THat a Religion that is Pure and Undefiled, Holy and all Light should produce effects so unlike its self in the lives of most of its Votaries. That Men should so freely indulge themselves in almost all manner of Vice, and yet profess a Religion that [Page 4] allows none at a cheaper rate then Eternal Damnation; that they should call upon themselves the name of the Blessed Jesus, & yet live as if they designed the Disparage­ment of it, is a reflexion that no Man that honors his God or has a concern for his Re­ligion, or the least respect to the Souls of Men, can entertain without a very deep and most afflictive resentment.

I do not come to this place to enter an Idle complaint that it is thus: Nor to spend this time in fruitless tears, Lamenting its being so, but to try if I cannot dis­cover the reason of this Monstrous absur­dity, and offer something by way of re­medy; and I beseech you that with your wonted Candor and Clemency you will hear me a few Words.

I can resolve the Reason of this into no­thing, (methinks) so charitably, as into Men's errors and mistakes about their Re­ligion, for I have more Charity for them that profess the Religion of Christ, than to think they Sin either out of design, or of malicious wickedness.

Amongst these Errours I know not how [Page 5] to fix upon any of a more mischevous influence than that Primitive one that de­bauched this Religion at first, which was pro­pagated by that filthy Sect of the Gnosticks and fix'd by Simon the Sorcerer with such strength of Magick, that it sticks fast in the minds of most Men to this Day.

And that is an Opinion that the Gospel Supersedes the Law, and dischargeth from obedience to it, that it is all promise of Immunities and Priviledges to be injoyed by the Saints, without any respect to the drudgery of Duty. The Grace which the Gospel so much magnifieth is Faith, and that Faith nothing else, but a brisk confi­dence of being saved by the Righteousness of Christ, without any necessity of a righte­ousness of our own.

This is the main Fundamental Errour, which lies at the Bottom of a great deal of that profaneness, which is the reproach and shame of Christian Religion at this Day. and it is the more Dangerous, because it is strangely charming, and easily insinuates it self into the minds of carnal Men.

Against this therefore the word of God is [Page 6] so very express; and the Holy Ghost hath taken care to furnish all Men with so many obvious and plain Remedies, that I must needs count it either Artifice and Design, or brutish Inadvertency unto things that betrays them into it.

These Words that I have read contain one, and they are so much the more Con­siderable, for coming from our Lords own Mouth; who certainly best knew the rea­sons of his own coming into the World, and the purpose of that Religion which he intended to found in it.

And he (we see here) even then when he was promising so many Blessings to all that should become Votaries to it, and when mul­titudes flocked to him, in expectation of some new Religion, or (probably) some great Indulgence to be granted by him, makes this plain Declaration to them and all the World, that he did not come to Destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them.

Which words are an evident Prolepsis, whereby our Lord anticipates an Errour in some, and a Calumny (it's probable) in others, that he came to cancel all Law, [Page 7] and Discharge his followers from all neces­sity of obedience thereto; which Errour or Calumny,

• 1. He forbids all thoughts of in them; think not.
• 2. Discliams any intention of in himself; I am not come to destroy.
• 3. And Thirdly, Asserts the direct con­trary, and some thing more too, I am not come to Destroy, but to Fulfill.

In speaking to which words I shall en­deavour to do these three following things.

• 1. Give you the plain sense and purport of the words.
• 2. Make good the Truth of what our Saviour affirms in them.
• 3. Draw some useful Deductions and In­ferences from them.

1. A little matter will serve upon the first of these, in such an Audience as this.

By the Law and the Prophets you are to understand that Rule of Life and Manners, that God was pleased to deliver to the Jews, by the hand of Moses, and by the Ministry of the Prophets.

This Rule was so Comprehensive and full, as to reach all Circumstances, and [Page 8] take in all Instances of Duty, that Men owe to God, themselves, or one another; and therefore these Laws for our more distinct Apprehension of them, are Distinguish­able, into three Ranks, Moral, Judicial, and Levitical.

The Moral are those which direct Men in the Instances of Piety, Justice, and Cha­rity, Temperance and Chastity, things of an Eternal Obligation and Goodness.

