COntentment is the universal Cen­ter to which all the thoughts, actions, and contrivances of Men tend; the point to which they are all [Page 2] directed, is satisfaction. This is the great spring to all the various motions of Man­kind: and however distant and contra­ry their ways and courses, their inclina­tions and constitutions are; yet here they all meet and concenter in this one re­conciling object. Contentment and sa­tisfaction is that which the Learned seeks to obtain, in his industrious quest after Knowledge. This Jewel the Merchant seeks in his dangerous Voyages, the am­bitious in his passionate pursuit of Ho­nour, the covetous in his unwearied heaping up of Treasure, the wanton in his pleasing Charms of Beauty, the Con­querour in his earnest desires of Victory, and the Politician in his deep Designs. But alas! the misery of Man is, That he would find that in the variety of the Creatures, which is no where to be found but in the unity of the Creator, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. For absolute content dwells not here be­low. It is not in Granaries fill'd with plenty, in ambitious Haman's state and grandeur, in Samson's lovely Dalilah's, in Nebuchadnezzar's Rule over the World; it must arise from no other spring but God the Holy Trinity alone, who is the only Principal of Being, and Foun­tain of true content. And King David [Page 3] draws a right line to the immoveable Center, and directs the Soul to the true Zenith of happiness, God himself, Whom have I Heaven but thee? God alone is the purest Truth, the chiefest Good, and final End of intelligent Beings, which speaks the excellency of Christianity, in reference to the [...] or sublimity of its object, which is not the [...], the Universe, or boundary of the World; but God the [...] and [...], from whence all goodness flows, the rest, re­pose and tranquillity of all Creatures. Aristotle in his Metaphysicks saith, That God is vivens, aeternus & optimus, a living, eternal and transcendent Good. Plato in his Book de Legibus saith, That God is bonus, & causa bonorum omnium, good, and the cause of all good things. And Cicero contemplating God in the happy fruition of himself, saith, Ea est Dei vita quâ nihil beatius, nihil omnino bonis omnibus affluentius cogitari potest; nihil enim agit, nullis occupationibus est implicatus, nulla opera molitur, suâ poten­tiâ & virtute gaudet, habet exploratum fore se semper tum maximis tum in aeternis voluptatibus: i. e. Such is the life of God, than which nothing is more happy, no­thing in the world can be thought to a­bound with more good things; he is [Page 4] implicated in no busieness, he undergo­eth no labour, but enjoyeth his own power and virtue, and knows certainly that he shall be always in transcendent pleasures. God is the Haven of Eter­nal Felicity, where till we arrive in ou [...] Spirits, we are mazed in endless wan­drings, tortur'd on the rack of self-vexa­tion Cor humanum in desiderio aeternitatis non fixum, nunquam stabile potest esse, sed omni vo­lubi [...]itate volubilius, de alio in aliud transit, quaerens requiem ubi non est. In his autem ca­ducis & transitoriis, in quibus ejus affectus captivi tenentur, veram requiem invenire non valet: quoniam tantae est dig­nitatis, ut nullum bonum praeter summum bonum, ei sufficere potest. S August., our desires know no shore or bottom. And there is no man but feels his Soul too big for terrestrial things, too noble to glut it self with base corporeal pleasures, and the Understanding too sub­lime a faculty to subject it self to a brutish appetite; these things are never able to fill its vast capacities, but only the glorious Trinity, its Maker, and leaves no room for sorrow to creep in. For the heart of man is triangular, which the whole circle of the world cannot fill (as Mathematicians say) but all the cor­ner, will complain of emptiness for some­thing else. Nothing can fill the heart o [...] man but God. Nothing can satisfie it but the Divinity it self. There is no thing can give rest to the Soul, but only him that made it; for the heart of man i [...] like the Needle of the Compass, it hat [...] [Page 5] a natural trembling to the Pole, even the fruition of bliss. And then will the Soul be pleased, when it lies down in the lap of Eternity, and the Triple An­gle of mans heart satisfied, being united to God, the fountain of happiness, where the Angels sun themselves for ever: and the Mystery of the Sacred Trinity shall be in full revelation, and that inconcei­vable joy shall be open'd to you, which changes not as the Moon, eclipsed as the Sun, nor set as the Stars. Holy David having trave [...]ed and coursed the whole world in his thoughts, for a resting place (like Noah's Dove) finds not amidst the swelling Tides of this world, whereon to stay his feet, returns back again to the Ark with this Olive-branch in his mouth, Non est mortale quod opto. He finds no sanctuary but in Heaven, no safe repose but in the Almighty, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee. The Royal Prophet seems to be now under the storms of grief and trouble, and placed as it were inter suspiria & lachrymas, be­tween sighs and tears; yet he anchors his hopes upon Providence, and chearfully looks up to Heaven, fetching comfort from thence with a full assurance of Di­vine favor, and in all pressures or difficul­ties [Page 6] whatsoever takes himself to his Harp, and plays this divine Anthem, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee. The words being Musical, I shall follow the Allegory, and in it observe these Two generals, viz. The disposition of parts, and the opposition of the notes on both. The disposition of parts are Aspi­ratum and Lene, high and low.

First, High in a rational expostulati­on, Whom have I Heaven but thee?

Secondly, Low in a positive determi­nation, And there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee.

In the expostulation there are these notes in a divine Climax.

First, Quem in Coelis? Whom have I in Heaven?

Secondly, Quem praeter te? Whom have I besides thee?

Thirdly, Quis mihi? Who is for me?

First, Quem in Coelis? Whom have I in Heaven? The Holy Trinity is the Ocean of all true felicity, the comfort, the joy and bliss of Souls. How should we long after thee, and the fruition of that happiness, which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee! In that most glorious state these operations are most specially recommended, and spoken of [Page 7] by the Scriptures, viz. Vision, Dilection and Fruition. They shall be possessed with such a sweet trinity of sight, love and joy, that the Soul will confess, being in an ecstasie of wonder and amazement, that it could not believe those things which now it sees with its eyes, in that it can look no way but it beholds un­speakable glory. And the Soul solacing it self with infinite content, cryes out, Here will I dwell and abide for ever. Psal. 132.14. Now whilst others lay up treasures on Earth, in Heaven is my Exchequer. Our Souls will be irregular like the Planets in their Epicycles; and whilst we are in the Sphere of flesh, and cloathed with mortality, sailing in the Sea of this world, there will be winds to create storms: but in Hea­ven there is a perpetual calm, no tempest in it; the Soul will joy in Gods Ever­lasting rest. And this is the divine ele­vation of David's spirit, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? It is the glory and ho­nour of the Soul, to be originally from Heaven. How suitable, and how natu­ral is it for the rational Soul which comes down from Heaven to look thither, and tend towards the source and fountain of its Being! Os homini sublime dedit, coelúm­que tueri jussit— How hard a thing is it to keep the flame from pointing up­wards? [Page 8] And with what unwearied [...]i­gence do the Rivulets seek out [...] the main Ocean? Such an eager pursuit, such strong propensions (nay far stronger) may be justly expected in the Soul to­wards Heaven, seeking the [...], things above; To seek there [...], an habitation not made with hands, [...], Eternal in the Heavens, in as much as the End is incomparably greater, and the Agent more noble and active: for the heavenly Faculty having capacities so wide, and mighty Energies, was surely not created to serve mean or narrow designs; it was not given to scrape eternally in earth, or heap up gold for private injoyment, to weary our selves with servile toils, to distract the mind with ignoble cares (this was not the Errand for which we are sent into the World) but to find out happiness. We must not think God bestow'd im­mortal Souls upon us, that we might fix them on sensual objects, when we find that they are capable of such riches and pleasures as fade not away. We must suppose, that to do so, is the principal and supreme End of our Creation. And it is an employment congruous to the native excellency of that Divine power implanted in us, for God hath made us [Page 9] for himself, and unquiet is mans heart until it attains him; it longs for, Psal. 42.2. and thirsts after the living God: here's one of the sweet strains of David's Harp, Whom have I in heaven but thee?

Secondly, Quem praeter te? Whom have I besides thee? Say thou, O Lord, unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation, and it is enough to bless and raise me above the icy hills of worldly joys. For the blessed Trinity is a Christians portion, he is truly possest of nothing but the Deity, Whom have I besides thee? How glorious art thou in Heaven above! and what infinite happiness is there provided for me in thee! One day in thy Courts, O Lord, is better than a thousand else­where in the Palaces of sinful pleasures, or Tabernacles of wickedness. How then may I, or can I take full content or delight in any thing that is here below? For I envy not secular glory nor sum­ptuous habitations of the ungodly: be­cause all delicious enjoyments in this life without thee, will but make a Paradise without a Tree of Life. King David weighed them in the balance of the San­ctuary, and did not only find them TE­KEL too light, but [...], to speak in the Epigrammatists Language, meer nothing to spiritual comfort. Psal. 4.6. The [Page 10] gleanings of Spirituals are better than the vintage of Naturals and Morals, and the least spangle of happiness is above a globe of Temporals Da, Domine, ut sic possidea­mus temporalia, ut non perdamus aeterna. S. Ber­nard.; for when all the flashes of sensual pleasures are quite ex­tinct, when all the flowers of secular glory are withered away, when all earth­ly excellencies are buried in darkness, when this world and all the fashion of it are utterly vanish'd and gone, the infi­nite spaces of Eternity do yet remain; traffick therefore with the Talent of time, Mat. 25.16. Luke 19.15. for the unspeakable advantages of Life eternal, because all our enjoyments un­der the Tropick of Mortality are fleet­ing and transitory. Some are [...], Lovers of honours, and these are as a flux and reflux of the Sea, for the ambi­tious mans joys and heightned delights, in which his Soul is steep'd and inebria­ted, his Musick and Feasting, his ample Building, and Train of Attendants, the Purple and fine Linen, and whole Page­antry Quid hâc va­nâ & inani gloriâ fallaci­cius? quòd si in hac vita prae­senti vicissitu­dinem hanc e­vadit, omnino mors veniens foelicitatem resecabit. Et quem hodie in foro magna pompa co­mitabatur, & qui in carcerem conjiciebat, & super thronum residebat, & inflabatur, & homines alios, quasi um bras despiciebat, is subitò postea jace­bit mortuus absque spiritu, foetulentus, petitus innumeris convitiis, & his, quos pridem injuriâ affecit, & quos nullâ affecit injuriâ: condolentibus ta­men his, qui ab isto injuriâ afflicti suerunt. Quid hoc miserabilius fuerit? Item collecta omnia saepenumerò inimici & hostes inter se partiuntur & distri­bnunt: peccata autem per quae haec coacervata sunt secum aufert, de quibus diligens & accurata ratio exigetur. S. Chrysostom. Hom. 22. in Gen. of Greatness, hath but a sad E­cho, Obad. 4. Though thou exalt thy self as the Eagle, and set thy nest among the Stars, thence I will bring thee down, saith the Lord. The ambitious man enlargeth [Page 11] his desires as Hell, saith the Prophet, Hab. 2.5. and is as death, and cannot be satisfied. Who can fill the bottomless pit? or stop the unsatiable jaws of death? neither can the greedy humor of an haughty Spirit, the aspiring insolency of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted, no not with the top and variety of highest honours, though he should alone and absolutely be crown'd with the Sove­raignty of the whole Earth, and com­mand the felicities of the wide World; but though their excellency mount up to the Heavens, saith Job, Job 20.6, 7. and his head reach unto the Clouds, yet they shall perish. Others are [...], Lovers of money; and riches, saith Solomon, Prov. 23.5. make themselves wings and fly away: there is a gadding vein in money which makes it ever and anon shift masters, [...], in Pythagoras Pythag. [...].; and who would weary himself to pursue the wind? they can reap nothing but vanity and emptiness; Eccles. 5.10. therefore let us not sing a Requiem to our Souls, of safety and peace, and anchor our hearts and hopes on an earthly Paradise, but in Je­hovah, [Page 12] who is everlasting Riches. Others are [...] [...], 2 Tim. 3.4. Incipit homini occurrere talis jucundi­tas, qualem solet habere in po­culis, in prandiis, in avaritia, in honoribus seculi. Extollun­tur enim homines, & laetitiâ quâdam insaniunt: sed non est gaudere impiis, dicit Dominus; est enim jucunditas quaedam, quam nec oculus vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis a­scendit. S. Aug., Lovers of pleasures, but alas! they quickly fade. A Painter who hath made a pi­cture of a face smiling, on a sudden with no more than one dash of his Pencil can make it seem to weep: the confines of joy and sorrow border on each other. In the twinkling of an eye, in the turning of an hand, sadness may justle out mirth; and deep sighs may be fetched from that breast whence loud laughter made its eruption. Pleasure may die in the same moment that gave it its birth, and a sud­den succession of grief may turn its cra­dle into a grave. The tears which an enlarged and vehement passion of joy had run over with, may in the middle of their course find an Arrest, and be made to minister unto grief in the flight of a minute, in the beating of a pulse; the dilating of the heart, by a Diastole of pleasure, may be turn'd into a contra­ction by a Systole of sorrow: So all worldly glory, wealth, or pleasures may well have that Inscription which Plutarch tells us was upon the Temple of Isis, [...]. [Page 13] We knock at every Creatures door, but there's nothing within, no filling en­tertainment for the Soul. The Father It is often in Homer, that God is the Father of Spirits, [...], the Father of Angelical Be­ings, and of the Souls of men. of Spirits hath in­spired into our immortal Souls an infinite appetite, that no finite excellency, created comfort, or earthly thing can possibly fill. Gold, Silver, Riches, Ho­nours, Crowns, Kingdoms are no fit mat­ter or adequate object for such an imma­terial and heaven-born Spirit to repose and feed upon with delectation and con­tentment, but it would still be transport­ed with a passionate disquiet­ness Non satiat animum nisi incorruptibilis gaudii vera & certa aeternitas. S. August., until it fasten and fix upon an object infinite both in excellency and endlesness, wherein is contained the whole latitude of Entity and Goodness, the ever blessed and only adored Trinity. Which doth convince men, That compleat happiness in this Life is a meer Speculation, and it is not to be had in the valley of tears, but in the possession of superlative Felicities; let us therefore besiege Heaven with our united forces, Mat. 11.12. Faith is in­strumentum ad scandendum coe­lum, and Prayer is clavis coeli, the Key that opens the Cabinet where the Jewel lies, no other Artillery but this can batter the Citadel of the great King, for Heaven it self can't be proof against Petitions often darted to­wards it, but the violen [...] will take it by force. Faith and Prayer, and raise such batteries against Gods gates, [Page 14] that we may break open those everlasting doors, and take the Treasures of Eternity. Livy tells us, That the Gauls, when they had tasted the Wines of Italy, were so much taken with the pleasantness and lusciousness of them, that they would not after rest contented with a bare Commerce and Trade thither, but fixed their resolutions by Conquest to get pos­session of the Land that brought it forth. Thus the Antepasts of Glory do but pro­voke the desires, and erect the appetite of the believing Soul: he is so far from being satisfied by foretastes or comforta­ble intercourse, which it enjoys in part with the blessed Trinity, by the Word, Sacraments, and other holy Ordinances, that they do but augment his thirst after a plenary fruition out of the during Well-springs of Life and Immortality; therefore his resolves are by a holy vio­lence and conquest to get a possession in that spiritual Canaan from whence these Grapes are brought as Prelibations, that he may drink of that Wine of the King­dom, and of those Rivers of pleasure: Whom have I besides thee? Thou, O God, dost far surpass all the contents of Israel, as light doth pitch'd darkness, thou art the joy of my heart, and my portion for ever; aim then at delights which trans­port [Page 15] Souls, ravish Angels, and force Se­raphims into ecstasies.

