loue that I write so much against malice not for your hurt but for your eternal good if you wil not beleeue me beleeue God himself To me belongeth vengeance The Deuill when hee gets audience tels a man how much hee is hated of others the holy Spirit tels him how much hee is loued of others The argument of our charity to them is Gods charitie to vs. Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued bowels of mercies kindnes humblenes of mind long suffering seeing you are beloued of God loue his This is Gods chalenge Vengeance is mine Gods execution I will repay Gods Subscription to which his great Name is affixed Thus saith the Lord. Scriptum est it is a transcript and faithfull copy out of the Originall to shew it the Lords true act and deed twice written that it might neuer be forgotten Once hath God spoken twice haue I heard it that Vengeance so well as Power belongeth vnto God Hee pleads the continuance of Succession without interruption vengeance Iudgement and Glory are His alone Therefore to auenge our selues is both to lose Gods protection and to incurre his condemnation It is faithlesse and fruitlesse faithlesse not to beleeue that God wil deale with vs according to his Word With thine eyes thou shalt see the reward of the wicked It is then infidelitie not to commit our case to God and his Deputie the Prince but to make them both our deputies and instruments of reuenge What is this but to exalt our selues aboue all that is called God and to play the Deuil in iest and the Pope in good earnest Fruitlesse for if being wronged we draw out our woodden dagger of reuenge God wil put vp his sword and leaue vs to our selues The iniured child turnes not againe but runs to his father When the Italians heare how God hath reserued Vengeance to himselfe they say blasphemously He knew it was too sweet a bit for man therefore kept it for his owne tooth But if man were is owne caruer he would carue too deepe God onely is wise and iust wise to know iust to giue the due proportion Now the Great and Omnipotent Lord chiefe Iustice bind vs all to the peace on earth and bring vs all to the peace of heauen Now because euery Citie must haue an established Gouernment Order being the good of euery creature it is better not to be then to be out of order therefore this Citie of Peace must haue a Lord and a Law a Ruler to gouerne it and a Rule whereby it must be gouerned The King is Christ who is therfore called Princeps Pacis The Prince of Peace And hee hath a Deputie or Vicegerent vnder him whom hee hath set to promoue the good and to remoue the euill of Peace The Law is Truth that is the Gospell Regula Pacis the Rule of Truth The Gouernour of this Citie Is supreme Authoritie as God is a great King so the king is as it were a little God I haue said Yee are Gods God is an inuisible King the King is a visible god Ye must bee subiect not onely for wrath but also for Conscience sake All must obey the bad for feare the good for loue To compell the one there is a Writ out of the Kings Bench to perswade the other there is a motion in the Chancery Of all Nations we are blessed with peace vnder a King of peace therefore all bound to bee children of peace There are three wayes of chusing Kings 1. An immediate nomination from God 2. A Succession of blood 3. An election of the people The first ceaseth the last hath been found dangerous the best remaines They that are suddenly chosen out of the flock doe seldome manifest such royall behauiour nor become their Maieiestie for it is not their Trade Iehu remitted much of his noble zeale when hee was setled in his kingdome It is one thing to say With a great summe of money obtained I this kingdome and for another to say I was a King borne Wee may iustly say of our King Dignissimus Regno si non natus ad Regnum When the Poets called some men the Sonnes and off-spring of the gods they meant that they were men of a more noble and vncommon nature and that those graces were Ex Diuino afflatu It was as familiar with Homer to make a King fight with a god at his elbowe as a common Souldier with his sword in his hand To whom the Lord giues most honour he giues most assistance The heart of the King is in his hand as riuers of waters the heart of a priuate man as a little brook in the former is more need of his omnipotence Howsoeuer the grace of adoption in the Apostles time was not giuen to many mightie or noble yet the graces of administration are Anarchie is the mother of diuision the stepmother of peace While the State of Italy wants a King all