shewing thy Self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pattern of good Works For as S. Ambrose excellently In Episcopo vita formatur omnium the Life of the Prelate is as it were a Form or Mold in which the Conversation of others is Shap'd and Modell'd Or as Isidore Pelusiot conceits it like a Seal well cut which stamps the common Christians under his Care as Wax with the like Impressions And therefore S. Paul who well understood this twice within two Verses of my Text requires it a Qualification in a Bishop that he be blameless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that cannot be accused which yet Innocence it self you know may be nay but a Bishop must be void of Suspicion too as well as Crime Ay that 's the way to set all right indeed For so fair a Copy plac'd in so good a Light teacheth it self and every one that runs by will read it and strive to write after it 2 But Secondly Doctrina by speaking the things that become sound Doctrine For a Bishop must be able both to exhort and to convince the Gainsayers In Doctrine shewing Uncorruptness Gravity Sincerity sound Speech that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed c. 3 Censura That must not be forgotten as being chief in the Eyes of the Text. No the Garden of God must be weeded sometimes or like the Sluggard's Vineyard 't will soon be overgrown with Nettles and Thorns Even Christ's Vine must be pruned too or 't will run out and spend it self in fruitless Luxury The Lamps of the Temple will burn faint and dim if they be not trimmed and drest and snuffed now and then And therefore though the Tables of the Law and the Pot of Manna be in the Ark yet 't is not a perfect Embleme of the Church unless the Rod of Aaron be there too and without Iurisdiction and Discipline we shall quickly find the Word and Sacraments will not have so powerful an Influence upon a loose and a debauched World Epiphanius observes That Moses was sent into Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some while after he instituted the Passover and received the Law and consecrated Aaron and his Sons to the Priest-hood but he carried the Rod of God with him in his Hand No bringing up the Israel of God out of Egypt without it And 't is that Rod therefore which S. Paul here puts into Titu's Hand when he bids him Correct what is amiss in the Text and Rebuke evil doers sharply and severely v. 11. and Stop the mouths of such as teach what they ought not v. 13. Nay and Rebuke them with all Authority not suffering his Monitions to be slighted by any Let no man contemn thee Ch. 11. v. 15. Nay if Corrigas will not serve the turn be a Word too low S. Ierome upon the place and after him Cardinal Cajetan have added a Cubit to its Stature and advanc'd it into Super-corrigas which yet perhaps arrives not the full Altitude of the Greek For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Decompound and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to make strait or right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is throughly to do it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do it not only exactly but over and over again S. Chrysostom and S. Ierom both take notice of this Emphasis and state it thus That whereas S. Paul had corrected some Things and so far Titus should go on where he left and compleat what he had begun bringing them yet to another Test till they came forth like Gold more than once tryed in the Furnace An Hint which will perhaps be too greedily catch'd at by those to whose Advantage it was never intended A sort of Men that are all for Super-corrigas but 't is still on the wrong side and of that which is not amiss The Reformers of the World and Syndios of all Christendom Men but of yesterday yet wiser and better than all the Fathers that Over-correct and Over-reform every thing correct Magnificat it self before they be out of danger of the rest of the Proverb Correct not the Cretans and their Amisses but Titus and his Elders serving all Antiquity and Patterns of Primitive Government as Procrustes did his Guests who still reduced them to the Scantling of his Beds So these either cutting them short or forcing them out longer till they apply to the just Model they have fancied to themselves and would impose upon others Thus Titus must be screwed up into an Extraordinary and so a Temporary Officer an Evangelist or a Secondary Apostle as Walo Messalinus and others not a fix'd and Ordinary Governour of the Church of Creet lest that come cross to their Designs and on the other side the Elders of the Text must be degraded into common Presbyters lest we should have Bishops here of S. Paul's Titus's own Creation with how little reason in either we go on to consider in 11. The second Act to which this Power is here designed and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Ordain Elders in every City Concerning which Elders whether of the first or second Rank I know well what variety of Opinion hath past even amongst my own Mother's Sons Nor shall I be nice to acknowledge it as counting it our Advantage that we have more than a single Hypothesis to salve the Phoenemena and some choice of Answers each of them sufficiently securing us from the Contradiction of the Gainsayers to whose Pretensions these Elders will be for ever useless whether understood Bishops or common Presbyters always ordained and governed either by the Apostles themselves or by Bishops of their appointment as they drew off But not to