Thirdly, Quis mihi? Who is for me? Who pleads my cause in Heaven? not any Saint or Angel, nor yet the Holy Virgin The Church of Rome gives [...] to Saints in Heaven, [...] more Worship to the B. Vir­gin: But the Church of England, [...]. For the glory of religious Worship is not to be given to any Saint or Angel, though never so blessed and glorious. S. John falling at the feet of the holy Angel, with an intent to worship him, Rev. 22.8, 9. met with a timely prohibition, [...], See thou do it not: if that Spirit no less hum­ble than glorious bright, had not given him to know that he was hi [...] fellow-servant; that honour belongs to our Master only, and not to me; worship God. Here let us remember those excellent words of S. Austin, Tutiùs & jucundiùs loquar ad meum Jesum, quàm ad aliquem sanctorum Spirituum Dei; I can speak safer and more pleasantly, or chear­fully, to my Lord Jesus, than to any of the Saints and Spirits of God. If praying to Saints, or Angels, or the Holy Virgin had been a useful piece of Christian devotion, that during above 4000 years that God had a Church in the World, not one example (saith the Reverend Dr. B. in his Missale Romanum) is recorded in Scripture, of any Holy man, who ever called upon any created Saint or Angel: And how is it like or possible, that the universal Church in after times should learn either new ways towards Heaven, or new ways of true help and comfort, which neither Patriarchs, nor Prophets, nor Apostles ever taught or knew? As the Pagans took the Idea of their [...], Demono­logy from the Scriptures account of the true Messiah; so in like manner the Papists received the original Idea of their [...], Saint-wor­ship from this Pagan Demonology; as 'tis evident from 1 Tim. 4.1. [...], rarely demonstrated by Mede, in a Treatise called, The Apostasie of the latter Times., but thou, O Lord. And do not some dote on Images Lactantius says in relation to Images, Du­bium non est, quin religio nulla sit, ubicun (que) simulacrum est: Where-ever an Image is (meaning for Worship) there is no Religion; for it robs God of honour, who will not have his glory given to another, nor his praise to graven Images, promulgated by his own holy Law. The Greek Church speaks emphatically, We do not forbid Pictures, the Art is noble, [...]— but their ado­ration and worship we detest, as forbidden by the Holy Ghost in holy Scripture, Hab. 2.18, 19. lest we should ignorantly adore Colours, Art, and the Creature instead of our Creator. They worship the Creature (saith S. Paul, Rom. 1.25.) [...], besides the Creator, so it should be read: if we worship any Creature besides God, worshipping so, as the worship of him becomes a part of Religion, is a direct Su­perstition; therefore it is good reason, that the Watchmen who stand upon the Lords Tower, and tell what of the night should decry the darkness of Idolatry and Superstitition, and warn the people, that they may neither be taken into the whirlpools of danger, nor carried down the stream of ungodliness; but walk in the ways of Scripture and Chri­stianity, contending for that Faith which forbids all worship of Images. with the Ro­manists, and others on Imaginations with [Page 16] Factionists, who fall into the heat of con­tention, the fire of Schism. How few are in the right way of Gods prescripti­ons? which is [...] the Lord our God is one Lord. Unity is written in the high Court of Bliss in Let­ters of Glory, and ought it not to be in golden Characters or capital Letters here below to be seen and read of all men, and be set as a Copy for others to write after? Christians should live on Earth as Angels do in Heaven, not disagreeing among themselves. Many that would be lookt upon as living stones in the spi­ritual building, go about to demolish so fair a structure, by bringing into the Temple the noise of axes and hammers; and when they may be sharers in the Communion of Saints, and bear a chief [Page 17] part in that spiritual consort, put all out of tune by Separation and Division Vos ergo qua­re sacrilegâ se­paratione, pacis vinculum diri­puistis? August. lib. 2. de Bapt. cont. Donat.. O tell it not in Gath, they who are of the Ministration, and should be Ring-leaders in Obedience and Conformity, are be­come pernicious Nurseries of Fanatick Rage, Sedition and Rebellion, Factio­num & discordiarum Duces, as it was said of the Syndicks of Geneva. The dange­rous malady of Faction made S. Chryso­stome with such zeal and fervor declare against it, [...]— I say and protest [...]. Chrys. in Ephes. Hom. 11. to make Schism in the Church is no less evil than to fall into He­resie. Behold therefore how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity? It calls to mind that rich Perfume and costly Ointment, even those precious drops of love, which fell from the head of the first Being to the skirts of inferior Entities. The win­dows of Heaven are open to us in a glo­rious Light, teaching us how to demean our selves in a state of Conjunction, as Members of the Catholick Church, not to be swelled with rage and fury, but big with Charity and universal kindness to the whole World, heaping those coals of Love, Blessing and Prayer on our Enemies heads; Mat. 5.44. for a Christian is not to hate his Enemy, but at the same rate and [Page 18] expence he loves his friend. Would you be revenged? there's no way to compass this design, but by the contrary methods of compassion and affection. If we would justifie our wrath, curtesie must be the Executioner overcoming evil with good. Christianity takes away all malice and ha­tred, revenge and cruelty out of mens minds; it calms the temper, and fills them with kindness and good will, even to their very enemies. And it is most certain, that living in Religion and Fear of God, in Obedience to the King, in Charities and Duties of Communion with our spiritual Pastors, Guides and Curates of the Soul, in Justice and Love with all the World in their several proportions, we shall not fail of a happy End: 1 Tim. 4.8. For Godliness hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come; but without Piety Principibus ad salutem so­la satis vera est pietas; abs (que) illa verò nihil est vel exercitus, vel Imperatoris sortitudo, vel apparatus reliquus. Zoz. Ec­cles. Hist. lib. 9. cap. 1. there is no internal comfort to be found in Conscience, nor external peace to be looked for in the World, nor eternal happiness to be ho­ped for in Heaven. There is no man indeed can expect the favour of God on the service of an historical and verbal Our Religion consists not in words, but deeds, saith Ju­stin. Piety, or without confor­mity of our affections to his Law. Our Consciences tell [Page 19] us, It is not a Theory to talk only, but to be, makes Chri­stians, saith Ignatius. The summ of Christian Religion is to imitate him whom thou worshippest, saith S. Augustine. Ye know these things (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) happy are ye, if you do them: here's knowing and doing, like the two Cherubims, turn­ing both their faces to the Mercy-seat of Blessedness. That it is no better than Blasphemy to praise his Wis­dom, if we are not govern'd by it; or his Goodness, if we do not imitate it. It is pro­faneness and affront to look obsequiously with eyes and hands lift up to God in our Devotions, whom we scorn and revile in our lives and actions. It is the special glory of our Religion, that it consists not in barren Speculations, or empty Formalities, not in fansying curiously, or speaking zealously, or looking de­murely; but in really pro­ducing the sensible fruits Humilitas in conversatio­ne, stabilitas in fide, verecun­dia in verbis, in factis justitia, in operibus misericordia, in moribus disciplina, injuriam facere non nôsse, & factam to­lerare posse, cum fratribus pa­cem tenere, Deum toto corde di­ligere, amare in illo quod Pa­ter est, timere quod Deus est, Christo nihil omninò praeponere, quia nec nobis ille quicquam praeposuit charitati ejus insepa­rabiliter adhaerere— Quando de ejus nomine & honore certamen est, exhibere in sermone constan­tiam, quâ confitemur: in quaestione fiduciam, quâ congredimur: in morte patientiam, quâ coronamur. Hoc est cohaeredem Christi velle esse; hoc est praeceptum Dei facere; hoc est voluntatem Patris adimplere. S. Cyprian de Orat. Domin. of goodness. Religion, where­ever it is truly planted, is certainly the greatest obliga­tion upon Conscience to all Civil Offices and Moral Du­ties, which are the great bands of peace and unity a­mong men; for Christianity in the love and practice of it, is a Principle of truth and [Page 20] fidelity, of sobriety and discretion, of humility and condescension, of pity and forgiveness. It teaches us kindness and humanity, which are apt to subdue the most rugged dispositions, and obliges the hearts and affections of mankind to the service of one another, removing the occasions of passion and displeasure, cor­rects irregularities, and mortifies all those lusts which are the cause of enmity and division. The Christian Religion (saith our worthy Diocesan in his Tracts Bish. of Win. in his Sermon on the 5 ^th of Novemb. before the King, pag. 15.) truly so called, is so far from being a cause of commotion or disturbance in Kingdoms and States; that where the Christian Religion is truly taught and truly practised, it would be impossible there should be any dissension or dis­cord, any open Rebellion, or privy Conspiracy in a State Fulgentius saith, That no kind of Sedition can stand with Religion, cùm pro nostra fide liberè respondemus, &c. When we answer freely for our profession, we ought not to be taxed with the least suspicion of disobedience or contumely, seeing we are not unmindful of the Regal Dignity, and do know, that we must fear God, and ho­nour the King, according to the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2.17. or Kingdom: because all the Articles of the Chri­stian Faith, and all the Pre­cepts of Christian practice, tend unto peace. Charity, Love and Peace are a sacred Trinity, and the great Cha­racters of Christs Disciples, though many in this degene­rate Age are Jews in Chri­stian habit, not admitting [Page 21] Christ a Being in their hearts, living in direct contrariety to his Life and Do­ctrine by Irreligion and Atheism, and had they a power answerable to their wills, would un-deifie their Creator. And if his Mercy were not as infinite as his Majesty, his provoked Soveraignty might in a moment reduce them into their first Nothing: Do they not call Christ their King by the same kind of Irony by which the Jews called him theirs, when platting a Crown upon his head, and putting upon him a Purple Robe, they bow their knees, and cry, Hail, King of the Jews? Joh. 19.2, 3. They cut down branches and spread them in the way, singing, Hosanna to the Son of David, when they part his garments, and for his vesture cast Lots. And whatever dress they put on, display them to be a spurious brood within the pale, but no true Sons of the Church; were they so, their looks would not speak smiles, whilst storms did surge in their breasts, who about the froth of their own brains dare rent the peace and tranquillity of it, and war for the aery projections of their giddied heads, as if Heaven and Earth were little enough to be mingled in the quarrel, tearing the seamless Coat of the holy Jesus in pieces, causing Divisions [Page 22] and Schisms, that our holy Mother the Church is forced to utter her unwelcome voice, [...], as Caesar said to Bru­tus, What thou my Son? But we are of a strange disposition, we use not to re­gard the Sun or Moon till we see them in Eclipse, Lunâ non aspicimus nisi la­borante, saith Seneca. And that course of Aristotle with his Auditors best suits with our Natures, before we are ena­mour'd with this holy concord, we must be acquainted with its opposite vices It is a Rule in Logick, Con­traria juxta se posita magis e­lucescunt.. And a little knowledge in Judicial Astro­logy will serve the turn to predict the ill effects of the Serpents teeth division. An easie Observation can foresee and foretel the sad Events of excentrick Mo­tions and intestine Wars. Peace and Unity, like light and fruitful showres, descend from above, from Heaven, from God; but strifes and dissentions, like tempestuous Vapours and fiery Exhala­tions, come from the Earth, from the devillish hearts, designs and practices of men. The Orator said well, [...]. Any rash hand or furious head may inflict a wound, or kindle a fire, but it is God alone who can heal up the breaches of a Church or State. Private grudges and contentions (like several [Page 23] Cards in a Map, whose Lines are drawn infinitely crossing, cut and thwart each other) must needs shew us the way to publick calamity. When humane Socie­ties become Cannibals to one another, the bands of love, which hold Mankind to­gether, must necessarily be dissolv'd, and we can't but behold a very sad Landskip of horrour and confusion, because ani­mosities and divisions feed on envy and malice so long, till they break forth into a consuming fire, in ruine and desolation by an open Hostility. The Earth grows wild and becomes a great Forest of sa­vage and cruel Monsters, and Mankind turns Beasts of prey one towards ano­ther. When our united Force should encounter Babylon the common Enemy Cum (que) super­ba foret Babylon spolianda tro­phaeis. Lucan., we weaken our selves like those ancient Romans by mutual dissentions, and perish by our own oppositions. If Christians would but take the Moralists counsel, [...], to spend and derive their malice some other way; for many had rather employ their time in picking and feeding quarrels in the Church at home, than advance the unity of the Faith abroad; and how can any expect security from their enemies, while they are at variance thus with themselves? Do any hope to escape the [Page 24] fury of Aliens, while they are ready to sheath their Swords in each others bow­els? Eph. 4.3. S. Paul, that great Patriot of Reli­gion, and glorious Angel upon Earth, perswades all to keep [...], the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And if he hath but reason e­nough to make him a man, and so much Religion as will name him Christian, I doubt not but he will hearken to S. Peters advice, 1 Pet. 3.11. to seek peace and ensue it: And will follow that which makes for peace, as S. Paul would have us; Rom. 14.19. for whether it be a security from open Invasions, or an immunity from home-bred Oppositi­ons, it is dulce nomen pacis, even to them that know no more of it besides its name. The word [...] is a comprehensive term, and signifies all prosperity or out­ward happiness in the Hebrew stile; or [...] peace from [...] to knit, being as 'twere the tye of mens affections; in ei­ther of these respects, 'tis a thing delight­ful, under any notion it is amiable and lovely, [...], &c. Nazianzen. It is a kind of sweet, divine and heavenly concent, harmony or beau­ty of things subordinate one to another. In the oeconomy of Nature unity or peace is the combination of Creatures; by symbolical qualities so contempered and [Page 25] disposed by the will and pleasure of the All-wise Creator, that all agree to a per­fect harmony of the Universe to make up one intire body, the World. In the lesser Worlds of mixt Bodies, peace or unity is the equal balance, or [...] due moderation and temper of humors and parts, which keep their true place and proportion; Quâ quodlibet corpus non minùs appetit unitatem suam quàm Entita­tem; therefore it preserves Unity as its Being. In the Political World the State, peace or unity is the setling and due or­dering of things by just Laws of Govern­ment, so that Laws and Government are the Charter of our Lives and Liberty, the Pillar and Basis of States and King­doms, and Cement of all Societies; for the whole design of Civil Power or Au­thority is to procure the private and publick happiness of Mankind, to pre­serve men in their Rights, against the insolent Usurpations and Outrages of murders, perjuries, fraud and violence, and such like misdemeanors as would in­vade the World with Anarchy and dis­order, and bring the Politick Body to confusion. There is no one thing, Re­ligion excepted, that more secures and adorns the State than Justice Jus & aequi­tas vincula ci­vitatum. Cic. Parad. doth. It is both Columna & Corona Reipublicae [Page 26] (saith a Reverend Father of the Church) a prop to make it subsist firm in it self, Pietas & justi­tia duo sulcra Reipub. columnae regni. Ʋbi non est pudor, nec cura juris, san­ctitas, pietas, fi­des, instabile regnum est. As is well obser­ved by the Tra­gedian. and as a Crown to render it glorious in the eyes of others. Truth, Order and Justice are the only foundations of Peace and Unity in Church and State. In the rational World as men, (who are [...], rational and sociable Creatures) Unity is the conjunction of every mans powers and faculties in him­self composing one individual inclinati­on, and then concurring to a general union of wills and affections; for Truth is but one, as the Center, and draws all minds to an unity which tend to it. In the spiritual World, as Christians, the Church is not a name of division, but of unity and concord Ibi non est Ec­clesia, ubi non est unanimitas. Erasm. Paraph. in Act. 1., being conjoyned together in one Communion and Fel­lowship in the mystical Body of Christ. And we can't be joyned to Christ our Head, except we be glued with charity one to another. For he that is not of this Unity, is not of the Church of Christ, which is a Congregation or Unity toge­ther, and not a Division. The Churches unity, which is by one Spirit from one Head, is but one in all: and though many Members, Eph. 4.15, 16. yet but one Body. As Gregory Gregor. Mor. l. 19. c. 14. speaks, Sancta Ecclesia sic consistit in uni­tate fidelium, sicut corpus nostrum unitum [Page 27] est compage membrorum. In the structure of the natural Body all its parts conspire for the good and benefit of the whole. There's such a Symmetry and propor­tion, as that the Members are joyn'd by Nerves, Veins, Arteries and Ligaments to their Head, from whence they receive strength and sensation, and by virtue of this union to the Head, retain a Fellow­ship and Community among themselves: So it is in the Body Politick, the King's Majesty the Golden Head of our Land, the Honourable Council the Eyes of it, the Nobles, Lords and Barons the Shields and Shoulders thereof, the Reverend Bi­shops and Clergy the Chariots and Hors­men of Israel the Tongues of the Land, the Judges (those grave Sages) the Hands of our Land for the Execution of Ju­stice, the flower of our Gentry and Com­mons the Feet of our Land, Head, Eyes, Tongues, Shoulders, Hands, Feet: all, even all should concur for the general good and publick safety, and in both for Gods Glory and Worship, that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, because peace is the foundation of happiness, and lustre of any Government, and the fiercest Ene­my of peace is dissention in Religion; therefore unanimity is a work worthy of [Page 28] every ones best endeavours, and of ab­solute necessity to the [...], the bene esse of the Church, it is the Life and Soul of it; Ecclesia nomen est consensûs & con­cordiae. And that multiplication of Uni­ties, Eph. 4.6. one Spirit, one Hope, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, declare that we should be all of one mind in the Lord, all keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It is a good thing when Unity and Concord, Peace and Religion go hand in hand, two gentle Companions as full of love as they are of innocence; and it is a great pity, that two of so near alliance should suffer ever an injury of a Divorce, exa­mine their descent, the root of both sig­nifies to bind. Religion is a bond be­tween God and man. Peace is a tye be­tween man and man, Christian and Chri­stian. And one would think the very name of Christian should have a greater efficacy and power to still and suppress disorders in the Church, than that of Quirites was presently to hush and allay the commo­tions in Caesars Army; because the Church is a spiritual Building made up of Souls, cemented with love, [...], as S. Chrysostome speaks: It is a Body compact and knit together in one and the same Orthodoxal [Page 29] Verity, which was once given to the Saints in the holy Apostles days, and in all Substantials maintained by the holy primitive Fathers, for which we ought, as S. Jude tell us, [...], to contend earnestly, even all that owne and profess the same Faith in sincerity. The irratio­nal prejudice of many Schismatical Secta­ries against the present Discipline would soon be removed, if they do impartially weigh the purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Church of England. A Church that teaches no other Doctrine but what Christ and his Apostles deliver­ed, derives none of its Principles from the impure Fountain of vain and uncer­tain Tradition; but a sure word of Pro­phecy is that Spring that sends forth all her Doctrines: So that all her Articles, all the parts of her Worship, all her Canons and Constitutions are by derivation pure and holy. Add unto this the innocency and decency of her Ceremonies, the re­gularity and Decorum in her Offices and Administrations, the integrity and can­dour of her Manners and Principles. It holds no Tenets, nor teaches Lib. Can. di­scip. Eccl. Angl. & injunct. Re­gin. Eliz. Anno Domin. 1571. Can. de Concio­natoribus. any thing pernicious to Salvation, or dissentaneous to the rule of Faith, in purity of life and holiness of conversation, every way consonant to the Doctrine and Discipline [Page 30] of primitive times in the first and purest Ages of the Church. And what Faith can be the foundation of a more solid peace, the surer Ligaments of Catholick Communion, or the firmer Basis of a holy Life, and of the hopes of Heaven hereafter, than the measures which the holy primitive Church did hold, and we after them? Therefore we may conclude the Religion of our Church certainly Primitive and Apostolick, and the best Transcript and Original Copy of Chri­stianity that is left in the World. And there needs no better demonstration for bringing of men into the unity of Faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, or establishing a Community among us, than purity of Doctrine and of Worship in the Service of God by Prayers The Liturgy of the Church of England, or publick Form of Divine Wor­ship, though contemned and depraved by its malicious Adversaries (out of a Spirit of contradiction and singularity, who do preach or speak perverse things against the Discipline and Government of our Church, out of their own Fanatical asseverations, [...], saith S. Ba­sil, and the novel imaginations of their own brains) yet it is notwith­standing religious and holy, and recommends to us the wisdom and simplicity, purity and spirituality of Christian devotion. It is a com­pound of Texts of Scripture, exhortations to repentance, Psalms, Hymns, Doxologies, Lessons and Creeds. Forms for the Administrations of the holy Sacraments, Comminations against impenitent sinners, all mixed and diversified with great care to quicken attention, and stir up devo­tion., Prai­ses and Sacramental Celebrations, which are the great characters and confirmation of true Christians Communion with the [Page 31] blessed and glorious Trinity, with God, with their Saviour, and the holy Spirit, and by the Grace of these with one ano­ther; for the holy Word of God, the Scripture of the Old and New Testament which stream from the Fountain of our Saviour, is the only Stan­dard The Authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and o­beyed, dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church, but wholly upon God, 2 Pet. 1.19, 21. 2 Tim. 3.16. 1 Joh. 5.9. 1 Thess. 2.13. (who is Truth it self) the Author thereof, and conse­quently the Supreme Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determi­ned, and all Decrees of Coun­cils, Opinions of ancient Wri­ters, Doctrines of men, and private Spirits are to be exa­mined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no o­ther but the holy Spirit in the Scripture, Mat. 21.29, 31. Eph. 2.20. with Acts 28.25. of true Religion both in Doctrine and Devotion, the foundations of Faith, and the superstructures of Wor­ship, by an humble obedi­ence, holy fervency, and una­nimous harmony. For a sweet Chorus of well-tun'd affecti­ons will cause the goodly Fa­brick of the Church to go up with the voice of Eucharist, Acts 2.46, 47. shoutings and acclamations of joy, till it comes to the [...] of eternal happiness and top of its spiri­tual glory. And there is no outward Conservative of Ecclesiastical or Civil peace comparable to that of uni­ted Religion, saith a Reverend Prelate, whose Orb or Sphere is true Doctrine, its Center holy Devotion, and its Cir­cumference good Government, which Blessing we enjoy by Divine Providence under our pious and religious Soveraign [Page 32] King Charles, for which all good Subjects and Loyal Protestants say, O King, live for ever. God grant Sedition may be­come a stranger in the Kingdom, and England be an object of emulation of all foreign States in the admiration of her glory, and the Protestant and Reformed Religion become the praise of the whole Earth in an universal agreement in the publick Worship of Almighty God. No­thing better suits with Christianity, no­thing more graces it, being like those good people in the Acts, Chap. 4.32. of one mind, and one Soul. To oblige us to this god­ly union and concord, arguments may be drawn from the alliance of humane Nature, and bands of a spiritual Consan­guinity. First, we all sprung from one Original, Gen. 3.20. one Blood derived through se­veral Chanels, Acts 17.26. one substance by miracu­lous efficacy of the Divine Benediction multiplied or dilated into several times and places. We are all fa­shioned [...]. Arist. [...]. Greg. Naz. after the likeness of our Maker, bearing the impresses of the Almighty; for the Soul is [...], a branch of a Deity. We all conspire in the same essential Ingredients, being of one Composition Cogita istum, quem servum tuum vocas, ex eisdem ortum seminibus, eodem frui coelo, ae­què spirare, aequè vivere, aequè mori. Senec. and ele­mentary [Page 33] constitution; knowing there­fore we all came from one, we should love as one Dilectio sola discernit in­ter filios Dei, & filios Diaboli. Aug. 1. Joh. Tract. 5., Ʋt dum cognoscerent se ab uno esse omnes, se quasi unum amarent, saith the Master of the Sen­tences. It is a heavenly Man­date, the fruit of the Spirit is Love [...]. Greg. N [...]z., wherein the Image of God, the power of God­liness, and the Spirit of Chri­stianity truly do consist Ʋbi odium, ibi charitas esse non potest; ubi charitas ab­est, ibi nil boni. Aug. super Matth.. Love as Brethren, saith S. Pe­ter; and Logick can teach us, Relationes non egent locali con­tactu, Relative respects need not the uni­on and touch of parties, then as many as are scatter'd in the remotest Regions, whether massacred in the Indies, whe­ther strappado'd among Turks, or in that Hell of Torments, the Inquisition of the Spaniards, though they live in as divers places as persecutions; yet if they con­form with us in Orthodox Profession, no distance can hinder their being our Bre­thren, neither can their mean estates take away our tye of reference, [...], 'tis not the place, Coelum non ani­mum mutat, qui trans mare cur­rit. but quality of the persons that causeth the unity of their affections. Though Joseph be sold into Egypt, and there lye manacled in [Page 34] the injurious Prison, yet he ceaseth not to be Jacobs Son. Jonathan and David were still Brethren, and faithfully united, when one was in the Cave, and the other at Court. Methinks Abrahams prudential motive to Lot, to win him to a Treaty of Peace, is an argument to the Chri­stian World, Gen. 13. we are Brethren. Strifes and Emulations might quickly be com­posed, if we did not forget the alliance of humane Nature. Though sometimes the fiercest are united, and shew them­selves Brethren; but it is with Jacobs addition, Simeon and Levi, Brethren in iniquity. The Prince which rules in the Air makes use of every stratagem to en­large the Territories of his Kingdom, and he doth it upon this consideration, his time is as short as his Chain; therefore to be in readiness at all hands, he hath his unitatem farmorosorum, as S. Bernard calls them, a Confederacy of zealous Compli­ces that vow their furtherance at every display of the Devils Ensign. Satan hath enjoyed in all Ages the unhappy benefit of such peremptory assistants. Were that Kingdom of Darkness once divided, our Saviour assures us, it could not long stand; therefore the Head studies to pre­serve unity in the Members. These are that Combination in Gregory Nazianzen, [...]. [Page 35] whose agreeing malice knits their hearts, and their conjoyned hearts unite their voice. If infernal Spirits are provident to maintain outward peace, where there is no order, but all confusion, lest their Kingdom should come to an end, this consideration should engage the most unnatural opposites of this Land (who are Protestants bred up in the Principles of the same Religion, and walking in the House of God as Friends) not to be teez'd on to as deadly feuds, as between a Jew and Samaritan. They are most odious Christians who put on the glory of an Angel in outward profession, that they may play the Devil more unobser­vedly; therefore let us labour to bring as much wisdom and courage to con­front, as the Devils Agents cunning and malice to undermine the Kingdom of Christ Jesus, and glory of Christianity; then for shame, let us be, if not Chri­stians, yet men; if not ruled by Religi­on, yet perswaded by Reason, that we had need, as S. Paul exhorts us, [...], to strive together with a full con­currence of all our might, and combine in a holy Faction to withstand the fury of their united opposition. For how can it chuse but disparage our Cause, if jarring discord disperse our Forces? And cer­tainly [Page 36] while we divide our selves, our Enemies in the mean time divide our spoils. Bodin. Rep. 4. 'Tis registred in Story, That Mars had in old Rome certain Priests cal­led Salii, it was their office when Na­tions were together by the ears, to cast fire among them and confound their Ar­mies; therefore Antiquity named them [...], Fire-bearing Priests. Who knows not that our modern Rome is as well furnisht for such a Stratagem? and that this fire might be Vestal, and never go out: she hath bequeath'd unto the World a Society of Priests, whom she intends for State-Salamanders, that should live in the fire of other mens contenti­ons, and by a slight of hand bandy it from one Kingdom to another. They carry with them fierce Bulls, such as the Poet doth mention, Vulcanum naribus af­flant, and breathe or speak nothing but in the fiery accents of desolation; of which temper the Jesuitick Spirit seems to be which deceives the Nations with the Cup of Errour, setting out Truths in a painted and meretricious Bravery, nay blending them with humane inven­tions, teaching for Doctrines the Com­mandments of men. And there can be no greater Sacriledge in the World, than to put our own Image upon the Ordi­nances of Christ.

