lovely and of good report If there be any vertue any praise think upon these things Phil. 4. 8. Lastly for satisfaction of those that desire to know why this College is erected at Chelsey and not in one of the Universities this we thought fit to add That this place was thought fittest to receive directions from our Superiours to consult with men of best experience to obtain intelligence from foreigne parts to print books and to disperse them and lastly to obtain the favour of the State and City Farther hereby as all emulation may be avoided so the help of both the Universities may as well be had by intercourse as if the College stood in either of the Universities Thus all things now stand God bless the proceeding of this College c. and give Grace Grace unto it Thus have you by the Author of the remarkable Monuments of and in and about London a just and full Narrative of Chelsey College in the Constitution Cause moving and promoving sovereign care and sollicitation the use and ends of it with some fair and forward Provision for it and great and gracious motives of perswasion to stir up mens hearts to contribute and that not in a sparing but liberal way unto it and not to let the Gates sink in the foundation of it Lament 2. 9. The Affair not only auspicated by King James his wisdome but forwarded by his zealous care in writing unto and calling upon the Archbishop and in his writing to the Bishops and the Chancellor of England and the Lord Mayor of London as also the Pithananches of vulgar prudence either from the grave Archbishop himself or some one of the Reverend Fellows as I gather from the latter words of his goads of his wise words where he saith that the reason of this College it's fitness to be more respectively at Chelsey is because of receiving directions from our Superiours In which exhortation even in the whole carriage of it I appeale unto the Godliest Judgements whether he has not spoken as with the tongue not only of men but as of an Angel of God so that now nihil supra And yet to him let me joyn or adde another Angel of our Church Doctor Joseph Hall sometimes our Diocesane Bishop of Exceter afterwards of Norwich who upon this Commencing of Chelsey College may well come after and second the business as Nathan after Bathsheba who in his Peace-maker wherein he most truly saith one of the principal means of Peace-making in the Church and State for ever is by absolute silencing of Schismaticks and Heresies is pleased in his prudence to shew and say and set down at full his Judgement of this Chelsey College suppositively if promoted and perfected and so according to the end prosecuted and adorned as to be the undoubted and blessed means both to purifie Truth and to set up Peace for ever not Peace alone without Truth nor Truth alone without Peace but both Peace and Truth together as the two Chapiters upon Solomon's two pillars with their carved works called Jachim and Boaz that Establishment and this Strength 1 Kings 7. 21. For the most reverend Bishop and Father in God as I must ever in honour mention him in that precious piece of his Peace-maker for which he must of future Generations be blessed O that he had not had the fate of Cassandra to prophesie truth but not to be believed and obeyed For upon rich grounds his divinely-illuminated heart foreseeing the Calamities which turbulent spirits in malecontents would bring by storm through Civil Warrs and intestine Contentions bethought himself as a true Prometheus of this Remedy shewed to K. James and to his Parliament whilst God's Good Spirit was with them and in them and before he suffered the Evil spirit the foul and Rebellious spirit to possess the hearts of Belials to open the postern to act his horrid deeds of darkness He foreseeing I say yea presuming that if the design of Chelsey College had been advanced into a forwardness and faithfully effected so as to have made choice of and placed these 20 Colleagues with two Historians sworn to defend the publick professed Truth of our Church according to the Articles they might have effected so much by their wisdome as with a Caduceus to have stilled the furious spirits of very many bad ones and so charmed them to have worshipped the blessed Peace of God and so prevented a world of Blood Mischief and Confusion and Misery and still pestilent Conspiracies to souls as well as bodies on all sides that we might have enjoyed to this day the blessed of the Lord and so only have fed and feasted with the banquet of the Peace of the kingdom of God in our Consciences and they have had all their Donatives and Honours blessed unto them The Bishop representeth his Judgement respectively about Chelsey College thus It is Great pitty saith he that the late Chelseyan Project was suffered so foully to fall to the ground whereof had not the Judicious King seen that great use might have been made of it he had not condescended to so gracious