leave it wholly in the Clouds I will not doubt to profess mine own sense too with due Submission That the Elders in the Text were very Bishops appointed One for every City and the Suburbicarian Region thereof For this is most agreeable not only the Exposition of the Antient Church the best Comment when all is done upon doubtful places of Scripture But to the Context also which expresly calls them Bishops in the seventh Verse Were it not for this and what follows in the next Particular we were perhaps at liberty to leave the World at large in its general acception as it takes in both Orders both useful in every City and so both to be supplied by Titus in which Oecumenius hath gone before us affirming that Titus was left in Creet to ordain Clerks in every City But we are determined For though at present I demand not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherever it occurs in the New Testament should signifie a Bishop yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth so I shall not doubt to affirm till I see the Text produced that attributes it to some Person otherwise evinced to have been no more then a single Presbyter And Thirdly and Lastly most agreeable also to the Text
Metropolis of Creet even in the Christian Accompt very early and long before the Councel of Nice whatever hath been pretended to the contrary and probably in the Epoch of the Text it self since even then it was certainly such in the Civil Style most confessedly the Ground of the Christian Establishment for sure it was not Chance or Lottery that produced a perpetual Coincidence both there and elsewhere the World over And now let me lead you up to the top of Mount Ida the proudest Height in Creet from whence Geographers tell us we may descry both Seas and see all the Cities like a Crown in Circle about it There let us make a stand a while and look about us and consider holy Titus with those numerous Plantations and Nurseries of Primitive Christianity distributed as it were Areolatim like so many distinct Beds and Knots in the Eden of God planted and watered and drest by Apostolical Hands all under his care and custody Consider him by way of Recollection under the Variety of Circumstance wherein the Text hath hitherto presented him to our Meditations Consider him a single Person no Collegues no Compeers no Co-ordinates For as our Lord promised the Keys and doubtless so gave as he had promised them not to a College but to single Persons Tibi dabo quodcunque Tu ligaveris So the Apostles at the next remove St. Paul here I am sure for One entrusts all not to Communities and Consistories but to Individuals for so runs the Style Ego Te-ut Tu sicut ego Tibi all Personal and Particular Consider him determined to a fix'd and constant Residence left and settled in Creet the Ordinary and perpetual Governour of that Church For we ought to have more regard to Reason and the true Nature of things than to pronounce him an Extraordinary Officer who for ought appears is impowered to none but Acts of Ordinary and continual Importance to the Church And more Reverence for the blessed Apostle than to think he would issue a Commission full fraught with Rules of Perpetual Use to a Temporary Delegate who was perhaps next day to be exaâ—ctorated and never to have any Exercise of them Consider him yet further invested with a Plenitude and Sufficiency of Power not only to Preach and Baptize and so to beget Sons to God and the Church which is the Presbyter's and for ought I know the whole of the Evangelist's Office but also both to Ordain Elders in all the Cities under him and so to beget spiritual Fathers too as Epiphunius distinguisheth and then as in the old Paternal Dominion they ruled whom they had begotten to govern and regulate whom he had thus ordained even all the Bishops of those numerous Cities Whence the Question of our Reverend and Learned Iewel most naturally proceedeth Having the Government of so many Bishops what may we call him but an Arch-bishop And I add of so many Cities what but a Metropolitan I say Consider all this soberly and maturely and you will not disavow me if I say That whosoever shall drive us out of this Creet thus strongly Garrisoned by S. Paul and his Disciples and flight and dismantle so many Strengths and Fortresses of the Episcopal Cause as there were Cities in that Island and extort out of our Hands this great Instance of so many Bishops ordained and governed by their own Metropolitan so high in the first Age will be a very Pyrgopolinices indeed qui legiones Spiritu difflat and deserve the Sur-name of Creticus better than Metellus the Roman that subdued the Island For our parts we are not ashamed of our Conformity to so Primitive a Pattern nay we glory in so handsom and innocent a Syncretism For we are not better then our Fathers nor wiser than the Apostles of Christ himself And had we been of their Counsel who not long since pretended to reform us according to the best Examples we might have bespoke them as once S. Paul did those over hasty and unruly Mariners who would needs put to Sea when Sailing was dangerous and thrive accordingly being quickly forced to abandon the Helm and to let the Ship drive being not able to bear up against the Wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirs you should not have parted from Creet in the Text and so have gained harm and disgrace If really you be in quest of the best Examples of modelling a Church you may certainly find here as fair and as pure