runnes into ciuill broiles It is the happinesse of this Citie that there is no distraction Not a King at Iudah and another at Dan not one in Hebron another in Gibeon not the redd Rose here and the white there We are not shuffled into a popular gouernment nor cut into Cantons by a headles headstrong Aristocracie but Henricus Rosas Regna Iacobus in Henry was the vnion of Roses in Iames of the kingdomes Euery King is not a Peace-maker ours like a second Augustus hath shut the rustie doore of Ianus Temple so making Peace as if hee were made of peace That blessed Queene of sweete and sacred memory before him was Filia Pacis who as by her Sexuall graces shed deserued to bee the Queene of women so by her masculine vertues to bee the Queen of men Certenly it would haue troubled any King but Him to haue succeeded such a Queene yet no man complaines the want of peace This hee promised and Verbum Regis Rex Regi this hee hath perfourmed to euery good soules content When he was first proclaimed what heard we but peace What heard the Nobles a King that would honour them What the Senators a King that would counsell them What the Schooles a King that would grace thē What the Diuines a King that would encourage them What the rich a King that would defend thē What the poore a King that would relieue them When a Tyrant comes abroad all seeke to hide themselues When the wicked rise men hide themselues But when a clement Prince progresseth all flock to him the streets and wayes are filled with people the aire with acclamations We call our peace the Kings peace and say to brawlers Keepe the Kings peace Peace Plentie Trafficke Learning Administration of Iustice flourishing of arts preaching of the Gospell Rex Iupiter omnibus idem Like Dauid hee leads the Dance to heauen and like Augustus makes a sweet spring wheresoeuer hee goes Israel had rest fortie yeres we haue had a Iubile of fiftie yeares and
begun againe The Peace-maker doth both blesse and is blessed therefore let vs blesse him and blesse God for him and hold our selues blessed in him Away then with those discontented spirits that grudge these outward rights whether tributes of money or attributes of Supremacie Soluatur subsidium ne contingat excidium For this cause pay wee tribute also c. It is the mediate due to God as prayers praises are his immediate rents Some haue obserued that Christ did no miracle about Honor or money except that one of giuing tribute to Caesar Much more intolerable are those our Cosens of Samaria that fly off in a rage What portion haue wee in Dauid For this cause certainly if Dauid were now a liue he would neuer admit a Iesuit to his Chaplaine But perish his enemies and vpon his own Head let his Crowne flourish May not the Scepter depart from Iacob nor a Seed from his loynes till Shiloh come againe May his Posteritie haue a Crowne on earth when himselfe hath a crown in heauen Amen The Law of this Citie Is the Gospel of Christ a law indeed but a law of peace It made peace betwixt God and man and it must make peace betweene man and man If it cannot reconcile vs one to another it shall reconcile none of vs to the Lord. It is a lawe not to bee obserued for State but for Conscience Indeed those Catuli Catilinarij Statising Iesuites turne all their Religion into Statisme yea into Atheisme And there be many Church-Recusants a monstrous menstruous brood the Moone-calues of that lunatick religion Come they doe but more for feare of the Law then for loue of the Gospell And al the children that euen hang on the brests of peace cannot be excused for some through nescience or negligence scarce cast an eye on the statutes of peace I will heare what the Lord will speake for hee will speake peace vnto his people One takes snuffe at his poore neighbour perhaps it is Mordecai's cap that hath put Haman out of his princely wits and now hee resolues to trounce him proud beggar Hee will teach him to knowe his betters O but tarry and heare the Statute of Peace Rob not the poore because hee is poore for the Lord will pleade his cause and spoyle the soule of them that spoile him Lust makes this a spurre to opression Quia pauper because hee is poore the Law makes this a bridle from it Quia pauper because he is poore Another is erop-sicke of Ceremonies hee hath a toy in his head that the Churches garment should not bee embroydered nor haue more lace and fringe then his owne coat there is in him so little of man that he talkes of nothing but the Beast Rather then his children shall bee crossed in Baptisme hee will out of the