine ſaid well to this purpoſe, Ablatâ Juſtitiâ quid ſunt regna niſi magna latrocinia? Now for divine Teſtimony; We read in the (1 Kings 3.) when Solomon prayed to God for an underſtanding heart, that he might do Juſtice among Gods people, it is ſaid that his prayer pleaſed God paſſing well, becauſe Solomon asked wiſdome, rather than wealth: and knowledge, rather than honour; for thereby he gave evidence, that his heart was ſet upon righteouſneſs; For Ex abundantiâ cordis os loquitur, Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh;Math. 12.34. and did not his mouth ſpeak righteous things? did he not truly diſcern between good and bad, when he judged the two6 Harlots that came before him? when he wiſely decided and determined the matter betwixt them, and happily diſcovered and found out, through his mature wiſdome, and judgment, the right Mother of the Child; which as ſoon as his wiſedome was thus proved and perceived: it was preſently approved and applauded; for when all Iſrael heard the Judgment which the King judged, they feared the King, for that they ſaw that the wiſdome of God was in him, to do Juſtice and Judgment, 1 Kings 3.28. Lo here was his Honour, and here was his Crown and Glory, to perveſtigate, and ſearch out the matter. As it is reported of King James, to his tare, and ſingular, and perpetual Commendation, that he rightly interpreted thoſe miſcarried letters, which diſcovered the Powder-Treaſon, in a ſenſe, and conſtruction, differing and diſſenting from the Capacity and Underſtanding of all his Nobles; For as it is the honour and glory of Kings, diligently to ſearch out the truth of matters that come before them, and uprightly and ſincerely to adminiſter Juſtice and Judgment to the people committed to their Charge and Government: ſo may we be aſſured, and perſwaded likewiſe of this; that no leſs ſhall it make for their Praiſe and Commendation, to have hearts like the Heaven for height, and the Earth for depth (as it is in the next verſe) Hearts like the Heaven for height, and the Earth, &c. (i. e.) Infinite.7 boundleſs, bottomleſs, & unſearchable; namely in regard of their profound learning and knowledge, their extraordinary wiſdome and underſtanding; It behoveth them to have a large heart like Solomons; Even as the Sand that is on the Sea-ſhore, &c. For Solomon in ſaying here that no man can ſhew the Kings heart, ſheweth, that it is too hard for man to attain to the reaſon of all the ſecret doings of the King, even when he is upright, and doth his duty; God putteth many things into his heart which are unſearchable, and paſt finding out by ordinary men; which made David to admoniſh Kings and Judges, thus ſaying, Pſal. 2.10. Be wiſe now therefore O ye Kings, be learned ye that are Judges of the Earth; For (as one ſaith wittily) If the Judge, or Magiſtrate be not Wiſe, Judicious, and Perſpicacious, to dive into the Matter, and diſcern the Cauſe thoroughly that comes before him, words may ſoon carry the matter away, through the glozing tongue of ſome eloquent Tully or Tertullus, ſome Colluding, and praevaricating Lawyer, who may be a Sophiſter in word, and an Ambadexter in deed.
That Chriſtian Poet Prudentius, ſpake prudently againſt Symmachus in his firſt book. Publica res (inquit) tunc fortunata ſatis, ſi
Vel Reges Saperent, vel regnarent Sapientes. That Common-wealth (ſaith he) cannot chuſe but flouriſh, when either Philoſophers are8 Kings, or Kings are Philoſophers; an admirable & remarkable ſaying indeed, and worthy to be written in letters of Gold, and engraven with the pen, or point of a Diamond, upon the Thrones of Princes; And the wiſeſt of Kings ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe, Prov. 20.26. A wiſe King ſcattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheele over them. (i. e. ) the wheele of Judgment, and Vengeance for their evil deeds. Here note, that this ſaying hath been partly fullfilled of late, by finding out, and bringing ſome Egregious and Notorious Malefactors to juſt, and condigne puniſhment, who lifted up their hands againſt the Lords Anointed K. C. the firſt, and embrued them in his blood; Ut paena ad unum ſit terror ad omnes, neque enim lex juſtior ulla eſt, quam necis artifices, &c. And how neceſſary learning and underſtanding is for Kings and Princes, may be eaſily gathered out of thoſe words, Eccles. 10.10. Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a Child. (i. e.) Ignorant, unlearned, and unskilful in the affairs of State. Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning. (i. e. ) when they riſe up early to Ryot, and to Revel it. But (as it followeth,) Bleſſed art thou O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due ſeaſon, for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſs; Where by the Son of Nobles, he meaneth one not only, praeclara proſapiâ ſive progenie oriundus, that is, one9 deſcended, and born of antient, and famous Progenitors, and Predeceſſors; but one vertuouſly educated, and brought up. Bene inſtitutus et inforniatus in Adminiſtratione regni (as Tremelius well notes on the place) (i. e. ) one well inſtituted, and inſtructed, and informed, in the Adminiſtration, and Government of a Kingdome. When a Prince is thus qualified, thus furniſhed, and accompliſhed with this Baſilicon doron, as learned King James entituled his book, which he commended to his Son the Prince; when a Prince, I ſay, is thus adorned, and accompliſh't with this royal Gift, and Accoutrement, this heroical ornament, and endowment of the mind; when he hath competent knowledge, and wiſdome ſufficient, well to mannage, and govern his Kingdome; and is alſo ſtudious, and ſolicitous, careful, and induſtrious, to have matters carried with that Equity, Indifferency, and Sincerity, that Juſtice, and Judgment may not be perverted, but that the poor ſhould be ſheltered, and defended, and the people judged according unto right, as it is, Pſal. 72.2. Then as our Saviour ſaith in the Goſpel, Mat. 18.7. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Woe unto the World becauſe of Offences; for it muſt needs be that Offences come, but woe to that man by whom the Offence cometh. And if our Saviour eſteemed the offence ſo grievous, that was offered to thoſe little ones, how hainous then ſhall we10 think thoſe offences to be, that are plotted, perpetrated, & committed againſt thoſe great ones, who are the immediate Lieutenants, & undoubted Vice-royes of Almighty God; (This is properly termed by the learned, Scandalum Magnatum) then I ſay, pitty it is, yea, a thouſand pitties it is (as, we ſay) nay more, a woful, and lamentable, and moſt abominable thing it is, and a thing much to be deplored, that either the good mind and meaning, the vertuous, noble, and heroick ſpirit of ſuch a pious Prince ſhould be poyſoned, and infected with evil Counſellors; or that his wayes and courſes, ſhould be hindred and diverted with wicked, corrupt, and careleſs Officers, that ſhould be Impartial Executioners of his wholeſome Laws and decrees; But they (as it hath been lately proved, and happily found out by ſufficient experience, in the late Kings time) for the moſt part have been led by favour and affection, by money, and bribery, and partiality, and the like ſineſter means, to aim at their own ends, and their own Advancement, to ſet their neſts on high, and to load themſelves with thick clay, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Hab. 2.6. Yea, more to ſubvert the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, to connive at ſin and wickedneſs, to oppreſs the poor and needy, to condemn the Juſt and Innocent, and to wrong the Fatherleſs and Widdow, and keep them from their right; So that, that11 which Micah propheſied of,Micah 7 2, 3. is now actually fullfill'd; They all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net; That they may do evil with both hands earneſtly, the Prince asketh, and the Judge asketh for a reward, and the great man he uttereth his miſchievous deſire, and ſo they wrap it up. But concerning ſuch as theſe, howſoever they may ſooth and flatter themſelves in their own ſight, and in their own ſinful ways; yet the Wiſe-man ſaith, they commit a double ſin, or a twofold abomination; For he that juſtifieth the wicked, and he thât condemneth the juſt, even they both are abomination to the Lord, Pro. 17.15. And againſt ſuch as theſe, there is a woe denounced by the Prophet;Eſay 7.20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs, that put bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter. This is a woful and ſhameful thing indeed, and woe is to that Land or Nation who are peſtered and vexed with ſuch a perverſe and praepoſterous kind of people, who condemn the innocent for bribes, and juſtifie the wicked for rewards; Theſe are the Achans, and the Achabs of our time; theſe are thoſe that are the only moleſters and troublers of Iſrael and Judah: the many diſturbers both of Church and State; Et utinam abſcindantur; and I would to God they were even cut off that trouble us (if I may ſo wiſh with the Apoſtle, Gal. 5.12. ) for they are12 (as one truly termeth,B. Andrews. the equivocating falſe-hearted Jeſuites) Flagella Republicae, ſtabella Seditionis; the Bellows of diſſention, the Firebrands and Incendiaries of faction and ſedition amongſt us; the very plague and ſcourge