consilium, quam tot tales meam unius voluntatem sequi." I could easily have pretended excuses; but that day I had taught others the contrary, and I would not shed that chalice, which my own hands had newly filled with waters issuing from the fountains of salvation.

My eyes are almost grown old with seeing the horrid mischiefs, which came from rebellion and disobedience; and I would willingly now be blest with observation of peace and righteousness, plenty and religion, which do already, and I hope shall for ever, attend upon obedience to the best king, and the best church, in the world. I see no objection against my hopes, but that which ought least of all, in this case, to be pretended. Men pretend conscience against obedience, expressly against St. Paul's doctrine, teaching us to "obey for conscience sake;" but to disobey for conscience in a thing indifferent, is never to be found in the books of our religion.

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It is very hard, when the prince is forced to say to his rebellious subject, as God did to his stubborn people, "Quid faciam tibi ?" I have tried all the ways I can to bring thee home, and "what shall I now do unto thee?" The subject should rather say, "Quid me vis facere ?" "What wilt thou have me to do ?" This question is the best end of disputations. Corrumpitur atque dissolvitur imperantis officium, si quis ad id quod facere jussus est, non obsequio debito, sed consilio non considerato, respondeat," said one in A. Gellius: "When a subject is commanded to obey, and he disputes, and says, Nay, but the other is better;" he is like a servant that gives his master necessary counsel, when he requires of him a necessary obedience. "Utilius parere edicto quam efferre consilium;" "He had better obey than give counsel;" by how much it is better to be profitable than to be witty, to be full of goodness rather than full of talk and argument.

But all this is acknowledged true in strong men, but not in the weak; in vigorous, but not in tender consciences; for obedience is strong meat, and will not down with weak stomachs; as if, in the world, any thing were easier than to obey; for we see that the food of children is milk and laws; the breastmilk of their nurses, and the commands of their parents, is all that food and government, by which they are kept from harm and hunger, and conducted to life and wisdom. And, therefore, they that are weak brethren, of all things in the world, have the least reason to pretend an excuse for disobedience; for nothing can secure them but the wisdom of the laws; for they are like children in minority-they cannot be trusted to their own conduct; and, therefore, must live at the public charge; and the wisdom of their superiors is their guide and their security. And this was wisely advised by St. Paul: Him that is weak in the faith, receive, but not to doubtful disputations;" that is not the way for him; children must not dispute with their fathers and their masters. If old men will dispute, let them look to it; that is meat for the strong indeed, though it be not very nutritive; but the laws and the counsels, the exhortations and the doctrines of our spiritual rulers, are the measures, by which God hath appointed babes in Christ to become men, and the weak to become strong; and they that are not to be received to doubtful disputations, are to be received with the arms of love, into the embraces of a certain and regular obedience.

But it would be considered, that " tenderness of conscience" is an equivocal term, and does not always signify in a good sense. For a child is of tender flesh; but he whose foot is out of joint, or hath a bile in his arm, or hath strained a sinew, is much more tender. The tenderness of age is that weakness, that is in the ignorant and the new beginners: the tenderness of a bile,-that is soreness indeed, rather than tenderness,-is of the diseased, the abused, and the mispersuaded. The first, indeed, are to be tenderly dealt with, and have usages accordingly; but that is the same I have already told; you must teach them, you must command them, you must guide them, you must choose for them, you must be their guardians, and they must comport themselves accordingly. But for that tenderness of conscience, which is the disease and soreness of conscience, it must be cured by anodynes and soft usages, unless they prove ineffective, and that the lancet be necessary. But there are amongst us such tender stomachs that cannot endure milk, but can very well digest iron; consciences so tender, that a ceremony is greatly offensive, but rebellion is not; a surplice drives them away, as a bird affrighted with a man of clouts, but their consciences can suffer them to despise government, and speak evil of dignities, and curse all that are not of their opinion, and disturb the peace of kingdoms, and commit sacrilege, and account schism the character of saints. The true tenderness of conscience is, 1. That which is impatient of a sin; 2. It will not endure any thing that looks like it; and, 3. It will not give offence. Now, since all sin is disobedience, 1. It will be rarely contingent that a man, in a christian commonwealth, shall be tied to disobey, to avoid sin; and certain it is, if such a case should happen, yet, 2. Nothing of our present question is so like a sin, as when we refuse to obey the laws. To stand in a clean vestment is not so ill a sight as to see men stand in separation; and to kneel at the communion, is not so like idolatry, as rebellion is to witchcraft. And then, 3. For the matter of "giving offences," what scandal is greater than that which scandalizes the laws? And who is so carefully to be observed, lest he be offended, as the king? And if that which offends the weak brother is to be avoided, much more that which offends the strong; for this is certainly really criminal; but for the other, it is much odds but it is mistaken. And when the case is so put, between the obedient and the disobedient, which shall be offended, and one will,—I suppose there is no question but the laws will take more care of subjects than of rebels, and not weaken them in their duty, in compliance with those that hate the laws, and will not endure the government.