The Judicial, those that concerned them as a Theocrasie or Kingdom; and the Levi­tical, those that concerned them as a Church.

The business of the Prophets with respect to these Laws, was chiefly to give the true sense and meaning of them, when Men mistook them; and by Promises and Threat­nings to awaken Men into a due observance of them, when they became careless and neg­ligent.

Now Destroying these is plainly intelligible without a Comment; it means the loosing the Obligation of these Laws, & discharging Men from any necessity of being Obedient to them.

And by this you will easily understand [Page 9] what is said in Contraposition to it, and what Fulfilling of them means. Not only asserting and continuing the force of them, but something more; and that is one or both of these two things.

1. The adding more strength to them, asserting Obedience upon better principles, and stronger motives then it was before.

2. Or Secondly setting the Duties, and In­stances of Obedience at a Higher pitch then they were formerly, i. e. in plain Terms, requiring more from a Christian, then either was, or at least was supposed to be requi­red from a Jew of Old.

In these two things doth the sense of our Saviours Fulfilling the Law and the Prophets consist, and accordingly I shall undertake to prove, that our Lord came not only to establish Law, and Obedience to it, but to add strength to the one, and to sublimate the other.

2. And this is the Second thing proposed, which that I may do as distinctly and fully as so little a time will give me leave, I shall consider Laws, according to the forenamed division of them.

[Page 10]1 Beginning with the Moral Laws of God, those Eternal Rules of Piety, Justice, and Honesty, and whatever is Intrinsically and Essentially good. I must speak to these in the gross, because I cannot descend to any particulars of them; and three things I shall endeavour to make good with respect to them.

1. That our Saviour hath asserted an absolute, indispensable necessity of Obedi­ence to them.

2. That he hath strengthened the Argu­ments that oblige to this Obedience.

3. That he hath set the Instances of Obe­dience higher, and required a greater mea­sure of it.

1 Of the first of these, we have first a very good Argument from his own Life, which was one uniform, constant course of perfect Obedience to the will of God, never sullied with the least Just Suspicion of any guilt, the Life of one whom neither Men nor Devils could convince of the least Crime, or Prevarication; one who not only purposed, but actually Fulfilled all Righte­ousness [Page 11] as he told his Forerunner St. John, Mat. 3.15.

This certainly is one good Argument for the truth of what is here affirmed; for it cannot reasonably be thought, that he who was so perfectly Innocent himself, so exact in all the Instances of Obedience and Vertue; should ever design or tolerate the contrary in his followers, especially when he makes his own Life Presidential, and in­joyns their careful imitation of it, as he doth, Mat. 11.29.

We may rather conclude, that he did this, that he might the more successfully teach Holiness to all upon whom his name should be called (for there is no such Teach­ing as by example) and that he might the more effectually ingage all to a cheerful I­mitation of him, who injoyned them no­thing which he did not do himself before them, shewing them the Practicableness and Possibility of his own Precepts.

2 Which if in the Second place you please to take account of, you will find them another Argument of this Truth. It will not be expected I should singly survey these; [Page 12] and therefore I shall content my self to ap­peal only to this great Sermon of his in the Mount, and particularly to three passages of it instead of many others.

If you please to Read the two Verses im­mediately following this Text, you will find these two things asserted plainly in them.

First the Doctrine of the Perpetuity of the Law, and that its Obligation should re­main till the last Expiration of all things.

Secondly the necessity of every Christi­ans care to conform his Life to it, and this necessity so great, that he that should either purposely in his Life, or designedly in his Doctrine teach Men to think otherwise, should be called least (i. e. none at all) in in the Kingdom of Heaven.

If after this you please to Read Cap. 7: 21, 22. You will think he is purposely de­signing the Anticipation of all conceits, and possible pleas against the necessity of real Holiness, telling Men plainly, that neither the most glittering Profession of his Name, nor the most pompous Faith in his Power, nor the most surprising effects of that Pow­er, should procure Men a Dispensation from [Page 13] Holiness here, or a Title to Heaven hereafter.