of the Republick Pyoners of our peace, and Underminers of all our happineſs: And it may appoſitely be ſpoken of ſuch peſtilent Fellows, as Tully that Heathen Orator ſaid of Catiline the Traytor, Vivunt, et vivunt non ad deponendam, ſed ad Confirmandam audaciam; They live indeed, and are ſuffered to live, not to leave off, or to lay aſide, but to augment, and increaſe, and confirm their lewd baſeneſs, and Impudent boldneſs; queſtionleſs they are evil, and unprofitable members to the Country, or Common-wealth wherein they live; They are to the godly as the filthy unnatural Sodomites were to Lot, which vexed righteous Soul with their worſe than brutiſh behaviour, and their moſt unmanly and unlawful deeds;2 Pet. 2.8. or as the Jebuſites were to the Iſraelites, thorns in our eyes, and whips or pricks in our ſides, Joſ. 23.13. They are like to that diſeaſe in a mans body, which is called the Cancer or Gangrena, which being in ſome parts thereof, thoſe parts of the body wherein it is, muſt of neceſſity be cut off, — Ne pars ſincera trahitur, leaſt they putrifie and corrupt the whole; theſe are evil humours in a body politick, which keep it13 from proſpering; theſe are Tares in the field of Gods Church, which hinder the good wheat from growing; theſe are the clouds, and foggy miſts, or vapours in the air, which obſcure and darken it, and intercept the Sun from ſhining; theſe are the droſſe, which hold the ſilver from being purified; therefore as my Text ſaith well by way of a ſweet and elegant alluſion and compariſon; ut auferendo ſcorias ab argento, &c. Take away the droſſe from the ſilver, and there ſhall come forth a veſſel for the Finer; So take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe: here we have three things to be conſidered of; Firſt, we muſt try and examine, who they are, and what manner of perſons they are which are here compared to droſſe, and theſe are the wicked and ungodly; take away the droſſe, ſo take away the wicked. Secondly, we muſt ſhew you who they are that are here likened to ſilver, and why they are ſo aſſimilated and reſembled; and theſe are Kings and Princes, take away the droſſe from the filver; ſo take away the wicked a conspectu Regis, from before the King; Thirdly, the bleſſed iſſue or ſequel which followeth upon this exploration, the thrice-happy fruit and effect which this ſeaſonable and timely diviſion, and ſeparation of the droſſe from the ſilver produceth and bringeth forth, and this is, Solium Juſtitiâ14 ſtabilitum (i. e. ) a Throne. eſtabliſhed inrighteouſneſſe, and this is alſo likened to a fit veſſel for the Finer; Take away the droſſe from the ſilver, and there ſhall come forth a veſſel for the Finer; So take away the wicked, &c. Firſt, by droſſe is here ſignified and repreſented unto us, the wicked in general (i. e. ) all ungracious, unregenerate, and ungodly men whatſoever; all the Sons of Belial, as they are ſtiled in the old Teſtament; all the Children of Diſobedience, as they are ſo called in the new; eſpecially all perfidious Servants to their Maſter, all treacherous and rebellious Subjects to their Prince, that either ſecretly revolt, and ſubtilly withdraw their hearts from, or openly lift up their hands againſt the Lord Anointed, againſt their Liege and lawful King and Soveraign; And touching this crimen capitale, this crimen laeſae Majeſtatis, this hainous and capital ſin of Treaſon; the Wiſe man both warily and worthily admoniſheth, ſaying Eccleſ. 10.20. Curſe not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curſe the rich in thy Bed-chamber, for a bird of the air ſhall carry the voice, and that which hath wings ſhall declare the matter; theſe then with all other Mutherers, Malefactors, all Miſchievous and Blood-thirſty perſons, muſt be aboliſhed, abandoned, and taken away from before the King, for they are but droſſe: ſo likewiſe David compareth them, Pſal. 119.119. Thou15 putteſt away all the wicked of the earth like droſſe, therefore I love thy testimonies.
Note here that ſome of theſe notes were preached in the late Kings time, even in the beginning of that fatal and fearful and diſaſterous Inſurrection, ſome wondring at it, how I durſt Preach ſo, when for the diviſions of Reuben, there were ſuch great thoughts of heart.But not to inſiſt upon generalities (for the times and the iniquity of the times requires us to inſtance in ſome ſorts and kinds of wicked men, though not to nominate or name the perſons and patties (for that is extra lineam praedicamentalem) that are here compared to droſſe, as you know they are elſewhere compared to chaffe, Pſal. 1.5. for David having ſpoken before of the bleſſed and proſperous eſtate of the godly man, in the 5th. verſe he ſaith, non ſic Impijs non ſic, as for the ungodly it is not ſo with them; but they are like the chaffe which the wind ſcattereth away from the face of the earth,) more particularly then, falſe prophets in the firſt place may fitly be compared to droſſe, who are deſcribed in the 13th. of Deut. to have this odious and damnable quality, namely to draw and intice us to Idolatry, and to go after other Gods, or to worſhip the true ever-living God, in a falſe, erroneous, idolatrous, and ſuperſtitious way; By the Law of Moſes, ſuch as theſe were to be ſtoned to death, and good reaſon; becauſe (ſaith he) they have ſought to thruſt thee away from the Lord the God, which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, from the houſe of Bondage, and all Iſrael ſhall hear and fear, and ſhall do no more any ſuch wickedneſſe as this is among you.
16Secondly, covetous and unjuſt Judges, may likewiſe here be reſembled to droſſe, with all corrupt bribe-taking Lawyers, and inferiour Officers that are under them, or any way depend upon them; for theſe are like the Image which Nebuchadnezar ſaw in his dream, whoſe head was of gold,Deut. 2.31. his breaſts and his arms of ſilver, his belly and his thighs of braſſe, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay, and ſo the lower you deſcend, the more vile, and corrupt, and degenerate are they.
In the third place, we may eſteem wicked and ſeducing Counſellors, no better than droſſe, and therefore are to be carefully ſequeſtred, weeded out, removed, and taken away from the King, leſt they ſhould infect, and poyſon, and poſſeſs his heart with baſe Tyrannical principles, and Machiavilian pollicies.
Fourthly, all fawning Sycophants and Paraſites, I mean all proud, ambitious, flattering, and aſpiring Courtiers; therefore as Hamons face was covered, when that great Monarch was offended and diſpleaſed with him, Heſt. 7.8. ſo let theſe, or ſuch as theſe, not have ſo much privilege or favour to behold the Kings face; for they are no true friends of his, I dare ſay it, no good Sub•ects to the State; they eat like mothes into liberal mens coats; they are the very bane and conſumption of greatneſſe,17 they rob many a great man of his goodneſs, and make him rob and deprive the Commonwealth of her happineſs; therefore let us baniſh and abandon them, and away with them from before the King.
Fifthly, all male-contented Humoriſts, all factious and fanatick Sectaries, Seditious Sciſmaticks, and all hypocritical diſſembling Profeſſors whatſoever; I mean thoſe, who diſpiſe all kind of Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline, and Church Government, and account our Liturgy, to be meat Popery, for never was any poor book ſo vilified, and reviled, as the book of Common-prayer hath been of late years, and yet thoſe milites emeriti, that noble Army of Martyrs that compoſed it, ſuffered death in Queen Maries dayes, they dyed with it in their Arms, and both loved and honored it, and highly eſteemed it, ſome of them commending it as the beſt token of their loves to their deareſt Wives, and that late Reverend and Renowned Prideaux Biſhop of this Dioceſs,Dr. Boys in his Epiſtle Dedicatory to K. James before his expoſition of the proper Pſalms, cum multis aliis. commended it as a Legacy to his two Daughters, and all antient Orthodoxal Miniſters, have ever priz'd it and prais'd it as a ſecond Bible.
Sixthly, all cruel treacherous and bloody-minded Papiſts, and Anabaptiſts, who ſpeak evil of Dignities, and do obſtinately refuſe to take the Oath of Allegiance; who if they cannot prevail to bring their purpoſe to paſs by18 ſecret Plots and Conſpiracies, they will not ſtick (like the other) to attempt it by open Hoſtility and Rebellion, for theſe two the Catholick and the Sciſmatick, are much alike in their faction, howſoever they be different and diſparent in their Faith; they hold as the Jeſuites do, that (fides hereticis non est ſervanda) which is a ſtrange Theſis, and a dangerous opinion, the hatcher and harbourer of Treaſon, the foſterer and fomentor of Rebellion: for as one ſaith ingeniouſly, every Pope is an open Sciſmatick, and every Sciſmatick a ſecret Pope; theſe Foxes (as Luther tells us in his Preface to his Comentary upon The Epiſtle to the Galathians) are tyed together by the tayl, though by their heads they ſeem to be contrary; and what have they elſe in their tayls, but fire-brands like Sampſons Foxes, Judg. 15. ready to ſet the ſhocks of Corn, yea the whole fields of Corn on fire, and without ſome prudent and timely prevention, to bring the whole Chriſtian World into a moſt facal and final Combuſtion and Confuſion.
