ante conquiescant quam ipsi rerum potiantur Irrisores turbulenti factiosi disputaces ingrati arrogantes supra quam dici aut credi potest hostes Catholicorum juratissimi quique non tantum ipsi nihil conferunt ad repellendam imminentem Christianorum cervicibus Turcarum vim sed etiam motis intestinis dissidiis bellisque impediuâ—t alios Reges id conantes quin opes viresque ipsorum à communi hoste aversas in mutuam Christianoâ—um perniciem concitant Atque hoc ipsis est reformare Ecclesiam I shall leave this upon your spirits sadly to be thought upon and speak a word unto my Brethren of Episcopal perswasion I know many of you beloved Brethren and I believe here are far many more in this and our neighbor Nation of Ireland eminent in wisdom and piety men of profound learning sober grave just prudent c. who have been refined and purified in the furnace of humiliation and are come forth as vessels of honor fit for their Masters use These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons who hae far transcended the envy of their persecuters And having been turned into strange Countreys have declar'd evidently what difference there is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one unlearned and learned Unto these I say onely Macti estote proceed and shine forth as lights of the Church To you I speak who have been Sufferers also but if report not onely of your enemies but even of your friends also wrong you not some of you have not improved your sufferings to the advantage of your own souls or the Church of God so that you cannot truly and experimentally say It is good for us that we have been afflicted Are not many of you returned the very same men you were onely worse as being more heightned with pride more embittered with envy more enflamed with wrath more enlarged with desire of revenge Atqui cum peccata carnalia plus habeant infamiae spiritualia plus de natura peccati quod sanctus Gregorius ait Ut fama vestrae parcam Latine vos pacciis alloquar Aiunt è vobis esse at spero eos admodum paucos esse qui ventri nimium indulgent mutuo se poculis provecant invitant se plusculum c. An non hoc idem ipsum vitium est quod pientissimus Rex haud feret in eajulo haud feret in tressi agasone Anidem ipsum tulerit in Ministro Dei An non etiam vos illi feciales qui contra haec flagitia moresque vitioses prudentissimi Regis inimicitias indicitis Qua fronte utcunque caperata inhibetis illud quod vita licentiori comprobatis Pudet haec opprobria vobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Are ye they who are come out of that great tribulation Rev. 7.14 should not then your garments be made white in the blood of the Lamb Should not you be planted in the likeness of his death and so be made also like unto him in his pure innocent and spotless life and resurrection So should you be fit to say in way of thankfulness with that Heavenly Quire Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen This is an heaventy Doxology when the heavenly life speaks it Otherwise an unholy debaucht and vicious life is the greatest ingratitude especially in a Priest For what honor what glory can be to God what profit is it unto you or to the Church of God that holy hands have been laid upon you and that you be made Priests if by a sinful life you dishonor â—od and that holy function and render your selves unfit for the discharge of it Flatter not your selves not please your selves in that honorable name of Priests and that thereby you have power to binde and loose so that whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Do you consider what that worthy name imports Is not a Priest such an one as is growen up unto the old age of Christ Ephes 4. And dare you in your nonage while yet you are subject to the sins incident unto the spiritual child-hood and before you are so strong as to overcome the evil one dare you assume to your selves the power of binding and loosing even while you your selves are bound with the chaines of your own sins Can you think that such great works as are binding and loosing are annexed to your persons or to the due qualifications of the Priesthood and such as ought to be in you There is no doubt but as the Priest under the law had skill to put difference between holy and unholy and clean and unclean which he could not do if he drank wine or strong drink before he went into the Tabernacle of the congregation Lev. 10. so neither can the Gospel Priest discern between holy and unholy righteousness and unrighteousness pure and unpure so as to bind or loose if he be drunk with wine wherein is excess or drunk and not with wine Esay 29.9 as with the spirit of opinion O my beloved brethren the Gospel Priest must well understand the nature of sin and corruption and temptation unto sin and the devices of Satan and meanes and ways how to escape them He is the spiritual man who judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 Who knowes the mind of the Lord Rom. 11.34 Who hath the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Such a Priest is able and fit to binde and loose as having received the spirit of God and been endued with power from above Otherwise its great boldness and presumption for any man to assume such power unto himself And what my Brethren emboldens you here unto Because you say you are made Priests And therefore you presume to take the Apostles authority for your patern to whom the Lord Jesus said Those sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained John 20.23 O when shall we deal sincerely and impartially with the holy Scriptures How often do men cite the divine testimonies as the devil alledged part of Psalm 91.11 12. to our Saviour Math. 4.6 Where he leaves out what was most necessary to be understood And in this case of great moment men do the very same For where our Lord saith whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. he premiseth those words Receive the Holy Chost And then immediately follow chose other whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained They therefore who have received the Holy Spirit of God are the fit men for the discharge of the Gospel-Priesthood Wherefore my Brethren boast not of your power but rather pray unto the Lord for his Holy Spirit whereby you may be impowered For our Heavenly Father will not fail to give his Holy Spirit unto those his children who ask him Luke 11.13 and are obedient
