C 2 R DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE A Letter from a Friend to the Wise and Learned in England Scotland France and Ireland FOr to procure and secure great Sums of Money to the Crown of England above Ten Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year for ever And that in a Right Lawful Honourable and most Commendable Way and Manner for to maintain and uphold the great Honour and Exaltation of our Royal Sovereign Charles the Second King of Great Britain among the Sons of Men and above any of them above all Heathen and Popish Kings Priests Princes and Emperors in the World for the Glory and great Glory of the God of Heaven for the Credit of his holy Gospel that so it may run and be glorified among all Nations where it is not and may flourish more and more where it is For the Honour and Renown of the Protestant Religion and the Government of the Church of England and the Peace and Prosperity of all Kingdoms That this may be done and well done and many hundred thousands of Pounds yearly to the Crown of England let there for ever be provided and made ready by the Command of Authority in England Scotland France and Ireland many hundred thousands of Bibles with the Publick Prayers of the Church of England and let them be sent among all People in all Nations for their Information Reformation and their great Joy Peace and Consolation And for every hundred thousand of Bibles will bring to the Crown of England in a short time Yearly above a hundred thousand a Year And well it may Because there is no Religion or Wisdom to be learned among the Sons of Men or from any Books made by them but what is Ten thousand times more to be learned in the Bible which is the Word of God and doth contain the Mind and Will of God towards Man and all mens duty towards Him who is their Creator Redeemer and Preserver who only can save and will deliver them from Wrath to come that do obey his Word and believe in his Son The time is come that in these days of the Gospel and in the Reign of our Royal Sovereign Charles the Second King of Great Britain That all Heathen and Popish Kings Priests Princes and Emperors in the World are to know and understand that the Lord of Hosts who is the God of all Wisdom and Power has the greatest Power and Command over them and that he will command their Kingdoms from them or them from their Kingdoms if that they will not maintain and uphold a Religion that is suitable and agreeable to his holy Word which is the Bible which doth contain his Mind and Will This will be the way for to win many Souls from the Devil so that the Heathens will be Converted and Jews and Gentiles brought into one Fold so that the Knowledg of the Lord will cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea This will be the way for the Kingdoms of Sin and Satan to grow weaker and weaker and the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour stronger and stronger This will be the way for all false Religion to be discovered The Religion of the Turk and that of the Pope to be known that it is full of Deceit and a great Cheat. Men cannot but sin against God and wrong their own Souls for to be of any Religion that is of man's Judgment or Opinion but they that make the Word of God their Rule his Spirit their Guide and his Glory their Aim their Lives will be comfortable to themselves and profitable to many in the Wilderness of this World That man that is Converted should know when and how in due time and season to hold forth the Word of Life to counsel comfort and strengthen his Brethren not only they that be in a state of Grace but they that be in the state of Nature Because that the best of men that have the greatest Knowledg and the strongest assurance of God's Love and Favour to their Souls are as bad by Nature as they that want Grace and do not injoy the means of Grace therefore they are to be pitied and all means to be used that they may come to the knowledg of the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and that is by having the Word of God sent among them and made known unto them For the Word of God is such a Light as doth discover and hold forth the Lord of Life who is the Saviour of all men but especially them that do believe in him and are not afraid and ashamed to own Him and appear for Him who is a Person most worthy and altogether lovely As God who is most Great and most Good is willing that all should be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth therefore all People in all Nations should have the Word of Truth made known unto them Because the salvation of a man is more worth than the gaining of the whole World By the Word of God which too many do slight and undervalue the simple do come to understand the Mind of God to do his Will and to injoy his Favour which is better than Life and all the delights of this World But there is a Generation of men that have made separation from the Church of England that be pure in their own Eyes these take upon them to condemn all but themselves but it will be well for them if that God and their own Consciences do not condemn them too many of them having a name to Live and are Dead The condemnation of such men at the Day of Judgment will be more heavier than upon them that do want the means of Grace and never heard of Christ Is not God willing that any should miscarry but that all should come to the knowledg of the Truth then let not any take up Religion upon man's Judgment or Opinion but