And after all this in the conduct of government, what remedy can there be to those, that call themselves "tender consciences?" I shall not need to say, that every man can easily pretend it; for we have seen the vilest part of mankind, men that have done things so horrid, worse than which the sun never saw, yet pretend tender consciences against ecclesiastical laws. But I will suppose that they are really such; that they, in the simplicity of their hearts, follow Absalom, and in weakness hide their heads in little conventicles, and places of separation, for a trifle; what would they have done for themselves.

If you make a law of order, and, in the sanction, put a clause of favour for tender consciences, do not you invite every subject to disobedience by impunity, and teach him how to make his own excuse? Is not such a law a law without an obligation? May not every man choose whether he will obey or no? and if he pretends to disobey out of conscience, is not he that disobeys equally innocent with the obedient; altogether as just, as not having done any thing without leave; and yet much more religious and conscientious? Quicunque vult," is but an ill preface to a law; and it is a strange obligation, that makes no difference between him that obeys and him that refuses to obey.

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But what course must be taken with "tender consciences?" Shall the execution of the law be suspended as to all such persons? That will be all one with the former for if the execution be commanded to be suspended, then the obligation of the law by command is taken away, and then it were better there were no law made. And indeed that is the pretension, that is the secret of the business; they suppose the best way to prevent disobedience is to take away all laws. It is a short way indeed; there shall then be no disobedience; but, at the same time, there shall be no government: but the remedy is worse than the disease; and to take away all wine and strong drink, to prevent drunkenness, would not be half so great a folly.

I cannot, therefore, tell what to advise in this particular, but that every spiritual guide should consider who are tender consciences, and who are weak brethren, and use all the ways of piety and prudence to instruct and to inform them, that they may increase in knowledge and spiritual understanding. But they that will be always learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth; they that will be children of a hundred years old, and never come to years of discretion; they are very unfit to guide others, and to be curates of souls: but they are most unfit to reprove the laws, and speak against the wisdom of a nation, when it is confessed that they are so weak that they understand not the fundamental liberty which Christ hath purchased for them, but are servants to a scruple, and affrighted at a circumstance, and in bondage under an indifferent thing, and so much idolaters of their sect or opinion, as to prefer it before all their own nobler interests, and the charity of their brother, and the peace of a whole church and nation. To you, my Lords and Gentlemen, I hope I may say, as Marcus Curius said to a stubborn young man, "Non opus vos habere cive, qui parere nesciret ;' "The kingdom hath no need of those, that know not how to obey." But as for them who have weak and tender consciences, they are in the state of childhood and minority; but then you know that a child is never happy by having his own humour ; if you choose for him, and make him to use it, he hath but one thing to do; but if you put him to please himself, he is troubled with every thing, and satisfied with nothing. We find that all christian churches kept this rule; they kept themselves and others close to the rule of faith, and peaceably suffered one another to differ in ceremonies, but suffered no difference amongst their own; they gave liberty to other churches, and gave laws, and no liberty, to their own subjects: and at this day, the churches of Geneva, France, Switzerland, Germany, Low Countries, tie all their people to their own laws, but tie up no man's conscience; if he be not persuaded as they are, let him charitably dissent, and leave that government, and adhere to his own communion: if you be not of their mind, they will be served by them that are ; they will not trouble your conscience, and you shall not disturb their government. But when men think they cannot enjoy their conscience unless you give them good livings, and if you prefer them not, you afflict their consciences; they do but too evidently declare, that it is not their consciences, but their profits, they would have secured. Now to these I have only this to say, that their conscience is to be enjoyed by the measures of God's word, but the rule for their estates is the laws of the kingdom; and "I show you yet a more excellent way;" obedience is the best security for both, because this is the best conservatory of charity, and truth, and peace. "Si vis brevi perfectus esse, esto obediens etiam in minimis," was the saying of a saint; and the world uses to look for miracles from them whom they shall esteem saints; but "I had rather see a man truly humble and obedient, than to see him raise a man from the dead," said old Pachomius.

But to conclude: If weak brethren shall still plead for toleration and compliance. I hope my Lords the bishops will consider where it can do good, and do no harm; where they are permitted, and where themselves are bound up by the laws; and in all things where it is safe and holy, to labour to bring them ease and to give them remedy: but to think of removing the disease by feeding the humour, I confess it is a strange cure to our present distempers. He that took clay and spittle to open the blind eyes, can make any thing be collyrium; but he alone can do it. But whether any human power can bring good from so unlikely an instrument, if any man desires yet to be better informed, I desire him, besides the calling to mind the late sad effects of schism, to remember that no church in christendom ever did it. It is neither the way of peace nor government, nor yet a proper remedy for the cure of a weak conscience. * Val. Max.

