S xt. A:1rl. ViBor. de (a{i~. 1Jirel1io11S for Obedien,·e to (]Qders. Obj. If God will have their 1umu torot, a;~d fpoksn e~il of when they are dead, why may I not do it while tht)' are alive l An[w. There is a great deal of difference between a true Hijforian, and a{elf– avenger in the reafon of the thing; and in the cffcds : To difl1ononr bad Rulers while they Jive doth tend to excite the people to rebellion, and ro difable them to govern : Bur for Truth to b~ Cf>okm of them when they are dead, ~orh only l•y an.odium ~pon the. fin, and is a wuning to otl:ers that they follow them not m evil : And dns no w1cktd Prmce was ever fo Greac and powerful as to pn..vent: for iris a part of Gods refi)lvcd judgement. Yd mull H!tlorians fo open the faults of the perfon, as not to bring the dlice into contempt, but prcftrvc the revnence due to the authm ity and place of Gover_nours. ~~-~ . ' . . . . . . . . . . an ciccucrit mentoTJx prooJ, n1fr forte t]tca juvat Cc pnnc,p,bus no!Te omma, ut unprob1 faltcm f:11HI? mnu uh:t drclmtnt. Dircn 7. Dire/1. 8. ' ' ~ 29. o :net. 7· :EJ 1 aD tnt'aJts overcome a j(lfijh mind, and get fucb a Holy and a public~ [pirit, M m<~re reg11-rdcth Gods hon ur and the fJtblick., intcrejt than your OWIJ, It is SELF I SH NESS that il the great Rebd a11d Enemy of G(jd and of the King and of our Nei.~bbour. A 1(/tifh privare fpirir: ctrcth not whar du~ Common-wealth fuflercth if he himfdf may be a gainer by it. To rtv(:ngd himfclf, or ro rife up to fomchigher place, or incrca.fc his riches, he will betray an4 r.ui1'e his King, his Countrty, Jnd bis rn:arefi friends-. A{tlfijh, ambiriom, CQVCt.tu!man, 'is faithful to no man, longer than he fervc:'h his n;ds ; nor is be any further robe trufie~, t~an his own intcrcll will allow. Selj:dmJ•:N., and a publick, JPirit, m neccfi'<ry to every faithful !ubJ<Cl:. . §· jV· Dire-Cf. 8. ~Yijh not evil to yonr Govcrnours in yBttr {ecret thoe~ghtl: but if any foch thougbt rvuuld cntr_r into your brartJ, rcjdi it with abht:rrcnce. Eccl~f. JO. 20. Curfe not the -!(·ing, no not in },)y tlh·~ght ; 1md. curfe nut tbe ricb in rby bed·chamber : fer a bzrd of the air jb.~ll c•rry the 71uice, and that n·hicb barb n:ingsjiJJll tell thenuttrr. A fcavtrifh mifguided Zeal for Religion, and a paffionate di[: content tor pcr!Onal injuries~ do makt: many greatly guilty in this point ; Tht:y would be much pleaft.d if God ~ould fh.ew fr.me grievous judgemen~ ~pon perft:curors; and take no warning _by Chrifls rebukes of James and J llhn, but fecrt:rly arc wt(hmg fur fire from Heaven, not knowing what rnauner of fpi»it thl:y arc of. They cheriih fi1ch thoughts as are plcafing to them, though they dare 11or utt(r rhun in words. A.nd he that dare wijh hurt, is in d.mger ot being drawn by cempution to do hurt. O~j. Brn n11_y we not pray for the cutting off P[ per{ecrttorJ? And may we not give God tb11nk,} for it if bt do it himfi!f, rvitbuut any fi11fttl means of ours ? A11[rv. Evc:ty Ruler that caficth down.one feet or parry ot Chrillians, J.ud fctteth Up another (perhaps as trbe to the interdl of Chrifiianity as rhey) is nor robe prayed againft and his deftrudion wi!hed by the fulfering parry. 2. If he be a i1n; ,m d~- pertccuter of ChriJ.Hani1y and Piety icfclf, as Heathens, and lnhdds are, yer if his Government do gH"t'~ 1~4/aJts more g~, than his pt:rfccucion doth harm, you m•y not fo much as witb his downfall. 