potent a people God performes his owne purpose prevents division among the tribes and cleeres Samuell of that aspertion which the people might have cast on him and directs the election to be made by Lott which the Prophet accordingly performes wherein we may note the excellent faith of the prophet who after he had annointed Saul to be King yet feares not to commit the election to lott and admire the riches of the wisdome of the only wise God who directed such a way to avoide contention To bring my discourse neerer home from Israel to England how dolefull are our dissentions how lamentable our divisions and how much a determination thereof is to be desired how great a necessity there is of a speedy reconciliation betweene the King and Parliament I wish wofull experience did not too plainly manifest Have not all humane endeavours hitherto beene frustrated how many Petitions Propositions Messages Answers Declarations Remonstrances and Protestations have passed to beget a right understanding betweene the King and his Parliament Yet all have rather exasperated then appeased rather increased then any way extinguished the flame of this contention How many dayes and monthes of humiliation have beene solemnized how heartily and earnestly hath the Lord of Heaven beene solicited and importuned by prayer fasting and mourning and which is most deplorable how much blood unnaturally spilt how many barbarous tragedies acted how many thousands many of them not of the meanest miserably massacred and murthered and yet the raging sword not sheathed nor these destructive divisions determined no Balme is found in Gilead no Phisitian to heale the gasping wounds of this bleeding Kingdome Now the Lord hath sent his word to heale us he maketh wars to cease in all the earth why should not then this pacificall proverbe and salutiferous sentence of wise Salomon be now seasonably received into consideration why should not that divine direction delivered devised and disposed by God himselfe and practised by his servants Kings Princes prophets and Apostles be now used for the ceasing of these consuming contentions betweene the King and his parliament Forces are continually raised on both sides and stratagems daily devised for ruine and destruction whereas both pollicy and power might be better imployed to procure a comfortable reconciliation For the happy accomplishment whereof God hath prescribed this way of his owne institution whereby he may give the Iudgement according to the iustice of the cause without respect of persons cast your burthen upon Him devolve Psa 37. 3. 6. super Iehovam viam tuam Committ your waies unto the lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe he shall bring forth your righteousnesse as the light and your Iudgement as the noone day 2. We must expect the event of the lotts from God alone Proverbs 16. 33. the lott is cast into the lapp but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. So then he that doth not feare the iustice of his cause needs not doubt the iudgement of his God in disposing thereof by lotts non enim re quiescet virga improbitatis super sortem Iustorum the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lott of the righteous Psalme 125. v. 3. 3 Wee must abandon all uncharitable conceits and all dishonourable deceites Psal 5. 6. The lord will abhorre the deceitfull man and such as speake leasing no mentall reservation of malice must be reteined no rancorous core of revenge must remayne nor any preceding passages of malevolence or envy continue in the minde or memory 4. Wee must withall possible piety religion and reverence call upon God in hearty prayer for his direction in and his blessing on our endeavours At the election of Saul the people 't is said stood all before the Lord xpopositors render it praying At the election of Matthias to his Apostleship the Apostles joyned in prayer If a solemne day of humiliation fasting and prayer might be set apart throught the whole Kingdome humble and hearty supplications sent to heaven if the Kings Majesty the Parliament Prophets Ministers and People howsoever dis-jointed at this present in their opinions and actions would all joyn in their prayers and affections to the Lord of hosts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher and knower of all hearts and although they distrust each other yet would trust the only just God and commit the judgement of their great cause to his hands who only can and must determine it implore his mercifull and powerful ayde and assistance who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working to decide this most unhappy dissention according to his owne divine direction by Lott why should it be doubted but that our good Lord would shew his paternal pitty mercy to this Nation and vouchsafe an happy union God hath not forgotten to be gratious his mercy is not gone for ever his compassions never faile Hee that feeds the Ravens clothes the Lillyes takes care even for Sparrowes shall he not be entreated to magnifie his mercy in taking this matter of such weighty importance into his owne hands in delivering his people by his wisedome and omnipotency from destruction otherwise inevitable The Lord will arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to have mercie thereon is come that hee may heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliver the children appointed for death Hee will bring to passe his owne worke in his owne way and declare by casting of Lotts which part he hath chosen and whose propositions and purposes most conduce to his glory the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majestie and his Posterity the establishment of Truth and Peace in the Church and Common-wealth Iehovah Iireh the Gen. 22. 