Evil all the days of his Life As Sozomen reports l. 7. 6. That Theodosius thâ— Great was preserved from the Contagious Pestilence of Arianism that had over-run all the East by Placilla the Empress who kept him in sanctirate ti mere domini in Holiness and Fear of the Lord And Theodoret tells us l. 5. 18. That his Wife never gave over calling to his Mind the Laws of God that she was well acquainted with and among other things she said unto him My Husband you must remember what you formerly were and what you now arâ— if you perpetually think upon that you will never be ungrateful to your Benefactor but you will justly administer the Empire that you have received from him and upon that account still worship him that hath raised you to that Dignity With such gracious Speeches as these says Theod. she watered her Husband's Mind continually beholding her chaste Conversatition coupled with Fear as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 3. 2. Socrates reports l. 9. 26. that Valentinian Major made a wicked Law to his perpeutal infamy That a Man should have two Wives contrary to the Law of God true Piety Christian honesty whereupon Salvian was not afraid to say That the Boars that abhorred that Law lived better than the Nobles that kept it though Baronius in his Annals denies this of him upon small Ground yet it was too true Bloody Lamech was the first Bigamist Gen. 4. 19 23. But to the Man that feareth God in whose Heart is his Law that made one for one yet had he the residue of the Spirit and wherefore one Mal. 2. 14. That he might seek a Seed of God he saith Thy Wise shall be a fruitful Vine by the sides of thy House thy Children like Olive Plants round about thy Table Behold that thus shall the Man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Yea thou shalt see thy Childrens Children and Peace upon Israel Psal 128. 3 4 6. 4. Parents and Children 1. IF the Peace of God rule in the Heart of the Parents which is the second Relation in the World into which they are called by Nature in one Body Parental and Oeconomical then their desire will be That he would circumcise their Hearts and the Heart of their Seed Deut. 30. 6. that he that made them Creatures may also make them new Creatures according to that Speech of St. Paul My little Children of whom I travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. They will Consecrate them to the Lord in their Conception and solemnly in their Birth and Baptism They will be careful that as new born Babes they may desire the sincere Milk of the word that they may grow thereby And that all their Children may he taught of God the ways of Cod that great may be the Peace of their Children Isa 54. 13. according to the Evangelical Promise in Isaiah Then shall they not be ashamed when they speak with the Enemy in the Gate as the Psalmist speaks Psal 127. 5. Parents ought to bring up their Children for God that their Children may be the Children of God that God may be a Father unto them and they shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. They ought not to provoke their Children to wrath lest they be discouraged saith the Apostle but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord as God testifies of Abraham For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Gen. 18. 19. They ought to say with Joshuah As for me I and my House will serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. and with Holy Job Offer Burnt-Offerings to God according to the number of them Job 1. 5. making mention of them in our Prayers as occasion is offered still going before them in good examples as in holy Instruction they being more apt to do as we do than as we say and do not Not stroking their Heads as Eli did to Hâ—phni and Phineas that were Sons of Belial they knew not the Lord upon whom God did threaten to bring a dreadful Judgment 1 Sam. 2. 12. at which both the Ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not 1 Sam. 3. 11 13. Theodoret relates a famous History of a noble Man of Beroa l. 3. 18. who was the chief Man in that Republick whose eldest Son had polluted himself with Paganish Impiety and forsook the true God and turned Apostate with Julian the Emperor this Father for that cause expelled him out of his House and did Abdicate him from his Inheritance as Adam was driven out of Paradise for eating the forbidden Fruit as a just Punishment of his Apostacy from God The Son went immediately to Julian who at that time was not very far from the City and told him how his Father had served him for renouncing the Christian Religion and embracing his and that he had Disinherited him Julian bids the young Man be of good Cheer and Courage and promiseth to reconcile him to his Father when the Emperor Julian was come into the City he invited the principal Men therein to a solemn Feast and among the rest the Father of this young Man both whom he commanded to sit at his own Table and in the midst of the Feast he spake thus to the Father of the young Apostate SIR I Esteem it altogether Unjust that any Man should offer Violence to the Conscience of him that hath turned aside to another Religion and would force him against his Will to a contrary Opinion compell not your Son therefore to adhere to your Religion though I could easily constrain you to embrace it But the Father sharpning his Mind by Faith in God thus said O Emperor Do you speak of this Knave of this wiched Villain who is hateful to God and hath preferred Falshood to the Truth of God Then Julian putting on the Person of Mansuetude for such he would seem to be Come saith he give over to revile and turning himself to the young Man he said I will take care of you seeing I cannot obtain this of your Father But The Tyrant was false as all Apostates are for not long after he fell in Persia with all the Threatnings that he had not obscurely thundred out against the good Father of this vile young Man that had forsaken the living God That he might say to a Stock thou art my Father and to a Stone thou host brought me forth as the Prophet Jeremiah speaks Jer. 2. 7. So that great Man shines as a singular Example of Zeal in the Church of God which all Parents ought to look upon who desire to preserve the true Religion in their Family that they may give a comfortable Account of all