[Page 37](1.) Our Lord and Saviour hath com­manded us to read the holy Scripture, Joh. 5.39. and the Holy Ghost blesseth them that delight therein. Psal. 1. But the Roman Church forbids the reading thereof to the Laity in the vulgar Tongue Haeresin [...]sse, si quis dicit necessarium esse ut Scripturae in vulgares linguas convertan­tur. Sander. Visib. Monar. lib. 7. Credo institutum hoc à Dia­bolo esse inventum. Peres. de Trad. part. 1. assert. 3. pag. 47., which, if they should be permitted the perusal of, would easily discover their new Articles of Faith to be erroneous, their Image-wor­ship to be Idolatry, and their not erring Bishop to be a grand Decei­ver. Pope Clement VIII. in the Index of prohibited Books says, That the Bible published in vulgar Tongues ought not to be read and retained, no not so much as a Compendium or History of it. And Bellarmine says, That it is not necessary to Salvation to believe that there are any Scriptures at all written. This is to blot out the Canonical Scripture, and give us Apocrypha in the room of it, to make the Divine Oracles to speak to the patro­nizing of their own interest, and would suborn God for a Witness to their Er­rours. As Caligula dealt with Jupiters Statue, taking off the head of it, and placing his own in its stead: So they sub­stitute the devices of their own Brain in the place of Gods Word, putting that [Page 38] most excellent Candle under a bushel, to make the Decretals of the Pope as au­thentick as holy Writ, and wholly rely on the Dictates of the Priest, setting more by an old Tradition, than a Di­vine Precept. Thus these insolent Usur­pers, who seek not so much to oppress the bodies, as exercise their Tyranny o­ver the Souls of men, and pitifully in­thral them to everlasting servitude. As the wicked Shepherds of Midian would drive their Neighbours flocks from the watering Troughs, and the Philistims would stop the Patriarchs Wells: So the Emissaries of Rome use all Arts to keep the people from the use of the Scri­ptures, the Wells of Salvation, hindering them from instruction. It is a great glo­ry to the Church of England, that the Bible The difference between Pope Sixtus the Fifth, and Clement the Eighth, the one commanding one Bible only to be used, the other ano­ther, under their Curses; whereby the Romish Partisans are involved into a miserable necessity, being constrained not to read any, or be liable to the Anathema of Pope Cle­ment, if they use Sixtus's Bi­ble; or of Sixtus, if they use Clement's., which was shut up in an unknown Tongue from the generali­ty, is now in our own Mother-tongue, and Lan­guage of the Kingdom. And what S. Chrysostome spake of old concerning the British Islands, is verified at this day, every where a man may hear the people discoursing of the Scriptures, strangers indeed in speech, [Page 39] yet of the Houshold of Faith, in tongue Barbarians, but in conversation drawing nearer unto Saints; for the Christian Laity in the Britannick Church (which is not permitted in the Roman) walk in the most clear Light of the Gospel, and drink their fill of the pure streams of the water of Life in Scripture It is a weighty Saying of Tertullian, Adoro pl nit [...]dinem Scripturarum; for all Scripture was given by Divine Inspira­tion. 2 Tim 3.16. and pro­fitable [...] for doctrine, [...] for redargution, [...] for correction, [...] for instruction, that the man of God may be per­fected unto all good works.. And we all have not only li­berty by Proclamation to en­joy it, but several Acts of Parliament to confirm our use of it, Religion and Li­turgy. God grant that which is so great a mercy and hap­piness to us, we make it not our misery, by turning the cause of our thanksgiving into murmur­ing, repining and dissatisfaction; for if ever Times were under cross and unluck­ly Aspects, if ever there were a publick Spirit of Phrensie and mischief in the World, certainly this Lot is fallen upon ours, in contending for Mint and Cum­min, disagreeing in the lesser Disunanimi­ty and disuni­formity are a breaking not only of the King's but of God's and the Churches peace. It causeth distraction, hinders devotion, and indisposeth men unto Religion, and clouds the understanding in the disquisition of Truth, and consequently hinders that blessed light which clarifies the Soul of man, and predisposeth it unto the brightness of eternal felicity. only, when they all agree in the substance and in the greater as matters of Faith and Articles of Belief, viz. to believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one Divinity of equal [Page 40] Majesty in the holy Trinity. It were to be heartily wish'd, that in matters that truly concern so much the glory of God, the honour, peace and welfare of the Church and Commonweal, that all pre­judicate Opinions (varnish'd with plau­sible errour through pride and ambition) might be laid aside, and in the zeal of affection not forget our Duty, and the Unity that should be among Christians.

(2.) Christ administred to his Disci­ples both Species of the Sacrament of Eu­charist, and his Command stands in Sa­cred Record, Mat. 26.27. [...], drink ye all of this, Mark 14.23. and they all drank of it, saith the Canon of Scripture. Christ ordains it, but the Church of Rome forbids it, as if they were wiser than our Saviour, set­ting their mouths against Heaven, and correcting his holy and divine Institution. For in the Council of Constance Et similiter. quod licèt in primitiva Ec­clesia hujusmodi Sacramentum reciperetur à fi­delibus sub utra­que specie; ta­men haec consuetudo ad evitandum aliqua pericula & scandala, est rationa­biliter introducta, quod à conficientibus, sub utraque specie, & Laicis tan­tummodo sub una specie suscipiatur, &c. Const. Sess. 13., they alter'd the Testamental Legacy and Or­dinance of Christ himself, in taking away from the Laicks the Chalice of the Sacra­ment, the holy Symbol of Christs Blood, [Page 41] stiled by the Apostle, [...], the Cup of Blessing; for the Eu­charistical Elements are not Theories or empty Signs, but Seals to confirm, and Instruments to exhibit Christ with all the benefits of his Passion, and blessings of Heaven unto every believing Chri­stian; therefore the Romish Church does great injury to Christendom in her half Communion, the deprivation of the Chalice. Quomodo Testamentum nuncu­pant, qui mortem Testatoris negant? Quo­modo libertatem usurpant, qui negant san­guinem, quo redempti sunt? Ambros. ep. 73. lib. 9. S. Ambrose says, That he who receives the Mystery otherwise than Christ appointed, i. e. in one kind, when Christ has appointed two, is unworthy of the Lord, and he cannot have devotion. Its innovation and novelty is clearly manifest, if we look into the Glass of An­tiquity, but from the begin­ning it was not so Mat. 19.8. See the Reverend Dr. Pierce in his primitive Rule of Re­formation. (as our Saviour said of Divorce) which is a sufficient confutation. Cassan­der Ecclesia Ori­entalis in hunc usque diem; Oc­cidentalis verò sive Romana mille amplius annis continuis, non aliter quàm sub duplici specie in con­ventu Ecclesiae Sacramentum hoc Dominici corporis & sanguinis admini­strasse, legitur, &c. Consult. de utra (que) Spec. says, That the Eastern Church to this day, and the Western or Roman Church, for more than a thousand years, [Page 42] did exhibit the Sacrament in both Ele­ments to all the Members of Christs Church. S. Chrysostome, [...], one Body and one Cup is given to all.

Pope Calixtus Peractâ conse­cratione, omnes communicent, qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere homini­bus; sic autem etiam Apostoli statuerunt, & Sancta Romana tenet Ecclesia. De Consecrat. dist. cap. 2. speaks fully, When the Consecration is finish'd, let all com­municate that will not be thrust from the bounds of the Church; for so the Apo­stles appointed, and so the holy Church of Rome does hold.

Pope Gelasius Comperimus quòd quidam, sumptâ tantummodo corporis sa­cri portione, à calice sacri cruoris abstineant: Qui (pro culdubio, quoniam nescio quâ superstitione docentur astricti) aut integra Sacramenta perci­piant, aut ab integris arcean­tur, quod divisio unius ejus­dem (que) mysterii sine grandi non sit sacrilegio. De Cons. dist. cap. 2., Some taking (saith he) a portion only of the sacred Body, do abstain from the Chalice of the sacred Blood. I know not by what Superstition they are obliged, let them either receive the intire Sa­crament, or be kept from the whole, because the division of one and the same Mystery cannot be without grand Sacriledge. Nothing can be a greater cause of wonder and amazement in the consideration of it, than that the Church of Rome should seek to obscure the light of Truth, shining as clearly as the Sun in its Meridian beauty and splen­dor, arrogating to themselves a Domi­nion [Page 43] over our Faith, and introducing such Doctrines and Practices as are con­trary to the Rules of Christ, and his Apostles, and the purest Ages of the Church. As Lawgivers, setting them­selves down in S. Peters Chair, as they pretend, and magisterially decree Si quis di­xerit ex Dei praecepto, vel de necessitate salu­tis esse, omnes & singulos Chri­sti fideles, u­tram (que) speciem Eucharistiae su­mere debere, A­nathema sit. Concil. Tri­dent. Sess. 5. Can 1. Laws and Constitutions diametrically op­posite to the Divine command, and Christs holy Institution. When the Lamp of Reason is darkened and obscured, the Soul presently embraces a cloud, and courts a shadow, the blackest errours and most palpable wickedness must needs cover the face of those Souls that start back and apostatize from their God, and their Reason. To preserve therefore its lu­stre and integrity in the memories of all those who bear any true love to substan­tial Truth, the ancient Light establish'd and receiv'd in the Church of England, is a secure Guide to direct us, not to be weary of old Truths, forsaking the anci­ent paths to espouse new and fond Opi­nions; that we neither incline to the cunningly composed Charms of Popery on one hand, or ignorant The Separa­tists and Pa­pists have been playing at Ten­nis, and the Government and Hierarchy are the Balls they toss. The Separatist strikes them into the Popes Hazard, calling them Antichristi­an Prelacy. The Papist with vehemence rackets them back again as Schismatical (but the Roman Church are the Schismaticks in renouncing al [...] communion with all Christian Churches in the World, except their o [...]) and i [...]l it is with us, which soever wins the game. The one b [...]s down the wall of Sion, by disturbing the peace of the Reformed C [...]ch; [...]he other builds up the ruines of Babylon in superstitious Vani­t [...] And they are so fast linked and tied together (like Samsons F [...]) with Fire-brands of Sedition, that if they be not quenched by th [...] w [...]r of Majesty, they can't chuse (when the means are fitted to th [...] Plot) but s [...]t the Church on fire, and the State in an uproar. Sectarians, and men of unstable minds on the other, who crumbling into Conventicles, are [Page 44] ready to joyn with every Enthusiastick Sect, and so making Gods Israel to be­come a speckled Bird of several colours, Jer. 12.9. of all varieties of Religion. S. Paul has a term for them, 2 Tim. 3.8. if they like it, [...], men of sick brains, as well as of corrupt minds. And such is the ar­rogant disposition of some transported humors, being under the torrid Zone of unruly passion, that rather than they will acknowledge their errours (though never so apparent) the very State and Law it self must be condemn'd, and con­descend to their distempers, being led more by their own pleasing Fancies than right Reason, or the sacred Rules of Pie­ty and Truth, who have laboured to sow the Tares of Dissention in the Vineyard of the Lord, disquieting the Unity of Gods Church. Division is the only mu­sical note that sounds harmoniously in the ears of our Zimries. And it is a Truth undeniable, That these later times have produced a doleful Scene of various [Page 45] transactions, and consequently discover'd and brought to light the unparalell'd de­signs and execrable intentions of Fana­tical zeal, or Democratical fury; for the Dissenters in this Age have conspir'd together to untye the knot of Christian Charity, and produce an unhappy Schism in the Church; what else mean those strange whispers, mysterious workings, and grand plotting, who would not on­ly uncover the roof, and take down the Pyramids and Battlements of venerable Episcopacy, but like the rough Sons of Edom, raze it even to the ground? And under hypocritical disguises contrive the sad prodigy of Treason, whereby we see that Apostates to Atheism, and Revol­ters to Schism are Monsters of ingrati­tude, or Fiends incarnate (who could imagine mischief against so much Mercy, and sin against so great Goodness) re­quiting the Protection of a gracious Prince with traiterous Machinations See His Ma­jesties Declara­tion concern­ing the Trea­sonable Con­spiracy against his Sacred Per­son and Go­vernment, read in all Churches and Chappels within this Kingdom, Se­ptemb. 9. 1683., and under the mask and specious preten­ces of Religion bring to ruine the Go­vernment of the Kingdom, as it is by Law establish'd in Church and State. Loyalty, like fresh and fragrant odours, breathes forth sweetness in the nostrils of all those who hold Fidelity to the Sce­pter to be the best cognizance for the [Page 46] Coat of a Subject. But for the ungodly Principles and bloody Practices of impla­cable men and barbarous Miscreants plot­ting unnatural and hellish Conspiracies against the Person, Crown, and Dignity of Sacred Majesty, let them be as Oreb and Zeb, Zeba and Zalmana that perish­ed, or else remain as Pilate in the Creed a curse to all posterity. Discontented Pride has made more Schismaticks than Conscience; if this hath slain its thou­sands, that hath killed its ten thousands. Many are zealously affected to Truth, but for want of sound knowledge, or meek and humble hearts, they are full of violence, their capacities are over-cast with a cloud of ignorance, that intercepts their view, and blunts the point of the brightest ray their understanding sends forth to discover any Errour of the Church, but breaks out in a clamorous storm of passion Clamoris ple­na doctrina Hae­reticorum, quae non in sensu, sed in multiloquio & clamore ver­satur. S. Hieron.. Here I may recite the words of S. Austin against the Letters of Petilian the Donatist, changing Evan­gelium into Ecclesia quae mitiùs pertuli [...] Regum flammas; The Church better endured the flames of Tyrants, than the tongues of Schismaticks. Nam illis incendentibus unitas mansit, vobis loquentibus manere non potuit; for while the [...] burned, Unity remained; but while these [Page 47] rail, the Church must needs be divided; for Schisms and Divisions set up the King­dom of Satan, the Prince and subtle Com­mander of the Air, the potent Adversary of Mankind, who holds his Supremacy and Dominion by Variance and Enmity, and all his Agents subordinate to him, Nihil speì nisi per discordias habent, as Tacitus speaks. No Logick or Reason can batter down the [...], strong Holds of prepossessed false Opinions, nei­ther the determination of general Coun­cils, nor unanimous consent of Primitive Traditions; nay the Scripture it self must strike Sail to their Judgments, as if the Oracle of the Word would only admit of their corrupt Glosses and false Annotations, which Irenaeus Advers. Haeres. l. 4. c. 43. joyns together, scindentes, & elatos, & sibi placentes, Schismaticks, proud Mater omnium Haeretico­rum superbia. Aug. de Gen. contr. Manich. l. 2. c. 8. and self-pleasing men. This was one of the Originals of Arrius his cursed Heresie, his pride and envy against Alexander the good Bishop of Alexandria, as Theodoret Theodor. Ec­cles. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 2. reports. Pelagius also and his Associates, who though they did acknowledge the name of Grace Gratiae voca­bulo frangens invidiam, offensionem (que) declinans. Aug. de Grat. Christ. l. 1. c. 37., to decline envy, and avoid [Page 48] the curse of the great Council of Car­thage, yet still they did but shelter their proud Heresies under Equivocations and Ambiguities. What store of this Coin is minted at Rome, to advance and support the Grandeur and Greatness of the Papal Monarchy (who dams up the clear wa­ters of Antiquity The Reverend Bishop Taylor in his Disswasive from Popery, pag. 124. saith, The Roman Emissaries endeavour to prevail amongst the igno­rant and prejudicate by boast­ing of Antiquity, and calling their Religion, the old Religi­on, and the Catholick: So by insnaring others by ignorant words in which is no truth, their Religion, as it distin­guishes from the Religion of the Church of England, be­ing neither the old nor the Catholick Religion, but new and superinduc'd by Arts known to all who with since­rity and diligence have look­ed into their pretences., and o­pens the sluce to the puddles of Novelty) is visible by In­dulgences and Pardons, con­secrated Grains, and Prayers for the Dead. Pope Primus indulgentiarum nundinas, primus in Purgato­rium extendit indulgentias. A­grip. de Vanit. Scientiarum, cap. 61. Boni­face VIII. (who lived in the Reign of King Edward the First of England) was the first that instituted the Mer­chandise or Sale of Pardons, and extended them to Pur­gatory; for the Doctrine of Purgatory is the Mother of Indulgences. The vast Trea­sure issuing Sixtus the Fourth was wont to say, Papae non deerunt pecuniae quamdiu ipsi manus erunt & calamus; The Pope could never want money so long as his hand could hold a pen. thence is solely possessed by the Pope, and no other Patriarch in the World. It is a matter of meer interest and advantage, and if these Silver Shrines were not, the Crafts-men of Rome would quickly fall. If there were no gain (saith a [Page 49] Reverend Prelate) to be reaped from them, their chief Champions would be ashamed of the great Diana that they worship. When the Truth of God, and the Death of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Fire of Hell, the Souls of Men, and Salvation of the World, shall be made basely serviceable and con­tributary to the boundless pride and am­bition of the Pontificality and See of Rome, who seeks to abuse Antiquity, and to patronize their own Errours, subject­ing Religion into Maxims of humane Policy All their Policy tends to maintain their archieved Ma­jesty and Greatness, whereby his Holiness shall be estated not only in the City of Rome, but also in the Seigniory of the whole West, not in Spi­ritualibus only, as Vicarial Head, but also Lord Para­mount in Temporalibus, as Mo­narch of the Church, in ha­ving all power upon Earth at his will, and the Crowns of Kings to stand or fall at his pleasure., and the ancient in­tegrity of the Apostolick Faith into Innovations and a new Belief, as Gregory Na­zianzen Gregor. Nazian. Orat. in Arianos. said of the Arians their refined Doctrines, meer Novelties, new-broach'd He­resies. For at the Council of Trent they adjoyn'd new Articles of Faith to those twelve which the Apostles set down for a sufficient Sum­mary of sound Doctrine, whilst the Sacrifice of Mass, Corporeity of Presence, the Doctrine of Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Worship of Images, and the like, were commanded to be embraced and received with the same [Page 50] pious affection and reverence as the holy Scripture, under no less penalty than Damnation, and to be believed for fear of Anathema.

