preach the Euangell of Christ in Brittannie that is the new couenant betwixt God and man at which time this said Iland of great Britannie did beare the same name of Gods couenant as it doth now All Historiographers and Chronologists of whatsoeuer profession doe beare witnesse that about 80. yeares after Christ Britanni omnium gentium primi publicè fidem Christi receperunt The Britaine 's before all nations first publikely receaued the Faith of Christ I must confesse there was Faith and Religion before receaued in Ierusalem in Asia in Rome France Spaine but it was not so publikely embraced in any place by Kings and superior Magistrates as it was then receaued by Lucius King of Britannie and by all his people Tertulian also who liued 200. yeeres after Christ in his writings against the Iewes alleadgeth to them that the whole world had receaued Christ his Faith yea and amongst the rest speaking of the Britaines he saith Britannorum loca Romanis inaccessa Christo sese subdiderunt Origen who liued about the same time doth witnesse the same Also this prophesie that is contained mysticallie in the name of Britannie hath thrice come to passe in this Iland First as is said it was accomplished in the preaching of Christs Apostles and their Disciples Secondly in the time of Constantinus Magnus by the vnion of the kingdome of the whole world with Christs kingdome Thirdly this prophesie is accomplished in our daies as we shall heare more amply hereafter in vs and our posteritie For before our daies the couenant of God hath beene broken and violated in this Iland by the operation of Satan who transforming himselfe into an Angell of light in taking vpon him the pretext of Christs true religion did change the worship of Christ into the worship of Christs images made by the handes of man of gold and siluer which he made to be worshipped as Christ himselfe As Thomas Aquinas and the rest of that sort do teach Quòd Christus imago Christi eadem adoratione adorari debeant That Christ and his image should be worshipped with one and the selfe same adoration Moreouer that old enemie of mankind Satan did make our predecessors to breake Gods couenant by seducing them to worship erect a strange God in this earth which was a new created God made of a wafer cake by transsubstantiating the substance thereof into the substance of the humane nature of Christ pretending Christ God and man reallie to be contained vnder the outward forme thereof which they called by the name of God Creator and adored him as the true God both contrary to the Scriptures and the auncient doctrine of the Trinitie by the which no thing is to be adored extra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantialitatē Patris that is not vnited in consubstantialitie with God the father which vnion cannot be performed in the Imaginarie transsubstantiation of this wafer cake neither yet can it be vnited with the deitie of Christ as Cardinall Bellarminus doth confesse so that ye see how the couenant of God was broken in this Iland by the worshipping of a strange and new God who was not incarnate or borne of the blessed Virgin Marie not vnited with the deitie in the Virgins wombe Of all these we note that God hauing restored againe in this Iland the true worship of the only vncreated God excluding from this true worship all false adoration of visible and created things and restoring againe in this Iland the true couenant of God of this we note that seeing the couenant of God is restored in this Iland the name also of great Britannie which doth signifie the couenant of God both by the law of God and the law of man should be restored in the same as it was before Therefore I take the restitution of this auncient name of great Britannie by the Kings most excellent Maiestie to haue come by the very motion and instigation of Gods holy spirit to this end that it may be a perpetuall memoriall and testimonie that God hath restored his true couenant of eternall life which he hath promised to all those that do worship him faithfully and truely Let euerie one of vs blesse and praise God for the restoring of the same Let all the subiects of this Iland thinke that it is a great glory to them to be called Britannes that is to say the people of Gods couenant which after the name of Christian is the most glorious and honorable name that any man in the world may enioy I thinke I should not discharge my duety if in this place I did forget to shew you the King his Maiesties great and laudable modestie which he hath obserued in restoring of this auncient name in so much that laying a side all priuiledges and prerogatiues due to other Kings in such like cases For when the whole kingdomes of the Orient were vnited to the Assyrians they tooke their names from their soueraigne King And when the Monarchie was translated to the Persians that second Monarchie receaued the name of the Persians and likewise in the third and fourth Monarchie the people embraced the name and title of those that were their Kings and