Seventhly, all politick ſubtle-headed Projectors, inſatiable greedy-minded Monopoliſts, unreaſonable and unconſcionable Patentees; for theſe have been proved ſufficiently by woful experience to be meer Harpyes to the State, profeſſed Horſe-leeches, and Bloodſuckers of the Common-wealth;19 Non miſſura cutem niſi plena cruoris hirudo. Theſe are like the Vultures that fed upon Promethe us Liver: ſo theſe are Regum Sicarij, the very cut-throats of Kings, ſuch as make no other uſe of Princes favours, but by Monopolies, and Impoſitions to inrich themſelves; theſe are ſomewhat like thoſe, of whom mention is made in the life of Aurelian the Emperour; of whom it was ſaid, that by them the good and honeſt Emperour, who might only know what they pleaſed to inform him, was even bought and ſold.
Eightly, and laſtly, all unbelieving and miſbelieving Athiſts, Epicures, Libertines, who have no fear of God before their eys, all impudent, audacious, braſen-fac'd Lyars; horrible, prodigious, and blaſphemous Sweaters, and for-ſwearers; vicious. and laſcivious Adulterers, diſſolute, deboich'd, and irregular Drunkards; irreligious, and incorigible Sabboth-breakers, and the like. — Procul hinc, procul ite profani, let all ſuch rude profane miſcreants, ſuch wicked and ungodly people, be a far off removed, and taken away from the preſence of the King; the Poet deſcribes ſuch, and calls them,Ambubajarum Collegia, Pharmacopilae mendici, mimae, balatrones & hoc genus omne.20Here's a rabblement of rude profane miſcreants indeed; a Catalogue, Induction, and Inditement, (as I may ſo term it) of wicked and ungodly men, & dies me deficeret, the time would ſail me to innumerate and reckon up all the ſorts of them; let it ſuffice only for this time to inſtance in theſe, and to ſpeak a little more largely and freely of ſome few of theſe inſtead of the reſt, and to ſhew you, that they are but Scoriae, & Quiſquiliae hominum, the droſſe and refuſe of men, like ſalt that hath loſt its ſavour, and therefore muſt be caſt our, to be trodden under foot of men; for they are but ſordes & purgamenta mundi;Math. 5.13. the very dregs and ſcum, and off-ſcowring of the world; therefore 'twere good and neceſſary to have them ſifted and ſearched out, yea to have them ſeperated and taken away from the ſilver; ſo the wiſeman here adviſeth; Take away the droſſe from the ſilver, and there ſhall come forth a veſſel for the Finer; So take away the wicked, &c.
Falſe Prophets droſs.Firſt them falſe Prophets are but droſſe, as we ſhall ſoon find them ſo to be, if we do but bring them to that Lapis Lidius, the touchſtone of truth the Scripture; and who are theſe pſeuda Prophetae, theſe falſe Prophets? but thoſe, qui ducunt &21 ſeducunt, who ſhould lead us, and they do miſlead us, like Stellae erraticae, or like that falſe fire which is called by the Philoſophers Ignis fatuus, which befools men, and leads them out of the way: ſo they cauſe us to erre, and wander, and go aſtray out of the way of truth and righteouſneſſe; and ſuch bring a curſe upon themſelves, and not a bleſſing; For curſed is he that maketh the blind to go out of his way, and let all the people ſay Amen. Deut. 27.18. for if the blind lead the blind (according as our Saviour ſaith in the Goſpel) that is, if the wilfully blind lead thoſe that are ignorantly blind; it happeneth to them according to the Proverb, That both fall into the ditch.
That our care therefore and vigilancy might be great, to reſiſt the miſtery of iniquity; Chriſt and his Apoſtles do often inculcate this Caveat, and bid us beware of ſuch Seducers; There ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts & falſe Prophets,Math. 2.24 2 Pet. 2. and there ſhall come falſe Teachers among you; which ſhall bring in damnable Hereſies, even Lupi rapaces, ravenous Wolves, not sparing the Flock,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Even of your own ſelvos, ſhall ſuch men ariſe (ſaith Paul) speaking perverſe things, to draw away Diſciples after them, Acts 20.30. Beware of falſe Prophets,22 (ſaith our Saviour) which come to you cum veſtimentis ovium, in ſheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves; yee ſhall know them by their fruits, Mat. 7.15, 16. As Teriullian gloſſeth that Text excellently; quaenam ſunt iſtae pelles ovium, niſi nominis Chriſtiani extrinſecus ſuperficies? All theſe ſheeps-clothing, what are they elſe, but meer preciſe titles of holineſſe, and bare out-ſides, ſhews, and ſhadows of Religion and Chriſtianity? falfe Prophets (as another antient Father obſerveth) have Linſey-wolſey garments; Intus linam ſubtilitatis, extra lanam Simplicitatis demonſtrat, the ſubtle thread of Hypocriſy and Deceit is withinſide, but the plain web of Simplicity without ſide; they may fitly be compared to thoſe wily Gibeonies who deceived Joſhua with their clouted ſhooes,Joſ. 9. their old garments, and their dry fuſty bread; They are Oves viſu, ſed vulpes astu, ſaid Bernard elegantly, their inſide is of Fox-furre, their outſide of Lambs-wool; and ſo Inimici et proditores Eccleſiae, the Enemies and Betrayers of the Church (as Cyprian ſaid) are in ipſâ Eccleſiâ contrà Eccleſiam, that is, they are in the Church againſt the Church; they live within the boſome of it, and yet deſire to exenterate and eat out the very Intrals23 and Bowels of the ſame, theſe are cunning Impoſtors and jugling Jeſpited Heretical Doctors indeed (ſuch as Hugh Peters was) taking England for their Country, and yet making Rome the rule & randeſvow of their Religion, pretending nothing ſo much as Reformation, and yet intending nothing elſe but innovation and alteration of Religion; they are like Janus Bifrons, looking with two faces under a hood; or like a Barge-man, that looketh with his face one way, and rowes with his hands another way; But you ſhall know them by their fruits, as that true Prophet hath foretold us how we ſhould diſcern and diſcover theſe falſe Prophets; for as a Wolf may be known from a Sheep, per unguem & ululatum, by his howling; and by his claws; ſo may we diſcern the falſe Prophet from the true, by his words, and by his works; ex malis moribus & malo dogmate ſaith Melancthon: Some Divines refer this only to bad manners, others only to falſe Doctrine; But the Scripture (which is the beſt Umpire in points of controverſy and the ſoundeſt Interpreter of it ſelf) ſheweth expreſly, that we may know them by both.