14. Lord will be seene in the Mount of his mercy and provide his people a gratious way of deliverance from destruction and desolation Hee will prevent the King with the blessings Psal 21. 3. of Peace and set a Crowne of pure gold upon his head And though his people Psal 68. 13. and Church have lyen among the pots of black darknesse and affliction yet shall they shine as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow Gold And all men to Gods eternall glory will confesse this to bee onely the Lords doing and a most wonderfull worke of his infinite mercy The tryall by Lotts is 1. the most proper way 1. because both parts have appealed to God and made it his cause both professe the maintenance of the same matters therefore God is the most competent Iudge 2. This way is Gods owne direction other meanes hitherto used have failed and beene frustrate many devices are in the heart of man but the counsell of the Lord that shall stand 2. the cleerest way and most infallible 1. Because Almighty God is a most just Iudge there can be no collusion or corruption in his judgement All partiall and deceitfull siding and dealing will be prevented and excluded 2. Because God is the searcher of all hearts and cannot be deceived and most upright in Iudgement and hee will give to Caser the things that are Caesars but will not endure his own glory should be eclipsed but will have his truth still maintained and all Christian duties to his sacred Majestie performed 3. The happiest way 1. Because the further effusion of blood will hereby be prevented a thing much to be desired laboured and prayed for 2. God on all sides will by this meanes be glorified and a blessed Peace hereby produced which the God of Peace for his Sonne our Saviours sake the Prince of Peace by his holy Spirit of Peace vouchsafe to grant Amen In Bellis civillibus omnia sunt misera sed nihil miserius quam ipsa victoria quoe etiamsi ad meliores venit eos tamen ferociores reddit Tull. ad M. Marc. Sapientis non est velle certare periculo se velle committere quia vincere non est in potestate nostra anceps est omne certamen Lact. lib. 6. Tale bonum est bonum Pacis ut in rebus creatis nil gratiosius soleat audiri nil delectabilius concupisci nihil utilius possideri Spiritus enim humanus nunquam vivificat membra nisi fuerint unita Sic spiritus sanctus nunquam vivificat membra Ecclesiae nifi fuerint in pace unita Augustin de Civitat Dei I shall conclude with these Texts of holy Writ God is not the God of Confusion but of Peace 1 Cor. 14. 33. God hath called us to Peace 1 Cor. 7. 15. Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace and things wherewith we may edifie one another Rom. 14. 19. not ruine and destroy one another Follow peace c. without which no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11 FINIS
MERCVRIVS PACIFICVS OR VOX TVRTVRIS A Dove in this Deluge of Division Sent from GODS ARKE TO Present a Peace-Offering upon the Altar of IEHOVAH SHALOM Humbly Proposing A Divine Direction for Composing of Controversies according to Gods Revealed will Prov. 18. 18. Contentiones submovet sors inter Robustos dirimit By E. M. Gent. Psal 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake for hee will speake peace unto his people Psal 29. 12. Jehovah in diluvio The Lord sitteth upon the flood The Lord sitteth King for ever The Lord will blesse his people with peace Psal 34. 14. O pray for the peace of Ierusalem LONDON Printed in the yeare 1644. MERCVRIVS PACIFICVS OR VOX TVRTVRIS c. EVery weeke produceth new Mercuries bringing no better Newes then meerely Messages of the Kingdoms increase of Miseries relating nothing but the sad Rumours of a bloody unnaturall Warre and the fearefull fruits and effects thereof rapine ruine death and destruction This Mercury presents you with a soveraigne Medicine to helpe and heaale these your miserable Maladies prescribed by the Great Physitian of both soule and body and pickt and fetcht out of that Garden of his where the most pretious and choyce herbes of Grace plants of goodnesse grow Vnder the Law he that was not able to bring a Lambe for Sacrifice was permitted to offer a Turtle-Dove or young Pigeon In the Gospell a mite freely given renders a poore Widow liberall Though Almighty God hath not lent me an hand so large yet hee hath vouchsafed me an heart inlarged with as much faithfull loyalty to my Soveraigne and true love to my Countrey as any subject in the Kingdome which I shall ever be ready really to expresse even with the sacrifice of my life and all that is mine In this deplorable time of distraction what good subject true Christian and hearty well wisher to the happinesse of the Common-wealth can enjoy an heart not desiring an head not devising and an hand not endeavouring to produce something which may conduce to an happy conclusion of these unhappy dissentions Every hand hath brought some stickes of sinne to increase this flame Let every heart and soule send sighes and grones to Heaven wish with Ieremiah their heads Fountaines and their eyes Rivers to poure out the teares of true contrition For the quenching and extinguishing the consuming fire of these Controversies that the voyce of the Turtle may againe bee heard in our land