Princes So that by the Kings M. prerogatiue and priuiledge seeing that the South part is fallen to his royall person both by the lawe of God and nature the name of the former kingdome might haue beene imposed to this kingdome which is last fallen in his power We see also that the name of Scoti is insert by Epiphanius in the Catologue of those countries that were distributed to the posteritie of Iaphet whereof we may note the antiquitie thereof So that all men may see that looke with an indifferent eye the great modestie the good consideration and louing kindnes that hath accompanied his Maiestie in this great worke insomuch that he hath not vsed his owne prerogatiue in bringing in a new name in this kingdome of the South But he hath onely restored the ancient name of great Britannie both to the South and the North. To the end that he might extirpat the very seede of diuision which hath beene these many yeeres deeply rooted amongst vs But now God be praised by the embracing of this godly Vnion both in the head in the members and in name all matters of diuision and contention are to be buried in the graue of obliuion For by this name of Britannie which is as much as Gods couenant we are vnited both in the corporall and spirituall kingdom But let vs returne backe to the diuision of Countries And first let vs make our profit of the diuision of countries and lands amongst Noahs posteritie The cause of this diuision was for that the space of a hundred yeers or thereabout after Noah the whole race of mankinde did dwell together as in one countrey without any diuision But Satan who watcheth day and night to establish his kingdome by diuision of countries amongst men did ingender a
which God hath powred foorth vpon vs. The first is a publike embracing of Christian Religion begun by King Lucius and all his people and abolishing of Gentilisme and Idolatrie wherein God did preferre this Iland before all the nations of the world The second blessing is that God raised vp in this Iland Constantinus Magnus a Britaine Emperour in whose raigne God did vnite the earthly kingdome with the spirituall The third blessing is this last admirable Vnion of the South and the North in one kingdome vnder one King and gouernour in the true Religion and worship of God by the which Vnion this Iland is in the most happy estate of all the kingdomes of the world God giue vs all thankefull harts to acknowledge the same I will entreate all the subiects of Great Britaine to lay before their eyes the blessed estate of the Vnion of this Iland in one language one true Religion and in one temporall kingdome And on the other part looke what was the miserable and lamentable estate of this Iland during the space that it was diuided into many earthly kingdomes and holding vnder the spirituall captiuitie of the Idolatrie of spirituall Babylon And for this cause remember the history of the diuision and ciuill warres of the Romane Monarchie how they did draw their souldiers and warriours out of this Iland and marke at that same time what a desolate and miserable estate both the spirituall and temporall kingdome did fall into For the North Britaines did rise vp in warre against the South Britaines who for their aide and helpe had refuge to the Saxons who did professe Gentilisme and Paganisme But the Saxons hauing deliuered the South Britaines from the oppression of the North did thrust out the Southerne people out of their possessions lands houses and Countrey so that a great number of them did flie into little Britannie in France and the remnant went to the Westerne part called Wales I might shew you also how that the South was deuided into seauen Kingdomes at what time there were most cruell warres exercised amongst themselues how that afterward they were afflicted by the Danes and how during the diuision of kingdomes in all these ages all learning all true Religion and all pietie was banished yea almost extinguished and by the contrary all barbaritie by violence and bloodshed all Gentilisme and Idolatrie did abound I might shew you how all these things did raigne in this Iland during the deuided estate of this kingdome but time will not suffer me Let the consideration of felicitie which doth flow from Vnion on the one side of misery and calamitie which doth come by diuision on the other side worke mightily in the harts of all these whom God and his Lieutenant hath chosen at this time out of the South and North to entreate of this Vnion whereof I haue now spoken And that they may learne what a dangerous thing it is to leaue any little seede of any former diuision we are to take heede of Satans lying deceptions who is a busie watchman seeking by all meanes to throw in some seede of diuision amongst men to hinder stay the good worke of God as mens particular commodities preferments which are not of such waight or importance in respect of this happie Vnion Therefore Tollantur à nobis nomina diuisionis Let all the names of diuision or discord be taken from amongst vs. Let vs also