As firſt by their lewd life, for albeit theſe falſe Apoſtles, and deceitful workers,24 like Sathan, can transform themſelves into an Angel of light, yet, their Cloven-foot may be eſpyed; which is a moral,2 Cor. 1•. to ſignifie ſimulatam ſanctitatem, their counterfeit holineſs, which is duplex iniquites a double unholineſſe; therefore as Chriſyſtome ſaith well to ſuch diſſemblers; aut eſto quod appares, aut appare quod es: albeit they can prevaricate and equivocate, albeit they can diſſemble cunningly for a time, being in ſheeps-clothing, yet if you be circumſpect and wary, in the end you ſhall know the Wolves by their Claws: Et ſi non ab omnibus fructibus, ſaltèm ab aliquibus cognoſcetis eos, ſaith Anſelme; as they be〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, lovers of their own ſelves, lovers of monyes, lovers of pleaſures, more than lovers of God, beſides this, they are for the moſt part covetous, proud, boaſters, curſed ſpeakers, diſobedient to Parents, unthankful, unholy, 2 Tim. 3.2. the Apoſtle St. Iude alſo deſcribeth them, and admoniſheth us to take heed of ſuch deceivers, telling us that they periſh in the contradiction, and gain-ſaying of Korah: for as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, roſe up and ſpake againſt Moſes; ſo do theſe againſt them that are in Authority, Numb. 16.1, 2. 25Hi ſunt in Agapis veſtris maculae dum vebiſcum convivantur, ſecurè ſe ipſos paſcentes,Epiſt. of Jude 12. nubes aquâ carentes, & vent is circumactae; theſe are ſpots in your feaſts of Charity, when they feaſt with you, without all fear feeding themſelves (i. e. ) feeding themſelves impudenter, & abſque ullà vel Dei vel Eccleſiae reverentià, impudently feeding and feaſting themſelves, without any fear of God, or Reverence to the Orders and Commanders of the Church, for inſtead of bowing at the Lords Table, or receiving the Holy Enchariſt kneeling, according to the antient and decent Order of our Church, they allow men either to ſtand, or ſit, or lean, after an irreverent & unmannerly faſhion, which they themſelves have deviſed; and they will not Adminiſter or deliver the bread & wine to the Communicants, but they muſt take it themſelves, & ſo drink to one another, as if they were in ſome common Inne or Alehouſe, or the like; wherefore to ſuch as theſe, I ſay as Paul did to the Corinthians; do yee make no difference betwixt the houſe of God, and your own houſes? have yee not houſes to eat and to drink in? deſpiſe yee the Church of God? deſpiſe yee the Reverend Order and Injunction of the Church, who ought only to appoint Decency26 and Diſcipline, and ought to bear Rule and Authority in the Church: Deſpiſe yee the Church of God, and ſhame them that have not? nay rather you ſhame your ſelves in abuſing the Lords Supper, and your love-feaſts, which were laudably ordained by the Apoſtles at the firſt to be kept, partly to proteſt, and increaſe, and preſerve their brotherly love, and partly to relieve the poor and needy, as Tertullian obſerveth in his Apologet. cap. 39. ſhall I praiſe you in this ſaith Paul? I praiſe you not: And therefore they who contemn Government, and condemn all antient Laudable Cuſtoms, and Geſtures heretofore uſed in the Church, to introduce ſtrange Whimzeys, and new devices of their own, do Ixyon-like embrace a Cloud inſtead of Juno; St. Jude compares them to Clouds without water carried about of winds, even led by the wind of their own Carnal Luſts, and Senſual Appetites, 2 Pet. 2.17 ▪ 18, 19. for there Peter tells us, that they are Wells without water, and Clouds carried about with a Tempeſt, to whom Caligo tenebrarum, the blackneſſe of darkneſſe is reſerved for ever: They are carried about with a Tempeſt (i. e. ) they have ſome appearance outward, but within they are dry and barren, or at moſt they27 cauſe but a tempeſt; for in ſpeaking, manem grande loquentiam ſive vanes et praetumidus verborum ampulles; In ſpeaking ſwelling words of vanity, they allure through the luſts of the fleſh, or through much wantonneſs, thoſe that were clean eſcaped from them who live in error, while they promiſe them liberty, they themſelves are the ſervants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome he is brought in bondage; In a word the wind of ambition, and the wind of ſuperſtition, raiſed or ſtirred up by that helliſh Hagg, that infernal Acherontick Erynnis, that Machiavillian principle or policy of granting liberty of Conſcience to the people, hath ſo tranſported them beyond the rule of Reaſon and Religion, that their deeds are manifeſtly and apparently known, and that Hydraes head of heriſy and erronious Opinions is ſo multiplyed, that to reduce our poor dilacerated and diſtracted Church of England to that antient uniform Diſcipline, and Eccleſiaſtial or Epiſcopal Government which it once happily enjoyed, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles of bleſſed memory, it will require now a more the Herculian labour to effect it.
But we may know them eſpecially by the fruits of their Doctrine, look Titus 1.11. Where they are ſaid to teach things which they ought not, Turpis lucri gratia, For filthy lucres ſake; And to preach fables, 2 Tim. 4. And that which is worſt of all to broach Doctrinas Damonium, Doctrines of Devils, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abſtain from meat, with the like beggerly rudiments, 1 Tim. 4.3. In the 10th. of St. Johns Goſpel, and the 12th. verſe, The Wol•is ſaid to ſcatter and devour the Sheep. But in the 40th. of Eſay at the 11th. verſe, the good Shepheard doth gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his boſome; He doth not ſhew himſelf as a Lord, or as a Tyrant over Gods heritage, but rather is a good Enſample to the flock of meekneſs and humility, 1 Pet. 5.3. Memorable is that ſaying of an antient Father, Boni paſtoris eſt tondere pecus, et non deglubere; A good ſhepheard ſhould take the fleece, but not flaw the Skin of his Sheep; The true Prophet bindeth up the broken hearted, and comforteth all that mourn, Eſay 61.1. 29Delivering doctrine to Edification, Exhortation, Conſolation, 1 Cor. 14.3. Such then as waken the Spouſe of Chriſt when ſhe is at reſt, ſuch as cauſe deviſion and diſſention in the Church or State, and goe about to diſhearten and diſparage, yea to diſperſe and ſcatter the ſheep of Chriſt, that great ſhepheard of our ſouls; Such as rather trouble and conſound, perplex and amaze, than relieve and comfort the diſtreſſed Conſcience: Such as build not upon the true foundation, and right Corner-Stone Chriſt Jeſus,1 Cor. 3.11. but bring Hay or Stuble, inſtead of Gold and Silver into the Temple of the Lord; Such as are given over to Superſtitious deviſes, and fond fancies or ſurmiſes,Math 15.9. to Antiquated obſolete Ceremonies, and Oldwives fables, Teaching for Doctrines the Precepts of men, as the Old Phariſes did: and as the New ſects of Anabaptiſts, Independants, Presbyterians, and Millenarians do, ſome broaching Pelagianiſme, ſome Arminianiſme, & ſome flat Papiſme, and the like, I ſay, ſuch as are thornes in our ſides, and thiſtles in our feet, are not currant ſilver, but Counterfeit coyn, yea plain droſs in the Finers ſhop; not good plants in the Lords Vineyard, and therefore muſt be lopt and cut down, or rooted30 up by the hand of ſupream Authority; For they are as St. Jude ſpeaks; Arbores emarcidae, Infrugiferae, bis emortuae; Corrupt trees, unfruitful, twice dead, and therefere muſt be eradicated, or plucked up by the roots; And ſo we may eaſily diſcern, and know them by their fruits, For a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruits: neither can a bad tree bring forth good fruits.
I could here give you ſome preſidents and examples of divers falſe Prophets, which have been heretofore, as the Prophets of Baal,1 Kings 18. and of the Groves four hundred and fifty, which fed at Jezabels table, The lying Prophets which deceived Ahab, 1 Kings 22. The Old Prophet,Act. 5. Act. 8. that ſeduced the young Prophet that was ſlain by a Lyon, 1 Kings 13. Theudas, and Judas of Galile; Simon the Sorcerer, and that deceitful worker Mahomet, which taught a Dove to feed at his Ear, wherein he had put grains of Corn. And when he was in his fits of the Falling-ſickneſs, he told his wife and the reſt of his followers that he was a Prophet, that the ſpirit of God fell upon him, and that the Angel Gabriel in the form of a Dove came to his Ear, and revealed to him ſecrets from God, whoſe preſence he was not able to31 abide, and therefore it was that he proſtrated himſelf, and lay in a trance; Such a Prophet was one George David born in Freeſland, who boaſted himſelf to be Gods Nephew, and that he was ſent from Heaven, to chuſe and to appoint who ſhould be ſaved, and who ſhould be damned, Mr. Smith in his works ſo reporteth of him; Such a Prophet alſo was James Nayler,Lang. Chron. that great ring-leader of the Quakers, who gave out theſe horrible, prodigious, and blaſphemous words, that he was the everlaſting Son of God; Such Prophets were Knox and Buchaman in Scotland, who were profeſt enemies, and open oppoſers both of Monarchial and Epiſcopal Government; Such a Prophet was Paraeus, and John Sleidan, or John a Leyden in Germany a Tayler-King, as he is commonly reported an Arch-Anabaptiſt, & a meer effeminate & licentious Nicolaitain, for he kept many wives together; Oh what havock & deſolation did he and his Diſciples bring upon that Church, by harboring and entertaining ſuch groſſe erronious fancies in their brain, that a wicked and godleſs Magiſtrate might be depoſed and made away, For the ordinary preaching of Muncer was this, God hath warranted me face to face, he that cannot lye32 hath commanded me to attempt the change of thoſe means, even by killing the Magiſtrate; and Phifer his lewd Companion did but dream in the night-time of the killing of many mice and preſently interpreted, or expounded his dream of murthering the Nobles; But theſe Prophets even all of them came to naught, as Theudas and Judas of Galile did in the dayes of the taxing, of whom Joſephus makes mertion, Lib. 20. De Antiqu. Cap. 4. They all periſhed, and as many as followed them or obeyed them were diſperſed; For the Lord both checketh,Act. 5.37. and correcteth, and rejecteth ſuch Prophets as theſe, ſaying, Jer. 23.21. I have not ſent theſe Prophets (ſaith the Lord) yet they ran: I have not ſpoken to them, yet they propheſied. And he ſaith moreover, The Prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word,Ier. 23.28, 29. let him ſpeak my word faithfully? What is the chaff to the wheat (ſaith the Lord) So what is the droſs to the ſilver? Is not my word like as a fire ſaith the Lord? Thus the fire of Gods word doth ſoon prove and find out thoſe falſe Prophets to be but droſs, and therefore you ſee how needful it is to ſeperate them, and take them away from the ſilver; Take away the droſs from the ſilver, ſo take away33 the wicked from before the King, &c. I fear I have held you overlong in talking of falſe Prophets, and in taking off the mask and vizard from that diſſembling hipocrite, that white-skind Devils-face, as Luther was uſed to term the Traytor Judas.