sins but a rebuking of our brother otherwise all this pretence of love is indeed no other then hatred according to the Lords own reasoning Levit. 19. Yea among those who seem to hold the bond of perfectnes more inviolably how remissly and negligently is peace maintained A cross word a little disrespect some small detriment and loss it ravels all that love and peace which had long time been knitting together But an Opinion that like Samsons foxes it sets all on fire and scatters them like Babel And a little breach maâ—es a perpetual rupture and division Solomon tells us that the beginning of strife is as the letting forth of waters Pro. 17.14 but he saith not what the end will be Whereas indeed the people of God who are firmely bound in the bond of perfectness are like the more subtil and purer creatures like the more spiritual natures as when the Sun-beames are divided they immediately unite themselves together again so doth the air and water saith the wise man much more do the saints of God who are of a spiritual and heavenly nature if there fall out any unhappy division among them they unite themselves presently together again in the perfect bond And this people of God invite all men to partake with them and to be joyned with them in the same bond as St. Joâ—â— in the name of them all saith That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us And truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 But such is the bewitching of unrighteousness saith Solomon and such a jealousie upon every motion made that way though the most excellent way that it is very hardly entertained by any unless they know well the person whence it comes and that he is of their own side Howbeit in other matters men are not so partial and curious As were you in danger of wrack at sea or your house were on fire which God forbid and some one came out of good will to help you would you refuse his help unless you knew of what Religion he were Or suppose some person of great quality were dangerously sick and the Colledge of Physitians were advised withal would a soveraign remedy be rejected because offered by the hand of a plain simple man unless you knew of whose Church he were and what his judgement was concerning predestination election and reprobation Certainly that very tender of love in your distress might prove him a good man at least to you what ever his Religion were 't is possible a man may be a very good Christian yet of none of the visible Religions in the world Nor are you wont to neglect a good commodity at a small price though profered by a Jew or a Mahumetan Now are there not many at this day who concerning faith have suffered shipwrack making a naked belief all their Religion whence it comes to pass that iniquity burns like a fire Isaiah 9. Yea do not many instead of the fear and love of God and keeping his commandments continue doting or rather sick or mad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about questions and contentions about words whereof cometh envy strife railings or blasphemies evil surmises or suspicions perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness And although the precious truths of God be manifestly revealed unto them yet do they utterly refuse to be holpen except by some of their own party I thought it therefore most safe for my self and more conducing unto these mens information to appear to them under a disguise that I might deceive them into a better minde But since His Majesty in His most moderate Declaration hath now condescended so low as may consist with His Authority and Prerogative and used all real inducements unto peace and unity what farther means is left for the restoring of this Church and Kingdom disjoynted yea broken and scattered like the dry bones which Ezekiel saw Ezek. 37. what means is left for the bringing them to life again but the indeavors of wise pious and moderate men their examples counsels and prayers By such moderate men the Kingdom stands and the Church also And what means did the Lord command Ezekiel to use but prophesying to the dry bones and prophesying to the windes for a breath upon them There is some hope therefore of restauration left since the Lord commands Ezekiel to prophesie to the dry bones and say unto them Hear the word of the Lord. O that the wise pious and moderate men according to the strength of God in them that 's Ezekiel would drop their word upon these dry bones O that they would pray to the father of spirits that he would vouchsafe them the spirit of life and the spirit of moderation that every bone may know its place and come unto its bone that there may be a mutual yielding according to the due measure of every part that so all may become one body as the elements cannot become one body while their qualities are in their intense but in their remiss degrees and tempered one by other Untill this be done what anguish what dolour and pain disquiets and torments the whole body But when every one knowes his place and moves in it as he ought with delight what a change will then follow What less then even life from the dead Then shall the whole Church rise up tanquam acies ordinata as an army with banners Cant. 1.4.6.4 and the great banner over all shall be love Then shall judgement righteousness and peace be set up in the earth judgement shall run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth Then shall there be no more strife who should be the greatest or who should rule others but all shall yield unto the Lord his Kingdome in righteousness peace and joy in the holy ghost