Arke into some fantasticall Wherry Let him tarry and heare what the Lord speakes in his Law of peace In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auayleth anything nor vncircumcision but a New creature That is neither Ceremony nor no Ceremony but the Substantiall a new Creature Another flatters himselfe I need not stand on strict performance of Tythes the Gospell requires nothing but Beneuolence experienced men iustifie it I haue the warrant of good Lawyers for it O but such a Lawyer is the Barrister of Barathrum a sworne enemy to the law of peace The voice of Christ is not in it heare that Let him that is taught in the word communicate vnto him that teacheth in all good things This City of Peace hath one immutable Rule and it is sufficient to direct all actions And as many as walke according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and vpon the Israell of God A man is proud of his victorious mischiefes flesh'd with his fortunat wickednesse thinkes he hath carried himselfe brauely in out-bribing his aduersary fooling Iudge and Iury by false testimony and triumphs in his vnblest gain but is this according to the rule of Peace Vincat veritas let Truth ouercom The loser may sit down with content but the winner shall ye down in tormēt A rich man carries himselfe proudly aboue others in scorne aboue himselfe in folly hee thinkes all his Titles beneath him and euen those that worship him still to vnderualue him others hee lookes vpon as if they were made to serue him yea and bee proud to bee commanded by him Crosse him and hee rages swelles foames like the Sea in a storme but is this after the Rule of Peace Learne of mee who am meeke and lowly in heart Alas what is the difference in dust The Beggar dies so doth the rich man Before the rich could not endure the beggar neere him here one verse containes thē both In life the rich hath the preheminence of ease and wealth and honour in death the poore man goes first to peace In driuing a trade it is Mammons prime policy to take aduantage of others necessitie or simplicity Sold you it for so much Saith Peter For so much answers Ananias Did it cost so much sayes the buyer yes saith the seller Let him tremble at the Iudgement which was a sudden death This is the Rule of an vniust Citie not of the Citie of Peace Pereat mundi lucrum ne fia◠animae damnum Perish that gaine which comes with the soules losse Many thinke Charity to the poore to bee a worke of meere Supererogation that they are not bound liberally to giue part of that to lasie beggars which they haue laboriously gotten by their endeauours But heare the Rule of Peace Breake thy bread vnto the hungry Sell that thou hast and giue to the poore But as when Christ disswaded from Couetice by the difficultie of entrance that wealth finds to heauen they amazedly replied Who then can be saued Who can walk after this Rule When we preach this doctrine the world cries Durus Sermo this is a hard saying a harsh Sermon Yet is this the law of peace and thus minded are the citizens of peace When the poore at your gates aske you Panem quotidinum their daily bread they after a sort make you gods therfore shew your selues at least to be men Charitie is the food of Peace on earth and the Seed of peace in heauen The Palace of Peace Is the Temple the peace of man can neuer bee preserued without the worship of God It is not enough for the citie to haue lawes but these must be diuulged made knowen to the Inhabitants the obseruation of them continually vrged for by nature men are apt enough to flye out Howsoeuer the Romans built their Templū Pacis without the gates yet heere it is the chiefe honor and ornament of the Citie Heere Peace keepsher Court and sits like a royall Queene in her Chaire of Estate Which is not like Solomons Throne guarded with Lyons but with milke-white Doues and couered ouer with Oliue branches But alas how doth