2 Covetous and Unjuſt Iudges droſs.Wherefore I haſten to the ſecond ſort that I named, viz. Covetous and Unjuſt Judges; And whether they alſo may not well be compared to droſs, judge ye; For as the Prophet Eſay, Sophoclaeo Cothurne, in a lofty or in a Courtly ſtile,Eſay 1.21. cryeth out and complaineth on the corrupt and degenerate Judges of Judah, that were in his time; How is the faithful City become an Harlot? It was full of Judgment, Righteouſneſs lodged in it, but now Murderers. Here was a ſtrange alteration, and a moſt wonderful Innovation indeed, in reſpect of their life and manners; When thoſe that ſhould execute Judgment and declare righteous things to the people, did practice nothing elſe but the contrary; Nothing elſe but miſcheif and murder, deſtruction and unhappineſs were in their wayes, and the way of Peace, Truth, and Juſtice they did not know. Whereupon the Prophet further upbraideth and accuſeth them thus, by way of ſimilitude and compariſon, ſaying, Argentum34 tuum abijt in ſcorias, merum tuum Inſpurcatum eſt aquâ (i. e. ) thy Silver is become droſs, thy wine mixt with water, thy Princes are rebellious and Companions of Theives. Unuſquiſque amat munus, et ſectetur retributiones, Every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; And that you may perceive he ſpeaketh directly of coverous and unjuſt Judges, the words following do intimate it unto us; They judge not the Fatherleſs, neither doth the Cauſe of the Widdow come unto them. No, it ſeems they were all for money and bribes, no juſt and honeſt or upright dealing was amongſt them, no regard, or pitty, or Commiſeration of the poor at all; The weakeſt went to the wall (as we ſay) the poor Widdow was deſpiſed, the Orphane and fatherleſs Children were ſet at nought; Therefore ſaith the Lord, the Lord of hoſts, even the mighty God of Iſrael; Eheu, ah, ſaith he, (ſhaking his head as it were for grief at their great cruelty and oppreſſion, and deeply conſidering of it and laying it to heart) Ah ſaith he, I will eaſe me of mine Adverſaies, and avenge me of mine enemies; And I will turn my hand upon thee, Et defaecans ſcorias tuas, Juſtae puritati reſtituam te; Whereby the Prophets compariſon, the Lord takes upon35 him to be an artificial Finer, and purifier of ſilver from droſs, as Tremelius tells us directly on the Text; Ut manu meâ tanquam Artifex eos qui improbi ſunt a probis ſeparem, refundendo totam Rempublicam velut Adulterinum nummum; I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy droſs, and take away all thy tin; Where by droſs and tin, he meaneth the wicked and ungodly, which are indeed the groſſer and the worſer mettal, and as it were the excrements of gold and ſilver; Reſtituamque Judices tuos ſicut primum; And I will reſtore thy Judges as at the firſt, and thy Counſellors as at the beginning; Afterwards, ſaith the Lord, (i. e. ) after all this, when I have ſeperated the precious from the vile, when I have thus purged thee from thy droſs, and taken away all thy tin, then thy ſilver ſhall appear, and give ſhine unto the world; For thou ſhalt be called, Civitas Juſta, et urbs Fidelis; The City of Righteouſneſs, or the Faithful City. Jezabel ſhall lay aſide her witty crafts and her paintings, Rohab ſhall believe and receive the Spies with peace,Heb. 11.31. the Harlot ſhall be metamorphoſed or transformed and turned as it were into an honeſt woman, Zion ſhall be redeemed with Judgment, (ſaith Eſay) and her Converts with Righteouſneſſe;36 And the deſtruction of the Tranſgreſſors, and of the Sinners ſhall be together, and they that for ſake the Lord ſhall be even as droſs is in the fire. For as the Lord ſaith by the mouth of his Prophet Jeremy, Behold I will melt them and try them. Ier. 9.7.And Malachy placeth him, being Antiquus dierum, The Antient of dayes, in the ſeat of Judgment,Mal. 3.3. ſaying, He ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifier of ſilver, he ſhall purify the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and ſilver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteouſneſſe.
Now although (Exempla illuſtrant & non probant) yet to give you a preſident or two for the cleering and illuſtrating of this point, and to ſingle you out ſome egregious and notorious examples of covetous, corrupt, unjuſt, and unconſcionable Judges; That one in the Goſpel may be the firſt that ſhall be arraigned in this Catalogue, and brought before the Tribunal of divine Juſtice, becauſe he is beſt known unto you, his bill of Inditement is drawn out, delivered, and deciphered unto us by the exact penſil of the Evangeliſt St. Luke thus;Luke 18.2. and therefore is the more remarkable: There was in a City a Judge which feared not God, neither regarded man; It ſeems by this he was guilty of the breach of both Tables, a tranſgreſſor of37 the whole decalogue, peccant and delinquent he was, in reſpect of all the Commandements; for he neglected his duty both towards God and man, this was his general Obliquity, but his particular fault and offence was this; There was a certain Widdow in that City, and ſhe came unto him ſaying, Avenge me of mine Adverſary, and he would not for a while; Here was his obſtinacy and injuſtice, joyned with uncharitableneſs, by delaying her ſuit, and protracting the time (a common fault of our cunning covetous Lawyers in theſe dayes, to make a demur of their poor Clients cauſes, and hold them in ſuſpence Term after Term, till they have emptied their purſes, and brought them to want and penury. But according to that ſaying (Secundae Cogitationes ſunt meliores) Afterward this unjust Judge ſaid within himſelf, though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet becauſe this Widdow troubleth me, I will right her, and avenge, her leſt by her continual coming ſhe weary me; And the Lord ſaid hear what the unjuſt Judge ſaith. As if he had ſaid, do you not mark the end of his ſpeech? obſerve his aim and his drift, how that not for fear of God, nor reſpect to man, not for love of juſtice to the poor Widdow: but meerly for his own end,38 and his own eaſe, Ne tandem veniens, obtundat me, Leſt by her continual coming ſhe weary me; Hear what the unjuſt Judge ſaith (ſaith God) ſhall he avenge the Widdow by reaſon of her Importunity? And ſhall not God who is the Judge of all the Earth do right?Gen. 18.25. ſhall not he avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him, with a Quo uſque domine? How long Lord holy and true, as thoſe ſouls do that lye under the Altar, Revel. 6. Shall not he judge and avenge their blood on them that dwell on the earth, even on them which Cauſeleſsly and Injutiouſly ſpilt it, though be bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them and that ſpeedily; Nevertheleſs when the Son of man cometh ſhall he find faith on the Earth? No ſurely, for great Apoſtacy, falſe doctrine and hereſie, and a general corruption of manners ſhall then be praedominant, the love of many ſhall wax cold, Faith ſhall ſcarce be found at Chriſts coming; There muſt be a departing and falling away from Faith towards God, and love towards man, an infallible note of Antichriſt and the laſt days Et jam receſſit lex a Sacerdotibus, et jam Terras Aſtraea reliquit, The Law is now departed from the Priest, and Juſtice from the Magiſtrate, the foundations of the39 Earth are out of courſe, as the Pſalmiff complaineth; Yea all things are grown ſo naught, and there is ſuch an univerſal defection and corruption, both in the Civil State and Eccleſiaſtical, that it begun of late years, even in the reign of the late King, through a common fame to grow into a Proverb,Note that this was when they left the Law of Magna Charta and ſet up a Law of their own like the Law of the Jewes to put Chriſt to death: ſo they ſet up the High Court of Iuſtice to put