For a Nation or People to receive Chri­stianity and true Faith from Christ him­self or the Apostles, matters nothing, unless they do still retain the same Theo­logical and Divine Principles. Some can talk over the series and descent of all times, with such a perfum'd breath, and richness of Language, as if they were made with the first Adam, speak of the Dictates of the Patriarchs, and Testimo­nies of the Prophets; but in vain do any boast they are descended from Abraham, since he is not a Jew who is one outward in the flesh, bur inward in the Spirit, as our Saviour told the Pharisees vaunting of Antiquity, Joh. 8. except they did the works of Abraham, and abide in the Truth. Truth then is the Child of Time; and as there is Antiquity of Time, so also of [Page 51] Truth and Doctrine. And so long as the Romish Church continued in the profession and practice of Apostolical purity, i. e. of Faith and Doctrine which was once given to the Saints, all other Christian Churches held Communion with her; for the Church of Rome did not anciently, in former Ages, hold all these Doctrines which now she owns. The ancient Church of Rome was but a Member of the Catholick Church of God, of which Jesus Christ was Head: But the now Roman Church does (at this day) what S. Augustine De Ʋnit. Ec­cles. cap. 6. told to the Dona­tists, inclose the Catholick Church with­in their own circuits, and usurps it whol­ly to her self, of which the Pope is Head. And the Papacy will have their Pope, by reason of the Kingdom of Christ, to be the Head and King of the Church in or­dine ad Spiritualia, and consequently the Supreme Civil Power over the Monarchs of the Earth in ordine ad Temporalia, to be the Head and King of the Church. Such a Church was never in Rome; for many hundred years after our Saviour, no Bishop Gregory Bi­shop of Rome: Ego fidenter di­co, quia quis­quis se univer­salem Sacerdotem vocat, vel vocari desiderat, in elatione s [...]â Antichristum praecurrit. Pope Pelagius distinct. 99. Ʋniversalis autem nec etiam Ro­manus Pontifex appelletur. Cyril Patriarch of Constantinople: [...]. did assume Christs Title to be the Head of the Church, till Boniface the Third, who not contenting himself [Page 52] with his Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical, and fulness of Spiritual Power, but his towr­ing Ambition aspires yet higher, and with much contention obtained of the Rebel Phocas about the year 604. (who mur­der'd Maurice the Emperour) the Title of Universal. The Pope looking for Primacy on Earth, is very unlike his heavenly Master, whose Vicar he pre­tends to be. Christ paid Tribute unto Caesar; Luke 20.25. but the Pope, that Prevaricator of the Apostolick See, exacts it from them, and Caesar pays unto him. Our Saviour wash'd his Disciples feet; but the Bishop of Rome (in these days) with imaginary Supremacy causes the greatest Princes, and mightiest Emperors do him Homage and swear Allegi­ance Clement the Fifth call'd a Council at Vienna, An. 1311. in which it was ordained and decreed, That the Emperour his Lord should give his Oath of Allegiance to the Pope; for being not content with his Primacy, abused Religion into Policy; and casting off all moderation, the Pope de­voured the Emperour. Thus the Head of the Church de­generated into a Monster, and in reaching at Temporal Soveraignty, he broke the Spiritual Unity., contrary to the Di­vine Authority and Majesty of the Scripture, Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers, Rom. 13. and to the King as Supreme, 1 Pet. 2.13. As Heathen Rome under the Emperours, Domitian and [Page 53] others, would be adored as Gods, though never so impious: so Rome Christian falls under the [...] of the Apostle, Sitting in the Temple of God as God, 2 Thess. 2.4. and exalting himself above all that is called God Zacharias Papa ex autho­ritate Sancti Petri Apostoli mandat populo Francorum, ut Pepinus qui potestate Regiâ u­tebatur, etiam nominis digni­tate frueretur. Ita Hildericus ultimus Merovingorum, qui Francis imperabat, depositus est, & in monasterio missus est. Marian. Scot. Hist. lib. 3. Lambertus Danaeus in his Re­sponse to Bellarmine the great Master of Controversie, con­tending that Childerick was lawfully deposed by Pope Za­charias: Can Zachary (saith he) have Authority in France, being a Stranger? Can he de­pose the publick Magistrate, being but a private person? (though he were Bishop of Rome) or transfer that Prin­cipality to Pepin, that he hath no Right unto? and commit so many Sacriledges and Im­pieties, stealing from Childe­rick, and giving to Pepin ano­ther mans Right? Authori­zing Subjects to violate their Oaths, which they had sworn to their King? Transposing Kingdoms from one man to another, whereas it doth only belong to God to depose Kings, and dispose of Kingdoms? Thou mayest see (Bellarmine) how many outrages this thy Zachary hath committed. Resp. Danae. ad Bellar. lib. 2. cap. 17. pag. 316. in a superla­tive Greatness, and that not of order and precedency on­ly as to Ecclesiastical Regen­cy, stretching his Diocese o­ver all Bishops and Churches in the Christian World, but of absolute Authority, claim­ing universal Jurisdiction in a Monarchi [...]al Superinten­dency or Regality over all Christendom, with a Power to depose Kings, and dispose of Crowns and Kingdoms for the benefit of the Church, is a Title only of Usurpation without any ground of Scri­pture or Antiquity. First, Christ was no Temporal Mo­narch, but an Eternal King to rescue us from the thral­dom of sin, the sorcery of [Page 54] the flesh, and the Curse of the Law. Christ was no earthly King, and left no Regal Power to S. Peter; therefore the Pope can have no Civil Power or Tem­poral Dominion as the Vicegerent of Christ, and consequently overturns and destroys the Doctrine of Supremacy. The Lawgiver himself, even Ipse Ille, that bare rule in Heaven, the incarnate and crucified Messias, Joh. 12.36. saith, My Kingdom is not of this World. Whereas that Sect of Politicians, the Romanists, turns the King­dom of Christ into outward Pomp and Bravery, and they to have the Manage­ry and Government of it, as if the now See of Rome should be known to be the most Christian Bishop, not in having with Christ no Temporalties, but an ab­solute Soveraignty to depose Kings, and dispose of Kingdoms, which is nothing less than a strange Usurpation; for the Son of God did never impose such a hard duty and condition to Kings that were to become Christians, as to forsake their Imperial Crowns and Diadems, ex­cept in their hearts and affections, and in comparison of the Kingdom of God. O Eternal Word, [...], Light of Truth, inspire the Universal Church with the Spirit of Truth, Unity and Con­cord, and grant that all they that do [Page 55] confess thy holy Name, may agree in the Truth of thy holy Word, and live in unity and godly love. Secondly, View it in relation to the Apostles, who were the Patriarchs of the Church. And the Evangelists make special mention of their Names, as those to whom we owe great honour and veneration, being con­versant with Christ, and daily instructed by him, who continued with him unto his Passion and Crucifixion; and after his Resurrection he applied himself espe­cially to them, to enable them for the high Mysteries of the Gospel, and service of the Church by the reception of the Holy Ghost, Joh. 20.22, 23. Mat. 18.18. and a power of binding and loos­ing sins. And Christ having founded his Church, he left it in the hands of his Apostles; therefore let us look into this pure stream of Antiquity, and primitive Age of the Church.

In the first Synod there is no prela­tion of one, or subordination of another, but all the Apostles have equal vote and choice in the Substitution or Election of Matthias. Acts 1.

In that other about Circumcision, all decree, send and judge alike, Acts 15. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us. By which it is evident, there is no Preeminence or Su­periority, but an Unity and Identity of [Page 56] Power, according to that excellent Say­ing of S. Cyprian Hoc erant uti­que caeteri Apo­stoli, quod fuit Petrus, pari con­sortio praediti & honoris & pote­statis, sed exor­dium ab unitate profici [...]citur. Lib. de Unit. Eccles., The other Apostles are the same that S. Peter was, to let us know, that they and their Successors are pari authoritate, pari consortio, endowed with an equal fellowship of honour and power.

The Apostles now considered in their Apostolical dignity, order of Priesthood, and Authority of Preaching, the light will display it self, and chase away the darkness from us.

(1.) In Apostolick Dignity then is no Principality by the Law of Christ; for as they were all sent together, Mat. 10. Acts 2. so they were all inspired at once, the cloven Tongues like as of fire sate on each of them, and they were all filled with the [...] and gifts of the Holy Ghost, which argues equality, and that they are all Fellow-equals in Apostleship. Rev. 12.14. The wall of the City, saith S. John, had twelve foun­da [...]ions, and in them the Names of the Lamb's twelve Apostles, therefore no Primacy or preeminence of dignity, be­ing all Foundations of Evangelical Do­ctrine, upon which the height of the Ecclesiastical Edifice is raised, and Mili­tant Church is built. They are all Foun­dations and Rocks after Christ, because they were all chosen to preach the Go­spel, [Page 57] and plant the Faith in every part of the World. They were all imme­diately instructed by Christ; they had all most ample and universal Jurisdiction throughout the whole Empire of the Church; all endowed with an equal Authority, as S. Cyprian expresseth it, of honour and power, which beats down the Rampire of defence, and shews the Fortress of folly of the Romanists in their new erected Fort, in challenging a Scepter of Supremacy, and condemns the arrogant Usurpation of the See of Rome, who will be [...], a Bishop in another mans Diocese, and in appropriating that to himself, which is common to him, saith a Reverend Pre­late, with all the Bishops of Christen­dom.

(2.) As to the Order of Priesthood, there is no Supremacy of power to one above another in the Colledge of the Apostles, because they could all equally consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ. And the greatest favours to lapsed Man­kind are the Sacraments, where the visi­ble corporeal Elements are the means by Faith to convey unto us spiritual Graces; nay, the whole Treasure of Christs Merits, acquired on the Cross, are made truly ours by a due reception of the blessed [Page 58] Eucharist; for the holy Sacraments are the pledge of Glory, and earnest of Im­mortality, and the consecrated Symbols are the seeds of an eternal Duration, springing up in us to Life eternal, nou­rishing our spirits with Grace, which is but the Prologue of Glory. In the Di­vine Mysteries there is no Superiority as to Consecration, it being not personal, but publick, not proper to S. Peter only, but common to all the Apostles, and consequently speaks an equal fellowship of honour and power as to order of Priesthood.