learne by these histories of the Vnion and diuision of kingdomes a very sure rule as I shewed you a little before that the diuision of countries in diuerse kingdomes doth come from the head Gouernours who by deuiding of one kingdome made many kingdomes as we see in the first diuision of the world and specially in the diuision of the kingdome of the Israelites In the third Monarchie of the Greekes amongst the foure successours of Alexander In the dissolution of the Romane Empire into the Orient and the Occident In the subdiuision of the kingdome of Carolus Magnus in the Occident In the subdiuision of Spaine into many kingdomes In the diuision of this Iland into many kingdomes So that the cause of diuision ceasing by the Vnion of kingdomes the people was vnited ipso iure ipso facto as Fraunce was during the first race of Kings called Meroninges deuided amongst foure brethren into foure Kingdomes but so soone as all those foure fell in one Kings hands they were all vnited ipso facto in one ratione capitis by reason of their head Likewise we haue an example in Spaine and in South Britannie when the seauen kingdomes did fall in one Princes gouernment they were all seauen vnited ipso facto ratione capitis by reason of the head Euen so pari iure the South and North being vnited vnder one King it followeth necessarily that the Kingdomes are vnited amongst themselues so that by the Law of God and man our Great Britannie is no more two kingdomes but one onely He that opposeth himselfe against this holy Vnion doth offend his God make little regard of his Prince and King and hurteth the welfare and happy state of this whole Iland Let all men remember by the foresaid examples that the Vnion of kingdomes hath beene alwaies the furtherance and standing of true Religion but diuision of kingdomes hath beene the ouerthrow of true Religion and aduancing of Idolatrie let all those that loue God perseuerance in true Religion prosperitie of their naturall King and standing of the Common-wealth of this Iland which is the common mother of vs all be carefull of the performance of Gods worke and put to their helping hand for the furtherance thereof And let all reasonable and godly men consider how God on his part hath taken away from vs all the causes of diuision as diuersitie of Language Religion Gouernours and Kings and hath vnited vs in one Language in one Religion and vnder one head and King If we then cast in any lets or impediments on our side or if we inuent any new subiect of diuision betwixt the South and the North we shall be like vnto those that doe diuide teare and cut in peeces their owne bowels deuoure their owne children and put fire in their owne houses Let all men therefore examine their owne harts and minds whether they feele any inward motion within them to further and aduance this good woorke If they doe let them beleeue certainly that such a motion doth come from God and by the contrary if any man find any euill motion in his hart that tendeth to the hinderance of this good worke let him beleeue that this motion commeth by the Diuels suggestion Let vs all pray to God as well in our priuate houses as in our publike assemblies that God would performe this his owne worke wherein doth consist the establishing of his true worship and Religion in this Iland and the extinguishing of all false Idolatrie Let vs auoyde all euill motions inuentions of
the Kings and Princes of our daies by whom God hath builded his Temple in the spirituall Ierusalem that is to say the preaching of the true worship and adoration of the increated God that they be not by any meanes seduced by the desire and couetousnesse of the riches of that false God which is made of a wafer cake to be erected set vp and maintained in high places houses and castels which do pertaine to men of high places in the Countreies and kingdomes where they dwell For vndoubtedly as God in euery place and in all ages is like vnto himselfe euen so shall he be to the end of the world to all the Monarches Kings Princes soueraigne gouernours and to all Republicks that doe commit such an offence as Salomon did which came to passe by a diuision of false and true religion that was suffered by Salomon I pray the eternall God to extermine and abolish all the remnants reliques of Idolatrie which as yet are excercised tolerated in the high places of this Iland and let vs all call to God in the contrition humilitie of our harts that that same good God who moued his Maiesties heart to renew all these lawes that serue to extinguish all Idolatrie which his Maiestie doth detest as much as any man liuing would also mooue and touch the hearts of all his subiects who are in the high places of the land that they may follow the godly example of their Soueraigne Prince and King and that they may put in effect the saying of the Poet Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis that following the example of their King in louing the true religion and hating false worship and Idolatrie euery one of them