{non-Roman} {non-Roman} Goe the right way to work lay a good foundation and then the superstructure is like to stand Lastly let peace be prosecuted and followed by the safest and surest rule of this pursuit which certainly is that of Solomon Prov. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to bee at peace with him Here is a short cut Please one and please all as we say for house-peace in the family where it may be the Mistris is a good Huswife but of shrewish condition To go about to work out true peace by our applications and compliances with men is an endlesse work and to go about by the bow but to attain both peace with others and peace within our selves by this one most compendious way of being reconciled to God in the face of his son is to go straight by the string And now the fift and last use cals on us to take notice of it to wit The Vse of Consolation LAstly now the comfort redounding from hence unto us is this that God in his infinite mercy unto this poore sinfull unworthy Nation of ours hath so long and for so many yeeres together rained and showred downe upon us this great Euangelicall blessing the blessing of peace the very badge and cognizance of our profession and the foote-steps I hope of Christs being amongst us that as our Nation was the first Christian Kingdome in the world as e Polydore Virgil testifieth and our King Lucius the first Christian King in the world as venerable f Bede testifyeth so it hath beene the most peaceable Kingdome for many last past yeeres First under our Deborah that ruled and judged this Israel forty yeares and then under King Iames that peaceable Augustus who chose it for his Motto out of all the eight beatitudes g Blessed are the peace-makers and now under a meeke and sweet natured Prince that sits upon his Fathers Throne and it is Machivels observation that a succession of three good Princes together doth notably contribute to establishment and felicity of a Kingdome These are blessings which as our selves have enjoyed so all our friends have congratulated unto us and our enemies have envyed unto us and pined away and growne leane at our prosperity It is true there hath beene of late an intercision and interruption herein Our peace both of Church and Common-wealth hath beene a little plundered and perplexed God hath cast a flye into our precious ointment and shred an handfull of wild Gourds into our pot but I hope it is but as a foyle the better to set off so long and great a peace It is but as our Saviour dealt with the Emauitane Disciples h when he made as though hee would have gone farther that they might grow the more importune with him to stay and I should not at all doubt of it if I could but see us once all of us as if all England were but one man to prosecute and pursue this peace according to that most safe and sure i rule of making up our peace with God in and through his Son by breaking off our sins by repentance and new obedience And the rather because I finde our very enemies Prophets to foretell and Heraulds to declare it for us Cornelius â— Lapide a very famous Jesuite and great Commentatour upon holy Scripture whose volumes are swelled to that proportion that they take up halfe a Classâ—â— in our publique Libraries and to that repute as hee is crept into most private Studies of those who affect learning and have money to buy so many Volumes Hee I say Commenting to that text of Scripture Esay chap. 2. verse 4. They shall beate their swordâ— into ploughshares and their speares into pruning-hoâ—ks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learne warre any more Thus he writes Christ saith hee by the Euangelicall Law of charity modesty justice meekenesse and patience shall agree and compound the jars and discords of all Nations shall plucke up by the roots their antipathies and hatreds shall bridle the fierce and quarrelsome and shall cause that in one and the same Church there do friendly converse together as brethren Romans and Greeks c. ENGLISH and SCOTS and so shall bee fulfilled that of Esay 11.6 The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb c. What is Saul among the Prophets must a very Papist a Jesuit who do so labour to disturbe our peace be a Trumpet and Prophet of our peace wee thanke him for it whether it proceeâ—ded from his ingenuity or from necessity 〈◊〉 the spirit of vaticinatioâ— was on him as it was uâ—â—on Balaam and the High Priest when Christ suffered We cannot say to him as the King of Mâ—chaia Thou never prophecied 〈◊〉 good unto me but â—â—â—waies evill But wee wilâ— speake to him as to 〈◊〉 Ahimaaz in this thing he is a good man and brings good tidings God of his goodnesse who is the Author of peace send us all sorts all degrees of peace through Christ Iesus who is the Prince of peace that every one of us both by our affections and prayers and endeavours may bring tribute and offerings unto this 〈…〉 and so be the children of peace Amen FINIS Novemb. 