Peace of God See 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Exhort Let us then for the better calming of our Passions bethink us and ask our selves these few Questions First Who and what we are and were Our Lord resolveth this Question chiefly in his Epistle to the Church of Laodicea Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayâ—st be rich and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see Rev. 3. v. 17. 18. Secondly Who it is that calls us When our Lord commanded blind Bartimeus to be called that cried after him Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me And they call the blind man saying unto him be of good comfort rise he calleth thee and he casting away his garment rose and came to Jesus Mark 10. 50. So ought we to cast away all our Animosities and petty Dissentions and admit this sweet and easie Yoak of the Peace of God to rule in our hearts for faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it saith the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 24. And again God is faithful by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord saith the Apostle Peter 1. 2. 9. 2. From the dominion of sin and Satan unto the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8. 21. Gal. 5. 1. From the troubles of this tumultuous World that is like the raging Sea that cannot rest and the Christians are as weary of it as David was of Mesek when he said Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesek that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar my Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for war And again he said O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest Psalm 55. v. 6. Upon which account our Lord calleth his Church from the World the Seat of cruel men to Heaven in these endearing expressions Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon loâ—k from the top of Amana from the top of Shema and Harmon from the Lions Den from the Mountain of the Leopards Cant. 4. 9. Fourthly Unto what are we called God hath called us unto peace 1 Cor. 7. 15. Let our Calling admonish us of our Duty We are called unto Peace saith this Text also Peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him Isa 57. 19. Knowing this that we are thereunto called that we should inherit a blessing saith Peter 1 Pet. 3. 9. And what greater blessing than peace that in the bowels of it hath all blessings lodged And our Apostle tells us above Sixteen hundred years ago That the God of peace shall bruise Satan the grand Enemy of our peace under our feet shortly Rom. 26. v. 20. That we may know in this our day the things that belong to our peace that they be not hid from our eyes as our Lord spake when he wept over Jerusalem Luke 19. 42. I will conclude this first Reason Why the peace of God should bear rule in our hearts Because we are called thereunto with our Lords charge to his Disciples in bidding them Beware of offences He concludes his Speech thus Have salt in your selves and have peace on with another Mark 9. 42. 50. Where the Salt of true Grace is it will make the means of peace sweet and savoury and no stain of corruption or the least unsavouriness shall remain to disrelish any squeamish Stomach Let us remember withal That he that is the God of peace that hath called us to peace is also the God of all grace Who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus as Peter speaks 1 Pet. 5. 10. And so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. v. 1 1 where we shall enjoy everlasting peace Reas 2. The second Reason why the peace of God should rule in our hearts is this That we are in one body For that this is a distinct Reason appears because he says Not unto our body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one body This Similitude more fully is as much as to say You Christians with Christ make as it were a body Therefore as it were monstrous if one body should yield members fighting one against another and making as it were a civil war in the natural body So it is if disorder be found amongst you Christians that which Christ makes up a mystical body The resembling Christians to a body is at large exemplified and garnished 1 Cor. 12. and in divers other places of Scripture mentioned Val. Max. Flor. tit 1. P. 27. Yea we read in the Roman History That upon a time there was a great Sedition in the City of Rome the Commons complaining of the Senate and Nobility rose up tumultuously against them One Menenius Agrippa wiser than the rest brought them to peace and unity again by this very Similitude of Members and Body and made such an Oration unto them At what time said he in man's Body the Members did not as now agree in one but each had his several counsel and speech the rest of the parts had indignation that by their care labour and industry and ministry all things were provided for the Belly it being quiet and at ease in the midst did nought else but enjoy the Pleasures that were given it Whereupon they conspired that the Hand should not reach any meat to the Mouth nor the Mouth receive it being given nor the Teeth chew it Whilst thus enraged they would needs master the Belly with Famine The Members themselves withal and the whole Body came to an extream Consumption whereby appeared that the Bellies Service was not the worst nor slackest that it did not less nourish than receive nourishment yielding back into all the parts the life and blood which having digested the meat it laboureth thereout and divideth withal into the Veins and Conduits of the whole Body Such said he is the Civil Discord and Anger of the People against the Senate By this means he perswaded the People to lay down their Arms and so turned their Minds from their intended Hostility and Violence to Unity and Peâ—ace And indeed the Apostle's Speech If ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Gal. 5. 25. tends to the same