Privileges as his Majesty was pleased to inrich it withall The wise and Learned Prince well observed how great an advantage our Adversaries have of us in this kind who come with conjoined forces on every side being ready to be ingruent upon us with preparations as flood-gates set open and inlarged whilst we stand upon single resistance And therefore without a marvellous providence of Almighty God we might have verified the old word Dum singuli pugnant universi vincuntur Blessed be God the world hath had ample proof of single yet singularly learned Champions and seen and heard such learned Advocates to plead for the Protestant Profession such Stephens such Jewells such Mortons such Fields Whites Abbotts Reynolds Featlyes who that is Featly especially alone as in single duell incountred abroad in France Dr Bagshaw and Smith and at home in England alone also sustained and incountred Fisher Sweete Eagle-stone Everard Muskett and ever came off from all intaminatis honoribus as also University Professors Peter Martyr Holland Prideaux Whitakers Collins so as one has been able in Spiritual Polemicks to resist a thousand But if these heads and hands have been so powerfull what would they have done if united together Ne Hercules contra eorum Duos Certainly none of these upstarts pernicious prodigious late Heresies would have stood before them For the Associating Divines of the Province of London in their testimony to the Truth of Jesus in detecting and detesting the Errors and Heresies have given them their deadly wound nor have breathed so long under their hands to have brought such Disturbances yea such Distractions Schisms Factions Divisions as of late we have seen to have crept in with their infestings amongst us and to be lamented if not possible by single hands to be amoliated making our present England an African Scene of new Heretical swarming Monsters threatning an hellish
certainly that as Mr Archer expresseth in his Forerunner of Christ's personal Reign on earth pag. 50. and 55. and Mr Mede Rev. 11. 7. his opinion is that Popery shall yet again for a while universally prevail in those Countries and Nations out of which it hath been expelled Mr Cartwright's Preface to the Gloriosum Certamen And therefore ought we not of England to advance this College thus to prepare to give the head of the Dragon his last deadly wound that the Prince of Peace may set up his Scepter of peace and be the Solomon of peace in governing his Saints in all the blessings of Peace and beauties of holiness that we may seek and love to have and keep the saving Truth in love and peace Zach. 8. 19. But as one saith Si nos iri perditum vult Dominus Jesus hâ—câ—tamen solamini erit nos nihil omisisse virtutis ad eluctandum ruinam as the two Witnesses in sackcloth or rather as becomes a Couragious souldier stantem in bellow mori in hope of a most glorious resurrection like that which the Roman Florus speaks of the holding out the last siege of Carthage Vt morsus morientium sunt maximè mortiferi sic plus negotii fuit cum semiruta quam cum integra Carthagine or as it is said of Sampson Judg. 16. 30. the dead which he slew at his death were more then they which he slew in his life-time And then the hope of everlasting rest after all our labours shall sweeten all our labours ease our torments mitigate our sorrows comfort our hearts that they faile not in their labour nor faint in their travail nor sink under their burden nor fall under their Crosses nor dye for sorrow of their wound but may say I have fought the good fight and finished my course and kept the faith 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Henceforth the spirit hath said we shall be pillars Rev. 3. 12. in the Temple of our God Finally may I humbly adde a word of the probable means of as it were buoying up this Ship of the sunk College to be rigged and to ride again as a Pretorian ship in its haven with respect to his most Gracious Majesty and the Great Wisdoms of his Councel and Parliament because it is said expressly that Kings shall be nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to the Church Esay 49. 23. Whatsoever the penury may seem to be in regard of the late great losses and exhaustings because of the sweeping tempests that have left as it were nothing or little good yet is it not the word of the Lord by Haggai The silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts So that if it please Almighty God to stir up and put into the Kings Majesties heart an heroick care and resolution to set about the advancing and restoring of this ruinous College by taking the Course which his Royal Grand-father did viz. granting forthwith his Letters Patents once again generally all over England for a Collection of three years to be made and that the Archbishops Graces would be earnest with the Bishops of their Dioceses to sollicit their particular Ministers and that the Peers of the Upper house and the Burgesses of the Commons house would by their Munificence be exemplary Leaders unto the Collective body more respectively the new Bishops revived and restored as men of God to their Sees and dignities to act as Intelligences and Angels of the Churches in their own Spheres though possible their Sees are much impaired as having had the Line of Ahab upon them and Plummet of Samaria Yet if they shall meditate liberal things Esay 32. 