The Christian gouernour, in the common-wealth, and priuate families described by Dauid, in his 101. Psalme. Guiding all men in a right course to heauen. Herewith also a part of the parable of the lost sonne. Luke 15. Both expounded and opened by Robert Horn. With the doctrines and vses thence arising. The more particular contents see on the page following.

Vses.

Heere (then) wee see what an odious sinne the sinne of dissembling is,* 1.1 seeing

that good Gouernours are bound so (as hath beene shewed) to haue an eye vnto it, and to proc••ede against it. The con∣trarie to it is plainenesse and Christian simplicitie, which should be as precious to vs, as the other is vile to God. But where are the plaine-hearted Iacobs, and simple-hearted Nathaniels of elder times: Is not simplicitie called folly, and are not simple-men counted fooles? nay, is not simplicitie so much hated, that the name it selfe is had in reproach? and to be a sim∣ple man and a foole•• are they not now, in our dialect and language, synonima, that is, names of one thing and signification? Is not truth fallen in the streetes? And doth not he who refraineth from euill, make himselfe a prey? Esa. 59.14••15. Our plaine Fathers, vvho loued faithfulnesse more then wealth knew not what this meant: He that cannot dissemble, cannot liue; and their vvord vvould be taken, where our bond vvill not. Therefore, that vvhich should be odious, is now precious, and which should be hated and had in re∣proach, is now commended, and made of. So contrarie is this age of our•• to the

dayes of our plaine Fathers. And here, the Papists figure of aequiuocation in Oathes, halfe in the lippes, halfe in the heart and conscience, is argued of irreli∣gious periurie, and odious opposition to Christian plainenesse. Which is a pro∣testation with a mentall reseruation in a thousand windings and turnings, all con∣ceiued in the minde, and no way ex∣pressed in the speech of him that prote∣steth or maketh faith. Which (yet) they with the faces of Sodome and Gomorrha, defend to be lawfull and godly in Catho∣likes when they come to answere before Protestant Iudges.

But,* 1.2 should dissemblers be watched o∣uer by good Gouernours? then good Gouernours must watch ouer dissimula∣tion in themselues. They must take heed of dissembling persons, and that they (themselues) be no dissemblers. They must not endure nor countenance a bri∣bing Seruant, nor (themselues) loue gifts. They must not beare with a deceitfull per∣son, nor lay waite (themselues) as he that setteth snares. They must not cherish those that ouerthrow the right of the poore,

nor (themselues) make pittes to catch men. Ier. 5.26. They must punish others for ly∣ing, and (themselues) be no liars. They must teach others, and hee that will teach another, must teach himselfe. Rom. 2.21.

* 1.3An admonition to Gouernours to be diligent inquirers into the conditions and nature of the people, vvhom they keepe in seruice, or put in office vnder them. For, among some that be good, there may be such as will seeme and are not. Such as we reade of Iude 4. who are said to haue crept in, or to haue en∣tred, not boldly, but by stealth. Such are the Popes Factors among vs, vvho (as Serpents sent from Rome, or some of Romes Schooles) for want of the diligence, or by reason of the negligence of the householders of Counties and Corporati∣ons, haue gotten into some of the fairest Gardens of our Land, and there, hauing preuailed against Eue the woman, haue by her preuailed also against Adam the Man, turning both Man and Woman from GOD to Poperie. Gen. 3.1.5.6. 2 Tim. 3.6. Matth. 23.15. Also, Gouer∣nours must, and the good will be awake

in the causes that come before them. For, sometimes, as the woman of Tekoah, who was (her selfe) subtle, and instructed by subtle Ioab, to put on mourning apparell, and a mourning behauiour, spake vnto the King, and falling downe before him, and do∣ing obeysance to him, said, Helpe, O King: 2 Sam. 14.4.5. So some subtle man or woman, taught, as by some deceiuing Ioab, to put on mourning apparell and a sad countenance, may come vnto them, and doing low obeysa••ce, may crie vnto them, and say with a pittifull, but lying tongue: Helpe my good Lord, helpe, good your Honours, or as she; Helpe my Lord, O King. Sometimes (as we heard) a trea∣cherous Ziba will not feare to accuse the innocent vnto them, vvith a gift in the hand: 2 Sam. 16.1.2.3: therefore it standeth them in hand to obserue wisely, and to heare indifferently and iustly the truth of those cries, vvhich are many times (causelesly) raised, and vvith false teares. Againe, in swearing in a matter, many will haue a fallacie in their Oath: and sweare with a double heart: These and such like shifts of faithlesse wretches, can∣not

be discerned, but by hauing a watch∣ful eye ouer matters in iudgement. There∣fore necessary it is that they should not sleepe in causes that would turne away, or auoyd the edge of dissimulation or dissem∣blers in them, which Dauid protested to doe, and which all carefull Gouernours will doe.

* 1.4A reproofe to those who will keepe in their house, or in places vnder them Dissemblers, and wretched men, because they be their Kinsmen or Friends sonnes, or an old Seruant, or Seruant that they may not spare, and who cannot liue if they put him from them, though o∣therwaies hee be a common Drunkard, Whore-monger, Swearer, prophane per∣son, and what not?

In the meane while what is become of our Sauiours admonition; If thy right hand offend thee, or cause thee to offend, ra∣ther cut it off, then suffer it to be a conti∣nuall offence vnto thee, Mat. 5.30. Or, If thy right eye offend thee, rather pluck it out, then suffer it still to be an hinderance and scandall vnto thee. Surely, nothing can be, for situation, more deare vnto vs, or,

for vse, necessary, then our right eye, or that other member, our right hand; yet should we rather pull out the one, and cut off the other, then suffer them to offend vs to damnation. And shall they, who are farther off, dwell in our house, though grimed with most black vices, though loathsome to God, and hurtfull to our selues, and though in bad nature and condition so lewd that hell hath better (saue that they in hell cannot repent, these may) because of kindred, & friend∣ship, and seruice, and things that they can doe about vs? Shall they take heart in a great persons liuery, as by a protecti∣on, to doe euill, who doe so much euill, and take such boldnes to offend daily, because they doubt not to be borne out by the credit of their great Master in a∣ny disorder? I speake not this with any suspition of you (b 1.5 my LORD) in place: for I can testifie truly before the Lord, that your Honour hath great care to purge both your owne Familie, and the whole Prouince from such loathsome spots. In your owne priuate charge (be it spoken to Gods glory, and your true iustification,

against all tongues, specially such as op∣pose vnto quicke, but necessary and so∣ber gouernment) you haue giuen, and still giue good proofe of a good minde and will in you, to bring your whole charge to the discipline of the Gospell in things appertayning to saluation, when time shall serue: for you will keepe none in your house, that hath not, at least who pretendeth not to haue a care to serue God and your Honour in the way of Re∣ligion and obedience to lawes: which I speake not to giue titles, (fearing my Ma∣kers reproofe if I should so doe) but to stirre you vp farther, and the grace in you, to continue as you haue begun (as I doubt not but you will) and to prouoke others by so faire a precedent, to begin and con∣tinue as you haue done, hauing in your worthy selfe, so cleere a Piller of fire to goe before them. So much for that which the Prophet speaketh against dissemblers: that which is spoken against those who tell lyes, followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vse. 1.
• * 1.2

  Vse. 2.
• * 1.3

  Vse. 3.
• * 1.4

  Vse 4.
• b 1.5

  The Lord Zouch then Lord President.