27. 1640. Imprimatur â—oh◠〈◊〉 * Adder a Del Rio in loc. tantum non verbo tenus b Lactant. Institut lib. 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c Sibylla Cumana apud Virgil Nec magnos metuent armenta Leones Occidet Serpeâ—s fallax herba venâ—â—i d Gabriel Alvarez in locum e {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Euseb. lib. 2. a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} b {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 2.15 c {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gal. 2.14 1. Conclusion a Eâdem libertate scripsit vitas Caesarum quâ illi vixerunt b Canicula Persecutionis a Orientem fidem primus Nero cruentavit Tertul. b Buron ad an. 12. Neronis c Exiâ—iabilem superstitionem Tacitus d Genus hominum novae maleficae superstitionis Sueton. in Nerone c. 16. p Neroni Cl. Caes. Aug. Pont. Max. Ob Provinciam latronibus his qui novam generi humano superstitionem inculcar purgatam q Quisquis Christianum se profitetur tanquam humani generis convictus hostis sine ulteriori sui defensione capite plectitor Vide Corn Tacitum lib. 15. Annal. Suetonium in Ner. c. 16. r Secundus nempe erat qui contra nos Christianos persecutâ—onis incendium exâ—iâ—aviâ— Euseb. hist. lib. 3. c. 13. s Iâ— scelâ—ratam Nerâ—niani in Deum â—diâ— impietatis successit Euseb. ib. t Iussit sâ—eler a â—antum Nâ—ro non spectavit Vid. Tacit. in vita Julii Agâ—icolae u Cape hunc ensem si bonus fuero pro me sin malus contra me eo utitor w Suidas in verbo Trajan x Plin. Epist lib. 10. Epist. 97. 98. y Sine
his pasture the Oxen of his crib the Babes of his Nursery what then can bee more comfortable Doth God take care for Oxen 1 Cor. 9.9 Is a good man mercifull to his beast Was Iacob so carefull of his flock as not to over-drive it and shall not God bee much more carefull of us Yea surely if wee make it but our care to be his Lambs and Kids he will make it his care 1. To protect us to take us out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Beare to deliver us as he did S. Paul out of the mouth of the Lyon so farre as that deliverance conduceth to our eternall good 2. To provide for us Hee giveth fodder unto his cattell Hee muzleth not the mouth of the Oxe Hee can first feed us by Ravens and then feede the Ravens that call upon him Hee will feede his Sheepe and his Lambes both with daylie bread for our bodies and spirituall Manna for our soules 3. To save us Hee will both set the Goates on his left hand and the Sheepe Lambs Kids on his right The end of the second Sermon THE TRUE EUANGELICAL TEMPER The third Sermon ESAY 11.6 7 8. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid c. THe Text at the first was tripartited and two of those parts are already handled to wit the seven nocent Creatures in the first Ser. and the 7. innocent in the last There now remaines to bee spoken too in this the third and last generall part which is the concord and agreement of these most divers yea adverse parties the Wolfe with the Lamb the Leopard with the Kid c. It was cautioned in the Law not to yoake an Oxe and an Asse together a and the Gospell too bids us not bee unequally yoaked b but what is it to bee unproportionably yoaked if this bee not a Lamb to a Wolfe c. And it is yet more strange if with Hierome Rupertus and others wee observe that this accord is not made by way of the retrograde motion as Crabs swim backward as if the Lamb should degenerate and goe dwell with the Wolfe or the Kid goe lye downe with the Leopard so forsaking their owne righteousness and taking up others vices But it is the regular and straight course of regeneration the Wolfe turning Lambe and the Leopard turning Kid Craft and Cruelty being the termes from which and simplicity and innocency the termes to which of this Conversion But most remarkable of all is it to consider the full and perfect expression of this their reconciliation and atonement which is a graduall expression growing up to the height of its emphasis by foure steps The first is that they shall dwell together not under one Canopie or under one elevation of the Pole but under one house and roofe And if it were no more this wants no waight of significancy of it selfe for cohabitation containes in it all the offices of matrimoniall dearnesse And S. Peter requires no more of Husband and Wife but that they be c dwellers together or housed together as the word imports The second is that they lye downe together A further degree of neereness To have one bed is more then to be in one house under one covering more then to bee under one roofe Can two walke together except they bee friends is the question Amos 3.3 but lye downe together sure they cannot especially so neere as one to keepe another warme Eccles. 