let every one search the Scriptures for they be they that testifie of Christ which make the Bible to be more worth than thousands ten thousands of Gold and Silver For the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandments of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes the Fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever the Judgments of the Lord are True and Righteous altogether More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey or the Honey-comb The Word of God is the richest Treasure and gives unto the Mind of man the sweetest pleasure above all other Books in the World That Exhortation is full of Consolation for Young and Old High and Low Rich and Poor for Learned and Unlearned for to have the Word of God to dwell richly in them because it is the Word of Power of Authority of Majesty and of Prophecy O how did
King David love the Law of God It was his delight and his meditation Day and Night It made him wiser than his Enemies yea wiser than his Counsellors It is the highest Interest and will bring the greatest Honour Profit and Comfort to all Kings Priests Princes and Emperors in the World for to delight themselves in the Word of God above all things in the World because it doth hold forth that Pearl of Price which is more worth than all the Kingdoms of the World And that Pearl of Price is the Lord of Life the King of Glory the Prince of Peace who only can make them Wise Strong Rich and Honourable in the sight of God and holy Angels who only can make them partakers of the Dâ—vine Nature which is the highest Honour and the greatest Favour who only can give them endurable Riches as an Ornament of Grace and a Crown of Glory that will for ever last and flourish when all things under the Sun will soon waste and perish Because the Church of England has kept the word of God's Patience he will keep her in this hour of Temptation which is come to try all Nations The enemies to the Word of God and to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the Turk the Pope and the Devil and all the workers of Evil because it doth blame them and shame them and will condemn them if they will not learn to be lovers of God and Workers of Righteousness The work of Righteousness is Peace and the effect of Righteousness is quietness to the Mind and will prove profitable comfortable and advantagious to all Mankind so that the People will praise God yea all People in all Nations will learn from his holy Word to praise him with new Obedience so that the Earth will bring forth great increase and among all People in all Nations there will be a free Trade great Joy and a lasting Peace from the Gospel of Reconciliation which is to run and be glorified among all Nations for their Information Reformation and everlasting Salvation So that England Scotland France and Ireland will soon become the Wonder and the Glory of the World the Crown of Kingdoms the desire and delight of Nations the Joy of the whole Earth and the City of the Great King for Unity Peace and Concord for Piety and Vertue for Wisdom Power and Strength for Honours Riches and great Glory As these are Trying Times so this high and honourable Work is Trying Work as it doth try and exercise all the powers of my Soul so it will try and exercise all the Powers of the World for the Glory and great Glory of the most High and the great Honour and Exaltation of England's Royal Majesty among the Sons of Men and above any of them This work will try who are Enemies and Friends to God and Man They be Enemies that will not mind and regard it but will do what they can to hinder it and oppose it and they be Friends that do what they can to countenance encourage and set it forward as soon as they can and as well as they can for it will tend to their great Honour Peace Profit and Comfort And though I have met in this high and honourable Work much discouragements from many of the Sons of Men yet I have great encouragement from the God of Heaven who is with me as a mighty God a great King and a righteous Judg who will judg the World in Righteousness and his People with his Word of Truth Therefore they that be incensed against me or offended at me will be ashamed As the Sons of Men cannot hinder the Wind from blowing nor the Waters from flowing no more can they hinder the God of Heaven from working in me and with me for to manifest his Wisdom and Power among the Sons of Men to bring about what he knows that is best to be done for the great Honour Peace and Prosperity of our Royal King and all Kingdoms Though I am but a mean and ordinary Man for person yet the Spirit of God is no mean and ordinary Spirit for Counsel that has enabled me to understand his Mind and to make it known in due time Upon so noble a Design therefore let not any despise the Day of small things for the Lord who is most Wise and most Strong loves to bring about great and wonderful things by weak and unlikely means that so all the Glory may redound to Him and that no Flesh should glory before him because all the Sons of Men have their Wisdom Power and Strength from him that is comfortable to themselves and profitable to others Let not any slight and undervalue the Bible which is the Word of God because it is an Iron Rod to bring home Children that do go astray and a sharp Sword to cut down them that will not it obey Ministers of the Gospel that do preach the Word of God in season and out of season are to be minded regarded and honoured so far as