that the Alarmes of warre may no longer sound in our eares that there be no more leading into captivity no more complaining in our streetes but the Lord may give us beauty for ashes and the garments of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse In publishing this ensuing tract I desire the integrity of my meaning may not bee mis-interpreted I presume not to advise or direct but humbly present to the serious consideration of the learned and grave Sages and prudent Pillars of the state of this disjoynted Kingdome such Texts of holy truth as it hath pleased God by his Spirit to direct me unto and to point out unto me and such propositions as by assistance of the same Spirit I have deduced thence conceiving them materially conducing to an Accomplishment of an happy conclusion of the unhappy and destructive differences now depending betwene his Majesty and the Parliament I trust none will be so uncharitable as to contemne or condemne my purpose herein as too presumptuous for tendring propositions tending to so great a blessing as peace nor any so malitiously impious as to deride or despise so divine a direction because presented by a weake and sinfull instrument God is pleased oftentimes by men and meanes in humane imagination most unworthy and infirme to bring to passe weighty and wonderfull matters out of the mouth of Babes he ordeyneth strength and revealeth to such what he concealeth from the worldly wise and prudent T is as easy with God to worke without meanes as with and against them as by either t is all one to God be cleane or go wash yet we are not so much to depend on his will hidden as to neglect to practise his will revealed so to doe is rather a badge of rash presuming then any notable courage of faith Againe good Counsell is not to be valued by the person saepe etiam holitor valde opportuna locutas the proverbe tells us And surely he 's sicke to the ruine of himselfe that refuseth a Cordiall because presented in a spoon of wood we think not the worse of Gold because presented in a bag of leather Good wine is as wholsome taken in an earthen cup as a Goblet of gold God to whom the hearts of all men are open knoweth that my sole and principall intention herein is onely his glory and the good and Peace of His Majesty His Parliament and Kingdoms And thus much I doe with sinceritie of heart protest and to use the words of Saint Paul Rom. 9. I say the truth in Christ I ly not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost that I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart For these disconsolate divisions in the Kingdome and could wish my selfe sacrificed for the accomplishment of an happy union between his Majestie and Parliament and without ceasing alwayes have made mention thereof in my prayers beseeching the God of Peace who maketh men to be of one minde in an house by such meanes as to his omniscient wisedome shall seeme most meet to unite them and to work a speedy reconciliation betweene them And that after often fasting Humiliation hearty prayers for an happy Accommodation I was directed unto these texts of Holy Scripture herein specified as it were by the immediate finger of God and have received since Revelations hereunto conducing dictated if I may so speake by Gods good Spirit unto me which I never yet disclosed to any person nor doe I thinke fit at this time to publish but shall hereafter God directing me being required declare them Now these things which I write concerning Lotts before God I lye not I neither received them of man nor ever till now imparted them to any man neither was I taught them but by the revelation of God the Father of lights who hath continually incited me by the motions of his holy Spirit to publish the same touching and checking my conscience for concealing not sooner divulging therof God is my witnesse my aime is not vain-glory or any other reculiar end for mine own purposes but the Peace and the happinesse of the Kingdom and his alone glory to whom onely all honour power and praise is to be ascribed as most justly due I will blesse the Lord who hath given me counsell my reines also instruct me in the night season Psa 16. 7. Dominus portio partis meae calicis mei tu sustent as sortem meā The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup Thou shalt
maintaine my Lot The first Text of holy Writ which Almighty God was pleased to point out unto me is recorded by the Pen of the Holy Ghost in the hand of a Prince whose wisedome is warranted by Gods word to be the onely gift of God Proverbs 18. 18. Contradictiones comprimit sors inter potentes dijudicat The Lot causeth Contentions to cease and maketh a partition among the mighty On which the marginall note in the Bible hath this observation If a controversie cannot otherwise be decided it is best to cast Lotts for that appeaseth their controversie which are so stout that otherwise they cannot be pacified The 2. text pointed out unto me was this Prov. 16. 