And if after both these, you will please to Read the Conclusion of the Sermon, from Vers. 24. to 28. you will find him assuring all the World, that he that built his hopes of Heaven upon any thing, with­out an honest, hearty endeavour to do his Duty, as his Lord had directed him in these sayings, should Dye like a Fool, and Perish in the Disappointment of his hopes for ever.

2. But Secondly I add, that our Lord hath not only thus Established the necessity of Duty, but added to it, and fixed it up­on firmer Principles then it was before. I mention two of these: Stronger Motives to engage our endeavours, and better incou­ragements that those endeavours shall be Successful.

1. Stronger Motives, and more prevailing Arguments, and that of both sorts. Both as to promises of Blessing to be endear­ments of Duty, and threatnings of Pu­nishments to be affrightments from Sin.

If I may not be allowed to say that all the promises and threatnings under the Law and the Prophets did relate to Temporal Re­wards [Page 14] and Punishments only. Yet I am sure I may safely say, they were worded in such a Phrase as if they did. The Collecting any thing beyond them required Art, a ve­ry close adverting to things, and great Skill to make Deductions from them. Fu­ture Rewards and Punishments were wrap'd up in Clouds and Shades, and expres­sed in Dark Symbols.

So that a Learned Sect among the Jews not only doubted, but flatly denied any such things, as the Sadduces we know did. And it is worth observing, that the Ar­gument which our Saviour produceth out of the Law to convince them of their Er­rour, lyes something above the Level of a common apprehension. Every Vulgar Understanding is not able to improve it to its due force, and unanswerable strength.

But the Blessed Jesus hath fully cleared all these things, brought Life and Immorta­lity to light by his Orient Gospel, and assu­red the World of the truth and certain­ty of them. For which Reason perhaps he is called by the Prophet the desire of all Na­tions, [Page 15] because he was to clear the truth and certainty of those most concerning Matters, which the Vertuous, and the Wise in all Nations had but some Languishing hopes, and Tremulous expectations of, ra­ther desiring and wishing, then steddily be­lieving, that there was a future State, and such great things to be injoyed by good Men in it.

Our Blessed Lord therefore clears all these Doubts, relieves all these Fears, cheers these Languishments, assuring the hopes and longings of all good Men, and this Sun of Righteousness appears with healing un­der his Wings, for the Comfort of all those that fear God.

I only add, that he hath not only cleared the Truth and certainty of these Rewards and Punishments, but given such amasing, and startling Accounts of them, as want on­ly due Consideration to make them effectu­al upon all Men. Men must now break through the Horrours of Everlasting Burn­ings, and resist the most endearing Charms of Eternal Bliss, before they can dare to Transgress these Laws. They must think [Page 16] the loss of Heaven a trifle, and suffering E­ternal Tortures in Hell inconsiderable things, before they can be Disobedient; for they are assured they can be so upon no cheaper Terms.

2. More Cheering and Inspiriting incou­ragements. First of acceptance upon the ac­count of Christs Merits. Secondly of Success by the Assistances of his Holy Spirit.

It is little less than a Miracle of Mercy, and the thinking upon it is a mighty sur­prise to a good Mans Thoughts, that God should not only accept, but promise so amply to reward so worthless a thing, as the Service of the best Man Living is. But of this our Lord hath cleared the Reason in his Gospel.

And we cannot well desire any thing, but this one beyond it, viz. that we may be able to do this Duty that is so highly incouraged. For otherwise the mightiest Arguments will signifie nothing.

Our Lord therefore hath complied with us in this also, assuring us that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. In respect of the present Success, as well as future Re­ward, [Page 17] that we shall be assisted in Duty as well as Rewarded for it.

St. John observes it as a great preference of the Gospel above the Law, John 1: 17: that the Law was given by Moses, but Grace came by Jesus Christ. All that Moses did was to deliver a Systeme of Laws to the World, and teach Men their Duty, but Christ be­sides this, purchased Grace to inable us to do our Duty, to be Sufficient for us, and to en­able us to do all things, as the Apostle speaks. Therefore good Men are said to be under Grace, and for that reason sure to be Victo­rious in Duty, Rom. 6.14. To which I need but add one thing, that the Spirit of God is made the great Almoner and Bestower of this Grace, and I beseech you do but see by what an affecting Argument our Lord hath assured us that God will give this Spi­rit to those that ask him, Mat. 7.9, 10, 11.