her Palace now fall to ruine for want of reparation Few there bee that repaire it but to impaire it thousands are ready The question was once What shall we bring to the man of God Now it is a motion suffered in all Courts What shall we take away from the man of God The noble Shunamite built him a chamber with a bed and a candlesticke We haue those that pull downe his roomes disturbe his rest and put out his light Nehemiah reduced the Tythes to the primitiue institution and order But if any Nehemiah should now vndertake it and restore our portion to our own hands there are tenne thousand Harpies ready to catch it ere it come to our mouthes Wee may sing or rather sigh one to another as little children chaunt in the streets When shall we eat white Bread When the Puttock is dead when there is not a Sacrilegious Lawyer left If the walls of Ierusalem should beginne to rise there is a Tobiah or Samballat to flout vs that a Fox is able to breake them downe Corrupt Aduocates are those Foxes and by their wills the Vine of Peace should beare no Grapes that ecape their fingers Some haue written wittily in the praise of folly some haue commended Baldnesse other in a quaint Paradoxe extolled deformity but in former times it was neuer heard that any wrote Encomiums of Sacrilege That the Kings of the earth should conspire against Christ it was no wonder for they knew him not That the Edomites and Ishmaelites should oppose him no wonder for they stood on termes of hostilitie That the Iewes should confederat against him no wonder for they hated him But that men baptized in his Faith bearing his Name as their honourable Title and wearing his Profession as their chiefe ornament should consent to rob him and iustifie it by their law this is such a thing as the very Barbarians would blush at Suppose the Ministers of this Citie the Pencioners of Peace by some humble complaint request their owne or at most but so me small part of their owne is the Spoyler at a non-plus Cannot hee finde an Aduocate to plead for him and make his cause though not be yet appeare good What not one for his fees that can cry downe the Temple the Gospell Christ himselfe Is there no Bill to bee framed no false plea to bee found Is Sathan turn'd foole Hath none of his schollers any braines left Yes we might think the deuil were dead if there could not bee found an Aduocate to plead for Sacriledge The Lord in his Iustice for sinne hath broken downe her hedges and now euery hand hath a snatch at her Grapes In many places Ahab like they haue engrossed the whole vineyard but if the poore exposed vnsupported Vine be left it shall beare the owner but a few grapes This may hold in Iure Fori it neuer shall hold in Iure Poli. God promised that the faith of the Church should remoue mountaines such were Domitian Dioclesian and those Imperiall persecutors The Church prayes Dorsum corum incurua Bow downe their backes and so the Lord did Valerian was so bowed downe that hee became a footstoole for the King of Persia to mount vp to his horse O that the Church of Peace had still this miraculous Faith to remoue these mountaines malicious and truth-hating pleaders the pioners of the Temple and the maintainers of those that pillage it They tell vs the Law is open and there be deputies but who be the deputies in this Citie Is there any other then a Iudge of their owne And is it not then a prouerbiall answere of any man questioned in this Sacriledge Aske my father if I bee a theefe When Dauid decided the matter to Mephibosheth Thou and Ziba diuide the land he answered Yea let him take all For the misery of Law I neuer by experience found it because I neuer tried it but when they haue leaue to diuide the Inheritance of Christ with their Ministers and it were somthing tolerable if they did but diuide it I say yea let thē take all seeing all they will haue rather then we go to recouer it by such a Iudgement But certenly God cannot long abide to see that people prosper who cannot abide to see his Church prosper They that spoil the Palace of Peace on earth shall neuer be entertained into her glorious Court of heauen The Riuer that serues this Citie of Peace Is Prosperitie It is one principall happinesse of a Citie to bee scituated by a Riuers side that as it hath fortified it selfe by land so it may haue commaund of the Sea Prosperitie is the Riuer to this Citie that like a louing Meander winds it selfe about throwing his siluer Armes vpon her sides ebbing slowly but flowing merrily as if he longed to embrace his loue Peace is the mother of Prosperitie but Prosperitie is too often the murtherer of Peace For peace breeds wealth wealth breedes pride pride breeds contention and contention kils peace Thus shee is often destroyed by her owne issue as Senacherib was by his owne bowels Take this Citie wee liue in for an Instance Peace hath brought Gods plentie the Inhabitants neither plowe nor sowe nor reape yet are fed like the fowles of heauen They fare well with lesse trouble then if come grewe at their doores and cattell grased in their streets But as Nylus may rise too high and water Egypt too much so the inundation of opulency may doe thē hurt Thus may the influence