(/lriftianity the greateft help to Government. R m. 14. & ~- 96. 1 3· Chrifiianity teacheth men to forbear and to forgive, as ever they will be forgiven of Jf.l. God; and the thong to bear the: infirmities of the weak, and not to pleafc themfdves, but one another to their edification: Not robe cenforious, harfh or cruel ; nor to place the Kingdom of Gll. 6. t. 2., God in meats, and drinks, and dayes, but in righreoufn~fs, peace and joy in the Holy Ghofi: To J~m(s J· ~;,4· bear one anothcrs burdens ; and to reftore them with tke Spirit of meckndS that are overtaken in 16, 17. a fault; and to be peace.~.blc, gentle, cafie to be intreatt:d, full of mercy and good fruits, wirhout Titus ~· :z.. putiality and hypocrifi(', and to fpeak tvil of no man: And where this is obeyed, how quietly and eafily may Princes govern? 9· 97· 1 4· Ch,.iilianily frtleth before us the perfe6hH pattern of all 1his humiliJy, mccknefs, con– tempt of worldly wealrh and greatoefs, fclf-dc:nyal and ob~dience, that cvtr was given in the world. The Etcrn.tl S11n of God incarnate, would condlfcend to earth and fldh, and would obey his Superi· curs afrer rhc tlJh, in the rtpurc of rhc world; and would pay tribute, and never be drawn to any conrcmpr of tht:: Govlrnours of the world, though he {utTered death under the falfe accufation of it. luke 2o.1S. He that is a Chritlian, endeavoureth to imitate his Lord : And can the itpitation ofChrift, or of M;1::ch. :.1.4~, his peJccab!e ApoCtlcs, Ut injmious to Governours? Could the wotl~ but lay by their Serpentine en44· mity againtl the holy doChine and prad:ice ofChrifiianity, and not take themfclves engaged w per– ~~:~ 1 : 1 ;, s. fecu!e it, nor d:.Ot rhc:mfdves in pieces on the fione which they fhould build upon, nor by llriving Zecb. 11. 3· a:gainli it, provoke it to fall on the'm ;and grind them to powder, they never need to complain of dil!urb>nces by Chriilianity or Godlinefs. §. 98. 15· Cbrijlianity <md true Godlimfs containeth, not only all rhefe Precepts that tend to peace and order in the world, but alfo jlre•gth and wiOingnefi >nd holy dijpo{ltio•J for 1hc pra[/ifwg ot fuch precepts. Other Teachers can fpeak but to the ears; but ChriH doth write his Laws upon the heart: fo that he ma%ctb rhcm fuch as he commandeth them to be : Only this is the remnant of our un~ happincfs, rhat while he is performing the Cure on us, we retain a remnant of our old difeafes, and fo his work is yet imp::rfrct: And as fin in fircngth is it that fetteth on fire the courfe of na.. ture, fo the relicts of it will m.ake fame ditlurba.ncc in the world, acco.rding to its degree: But no· thing is more furc th'Jl that the Godlieft Chriftian is the moLl orderly and loyal fubjcCl:, and the beil member (according to his parts and power) in the Cornrnon·wealth; and lhatfin is the caufe, and holinefs the c"rt, of all th~ diforders and calamities of the world. ~· 99· 16. LaHiy, Confu1Jwi1h experience it (elf, and you will find, that all this which I have fpoken, hath betn ordinarily verified. What Hcatbenifm tendcth ro, you may fee even in the Roman Re:~J the Government ( for there you will confefs it w;.s at the befl ). To read of the tumuhs, the cruelti.es, !~:csp~~~:~~ the popular uncontlancy, faction and injufiice: How rudely the Souldiers made their Empcrours, and 1 0 how ealily and barbaroufly they murdered them ? and how few of them from the daycs ofChtill till ro~~\ndrafa- Conftamine did dye the common death of all men, and (cape the hands of thofe rhat were their fub– mo;s men of jects; I think this will fatisfieyou, whither mens enmity toChril\ianity tenderh! And then to ob– Gmu or ferve how fuddenly the cafe' was altered, as foon as the Emper:ours and Subjetls became Chrdlian, Roont, :md try ( till in the declining of the Greek.. Empire, fome Officers and Courtiers who afpired to the Crown ~:~~~~n:heor did murdtr the Emperours): And further to obferve, that the rebelliou~ doctrines and praCtices they were againfi Governours, have been all introduced by factions and hcrdies, wh1ch forfook Chrillianity fo more for Mo~ far before they incurred fuch guilt; and that it is either the Papal Ufurpation ( which is in its n'\ture narchy. an enemy to Princes ) that hath depofed and trampled upon Emperours and Kings ; or clfe fame .Arcdib.us.Re~ mad Enthufiafiicks that over-run Religion and their wits, that at Munftrr (and in England fome Jarc... ~;~n~~:~n ly) by the advanrage of their profperity, have dared w do violence againlt So~era1gnty; but the cotuic:Q:lam· more any men were Chrijlia1u and truly Godly, the more they detefied all fuch rhmgs: All this will o.brem kgatell you rhat the mofi f:rious, and Religious Cbrijfians, are the bell: members of the Civil Sociecies t10ne ad Anti- upon Earth. gonum fun- ~~:: ~:hr~btinuit. Hc{id1. i;J Arcef. . I~s one of 11ut!rs fayings in Laert. q._~i~ diffi~ile? Regum yid~ffe tyrannum _fenem. c!Jry– fippu5 videtur afp~rnatoa· Rczum modJce furtfc : Quod ~um tarn mu~ta fcnplenc ( hbros 70S· ) null! unquam reg1 CJUICCJUlm 3d~ fcripferir ,. Senua faith ( Trag~d, d~ Hm . fur, ) per~ltouOy, V!Cbrna haud ull.t amphor Potefi, m:1g1fque op1m3 nuCbn ]ov1 , Q~:tm Rex iniqu~s. ~ictro pro Mllon. Non ft: obflrmxn fcde~e Gquu Tyrannum owdar, quamv1s flm1tiJrem. E: ~. Tufc. Nulla nObis cum Tyr.umu f~cletas eH, ncque dl coatra natumn fpohart: eum quem honeJlum cfi nccare. Plura h!bet fimdJ.t. ~· 1 oo. I I. Having done with the firft part of my Iail Direction, I fl.all fay bt\t this liule of the fc:cond ; Let Chriiiians fee that they be ChtHlians indeed, and abufe not that which is mofl excellent ro be a cloak to that which is moll vile. 1. In reading Politick._s, [wallow not all that every Author writeth in conformity to the Policy that he liverh under: What perverfe thingc; fhall you read in the Popith Politicks, ( Contzcn, and abundance fl!ch ) t What ufurpation on Principalities, and cruelties to Chrifiians, under the pretence of defending the Church, and fupprcffing Herefies? 2. Take heed in reading Hijfory that you fuffer not theSpirit of your Author to infed you, with any of that partiality which he expreffeth to the caufe which he cfpoufeth. Confider in what times and places all your Authors lived, and read d·:em accordingly with the jult allowance. The name of Li... berty was fo prerious, and the name of a King fo odio~s to the RomAni, Athenians, &c. that it is no wonder if their Hifiorians b"c unfriendly unto Kings. 3· Abufe not Learning it felf to lift you up with fdf·conceircdnefs againH Governours ! Learned men may be ignorant of Polity ; or at leafi unexpcrienced, and almoft as unfit to judge, as of matters of Wan or Na.vigation.' ~·Take
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=