I shall, therefore, pray to God, that these men who separate in simplicity, may, by God's mercy, be brought to understand their own liberty, and that they may not, for ever, be babes and neophytes, and wax old in trifles, and for ever stay at the entrances and outsides of religion; but that they would pass in "interiora domûs," and seek after peace and righteousness, holiness and justice, the love of God and evangelical perfections; and then they will understand how ill-advised they are, who think religion consists in zeal against ceremonies, and speaking evil of the laws.

My Lords and Gentlemen, what I said in pursuance of public peace and private duty, and some little incidences to both, I now humbly present to you, more to show my own obedience than to remind you of your duty, which, hitherto, you have so well observed in your amicable and sweet concord of counsels and affections, during this present session. I owe many thanks to you, who heard me patiently, willingly, and kindly; I endeavoured to please God, and I find I did not displease you but he is the best hearer of a sermon, who first loves the doctrine, and then practises it; and that you have hitherto done, very piously and very prosperously. I pray God continue to direct your counsels, so that you, in all things, may please him, and in all things be blessed by him, that all generations may call you blessed instruments of a lasting peace, the restorers of the old paths, the patrons of the church, friends of religion, and subjects fitted for your prince, who is just up to the greatest example, and merciful beyond all examples; a prince who hath been nourished, and preserved, and restored, and blessed, by miracles; a prince whose virtues and fortunes are equally the greatest.

IN the world, nothing is more easy than to say our prayers, and to obey our superiors; and yet in the world there is nothing to which we are so unwilling as to prayer, and nothing seems so intolerable as obedience; for men esteem all laws to be fetters, and their superiors are their enemies: and when a command is given, we turn into all shapes of excuse, to escape from the imposition: for either the authority is incompetent, or the law itself is "statutum non bonum;" or it is impossible to be kept, or at least very inconvenient, and we are to be relieved in equity; or there is a secret dispensation, and it does not bind in my particular case, or not now; or it is but the law of a man, and was made for a certain end; or it does not bind the conscience, but it was only for political regards; or, if the worst happen, I will obey passively, and then I am innocent. Thus every man snuffs up the wind like "the wild asses in the wilderness," and thinks that authority is an encroachment upon a man's birthright; and in the mean time never considers, that Christ took upon him our nature, that he might learn us obedience, and in that also make us become like unto God. In his justice and his mercy he was inimitable before; but before the incarnation of Christ we could not, in passive graces, imitate God, who was impassible: but he was pleased, at a great rate, to set forward this duty; and when himself became obedient in the hardest point, "obediens usque ad mortem," and is now become to us "the Author

and Finisher of our obedience," as well as of our faith," admonetur omnis ætas fieri posse quod aliquando factum est." We must needs confess it very possible to obey the severest of the Divine laws, even to die if God commands, because it was already done by a man; and we must needs confess it excellent, because it was done by God himself.

But this great example is of universal influence in the whole matter of obedience: for, that I may speak of that part of this duty, which can be useful, and concerns us; men do not deny but they must obey in all civil things; but in religion they have a supreme God only, and conscience is his interpreter; and, in effect, every man must be the judge, whether he shall obey or no. Therefore it is that I say, the example of our Lord is the great determination of this inquiry; for he did obey and suffer, according to the commands of his superiors, under whose government he was placed; he “ gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to the nippers;" he kept the orders of the rulers, and the customs of the synagogues, the law of Moses and the rites of the temple; and by so doing "he fulfilled all righteousness." Christ made no distinctions in his obedience; but obeyed God "in all things," and those that God set over him, “in all things according to God," and in things of religion most of all; because to obey was of itself a great instance of religion; and if ever religion comes to be pretended against obedience, in any thing where our superior can command, it is imposture: for that is the purpose of my text, obedience is better than sacrifice." Our own judgment, our own opinion, is the sacrifice seldom fit to be offered to God, but most commonly deserving to be consumed by fire: but, take it at the best, it is not half so good as obedience; for that was indeed Christ's sacrifice; and, as David said of Goliah's sword, "Non est alter talis," there is no other sacrifice that can be half so good: and when Abraham had lifted up his sacrificing knife to slay his son, and so expressed his

By sacrifice here, then, is meant the external and contingent actions of religion; by obedience, is meant submission to authority, and observing the command. Obedience is a not choosing our duty, a not disputing with our betters, not to argue, not to delay, not to murmur; it is not only this, but it is much better; for it is love,-and simplicity,-and humility, and usefulness; and I think these do reductively contain all that is excellent in the whole conjugation of christian graces.