8. or devise liberal things and out of their grave and gracious wisdoms prompt and promote unto the Kings Majesty a more probable way of wisdom then at first was projected and become also not only exhortative but exemplary to their power for so important godly and necessary a work especially the most Reverend Fathers Canterbury Winchester London Lincoln Yorke Durham c. This may doe much and much contribute towards the speedy adorning and advancement of the College to its due perfection and placing it in its sphere of activity yea and to the settling of it to become a pattern and president for Imitation to foreign Protestant Churches also in Christendom not yet in the Popes Captivity and dungeon of darkness of his Mystery of Iniquity and deceivableness of unrighteousness And if the late Archbishop Laud could have imagined that such Wolves and Monsters of Heresy upon his being put to death would have been in such readiness like Serpents and Toads and venemous creeping noxious beasts at the root of the stately Palm-tree of our Church in readiness I say thronging with their Fry whose word was Viam inveniam aut faciam to crawle up even so all over the fruitfull branches of this Palm for the shepheard being smitten how would the sheep be scattered how would he have roused up and awakened himself as the Cock who with his wings clappeth himself to have been most vigilant over them especially when Dr Featley being assigned the Provost of Chelsey College by Dr Sutcliffe his studious and solicitous obtaining of him and resigning all his Authority and power unto him sollicited Bishop Laud at London House to favour and further the College when the Church looked upon him as a son upon his Father and Patriot because of his fair opportunity by his high advancement for the greatest affaires of the Church which King Charles the First was pleased to grace and intrust him withall How would he have known and remembred that it was incumbent upon him to have served 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have looked upon Chelsey College as a grand business of Christ's as well as to be so zealous for the re-edifying of Pauls and not have daunted Dr Featley's suit with that short hasty word Cui bono as Pilate once seemed to have done to Christ What is Truth His eye with his heart being so immoveably fixed upon the repairing of the dead and decaying walls of Pauls Church not in the interim providently eying and spying the mischiefs Calamities Chaos of Heresies Sects and Schisms by Satan's Panurgy and by the madness of the people to be drawing in upon us like the Trojan Horse for want of that publick armature sword and spear of the spirit the spiritual sword of God's Word in the mouths of his more select Ministers those living stones of his spiritual Tower of Armory Could I say his Graces wisdom I mean Archbishop Laud's who was omni laude dignus have commanded his heart to have beheld and heeded the Angelical face of Chelsey College Project as Dr Featley presented it unto him and on a time did it more fully and freely at Fulham when he was better at leasure had not the Importunity of Pauls still been too clamorous in his ears for expediting it how would he not doubtless have
most have laid by their defensive Arms and are grown too much unacquainted with Controversies We have so much noted how Controversie in other Countries hath eaten out much of the power of Godliness that we have fallen by disuse into an unacquaintedness with the means of our necessary defence and whilst we thought that we might lay by our weapons as Sampson his Jaw-bone or David his Goliah's Sword and build with both hands we are too much unready to withstand the adversary Alas what work would liberty for Jesuits and Friers make in our Congregations in a few months space I must confess this though some will think it our dishonour it is not from any strength in their cause but from their carnal advantages and our disadvantages because we are not stored with our learned Garison with the Magazine of Library and maintenance For it is easier to pull down then to build and to set a Town on Fire then to re-edife one house and to wound then to heal But as the fountain was hid at the present from Hagar's eyes so Mr Baxter for the present did not see nor think on the adequate remedy of this viz. Chelsey College Project and design this being to this present utterly to all seeming as it were dead and buried without hope of recovery and so discovery