(3.) As to the Authority of Preaching, the Commission is equal, Joh. 17.18. As my Father sent me, so send I you, which may extend not only to Jurisdiction and Ordination, but Apostolical preaching. Our Lord and Saviour being to ascend into Hea­ven, commanded his Apostles, saying, Go ye teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19. baptizing them in the Name of the (Sacred Trinity) Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. This com­mandment they put in execution, and it was fulfilled, Rom. 10.18. Their sound went into all the Earth, and their words into the ends of the World: S. Peter to the Jews, S. Paul to the Gentiles, no division or limita­tion of Jurisdiction, but a distribution to all Provinces, for the more commo­dious [Page 59] preaching of the Gospel. Those ancient Worthies that first propagated Christianity, had neither Diocese nor Parish, but the wide World before them: then, all planting the same Do­ctrine, every man had a care of all the Churches, they went forth and preached every where, Mark 16.20. Eusebius and other Eccle­siastical Historians give us the recital and specification of the Nations and Countries. S. Pe­ter preach'd in Judea, An­tioch, Galatia, Cappadocia, Pon­tus in Asia, Bithynia and Rome. S. Andrew in Scythia, Europaea, in Epirus, Thracia and Achaia. S. James the Son of Zebedee in Judea and Spain. S. John in Judea and Asia the less. S. James the Brother of our Lord in Jerusalem. S. Philip in Scythia and Phrygia. S. Bar­tholomew in the farther India and Armenia the great. S. Mat­thew in Ethiopia. S. Thomas to the Parthians, Medes, Per­sians, Brachmans, Hyrcanians, Bactrians and Indians. S. Si­mon in Mesopotamia. S. Mat­thias in the higher Aethiopia. And S. Paul and Barnabas in many Countries of Europe and Asia. the Lord working with them. What mean now these do­mineering Nimrods of Rome, absolutely out of the pleni­tude of their Power to lord it over their Brethren, as if they were [...]specially [...], Gods portion and inheri­tance, and all Christian Chur­ches were in a state of sub­ordination unto them? where­as they are only Fellow-la­bourers and Workers toge­ther with us in the Vineyard of Christ. Are ye Ministers of Christ? so are we. The Cler­gy are Branches of an Apo­stolical and holy Stock; therefore let all Aaron's Sons, who ascend the [...], and are devo­ted to the Altar as Gods Priests, conse­crate themselves to God and Religion, that we and they may do the work of an [Page 60] Evangelist, and with alacrity and chear­fulness [...], give our selves to prayer and the ministration of the Word, shewing the Divinity of our Function not in great swelling words of vanity, in an affected Predominancy, Rule, and Superiority over the Christian World, so much contended for by the Souldiers of the Camp of Rome. This in the words of Nazianzen Nazian. Orat. 11., [...], to commend a goodly Statue from the shadow it casts, and to pass by [...], those perfections which deserve our chief commendations, i. e. sanctity and holiness of life which extol Gods praises, and then are we [...], living Laws and Royal Ex­amples of greatness to the World, when we do and speak [...], so as not to disgrace, but adorn the Gospel, and con­sequently stop the mouths of all gainsay­ers, by a controuling sanctity of actions, and all men be wholly convinced or compelled to unity and obedience. It is expected then, whatever habits are in fashion among others, that the Priests should be cloathed with righteousness, adorn'd with a decent conversation, and produce the fruits of good works, these be the evidences of the Buds, Blossoms and Almonds of Aaron's Rod, and denote [Page 61] its Supremacy. Nothing will restore the Church (says a Reverend Prelate) to its pristine honour, love, and authority in mens hearts and minds, but a serious setting themselves to the study, preach­ing and practising of truth and peace in a holy life. These were the Arts, these the Policies, these the pious Stratagems by which anciently they gained peoples hearts to love God, his Truth, and of themselves the witness of it, to such a height of honour and ecstasie of love, that they received them as the Angels of God, and Ambassadors from Heaven. God grant the Tribe of Levi may be like Jacob's Ladder, which he saw in Bethel, Gen. 28.12. whereon were Angels ascending and de­scending: so by our Office and Ministra­tion, Angels might in us ascend and car­ry up ours and the peoples supplications unto God, and Angels by us descend to bring Gods Word and Message to the people, that there may be the sweet con­texture or agreement of Beings, one espoused to another in faithfulness and truth, even a blessed Union betwixt Prince and People, and a gracious ac­cord too of the people among them­selves (in an united conformity and con­junction in the Service of God) being knit together in the inviolable bonds of [Page 62] Loyalty and love, neither entoiled with Civil broils within, nor infected with Hostile inroads from without; but all professing that one eternal Truth, (which is both the Mother and Nurse of Peace) we may enjoy such a tranquillity as in the days of Solomon, when Judah and Israel dwelt safely every one under his Vine, and under his Fig-tree, from Dan even to Beershaba. Or as it was in the days of Constantine, when there was si­lence in Heaven for the space of half an hour, and the prayers of the Saints ascend­ed up as a cloud in grateful odors. The prime perfection then and pleasure in this life (second to that supernatual one, Faith in Christ, and Sanctification through the Spirit) consists in the be­holding Brethren to dwell together in unity, which limns and shadows out the glorious Hierarchy of Heaven, the Tri­nity in Unity, for Deus est unitas & omnis unitatis affector Dionys. Areop.; let us therefore express this unspeakable concord by the Sacrifice of our selves to a Spirit of Uni­ty and Truth, and not a Spirit of Error and Division, which causeth the breach of Union, the disturbance of the Peace, and quiet of the Church. As the unity of Faith joyns us, so the bond of Charity tyeth us fast together through one and [Page 63] the same Spirit to unity and godly love, because Schism is the next way to Here­sie, which is to be hated as a thing that leads to destruction: And non semper ser­vatur unitas in credendo, ubi non est uni­tas in colendo; there will not always be unity of Doctrine in that Church, where there is not uniformity of Discipline. Pro­phane Writers can tell us, by concord the weakest The Sun-beams disperst are but of small force, but they gather strength, if col­lected in a narrow glass. Sci­lurus the Scythian on his death-bed (as story tells us) taught his fourscore Sons the force of Unity by a Faggot of Rods; or, as it is in Plutarch, a bundle of shafts, while to­gether, are hardly broken; but if you divide them, 'tis quickly done. And thus it is in Ecclesiae fasciculo, Hosea prophesieth destruction, but this doth usher it in, Their hearts are divided, Hos. 10.2. things grow strong, by discord the mightiest States are over­thrown. Though States dif­fer, the Communion of Saints must be preserv'd, the Church should keep at unity, and by united force repel Here­sie. After all our unhappy Divisions, what can be more seasonable to the Genius of our Times, than cementing counsel? that all Gods Build­ing may be raised up as of one stone, by having cor unum & viam unam, Jer. 32.39. one heart and one way, which was the Character of the Church, Christians primitive Age; Acts 4.32. for Division is a sad Prognostick threat­ning desolation, when the stones of the building begin to fall off from one ano­ther, the house grows ruinous, Isa. 30.13. and the breach thereof comes suddenly in a moment. [Page 64] May the number of those increase that are friends of Sion, and the generation of those perish that make it their design to lay waste the City of God, and bury her in her own ruines: Did the godly Jews mourn for Judah? And shall not the English Nation for the Land of our desires and Nativity? O that ever such an inlightned Goshen should hatch or har­bour such black Monsters, that would gnaw out the bowels of their own Mo­ther! That so many Judasses should be found amongst Christs Disciples! The Prophet Isaiah saith, Isa. 15.5. Chap. 16.7, 9, 11. My heart shall cry for Moab, and bewail the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and my bowels shall sound like a harp for Kirharesh. Is not England as dear unto us? and have not we as great cause to lament for this Church and State, the Womb that bare us, and the Breasts that gave us suck? Every one ought to bow down, and go heavily as one that mourn­eth for his mother, by reason of her Di­visions No Church so fair in this World, as to be without spot and wrinkle; none so happy, as to be wholly priviledg­ed from jarrs and dissentions. The Jewish Church in Christs time was full of divisions, there were Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, &c. In the Church of Philippi, what contestations and tumults, broils and factions were there? and that not Oeconomical about meum and tuum, but Ec­clesiastical, and in matters of Religion by those of the Concision, those evil workers, as S. Paul calls them. In the flourishing Church of Corinth, where there were so many Christians of the first magnitude, eminent for Religion and Piety; yet even here are strifes and divisions, inas­much as S. Paul wrote his first Epistle to dissolve those factions, and repress those dissentions that were amongst them. In the Church of England (to come home to our selves) there is Presbyterian, Indepen­dent, Anabaptist, and Quaker; and it may be said of our days, as in S. Paul's time at Corinth, There are divisions among us. In Paradise there was [...], only in Heaven there's [...], full and perfect harmony without any discord, but we can't look for a Church triumphant here below.. What scandalous and irreli­gious Libels of factious Brains have been [Page 65] exposed to the publick view of all Athe­nian Gazers? What indiscreet and Saty­rical Pamphlets have been dispersed by a malevolent Party to incite a dislike and hatred of the Government in Church and State? For Sions sake then I cannot hold my peace, but deplore the decay of Religion by the want of Union and Loyalty, and the defect of the practice of this ancient and heavenly Duty of Unanimity amongst us. Our Saviour left to his Church the Legacy of Peace, Joh. 14.27. it is [...], his Farewel gift, or, as S. Basil calls it, [...], a largess dropt from a higher World, worth the keeping; therefore let us (in our several stations) endeavour the unity of the Spirit, [...], in the bond of peace, beating down all animo­sities, study of Parties, and obstinacy in Opinions, which breeds disaffection, and this humor grows impetuous Animi in­flammati ebul­liunt ad certa­men., march­ing like Jehu, the Son of Nimshi, furi­ously, [Page 66] till it flames into open contention, giving to the restless Emissaries Whatever the pretensions of Rome are to love and con­cord among themselves, yet their want of unity appears in their different Opinions, Schisms, cruel Wars, and in the contests between their Popes, and Acts of their Councils contradicting one another. Bishop Hall in his Tract of Rome, sets down 300 differences of Opinions, maintained in the Popish Church, recited by Bellarmine himself, the Arch-pillar of the Roman Synagogue. The many Schisms in the Church of Rome may be easily conjectured, when there were several Popes at the same time, one fought against another, and the greatest Conquerour wore the Tri­ple Crown. The people were wofully divided, and many thousands of Christians were slain in those bloody Battels between Pope Ʋrban and Pope Clement. This Schism continued almost fifty years, one resident at Rome, another at Avignon. The want of concord and unity in the See of Rome is also demonstrable in their cruel Wars between the Popes and Emperours, called Bellum Pontificum; whereby all Europe at one time or another has been divided by Feuds and Factions. And the Popes not only thundred out their Excommunications against the Em­perours, but also perswading their own Subjects to levy War against them, as if Christ had ordained his Sacraments, not to be Seals of Grace, and helps of our Faith, but hooks to catch Kingdoms, and rods to scourge such Potentates as would not, or could not procure the Popes favour, and consequently has embroiled the Christian World in discord and dissention, in great and cruel Wars. It is a thankless work in the sight of God to improve his Worship by the dint of the Sword, and to found his Church, as Romulus did Rome, in blood. No such Sacrifices, no such Ambages of cruelty can be acceptable to the God of mercy and Prince of peace and pity. The bitter contention and envy of one Pope to another, speaks their privation or want of unity, one disannulling all the Acts of another, as Pope Stephen VI. abrogated all the Decrees of his Predecessor Formosus, and so of many others. The like appears in their Councils, contradicting one another; the Council of Basil decreed for the Council against the Pope, and the Council of Lateran under Leo X. decreed for the Pope against the Council. The Council of Toledo did prohibit the Worship of Images; the second Council of Nice commands it. And so our Adversaries of Rome, who boast of intire Unity, may see their own vanity. of the Church of Rome, and growing Sectaries, great advantage, and to Satan no small [Page 67] occasion to laugh and triumph. It were well for us, if we would see or suspect the policy of the Devil, or his Agents, who envy our happiness, and take ad­vantage either of our judgments depra­ved, or Natures corrupted, to make us their instruments to break our blessed unity in Church or State. And so while we are contending for shadows, we may be deprived of the substance, and be brought into irrecoverable confusion; therefore let brotherly love and unity be maintained in the World, standing fast in one Spirit, with one mind for the Faith of the Gospel It is one evi­dence of the Truth of the Christian Religion, that Christ hath carried it on by means contempti­ble against all oppositions imaginable. Who could have thought, that a few illiterate Fishermen that had neither skill in Grammar, or know­ledge in Rhetorick, should carry on the Truth in a Majestick simplicity? The Princes of the Earth being not only non-assistants, but all the great Monarchs of the World opposing Christianity in the infancy thereof, whilst it was in the cradle, Acts 4.26, 27. King Herod's enraged jealou­sie burned so fiercely, that it sucked up the blood of all the male-in­fants within the Coasts of Bethlehem. And had not an heavenly inspira­tion diverted the Eastern [...] from the intended way of their return, their blood also should have run among the ingredients, and made up the dose to allay the fury of an angry Prince. Add unto this those fierce persecutions continuing in their height and heat, with a rage reaching up to Heaven, for the space of three hundred years, no storms could blow out the light of this Sun, clouds might cover it, but never extin­guish it, because the Gospel is from God, the World cannot overthrow it, Acts 5.39. whereas all those Religions which the Romans, Greeks, and all the Gentiles went a gadding after before the advent of our Sa­viour, are all come to nothing, and the rest risen since shall shortly be destroyed with the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. 2.8. therefore stand fast in an united conformity, striving together for the Faith of the Gospel., as Members of one [Page 68] Body under one Head, Jesus Christ. Which leads me to the second general: as the alliance of humane Nature, so the bands of a spiritual Consanguinity en­gages us to holy concord. Gal. 3.28. We are all one in Christ Jesus. Christ taught all alike to call God Father in the Lords Prayer. All have the same filial Prerogatives, Gal. 4.26. Je­rusalem above is the Mother of us all. All as one mans children have the same food provided them, like Aristotle's [...], such as are brought up with the same milk, 1 Pet. 2.2. the [...], as S. Peter calls it, of the Word. For all Christians are Children of the same heavenly Father, Mal 2.10. regenerated to the same lively hope, Rom. 8.17. co­heirs of the same heavenly Inheritance, redeemed by a Saviour that breathed out nothing but Love, Isa. 63 9. Joh. 15 13. sanctified and sealed by a Spirit of Unity. It is a Truth in the fourth of the Acts, there were many bo­dies, and but one Soul. I wish unani­mity may so combine The language of Constantine to his Synod of Bishops, has been applied by the Royal Charles of Great Britain, our most gracious Constantine, to his Senate at Westminster, or several Houses of Parliament: I shall be as glad of your future Ʋnion, as now I am of your welcome Meeting. the people of this Realm, and knit together the hearts of this whole Nation, as the heart of one man, in the defence of our King, our Law [...], and our Religion, that (as Aristo­tle taught in his Ethicks) though they [Page 69] be many in Body, yet they'l be but one Soul, Crederes unam mentem in d [...]bus fuisse divisam, as 'twas between Minutius Felix and his Octavius. God grant 'em a Soul that's one in will, and one in de­sire, one in resolution, and one in Reli­gion; for united Spirits graciously con­sorting together by a sweet harmony of affections, tend not only to the glory of our Jerusalem to be as a City that is at uni­ty in it self, but the Nature of our Reli­gion specially requires it, and the ho­nour thereof exacts it from us, because the Lord our God is one Lord. This Unity is Oyntment which covering the head, and running down to the skirts, makes the Prince glorious, and the Subject hap­py; for where it is, there the Lord hath commanded the blessing. As difference of Languages hindred the erection of Babel, so disunion of minds the going forward of the second Temple, whose founda­tion is laid in Love. Surely Sion can as ill be built with discord of Hearts, as Ba­bel could with discord of Tongues. God is not wont to be in the Whirlwind of dissention, but in the still Voice, and that heavenly Dove, the Holy Ghost, like the Halcyon only, builds his Nest in a calm. The garment of the Kings Daugh­ter, the Church, is of divers colours, [Page 70] though there be variety of Gifts, yet it should be like Christ's Coat, without seam, in veste varietas sit, scissura non sit. Lines, the nearer they approach to the Center, the nearer they are to one ano­ther; those then are at the greatest di­stance from God, who are furthest off from one another in uncharitable diffe­rences. It was the great business of our Saviour's advent into the World, to make peace in Heaven and Earth, to reconcile men to God, and to one another, to take away all feuds, and to extinguish animo­sities, to bring to an agreement Tempers most distant (saith a Learned Divine) to make the Lamb and the Wolf lye down together. He came not to kill and de­stroy, but for the healing of the Nations. When the glorious Temple was built at Jerusalem, God would have but one Al­tar there, to shew, quòd unum eundem (que) cultum inter omnes esse vellet; all that sa­crificed there should have one and the same Worship, but one Altar typifying one Religion, one heart, and that it might be unto the people ut vinculum sa­crae unitatis, a bond of sacred union. And this is the noblest Argument that can possibly be discussed to compose distra­ctions, and allay the animosities, which particular respects, private interests, and [Page 71] parties of Religion have raised among us, [...], to be of one mind in the Lord; for it is not enough, concordare, to agree, but we must, con­venire, come together, and not only so, but consentire, agree in Judgment, that we may be brought cohabitare, to dwell together in unity. O how happy a thing it is to see the Churches Children spread themselves like Olive-branches round her Table in a peaceable and flou­rishing manner. Honour and Riches are insensibly multiplied upon a Nation that seeks its glory by a dutiful submission to its lawful Prince, while it looks upon Union as the best Accommodation and choicest Treasure, the Heavens and Earth conspire to make it plentiful and abound­ing in all wealth and opulency. Deut. 28.2, 3. 4, 5, 6. As those Pigeons then which having drunk of the River of Life, held up their Bill [...] joyntly together in token of thank­fulness: So let us all praise God with one accord in the Temple, being of one heart and one Soul, mind and judgment, be­cause the Lord our God is one Lord. Deut. 6.4. Mark 12.29. And what the Idea of the World could not, the sacred Pages and Volumes of holy Writ have discover'd of the Deity, the Co-eternity of the Son of God with the Father, the procession of the Holy Ghost [Page 72] from both, the Unity of the three in one uncreated Essence; 1 Epist. Ch. 5. ver. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven, (saith S. John) the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. Thou art my Crea­tor, my Redeemer and my Comforter, which makes the question past all questi­on, and needs no further disputation, I have none in Heaven but thee. The de­sire of this Celestial place and state, cau­seth the Royal Prophet to despise all transitory flashes and sparks of earthly pleasures, which is the second part, viz. Low in a positive determination, And there is none upon Earth that I desire be­sides thee.

The Princes and Monarchs of the World, who are retinued with all the Equipage of Greatness, and strange va­riety of delights; being liberally and abundantly provided for; Silver, Gold, and Jewels are their's, and all Creatures in the Earth, and the Air and Water are pressed for their service: yet all these enjoyments are nothing without thee, None upon Earth I desire besides thee. Et tecum non, the negation is personal, no man for his favour, no Creature for its excellency that I desire in the least com­parison of thee. For the treasures of this world are but gilded Thorns and con­cealed [Page 73] Miseries; and yet how many Shrines and Altars are there erected in mens hearts to this great Idol of the World? Most scarce acknowledge any other God but this Golden Calf, to which they pay their servile devotions. And when thoughts stream towards wealth, Rivers are but draughts enough for them. Quod naturae satis est, homini non est, as Seneca, that grave Moralist, speaks of Alexander, who had swallowed up Darius and the Indies, and yet in those flouds did thirst, and in that surfeit was hungry. If the Earth were a Cen­ter of Diamonds, and did the Heavens showre down Pearls into Diana's lap; and could we enjoy the Land with its Mine­rals of Gold, and the Sea with the great­ness of its Treasure, sending Ships to Tarshish, and fetching Spices from the East in the Navy of Hiram; all these things can't satiate the desires of the Soul, but are miserable fruitions without the glorious Trinity. Then when others lay up on Earth, Heaven shall be my Treasure. For the favour of a Prince is but a pleasing snare without thee, and therefore non est in terris, there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee. The World is a Theatre of sorrow, a warfare and a bondage, all are prisoners, some [Page 74] in golden Chains, others in Iron; some slaves to poverty, others to riches, some to honour, others to meanness: And all these are interwoven with mixt varieties, as pain and grief, pleasure and sadness; so that the greatest happiness that the world can afford, is not able to fill the unlimited desires of the heart, but God only. For the world (the Fools Paradise) is full of Vipers, the obscure print of unsound joys, a dream'd sweet­ness, and a very Ocean of gall; and so there is nothing on Earth that I de­sire besides thee. Mundo utamur, use we may, but not adore the Creature; we may look upon fair this picture as the work of the Almighty, but not esteem it for a Deity or a God, like the foolish Egypti­ans, or those Persians that gave venera­tion only to the lustre of their Jewels. The Christian account (as to Divine Arithmetick) is cast up for another world, Psal. 90.12. to be a Denizen of the New Je­rusalem, an Heir of Eden, a Peer of Pa­radise, a Pearl of Vertue, a Star of Glo­ry. Although we are Sojourners here A Christians life is a meer pilgrimage, [...]. We are all strangers and pil­grims, therefore let your conversation be in Heaven; and well may I with S. Paul advise you so to do, because it is the chiefest Principle in Christianity; for as the Stars move in their several Orbs, and the Planets in their Circles, so a Christians Sphere is above in Heaven, there he performs all his regular motions., however we are Muncipes Coeli, Free­men [Page 75] of Heaven, Inceptors in Happiness, Probationers for Glory, and have the priviledge to be called and own'd by God as [...], the Fellow-Citizens of the Saints; walk therefore worthy of this honourable City, where­of you are Members, and worthy of the Parents from whom you descended, [...], saith Thu­cydides Thucydid. l. 4.. A Christian is called [...], one that lives in the Confines of Heaven; so that whilst he is here on Earth, he wants but the courteous hand of Death to put him into possession, and give Livery and Seisin of that above. 2 Cor. 5.1. Hea­ven then is my home, the Creator my Father, the Judge my Advocate, the Spirit my Consolation; therefore there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides thee.

The opposition of Notes on both (being the second general) now ap­pears.

First, In primacy of Order, King Da­vid is the glass in which we may behold Christian practice. In his thoughts Hea­ven takes the precedency of Earth, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, O Lord? This is his first care to seek [...], the Kingdom of God, here is the primum mobile that moves his heart, his will, and [Page 76] his affections, Heaven: then the desire on Earth follows after; and it is honour enough for this vile Earth to wait upon Heaven. Let us not now chaffer Heaven for Earth (as sottish Indians truck away Ore for glass) and for the gaudy nothing of this life, hazard our immortal Souls to everlasting flames, and for the toyes and vanities of this world lose an Eternal Kingdom, and for a glorious mortality bid adieu to Heaven, which ought to have the precedency in our heart and affection. Open our eyes, O Lord, that we may see those glorious rayes that stream from the Divinity, and so beauti­ful an object will be enough to draw and attract our hearts unto thee, echoing forth the Anthem of the Text, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee.

Secondly, Take it in the sense of the Verbs, habeo & desideravi; habeo in Coe­lis, I have in Heaven; desideravi in terris, I desire on Earth. Here we tire our selves with a restless fancy, still wandering through the Creation, but never finding any satisfaction; but in Heaven there are all things that may delight us, and solace the faculties of our Soul. For God is a plenitude of light to the understanding, a multitude of peace to the will, Eternal [Page 77] joy and consolation to the memory. And in Heaven all our desires shall be satisfied with fruition, and those excellencies will always supply new and fresh desires to the Soul, which in the beatifical vision shall enlarge into that vast and infinite satisfaction, that it shall be lost in the enjoyment, and most happily plunged in that fruition which we shall never ful­ly understand, but be still more and more happy in having pleasures so great as to transcend our knowledge. How glorious is that Sun that sets not! and how clear is that day that is not chased by the darkness of the night! Heaven is that resplendent residence, and of this bliss, there is such a fulness, that our heads are too thick to understand it; or if we were able to understand it, yet our hearts are too narrow to give it en­trance; or if our hearts could hold it, yet our tongues are too stammering to express and utter it Mens deficit, vox silet, non mea tantùm, sed & Angelorum. S. Ambrose.. If the Heaven were fuller of Stars than it is, and if this lower World were adorned and illumi­nated with as many Lamps as 'tis capable of, yet would they never be able to sup­ply the absence of one Sun. Neither can the sons of men, with all their Lamps and Torches of Reason, make up the least shadow of Glory, the least appea­rance [Page 78] of Heaven. There's such depths, such Pleonasms, such Oceans of perfecti­on in a Deity, as it exceeds all intelle­ctual capacity; for it is such, as eye hath not seen, ear heard, nor yet enter'd into the heart of man to conceive, what the Almighty, the great Being of Beings, hath prepar'd in Heaven for those that fear him. And though some vessels con­tain more than others, yet all shall be full, there shall be no vacuity or want in any.

Lastly, Take it in the diversity of the prepositions, cum & praeter, nothing with, nothing besides thee, O Lord! Heap up all the riches of the world into one pile, till they reach the Stars, and charm all the delights of the world into one Circle, and enjoy them freely; yet there is a desire in man, which looks a­bove them; for whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is nothing on Earth that I desire besides thee. The Organ of a Christian Ear is not for Earth, its mu­sick is mixt with too many discords, 'tis Heaven it aims at, the Angels with whom it would consort, and the melody of the superiour powers that yields the most absolute concord. This is the Psaltery that King David sings to, and is the true Ela of a Christian; Whom have I in Hea­ven [Page 79] but thee? And there is nothing on Earth I desire besides thee. How misera­ble are they then, whose pleasures only divert them from God their Maker; and have no other Apology for their Neglect of Heaven, than what Sin can make? that court the World, and for a fading Embrace exchange a Diadem of Bliss, a Crown of Glory?