But Thirdly I go on to shew, that our Lord hath not only thus Established the ne­cessity of Duty, and done it upon better Principles, but he hath set the instances of it at a higher pitch than they were former­ly.

And for the Truth of this I appeal only to the following Sermon, and subsequent parti­culars of Duty that he Instances in. You may see it clear in the case of Murther, of Oaths, and Charity, &c. Something is added to the Law in all these cases, and something taught by our Saviour over and above what was said by them of old time; some things that were indulged the Jew and supposed Lawful, are made for ever unlawful to a Chri­stian; upon which reason (as well as o­thers) it is said, v. 20▪ That unless our Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And sure no Christi­an hath any reason to take this ill, or to think himself hardly dealt with, for if our Encouragements and Helps be so much greater, it is but reasonable that our re­turns should be in some measure propor­tionable.

This is enough to clear what I undertook as to this first branch of Laws, i. e. the Laws of God, and Obedience to them.

2. I proceed to consider the Second, i. e. Humane Laws, respecting Civil matters; and [Page 19] to consider whether Christ came to Destroy these, and not rather to Fulfill them.

It hath been an old Imputation upon Christian Religion, and an Artifice to Pre­judice Kings against it, to represent it an Enemy to Government. Thus our Blessed Lord must be accused as an Enemy to Cae­sar, and his Apostles Persecuted as Factious, Seditious Persons, and those that turned the World upside down. And upon this the Primitive Christians were mostly Prosecuted, as we Learn from the Ancient brave Apo­logists for them.

But how invidiously unjust this Accusation was against our Lord, and is yet against his Religion, a little pains will suffice to shew clearly.

1. For First, I observe that out Lord was so very tender of Laws, and so mighty care­ful not to give the least Suspicion of the con­trary, that in all things he shewed himself most ready to comply with them, he waved his own Priviledg, when it might Legally have been pleaded in Bar of it, and pay'd Tribute as a Stranger, although he was at the Expence of a Miracle to do it.

And when he was convened before Pilate, and Interrogated about his Kingdom, he so fully satisfied him that it was not of this World, nor in the least an Enemy to Government in it, that Pilate himself declares him In­nocent, and acquits him from the guilt of that Spightful Accusation, Joh. 18.36.

2. From which in the Second place you may Collect that his Doctrine in this was accordant to his Practice, for by declaring his Kingdom not to be of this World, He hath sufficiently secured all Kings, that they should never be rivall'd in their Thrones by him, that neither he, nor his Religion would ever intrench upon their Rights, or invade their Prerogatives.

And yet besides this, there are many ex­press Doctrines of his to this purpose. I mention two only, one is his Speech to Pe­ter, Mat. 26.52. with his Reason anexed to it, Put up thy Sword, for all they that take the Sword shall Perish by the Sword. Which words are plain, without any Art to im­prove them, and make it for ever Unlawful for any private Person to use the Sword a­gainst [Page 21] his Lawful Governours in any Case, no not in the so much pleaded Case of Re­ligion. For if it be not Lawful to use it in defence of Christs own Person; it certainly can be Lawful in none, no not in defence of his Religion.

Another is that known Answer that he gave to the most insidious question that was ever proposed to him, Mat. 22.22. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are Gods. By which he hath happily adjusted the Rights of God and the King, and Commanded Men to be as careful to pay one his due, as the o­ther, and if Allegiance be tyed upon Men by the same Bands that Duty is to God, the Obligation is strong enough, and cannot be stronger.

But this is too little to say in this Case, Truth and Justice to our Holy Religion will warrant me to say more, viz. that Christ hath not only thus Established the Laws of Government, and the Duty of Subjection to it, but he hath indeed fulfilled it, fixed it upon firmer Principles, and stronger Rea­sons, than it was before.