according to their place and estate may be carefull to purge and clense this whole Iland from the spirituall plague and pestilence of Idolatrie that doth to much increase in many places of this Kingdome so that if God put not to his helping hand it is to be feared and there is to great appearance that this foule infection of Idolatry shall extend it selfe vniuersally through the whole countrey that it will not be contented with the high and secret places but wil come to the valleies townes cities and Churches which without all doubt if it be suffered will bring that miserable and fearefull desolation whereof Christ doth speake in our text Satan by the diuision of the earthly Kingdome betwixt Roboam and Ieroboam did practise a lamentable diuision in the spirituall Kingdome of God whereby he did establish his kingdome of abhominable Idolatrie Againe we see that the old serpent hath alwaies taken occasion to establish his Kingdome in the which is exercised false religion by the diuision of the earthlie Kingdome as he did in the first world by the diuision of the house and posteritie of Adam and as he did in the age following by the diuision of languages lands Countreies and kingdomes as yee haue heard before And for this effect Satan did seduce Ieroboams heart that he might shew himselfe ingrate to God who had beene so beneficiall vnto him in making him King of the greatest part of his Maisters kingdome and to moue him to such a falling away from God did cast in his heart this worldly consideration to witte that if he should suffer his people to remaine vnited with the two Tribes of Iudah and Beniamin which did appertaine to Roboam and so to continue in the exercise of true religion in the temple of Ierusalem would be the cause to reunite them as they were before in one Kingdome This wicked minde of Ieroboam did distract him from God and tooke away that true confidence which he should haue had in him which was this That as God did foretell by his Prophets that he was to giue him these ten Tribes euen so he was to conserue them to him and his posteritie vpon this condition that he would remaine constant in God his true worship and Religion out of this all Monarches Kings haue their lesson who haue receaued from God this their high preferment that they should take heede least such vngodly cogitations enter into their harts as did into Ieroboams which the diuell infused into his hart by lying and false imaginations The onely true meanes of keeping maintaining and preseruing of a Kings royall estate is to be constant in defending the true worship of God Who as Daniel doth teach vs dat regnum cui voluerit transfert regnum à quo voluerit giueth a kingdome to whom it pleaseth him and doth transferre and take away kingdomes as pleaseth him Satan in drawing men from the true Religion in diuiding and separating them from the kingdome of God vnto the kingdome of darknesse doth proceede and worke by degrees For first he drew away Ieroboam the King from God by his deceitfull counsell next he seduced the people of the ten Tribes by worldly and earthly commodities to ioyne with their King in this apostasie and falling away from God perswading them that it was a great vexation of body and chargeable expences and consumption of their goods to goe so farre as vp to Ierusalem to offer their sacrifices and so to auoide such a tedious trauell to their persons and such a great wast and spending of their goods he perswaded them that it was better to build Temples and Altars and institute sacrifices at home in their owne countries neere their owne Cities and houses In this respect and regard of worldly commodities there came a lamentable diuision in Religion amongst the Elect people of God which made the greatest part of them to be Idolaters by worshipping of two golden calues which were erected by their new King the one being set vp in Bethel the other in Dan in the which places they did build temples as Ioseph doth write frō whence we learne that the diuision of the earthly kingdome was the meane by the which Satan did practise the diuision of the kingdome of God by separating the greatest part of this people from the true Church of God After this diuision of the kingdome in the Elect people of God within the space of 240. yeeres there did fall out a miserable desolation vpon the Israelites according to the doctrine of Christ in our Text. For God raised vp cruell warres against the Israelites and in the end they were all caried away into a miserable captiuitie in the countrey of the Assyrians and another people of the said countrey called Cuthians were planted in their Cities houses and lands That this example may serue for our instruction First let vs be thankful to God who hath vnited the people of this Iland in the true Religion and worship of the onely God Creator of all things excluding the false adoration of things inferiour to God or created by God Secondly let vs be thankfull to God that he hath vnited vs vnder one head and King taking away from