4.10 The third is to feed and eate together Another degree of vicinity and neerenesse Therefore the Law when it separates one from close and familiar accesses to another severs à mensa as well as à thoro both from board and bed Nathan therefore expressing in his parable of Davids conviction the neere approaches of Wedlock saith it did eate of his owne meate and drank of his owne cup and lay in his owne bosome 2 Sam. 12.3 Loe there is mensa and thorus board and bed together againe And David said the like to Mephibosheth Thou shalt eate bread at mine own table when he would shew him the utmost of kindnesse 2 Sam. 9.7 The fourth is that they play and sport together A thing so true a symbole of deerenesse and alwaies so connate thereunto that Abimelech in the d book of Genesis looking out of a window and seeing Isaac sporting with Rebecca concluded thereupon she was surely his Wife Which thing also Zorobabel in the Apocryphall Esdras e thus expresseth I saw saith he Apame the Kings Concubine the daughter of the noble Bartacus sitting at the right hand of the King and taking the Crowne from his head and setting it upon her owne head shee also stroke the King with her left hand and yet for all this the King gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth if she laughed upon him he laughed also but if she tooke any displeasure at him the King was faine to flatter that she might be reconciled to him againe These are the foure degrees to make up this one entire union and accord And now the way is opened for the third and last Conclusion which is this It is a disposition and temper truly Euangelicall and savouring of Christ to be peaceable and reconcileable and that in all the severall approaches of love and union Or thus The Gospel is a true cause of peace and peace is a true effect of the Gospell Or thus The Messias where he is Monarchicall and rules is also Eirenarchicall and atones Christ Jesus is the true Augustus of the world and the Scepter of his Kingdome as it is a righteous so is it also a peaceable Scepter wheresoever whensover he is known and obeyed there then he doth by his Word and Spirit waste and take away all hatreds enmities and antipathies and makes Wolves and Lambs Leopards and Kids Lyons whelps and Calves Beares and Kine Lyons and Oxen Asps and young Children for thus the Text conjugates them dwell together lie down together eate together and play together that is have friendly and mutuall entercourse of affections actions customes habits Therefore is he called in his type Melchisedech King of Salem f which the Apostle renders g King of peace Therefore also Solomon was another type of him Solomon I say in whose daies abundance of peace flourished not David a man of War and blood Therefore again was he born under the raigne of peaceable Augustus who enjoyed such cessation of warre that he shut the gates of Ianus Temple and brought together all the world to be taxed His natalitiall hymne was sung not by a regiment of souldiers but by a Chore of Angels The Dity of that hymne or Caroll Peace on earth The tidings of his birth brought not to cavalliers but to quiet and simple Shepherds The time of the revelation of it in the night season a time of silence and rest His style A Prince of Peace h His
Baptismall Laver awaited by a Dove the most peaceable of birds S. Iohns testimony of him Behold the Lambe of God A Lamb the most peaceable of beasts His Gospel an Euangelium that is Glad tidings of peace His Ministers Messengers of peace and reconciliation His Salve or Present when he came to his Disciples Peace be with you His Vale or Legacy when he went from them My peace I leave with you His threefold office all concurring to peace As a Prophet he did foretell and proclaime peace As a Priest he did earne and purchace peace As a King he did settle and confirme peace And lastly all this so luculently foretold by this our Prophet Esaias that he seemes rather i to write an history of a thing past then a prophecy of a thing to come and is rather an k Euangelist then a Prophet as S. Ierome most excellently speaketh of him And though this Prophecie shine as the Sun in the Firmament yet is there one every whit as bright as this in the second Chapter of this Prophecy at the fourth verse The words are these He shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into plough shares and their speares into pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learne Warre any more A Prophecy so trapped with the ornaments of speech that two of the Latin Poets k Martial and l Virgil like bold biards have plumed it to imp their owne traine just as before the Sibylls had done by my Text but to Application Application IN applying and making use of this point it will not bee amisse to hold to the former method of shewing how to elicite and fetch out of it the five-fold profit of 1 