the King to death. How that the Judges had betrayed the Law, and the Biſhops had almoſt deſtroyed and overthrown the Goſpel. Horreſto referens atque animus meminiſſe horet lactuque refugit; O tell it not in Gath, nor publiſh it in the ſtreets of Askalon! I could here tell you of another unjuſt Judge, beſides the former, which is alſo recorded in the Goſpel, and I cannot well paſſe over his name in ſilence, although I cannot chuſe but name him with a kind of indignation and diſdain; 'tis Pontius Pilate by name, who was Governour of Judaea, as St. Luke reports it, chap. 3. v. 1. Deputy and Lieutenant he was to Tiberius Caeſar, the Roman Emperour, under whom our Saviour ſuffered; This was he who to humour, content, and pleaſure the people, he was indeed too popular and pleaſing in his dealings (For he knew that of envy they had delivered him) who though he found no fault at all in that Immaculate Lanb of God Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed40 Lord and Saviour, yet contrary to all Law and Juſtice, contrary to his own Conſcience, yea conttary to that ſpecial Item, and ſerious Admonition which his Wife gave him, being warned in a dream ſo to do, for ſhe ſent him this meſſage; Have thou nothing to do with that juſt man, for I have ſuffered many things this day in a dream becauſe of him, Math. 27.18, 19. Although his Wife (being Divinitas Inſpirata as it were) ſent thus unto him, when he was ſet down on the Judgment ſeat, yet he regarded it not, but pronounced the ſentence of Condemnation againſt that holy, and innocent, and juſt one; Who alſo though he ſent an Epiſtle to Tiberius to excuſe the fact, and laid all the fault on the Jews and their malice, (as Sixtus Senenſis relates it) yet Stygma Injuſtitiae, the brand and blemiſh, the ſpot and ſtain of injuſtice, of partial and wrongful dealing, ſhall ſtick upon his name, ſo long as that ſuperſcription which he ſet upon the Croſſe, ſhall remain to be read and recited in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, becauſe all nations might underſtand it and remember it;Ioh. 19.20. Or at leaſt as long as that Goſpel of our Saviours death and paſſion ſhall be read and preached throughout the world. I could here produce and41 inſtance in more ſuch Judges, eſpecially you would but give leave to the Ha••maid to wait upon her Miſtris; For mention is made in humane ſtory of one Verlenius, who was in the days of the Roman Emperour Alexander Severus; He abuſed the favour of the Emperour, and took much money of divers to prefer their Suces, but deluded them and did them no good: When the Emperour underſtood it, he cauſed him to be hanged up in a Chimney (as ſome have it) or as others, he commanded him to be tyed in propatulo, in publick view to a ſtake, and there to be ſuffocated, and ſtifled, or choked to death with ſmoke, an Herald proclaiming to the people, Fumum vendidit, et fumo punitus eſt, Smoke he ſold and with ſmoke he is puniſhed; It ſeems that Juſtice is too much turned into ſmoke amongſt us; we have many ſittings and meetings in the Country, which put us in mind, and both pretend and promiſe ſome hope of reforming of diſorders, and ſuppreſſing, or at the leaſt diminiſhing and decreaſing that World of Alehouſes, that is now adays, but all turn into ſmoak, and vaniſh into nothing; the Cath-pole Exciſe man goes away with all the gains, the poor Country man pays all, or elſe he muſt drink42 ſixteens; here's ſmall Juſtice, and poor reformation of Exorbitancies.
Another fearful example was read in Herodotus, that when a Judge for mony, and for lucre, had pronounced a falſe ſentence; the King of the Perſians cauſed him to be excoriated and fleyed alive; and commanded that his skin ſhould be nailed over the Seat of Judgement, there to remain for ever as a terrour to ſucceeding Judges, and that the Son of the ſame Judge, ſhould firſt ſupply the Seat, that by his Fathers example, he might take heed of perverting Juſtice: A juſt Judgement inflicted upon a corrupt Judge; which if it move you not, becauſe a Heathen was the Author of the ſtory; yet hearken to the Law of God, againſt which no exception can be taken; Curſed is he that taketh a reward, to put to death innocent blood, and all the people ſhall ſay Amen, Deut. 27.15.
Such Judges as theſe, our own Chronicles do afford us ſufficient Teſtimony, and Examples of, and they teſtifie that there were ſuch in the Reign of King Richard the Second, namely Sir Robert Treſilian Lord Chief Juſtice, with ſix more Judges, and divers others of great places, who did not faithfully Counſel the43 King; but adviſe him to do things contrary to Law, whereupon they were cenſured in a Parliament holden at that time; ſome of them were Executed, and ſome Exiled and Baniſhed the Land for their Faſehood and Treachery; and ſuch Judges as theſe we have had of late years again, who have run into the ſame Errour, and faln into the like premunire, as they did, by deluding and perſwading the King againſt the Subject, and by alienating and exaſperating the hearts of the Subject againſt the King, and the like unlawful and ungodly Stratagems & practices: Nay more than this, their wickedneſſe and vileneſſe did not here ceaſe, but they proceeded yet farther, and ſet up a High Court of Juſtice (as they called it) and both Indited and Arraigned the King himſelf at their Barr, and made a Law among themſelves (as the Jews did) to put that pious Prince to death, and to divide his Head from his Shoulders, and this they did contrary to Magna Charta; and contrary to all Law and Juſtice; & theſe were Judge Bradſhaw, Hacker, Harriſon, Cook, and their Com-plices, who ſate in Judgement upon him, as Pilate and his Souldiers did upon Chriſt, and Condemned him as a Traytor againſt the State; but theſe Judges44 for ſome part of them, have of late been detected, and found out, and received Severe and Condign puniſhment, for their Cruel, Hainous, and Bloody Offences; and that blood which was thus ſhed about twelve years ſince, is not yet expiated, neither is the hand quite purged from it; therefore we may well ſay of them, as the old Patriarch Jacob did of Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.6. In arcam eorum ne ingreditor anima mea, in Caetum eorum ne adunator gloria mea; O my Soul come not thou into their ſecret, unto their Aſſembly mine honour be not thou united; for in their anger they ſlew a man (that was ten thouſand times better than themſelves;) and in their ſelfwill, they digged down a wall; Curſed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, fot it was cruel; I will divide them in Jacob, and ſcatter them in Iſrael.
Thus when he maketh inquiſition fot blood he remembreth it, and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor, Pſal. 9.12. for although God revengeth not ſuddenly the wrong done to his Servants, yet he ſuffereth not the wicked alwayes to eſcape unpuniſhed; So we read that God raiſed up the Holy Spirit of a young Child, whoſe name was Daniel, to acquit and45 clear innocent Suſanna from that falſe and unjuſt accuſation, which thoſe two corrupt, vicious, and laſcivious Elders had brought againſt her, return again to Iudgment ſaid he, for they have born falſe witneſſe againſt her; and therefore ſuch corrupt Judges as theſe, or as Felix was, who kept Paul in priſon, hoping that mony ſhould be given him to let him looſe, Acts 24.27, and ſuch as the Sons of Samuel were, who turned aſide after Iucre, and took rewards, and perverted Judgement, 1 Sam. 8. they muſt be removed and taken away from the King, for they are but droſſe, ſo ſaith my Text, Take away the droſſe from the ſilver, and there ſhall come, &c. We have ſhewed you that falſe Prophets, and covertous corrupt Judges are but droſſe in compariſon of ſilver. III. Flattering Courtiers are droſs.
