3. His by immediate representation; this honour is given them, τὴν τάξιν Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἔχειν, to be God's both by name and office: so they are called, the gods of the people, Exod. xxii. 28. Their throne God's throne, 1 Chron. xxix. 23. Their sceptre God's sceptre, Exod. iv. 20. Their judgement God's judgement, Deut. i. 17. Not only all from him; but all for him, and in his stead'. per 4. His by special care, and more particular protection and provision, "Touch not mine anointed." Not 'tactu cordis ;' with so much as an evil thought, either of jealousy to suspect their actions, or of injury to wish hurt unto their sons. (Eccles. x. 20) Not tactu oris;' with so much as a repining or calumniating tongue, to gnaw the names or honours of the rulers of the people; (Exod. xxii. 28) much less with the fist of violence, or in the instruments of blood. If one anointed do but touch the skirt of another, that touch of a garment will cause a blow upon his own heart. (1 Sam. xxiv. 5) It is noted of the Persians", when they came into the presence of their prince, they drew their hands into their sleeves, in token both of reverence and loyalty: they would not have a hand stirring, whilst majesty was in presence. Cursed therefore for ever be Mariana's" quacunque arte,' and Bellarmine's omni ratione'; (terms as wide as hell, or the grave, to comprehend any contrivance of mischief) whereby they touch to the quick, or rather to the death, both the persons, and power, the lives and crowns, of God's anointed. 0 6 5. His by donation and sovereign influence over their persons, wills, counsels, designs, to order, to alter, to turn them all, as rivers of water. It is not within the power, nor seeming the distance and duty of inferior men, to bend and draw down the minds of princes unto their will. But "the king's heart is in God's hand," and he can turn and fashion it as it pleaseth him. (Prov. xxi. 1. Job xii. 24) Therefore, when Nehemiah was to petition the king, he prayed to the God of heaven, who only was able to incline the heart of the 1 Rex erat; ergo alium præter Deum non timebat; Hieron. ad Eustach. de Virgin.-Ambros. Apolog. David. cap. 10.-Cassiod. in Psalm 1.-Justin Martyr. Quæst. 142. Principe. m Xenoph. Hellenic. lib. 11. • Bellarm. lib. 5. de Pont. Rom. c. 7. ges scripsit. Plin. in Panegyr. u Marian. lib. 6. de P Nemo Principi le king to favour him; (Nehem. ii. 4) and so Mordecai and Esther; (Chap. iv. 16, and v. 2) and Jacob for his sons, when they were to return to Joseph. (Gen. xliii. 14) a Lastly, The princes in the text belong to God in a more sweet propriety than all the former, namely, by religion and subjection to the yoke of Christ: because they gather themselves to the people of the God of Abraham. Not only to the rulers, so Cyrus was; but, which is a more heavenly privilege than that, to the members of the church of God; to be nursing-fathers to the household of Christ, to kiss the son, and to bow to his sceptre. We call not those kings happy, saith Saint Austin, who have reigned long and conquered enemies; "Sed qui potestatem suam Divinæ Majestati famulam faciunt," who make their power serviceable to the majesty of God. And he telleth us of Theodosius, that godly emperor, that "it was more joy to him to be a member of the church, than a monarch of the world." On which place we find noted the like example of Lewis the Devout, amongst the French kings; who professed himself more honoured at the font, where he had been baptized for a Christian, than in the throne where he was anointed for a king. e Thus now we have brought their first dignity and their duty together. For it is not the honour only, but the office, of the shields to belong to God. You cannot well be the shields of the earth, except you learn of him who is the great master of protection. And surely religion is an excellent schoolmaster, to teach us our duties in our particular callings. The prophet telleth us, that the very husbandman is taught of God "how to sow and thresh." (Isai. xxviii. 26) David, a great warrior; where learned he his skill? "Thou teachest my hands to fight." (Psalm xviii. 34) Bezaleel, an excellent workman; whose apprentice was he? "God hath filled him with wisdom and understanding." (Exod. xxxv. 21) Solomon, an admirable shield for government; who framed him? "I," saith God, "have a Isai. xlix. 23, and lx. 11, 16. Civit. Dei, lib. 5. c. 24. d Ecclesiæ se membrum esse magis quàm in ter- ris regnate gaudebat: ib. cap. 26. f given thee an understanding heart." (1 Kings iii. 12) Religion makes a man redeem the time; and time, you know, is 'mater artium,' the mother of skill. And religion makes a man go to God; and God, you know, is pater luminum,' the father of every good gift. Therefore the scholar when he prayeth, studieth hard: the tradesman when he prayeth, thrives apace: the judge when he prayeth, executeth judgement; as the mower when he whetteth, cutteth down the grass. The learned have made the observation to my hand. Phineas stood up, Vaiephallel, “and he prayed," saith our translation; and 'he executed judgement,' saith another. The original word bears both, to note that religion doth marvellously fit a man for works of justice. If you ask me, who was the best soldier in the armies of Israel against Amalek? certainly not he that lifted up his sword against the enemies of Israel, but Moses, who lifted up his hands to the God of Israel. Be pleased ever to remember this, it is 'Scuta Deo,' that makes Scuta Terræ;' it is religion ever that holds up justice it is from the temple that the two pillars (strength and stability) of a commonwealth do proceed. (1 Kings vii. 21) Therefore Plato & would have the palace of princes joined unto temples: to note that government and religion, prayer and justice, the whole word and the sword, should never be severed. And mark it ever in the whole course of story, "Ubi non est sanctitas, pietas, fides, instabile regnum est"." With religion, the arches of strength and steadiness have been ever endangered, and the people have been shaken like a reed in the waters. (1 Kings xiv. 15) Therefore, ever let the anointed ones, Zerubbabel and Joshua, the prince and the priest, the magistrate and the minister, stand always before the Lord; no where else can they receive instruction for the government of state or church. (Zech. iv. 15) And here again the doctrine of the Jesuits deserves a brand: "Ut nihil scilicet princeps de religione statuat;" That matters of the church and the worship of God should be left only to Saint Peter's apostolical successors; and that princes should in no case have power, government, or juris f Bishop Andrews. Mr. Sanderson on that Text. g Lib. 6. de legib. h Senec. in Thyest. Lactant. de Ira, cap. 12.