Ideas and as well worth your Imitation as the more Modern Platform can afford you which I have reason to believe the famous Author of it intended not at first a Pattern to other Churches but an Expedient to serve the present Exigent of his own in a Iuncture scarce capable of any thing better and which I am perswaded the learnedst and wisest and most Pious of his Followers would gladly relinquish for something more Perfect and Primitive would the Necessities of their present Condition which have no Law but much of Excuse for those that really lie under them permit them the Happiness of so blessed an Exchange Which God in Mercy send them And so much of the Second Act to which the Power is here designed and that is the Ordaining of Elders together with the Distribution of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In every City one I have but three Words to add of the Third Part of my Text and that was the Limitation of these Acts to the Apostles Prescription All must be so done even as he had appointed So in regard of the Variety of the Offices themselves and their several Subordinations So in regard of the choice of the Persons and their requisite Qualifications and so also in regard of the Rites and Ceremonies and Manner of ordaining them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All as I had appointed thee And now if any demand where these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Constitutions Apostolical are to be found I shall not send them to Clemens â—his Book that bears that Name but to the Universal Practice of the Antient Church in which they are still in great part Visible and thence handed over to Posterity by Tradition and conformity of Practice and by Degrees inserted into the Canons of the old Councels as occasion was offered and into the Ordinals of several Churches Or if a readier and more present Answer be required I know not where to design it you nearer hand or more full to your satisfaction than by dismissing you to attend the great Action that is to follow In which you will see All so Grave and Solemn so Pious and Devout so Primitive and Apostolical and so exactly up to the Level of the Text and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of S. Paul here that I know not where to point you out so pregnant and full a Comment upon my Text nor what better Amends to make you for my own failings upon it And yet having thus
the King ' s most Excellent Majesty our Sovereign Lord Charles by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and Supream Governor in these His Realms and in all other his Dominions and Countries over all Persons in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal That God would Establish His Throne in Righteousness and His Seed to all Generations Also for our gracious Lady Mary the Queen-Mother for the most Illustrious Prince James Duke of York and for the whole Royal Family That God would take them all into His Care and make them the Instruments of His Glory and the good and welfare of these Nations Further let us pray for the Ministers of God ' s Holy Word and Sacraments as well Arch-Bishops and Bishops as other Pastors and Curates for the Lords and others of his Majesties most Honourable Council and for all the Nobility and Magistrates of the Realm That All and every of these in their several Callings may serve truly and painfully to the Glory of God and the edifying and well governing of his People remembring the account that they must make Let us also pray for the Universities of this Land Cambridge and Oxford That God would water them with his Grace and still continue them the Nurseries of Religion and Learning to the whole Land Let us pray for the whole Commons of this Realm That remembring at last from whence they are faln they may repent and do the first works living henceforth in Faith and Fear of God in humble Obedience to their King and in Brotherly Charity one to another Finally let us praise God for all those that are already departed out of this Life in the Faith of Christ and pray unto God we may have Grace to direct our Lives after their good Examples that this Life ended we may be made partakers with them of the glorious Resurrection in the Life Everlasting For which and for all other needful Blessings let us say together the Prayer of our Lord who hath taught us to say Our Father c. For this Cause left I thee in Creet c. The Erecting of the Power that 's the first I left thee in Creet Where we have these Particulars The Original of this Power in Ego the subject of it in Te Ego Te the Conveyance in Ego Reliqui and the Extent in Reliqui Cretae or in Creta I. I left thee I the Apostle of Iesus Christ vers 1. left thee Mine There 's the Source and the Stream the Original and the Derivation of All 't was from our Lord by his Apostle I did it his Commissioner 1. And therefore First Not a Suffragan of St. Peter as some of the Romish Partizans would fain have it Who to serve the over-high pretences of that Court are not content to Dogmatize That St. Peter was the Prince and Sovereign of the Apostles and his very Successors superior to the Apostles that survived Him and That they being once All Dead there was never since any Power in the Church but in Succession to him and by Derivation from him dare yet higher and with strange confidence pronounce That the Apostles themselves were all ordained by St. Peter and He alone by Christ And That when the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them