upon their Consciences by Jotham to the mutual destruction of them and Abimelech whom they had advanced over them upon thâ— ruins of the 70 Sons of Jerubbâ—al For saith Jotham My Father fought for you and adventured his Life for you and delivered you out of the hand of Midian and ye are risen up against my Father's House this day and have slain his Sons threescore and ten persons upon one Stone and have made Abimelech the Son of his Maid-Servant King over the Men of Sechem because he is your brother c. Judg. 9. 17. Then God sent an evil Spirit between the men of Sechem and Abimelech to punish their cruel ingratitude v. 23. Which is the Substance of that whole Chapter of Judges 9. And after they had destroyed one another that sad History as any in the Book of God is concluded thus Thus God rendred the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his Father in staying his seventy brethren and all the evil of the men of Sechem did God render upon their heads and upon them came the curse of Jotham the Son of Jerubbaal v. 56 57. So that now you see this horrible sin of Ingratitude that is punished by God in so high a degree must needs be an accursed and destructive thing Another said instance of the like sin and punishment we have recorded concerning Joash King of Judah who was marvelously preserved in the Massacre of the Royal Family from Athaliah's bloody Fingers by Jehoiada the High Priest and his Wife Jehoshabea and kept safe in the House of the Lord six Years under the tyrannous Usurpation of that wicked Idolatress 2 Chron. 22. 10 11 12. Jehoiada set the Crown on his head put down the Usurper restored the Kingdom to their former freedom and raised the Royal Family to their former Splendor and Dignity and left it flourishing in Peace and Plenty But after the death of his 〈◊〉 Tutor Governour Gua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protector 't is recorded Thâ—â— this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and turned 〈◊〉 and Murderer two iâ—separable Companions and commanded Zachariah the Priest the Son of Jehoâ—aâ—a to be stoned even in the Court of the House of the Lord for reproving his Idolatry and saying Because ye have forsaken the Lord He also hath forsaken you Thus Joash the King remembred not the kindness which Jehoiada his Father had done unto him but flew his Son and when he died he said The Lord look upon it and require it Which Prayer of this dying Martyr the Lord heard and recompensed this cruel ingratitude of Joash towards God and Man speedily upon his own head to the ruine of himself and of all his Princes that seduced him and of all his Armies in which he trusted by an inconsiderable party For the Army of the Syrians came with a small company of Men and the Lord delivered a very great Host into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers so they executed Judgment against Joash And besides all this The Lord smote him with grievous torments in his body by incurable diseases as in the case of Jehoram that murdered his Brothers 2 Chron. 21. 18. And at last to put an end to the miserable life of this godless Wretch his own Servants conspired against him for the Blood of the Sons of Jehoiada the Priest and flew him on his Bed and he died But they buried him not in the Sepulchres of the Kings 2 Chron. 24. 18 20 21 22. an honour that was bestowed upon Jehoiada the High Priest his Preserver and Restorer v. 16. though out of indignation denied him as to Jehoram before him that lived undesired and died unlamented 2 Chron. 21. 20. Thus did God plentifully reward this proud Doer as the Psalmist speaks Measuring to him again with the same measure that he had meted withal a just measure of Wrath pressed down and shaken together and running over into his Bosome as our Lord speaks Luke 6. v. 38. Obj. Some will say My Will is good but I want means and abilitiy to requite any henefit received hy me Answ 1. Profess and acknowledge always the good Turn it is a part of an ingenuous Disposition to profess who hath done thee any pleasure yea half a requital Eph. 5. 20. Secondly Use Prayer to God for their good Estate if thou be poor he is rich to requite and doubtless as the cry of the poor can awake His Justice as Himself speaks For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12. 5. So can the joyful Thanksgiving by the mouth of them that are partakers of the benefit and withal their Prayers for the means of it awake His Liberality as Paul undertakes My God shall supply all your necessities according to his Riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 19. Here I cannot but put the Poor in mind of their duty which receiving good at the hands of them that relieve them are very unjust if they give not again this Duty back to them to Pray for them So Ministers which in that very Name as one part of their Ministerial Duty for the whole is the Word and Prayer as the Apostles speak But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Acts 6. 4. receive temporal things Lastly Before I close up this place of Thankfulness to Men we must not pass by our Thankfulness to God For if to Men we must be Thankful How much more to GOD And the ground of Unthankfulness to Men is from their Unthankfulness to GOD. There is not any other fault more generally blamed even by those that have but the Light of Nature than ingratitude as I have largely shewed nor any Ingratitude greater than towards God because of none we receive more or greater Benefits than from him to say nothing that it being impossible that we should attain to that degree of Thankfulness which should be in requiting the Benefits we daily and hourly receive of him he is contented to take the Acknowledgement of them for Payment so as it must be the effect of a most Villaâ—nous Injustice to deny him that For which cause in the Scriptures we have the Invitations of Holy Men to Thankfulness the praise of this Duty and the Precedents of good Men performing it In special the Book of the Psalms hath his name in the Hebrew Tongue as ye would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Book of Praises not as if the whole Book had nothing else but because it is the chief part and most principally intended And for this cause doth the Church use in the beginning of her solemn Service the 95 Psalm as a means to invite us to that Duty so good and comeâ—â— yea so just and necessary as the Psalm for the Sabbath Day begins 'T is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to thy