And here let us raise our Thoughts from Earth to Heaven, because the glo­rious Trinity is a fairer Object for Con­templation: For in the Glass of the Tri­nity we may behold all Felicity; it will be joy to mans Soul, health to his body, beauty to his eyes, musick to his ears, honey to his mouth, perfume to his no­strils, whole happiness to every part. Therefore let us no longer doat upon this Mole-hill of Earth, or prize its arti­ficial complexioned Pleasures, Structures of Cedar and Vermilion, Garments and Embroideries of Aholiab, Tables of Deli­cacies, Couches of Ease and Ivory; all things here below are but Bracteata Foe­licitas, Copper leav'd with Gold. If we do but behold the Pavement of Heaven stuck with Stars, as so many sparkling Diamonds; how despicable and mean is the stateliest Palace of the greatest Mo­narch? If the Hangings be so precious, [Page 80] what must we think of the Room? If the Frontispiece be so glorious, what are those better parts yet unseen? Magnum & mirabile sub tanta Majestate. O think then what Treasures, what Riches, what Ex­cellencies are in those Courts above, where the Gates of the New Jerusalem are beyond the Orient Majesty of Pearl, and Streets more splendid than pure Gold; where there is no need of the clear Light of the Moon, nor the bright Beams of the Sun! What ineffable Glory is in God, the Light of those heavenly Tabernacles? Consider but the Eternal Joys of that place, and how heartless and dying is the best of worldly pleasures? Nay, were the whole World turned into a Seraglio of Delight, and every Region into an Arabia; could every Field become a Pa­radise, and every Object that we meet with, bring with it a Magazine of plea­sure; had we all the Enjoyments this Life could triumph in, yet without God we should find them dismal Fruitions. Heaven doth as far surmount all these things, as the Celestial Sphere doth this Earthly Globe. And so the Proposition is made good, That Heaven is a fairer Object than Earth for our Contemplati­on, even the glorious and Eternal Maje­sty of the holy Trinity, that is enshrin'd [Page 81] in an Unity of Essence. And Pythago­ras, that old Samian Philosopher, made Unity the Original of all Things, and the Cause of all Good in the World. And the Fathers under the Allegorical vail of that Unity, discover an undivided Deity, [...], as if That and God were so insepara­bly linkt together, that the thought of man could not possibly part them asun­der. 'Tis a pious Exhortation that S. P [...]ul gives the Ephesians to holy Concord and unity of Spirit; Eph. 1.4. and lays it down with a triple Argument, (knowing that a [...]hree­fold cord is not easily broken) and ad­mits of no separation at all, unless they would seem to dissolve their Religion: There is one Lord, whom Christians obey, and therefore no distraction by service; There is one Faith, whereby they be­lieve, and therefore no division by Creeds; There is one Baptism, whereby they get entrance into the Church, and therefore no distinction by initiative Grace: and these three are more pecu­liarly [...], that Trinity of Uni­ties, wherein God by the Ministry of the holy Apostle, appears to his Church as it were in the shape of three Angels.

Silence now, ye warbling Birds, Con­sorts of the World be still, and hear the [Page 82] Harmony of the Royal Prophet sung in an admirable Air, tune the Instruments of your hearts unto it, Thou art my por­tion, thou art my riches. I love the beau­ty of thine House, which is no other than thine own Essence, and the sole aim of my desire is the place of thy Glo­ry. The Diadems and honours of this world are of a short standing, and no­thing comparable to that Royalty which is everlasting, and to that Kingdom which knows no end.

This World is an Ark wherein are clean and unclean Beasts; a Park where Goats and Sheep live together; a Net where good and bad Fish are found: But in Heaven nothing that is impure or im­perfect can have entry there: In that fair place Solomon's wisdom will appear folly, his knowledge ignorance; Abso­lom's beauty shall be there deformity; Samson's strength shall pass there for fee­bleness, and the riches of all the Kings of the Earth shall be there as poverty. The longest term of life in our Forefa­thers will appear a death; for in Heaven it is in triumph above the reach of dull mortality. A man may enjoy the light of the Sun, and walk in its glittering rayes, and now and then give a glance upon it, though we cannot keep our eye [Page 83] fix'd upon its globe to behold its glory; we may behold its beams refracted through a cloud, but we may lose our sight by gazing on it in its naked beau­ty; for according to an Axiom in Phi­losophy, Excellens objectum laedit sensum. Pliny prying into the Mountain Vesuvius, to discover the fiery irruptions of Na­tures Kiln, procured his death by his too bold attempts into the mysteries of Na­ture. Surely it cannot but be dange­rous to be too inquisitive into the Myste­ries of the Trinity, which ought rather to be religiously ador'd than curiously search'd into, and requires not the na­tural Opticks or Eye of Reason, but of Faith. Reason can't [...]ore delight in a demonstration, than Faith does in reveal­ed Truth. As the Unity of the God­head is clear to the Eye of Reason, so the Trinity of Persons, that is, three glo­rious Relations in one God, is as certain to an Eye of Faith Faith is [...], Heb. 11.1. the evidence of things not seen, saith the Apostle. 'Tis an Eye that can behold an absent Object. A hand that can fasten upon what is not, can grasp things in their first possibilities, and the bare will of the Deity to pro­duce any thing, and gives us the know­ledge of that Theological and stupen­dous [Page 84] Mystery, even the Trinity in Uni­ty; or that the Deity, which is essen­tially one, is substantially three See Zanchy, de tribus Elo­him, & uno Je­hova, lib. 1 cap. 2.. The Soul imprisoned in a body, can but darkly conceive of spiritual Beings, those that are [...] of the greatest apprehensions, do but [...], they have some broken and scatter'd notions, which can't represent heavenly Truths in their proper Species, so vast is the dis­proportion between Divine Mysteries and a finite Understanding; for humane Wit knows not things here below, how then can it be satisfied in the search after Divinity? If he whom our Saviour cured of his blindness, saw men as trees walk­ing, in what sh [...]e shall they discern Evangelical Truths, who have yet the scales upon their eyes? Now there is a Curtain drawn, if we are so bold to lift it up, we may justly be struck with blindness, even in those things which before were exposed to our view. It is enough that God makes us of his Court, though not of his Council: That we may be free, though not to rifle his Ca­binet, yet to sit at his Table, no matter whether on the right hand or left in his Kingdom. Why should we strive with danger, for what we may be ignorant of with safety? In such things admiration [Page 85] is better piety than apprehension. No­thing breeds more Atheists among us than this (the first spawn of sin) Curio­sity, which plucks still at the forbidden Tree. The Arminians will find a reason in us of Gods Decrees. The Socinians also will have a reason of his Mysteries, except they see, they will not believe. Our sight now doth disperse and lose it self in the immensity of the extent; for who hath beheld it, that he might de­monstrate it? Not the Angels, for they cover their faces, much less we that dwell in houses of clay, and have that igno­rance and guiltiness those glorious Sera­phims are freed from, Isa. 6.2. that cry­ed one to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy. One of the Ancients glosses finely upon it, Ʋnum Jehovam celebrant repe­tendo unum & idem (Sanctus) trinum agnoscunt ter repetendo quod uni tribue­runt: A Trinity they acknowledge in that blessed Unity of the Godhead, whilst they repeat thrice, Holy, holy, holy; three in one, and all three but one God. Ma­ny of Gods incommunicable Properties and Works have (though most unjustly) been attributed to false Gods, as Eter­nity O Pater, ô hominum, divum (que) aeterna potesias. Virg. Aen., Omnipotency Te (que) Omni­potens Neptune invoco. Cic. Tusc. l. 4., Creation Ovid. Met. l. 1. of [Page 86] Heaven and Earth, Divine Providence Jovis nutu & arbitrio coe­lum, terra, maria (que) reguntur. Cic. de Fin., and the like. But it never came into the mind of any Idolater to think his God to be three in one; therefore let us not furnish our heads only with Speculations, but laying up Divine things within our hearts, and drawing them out into our lives in order to pra­ctice, that we worship one God in Tri­nity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance, as it is in the Creed of S. Athanasius.

The Deity is the ground of our Ado­ration; and as it is necessary for every one to be established in this truth, that there is a God, so likewise that there is but Ʋnitas Divi­nitatis Persona­rum pluralitate multiplex. S. August. one God, and not a plurality, as the blind idolatrous Heathen imagine. We ought then to make God the object of our highest admiration, and of our greatest love, to offer Sacrifices of Pray­ers and Praises to him, in all our ways to acknowledge him, and chearfully do what he commands; to trust in him, and depend upon him: for our life is lent us for no other end but to be mindful of Eternity, and cast up our eyes to Hea­ven, our future happiness. Anaxagoras being askt wherefore man was made? re­plied, [Page 87] To behold the Heavens. Psal. 8.3. For not a Star sparkles there, but is a Preacher and Herald to the Majesty of its Maker. Empedocles likewise being demanded why he desired to live in this world? answer­ed, only to contemplate Heaven. Christia­nity is a kind of religious Astronomy, the contemplation and study of Heaven. No Geometry or measuring the Earth in the Christian Mathematicks, unless it be that our Souls might more easily take footing in Heaven. And as Philosophy descri­bing Lines drawn from the Center of the Earth, may go to the Circumference of the Heavens; so, according to our com­portment in these short moments, (where­in are compriz'd the Lines of Life, which we are to live on Earth) shall be the definitive Sentence of an Eternal abode. Our true happiness depends upon our well management of our time here; and it highly concerns us to foresee what will be our future state: For in this life we sow those seeds, whose fruits either of misery or happiness, we shall gather in another World, and reap them in Eternity.

Let the serious consideration how short our time is on Earth, enforce up­on us a care of redeeming it, and use it not to the maintenance of wickedness [Page 88] and vice, but the promotion of true Religion and Vertue; that our future state may be as happy, as it is sure to be lasting. There are but few that consi­der, that their time here on Earth, is but a Prologue to an everlasting state. In this vast Eternity you must live; why do you not let your thoughts be more upon it? Your minds that love to count the days of this narrow life, extend themselves unto Eternity, where there are no limits at all. Tell the torments of everlasting Fire, the aking thoughts (if you can) of a burning Soul, that fryes in the Wrath of God to eternal Ages: Then number the Joys of Heaven, tell the Notes of that Celestial Quire, the Hymns of Praises that they sung; and though thou hadst a head as big as Ar­chimedes, that could tell how many Atoms of dust were in the Globe of the whole Earth; yet all these were but as a single Atom, in comparison of those endless joys or sorrows. And it is an Oracle of infallible truth, and a promise that remains for ever to the righteous; Your joy shall remain, Joh. 16.22. none shall take it from you. Therefore Heaven is the most lovely, amiable and most desirable ob­ject. The Enjoyments of Riches, Ho­nours, Kingdoms, Feastings with us in [Page 89] this World, are but short and transitory; but in Heaven there shall be an eternal Feast: The Jubilation of the Lamb shall be for ever, and shall be extended to the vast duration of Eternity: O my Soul, why dost thou not aspire, and mount up to the Center and Light of Glory, to the Fountain of Beams and Brightness, from whence thou wast derived? How happy shalt thou be, when thou shalt lay down corruptible rags of Earth, and being delivered out of the Prison of this wretched Body, may'st be thought wor­thy to hear the sacred Songs of that Ce­lestial Harmony, and the Praises of the King Eternal of that glorious Empire? How accomplished shall thy Honour and Glory be, when it shall come to thy turn to sing a gracious Hallelujah? Join unto all this the pleasure there is to live in the company of Angels; to enjoy the grateful conversation of all those excel­lent and sublime Spirits, where Angeli­cal Troops make ravishing Musick; and to behold Armies of Saints, more bright than the Stars of Heaven; to contem­plate the Sanctity of the Patriarchs, the Hope of the Prophets, the Crown of Martyrs, the white and flowery Garland of Virgins. And as for the Soveraign King, who keeps his Residence in the [Page 90] midst of that glorious People, what tongue is able to speak his praise, O Israel! Now how goodly are thy Ta­bernacles, how delightful thy Pavilions! Gardens water'd with floods and foun­tains are not so flourishing, nor are the fruitful Valleys so abundant. Let us not then suffer our selves to be abused any longer with the delusive appearance of this World, but fix our Eye on Hea­ven, because it is a fairer object than Earth for our contemplation; joining with the Royal Prophet, as it is in the Verge of the Text, Whom have I in Hea­ven but thee?

All the Blessings that we do enjoy, are the sweet influences of Heaven upon us, Spiritual or Temporal.

First, Spiritual Blessings in heavenly places, arise from no other Spring, and are Irradiations of the Trinity, and the great kindness of Heaven to Mankind, in relation to these Souls of ours. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have all done their parts for them: The Father gave his only Son, the Son gave himself, left his Glory, and endured the bitter Death of the Cross, meerly to keep our Souls from perishing. The Holy Ghost is become (as it were) our Attendant, waits upon us with continual offers of [Page 91] his Grace, to enable us to do that which may preserve them. These things all the Persons work equally and inseparably in respect of the Cause and Effect. It is a Rule in Divinity, That all the Works of the Trinity ad extra, are common to the whole Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost do co-operate and work together, for what one doth, all do; yet in congruity we attribute a distinct Act in regard of the Order and Object.

(1.) The Father Creates, Gen. 1.1.

In Order the original of Action is ascribed to the Father, Joh. 5.17, 19.

(2.) The Son Redeems, Gal. 3.13.

The Nature and Manner of Working, to the Son, Joh. 1.3. Heb. 12.

(3.) The Holy Ghost Il­luminates, 2 Pet. 1.21.

The Efficacy and Power to the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 11.12.

The Father is to be adored, as altoge­ther of Himself.

The Son to be glorified, as that Con­substantial Word.

The Holy Ghost to be magnified, as that Co-essential Spirit, eternally pro­ceeding from Both.

The Three Persons in the Trinity is the Object of our Faith, and we daily owne it in our Creed.

• (1.) We believe in God the Father, who made the World.
• (2.) In God the Son, who redeem'd all Mankind.
• (3.) In God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies all the Elect People of God.

An Unity of Essence, and a Trinity of Order; Ordo Originis, though not Re­giminis; Co-ordinativus, though not Sub-ordinativus; of Priority, though not Superiority; a First, a Second, and a Third, though not a higher, lower, and lowest; Deut. 6.4. 1 Cor. 8.6. for the Lord our God is one Lord; the Godhead or Essence of God, is one undivided.

This Tradi­tion of [...], was a point of great discourse amongst the Ancients; it was the great Prin­ciple on which Parmenides founded his divine Idea's, delivered by Plato: Platonicae ideae ortum habuerunt ex Parmenide, cujus magnum principium fuit [...], one and many: one in the Architype Idea God, ma­ny in their individual Natures; or otherwise it relates to the Unity of the Divine Essence, and the Plurality of Persons; for the Platonists speak much of [...], a Trinity. Parmenides (who followed Pytha­goras) is brought in by Plato, philoso­phizing [Page 93] on that old Axiom, [...], One and Many; and determined thus, That God was [...], i. e. one Divine Essence; he was [...], one immutable Be­ing; he was [...], one Eternal Be­ing. This Plato discourseth in his Phile­bus at large, shewing how [...] was [...], and [...], One, was Many, and Many, One. And it is not only good Philosophy, but sound Divinity, the Godhead considered diversly; for the manner of Being, is Three Persons in One Essence; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 1 Joh. 5.7.

The Father is the First Person of the Trinity, having Foundation in none, of Personal Substance.

(1.) [...], Not begotten to the Father.

The Son is the Second Person of the Trinity, having Foundation of Personal Substance, of whom he is eternally be­gotten, Joh. 5.26.

(2.) [...], Begotten to the Son.

The Holy Ghost is the Third Person in the Trinity, having Foundation from the Father and the Son; from both which he especially proceedeth, Joh. 14.26.

(3.) [...], Proceeding to the Holy Ghost.

Here is a threefold Unity of Persons in one Nature, of Natures in One Per­son, of Natures and Persons in One Qua­lity.

• In the First is one God.
• In the Second one Christ.
• In the Third one Spirit.

All this Unity is but to usher in a sin­gle Deity. S. Paul concludes all with an [...], There is one God, Eph. 4.6.

And the Soul carrieth an Image of the Unity of the Godhead, and Trinity of Persons, in that there is one Soul with three Faculties, of Understanding, Will, and Memory. Let us all now lift up our heart and voice, and praise God, chant­ing forth the Anthem of the Seraphims, for the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity; concluding with S. Ba­sil's Liturgy, [...], O God our God, who hast sent this hea­venly Bread, the Food of all the World, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to be to us a Saviour, a Redeemer. Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and all the Company of Heaven, we laud and magnifie thy glo­rious Name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory.

Secondly, As Spiritual, so Temporal Blessings are the product of Heaven. This Day is a signal Instance, and carries with it the Pomp of Blaze and Splendour, as it is the Anniversary of His Majesty's hap­py Birth and Nativity. And that Divine Providence that brought him this Day into the World, hath led him by the hand of his visible goodness. Ever since he entred the porch of life, and walked upon the pavement of the Earth, he has had the Royal Charter of Heaven, and enjoy'd the testimony of Gods special care, even a Writ of Protection; 1 Chron. 16.22. Touch not mine Anointed, do my Prophets no harm. His Life hath been a continued Series of Divine Favour. The Adver­sary hath not been able to do him vio­lence; the Son of wickedness could not hurt him: but he hath smitten down his Foes before his face, cloathed them with shame, and wounded them that hated him. The great Majesty of Hea­ven was a Helmet of Salvation unto him, a strong Tower of Defence against his cruel Enemies, Domestick and Foreign, at home and abroad.

