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Show :92 Mia? ofe‘oMMON-WEALTH; ‘ chapgr; belt, and molt {ignificant ofHonour. As for example, that Prayers and Thankfgiving, be made in Words and Phrafes, not fudden, nor, light,nor Plebeian, but beautifull, and well compofed; For elfe we do not God as much honour as we can. And therefore the Heathens did abfurdlyv, to worihip Images for Gods : But their doing it in Verfe, and with Mufiek,both of Voyce, and Inflruments, was reafonable. Alfo that the Beafls they offered in facrifice, and the Gifts they offered, and their actions in Worfhipping, were full of fubmiflion, and commemorative of benefits received, was according to reafon, as proceeding from an intention to honour him. Seventhly, Reafon direé‘teth not onely to worfliip God in Secret; but alfo, and el‘pecially, in Publique, and in the fight of men: For Without that, ( that whichin honour is molt acceptable ) the procu- ring others to honour him, is loll. Lafily, Obedience to his Lawes ( that is, in this cafe to the Lawes of Nature,) is the greateft worfhip of all. For as Obedience is more acceptable to God than Sacrifice -, fo alfo to let light b his Commandements,is the greatcft of all contumelies. And t efe are the Lawes of that Divine V'Vorlliip, which naturall Reafon dictateth to private men. ‘Tul/iqm But feeing a Common-wealth is but one Pei-(on, it ought alfo to Worfktp con- exhibite to God but one Woriliip, which then it doth, whenit eomfl/htb in mandeth it to be exhibited by Private men, Publiquely. And this is u"'{""""}- Publique Worlliip-,the property whereof, is to be uuifarme: For thoie actions that are done differently, by diFFe rent men, cannot be (aid to be a Publique VVorfliip. And therefore, where many forts of Worih ip be allowed, proceeding from the different Religions of Pri- vate men,itcannotbe {aid there is any Publique Worihi p, nor that the Common-wealth is of any Religion at all. All ArmAnd beeaufe words (and confequently the Attributes of God ) 6m; d/pmd have their fignifieation by agreement, and conflitution of men ; thole "fix 1‘4th Attributes are to be held fignificative of Honour, that men intend Ow"{hall fobegand whatfoever may be done by the wills of particu lar men, where there is no Law but R eafon, may be done by the will the Common-wealth, by Lawes Civill. And becaufe a Commo of nwealth hath no Will, nor makes no Lawes, but thofe that are made by the Will of him, or them that have the Sovera ign Power -, it followeth,thattho{e Attributes whichthe Soveraign ordainetli, in the Worilup of God, for fignes of Honour, ought to be taken and Med N0, 4,, 1mm". for fuch, by private men in their publique Worfhi p. But becauie not all Actions are iignes by C onititu tionzbut fome are Naturally fignes of Honour, others ofContumely, thele latergvhich are tliole that men are ailiamed to do in the of them thev reve‘ rencc ) cannot be made by humane power alight part ofDivine worthip: nor the former ( fuch as are decent, model‘t, humble Behaviour) ever be feparated from it. But whereas there be an infinite number or firongand Gefiures, of an indifierenr nature , inch of them as the pmz, ofCOMMON-WEALTH. €119.31. and ufed for inch by the Subjeéts'. And that which is faid in. the Scripture, It islet!" to ale Godbtbiz: mm, hath place in the kinge God b Pact an not attire. . dol-nlatiiiig thus gtieflylpoken oftlrc Naturall Kingdome of God, and Natural! his Naturall Lawes, Iwill adde onely to this Chapter a {hort decla- I'M/77mm"ration ofhis Naturall Puniihments. There is no action of man in this life, that is not the beginning of [0 long a chayn of Confequences, as no humane Providence, is high enough, to give a man a profpeét. to the end. And in this Chayn, there are linked together both pleafing and unpleafing events -, in fuch manner, as he that Will do any thing for his pleafure, mutt enga e himfelfe to fuifer all the pains annexed to it ; and thefe pains, are: e Naturall Punifhments of thofe actions, which are the be inning of more Harme thanGood. And hereby it comes to para, tlgiat Intern erance, is naturally puniihed with Difeafes; Ralhneile, with Mi chances; Injuf'tice, with the Violence of Enemies ; Pride, with Ruine 5 Cowardife, with Opprcffion; Neg. ligent government of Princes, with Rebellion; and Rebellion, with Slaughter. For feeing Puniihments are confequent to the breach of Lawes ; Natural] Pnnifhments mui‘tbe naturall confequent to the breach of the Lawes of Nature; and therfote ollow them as their naturall, not arbitrary effeéts. And thus fat-re concerning the Conflitution, Nature, and Right of The (mag. Sove raigns ; and concernin the Duty of Subjeéts, derived from the film 'ftbe 5:Principles of Naturall Rea on. And now, confidering how diHErent ""4 1""‘this D08 rine is, from the Praétife of the greateft part of the world, efpecially of thefe Weflern arts, that have received their Morall, learning from Rome, and At em -, and how much depth of Morall Philofophy is required, in them that have the Adminiflration of the Soveraign Power -, I am at the point of believing this my labour, as ufeleile, as the Common-wealth of Plato; For he alfo is of opinion that it is impoflible for the diforders of State, and change of Governments by Civil! Warre, ever to be taken awa , till Soveraigns be Philofophers. But when I confider a ain,thattiie Science of Na-7 turall juflice, is the onely Science necefliry for Soveraigns,and their principall Minifters; and that they need not be charged with the Sciences Mathematicall, ( as by Plate they are,) further, than by good Lawes to encourage men to the fludy of them Plato, nor any other Philofopher hitherto, hath 5 and that neither put into order, and fufliciently, or probably proved all the Theoremes of Morall dow Chine, that men may learn thereby, both how to govern, and how to obey; I recover fome hope,,that one time or mine, may fall into the hands of a Soveraign, other, this writing of who Will confider it hnnfelfe, ( for it is (bolt, and Ithink clear, )without the help of an intereflcdpr envious Interpreter 5 and by the exerciie ofcntire Sove- Eighty, "1 protcéting the Publique teaching of 0 P‘Wlamn, into the Utility of Practice; it,convett this Truth Commonwealth {hallordain to be Publiq uely and Llniverlallv 11‘ufe, as iignes of Honour, and part of Gods Wozihip, are to be tilm I'M t9; O-F |