of heauen and the plentie of earth be a Snare vnto vs and our abundance an occasion of our falling Prosperitie is heartie meat but not digestible by a weake stomack strong wine but naught for a weake braine The prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them It is not simply prosperitie but the prosperitie of fooles that destroyeth them The swelling Riuer by the surfet of a Tyde doth not sooner bring in our encrease but our encrease doth breed in our minds another swelling in our bodies another surfeting we swell in pride and surfet in wantonnesse The Israelites neuer fared so well as when they liued at Gods immediate finding and at night expected their morrowes breakfast frō the clouds When they did daily aske and daily receiue their daily bread There be as I heard a worthy Diuine obserue three maine Riuers in the land whereof this is held the best and this Citie is placed in the best Seate of the Riuer vpon the gentle rising of a hill in the best ayre and richest soyle When a Courtier gaue it out That Queene Mary being displeased with the Citie threatned to diuert both Tearme and Parliament to Oxford an Alderman asked whether shee meant to turne the chanell of the Thames thither or no if not saith hee by Gods grace we shall doe well enough The lines are fallen to vs in pleasant places wee haue a goodly Heritage Both the Elements are our friends the Earth
rewards That is verified in vs which is recorded of the dayes of Solomon That hee had peace on all sides round about him and Iudah Israel dwelt safely euery man vnder his Vine and vnder his Figgetree from Dan to Beersheba Or as Syluius sayd of Rhodes Semper in sole sita est The Sun-shine of mercy embraceth vs and hath made vs a day of peace not shorter then sixty yeres the fauours of God ouer shadowing vs as the Cherubins did the Mercie-Seat I know that Rome frets at this and let the Harlot rage her heart out shee thunders out Curses but praised bee God wee neuer more prospered then when the Pope most cursed vs. Yea O Lord thogh they curse doe thou blesse their thunder doth more fear then hurt thy fauour doth more good then they can blast Conuert or confound them that haue euill will at Sion still let vs inherit thy Peace that thou mayst inherit our praise This is the Reward of Peace and of all those that in sincerity of heart loue her the God of peace shall be with them There be six kinds of peace but the peace of God containes all the rest The peace of God passeth all vnderstanding therefore whosoeuer looseth this peace hath a losse past all vnderstanding But Christ foretold vs that in the world wee shall haue no peace Indeed no peace Quoad oppositionem seculi yet much peace quoad dispositioneÌ„ Domini The most sauage disturbers Si non reformentur ne pereant tamen reprimentur ne perimant if they bee not reformed to saue theÌ„ themselues they shall be restrained from harming vs. If they will not do vs the good they should yet they shall not doe vs the euill they would Vel inimieus tuus non manebit vel non manebit inimicus Either our enemies shall not liue or they shall not liue our enemies Either the righteous shal reioyce wheÌ„ they see the vengeance and wash their feet in the blood of the wicked Or the Lord wil giue them fauour in the sight of their enemies and those that hated them shall cleaue vnto them From hence ariseth peace with our selues a conformitie of affection to reason of reason to grace that the conflicts which a distressed conscience finds with legall terrors shall bee turned to mild embracements Faith leading the vnderstaÌ„ding the vnderstaÌ„ding guiding the wil the will ruling the operatiue powers Christ Iesus gouerning all For indeed hee is the Fountaine of peace and wee through him beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God Through the corruption of our nature and Iustice of Gods nature we are enemies and there is no reconciliation but through the blood o the euerlasting Couenant He reconciles vs to God as Ioab did Absolon to Dauid by the woman of Tekoah when the whole family rose vp said Deliuer him that smote his brother that wee may take his life for the life of the slaine and so the father mother shal haue no name nor remainder vpon earth God hath two sorts of sons Angels men the Angels that fel are lost for euer men fel if they were lost too where should God haue sonnes I know that he needs not man he hath stil the elect Angels and is able to raise sonnes of stones he can want nothingwhile he possesseth himself Wel yet in mercy Christ reconciles vs