For that Religion that makes Subjection to Caesar as necessary, as Duty to God:

That Religion that tyes Subjection imme­diately upon the Conscience:

That Religion that declares Government to be Gods own Institution, and that Kings are immediately appointed by him:

That Religion that Interests God in Resi­stance, as much as the King:

That Religion that presseth Men to Sub­jection, upon Reasons of their Love to God, and for the Lords Sake:

That Religion that Threatens Damnation as expresly to resistance, as to any other Sin whatsoever:

That Religion which so strictly forbids, and so severely Threatens all those Evils, from whence Rebellion and Resistance pro­ceed, such as Pride and Ambition, Cove­tousness and Discontent, Faction and a busie-medling in other Mens Matters, and whatever other causes there are of these things:

That Religion which by Arguments of no less then Eternal Felicity injoyns the Practice of such Vertues, as make Rebellion [Page 23] impossible; such as Meekness and Humility, Patience and Contentedness in every Con­dition, Peaceableness and keeping within our own calling, Love and an Universal Charity unto all Men:

I say, a Religion that doth all this, as it is Notorious the Christian Religion doth, doth indeed Fulfill and fix Subjection upon the most steddy Principles that can be: Doth Incomparably more to this purpose, then the utmost Policy, or Power of Man shall ever be able to do; for these can but com­pel, or perswade by External Arguments, but this can touch the Heart, and lay the Reason of Subjection deep upon the Con­science, & oblige not to Loyalty only, but to the same tender Care, and Hearty Cheer­fulness in it, as in Religion and Duty to God.

So that I say it with some assurance, it is Impossible for a Christian to become a Re­bel, and he ceaseth to be the one, whene­ver he commenceth the other upon any rea­son whatsoever. A Man must be Rebel to himself, and his Religion too, before he can be so to his Prince, he must break through [Page 24] the Tyes of his own Consience before he can break through the Laws of Subjection, he must turn Traytor to God, and a Contem­ner of the Deity, before he can despise Do­minion, or speak Evil of Dignities:

3. And now I have only the Third branch of Laws remaining, and to inquire if our Lord have not also Established, and Confirmed them. Now this you will find he hath done clearly, both by his own Pra­ctice, and Doctrine.

I Instance only in two Practices of Christ, because they render the thing plain. One was his Observation of a Feast, which was not of Divine, but Ecclesiastical Institution only, for such the Feast of the Dedication was, at which he is said to be present, Joh. 10.22.

The other is his Celebrating the Passo­ver in a Posture, and with some Circum­stances contrary to the Primitive Institution, in compliance with the Jewish Church, which had thought fit to change them.

From which two Instances, the Power of the Church to order the Circumstantials of Religion, & the Lawfulness of every private Members conforming to the same, are a­bundantly [Page 25] cleared; and might be made good against all Opposition.

For either our Lord did well in this com­pliance, or he did not; if well, then the Rule is Established, and we can desire no more; if not, then let our Enemies An­swer for his Faithfulness, and Vindicate his Innocency if they can.

To these Practices his Doctrine is clearly Consonant, Commanding us to hear the Church, and them that sit in Moses Seat, & to account him that refuseth to do so a Hea­then and a Publican. But this Argument is sufficiently made good by Learned Men of late, and therefore I pursue it no fur­ther:

3. But hasten to put a Period to this Discourse in two or three short Inferences from it, which was the third and last thing promised:

1. And First, I desire it may be consi­dered what a Signature of an Age it is, to teach and Live the reverse to this of our Saviour, and what a sad presage it is to do so.

I need not Fear being deemed Unchari­table, if I charge these things upon the [Page 26] Men of this Generation, the Doctrines of many, and the Lives of almost all, will too clearly Vindicate me from that Impu­tation.

Blessed Lord! when we go to survey the Lives of Men, what a Field of Bloud, what a Black Scene of Vice presents it self to our View? how perfectly have Men un­learned their Religion? and how do they Live in Contradiction to this Text? as if Christ came indeed to Destroy all Law, ful­fill all Wickedness, and confute all Pro­phecy, but only that which predicted the monstrous degeneracy of the later times.