obedience, God would have no more; he had the | angel preach any other gospel," and we know that obedience, and he cared not for the sacrifice. many angels come like angels of light, who yet teach nothing but the ways of darkness. So that we are still as much bound to obey our superior as to obey an angel: a man is “paulò minor angelis,"” “a little lower than the angels;" but we are much lower than the king. Consider, then, with what fear and love we should receive an angel; and so let us receive all those whom God hath sent to us, and set over us; for they are no less; less, indeed, in their persons, but not in their authorities. Nay, the case is nearer yet; for we are not only bound to receive God's deputies as God's angels, but as God himself: for it is the power of God in the hand of a man, and he that resists, resists God's ordinance." And I pray remember, that there is not only no power greater than God's, but there is no other; for all power is his. The consequent of this is plain enough; I need say no more of it; it is all one to us who commands, God, or God's vicegerent. This was the first thing to be observed.

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Secondly There can be but two things in the world required to make obedience necessary; the greatness of the authority, and the worthiness of the thing. In the first you see the case can have no

My text is a perfect proposition, and hath no special remark in the words of it; but is only a great representation of the most useful truth to all kingdoms and parliaments, and councils and authorities, in the whole world: it is your charter, and the sanction of your authority, and the stabiliment of your peace, and the honour of your laws, and the | great defence of your religion, and the building up and the guarding of the king's throne. It is that by which all the societies in heaven and earth are firm without this you cannot have a village prosperous, or a ship arrive in harbour: it is that which God hath bound upon us by hope and fear, by wrath | and conscience, by duty and necessity. Obedience | difference, because the thing itself is but one: there is the formality of all virtues, and every sin is disobedience there can no greater thing be said, unless you please to add, that we never read that the earth opened and swallowed up any man alive but a company of rebellious, disobedient people, who rose up against Moses and Aaron, the prince of the | people, and the priest of God. For obedience is the most necessary thing in the world, and "corruptio optimi est pessima:" disobedience is the greatest evil in the world, and that alone which can destroy it.a

My text is instanced in the matter of obedience to God; but yet the case is so, that though I shall, in the first place, discourse of our obedience to man, I shall not set one foot aside from the main intention of it; because obedience to our superiors is really, and is accounted to be, obedience to God; for they are sent by God; they are his vicegerents, his ministers, and his ambassadors. Apostolus cujusque est quisque," say the Jews; Every man's apostle is himself;" and "he that heareth or despiseth you," said Christ, "heareth or despiseth me:" and the reason is very evident,-because it is not to be expected that God should speak to us by himself, but sometimes by angels, sometimes by prophets, once by his Son, and always by his

servants.

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Now I desire two things to be observed:First: We may as well perceive that God speaks to us, when he uses the ministry of men, as when he uses the ministry of angels: one is as much declared and as certain as the other. And if it be said, a man may pretend to come from God, and yet deliver nothing but his own errand, that is no strange thing: but remember also that St. Paul puts this supposition in the case of an angel, "If an

a Nullum malum majus aut infeliciter feracius quam inobedientia. SENECA.

is but one authority in the world, and that is God's; as there is but one sun, whose light is diffused into all kingdoms. But is there not great difference in the thing commanded? Yes, certainly there is some; but nothing to warrant disobedience: for, whatever the thing be, it may be commanded by man, if it be not countermanded by God. For,

1. It is not required that every thing commanded should of itself be necessary;-for God himself oftentimes commands things, which have in them no other excellency than that of obedience. What made Abraham "the friend of God?" and what made his offer to kill his son to be so pleasing to God? It had been naturally no very great good to cut the throat of a little child; but only that it was obedience. What excellency was there in the journeys of the patriarchs from Mesopotamia to Syria, from the land of Canaan into Egypt? and what thanks could the sons of Israel deserve, that they sat still upon the seventh day of the week? and how can a man be dearer unto God by keeping of a feast, or building of a booth, or going to Jerusalem, or cutting off the foreskin of a boy, or washing their hands and garments in fair water? There was nothing in these things but the obedience. And when our blessed Lord himself came to his servant, to take of him the baptism of repentance, alas! he could take nothing but the water and the ceremony; for, as Tertullian observes, he was "nullius pœnitentiæ debitor;" he was, indeed, “ a just person, and needed no repentance;" but even so it "became him to fulfil all righteousness :" but yet even then it was that the Holy Spirit did descend upon his holy head, and crowned that obedience, though it were but a ceremony. Obedience, you see, may be necessary, when the law is not so: for in these cases, God's Son and God's servants did obey in things, which were made good only by the com