Use. It informeth us that it is no excuse though magistrates enjoin or connive at tilings evil. In human laws the husband shall not answer for the wife, nor the children for the parents ; and therefore in all these cases say as Christ said to his earthly parents, Luke ii.49, ' Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?' It is no stub- bornness, but a well-tempered zeal. You are wont to produce your commission, but that will not bear you out before God.
(2.) The commands of kings and princes have been a usual trial of God's children, as Nebuchadnezzar's command was to fall down and worship the golden image. Magistrates have not always been the best friends to Christ. God loves to put his people upon such trials. They that are not faithful to their God will never be faithful to their princes. But it is usual with men to make bold with God to please men. This is very natui-al to us, to hearken to men rather than God, and either out of fear or favour of men to do- things unlawful. It is worse to do it out of favour of men than out of fear ; for the temptation of favour is not so great, nor the danger of not obeying so imminent. What is done out of fear is done with reluctancy : a compliance for the favour of men discovers more of the consent of our wills, and willingness is a great aggravation of sin : Hos. v. 11, ' Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he walked willingly after the command- ment.' That is a most heinous sin when men consent of their own inclination, or the simple command of men, without any terrors, doth draw them to be at the beck of carnal potentates, and they are carried hither and thither at the pleasure of them that have power over them.
Use. This should draw us off from men. To this end consider —
Ist, We are bound to God more than to men. We have protection from men under God ; but we have life, and being, and breath, and all things from God. Men can only protect us at God's pleasure. How soon is a prince pulled out of his throne ! Or if they could protect against men, yet not against God. There is no wall to be made against heaven ; all is open above. Therefore if protection draweth allegiance, I owe most to him from whom I have most protection. The greatest potentate is but an instrument of providence, and therefore my greatest obligation is to the Lord.
2dly, None can reward our obedience as God can — ' Will the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards?' 1 Sam. xxii. 7. Have they such life and glory to bestow as God hath ? They have power to take off a civil forfeiture, but they cannot continue life for a moment ; much less can they give eternal life and glory. Herod promised to the half of
426 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. LVII.
his kingdom to his minion. They can give you offices and places of power and trust, but they cannot give you a crown that shall never fade. As stage-players can set up a king for an hour, the world is but a play of a little longer continuance ; and at last, as chessmen are all thrown into the bag together, so in the grave there is no distinction ; skulls wear no wreaths and marks of honour. They cannot give a glorious body, or a better soul. But there is full contentment to be had in God, who hath other manner of rewards than men can bestow.
Sdly, None can punish our disobedience so as God can : Mat. x. 28, ' Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.' Man's power reacheth only to the body ; they may burn, and rack, and tor- ture the body, but the soul lieth out of their power. If God now lay his finger on the conscience, all the engines of torture in the world cannot beget such a terror as there is in a wounded conscience. And what, then, will it be hereafter, when God sets himself a-work to tor- ment you ; when omnipotency falleth upon a worm ; when God sets the body on the soul, and the soul on the body, and makes the body to accuse the soul as an evil instrument, and the soul the body as an evil guide, how dreadful is this punishment !
4:tJdj/, We live longer with God than we do with men ; therefore if a, man would study to please, he should rather please God than men. God is eternal, man is but mortal : Isa. li. 12, ' Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die ? ' &c. ; Isa. ii. 22, ' Cease from man, whose breatli is in his nostrils ; for wherein is he to be accounted of?' livings i. 21, 'When luy lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be accounted offenders;' Ps. cxlvi. 4, ' His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth ; in that very day his thoughts perish/ A man may outlive his friends and out- live his happiness. Nay, we ourselves must perish ; and when we come to die, then we shall say, Oh ! if I had been as careful to please God as to please my prince, it would have been better with me than now it is. But when men are dead and gone, God liveth for ever.