First, Cruel Enemies at home, who invested their Sword with the Authority of Law, and made themselves after the Image of a King, and usurp'd the Seat [Page 96] Royal, chang'd the Kingdom into a State, and Monarchy into a Common­wealth. This was in the time of our late Troubles and Confusions, when Monar­chy was shaken off, Religion and Pro­perty were lost, and Laws and Liberty were with no small violence invaded, (be­ing as in the days of Jeroboam) whoever would, 1 Kings 13.33. were consecrated Priests of the high places. And when Souldiers turn'd Preachers, every act of Providence that seems to favour their Designs, shall be the voice of God: Every opportunity to do mischief to such as they oppose, shall be interpreted a Command from Heaven to do it. Judg. 5.23. Curse ye Meroz was the Text, Rapine and Plunder the Com­ment and the Use. Wars sounded as loud from the Pulpit as the Drum, as if it had been the task of the Heavens to kill and slay, and for its Arms hung in the Zodiack Man's Anatomy, to shew they were born with those that arose o [...] the Dragon's Teeth in the Poet, Mutuis perire gladiis, to bleed to death on one another's Swords. And here I may lead your thoughts to the unnatural Civil War in our British Isle, when Tribe did rise against Tribe, Brother against Bro­ther, ‘ [Page 97]Marte cadunt subito per mutua vulnera fratres. Ovid.’ And the sight of one Aceldama, one field of Blood will raise mens careless thoughts to a due valuation and grateful appre­hension of the comforts we enjoy under our most Gracious Soveraign. He that has escaped with him, in Job, to bring news of rapine and violence, can best tell us what it is to see a flourishing Land become a Sea of Blood; because War playes Pliny's Cockatrice, annoying whatsoever it doth touch. He can tell us what it is to see the Horse in equal state with its Rider, both of them wel­tering in their own gore. He can shew us what it is to see the obedient Son run over his slain Father to escape the hands of his own Executioner. He can shew us what it is to see the burning of Cities, and the woful Inhabitants martyr'd in the flames. Is not every Siege the Funeral of a City? Quot obsidia, tot urbium funera; quot pugnae, tot homi­num lanienae; quot agmina, tot ruris supplicia; quot turmae & catervae, cohortes & acies, tot suriae ad exitium agrorum & hominum armatae. Putean. in stat. bell. & pacis lit. eve­ry pitched Battle a Massacre? If a Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.33. hew Agag in pieces: a Da­vid, in the heat of War, falls a cutting Ammonites, 1 Chron. 20.3. Sin, Satan, and War have all one Name, Evil is the best of [Page 98] them. The best of Sin is deformity, the best of Satan enmity, the best of War misery The Turkish History makes mention of the Scy­thian Tam [...]rlane, when he walked amongst the slain a [...] ­ter a bloody Victory against the Muscovites; He account­ed those Princes unhappy, which by the destruction of their own kind, sought to ad­vance their own honour, pro­testing himself grieved, even from his heart, to see such sorrowful tokens of his Vi­ctory.. It is no wonder now to complain (as the O­rator to the Athenians) what­soever they gain in their thrifty Peace, they are de­prived of by those consuming Tumults; for what Paradise is there under Heaven, which a lasting War will not easily turn into a Wilderness? Ma­ny in this N [...]tion have wit­nessed the truth of it with their eyes, and its horrour with their tears: by these inconveniences we may judge of the benefits of Peace, and may see what gracious opportunities it doth yield for the practice of Religion and Godliness. We may behold with joy and thankful­ness, that the Ark, the Testimony of Gods presence, which was long held ca­ptive among the Philistins, is now re­turned and happily setled among us; and that his Worship is duly performed in his Word and Sacraments. Let his lungs waste in his breast, let his spirits decay, let his tongue languish to a per­petual silence, that will not beseech God to establish this blessing as firm as the days of Heaven, and wish its continu­ance. [Page 99] O then pray for the Peace Pulchriùs vo­mer quàm ensis splendet, bidens quàm hasta; me­liùs ferro ver­vacta agrorum, quàm agmina agricolarum proscinduntur, saith Puteanus. of our Jerusalem that love her; and conse­quently, for the life and prosperity of the Monarch of Great Britain, King Charles II. our dread Soveraign, the light of our eyes, and the breath of our nostrils, Lam. 4.20. who causes malignant va­pours to vanish, and dispels those clouds of mischief by his Princely power that would turn Religion into Rebellion, and Faith into Faction, cry up Priviledge to invade Regal Prerogative, and under the notion of the Preservers of our Peace, and Defenders of our Liberties, reach out their hand to turn the stream of Royalty, and subvert an excellent Monarchy into a Tyrannical Republick. The Fallacy having been put on the Kingdom, and Cheat acted once before, it will not easily prevail with men of so­ber and rational judgments, to renounce their Religion (the best in the world) or their Loyalty and obedience to the best of Kings, whose Princely Goodness is not more tender of the Imperial Crown and Dignity, than of the Peace and tran­quillity of the Subject. The one as it regards Royal honour, the other the care of his People, to cause Religion happily to flourish, and Liberty, Laws and Pro­perty to be safe and inviolable, (with [Page 100] the Blessings of Heaven) notwithstand­ing the subtile insinuations and cunning stratagems of the old Enemies of Monar­chy and the Church, to throw us back into a relapse; which reminds us of the late Rebellion, when men in Buff durst proclaim themselves the only Legal Au­thority of the Nation: and these, like a mighty Torrent, did drive all before them, with an unruly violence, brake down the banks of Ecclesiastical Disci­pline, making no difference betwixt things Sacred and Common, swallowed up Churches with their Revenues, and laid desolate Sanctuaries of Piety and Religion. Here we may wail out an Epicedium, War and desolation, poverty and paleness, and garments roll'd in blood, hearing the woful groans of dy­ing men, and bitter lamentations of Children for their Parents. The Orphan blubbers his cheeks, and sighs with Elisha, O my Father, my Father. Now David breaths out an Elegy, and, O Absalom, Absalom! my Son, my Son! And Rachel likewise weeps, and will not be comforted, because they are not. These were the mi­series this Kingdom groan'd under, after the Barbarous and horrid Murder of that Glorious Martyr King Charles the First, of ever Blessed Memory. And so it con­tinued [Page 101] under the heavy yoke of an in­solent Usurpation, till his Majesty's hap­py Restauration, actual Government, and gracious Reign over us in peace and quietness, security and freedom. We owe the happiness of these temporal en­joyments, (under God) to the prudent Conduct of Regal Majesty. And here take this Thesis or Doctrine by way of affirmative Position.

If the Church be depriv'd of Kingly Majesty, she is as apt to be infected with home-bred Errours as Foreign injuries; for when there was no King in Israel, Judg. 17.6. every man did what was right in his own eyes. We see then the Office of a King is attended with as much burden as Jurisdiction. He must encounter with Adversaries. For has the holy Oyl been pour'd upon his Head, and the Crown setled upon it by Divine Providence, which over-rules Nature? He that has given him the Crown, gave the Sword also to secure and guard it: and as it was Judah's Prerogative to sway the Royal Scepter, so also to yield Protecti­on: for the King is Custos utriusque Ta­búlae, Defender of the Faith, and a Nur­sing Father to the Church. And the Prince­ly Power, and Soveraign Authority (with God's Blessing) may still preserve [Page 102] the true and ancient Constitution both of Church and State from Anarchy and Disorder, from Popish Superstition and Fanatical Faction. For the King has his Authority over us from Heaven, [...], the Lord sets up Kings, saith the Father: And, [...], Kings are from God, says the Heathen. Therefore I must be subject, purely out of Conscience, for the Lord's sake. The Religion of the Church of Rome (like the Laws of Draco) are written in Blood, and advanced by Policy, and propaga­ted by Violence: their Vow of Pover­ty is such, as to covet Kingdoms, their Humility is such, that they tread upon the necks of Emperours, their Charity is such, as to kill Kings, making black TREASON a glorious Act, and to me­rit the brightest Crown of Immortality, and highest Seat in Heaven. Where­as Christianity never used the Sword (the Kingdom of Heaven is another kind of Warfare) Christianity came attired in­to the World with the white of meek­ness, 2 Cor. 10.4. humility and patience. Christ, the Prince of Peace, never pull'd the Crown from any Prince's head, but commands the payment of all Duties to Caesar, and acknowledgeth Pilate's power to be from above. Nay, when our blessed Lord [Page 103] had power with his Ego sum to strike all his Adversaries to the ground, or caused Legions of Angels to have stood in his just defence to revenge the injury of the People, the violence of the Souldiers, Mat. 26.53. Joh. 19.15. Mat. 27.27, 28, 29. Luke 23.11. Mark 15 15. the scorn of Herod, the judgment of Pi­late, yet he yielded himself patiently to suffer; to teach all his Disciples, that re­sistance is an affront to Divine Authority. This was the Spirit of the great Exem­plar of our Religion; this was the Ge­nius of his Doctrine and his practice. Nor did any of his Followers ever rebel against their Prince, usurp the State, or disturb the Government; and though it was their unhappy Fate at first to be accused as Factious and Seditious, yet none were better Subjects, nor testified their Allegiance more to Authority. S. Paul in the days of Heathen Persecution and Tyranny lays down this Hypothesis, There is no Power but of God: the Powers that be, [...], are ordained of God. If Religion be pretend­ed, an Heathen must not be resisted. If Tyranny, 'tis damnation to oppose a Nero. They that resist, shall receive, Rom. 13.1, 2. [...], the wrath and judg­ment of God, saith the Apostle. This made the Primitive Christians, those no­ble Spirits, where they could not com­ply, [Page 104] to suffer, and thought it the great­est piece of devotion to be patient under all oppositions. They were so far from conspiring into tumultuous Combinati­ons, that they freely offered themselves to the fury of their Enemies, and quietly suffered all extremities of death and tor­ment, chusing rather to be crown'd Mar­tyrs for Religion, than be punished as Traitors for Rebellion. It was not disability —Si hostes exertos agere [...]llemus, non deesset nobis vis [...]merorum & copiarum: Ve­stra omnia implevimus, urbes, insulas, castella, municipia, con­ciliabula, castra ipsa, tribus, decurias, palatium, senatum, sorum. Cui bello idonei non prom [...]ti suissemus. etiam impa­res copiis, qui tam libenter tru­cidamur? Si non apud istam disciplinam magis occidiliceret quàm occidere. Tertul., but du­ty, not want of money, or Martial prowess, but a reve­rend regard to Imperial Ma­jesty, as commanded by God, caused them not to avenge themselves. The ancient Mar­tyrs in saddest days (as Ter­tullian tells us in his Apolo­getical Defence of Christi­ans) had courage to say to their greatest Adversaries, Cruciate, torquete, damnate, atterite, probatio est innocentiae nostrae iniquitas vestra; Rack us, torture us, do with us what you will, or what you can, your iniquity is but the proof of our in­nocency, you think to weary out the Saints of the most High, Dan. 7.25. by inventing of greater torments; but the Sect Exquisitior quaeque crude­litas, vestra illecebra est, magis sectae nostrae plures efficimur quoties mori­mur. Tertul. Apol. of Chri­stians [Page 105] is the strangest Sect that you ever read of, it is allured by those miseries whereby others are terrified.

S. Cyprian writing to Demetrianus, the Governour of Africa, and Christian Per­secutor. God (saith he) is the revenger of his Servants, when they are annoyed; therefore none of us resists, nor avengeth Nemo nostrûm quando appre­henditur, nec se adversus in­juriam vestram, quamvis nimius copiosus sit no­ster populus, ul­ciscitur— Odis­se non licet no­bis, & sic Deo placemus, dum nullam pro injuria vicem reddimus. S. Cypr. ad Demetr. himself of your unjust violence, though our people are numerous and able to do it. The innocent rest content with their undeser­ved punishments and tortures; and thus we please God the more, whilst we reta­liate no injury.

Euseh. Eccles. Hist. l. 8. c. 9. Eusebius tells us, That in the Diocle­sian Persecution in Thebais, which was none of the greatest Countries of Africa, were slain, by various methods of cruel death, so many, that the Executioners were tired out.

In the time of Trajan also, Tiberius the President of Palestine, gives this relation in his Letter to the Emperor: I am wea­ry with punishing and destroying the Ga­lilaeans, who are called Christians, accord­ing to your Majesties Command. It was the inspired patience and courage of these great The World admires the Lacedaemonians and Romans, and they that had courage in any Age or place to dye for their Country, they were so esteem'd by the Heathens, that they had Statues erected, Pictures ingraven, Titles of Honour inscribed; the World doing what it could to make their Names immortal, how much better to suffer for Christ? What Soul would not desire to have his Name inrolled in that Catalogue among the Cloud of Witnesses, who wander'd up and down, destitute, afflicted, tormented, were stoned, slain with the Sword, sawn asunder, yet not accepting deliverance on unworthy terms, because they looked for a better resurrection, Heb. 11.35, 37. Heroes that blunted the very [Page 106] edge of Persecution, to tire as the hands, so the wits of their Tormentors, to turn their pity at their suffering into envy at their patience, to hug their Stakes as so many horns of the Altar, letting fall Magni animi est injurias de­spicere. Sen. de Ira, l. 2. c. 32. Absit itaque à servo Christi ta­le inquinamen­tum, ut patien­tia majoribus tentationibus praeparata, in frivolis exci­dat. Tertul. de bon. pat. not so much as a tear, lest it might quench some sparkle of that fire wherein they were (with Elijah) to ride to Hea­ven as in a Chariot; ignis igni remedium, 'twas this fire of holy Zeal and Christian Loyalty or Charity which out-burn'd that of Malice and Envy. And in the midst of the fiercest flames that Barba­rism and Cruelty could invent, paid the Tribute of a peaceable subjection to their Murderers, and made unforced acknow­ledgments of the Right they had to their obedience. And the Church of England teaches no other Doctrine than what was taught by the Prophets and Apostles themselves, i. e. Obedience and Submissi­on to Kings and Governours. In the Prophecy of Obadiah they are called [...], Saviours or Deliverers. In Eze­kiel's [Page 107] language they are [...] Shep­herds, to feed and rule the People. In S. Paul's they are [...], God's Ministers; nay Elohim, Exod. 22.28. Gods by Office and Deputation, to govern the affairs of men on Earth. The Apostles also char­ged those whom they employ'd in setling of the Churches, to put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers, Tit. 3.1. and to obey Magistrates. And S. Peter's Ex­hortation is, Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, 1 Pet. 2.13. not only unto the King [...], as su­preme, but unto Governours [...], as being sent by him. Rebel­lion then is as the sin of Witchcraft, and Disobedience as the iniquity of Idolatry. 1 Sam. 15.23. For whosoever disobeys the Viceroy, af­fronts the Soveraign; they fight against God, and attempt to cross the Decrees of Heaven, and frustrate the Counsel of the most High, who says, Prov. 8.15. By me Kings reign. And it is the assertion of Plato, That a Kingdom is [...], a Divine Good, which imprints on our minds a double instruction, to Fear God, and Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. First, to adorn the Christian Religion with ho­liness and piety of life. It is Religion that ennobles man, erects his affections, and estates him in a happiness above Na­ture; [Page 108] alters his very being, and puts him in opposition to what he was be­fore. Religion is the most effectual in­strument to reform mens lives, and bring them into an hatred of their vices, which all Moralists, especially the Pythagoreans, after all their industry, despaired of. What Reports Diogenes Laertius, and Valerius Maximus make of Polemus, the Convert of Zeno, are but mean and low things, if compared with the Acts and glorious Success of Christianity; whose virtue and influence upon mens Consci­ences, inables them to subdue Self, over­come their Vices, check the impetuous force of their Passions, and withstand their own carnal and sensual Inclinations, the greatest and most noble Conquest.

As the Lustre of Christianity was thus bright and glorious in the Primitive Constitution; so was the honour of its Professors, that they were of such piety and integrity, that their Adversaries confessed, that their Religion was their only ruine.

Let us therefore be so stedfast in our Religion, unshaken in our Faith, so con­stant in our Devotion, and holy and un­spotted in our Lives, that Wisdom may be justified not only of her Children, but Enemies also: which lays the greatest [Page 109] obligation on us to live the most holy and religious life towards God: For were we more holy and righteous in our ways, and did we walk in newness of life, we should more convince the World of the Truth of our Religion. Psal. 93.5. Holiness (saith the Psalmist) becomes (O Lord) thine house for ever. No garment be­comes the Church so well, as the gar­ment of Holiness. It is Sanctity that is the Churches Glory: It is the Ephod of Purity that is the Churches Excellency. Our first Creation set before us, as Hie­roglyphicks before the Egyptians, whose very Shapes and Figures were Doctrinal; and by a kind of Oratory, preach'd the Spectators Duty. What else means the Image of God in the Soul, but that it might continually act and work accord­ing to the Pattern, viz. Godliness, after whose Likeness it was created according to Holiness and Perfection, which it brought down from Heaven; that re­flecting still upon the same Image, it might be holy as he is holy. 1 Pet. 1.15. For a holy life and Christian works, are the very way to the glorious Vision, and Fruition of the great God in an everlasting bles­sed Life: Therefore, Fear God, Rom. 6.22. and honour the King, which is the best Chri­stian practice, and brings me to the next [Page 110] gradation in our Discourse, viz. to crown our Zeal with Loyalty to the King; for he is [...], wears Gods Image, and beautifies the World [...]. Plut. ad Prae­fect indoct. Dei enim imagi­nem habet Rex, sicut Christi Episcopus. S. Aug. Vet. Test. quaest. 35. with Order and Government, whereby so many millions of men do breathe the life of peace and comfort. For sooner might a heap of Ants be brought to an uniformity in motion, and those little bodies that play up and down the Air in a careless posture, to a regularity, than the [...], or popular sort, if they were not held in by the reins of Govern­ment; whither would the fury of mens passions lead them? if they were not bounded with Authority, if the rapacity of these Orbs were not slack'd by the course of the higher Spheres, and subdu'd to an awful subjection; Religion would quickly feel a heavy Destiny, and the World be drown'd in blood, as it was once in water. The Sword of Authority is put into the hand of the King by Al­mighty God. To the like sense also is that of Nestor to Agamemnon:

[Page 111] Jove lent thee thy Scepter and Jurisdi­ction. On this account speaks Themi­stius, [...], God sent Regal Power from Heaven. Holy Athanasius also confes­seth the Power of Kings to be of God, and their impiety not to be punish'd by man: Ad Antioch. quaest. 55. Sicut in toto mundo Deus Rex est Imperator, & potestatem exercet in omni­bus: As God is King and Emperour o­ver all the World, and exerciseth his Power in all Creatures: so the King and Prince is over all earthly men.

The Lord, saith Athanasius, Athanas. apud Epiphan. Hae­res. 68. to Con­stantine, judge between thee and me, since thou givest way to my false accusers against me.

Let us send our prayers and tears, saith S. Cyprian Mittamus pre­c [...]s & lachrymas cordis ad Deum legatos. S. Cypr. lib. 4. Epist. 4. to the persecuted Christians, as Messengers and Ambassadours of our hearts unto God.

Lactantius speaking of Obedience to Princes, says, They are to be defended not by killing, but by dying, not by cruelty, but by patience.

Gregory Nazianzen lived under five Emperours, Constantius, Julianus, Valens, Valentinianus, and Theodosius: in all which time he could find no remedy a­gainst the Tyranny, Heresie, and Apo­stasie of Princes, besides prayers and [Page 112] tears, speaking of Julian's [...]; Greg. Nazian. in Julian. Orat. 2. time, we had no other wea­pon, nor wall, nor bulwark, but our hope in God left us: whom could we have either to hear our prayers, or to protect our persons, but him?

August. in Psal. 124.And S. Austin saith, That though Ju­lian was an Apostate, an Idolater, and a wicked man, the Christians were subject to him, their Temporal Lord, out of re­spect to their Eternal Lord.

Rogamus, Augu­ste, non pugna­mus: non time­mus, sed roga­mus. S. Ambr. l. 5. ep. 33. We intreat, O Emperour, (say the Soul­diers in Ambrose his Cause against the Arians) we fight not; neither fear we, and yet we intreat only.

We will stand to it, and fight it out, even to death, Stahimus, & pugnabimus us­que ad mortem, si ita oportuerit, pro matre no­stra, non scutis & gladiis, sed precibus fleti­bus (que) ad Deum. S. Bern. Epist. 221. if need be, saith S. Ber­nard, for our Mother the Church; but with such weapons as we may, not with Sword and Target, but with tears and prayers to God. These were the weapons of the old Christian Martyrs.