And truly when we descend to the Con­sideration of Mens Doctrines, we cannot well expect, better Consequences from them, I cannot stay to Instance these sing­ly, it must suffice me to refer you to the Labours of Learned Men, who have fully shewed how the different Doctrines among us at present tend naturally to debauch Christian Religion, cause it to expire in Noise and Notion, or to degenerate into Enthusiasm & downright Profaneness, & I [Page 27] durst undertake to disargue all the Opini­ons upon which Men differ and separate from us at this time upon this Reason, that some way or other they either discourage the Practice of Holiness, or relaxe the ne­cessity of it, or Establish Wickedness even by a Law.

But then if we Examine Mens Doctrines with respect to Government, in that you will find them all generally Antichristian; restraining the necessity of Subjection in so many Cases, and making a Plea of Con­science and Religion a Dispensation from it in all.

In this the most distant Factions among us conspire, and accord perfectly, Gebal, and Amon, and Amalek, &c. Rome and Geneva, Leiden and Munster, and whate­ver Places have Denominated any of them.

Men that can Plead Religion to hallow Rebellion, and the promoting the Interest of the Church, and the Kingdom of Christ, for the deposing, and assassinating of Kings. can place the Bible and the Sword in the same Flag (the Solecism of our late Scoth [Page 28] Reformers,) Preach and Pray Men into Re­bellion and Treason, and avow the rankest Rebellion and most damnable Schism, un­der the pretence of Sanctity and Reforma­tion.

I am not willing to aggravate the guilt, or presage the Effects of such things, though I think a very little Rhetorick would suffice for the one, and the meanest Portion of Prophesie for the other.

If Men would Study to Blaspheme the name of the Blessed Jesus, to bring con­tempt and infamy upon his Holy Religion, and provoke all the Powers on Earth, to conspire its Banishment out of the World, they could never take either a more certain or compendious Course to do so.

And then I ask, as the Prophet did once in a like Case, What will ye do in the end thereof? And what will the Issue of such things be?

Either First, we shall outlive our Reli­gion, and while we contend so angrily who are the only good Christians, get this sad assurance that none of us are so.

Or else Secondly, we shall force God to [Page 29] arise and rescue his injured Law and Religi­on, Vindicate it from our Profanations, and revenge the Injuries we have done it upon our selves, and since we would not pur­chase the Rewards and Blessings of it by well doing, cause us to Inherit the Curses and Plagues that it threatens to the con­trary.

Thus it was of old, when Men came to those heights of vice as to dare to Destroy Gods Law, David thought it high time for God to lay to his hand, Ps. 119.126. It is time Lord for thee to lay to thine hand, for they have Destroyed thy Law, and sure our Destroying his Gospel, superadded to this Destruction of his Law, will hasten his doing this. And we have nothing to sup­port us in our hopes of the contrary; un­less we can think God so unconcerned and tame a being, as to permit himself, and every thing that is Sacred to be trampled upon and prophaned, ridiculed and Buf­foon'd by foolish and daring Men.

2. But I hasten to a more grateful Re­flection, i. e. to consider in the Second place, what an effectual Course Christian [Page 30] Religion takes, and what a certain Expedi­ent complying with it is, to assure the Fe­licity of a Kingdom, of a Church, yea of the whole World, to reallize the Poeticism of a Golden Age, and retrieve the Primi­tive Portions of its happiness.

When I say this, I do not mean it only in a Moral Sense, and because it is the In­surer of Divine Providence and Blessing, (though methinks that ought to be a Ma­terial consideration with all Christians) but I speak it in a Physical Sense, and upon the direct Reason of the thing. Yea I dare comply with the Epicurean Principles in it. Supposing that God did not interest himself in the Government of the World, but had thought it enough to have put all things into right Order and Motion at first, and afterwards to abandon them to their own Conduct and Care, yet Religion would in some good measure supply the want of Providence. It would be an Anima mundi, and a tutelar Spirit that would superin­tend, and secure the Felicity of all things:

If Religion were truly Obeyed, Kings, would be as safe, as they are (too often) [Page 31] secure, and their Crowns as truly pleasant to themselves, as they seem Glorious to others.