Dauid askes Is not the hand of Ioab in all this so we may admire Is not the haÌ„d of Iesus in all this Yes hee hath made our peace The Minister alwayes ends his publicke deuotions with the peace of God the blessing of this Peace rest vpon vs. Thus wee haue a reall abridgment of this mystical Citie of Peace happy euery way Vigilancie is her Officer of Peace that hath an eye in the darkest angles and discouers the first conceptions of strife Discipline is her Clerke of the peace that keepes the Records and indicts offenders Authoritie is her Iustice of peace that if any will not be ruled binds them ouer to the peace Equitie is her Burse where men exchange kindnes for kindnes on whose stayres Iniurie and imposture durst neuer set their foule feet Truth is her Standard which with the Trumpet of Fame shall resound her happines to all nations Plenty is her Treasurer Liberalitie her Almoner Conscience her Chancelor Wisdome her Counseller Prayer her Clerk of the Closet Faith her Crowne Iustice her Scepter Masculine Vertues her Peeres Graces her Attendants and Nobilitie her Maid of Honor. All her Garments are greene and orient all her paths bee Milke her words Oracles and her works Miracles making the blind to see and the lame to goe by a mercifull supply to their defects Her breath is sweeter then the new blowen Rose millions of soules lie sucking their life froÌ„ it and the smell of her garments is like the smel of Lebanon Her smiles are more reuiuing then the Vertumnall Sunne-shine and her fauours like seasonable dewes spring vp flowers and fruits wheresoeuer shee walks Holinesse is the Canopie of State ouer her head and Tranquilitie the Arras where she sets her foot All her Seruants wait in order and can with contentfull knowledge distinguish and accept their owne places Her Court is an Image of Paradise all her channels slow with milke and her Conduits runne wine Enuy and murmuring as priuy to their owne guilt flye from her Presence Her Guard consists not of men but Angels and they pitch their Tents about her Palace Lastly hauing preserued and blessed all her children on earth shee goes with them to heauen is welcomed into the armes of her Father inuested Queene with a Diadem of glory possessed of those ioyes vnto which Time shall neuer put An End Ephes. 4. 4 The Picture of Peace The requisitenesse revvard of Peace 2. Cor. 13. 11 The forme of a right Lavv. the equity of Peace Ro. 12. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Cor. 6 15 Psalme 1 Peccatum dominans Peccatum delectans peccatum â—nâ—â—ans The termes of Peace distinguished August Psal. 59. 5. The life of Peace The neglect The Method The Body is a figure of Vnitie 1 Cor. 12 Mutuall Loue. Prouidence of parts for the vvhole Discontents remoued â— Cor. 12. 16. Condolency of the members Amo. 6. 6. Schisme dangerous Luk 23. 25 Distraction mortall 2 Esdr. 4. 1. The first Foundation of Peace The angry man cannot be Innocent Gen. 22. 5 The second Foundation of Peace 2 Tim 2. 18 Gal. 62. 1. Sam. 24. 18. Bern. Psal. 62. 5. Cor. 15. 31. Chrys. Sen. Mat. â— 24. Aug. Isodoâ— Sen. The third foundation of Peace Gal. 6. 10. Pro. 19. 4. Eccl. 9. 15. Ecclus. 13. 23. Prou. 22. 2 Luk. 14. 14. Heb. 13. 2. Ro. 12. 20. Mat. 5. 44. Eccl. 12. 5. 7. Mat. 5 45. Pro. 15. 27. 1. Cor. 12. 31. Non operter Officii sed potius officiendi Hieron Mat. 5. 24. Num. 5. 7. Prou. 6. 3. Num. 5. 7. Mat. 5. 24. Gen. 43. 3. Mat 5. 25. Pelican Chysost Humilitie the conseruation of Peace Aug. Psal. 122. 7. The Enemies of Peace Aug. The first Troupe Gen. 9. 5. â— Sam. 3. 27. 20. 10. Gen. 27. 45. Bern. Aug. Gen. 34. 31 Gen. 49. 6. Basil. The other Troupe Pro. 18. 17. 1. Cor. 3. 4. Gal. 5. 22. Gen. 16. 12 Pro. 30. 28. Iob. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 5. c. Mat. 18. 22 â—hysoft Act. 19. 38. Act 25. 10. Iohn 18. 23 Act. 23. 3. Hos. 4. 1. Psal. 119. 24. 48. Psal. 1. 2. Pro â—5 11 Rom. 12. 19. Deu. 32. 35 Col. 3. 12 Psal. 62. 11 Psal. 91. 8. The King of Peace Rom. 13. 5. Acts 22. 28 1 Cor. 1. 26 Pro. 28. 28 Iudg. 5. 31 Rom. 13. 6 Mat. 17. 27 The Lavv of Peace Psal. 85. 8 Pro. 22. 22. Gal. 6. 15. Gal. 6. 6 Gal. 6 16 Mat. 11. 29 Luk. 16. 22 Acts 5. 8. Mat. 19. 21 The Court or Palace of Peace 1 Sam. 9. 7 Neh. 4. 3. Psal. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 8 Psal. 13. 6. Acts 4. 27 Psal. 80. 12 Acts 19. 38 2 Sam. 19. 30. The Riuer of this Citie Pro. 1 32 Psal. 16. 6 Esa. 1. 21. The life of Peace The Estate 1. Kings 4. 25. 2. Cor. 13. 11. Ioh. 16. 33. Psal. 58. 1â— Exod. 11. 3 Rom. 5. 1. 2 Sam. 14 7 Verse 19.