-Arist. Polit. 1. 7.-Valer. Max. lib. 1. c. 1.-Hooker's Polity, lib. 5. sect. 1. k Marian. cap. 10. diction ecclesiastical. Bellarmine' undertakes it, "Quod non fit ecclesiasticum regimen penes principes seculares." Certainly the High Priests arrogated not so much in David's time, who did himself order the courses and attendance of the Levites. (1 Cor. ix) Nor yet in Hezekiah's time, who himself appointed the services of the priests and Levites, and gave special order by royal edict for the celebration of the great passover, and that too at an usual time. (2 Chron. xxx. and xxxi.) So Jehoshaphat and Josiah did not only make special provision for the service of God, but gave the priests and Levites their charge, as well as the judges and people. (2 Chron. xix. and xxxiv. 35) Yea, long since Saint Peter's time, it was a prerogative which Constantinem reserved to himself (who yet honoured his bishops as much as ever prince did) to purge the church of idolatry, and establish the worship of God by his own imperial edicts, yea, himself to appoint judges in the case of Cicilian bishop of Africa, and to convent a whole council of bishops to render an account of their proceedings against Athanasius unto him, as Socrates notes. So Jovian and Theodosius, by their royal edicts", restored the orthodox and pure religion, which Julian and Valens had disgraced. Neither did Theophilus, bishop of Alexandria, demolish the monuments of idolatry in his own church, till first he had procured from the emperor a special command so to do. And this use of their power, the godly bishops of the church did highly honour and commend them for. The rule of Saint Austin is general, "In hoc reges Deo serviunt, in quantum reges sunt;" in this they shew themselves kings, in themselves kings, in commanding good things, and forbidding evil things: "non solùm quæ pertinent ad humanam societatem, verum etiam quæ ad divinam religionem." We know there is ecclesiastical power fixed to the calling and character of ecclesiastical persons. So the church hath spiritual power to dispense holy things, and spiritual jurisdiction, by virtue of the keys, to censure, to 1 Bellarm. de Laicis, lib. 3. cap. 7. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 1. cap. 7.-Æquum est Teges Pontificum imperio subesse, inquit Sext. Senens. Bibl. lib. 5. Annot. 176. Euseb. lib. 2. de vita Constantini, c. 44.-Optat. lib. 1.-Euseb. 1. 10. c. 5.Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 22. n Theodorel. lib. 5. cap. 20. Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 25. • August. contr. Crescon. Grammat. lib. 3. c. 51. But juris bind, to keep back holy things from the swine. diction coercive, or the power of the sword, which, under external, secular, and corporal penalties, maketh provision for the defence of truth, worship of God, and purity of religion; this belongeth only unto princes (and that independently, and subordinately to any higher power or person, save God) and to those to whom from princes it is communicated and indulged. b We see, "the rulers of the earth belong unto God." We, the people, should from thence learn our duty of honour, reverence, and loyalty towards "the shields of the earth." To honour them in our hearts, as those that are worth ten thousand of us. (2 Sam. xviii. 3) They were sons of Belial that despised Saul. (1 Sam. x. 27) To honour them in our prayers, for their persons, their lives, their crowns, their government, their victories, their posterity, their salvation. (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2) To honour them in our services, and with our substance, and with cheerful obedience, and with willing tribute; (Rom. xiii. 7. 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14, 15) since, without them, one man would but be bread for another: we should be as the fishes of the sea; the great would devour the small. (Hab. i. 13, 14) It was the dignity and practice of the ancient Christians thus to do, as they who write their apologies against the calumniation of heathen adversaries, do still observe whereby they did not only discharge the conscience of loyal and dutiful subjects to their sovereign, but also of wise and wary Christians towards their profession, thereby putting to silence the ignorance of foolish men; who, either unable or unwilling to distinguish between the errors of Christians and their religion, would have undoubtedly laid the envy of such disobedience, not upon the weakness of the men, but upon the doctrine which they obeyed: as the Apostles, Saint Peter, and Paul, do both observe. (1 Tim vi. 1. 2 Cor. vi. 3. 1 Pet. ii. 15) From which prejudice, Christ hath been so careful to fence and mound the doctrine of Christian religion, as that in the case of personal liberty, and Cyprian. cont. Demetr. tract. 1.-Tertul. ad Scapul. cap. 2. et Apolog. c. 30, 31.-Dion. Alexandr. apud Eusel. hist. lib. 7. cap. 10.-Apraates apud Cassiodor. Histor. Tripartit. lib. 8. cap. 4. b Theophilus ad Autol. lib. 1.Justin. Mart. Apolog. 2. p. 64. Edit. Paris, 1615, et p. 101.-Tertul. Apolog. cap. 30, 34.-Tatian. orat. contra Græcos, p. 144. |