they were thereupon sent up to Ierusalem to be ordained by St. Peter Affirmations so very strange that I know not what can be more unless this be that they should think them passable with us upon the Authority of Petrus Comestor the Scholastic Historian and those suspected Decretals of the false Merchant I mention'd at the beginning Whereas for the Imposition of Hands upon Barnabas and Saul were it a Blessing or were it an Ordination 't is plainly inferred verse 3. to have been perform'd upon the Place by the Persons mention'd verse 1. And St. Paul for his particular in the Front of every Epistle enters his Protestation against all this as if he had foreseen it still qualifying himself an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God an Apostle not of Men nor by Man but by the Commandment of God our Saviour and accordingly you may see him contesting it to the height both against Peter and the rest Gal. 1. and 2. Chapters throughout That the Gospel he Preached was not of Man the Apostleship he exercis'd was not from Man but the one by immediate Revelation the other by Assignation from Heaven it self So that having receiv'd his Mission thence and his Instructions too he thought it unnecessary to confer with Flesh and Blood to apply himself to any Mortal Man for the enhancing of either He went up indeed to Ierusalem to visit Peter three Years after his Conversion and yet once again fourteen Years after he returned thither and had Conference with Iames and Cephas and Iohn but these Pillars added nothing to him neither established his Aâ—thority nor advanced his Knowledge And Titus himself was present at the enterview and so an Eye-witness that in nothing he came behind the very chiefest Apostles for they all gave him the right-hand of Fellowship far from exacting the right-hand of Preheminence And so Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ not a Deputy of the Apostolical College much less a Suffragan of St. Peter or his Legate a latere as was pretended But 2. Not a Disciple of Gamaliel For there is a Disputer of this World who having laid it down for a Principle with himself indeed his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all pretence of Ecclesiastical Power as from Christ is but an Imposture is thereupon obliged to give such an accompt of the Appearances of it in the New Testament as may suit with this Postulatum And accordingly for the particular of Imposition of Hands for Ordination of Elders will have it only the pursuance of a Iewish Custom which St. Paul learned at the Feet of his Master Gamaliel under whom he Commenc'd Elder before he was Christian and thereupon after thought good to create his own Disciples to the same Dignity according to the Law of those Schools and Titus amongst the rest whom he left in Creet to do the like and to Constitute his Scholars Elders too in all the Cities where he should Preach A Discourse so loose and incoherent that 't is not worth your while to stand by and see it fall in pieces which it would quickly do were it not already done to our hands upon a gentle Examination I shall only remind you of what was said before upon the former Particular and so leave it in Compromise to any Indifferent Whether St. Paul the Apostle of Iesus Christ who so stoutly refuseth to Releve of St. Peter himself or the rest of the Apostles as owing his whole Commission to Heaven alone would yet acknowledge to hold it of
R. Gamaliel the unconverted Iew as Usher of his School or Graduate in a Rabbinical Academy 3. Yet further to vindicate our Selves An Apostle of Iesus Christ not a Delegate of the Civil Magistrate For Suarez the Spanish Jesuite that he may have something to confute in the English Sect as he will needs call us saith confidently That the Power of Order with us is nothing else but a Deputation of certain Persons by the Temporal Magistrate to do those Acts which he himself much more might do made indeed with some kind of Ceremonies but those esteemed Arbitrary and unnecessary to the Effect which would follow as well without them by the King 's sole Deputation A Calumny which the whole Business of this Day most solemnly refutes a kind of a second Nag's-Head Fable a Fill of the same Race both Sire and Dam begotten by the Father of Lies upon a slanderous Tongue and so sent post about the World to tell false Tidings of the English as credible as that our Kings Excommunicate or that Queen Elizabeth Preached Would they have been just or ingenious they should have laid the Bra◠at the Physicians door who was the Father of it Not the beloved Physician though his Name comes nigh Erastus but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no his Praise was not in the Gospel but a Physician in Geneva learned and eminent enough 'T is remarkable that in the same Place and much about the same Time so unlucky an Ascendent hath Errour and Mistake upon some Persons should three Conceits be hatched concerning Church-Government which like three Furies have vext the quiet of the Church ever since For the Consistorial and Congregational Pretences were Twins of the same Birth though the Younger serv'd the Elder and being much over-powred sunk in the stream of Time till it appeared again in this unhappy Age amongst the Ghosts of so many reviv'd Errors that have escap'd from their Tombs to walk up and down and disturb the World And not long after this Physician too would needs step out of his own Profession to mistake in two other at once Policy and