unless some Angel awaken and open our eyes to see it And then if Popery should come in again through our giving over our watch and guards and then doubtless if so not without seven worse devils of Infection Rage Thraldom Superstition Tyranny gross Idolatry Perniciousness what measure Protestants may look for at their hands we need not go out of England and Ireland for proof To use therefore a little more Mr Baxter's words for Chelsey College which he urgeth indeed for another thing I leave it therefore to the Judgment of all men that are not asleep in their security and utterly unacquainted with the advantages and vigilancies of Papists whether this design of restoring and endowing Chelsey College according to the first wisdom of it for the defense of our Church Articles and oppugnation of the Adversaries be not altogether of Christ of the Angel of the New Covenant having discovered it unto our eyes and caused us to see this fountain for our selected and choice men to draw water out of the Well of Salvation Gen. 21. 19. as the strong men of David out of the well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23. 16. with Joy for the establishing of the hearts of the Saints in the true grace that they be sound in the faith and so be able and furnished when need is to convince the gainsayers and that the simple at length may be able to confound even the Scribes and the wise of the world who beat their brains with the deceivableness of that unrighteousness to build or rather daube up the Mystery of Iniquity the deceivableness of unrighteousness Thus have I at large related the nature and Condition of Chelsey College the nature of the Causes form uses and ends of prudence for happiness to our Church if we can receive it and the condition for the present of it in its impediments and obstructions so that if it be not now religiously looked unto it must and will be everlastingly forlorn and lost and such an opportunity never more can be hoped for And this I have related as principal and princely Bezaliels have meditated and designed it as a well-drawn and wrought fair piece of Arras and a Pattern to be made up accordingly and as it were from God in the words of Ezekiel Chap. 40. 4. Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee for to the intent that I might shew them am I sent unto you Wherein you have not only a Synopsis and clear declaration of a Tower of Ophel a Church Garrison but also motives pregnant and powerfull enough of Archbishop Abbott's or one of the Fellows even flexanimous to hearten and help onward the Affair 1. From the Papists and Jesuits their industry and lavishing of gold for defence of their Idolatry and Antichristianism 2ly From the necessity as they account it to uphold the Mystery of Iniquity and from the necessity for us also to work counter unto them 3ly From the danger that our Church and Cause may be in if we provide not in time 4ly From the excellency of being valiant for the Truth 5ly From the honour of Christ and his Church and our King and Country 6ly From the reproach which otherwise will redound unto us 7ly Besides the suffering of the Abomination of Desolation suddenly to overspread us and so the adversaries to work their pleasure upon mens souls and have occasion to upbraid us saying Why is there a price in the hand of foolish English men to get wisdom and they have no heart to lay it out for wisdom So that after all this Remonstrance about the matter and heads of the motives so faithfully inforced and improved there needs no more inculcating of them but only praying to remember and consider what has been so carefully and conscionably urged and the Lord give us understanding in all things Only may I humbly crave leave to urge in fine what we have found and what was not considered and what the Spirit advertiseth the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience that is as the Apostle does paraphrase 1 Thes 1. 3. the work of faith the labour of love the patience of hope for all these are joyntly to be ingaged in the work therefore I will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the face of the Earth that is to try their Faith to try their Love to try their Hope their Faith whether it work by Love their Love whether it be sincere and zealous for the Truth their Hope whether it indure unto the end in patience Heb. 6. 10 11 12. rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation and out of faith hope and love laying out themselves for this College leaving the success prospering and blessing to the Lord Christ And this the rather if our expectation be according to the fifth-Monarchy mens perswasion which is not an Heresie and so not to be condemned but to be looked for but to be endeavoured after but to be prayed for that Christ his second coming in bringing and setting up his Kingdom may so appear And in a sort is not this hour of temptation come upon us of England and has it not been even for no less then fourty years almost trying our Faith whether we will and do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it our Love and Charity whether we will contribute any thing liberally to maintain the Champions of our Faith whether we will cast this sure anchor in the most holy place Heb. 6. 19. knowing and believing this most