I did it to God's Glory that I might express my Thankfulness to him and the joy of my Heart in doing him Service whom since the rest know not they are not to be respected if they scorn nor is it to be wondred if they be strangely affected with it as above the compass of their Conceit Fifthly How without hope of Requital are all yea the least of God's benefits that call for Thankfulness a cup of cold water only given to drink in Christ's name because ye belong to Christ shall not lose a just and superabundant requital saith our Lord Mar. 9. 41. See the full and final requital of all good and charitable Deeds Matth. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prinson and ye came unto me The Wicked he requites here sometimes in their own Coin as Adoni bezek acknowledgeth when his thumbs and great toes were cut off As I have done to threescore and ten Kings so hath the Lord requited me Judg. 1. 7. We are all ready enough to requite Evil for Evil to give him quid pro quo as good as he brings as the Proverb rimes as Sampson served the Philistines As they have done unto me so have I done unto them Jud. 15. 11. But it being impossible to requite God in any thing it is a most heinous Provocation of his justice to render Evil for Good Do ye thus provoke the Lord O foolish people and unwise saith Moses with Astonishment and Abhorrency Deut. 32. 6. 'T is left as a sad blot in Hezekiah's Scutcheon tho' otherwise a good Man and a good King by God's own Testimony He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wroth upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chr. 32. 25. For after the defeat of Senacherib's Forces by an Angel of God that slew in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand men of war in the Assyrian Camp and after the recovery of his Health confirmed by a sign from Heaven in the Sun's Retrogradation by ten degrees and the addition by Patent from God of fifteen years to his days with exceeding much Riches and Honour yet for all this he was not so careful to please God in an humble and thankful Acknowledgment of such great Favours as God was to pleasure him in them all Sixthly Consider from what odds the Person giving to our baseness have been all his benefits he being the great Independent Jehovah greatness is stampt upon all his Benefits to us and we a Seed of evil Doers a people laden with Iniquity children that are corrupters our spot is not the spot of his Children we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and in want of all things as our Lord writes to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. v. 17. Lastly Consider with what advantage of time and order in first bestowing have his Benefits been to us No eye pittied thee to have compassion upon thee I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live saith the Lord Ezek. 16. 5 6. we love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4. 19. His love to us is an antecedent love we love him with a consequential love because he hath cast his love upon us first and therefore is no way indebted to us for our love The Apostle asks this question Who hath first given unto him and it shall berecompenced to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. v. 35 36. It is said by some we can never requite our Parents by some also we owe more to our Masters and Teachers than to Parents in as much as one gave being the other well being doubtless in both respects we cannot requite God and Christ First Our Parents begat our Bodies he gave us our senses who is therefore styled by the Apostle The Father of our Spirits Heb. 12. 9. 2. Our Masters and Teachers gave us with God's Blessing Knowledge and Learning Christ teacheth us the way to Heaven who is the Way the Truth and the Life Christ gave himself to us and for us to wash us from our Sins in his own Blood Joh. 14. 6. without which it had been better for us to have been any thing rather than men yea at all not to have been Let us with the Psalmist again and again say What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. all his benefits are above us even the one also of our former means to express Gratitude here fails us what can we wish or desire to the most absolute and perfect Being Only we may acknowledge the Benefits and the Excellency and Liberality of the Giver which further may desire that all others would do the like this is our utmost unless further to endeavour not to be disobedient to this Heavenly Author of much good to us which yet is our duty otherwise the less we have means to the former the more ought we to be in this and say with the Man after God's own Heart I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praises to my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psal 103. 33 34. and in another At Midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous Judgments Psal 119. 62. Let us beg of him as another Benefit that he will give us Grace and a mind to do these things who hath given the ground an occasion of them even the same our Lord Jesus Christ Now because the Apostle Peter saith no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. so neither are all of sole private application but some are of a larger Extent and Compass than others if I should have studied long for a fit Text Psal 119. 16. Thy commandment iâ— exceeding broad and turned the whole Scripture I could not have had a fitter passage or greaâ—◠〈◊〉 in all the Book of God he calls more both for private and publick application than this that is in so strange a manner laid open before us to look into it and yet no more strange than true as the truth is in Jesu before whom I stand for this Doctrin of the Peace of God that ought to rule in the Hearts of all Believers gives great help advantage and admonition to Kings Law-makers Rulers to