Doctrine 2 Redargution 3 Correction 4 Instruction and 5 Consolation and having so doâ—e to commit both the text and Sermons on it to the blessing of Gods Spirit which must incubate and brood both to make them fruitfull The Vse of Doctrine ANd first this point is profitable to bring forth this Doctrine that Christianity is a sociable Religion The end of Christs comming was to be a Mediatour not only to unite man to God but even man to man that Christians might dwell together in one house both Ecclesiastical the Church and oeconomicall the family and Politicall the Common-wealth lye downe together in the undefiled bed of holy and chast wedlock if they either need it or will it and in any other noble and lawfull familiarities of intimacie and deerenesse eate together both the Eucharisticall Bread of the Lords Table and the daylie bread of their owne boards Lastly play together in those honest and warrantable recreations which are of good report among the Saints to fit them better for both their generall and particular callings What is the Church but a Communion of Saints the Church Militant a Communion of Saints on earth and the Church Triumphant a Communion of Saints in Heaven Coetus fidelium A company or knot of the faithfull is a short and received definition of the Church The Religion of the Jews was all for distinction and separation of both persons and things the Jew from the Gentile the holy from the prophane the cleane from the uncleane But Christ did so demolish and breake downe that partition wall that it is like the Picts wall in Northumberland scarce one stone to be found upon another Christian Society is like a Fagot one stick keepes another glowing like stones in an arch one holds and fastens another Christ himselfe being the key-stone Solitary persons as they have indeed the fewest provocations unto evill so have they the fewest incitations unto good Divine Oracles still point at lonelinesse and solitude as at an abysse of misery Begin at the beginning it is observed to my hand that in the second dayes worke of the Creation God gave no commendation of nor blessing unto it as to the rest because it was a daies worke of division m And after that a little when he played his owne Critick it was the onely quarrell hee pickt with his workmanship that man was alone all was good and very good n but this was not good o Go on Elias a great Prophet yet hee complaines of it I onely am left alone p Iobs sorrowfull Messengers make it their under song of sad tidings I am escaped alone to tell thee q Martha murmures at it Master carest thou not my sister hath left mee to serve alone r Ieremy makes his threnes take their hint and rise from it how doth the popular City sit solitary s S. Paul bemones himselfe for it t Demas hath forsaken me yea u all forsooke me w Ruth bewailes it The hand of the Lord is gone out against me the Almighty hath imbittered my soule Yea it is every widows case as well as Ruths to be x desolate and alone But what say I of Elias or Iob or the like men of like passions with our selves Christ himselfe groaned under the burden of it when all his Disciples forsooke him and fled which thing the Evangelist notes as one of the criticall passages of his Passion and the Prophet sets it out as an heightning and advancing of his sufferings that hee trode the Wine-presse alone y So as this is the summe if a man be alone he shall be in misery and againe if a man be in any misery hee shall be left alone z Solitude and misery being like water and ice the one mutually producing the other Woe and alone goe together Eccles. 4.10 Hence it comes about that S. Iohn Baptist sent two of his Disciples to Christ a Yea a greater then the Baptist did so Christ did it in the Mission first of his Twelve b and after of his Seventy c both of which sacred Colledges he sent forth by two and two So of old two were of the Embassy to Pharaoh Moses and Aaron two into Canaan Ioshua and Caleb two to restore the Temple and worship of God after the Captivity of Babylon Ioshua and Zorobabel So likewise in the New Testament we have Christ and Iohn his Precursor two are sent to Jerusalem to prepare the last Supper Peter and Iohn two Witnesses Apoc. 11.3 So farther Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague in the Councell of Constance Luther and Melancthon in Saxony Zwinglius and Oecâ—lampadius in Helvetia Bucer and Capito at Argentine Calvin and Farell at Geneva Binarii omnes all by couples and twoes That if the one fall his fellow may lift him up Eccles. 4.10 Hee that separates man from man doth as much as in him lyes separate man from God For what is poore and silly man alone but a very scrich-owle and satyre a melancholick and hypochondriack creature growing pensive and thought-sick turne him into his Oratory and let him shut the Chamber doore and doth hee not often