Divinity running a risque of setting ill-Understanding betwixt them had not Abler and Wiser Heads than He stept in and so evenly cut the thred so exactly stated the Controversie and asserted the very Due on either side that there remains now no Ground either of Jealousie among Friends or one would think of Slander from Enemies And yet even some of our own too which we have reason more deeply to resent would needs bear the World in hand when Time was That the Claim of Episcopal Power as from Christ and his Apostles was an Assault upon the Right of our Kings and tended to the Disherison of the Crown As if the Calling might not stand by Divine Right and yet the Adjuncts and Appendages of it by Human Bounty As if the Office it self might not be from Christ and yet the Exercise of it only by and under the Permission of Pious Kings Or As if the Church might not owe the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven both that of Order and that of Jurisdiction too purely Spiritual I mean and without any Temporal Effect to the Donation of Christ and yet at the same time owe all the Coactive Power in the External Regiment which is one of the Keys of the Kingdoms of this World for the enforcing of Obedience by constrain◠to the Political Sanction These things thus clearly distinguish'd I cannot see why we may not with some Consequence infer the Apostolical and 〈◊〉 in Consequence thereupon the Divine Right of our Ecclesiastical Hierarchy how harsh soever it sounds either at Rome or Geneva and though the Hills about Trent resounded loud with the Eccho of that Noise and stiff Debate which past upon that Argument within the Walls of that Council However they like it on this side the Hills or beyond St. Paul stands firmly by us and voucheth the Grand Charter of his Apostolate for all Me me adsum qui feci 'T was I the Apostle of Iesus Christ that left Titus to ordain Elders in Creet and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be found for this Argument 'T was the Holy Ghost that made you Bishops saith the same Apostle to the Elders at Miletus so that these are no Milesian Fables but the Words of Truth and Soberness a part of the Holy and Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the real Acts and Gests of the Apostles of Christ nay the Act and Deed of Christ himself by his Apostle according to that Rule of the Hebrews Apostolus cujusque est ut quisque And so much for the Original of the Power I go on II to the Subject and that is Titus Ego Te I left Thee 1. Thee first mine Host and of the whole Church For when the Iews at Corinth contradicted and blasphemed the Doctrine delivered by St. Paul he shook his Raiment and departed into the house of one Justus so we read it after the Greek Copies one that worshipped God and dwelt by the Synagogue and there he abode eighteen Months But the Syriack Version saith it was the House of Titus and so St. Chrysostom seemeth by his Preface to this Epistle to have found it in some Copies and the Vulgar Latine and Arabick reconciling both The House of Titus Justus or of Titus the Son of Justus If you give credit to this Tradition thus fairly derived 't will return you this Lesson That no man serves God in vain that none opens the Doors of God's House nor the Doors of his own to receive God's Church in that looseth his Reward Obadiah that secured and fed an hundred Prophets in Persecution received a Prophet's Reward and though but a Proselyte was himself made one of the Twelve The House of Obed-Edom the Gittite and all that pertained to him was blest for the Ark of God's Sake that occasionally turned in thither And Titus a Gentile who received St. Paul into his House not only gains thereby the Lights of Faith and the Incomparable Advantages of Religion but is himself introduced into the Church which is the House of God and set amongst the Princes there being singled out to this special Honour from amongst the many that attended St. Paul in his Journeyings Hear this you Noble and Generous Souls who in this time of Calamity have spread your Wings over the persecuted Prophets of God and had a Church in your House when they made a Stable of the Church Believe it God and his Church pay their Quarters wheree're they come and there is not One of you shall miss of his Reward 2. Thee who wert so exceedingly Dear so highly Useful to me Titus my Brother mine own Son after the common Faith two very endearing Titles And then so necessary to me That when I came to Troas to preach Christ's Gospel and a door was opened unto me of the Lord I
Goliah's Sword that could save him yet gladly he girt himself with it when the High Priest reacht it him There is no King saith he that can be sav'd by the Multitude of an Host yet he refus'd not the Voluntiers that came to List themselves under him He fled from Saul with all Diligence into the Cave though he had still a Refuge beyond it Though he sets up his Rest under God's Wings yet Oh saith he that I had the Wings of a Dove too that I might fly away to my Rest. The Moral and the Reddition of All is but thus much We all of us have Wings of our own too Faculties and Abilities that must be us'd Why else were they given us Though they must not be trusted in The most excellent Father Paul of the Servi of Venice was Libell'd in the Holy Office as they call it for advising one that pretended to immediate Inspirations and Assistances to use human Means and Industries and so to expect God's Blessing But the Inquisitors were for once