she that is your Enemy may see it and shame may cover her Mic. 7. 10. That she may be removed that nothing of her be left amo 〈…〉 of her Idolatry and Superstition 〈…〉 your selves in array against Fren 〈…〉 abylon round about all ye that tred the bow shoot at her spare no Arrows for she hath sinned against the Lord saith the Prophet Jer. 50. 14. Some rubbish that escaped our first Reformers was left in the fall of so ancient and great a Building which remains yet untaken away but incumbers the Ground which in the Prayers that we are commanded to use in our Monthly Fasts run thus namely in the Prayer for the High Court of Parliament That all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours upon the best and surest foundations that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established among us from all Generations Now another Foundation of Peace and Happiness can no Man lay than Christ and his Word We need not send to Rome nor any where else for any thing that concerns Religion The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 8. and we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2. 20. In the Prayer for the reformed Churches Purge all thy Churches from their Dreggs and make them meet for a glorious Deliverance that all the World may see that Salvation belongs to our God In the last Prayer Give us Grace Lord seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy Divisions take away all hatred and prejudice and whatsoever may hinder us from Godly Union and Concord that as these is but one Body and one Spirit and one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of us all so we may henceforth be all of one Heart and of one Soul united in one Holy Body of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity and may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie thee O God through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The like Expressions are in the Prayer for the whole State of Christ's Church Militant here on Earth Let us deal plainly with God and our own Consciences and those to whom these Prayers are recommended unless we think to please God and Men with a few fair words of Devotion when our Heart is far from him and the performance of these things we pray for as the East is from the West Be not deceived saith the Apostle God will not be mocked Gal. 6. 6. however we may deceive Men with words smoother than butter but war is in the heart with words softer than oyl yet are they drawn swords Psal 55. 21. Is not this a casting of God's words behind us and taking his name in vain That lays us open to that surprizing expression of our Lord ex ore tuo est have ye not reason to fear the Lords Censure of the Elders of Israel that came and sate before Ezekiel in Babylon concerning whom the word of the Lord came unto him saying Son of man these men have set up their Idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face should I be enquired of at all by them Exek 14. 3. And that of the Prophet Jeremiah that from the Prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisie is gone out into all the land Jer. 23. 15. If we build continually by our practice that which wont seem to destroy so solemnly by our Prayer what do we make of our selves in the Eyes of the World but Transgressors Gal. 2. 18. Children in whom is no faith Deut. 32. 20. What then are these Dreggs we desire God to deliver us from Are they not the remainder of our natural Corruption and the sin which doth so easily beset us within and of Popery without that have been a snare to us and removed our Souls far from Peace that we may be delivered from them as well as other reformed Churches Again What are these great dangers that we are in by our unhappy Division for the laying of which seriously to Heart we beg God's Grace Are they about matters of no value that in the ballance of the Sanctuary have Tekel written on them as being altogether higher than Vanity Are we like the Man lying in a ditch praying Lord have mercy upon me and yet will not stir Hand nor Foot to help himself out If we will not prevent these dangers when we know what the late attempt to remove the occasion of them cost these Nations that were sore afflicted and sorely tossed with the tempest of a long bloody War and not fully comforted to this day Again Take away all Hatred and Prejudice and whatsoever else may hinder us from Godly Union and Concord And we will part with nothing by our good Will that may please many good people and can never tend to the real damage of any but add more fuel still to the old hatred and prejudice until that be taken out of the way by which the offence cometh that may kindle a fire that will never be quenched and feed a worm that shall never die Mar. 9. 46. from which Judgment the Lord deliver us Lastly All the terms of Union of Peace and Love in Heaven and Earth are mustred up together one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God c. many Vanities that we may with one Mouth and one Mind glorifie God c. Here a Man would think If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels or mercies if any truth in men Phil. 2. 1. that we are resolved now to fill the Evangelical Prophecy of Zephany to serve the Lord with a pure lip and with one shoulder Zeph. 3. 9. with Uniformity of Doctrine Worship and Discipline that there may be one Lord and his name one according to that of the Prophet Zach. 14. 9. Lord put this heart in those that have commanded us to put up those sweet words to God in truth and simplicity of Heart Amen That we may not be said to have a form of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. is an outward delineation of piety of peace and unity denying the power and practise of it as the Apostle speaks or as Jeremiah They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of the my people slighted saying peace peace when there was no peace Jer. 6. 14. and those that are required to make their Addresses to God in these words say Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Zion why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us we looked for peace and there is no good and for a time of healing and behold trouble Jer. 14. 19. Then said I ah Lord God surely thou hast greatly deceivid this people and Jerusalem saying ye shall have peace whereas the sword reacheth unto