their Doctrines do agree to the Word of God And so are all men so far as they honour love and obey the Word of God which abideth for ever for Heaven and Earth will sooner fail than one tittle of God's Word come to nothing Therefore Glory be given to the most High from Men and Angels and that continually for his great Wisdom Power Glory and Majesty and great Honour and Renown great Joy Peace and Prosperity from the most High upon England's Royal Majesty upon his Royal Person and all his Royal Relations that so he and they may long live to Reign for God and with God among the Sons of Men for the great Joy Peace and Prosperity of them and at last for ever with him among the holy Angels in his Kingdom of Heaven Amen Amen Let all Loyal and Faithful Subjects in England Scotland France and Ireland say and pray yea all Persons in all Nations that do love the peace and prosperity of their Souls and the comfort of their Lives Made known in due time how to procure and secure many hundred thousand pound a Year to the Crown of England for the great Honour and Profit of our Royal Sovereign Charles the Second King of Great Britain and for the peace and prosperity of all Kingdoms by John Varney a Member of the Church of England and of the City of London a Subject to his Majesty of Great Britain and Servant to the God of all Wisdom Power and Strength who can do what he will and work with whom he will among the Sons of Men to manifest his Wisdom and Power for the great Honour and Exaltation of a Kings Person and the great joy peace and prosperity of all Nations There be many seeming Friends among the Sons of Men that be real Enemies unto them but a true and a faithful Friend is more precious than Gold or the Gold of Ophir Because in the worst of Times and before the best
of Men he will venture his Life endanger his Liberty and expose himself to many Losses Crosses and Reproaches not only for the good of his Friends but of his Enemies A Friend loveth at all times and the Wounds of a Friend is better than the Kisses of an Enemy Our Lord and Saviour who is the Lord of Life the King of Glory and the Prince of Peace has Friends as well as Enemies among the Sons of Men that will own him and appear for him when that so many are not ashamed to appear against him in these times of his Gospel But what will the end of such Men be For the Face of the Lord is against them and all evil doers to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth But his Eyes run to and fro through the whole Earth to shew himself Strong in the behalf of them whose Heart is perfect towards him Let that Man be where he will in England Scotland France and Ireland that is become a reconciled Friend to the God of Heaven by his Word and Spirit that Man should know when and how in due time to prove himself a faithful Friend to the Sons of Men to prevent much evil that it may not come to a City and a Kingdom to remove much evil that is come And to procure and secure great Honour Peace and Prosperity to our Royal King and his Kingdoms and that without making a noise about Religion for any man's Judgment or Opinion Therefore not unto Man not unto Man no nor to the Angels in Heaven but let all the Glory be given to the God of Heaven who can by weak and unlikely Means for the great Honour and Exaltation of a King's Person and the great Joy Peace and Prosperity of all Nations bring Order out of Confusion Light out of Darkness Good out of Evil and Peace out of Trouble There is not any so fit to manage this high and honourable Work which Divine Wisdom and Power has enabled me to make known in time for the great Joy peace and prosperity of Mankind than the Parliament of England because it is for the Glory and the great Glory of the most High and the great Honour and Exaltation of England's Royal Majesty that so all Nations may be freed from Slavery and throughout the whole World great Joy peace and prosperity to the great Shame Contempt and Terror of the Turk the Pope and the Devil and all the Workers of Evil who are for Strife Contention Sedition and Treason for Wars and Confusion so that most People in all Nations will be in love with the Protestant Religion and all Heathen and popish Kings Priests Princes and Emperors in the World will be ashamed of their Religion and will be ready and willing for to serve honour our Royal Sovereign Charles the Second King of Great Britain as the chief Sovereign among the Sons of Men for Wisdom power and Strength over them and well they may because the Lord of Hosts is with him by his Spirit as a mighty Man in Man and for Man to have his Enemies subdued both by Sea and Land to have his Enemies subdued under his Feet that so all Strife Contention and Wars throughout the whole World may cease and among all People in all Nations a free Trade great Joy and a lasting peace The Lord who is most Wise and most Strong is slow to Anger but he is great in Power and he knows when how and in whom to arise to manifest his Wisdom and Power that so they that hate him may fly before him As Wax melteth before the Fire so will the Wicked before the presence of the Lord. But the Righteous will be as bold as a Lion for the great Honour of God and our Royal King and the Protestant Religion November 3. 1680. FINIS LONDON Printed in the Year 1680 by Tho. James according to the Mind Will and Desire of the Author for the Publick Good of all Nations being the Fruit of his Meditation for England's great Honour Riches and Glory