33. In Grenium coniicitur Sors â Iehovâ autem est tota ratio ejus The lott is cast into the lapp but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Hence we may learne by what power Lotts are governed disposed To say or beleeve they are ordered by fortune is a vaine imagination by spirits or divels a superstitious supposition by the heaven or the starres a ridiculous cogitation A Deo solum temperantur They are wholly and onely governed by God Hence Saint Augustine the most learned and most orthodox of the Fathers preventing an objection which might arise concerning the use of Lotts that it may seeme to be a tempting of God saith Neque vero periculum est ne videamur tentare Deum is enim est qui sortes dirigit Now three things are principally considerably in Lotts 1. The nature of them according to their description in Scripture the Fathers and other writers 2. The lawfulnesse of them set forth by the Antiquity Authority and Institution thereof Proved by presidents in the old and new Testament by Gods direction command and approbation 3. The use thereof 1. The thing matter or cause about or concerning which they are to be used 2. The time whē to be used 3. The manner how to be used Concerning the nature of Lotts ab effectu They cause contentions to cease and determine differences betweene the mighty Prov. 18. 18. Saint Augustine upon psal 30. saith Sortes nihil aliud esse quā in dubitatione humana divinae voluntatis indicium Lotts are nothing else but a declaration of Gods divine pleasure in humane dubitation a divine resolution of humane doubts Peter Martyr to the same purpose saith Sortiri nihil aliud esse qnam aliquid agere ex cujus even tu rem incognitā possumus deprehendere Casting lotts is the meanes from whose event wee discover unknowne and hidden things Aretius and other Interpretors upon the first of the Acts affirme the election of Matthias into the place of an Apostle by lott to be a divine voyce and a divine choyce Quod sors cecidit super Matthiam divinae vocis instar est ut ille non minus à Deo electus haberetur quam reliqui undecem Secondly concerning the lawfulnesse of the using of Lots The world is a circle God as it were the center of that circle The wayes of men are lines deduced from this center If the event of Lotts bee not expected of divels nor of stars nor of any force of Fortune but looked and prayed for to bee directed by God as before is shewed and by God iustituted and appointed as herein hereafter will appeare Certainly 't is lawfull to use Lotts That God hath appointed the use of Lotts to be a meanes of consulting his sacred Majesty for determining of differences of in explicable difficulty in humane understanding appeareth not onely by those places in the 18. and 16. of the Proverbs but 't is presidented by many speciall Examples practised and used by Gods expresse direction and command in his holy Word Iudaei jubbente Domino Pet. Mart. de Sort. cap. 7. in rebus gravissimis usi sunt sortibus The land of promise was divided to the children of Israel by Lott Numb 26. 55. Ios 14. and 15. chapt and Achan thereby discovered with the accursed thing to be the troubler of Israel Ios 7. The scape Goat discerned and dismissed by lott Levit. 16. The offices of Priesthood placed by lott Zachary his lott was to burne Incense Luk. 1. 9. Ionathan and Ionas deprehended by lott Saul the first King of the Iewes elected by lott 1 Sam. 10. and Matthias elected to his Apostleship by lott 1 Act. 1. That God hath appointed the deciding of deepe and doubtfull differences by lott is not Solomons sole or single position we see but a truth confirmed by many weighty and worthy presidents in holy Writ And that the use of lotts is a divine direction instituted by God himselfe and accordingly made use of by the greatest gravest and wisest Kings Princes Prophets and Apostles in matters both spirituall and temporall of much importance and cases of greatest consequence The authority of lotts being confirmed it remaineth that the manner of using thereof be in some part explained and application made according to the present purpose For although this manner of consulting and desiring Gods direction for concluding of Controversies may lawfully yet it is not hastily rashly or unadvisedly to bee undertaken but with great reverence singular piety and most fervent prayers We may not use Lotts in affaires ordinary but in cases of necessity when as the businesse cannot otherwise be transacted then mans extremity is Gods opportunity Cum Ratio ac consilium humanum non amplius locum habent nec longius progredi possent tunc sortes adhibere c. When humane Counsels are puzled humane reason non plust and all humane endeavours prove fruitlesse Tunc modus hic consulendi Deum adhibendus est then to commit the cause to Gods determination by Lott will doubtlesse prove most profitable Necessitas autem judicanda est si quid occurrat c. That Peter Mart. cap. 7. de sortibus is to be adjudged necessity where any difference arising the composing whereof may much conduce to the glory of God the edification of the Church and the prevention of some great evill which by humane Prudence cannot bee otherwayes composed or if it might yet wherein veterate malice envie and other evils and inconveniences cannot otherwise bee declined then the Lords divine direction by lott is most proper to be used for determination thereof God had appointed and annoynted Saul by the hand of Samuel to be King of Israel yet to take off the suspition of partiality or affection which might have been supposed by the people to be in Samuell towards Saul and also to prevent the sedition and dissention which might have arisen among the tribes if the election had beene left to the suffrages of the people each 't is probable would have beene willing to have exalted his owne tribe and Saul who though the loftiest in stature yet of the lowest tribe and family should not have beene sent for from seeking his Fathers Asses to sit as supreame and sway the scepter over so proud and