Subjects would be as happy and conten­ted under their Government, as Children under the Care of the most Provident and Indulgent Parents, there would be no in­vading of Prerogative, nor fear of Privi­ledges, there would neither Holy Leagues, Solemn Covenants, nor Treasonable Associa­tions in Defence of Religion be entred in­to; Tyranny and Treason would be words, whose Signification was known no where but among Devils.

Magistrates might securely and unenvied injoy their Power, and all rejoyce and Bless God under their shadow.

Courts of Judicature would be clean as the Assemblies of Angels, and all Determi­nations of Causes just, as if they had been Established by the decree of the Watchers.

The Courts of Princes would not be pe­ster'd with the Evil Effects of Ambition, & Envy, & ill Arts to supplant one another: But be as much axalted above all other Pla­ces for Vertue and Purity, as they are above them for Address and Deportment.

Those to whom God had given Riches, would know how to make them Minister to their true happiness, and might injoy them without any anxiety from Thieves or violence.

And those whom his Providence had con­fined to poverty and meanness, might rest contented, considering how many God had charged with the care of them. Yea might sing as chearfully as that poor Bird is heard to do, that knows not in what Bush to lodg at night, nor where to pick up its next meal, and yet is provided for by an Almighty care in both.

In a word, there would be no leading in­to captivity; no complaining or violence in our streets; No cries of Mothers made Childless by War; No tears of Widdows or Orphans oppressed by potent wrong. Religion would secure every mans Proper­ty; and there would be none to suffer wrong, because none could do it.

And (to conclude this Period,) you may challenge all the Machiavels in the Earth, and all the Leviathans in the Sea too, to contrive so effectually for our happiness and [Page 33] peace as Christian Religion doth by two single Precepts of it.

First that every one mind his own Business, and wherein he is called, therein abide with God. Secondly, that no Man offer that to another, which he would not willingly have done to himself in the like Circum­stances. This latter is the Sum of the Law and the Prophets, and were it complyed with, what a happy Scene of things would soon appear? Our Kingdom would become the Transcript of Heaven, and our Age would antedate the great Millennium.

3. And therefore in the last place I hope it will not be censured as an Impertinent ad­dress, to beg that those above us will think Religion worthy of their Care, to whom it would be (& may be) so greatly serviceable; & that all of us would think complying with the Rules of it, our Duty, & our Interest too.

I press not the First of these, and I thank God I need not, Blessed be God we have a Defender of the Faith, and one to whom the guarding of Religion is dear, as his own Crown.

But I would gladly prevail with you all [Page 34] for the Second. Give me leave without of­fence to remember you of one thing; you cannot but know what a Character your E­nemies endeavour to fix upon you, and all Faithful Subjects, and at what a disadvan­tage they represent Loyalty, while them­selves must be accounted the only Sober and Godly Party of the Nation.

I thank God the charge is not so just, nor the guilt so general, as they invi­diously insinuate, but for Gods sake consi­der, were it not better that there were not so much as the shadow of a reason for the one? Nor one single Instance of the other? How much better were it, that by Tempe­rance and Sobriety, Chastity and Purity, and all other Instances of Christian well do­ing we put to silence the Ignorance and Ca­lumnies of Foolish Men.

That you Live up to the Consequences of this Text, and be always fearful of De­stroying the Law or the Prophets, which your Lord tells you here he came to Fulfill.

That as you prescribe Rules of Civility and Deportment to us all, so you will give us our true measures of Religion too.

And (to conclude) that all of you strive to be as exemplary for Piety to a good God, as you are signal for Loyalty to the best of Kings.

That so Peace may be upon our Israel, and Glory may dwell in our Land, that the King may still rejoyce in the Salvation of God, and in the Mercy of the most high he may ne­ver miscarry:

And that we, and all his good Subjects may Sing under his shadow, rejoycing in that abundance of Peace which we injoy under him now, and in hopes of that Eter­nal Peace which we look for hereafter, for the sake of our great Peace-maker the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father, and Eternal Spirit, be Praise Honour and Glo­ry, now and for evermore, Amen.