nor to make him ashamed that he had parted so suddenly from him without his Knowledge and Consent Therefore they entred into Covenant together of perpetual amity and parted in Peace and Love and were never injurious to one another no more than Esau was to Jacob that fled from him for fear of his Life yet was at meeting embraced by him with high Expressions of Love and they buried their aged Father Isaac in Peace Gen. 35. 29. Set your Hearts saith Moses unto all the words which I testifie among you this day and he gives this reason for it in the words following For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your Life and through this thing ye shall prolong your days Deut. 32. 46 47. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments saith the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah then had thy Peace been as a River and thy Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea thy Seed also had been as the Sand and the ofspring of thy Boweâ— like the Gravel thereof his Name shoulâ— not have been cut off nor destroyed from â—â—fore me Isa 48. 18 19. But if we 〈◊〉 go on to make the Precepts of God of none effect by their unlucky Neighbourhood with the Precepts of Men The Book of God will be unawares snatch'd out of your Hands as the Ark of God was from the Shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas by the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. 11. and a black Book put into our Hands written within and without Lamentation and Mourning and Woe Ezek. 2. 10. For thus saith the Lord enter not into the House of Mourning neither go to lament nor bemoan them for I have taken away my Peace from this People saith the Lord even loving kindness and Mercies Jer. 16. 5. from which Judgment the Lord deliver us that we may enter iuto Peace and rest in our Beds every one walking in his Uprightness Isa 57. 2. Now for a particular Application of his Doctrin to all Relations and Orders of Men High and Low Rich and Poor c. 1. To Magistrates and Subjects IF the Peace of God rule in the Hearts of Rulers then they will seek the Glory of God and the Peace and Good of their Subjects above all Earthly things to the fulfilling of that Evangelical Promise of Isaiah And Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers and their Queens thy Nursing Mothers Isa 49. 23. The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God is the Instruction that the Man after God's own Heart received immediately from God touching his Ruling and Governing the People of God And an excellent President we have from Theodosius Junior the Emperor recorded by Socrates l. 7. 22 who tells us that when in a severe Winter that did threaten and portend a great scarcity of Victual the Year ensuing it being not very plentiful at that time he gave way to the Peoples desire of the usual Games and Shews that were acted in the Circe which when it was full of People and Spectators there fell suddenly a most vehement Tempest upon them Then the Emperor plainly declared I set it down as Socrates relates it how he was affected towards God his People for by his Heralds he made Proclamation among the People saying Is it not much better for us to leave these vain Shews and Sports and with one Mouth all of us to pray to God to preserve us safe from this horrible Storm that is falling upon us Scarely were these words uttered when all the People with unanimous Consent and Alacrity began to pray to God then the whole City saith he in that respect was turned into a Temple the Emperor himself walking as a private Person began the Psalms of Praise neither indeed did his Hope fail him saith Socrates for immediately there was a great Calm and Screnity and by the Bountifulness of God there was great Plenty of all Provision the next year At another time also as he sate beholding the Shews he received a Message that one John that tyrannously had Invaded the Western Empire was miraculously overthrown and slain by his Forces As soon as he had read the Letter he said go too if ye please let us leave these Toys and go to Church and offer Prayers and Thanks to God who hath slain the Tyrant as it were with his own Hand he and all the People went immediately thro' the middle of the Hippodrome to the Temple of God and spent the whole day in Psalms and Praises to God Socrat. l. 7. 25. Sozomen tells us that the Subjects looking upon the good Examples that Arcadius and Honorius the Emperors and Sons of Theodosius set before them the Pagans were the more easily Converted to Christianity and the Hercticks joyned to the Catholick Church Soz. l. 8. 1. When such Kings come to be sick and dye they may say with Hezekiah Remember Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Isa 38. 3. and they shall hear Euge. 2. If the Peace of God rule in the Hearts of the Subjects they will not curse the ruler of God's people Exod. 22. 28 they will not curse the King no not in their Thoughts for a Bird of the Air will carry the Voice and that which hath Wings shall utter the Matter saith King Solomon Eccles 10. 20. They will esteem their good King worth Ten Thousand of themselves as the Israelites told David their King when they would not suffer his Royal Person to be hazarded amongst them in the Battle against Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 3. They will esteem it the highest Wickedness to stretch out their Hand against the Lord 's Anointed 1 Sam. 26. 9. as David speaks when he had Saul his greatest Enemy at his Mercy they will account him The Breath of our Nostrils Lam. 4. 20. love honour and obey him in all things just and honest as the Roman Legions said to Jovinian that chose him to succeed Julian the Apostate in the Empire who said unto the Electors I will not rule over you for I am a Christian and you are Pagans and Idolaters the Apostate had corrupted them Do thou rule over us said they and we will be all Christians Regis ad exemplum is an old and true saying There is therefore great necessity to pray for such as be Rulers that they may be Subordinate to God and have Grace to their Power Pity to others that God may cloath their Enemies with shame but on himself shall his Crown flourish as God promised to David Psal 132. 18. that they may give God a fair Account of their Stewardship at the great Day in observing and practising what he hath commanded 2. To Ministers and People IF the Peace of God rule in the Hearts of the Ministers of the Gospel of Peace unless the things that belong to their Peace