blessed Dr Featley and blessed his Counsell and blessed God who filled his heart to lay before him indeed the summum bonum of Chelsey College as David did blesse Abigail So that as I said though that Church that Carnal Church carnal I say in comparison of this Chelsey College its pure spiritual consideration and intention the specious repairing whereof could not be without immense charge did much dazle the Archbishops eyes yet the apprehension and contemplation of future spiritual fruit and advantage from right qualified persons in Chelsey College had it been entertained in his heart how might it make his Soul now living under the Altar though the Vasculum of his precious body be layed in the dust yet I say how might it make his Soul say and sigh and still wish Me mortuo me occiso seu mactato floreat Collegium Chelcianum Much more therefore how may it move the present Archbishop Dr Juxton with his Brethren to say yea labour and indeavour it Imo nobis quasi à mortuis resuscitatis unà nobiscum revirescat in aternum Collegium Chelcianum And therefore we will give no sleep to our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids until we have obtained this Chelsey College to be set upon its own Basis and to be the place for the Lord to dwell amongst us as between the Cherubims and for the most honourable and glorious service of his most sanctifying and saving Truth so to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight that our Lord and great Master when he cometh may find us thus doing most diligently with all our best prudence and piety advancing his precious work for his Glory and the sovereign soul-good of his people And though I prudently confess and most humbly acknowledge that non est meae tenuitatis dictare viris tantis tam rerum sapientiam Divinam pariter ac gloriam spectantium perquam sagacissimis yet may I with craving of pardon say that if the present Archbishop his Grace as being the last and only man that was at the dying of King Charles on the Scaffold privy to the Counsel and bosom of his Majesties Royal heart and to many desires of his not yet uttered if he shall think good yea if God command him to acquaint his blessedly-succeeding Majesty so as it may be no prejudice any way unto him with a convenient way for settling a determined certain revenue on this College then I say the Affair may easily speedily and happily be promoted and no prejudice done to or complaint made by any man but rather by the secret blessing of the Lord in his acceptance it may be made to emerge in Glory Yet with all most prudent and provident Caution that in case the Members thereof so amply provided for should not answer the trust which they are sworn unto and the Articles of Unity Love and Truth which they are ingaged in but suffer their fountain to be defiled and their waters like those of Jericho at length to become bitter that then all Indulgences Privileges Provision return to the King and State For O the sacred Covetousness with the Envy and hate that Satan may possess the hearts of the Adversaries with the Ecclesia malignantium especially against Christ and his Cause even to corrupt and to cause prevarication in the best and most blessed things to cause even them to be the more doubly and dreadfully cursed according to my comparison which I have before hinted of snakes toads and vipers crawling at and corrupting the Royal root of the Palm-tree But Absit omen But I hope the Kings Majesty will see not only great reason for it but gracious Religion flourishing in it too which overbalances all carnal respects and find that God will as he well can multiply his seed of Royal Munificence thus sown an hundred fold into his bosom and heap upon and load him in lieu thereof with Riches and Honour and Obedience and hearty love of his Subjects so as to make him the Joy and delight of mankind and as the man of his right hand by multiplying still more Riches and Honour upon him as he did to Jehosaphat the son of Asa who walked in the first waies of David and abhorred Baalim The like his Majesty does and has resolved to doe for which God has established the Kingdom in his hand by inclining the hearts of Parliaments and Citizens to bring presents unto him in earnest thereof I say Riches and Honour shall be multiplied upon him for those that honour God God will honour especially that in the midst of their deep poverty meditate liberal things and study to abound unto rich liberality 2 Cor. 8. 2. Esay 32. 8. and Esay 30. 15. In returning and rest ye shall be saved But Esay 7. 