In the third place we may obſerve, that fawning Paraſites, that is to ſay, flattering and aſpiring Courtiers muſt be removed and taken away from the King, for they are but like droſſe, in reſpect of pure ſilver, and to make us abominate, abhor, and deteſt ſuch, and to make us out of love with ſuch droſſe and refuſe of men, David the King ſaith, Pſal. 120.2. Deliver my Soul (O Lord) from lying lips, and from a deceitfull tongue; and in the 12th. Pſalm, he alſo ſaith, They that do46 but flatter with their lips, and diſſemble with their double hearts. the Lord ſhall root out all ſuch deceitful perſons; He meaneth the flatterers of the Court, which hurt him more with their tongues, than the Philiſtines, or any open Enemy can do with their weapons; And Solomon ſaith to the ſame effect, & purpoſe Prov. 27.5, 6. Open rebuke is better than ſecret love ▪ fidelia ſunt vulnera amici, Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kiſſes of an enemy are deceitful, even as the kiſſes of Joab and Judas were; Let the Righteous ratherſmite me friendly (ſaith David) and reprove me,2 Sam. 20.9. but let not their precious balms break mine head; That is,Pſal. 141.6, 6. let not their proſperities (like the Apples of Hippomane caſt before Atalenta) let them not allure me, nor intice me to be wicked as they are; yea I will pray yet againſt their wickedneſſe; or as ſome tranſlations have it, within a while, I ſhall even pray in their miſeries: So that he could abides and take in good part, all corrections, redarguitions, and repreſenſions that came from a loving, and tender, and friendly heart, and ſheweth withall, that by a patient waiting upon God, he ſhall ſee the wicked ſo ſharply and ſeverely handled, that he ſhall even at the laſt for pity be fain to pray for them; howſoever47 in the mean time he prayes for him ſelf, ſaying, ver. 10, 11. Keep me from the Snare that they have laid for me, and from the Traps and Gins of theſe evil doers, let the ungodly fall into their own nets together, and let me ever eſcape them. Syracides alſo, or the Son of Syrach, ſpeaks to the ſame purpoſe, adviſing us to take heed of flattering, diſſembling, and deceitful Companions, Eccl. 28.18. Where he ſaith, Many have fallen by the edge of the Sword; but not ſo many as have fallen by the Tongue: He means a falſe flattering, and back-biting Tongue: and he ſaith further, well is he that is defended from it, and hath not paſſed through the venom thereof, for it is ſaid of the wicked, the poyſon of Aspes is under their Lips, Pſal. 14. and in Pſal. 5.9.10. There is no faithfulneſs in his mouth, their inward parts are very wickedneſs, their throat is an open Sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue; and according to this St. Gregory ſaith, plus nocet lingua Adulatoris, quam gladius perſecutoris; the tongue of the flatteter doth more hurt, than the ſword of the perſecutor; and worthy Biſhop Babington, compares lying, flattering, dawbing, and ſmoothing, and the like cunning, equivocating, and ſophiſticating48 tricks to theft, and calls it (furtum linguae) the theft of the tongue; So we read that Abſalom ſtole away the hearts of the men of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 15.16. and ſo falſe Ziba ſtole the goods of his Maſter Mephiboſheth, 2 Sam. 16. ſo theſe Sycophants, theſe Paraſites, and Flatterers, are great Theives both in Court and Country; they are not only dominorum ſuorum arciſores, ſed etiam arcoſores, not only private ſmilers upon, but open and manifeſt Cheators, and Couzeners, and beguilers of their Lords and Maſters, and therefore (as one ſaith wittilly) let a Flatterer be in your Pater Noster, but not in your Creed; pray for him, but truſt him no more than a Thief; albeit neither City nor Country be free from ſuch Cut-throats and Cut-purſes; yet the Courts of Kings and Princes are eſpecially peſtered with ſuch kind of Thieves: indeed the ſaying is true, Exeat Aulâ, qui volet eſſe pius, (i.e.) the Court is no place for the Practice of Piety, but rather for the Exerciſe of Policy: And Barnard was wont to complain, that the Court is wont to receive ſuch as are good, but to make them bad; bonos facilius recipere quàm̄49 facers, nam plures in aula defeciſſe bonos quam profeciſſe malos probavimus, and Budaeus ſaith, all Courtiers muſt be like Chamelions, accommodating themſelves unto all Companies; ut aſſentioni & aſſentationi ſcitè aſſerviatur, hilling and clipping, cringing and couching, and bowing to all they meet; reſembling the fiſh called Polypus, who applyes himſelf to the colour of the Rock, againſt which it Swims, or whereon it lyes; or much like the Herb called Tripolium, which (as Antigonus reporteth of it) every day changeth his colour thrice: being ſometime white, ſometime Violet, and ſometime Carnation: or if you will have it, they are like the flower called Heliotropium, or the Marigold, which openeth upon the Sun-riſing, and ſhutteth with the Sun-ſetting: ſo theſe time-ſerving Gnathoes, theſe flattering Claw-backs, will follow you, and fawn upon you, whilſt you are thriving, but when you are declining and decaying, they will ſuddenly leave you, and forſake you, groſſe and apparant Sycophants and Paraſites, they are uno ore calcidum & frigidum pro ſuis commodis efflare periti; creeping up to honour per mille indignitates,50 through a thouſand diſhonours, and diſgraces ſaith Seneca, which made Hippolitus to cry and ſay,
And another to the ſame purpoſe ſpeaks, quò quis Corruptior moribus, & Corrumpentior munoribus eò beatire. The Court is all for mony, making Oxen to labour, and Aſſes to feed; It is a mint of Faſhions,Iob. 4.14. and exchange of Complements, a ſhame to Shamefaſtneſſe, an animator and encourager of all Impudency and Impiety; omnis ſceleris mater nutrixque nefandi, the very Mother and Nurſe of all pride and ungodlineſſe; what was it that made Haman ſo Haughty and Imperious, Proud and inſolent, ſo full of malice and miſchief, and ſo deſirous of revenge, but the Court of King Ahaſhuerus, and the great honour and promotion therein, which by his inſinuating ſubtilty, and cunning flattery, he had aſpir'd and attained unto? for he perſwaded the King, and ſollicited him againſt the Jews, telling him that their51 Lawes were divers and contrary to all other, Neither keep they the Kings Laws (ſaid he) therefore it is not for the Kings profit to ſuffer them, Heſter 3.8. Thus his flattering and falſe ſuggeſtions, his envious and malicious Informations to the King, had like to have proved the bane and ruine, and utter extirpation and deſtruction of the people and nation of the Jews; So likewiſe thoſe Preſidents and Princes of Darius, flattered and ſoothed the King exceedingly, when they procured him to make that unreaſonable and ungodly Decree, that whoſoever ſhould make or aske a petition of any God or man for thirty dayes, ſave of him the King, ſhould preſently be caſt into the Den of Lions, and this they did to that very end, that they might find occaſion againſt Daniel concerning the Law of his God, and ſo accuſe him for neglecting and deſpiſing the Kings Decree, Dan. 6.5. But afterwards, namely in the 14th. verſe, it is ſaid, that the King was ſore diſpleaſed with himſelf, and why? becauſe he was ſo ſeduced, and over-ruled by his flattering Courtiers, to make ſuch a ſtrict and ſtraight Law, which could not be altered52 nor reverſed: for though he ſet his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and laboured Uſque ad occaſum Solis, till the going down of the Sun, to effect it, yet he could not prevail, becauſe the Law of the Medes and Perſians was ſuch, that no Decree nor Statute which the King eſtabliſh'd might be changed; Therefore let Kings eſpecially take heed of Flatterers, let them take heed of raſh Oaths, and of being led by their Favourites and Minions, to take off the Head of John the Baptiſt, as Herod did, Math. 14. And to avoid this, let all Flattering falſe-hearted Courtiers be taken away from before the King, for they are but droſſe; Let their Faces rather be covered as Hamans was, when that great Monarch was offended and diſpleaſed with him, Hest. 7.8. Yea let them not have ſo much priveledge or favour to behold the Kings face, for they are no true Friends of his, no good Subjects to his Majeſty, or well-willers to the State; For as King Priamus believing Sinons ſmooth Tale,Virgil L•b. 1. aenead. let in the Trojan Horſe, which was a means of burning, and deſtroying that antient, and famous, and flouriſhing City of Troy, which was Columen pollentis Aſiae, as Seneca calls it in his Tragedyes, yea, as the Syrens ſong,53 is ſometimes the Saylors ſhipwrack, and as the Poet ſaith, Fiſcula dulcè canil, volucrem dum decipit anceps; As the ſweet melodious pipe or whiſtle of the cunning Fowler, entrappeth and enſnareth the ſilly Bird: So theſe kind of men do eate like mothes into liberal mens Coats; They are the very bane and conſumption of Grearneſſe, they rob many a Great man of his Goodneſſe, and make him rob and deprive the Common-wealth of her happineſſe; Therefore howſoever theſe Sinons and Syrens may tempt us and alure us, let us not hearken to them, nor regard them, but rather remember the good and wholeſome words of wiſe Caſcandra, who ſaid,Timeo Danaos vel dona ferentes.
And calling to mind what David ſaith concerning ſuch dangerous Charmers and Inchanters,Pſal. 141.4, 5, 6. Pſal. 141. O let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing, let me not be occupied in ungodly works, with the men that work wickedneſs; leſt I eat of their dainties, or of ſuch things as pleaſe them; Let the Righteous rather ſmite me friendly, and reprove me, but let not their precious balms break44 mine head, yea I will pray yet againſt their wickedneſſe; And therefore let us baniſh and abandon them, and both deſire and endeavour to put away ſuch droſſe from the King. Take away the droſſe from the ſilver, &c.