3· If he ~~~f. ben~h were a Ncroor a Ju!ian, you mufi pray firft f or hircunvcrfim, and if that may not be, then mxt for bis– tbD:,~h agoo~· tl(jfr.Airtt, and ncvt.:r for his dcjlrullionbut on fuppofirion that neitbcr of the former nuy be attaiaed Mdl•_a-~d (which you cannot fay). 4· You mufi pr::.y for the deliverai1ce of" tbe perficuted Chmch, and leav,e ~a~1~'~;~r:9. the way attd mea1u to ~od, and not prcfcribc to hi~: HUrJfut ddi(es and prayers_are .feldomofG~d. Nun totplf~ S· You may frtdyc_r rr;nyce afi.ft'r:'ard!, th3~ defire_Jt bt{ure : be~aufe whtn a J1t!u~ 15 cut ~ff, ~ou fim dl~mDo- know that Gods nghcmus wtllts iilccomp\Jfhed ; when before )'OU ~new not that tt was htS will: mini nee t~m Yet after, it is the deiiv£ranc~ ~f. r~1e Church, and 11?t _rhe hurt of a p~rfc:cutcr as fuch, that you n:mtt ~/[, ;~~~:~tt, give thankp for : Be very {u{pictous here kfi partiality o.nd paffion blmd you... ~~~:~c:~~'~!n pro fe cbri<lr ~rf~ rl.'-~ rd~·:tt.'l. C)U:lnl publi(3 ; V•llllpt~s gu:tn: g_lori:t, prcuni:J_ ']tl:ll~\ liberm_, Vi_t:l qu:ta\ Vittus --Et (!arlmEt [ant• ~ 1 e1 , unum p:m1:t .ewem bonum hab.at, nnl:un Do!nmu!:' d!ll\!US non hJbcb1·. 1 be Lllt'lllilli; IStoo pbin, A_b·;JJJa 1 ct of th! mbfl: l:amtd n:·lltr! oave [11.!J p.:.f!a;ts wbtch ..,n;fl br.rca'i n>Hll Ca11lUH; _Iho-gb I 1Htdd dl"aWHDI1t to rh: D'hn-cxtrc.tm. . P.trttich16S.JJul & 6~. D1a/o. r.t bo·o Oom1~11, u M fmal"t tU the ;ormcr ; ~llt_.>et f~.1~!lb )Ill! alL tb.:t~ contr:t Rcges wh1cb b• J~tb contr:t Dflmin')S : ~Tow~vu be {tytb.J~ Imer R~gem & T yr.tMu_m nou J1fcermmt G1:tt1, & c. ---. . Sr.> Sr. 'I/Jom. Mort iu his Poems : Rcgibus c u~uti~ Rq~num he,a: tjUIJC:'g.1tU!JI)Lll: V1r. t:tmen unusent, fitamen Ullll.\ cnt. And tbat n[ Smcc. Ti/1{,. ult. T:tn– tum ut nocc:l.t cuptt cllc po:ms.-- Vircft. 9 • §. 31· DircCl:. 9• Ltarn bow to {tclftr; and bow n·hat n[t God calt m•k$ of yoztr f•Jf<ringt, a,J tMnl(_ mt b()ttcr of profpcritj• and wor[t of Jitffering th.Jn you have caufe. It is acarnal unbelieving heart, that Bi 1 s interrorm.ktth fo great a mauer of pov-erty, imp-rilonmcnt, banifltmcnt or death, as if they were undone g:~m•, 'tuiJ~ · if th'-y fuJfer for Chrif't, or be fent to Hcavr:n before the time: As if Kingdoms mufl be difiurbed to '!:t~l efiet lhf- favc you from fi.1ff.cring: Thisbcttn bcfecms an infidd and a worldling, that takes his earthly pro– ~'1\) io:~' fpcrity for his port-ion, and thinkshe hath no other to win or lofe. Do you not know what the ~~;~~~ 1tioChurch hath gaint'd by fulfering? How pur~ ir: ha.th bctn when the fire of pcrfecUtion h.ath refined n:!mr~rum in it? and how profperity hath been the very that that hath p"Vuted ir, and Ou.trcrcd it all to pieces; by derent:s. ]erring in a!! the ungodly world into the vi\ible Communion of the Saints, and by {ctting the Bi– Ltrc-t.p. Sf· 01op~ on cotllcnding for fupcriority, and ove..topping Ernpc-rours and Kings? M.my thoufands that would be excellent pcrfons in advcrfity, cannot bear a h4;h or profpcrous llatc, but rheir brains are tLIIt'ned, and prideand contc:::nrion maketh them the fCorn of rhe advcrfaries that obfave them. DVcU. IO• 9·32· DireCt. to. TrnjiGod,andijvebJifatih: and tlmtyou J:viUjintl n.o nud ofreb£Uio111 or a1ry finfitl mca111. Do you believe that both the Hearts and Lives of Kings, and all their affairs, are in rhe hand of God? If not, you are Atheills. If yort do, then do you not think that God is fitter than you to difpofe of tht.n>. He thot belicvcth will nor make halie? Delivmnc~ from pcrfccuti.ons mull
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