9. If ye will not believe but Absit omen If then men being moved by God's spirit shall chearfully and readily lay out themselves for this College they shall not repent of this good deed but find profit by it as the widows oil and flower was multiplied by her contributing to the Prophet And he that ministreth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your Righteousness 2 Cor. 9. 10. Especially if there be withall a chearfulness of heart as in sowing our seed in hope how gladly with full hands do we distribute it and what rich return doth the Earth recompense us again withall As oil therefore which flows of its own accord from the Olives fatness without pressing is much more excellent and precious and for many medicaments more usefull then that which is forced by pressing so a prompt voluntary and chearfull Contribution without any importunate begging is most gratefull to God and most rich for reward But for the work faithfully done to the end O how rich and blessed a reward is there The promised and hoped effects from this College when first constituted formed and manned having its provision of maintenance to sustain it a Library and revenue for helps to it let me set forth First in Beza's Emblem and next in Zachary the Prophets First Beza's which is a vast Circle made up of intwined Serpents all langued and armed every way facing the Assailants about the immense body of a Cerastes whereof these are as it were the life-guard which Orbe or Circle is the same with one OEcumenical Bishop an Arch old Serpent with an erected most formidable Head and neck bearing a triple Crown upon it but having an hand above it with an armed sword to smite at and cut off the head at his time The Emblem speaketh thus Hi Colubris Colubri Crist as tollente Ceraste Contexti pariter sinuosa volumina quorum Dextra secat Gladium Coeli quae vibrat ab Arce Quos signant rogitas satis re nomixe notos Quos Satan armavit Justi quem numinis ira Terrarum exitio funesto excivit ab Orco Ast hominis tandem sortem miseratus acerbam Exterto Verbi Christus nunc dissecat Ense Which speaks thus Cerastes loe that serpent fell and horn'd With his proud head in hellish wrath and scorn Exalted against Heights to hiss suborn'd His immense body how it is adorn'd With Adders Snakes capt mitred cowl'd and bald Which so in order have about him crawl'd Which Monster yet an arm with sword from high At his mad head and Circle does let fly If any ask what means all this 't is plain That 't is Hells rabble which unto mans bane God's wrath permitting Satan does excite To bring upon the world an hell-black night But mercy moving God to help mans Case With his mouths sword he smites the Monsters face Zachary's Emblem of the Repairs Zach. 1. 18 19. Loe whilst that Rome thus sets and sinks in night Sion shall rise Christ's Church shine and be bright Four Carpenters in grace the Lord adorns Of hellish Heresie to fray the horns Which four fierce horns are Heresies and Factions Base State-defamings bitter Church-distractions With the sad issue as the Fiend expects To blast our Churches face with his infects Whilst Christ Church shines in the perstringing beams To cloud Rome's Synagogue in tragick schemes And the four Carpenters are Truth Grace Love With Unity for blessing from above The Cage of unclean birds who may dispell Raising a Temple in which Christ may dwell Consterning Adversaries perilous Because Immanuel God so with us This to effect God workmen send to doe it We 'll bless his Name and then cry Grace grace to it FINIS CATALOGUE of Books sold by J. Bourn at the South entrance of the Royal-Exchange LEx Mercatoria or the ancient Law-Merchant divided into three parts according to the escential parts of traffick by Gerard Mulins Merchant fol. The Merchants Mirror or directions for the better ordering and keeping of his accompts by way of Debtor and Creditor after the Italian manner by Richard Dafforne Accomptant 3d edition fol. The Accomptants Closet directions for keeping Accompts after a new method by Abraham Liset Accomptant fol. Several pieces of the Reverend Dr Daniel Featley against the Papists and against the Anabaptists An Abridgment of Dr Preston's works an excellent practical piece 8o. B p Downam's Exposition on the Lord's Prayer with a Tract on Practical praying in 4o. Also a Treatise against Lying by the same Author Eliptical Dyalling and a Treatise demonstrating the use of a Ruler both written by Mr Samuel Foster late Professor of Astronomie in Gresham College 4o. The Survey of London containing the Original Increase Modern Estate and Government of the famous City c. by John Stow. fol. The Chirurgeons Mate or military and domestick Chirurgery discovering faithfully and plainly the order and method of a Chirurgeons Chest by John Woodal Master in Chirurgery fol. Prov. 3. 9. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Psal 94. 16. Zach. 1. 20 and 4. 7.