IIII. wicked Counſellors are droſs.In the next place, wicked and ſeducing Councellors may well be compared to droſſe likewiſe; What is worſe or more deſpicable than droſſe? So what can be worſe than evil Counſel, or more to be loathed and abhorred? Such a Counſellor, and wicked Prompter, and Suggeſter, was Sathan, when he ſeduced our firſt Parents, and tempted them to eat of the forbidden fruit; God ſaid, In the day that thou eateſt thou ſhalt dye; Eve being poyſoned and corrupted by that Old Serpent ſaid; Leſt ye dye; Sathan himſelf ſaid, Ye ſhall not dye at all, for God doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof, ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evil; A ſhrewd temptation and a ſubtile one, but he lyed every word he ſpake;Iob. 8. being a Liar from the beginning and the Father thereof. Thus as Bernard deſcants upon that place and paſſage in Geneſis wittily and accutely; Deus affirmat, Mulier dubitet. 55Diabolus negat; God affirms it, the Woman doubts it, the Devil denies it, and which of theſe will ye hearken unto? Such a Counſellor was Achitophel to Abſalom, when he adviſed him to riſe up againſt his Father David e and to thruſt him out of his Throne and Kingdome, 2 Sam. 17. But th•Lord did defeat his Counſel and turn it into Folly, and ſo the ſaying was verified, Conſilium malum conſultori peſſimum, for it brought them both to ſhame and confuſion, the one hang'd himſelf, and the other was hanged in a Tree, Even in an Oak between Heaven and Earth, and they took him and caſt him into a great pit, and laid a mighty great heap of ſtones upon him; without all queſtion, that it might be an enſign and ſpectacle of terror to all Paricides and Traytors that ſhould either rebel againſt their Prince, or riſe up againſt their Parents, 2 Sam. 18.17. Such miſcheivous, miſadviſed, and raſhheaded Counſellors were thoſe Youngmen who Counſelled Rehoboam to play the Tyrant over his people, and to chaſtiſe them with Scorpions; The old, and Grave, and Sage, and Beaten Counſellors adviſed him otherwiſe,56 ſaying, Shew thy ſelf kind and loving to the people this day, and they will. be thy Servants for ever; But he forſooke the good and wholeſome Counſel which the Old men gave him, and followed the Counſel of the Young men, which was his own deſtruction, 2 Chron. 10. Even Kings going••ight are ſometimes miſled by naughty Counſellors, as is ſaid of Joaſh one of the Kings of Judah, he did uprightly all the dayes of Jehojada the Prieſt, but when he was dead, the Princes of Judah came, and did reverence to him, and he hearkened to them, and ſo left the houſe of the Lord,2 Chron. 14. and ſerved Groves and Idols; O well is it with Kings when they have ſuch Chaplains and ſuch Preiſts as Jehojada; Such Prophets as Samuel was to Saul, and Daniel to Belſhazzar! O well is it with the Church, When Kings are nurſing Fathers, and Queens are nurſing Mothers unto it, Eſay 29.13. And well is it likewiſe with the State, if godly Miniſters and religious prudent Counſellors, hang as a precious Jewel, or Ear-ring at the Princes ear! If Joſeph a man that feareth God be a Counſellor to King Pharoah, he will adviſe him to lay up Corn in the years57 of plenty,Gen. 41.6. enough to ſupply his Land and ſuſtain the people in the time of dearth and ſcarcity. If Nehemiah be gratious in the Court of the King Artaxerxes, the afflictions and diſtreſſes of his poor brethren in Captivity, ſhall be laid to heart,Nebem. 18.10. and the walles of Jeruſalem, to the utmoſt of his power ſhall be rebuilt. Worthily hath Eraſmus obſerved in an Epiſtle to John Alaſto, that if we had more Biſhops like Ambroſe, we ſhould have more Emperors like Theodoſius. If Brentius the Divine be Counſellor to the Duke of Wittenberge, Religion thereby ſhall be better eſtabliſhed and advanced. If Occam the Schoolman fly to Lewis the Emperour, he may well ſay as he did Defende me gladio, et ego te defendam Calamo, protect thou me with thy Sword, and I will defend thee with my Pen, as Tritenhemius hath obſerved. In a word, if the Kingdome be ruled, and governed, and ſwayed by Gods Scepter, it will continue, and it will proſper, for that is a right Scepter indeed as it is called, Pſal. 45. If the King himſelf make the word of God his Counſellor, as David did, Pſal. 119. and as he is admoniſhed to do, Deut. 5817.18. Then ſhall he prolong his dayes in his Kingdome, and God ſhall lengthen his life, and make his dayes as the dayes of Heaven; Then ſhall a Crown of pure gold be ſet upon his head, and upon his head ſhall his Crown flouriſh, maugre the head and hatred of all his enemies, if he ſhall purge and put away this and the like droſſe that I have ſpecified from the ſilver, then I ſay his Crown ſhall be ſetled upon his head, and his Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe. The Goſpel is the beſt Pearl or precious Stone in his Diadem, the faireſt Flower in his Garland, it is the only Ornament, and chiefeſt glory of a Kingdome, the main and principal preſerver and upholder of a State or Nation next under Chriſt: But on the other ſide (as Solomon ſaith) Where there is no Viſion, the people decay, Prov. 29. Yea both Prince and People will ſoon rue it and goe to wrack, if the Goſpel of Chriſt have not free paſſage amongſt us, or if the ſincere and faithful Preachers therrof, by the divelliſh and malicious ſubtilty of ſome Popiſh, Politick and Peſtiferous Enemies of the Church; be ſilenc'd and ſuppreſſ'd. 59O then conſider I beſeech you (beloved) how it behoveth us to pray unto God, that he would be pleaſed to endow, enrich, and adorn the Kings moſt excellent Majeſty, with the undaunted Courage and Conſtancy of Nehemiah, with the Zeal and Care of the good King Joſiah, for the reformation of Religion, and with the ſtedfaſt and pious Reſolution of King David, which he profeſſeth and proteſteth that he would uſe and obſerve in the Goverment of his own Houſe and Kingdome, Pſal. 101.6, 7, 8. Who ſo leadeth a godly life, he ſhall be my Servant, there ſhall no deceitful perſon dwell in my houſe, he that telleth Lies ſhall not tarry in my ſight, I will ſoon, deſtroy all the ungodly that are in the Land, that I may root out all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. To this end alſo wee had need alwayes to pray for him, not only that the name of the mighty God of Jacob may defend him from all evil, and from all his enemies, O watch over him with the careful eye of thy ſpecial providence, O prepare thy loving mercy, and faithfulneſs that they may preſerve him; But alſo it behoveth us60 to pray, that the Lord would be pleaſed to bleſſe and furniſh & aſſiſt his ſacred Majeſty with good and wiſe Counſellors, O ſuch as are faithful to God, true to the State, and loyal to their Soveraign. Parva ſunt foris arma, niſi eſt conſileum domi, Where no Counſel is, the people fall; but where many Counſellors are there is health, Prov, 11.14. The wiſdome of ſuch is better than ſtrength, yea than weapons of war, Eccl. 9.16. Here let us pray for our King as Abigail did for King David, 1 Sam. 25.27. Let the Soul of my Lord the King be bound up in the bundle of Life with the Lord his God, and as for the Souls of his enemies, let them be flung out as out of the middle of a ſting. I will conclude this paſſage with that prayer of David, Pſal. 72.1.
61GIve the King thy Iudgements O God, &c. Then ſhall He Judge the people according unto right, and Defend the Poor; the Mountains alſo ſhall bring Peace, and the little Hills Righteouſneſſe unto the People; He ſhall keep the ſimple Folk by their right, and defend the Children of the Poor, and puniſh the wrong doer; They ſhall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endureth, from one Generation to another; He ſhall come down like the Rain into a Fleece of Wool, even as the drops that water the Earth; In His time ſhall the Righteous flouriſh, yea, and abundance of Peace ſo long as the Moon endureth.
Which Bleſſings the Lord grant unto Our King, and to all his Loving, and Loyal Subjects whatſoever, and this let us all Humbly and Heartily, Joyntly and Devoutly pray for, and crave, and beg at His Hands for His tender Mercy Sake in Chriſt Jeſus Our62 Lord; to whom with Thee (O Heavenly Father) and Thy Holy and Eternal Spirit, Three in One and One in three, one Immortal, Inviſible, Indiviſible, Incomprehenſible, and only Ever-wiſe God, be Rendred and Aſcribed (as of due belongeth) all Honour and Glory, Power and Praiſe, Thanksgiving, and Obedience, both now and for Evermore, Amen.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A89448)
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