Tertullian also to Scapula the Viceroy of Carthage, Absit ut ultionem nos aliquam machinemur, quam à Deo expectamus: Far be it for us to attempt or plot any re­venge of our wrongs, which we expect from God. We (saith he) are defamed for seditious against Imperial Majesty —Circa Ma­jestatem Impera­toris infamamur, tamen nunquam Albiniani, nec Nigriani, nec Cassiani inveniri potuerunt Christiani.— Christianus nullius est hoslis, nedum Im­peratoris, quem sciens à Deo suo constitui, necesse est ut & ipsum diligat, & revereatur, & honoret, & salvum velit, cum toto Romano Imperio quous (que) seculum stabit.— Colimus ergo & Imperatorem sic, quomodo & nobis li­cet, & ipsi expedit, ut hominem à Deo secundum, & quicquid est à Deo constitutum, & solo Deo minorem. Tertul. ad Scap., [Page 113] and yet never were the Christians Rebels, as several of your own Religion have been, Albinus, Niger, Cassius were Traitors a­gainst Marcus Antonius, Commodus, Pertinax, and Severus the Emperours. A Christian is Enemy to no man, much less the Emperours, knowing that Regal Dignity is constituted and ordained of God, and therefore necessarily to be lo­ved, reverenced, and honoured, whose prosperity, together with the welfare of all the Roman Empire, we wish and de­sire so long as the World shall endure. We honour and worship the Emperour, so as it is lawful for us, and expedient for him, as a mortal man, next unto God, of whom he holds all his Authori­ty, only subject to God, and so we make him Soveraign over all. And it is mani­fest, we live according to the Discipline of Divine patience, whilst being so great a multitude, we behave our selves with peace and submission. This hath been the practice of good Christians in all Ages, and to do otherwise, is to sit in the Throne of the Almighty, and to [Page 114] slight the Legislative Power, turning God out of his Soveraignty, affronting him in his Authority and in his Laws, making themselves the sure Heirs of Hea­ven, because the Apostle saith, They that resist shall receive damnation. All Sub­jects, Prelates, Peers, and People are for­bidden with the tongue to revile Kings, Exod. 22.28. with the heart to think ill of them, Eccles. 10.20 or with the hand to resist them. Rom. 13.2. It is not the wickedness —Si à saevo Principe cru­deliter torquemur, &c. subeat primum delictorum nostrorum recordatio, quae talibus haud du­bie Domini flagellis castigan­tur: inde humilitas impatien­tiam nostram fraenabit, nobis nullum aliud quàm parendi & patiendi datum est mandatum. Calv. Instit. of the Prince should cause any to neglect their duty to his Person, nor the injuries done by him tempt them to forget their Allegiance; because in the worst —In homine deterrimo, ho­nore (que) omni indignissimo, penes quem modò sit publica potestas, praeclara illa & divina pote­stas residet, quam Dominus ju­stitiae & judicii sui ministris verbo suo detulit: proinde à subditis eadem in reverentia & dignitate habendus, quantum ad publicam obedientiam attinet, quâ optimum Regem, si daretur, habituri essent. Calv. Instit. and most unworthy King the Divine Authority resides, which God in his Word hath given to righte­ous Magistrates; and there­fore Subjects are to have the same reverence for him (as far as it belongs unto publick obedience) as for the best King. The Divine Wisdom by the Tyranny of cruel Kings —Etsi non loquatur Do­minus, satis tamen flagellis ipsis & plagis vocat; ut enim Scri­pturam nobis omnem, Prophe­tas, Doctores, & Monitores de­esse fingamus, aerumnis tamen & calamitatibus nos erudit, ut breviter definire possimus, pla­gam vocationem ad poenitenti­am esse. Calvin. Wicked Princes by Divine permission are exalted to pu­nish the sins of the people: tollenda est igitur culpa, ut cesset Tyrannorum plaga. Aquin. de Regim. Princ. l. 1. c. 6., makes tryal of the Vertues and Graces of his Saints and people, that they who are found patient in [Page 115] tribulation, constant in truth, loyal in subjection, may be crown'd with glory and hap­piness. It was the height of Caesar's ambition to walk in the steps of Alexander; and of the Turkish Emperour to walk in the steps of Caesar; and of Themistocles to walk in the steps of Miltiades: so it is the height of a Christians glory to be a follower of Christ, who is the Mirrour of Angels, and Beau­ty of Heaven, whose life is the perfect Idea of all Vertue, and exact Pattern of holy living; tread therefore in the holy steps of the blessed Jesus, the Saviour of Mankind, whose actions should be our instruction, and the patience and obedi­ence practised by our Lord, the rule of our imitation; Leo in Serm. de Nat. Dom. Frustra appellamur Chri­stiani, si imitatores non fuerimus Christi. Christ and his Apostles, both by Precept and Example, left to all succeeding ge­nerations Christian obedience and subje­ction. Had the Language of the Scri­pture, and sacred Oracle of the Word, so positively declared against Conformi­ty, as it has REBELLION, the Dissen­ters of this Age would have got into the Revelations to loosen the Seals, pour out the Vials, and phantastically interpreted [Page 116] the Fates of Kingdoms, and Churches ruine. God is angry with them (says the elegant Moralist Plutarch) that coun­terfeit his Thunder and Lightning, [...], his Sce­pter, his Thunderbolt, and his Trident: he will not let them meddle with these; he does not love they should imitate him in his absolute Dominion and Soveraign­ty, in the arm of his Power, or finger of his Miracles, but loves to see them darting out those amiable and cherishing [...], those beamings out of justice, goodness and clemency, imitating his meekness and humility, long-suffering and patience, charity and obedience. And as many as lived to Christ's sacred Institution, did never revile the Govern­ment of Tyrants, (but carry themselves in a demeanour towards them, to obey and be subject, B [...]n [...]s tanquam Deo, malis pro­pter Deum; tam bonis quam ma­lis, & tanquam Deo, & propter Deum. as one saith, [...]. Unto good Rulers as God, bad Rulers for God, Submit your selves, saith S. Pe­ter, 1 Pet. 2.13. to every ordinance of man, [...], for the Lords sake, and to the King as supreme) much less repelling by force their violence, lest they should be found [...], fighters against God. What presumption is it then to contradict the Laws of our Su­periors, [Page 117] and shew disrespect to that or­der of men, which God intends as his Vicegerents? The immense perfections of a Deity being such, that the frailty of humane Nature can't bear his immediate converses (let not our Law-giver speak unto us, except we shall dye) therefore he rules us by our own Species, and go­verns us by men like our selves: But as the dignity and excellency of Angels are above other Creatures, so of Magistrates above other men. The Heathen Poet calls Kings [...], persons di­vinely descended. God has imparted to them his own Name, Ego dixi, Psal. 82.6, 7. I have said, Ye are Gods, and Sons of the most High, all of you. As he hath given an eminent appellation unto them, so he hath conferred an eminent Authority upon them, a Divine power [...]. Diotog. de Regno., repre­senting and resembling his own Sove­raignty, and they are Sacred and Sove­raign, because they bear not the Sword in vain. And the same Authority that binds us to obey God, commands us to revere those that so signally wear his Image. Nothing can more oblige Hea­ven, than to oblige those Heaven hath set over us, especially our Princes and Governours. Let us therefore shew our future Loyalty to the King, and readi­ness [Page 118] to obey him, by submitting our selves first unto God, whose MINISTER he is, that these things are enjoyned, not secular men only, saith S. Chrysostome [...], &c. S. Chrysostom. in Rom. Hom. 23. Et eadem habent etiam Theo­doret. Theophyl. & Oecumen. ad Rom. 13. [...]., but even Priests and Monks also, the Apostle evidently demon­strates, when he saith, Let every Soul be subject to the higher Power. Be thou Apo­stle, or Evangelist, or Pro­phet, or whatsoever thou beest else, thou must not only obey them, but even be subject unto them. Here we may justly tax the intolerable Tyranny and Ambition of that man of sin, 2 Thess. 2.3. who not only exempts himself from all Civil sub­jection, but even Sic Alexand. III. Frede­ric. I. Imper. pede collum com­pressit. Philip. Bergom. Sup­plem. Anno 1160. Petr. Ju­stin. rerum Venet. lib. 2. & Pa­pyr. Masson. in Alex. 3. Et Coelestinus Hen. VI. Imper. Ca­piti coronam pedibus imposuit, eisdem (que) denuò dimovit. Ro­ger. Hoveden. Annal. par. po­ster. in Rich. I. & Ranulph. Polychron. l. 1. c. 26. tramples on the Crowns of Princes in a most presumptuous man­ner. Gregory VII. feared neither God nor man, when he erected the Papal Croisier against the Regal Scepter, and read the Sentence of de­privation against the Empe­rour Henry; Carol. Sig [...]n. de Regno Ital. lib. 9. in Vita Hen. III. Ego Authori­tate Apostolica, &c. I by my Power Apostolical do bereave Henry of the German Kingdom, and do deprive [Page 119] him of all subjection of Christian men, absolving all men from the Allegiance sworn unto him. And as I do deject Henry from Royal Dignity: so I exalt Rodolph (Duke of Saxony, that was a sworn Subject to the Emperour) to go­vern the Kingdom, granting unto all men, that shall serve him against the Em­perour, forgiveness of their sins in this life, and in the life to come. It is no wonder, that Gregory his Chair clave asunder, as some Writers Benno Card. in Vit. Gregor. VII. affirm, at the giving of the Sentence, because the proud Pope and his wicked Decree were too heavy a burden for S. Peters Stool of humility to bear. The ancient Fathers were not acquainted with this Divinity of the Popes Deity, they were utterly ignorant of it. We worship the Emperour, Colimus Impera­torem ut homi­nem à Deo se­cundum, solo Deo minorem. Tertul. ad Sca. pul. saith Tertullian, as a man that is next to God, inferiour to none but God alone. The Speech of Optatus spoken of him by that insolent Schismatick Donatus, may be ap­plied to the proud Romish Prelate, since Cùm supra Imperatorem non sit nisi Deus qui fecit Imperato­rem, dum se Donatus super Im­peratorem extollit, jam quasi hominum excesserat metas, non verendo eum qui post Deum ab hominibus timebatur. Optat. advers. Parmen. lib. 3. above the Emperour there is none but God that created him. The Pope advancing himself a­bove the Emperour, goeth beyond humane bounds, and carrieth himself, not as man, [Page 120] but as God, in not reverencing him who of men is to be feared next after God. Aeneas Sylvius saith, Pius II. de ortu & Author. Im­perii, cap. 23. Sit tandem finis li­tium, Let there be an end of contention and one principal Head to determine all temporal matters, and the occasion of perpetual debate be taken away; let men acknowledge themselves subject to their Prince, and give reverence to him whom God hath made his Vicegerent on Earth. S. Bernard, though he lived but in a bad and corrupt Age, writing to a great Bi­shop Si omnis ani­ma, etiam ve­stra; quis vos excepit ab uni­versitate? Qui tentat excipere, conatur decipe­re. S Bern. ad Hen. Senonens. Epist. 42., If every Soul must be subject to the higher Power, then yours also among the rest. The like may be said of the Bi­shop of Rome, who hath given you an exemption from this general Injunction? He that endeavours to exempt you, doth but seek to destroy you. What shall we now say of those who have blinded their understanding, and overturn'd their Morals? to think them Saints who have courage only to controul their Gover­nours, and fansie it piety and devotion to laugh at what the Supreme Magistrate commands, is to exclude themselves from the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a piece of new Divinity without colour of rea­son or Religion, and was never heard of till Vice and Hypocrisie brought it into the World. And it is hard to say which [Page 121] is worse, mens actions or opinions, that can turn the Dictates of the Holy Ghost to the temper of their own humor, and transform Religion into Fancy, Vertue into Speculation, Zeal into Contention, Truth into Policy, and Faith into Facti­on, that can see sin in a harmless circum­stance, a decency of habit, or usage of a Ceremony, which are instances of our obedience, or our charity and unity, but can't discern those greater lines of Duty, Subjection and Loyalty. And as the Scribes and Pharisees of old cry'd up eve­ry where, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: so we have many such now a-days, who are seemingly great Champions for the Church, and take great care of the Duties of the first Table, and yet can freely indulge them­selves in the violation of the second, pro­ving annoyances to the State by seditious Insurrections, though the Christian Re­ligion doth firmly oblige men to peace, obedience, and due submission unto Se­cular Governours: there are many per­sons that owne that Name, and yet en­tertain Positions wholly inconsistent with the Precepts of that Religion, and the safety of Princes, and their Kingdoms, swallowing REBELLION —There was a time, which is a precaution to posterity, when men pretended a Call from God, to do the work of the Devil, viz. rebelling, and then murdering the best of Kings, erecting him a Scaffold for a Throne, and for a Diadem of Gold, gave him a Crown of Thorns, and instead of a glorious Prince, made him a glorious Martyr. without re­gret, [Page 122] which opens the floud-gates of im­piety, and lets in upon us a Chaos of Anarchy, Libertinism, and popular Con­fusion, bringing a kind of present dam­nation on the World. They that are Authors or Abetters of Sedition, (saith S. Chrysostome) can neither avoid shame on Earth, nor escape eternal Damnation. Though God the great Judge do some­times permit Rebels, in his Justice, to prevail against Kings for the contempt of the Law of the highest, and neglect of their own duty: the reward of Rebel­lion shall be no better than the recom­pence of Satan, who is the Instrument of the Lords wrath for the punishment of all disobedience. The Kings Power is from God; and for any private per­son, or any Club of Subjects to wrest it out, is a double Usurpation.

First, They invade Gods Soveraign­ty, Rom. 12.19. who saith, Vengeance is mine.

Secondly, The Princes Prerogative, whose Office is to protect and punish, to defend the innocent, and correct the Spirit of Contumacy and Rebellion, re­lieve the oppressed, and support the ver­tuous; [Page 123] rewards to Merit, as well as pu­nishment to Sin and Vice are dispensed: A terrour to evil doers, 1 Pet. 2.14. (saith the Text) and praise to them that do well. There­fore honour the King.

Secondly, As the goodness of Heaven shines in the preservation of our Royal Soveraign from the Usurpation of cruel Enemies at home; so likewise Divine Providence hath guarded him from Fo­reign Attempts of unreasonable men abroad, and made the Plots and Conspi­racies of these (worse than Heathens) of none effect, and deliver'd our King, and our Princes, our Nobles, and the Heads of our Tribes, the Governours of our Church, and Judges of our Land; nay, the whole Commons of this Realm, from a fearful destruction, that would have swallowed them up: For when the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree, to cut off Soveraignty, and destroy the Lord's Anointed, the rest of the people, who are the Branches, must expect lop­ping. The restless Emissaries of the Church of Rome, whether Priests, Je­suits, or Colledge of Cardinals, give dai­ly proof of their inveterate malice a­gainst the King, the Government, and Protestant Religion, thinking that new Massacres are the most effectual course [Page 124] to stop the cry of the old; and that the readiest way to silence their Adversaries, is to make them instances of the Truth of the Accusation.

If the great God of Heaven (who re­frains the Spirits of men that delight in Blood) had not been gracious to our King and Kingdom, you had not this Day been Auditors, nor I Speaker of this Theme; but all of us miserable Specta­tors of the contrary: And the Pope's Triple Crown would have been set with many red Roses of great Triumphs in a [...], nothing less than utter extirpation of us, and Memorial from under Heaven. The Rivers of Rome may seem to run smooth, their Sea is Blood: the extract­ed Spirits of things work more forcibly than concrete Bodies, take heed of an Elixir, an Extraction of Malice sublima­ted, spiritualized into a Religion. The cruel Massacres of Primitive Christians If we reflect on ancient times, and look back to the course of the World in ge­neral; in the first Monarchy we find a fiery Furnace; in the second, a Den of Lions; in the third, the madness and fury of Antiochus, when to believe in one God was to be put on the Rack, and to abhor Idolatry, involved the Votary in cruel Tor­tures: In the fourth Monarchy the ten Persecutions more bloody and grievous than all that went before; for not to sacrifice to Idols, and to offer Incense to Heathen Gods, was cause enough to be torn in pieces by wild Beasts, and be exposed to all manner of terrible Torments, when bloody Tumults affrighted Christ's Members, and chased them from their Devotions, when the Priest became the Sacrifice, and his Books in disdain were made a Burnt-offering. will teach us the price of our own hap­piness, and the slaughter of our Forefa­thers may upbraid our unthankfulness with the benefits of our peace. 'Twere good that we their surviving Off-spring, [Page 125] would learn to make use of their happy Martyrdom. In their crimson steps we may trace the way to our Saviour's Cross, and read in the living memory of their Torments the sad Tragedy of his Sufferings. The World (at this day) is well mended with us; we know not the meaning of Rack or Faggot, of Sword and Gridiron, the Instruments of Romish Cruelty. Let three Kingdoms therefore bow themselves as the heart of one man, and praise God for his mercy unto his Servants under the Protection of our gracious and religious King Charles. Hea­ven hath preserved our Church from ruine and confusion, from the spread­ings and prevailings of Errours, Heresies, and Schisms, Superstition and Idolatry, which strive to oppress us, and to eclipse the truth and purity of Doctrine, which is our Churche's Glory, and so much of­fends the Eyes of Rome, and makes them clip, wash, and new-coyn the Gold of the Sanctuary.

Lastly, As Divine Providence and Goodness did this Day bring into the World our gracious Soveraign, and hath [Page 126] hitherto preserv'd him from all Enemies, Domestick and Foreign: So the same spe­cial grace and favour of God, did this Day bring home and restore to us our King; a Prince of so much Clemency and Mercy, that he is inferiour to none that sways a Scepter, or sits upon a Throne. His Restauration was wonder­ful, without any Effusion of Blood. The Voice of War is changed into Proclama­tions of Peace, the Clattering of Swords and Spears is turned into the sweet Melo­dy of Harps, and the harsh Tones of Death into a Psalm of Thanksgiving. O Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy Land, and hast turn'd away the Ca­ptivity of Jacob: Praise therefore waits on thee in Zion, and unto thee shall the Vow be perform'd in Jerusalem. We celebrate the Memory of this thy Mercy, in restoring our King, and with him the free Profession of true Religion and Worship. What doth God require now both from Prince and People, but the acknowledgment of his favour? He that will not glorifie God, as the Father of Mercies, in the rigour of Justice God may glorifie himself in his eternal ruine. If we prove not the Heralds of his Glory, Examples shall we be of his just indigna­tion. All tasting Mercy, all should be [Page 127] thankful; and though all have not Fran­kincense, yet every one m [...]y have Praise. Let us praise God for his miraculous pre­servation of our King and Kingdom, Church and People; and let it sound so [...]oud (this day) as it may reach Hea­vens gates, and meet with Hallelujahs, which the bright Morning-Stars in their Orbs pay to their Creator, [...], the Angels Li­turgy is singing of Hymns of Glory. And shall not the Militant Church say, We praise thee, O God; our Souls do mag­nifie the Lord? The Stork pays Tribute of her young, the Trees of their fruits, the Earth of her flowers, and shall we be [...], without natural affection? [...], without God in the world? not [...], return blessing and praise to the Divine Majesty for his infinite Blessing unto us. We praise God in his Sanctuary, and in the Firmament of his Power, for his mighty Acts, and accord­ing to his excellent Greatness. Praise him with the Sound of the Trumpet, with Psaltery and Harp, with stringed Instru­ments and Organs; shew your selves joy­ful before the Lord the King. Let eve­ry thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Let us now direct our Prayers and [Page 128] Supplications to the Glorious and Eter­nal Trinity, that all Blessings, Divine and Humane, Spiritual and Temporal like the precious Oyntment of Aaron's may be pour'd out on the Head of ou [...] Royal Soveraign, length of days on hi [...] right hand, on his left Riches and Honour; that his Reign may be glorious, and his Regal Vertues after this Life crowned with immortal Glory. And we with the residue of God's holy Church, may rise to that incomprehensible end­less Felicity; where the Blessings of the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, will gloriously shine upon our Souls for evermore. Which God of his infinite Mercy vouchsafe unto us, for the Mer­cies of his Eternal Son, our blessed Savi­our. To whom with the Father and Holy Ghost, three Persons, one God, be ascribed, as most due is, all Honour, Glory, Power, Praise, Might, Majesty and Dominion, the residue of our lives, and for ever. Amen.