encrease of God And the Apostle to the Romans So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. v. 5. and 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. There is one body and one spirit and Ephes 4. 4. and v. 12. For the edifying of the body of Christ So Ephes 5. 23. He is the head of the body the Church and Col. 1. 18. and Chap. 2. v. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And be ye thankful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former Translation reads it and be ye the amiable This word is not found any where that I know or can meet with in this sense divers of the same Stock I may say and mark still signifie thankful and so do others beside Chrysostom the Syriack Interpreter referring it to Christ although seeing it is put in rank with Duties pertaining to men I rather take it of thankfulness to men each to other of that after Such then is the sense of the words wherein we are exhorted to two Vertues Peace and Thankfulness There be two parts of the words that concern Peace first the Duty Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Secondly two Reasons 1. God's calling You are called to peace The second Reason is That you are in one body Peace which is the Duty that we are exhorted unto is a Moral or to speak in Christian language a Theological Vertue of that worth and excellency which we are bidden to suffer to marshal us and all our actions to give Peace the preheminence let it rule in God's Name in us and over us It is the Peace of God The Evangelical Observation is this Observ That when there shall be a Conflict in our Thoughts between Anger Swelling Disdain Ambition Revenge and on the other side Meekness Mercy Humility Love yea sometimes Justice then let Peace bear the sway and order all things It is not then tho' still to be desired yet to be hoped for so much to be without Conflict with our Passions as regarded that at least they be well Marshalled a wrestling there will be only beware this Contention be not without a Moderator of the Strife which must be Peace Trem. renders it thus Pax sit moderatrix in cordibus vestris Let Peace be the Moderatrix in your hearts It is not to be expected then but there will be Contentions Discords and thereupon troublesom Affections which will strive for the Mastery and dominion as was amongst the Apostles themselves for by the way they had disputed Who should be greatest saith St. Mark 9. v. 34. but yet let Peace rule let her always in your hearts win and have the upper-hand as Erasmus renders this Phrase in his Paraphrase upon this Epistle This was the case between Abraham and his Nephew Lot when there was a strife between the Herdmen of Abraham's Cattel and the Herdmen of Lot's Cattel and the Canaanite and the Perizite dwelt then in the Land Gen. 13. 7 8. And Abraham said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we are brethren Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are men-brethren and so Peace and Love decided the Controversie and prevented all future occasions of difference between the two Families The Reasons of Dissentions are either inward or outward 1. Inward are many first Defects of Understanding when men are not rightly informed and acquainted with all matters Abimelec pleads thus and justifies himself to Abraham who had reproved him because of a Well of Water which Abimelec's Servants had violently taken away Gen. 21. 25. And Abimelec said I wot not who hath done this thing neither didst thou tell me neither yet heard I of it but to day A right understanding prevented a sad falling out and danger of War between the Israelites and the men of Gilead about the Altar of memorial that was reared up at the Banks of Jordan till the true meaning thereof was known Josh 22 12. The whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shilo to go up to war against them 2. Weakness of Judgment is a second Reason of Dissention for though in general we may discern what is good or evil as that no man is to be wronged and that we must do unto others as we would be done unto yet when we come to the particulars we resolve far otherwise Deteriora sequor 3. Stifness in Opinions once received and entertained is an occasion of continued Differences even amongst men of the same Profession as between the Pharisees and Saduces there arose a Dissention and the Multitude was divided Acts 23. v. 7. 4. Pride is a great Makebate only by Pride cometh contention saith Solomon Prov. 13. 10. Men have forgotten that exhortation of the Apostle Peter Yea all of you be subject to one another and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. 5. Envy is a cause of deadly Dissentions insomuch that Solomon asks the Question Prov. 27. 4. Who is able to stand before envy before this Son of Anak The ground of the first Quarrel between Cain and Abel that ended in innocent blood Gen. 4. 5. The Lord had respect to Abel and his Offering but to Cain and his Offering he had no respect and Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell Moses tells us That Jacob heard Laban's Sons say Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's hath he gotten all this glory and Jacob heheld the countenance of Laban and behold it was not towards him as before This occasioned Jacob's stealing away from Laban secretly with all that he had as ye read Gen. 31. 1 2. 27. 31. See also Gen. 27. 41. where it is recorded That Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and Esau said in his heart the days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob. Again Genes 37. 4. 8. When Joseph'd brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him and his brethren said unto him Shalt thou indeed reign over us and shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words Stephen the Proto-martyr quotes this Scripture in his last Speech before the Jewish Sanhedrim and the Patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt but God was with him Acts 7. v. 9. Enviest thou for my sake saith Moses to Joshua that would have him forbid Eldad and Medad to prophecy in the camp would God all the people of the Land were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11. v. 29. What a dreadful Judgment did Envy bring upon Corah and his Confederates when they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said
unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are saints every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord Num. 16. 3. 32. The earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up c. Pilate had rather released Jesus than Barabbas for he knew that for Envy they had delivered him Matth. 27. 18. And the Contention was so sharp saith Luke between Paul and Barnabas Acts 15 39. that they departed asunder the one from the other men that had had hazarded their lives often for the Name of the Lord Jesus as all the first Synod at Jerusalem testifie to the Gentiles under their hands v. 26. Two Apostolick men of whom the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away Acts 13. 2 3. I find Strife and envying always joyned together as Rom. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in strife and envying 1 Cor. 3. 3. For are ye not carnal whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions or factions are ye not carnal and walk as men And James â—aith That where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Or as the Original bears it Tumult and unquietness Jam. 3. 16. Thus I have briefly searched into the inward Reasons of Dissentions according as the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath laid them before us 2. The outward Reasons of them are 1. Satan the old Serpent that kept not his first station Jude 6. but brake his own peace with God in Heaven and ours with our God in Paradise and ever since with one another that slips no occasion to sow the Tares of dissention in the Lord's field and persecutes the Woman that brought forth the Man-child Rev. 12. 13. 17. as hotly as ever because he knoweth that he hath but a short time between him and the Lake spoken of Rev. 20. 14. to break the peace and hinder her prosperity By making war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ the things that shall come upon him and his followers make haste Deut. 32. 35. Secondly Wicked men set on by Satan to set us together by the ears that they may weaken us by our own powers The Church had sometimes rest from her Paganish Enemies and Persecutors but never from her own Children that she had nourished and brought up yet they rebelled asainst her Isa 1. 2. That came to her in Sheeps-clothing but inwardly they were Ravening Wolves as our Lord describes them Matth. 7. 15. Such were the Arians of old whose Divisions and Cruelties exceeded the Paganish as much as the Popish exceed all that were before them in Malice Hatred and Cruelty towards God's People of which the Apostle gave warning to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus saying For I know that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock and also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20. 29 30. And again he would have Timothy to know that in the last days perilous times should come which he describes so exactly as if he had lived in our days to behold them 2 Tim. 3. verse 1 2 3 4 c. The next Observation from these words is this Obs 2. That the Peace of God ruling in the hearts of Believers is the only remedy against all Dissentions inward and outward which is here called God's peace for these Reasons Reas 1. For indeed he and he alone it is that makes men to be of one mind together Rom. 15. 5. 2 Cor. 13. 11. the work of godly union is the Prerogative of God according to the Name that Gideon gave to the Altar that he built in Ophrah when he was made Captain General against the Midianites he called it Jehovah Shalem that is the God of peace or the Lord send peace which he did grant his people for forty years after the defeat of their invading and presumptuous Enemies by the Sword of the Lord and the Sword of Gideon Judg. 6. 24. and Chap. 8. 28. Reas 2. Because it is God alone that makes the Enemies to be at peace together with those that he loves as Solomon speaks Prov. 16. 8. When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him I make peace saith the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 47. 7. 3. He is termed by the Name of The God of peace Prov. 15. 15. Not only in respect of the giving spiritual peace of Conscience which is a continual Feast but this inward peace of Affections and outward carriage towards others as our Apostle concludes his Second Epistle to the Corinthians among whom there had been many Dissentions and Contentions 1 Cor. 1. 11. Finally my brethren farewel be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. 4. Lastly he is called The God of peace not only essentially but also personally Obs 3. God in the unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons is the God of peace there is a most blessed and eternal peace between them 1. God in the unity of Essence is the God of peace the Apostle concludes the 15th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans thus Now the God of peace be with you all Amen and to the Philippians he writes thus The things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you Phil. 4. v. 9. 2. God the Father the first Person in order of the glorious Trinity is styled the God of peace as the Fountain and first Author of it and who in that he is our Father in Christ loves us and will not see us want any good thing Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights saith St. James 1. 17. and our Apostle concludes his Epistle to the Hebrews with this Prayer Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13. 20 21. 3. God the Son the second Person in the blessed Trinity is also styled the God of peace as the Deserver of all that is to be given us and Bestower who by Office and Authority is able to dispence from the Father unto us his Subjects such things as we have need of whereof Grace and Peace are the chief Jewels as verse 2.