so wise as to absolve him without Examination Our Psalmist states the matter well Trust in the Lord saith he but be doing Good too and so verily thou shalt be fed Commit thy way unto the Lord and He shall bring it to pass But walk in it thy self how is it else thy way Commit he keeping of thy Soul saith the Apostle and so commend the keeping of the public too to God But still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in well-doing in doing thy Duty in thy Station in all the instances of it In the Age of Miracles indeed when the Sea divided and suddenly turn'd green Meadow and when an Angel went forth and dispatcht so many Thousands in a Night Well might the watch-word be Stand still and see the Salvation of God The Lord shall fight for you and ye shall do nothing But the season is chang'd and 't is now Come forth and help the Lord against the Mighty and work out your own Salvation and so the Salvation of the Nation too because 't is God that Works that is St. Paul's Logic. We must not presume to use our Lord as Herod did call for him when we please to Work us a fine Miracle neglect our Assairs and leave them embroyl'd and ruffled on purpose that he may come down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disentangle them The Glory of God descends not visibly now adays upon our Palaces as of old upon the Tabernacle of the Congregation to rescue our Moses and Aaron from being massacred by a desperate Knot of Mutineers Nor doth the Earth open her Mouth any longer to swallow up our Rebels and Traitors alive 'T is a Scepter of ordinary Justice not a Rod of Wonders that fills the Hand of our Governours We must not expect that a good Cause should work alone of it self by Way of Miracle Believe it it must be prudently and industriously manag'd too or it must at last miscarry For Instance the Instance of the present time The Devils of Sedition and Faction of Treason and Rebellion those Familiars of Rome and Rhemes and St. Omers the Iesuites I mean that have so long possess'd and agitated a wretched part of this Nation will never go out from hence and leave us at quiet no not by Prayer and Fasting only Nay the best Laws we have the best you can make if they be not steddily and severely executed will prove too slight a Conjuration for these sturdy evil Spirits of Disobedience There is another and a better Flagellum Daemonum than that of Hieronymus Mengis and his fellow Exorcists Holy Water is a Trifle and holy Words will not do it There is no such thing as Medicina per Verba Words and Talk will never cure the Distempers of a Nation Deaf Adders refuse all the Voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely If in good earnest we would be rid of this Legion and say as our Lord to the deaf and dum Spirit Go out and enter no more What shall I say In short Solomon ' s Rod for the back of Fools that grow troublesom or dangerous as it may be prepar'd and managed is a very powerful and effectual Exorcism Untamed Horses and skittish Mules that will have no Understanding are not edified at all by calm reasonings and Instructions and meek Remonstrances nor in any other method so well as by Davids Expedient In Fraeno Como their Mouths must be kept in with Bitt and Bridle that it may not be possible for them to fall upon you and so ye may be secure of them But the fitting up of David's Bridle and Solomon's Rod and the right Use of both is the Business of another Place I shall resume the general Thesis and so shut up this Particular I say then They trust not in God they presume and tempt him who work not together with him but receive his Aids in vain and look that He should bring about in extraordinary manner what they take no care of themselves but lie flat upon their Backs looking upward and will stir neither Hand nor Foot to help themselves Nay but Viriliter agite confortabit Cor as 't is in the Psalm play the Men your selves Do All that you can or ought to do within your proper Sphere and so God will strengthen your Hearts all ye that put your Trust in the Lord. Wings as they are the Covert of Safety so also the Emblems of Diligence and the Instruments of Activity And as they shew us our Privilege may teach us also this part of our Duty to trust only in God's Wings but to use our own too that 's the progress of David's Trust It goes on in active Diligence Thirdly It is consummate as in the last Act in clear and perfect Resignation to God's good pleasure in the Event whatever it be They trust not in God entirely and as they ought that rely only on his Power and dare not submit to his Wisdom also that would gladly engage Omnipotence on their side and can you blame them but then they would manage it their own Way and in Methods of their own Contriving and to Ends it may be far distant from what God hath appointed As if he would work Journey-work under them and leave them to be Masters of the great Shop of the World No but as Luther said well when his Friend Melanchthon troubled himself over-much at some cross Events Desinat Philippus esse Rector Mundi 'T is God alone who sits in Heaven and doth whatever pleaseth him If we be not content with the Portion he allots us but will needs be carving for our selves elsewhere or otherwise Or if we be not satisfied with his Conduct of the Affairs of the World but think with the great Alphonso that we could mend the System What is this but in Effect to turn our Backs upon God and to set up for our selves upon our own wretched Stock and implicitly at