O that this were come to pass in every one of our souls ΕΙΡΗÎΙΚΟΠOr A Treatise of PEACE BETWEEN The two visible divided PARTIES WHen a Scare-fire is once broken forth and spreads it self wastes and devours and endangers all the Neighbor-hood it is not then due time to enquire how it began or who kindled it but it concerns every one then to put to his hand and help to quench it Nor will I now enquire how our fire of dissention was kindled among us or who was the Bontefeu and Author of our Combustions For beside that such inquisition would be unseasonable should we stir the Embers wherein the Coals of burning Zeal lie glowing there might be danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of provoking and blowing up the like flames of contention Onely thus much we may say in general with the Wise Solomon that onely from pride comes contention And scornful proud men burn up the City but wise men turn away wrath as the LXX turn Proverbs
est uno verho non est noster Beneficâ—um tanti per annum valoris Orthodoxum aliquem conostris non dedecebit At super hacâ—re aliiisque pluribus Tilenus adeundus Unum autem exemplum addam quo tandem finiam Quidam haud it a pridem vir doctu partium Episcopalium venit in hanc â—u iam examinandus Illum inquisitorum antesignanus adoritur Inter alia consimilis farinae problemiata proposuit istud Quo sensu Deus author peccati dici potest Cui alter quo ait sensu Certe nullo nisi non-sensu Hominem praefidum impudentem perfrictae frontis Eo ventum audasiae uti quis Inquisitori eique primario ica responset Râ—icitur homo merito scilicet quippe qui Graâ—ia destitutus nempe non Dei sed Inquisitorum qualis ille Johan 9. a Phariseis pro responsatione haud absimili excommunicatus Quid ille Ad Patronum rem defert Quid Patronus Dicam impegit Inquifitori Quare impedit vocant Quid Inquisitor quid ille Ad Protectorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinat asylum iniquitatis Queritur apud ipsum contemni Commissionem examinatorum Nihil illam deinceps valituram si legi communi subâ—iciatur Hanc adveertite vos expostulationens Anglicanae libertatis reique publicae Assertores Quanta olim cura cautum est nequando Episcopi vim legibus inferrent Eccos Presbyteros eccos Indepentes superbum nomen qui a nulla omnino lege pendent exemptos volunt a communi lege se suosque Quod utique documento est fore uti si quando ipsirerum potiantur abrogaturos communilege suamque disciplinam pro lege secundum conscientiae sue dictamon imposituros Quod autem sititulis ac nominibus honorificis homines intumescant at an Metropolâ—â—â—â—orum Primatum Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum c. an alienereipublicae consimilibus Illi sunt Diocesani Presbyteri Archidiocesani c. qui sunt ad illum modum At hi conficti olim a Presbyteris asque in illorum locum sufficiendi Hoc ego certissime novi statutum a primariis Presbyterianarum partium neu quid ex immutata forma regiminis honorum titulorunave deperderetur Caeterum ex his quae conmemorata sunt haud arduum est consicere homunciones etiam sine titulis honorumque decoramentis opprimere alies ambitiose gerere se posse insolescere ac superbire As the Presbyters except against Titles of honor so likewise against Forms of Godliness and those of two sorts either Forms of Prayer or forms and modes of ceremonies which consist either in gesture or vesture As for the form of Prayer let us first enquire what that is against which their exceptions lie and then we shall endeavour to satisfie those exceptions The Liturgy or Common prayer so called is a System of select Scriptures Prayers and Praises proportioned according to the necessaries and spiritual proficiencies of all Gods people 1. To those under the fear of God in the entrance of the Liturgy certain sentences out of Scripture are premised shewing the necessity of Confessing our sins and raysing our hope of pardon and forgiveness of them Then followes a Form of Confession and after it Absolution from sins and the Lords-Prayer in special for the Remission of sins And because confession is either of sins or of prayse after the confession of sins followes the confession of prayse Which yet cannot rightly be performed unless the Lord enable us so to do And therefore we pray that the Lord would open our lips c. Accordingly we give glory to the holy and blessed Trinity And we exhort one another to sing unto the Lord and heartily to rejoyce in the strength of our salvation c. Psalm 95. In which Psalm after the declaration of Gods power David prevents an objection sutable to their state under fear and like unto those in Kadesh-barnea in the mutable and unsetled holyness of the childe-hood The objection may be framed thus we are not able through the power of God to subdue our sins and to perform acceptable service unto God and therefore we shall perish in our sins and never enter into the Heavenly rest The Psalmist therefore dehorts us from hardening our hearts lest we should be like those farthers of the Hebrewes whose carkasses fell in the Wilderness c. To which purpose the Apostle applies that part of the Psalm to the Hebrewes in the same spiritual estate Heb. 3. and 4. 2. To those under faith in Christ Christ is propounded in the Psalms as some of the Antients have interpreted all the Psalms of Christ and our Lord points us unto them as giving testimony of himself Luke 24. also as foreshewen in types and figures of the Law and storied of and prophesied of in others books of the Old Testament In regard of all which Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday Heb. 13. When these have some way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discovered Christ unto us we break out into the praise of God saying or singing We praise thee O God c. After that Christ is discovered in types histories and prophesies more obscurely He is more clearly manifested in the flesh and expressed in one or other of the Evanglists or Acts of the Apostles After which the Church acknowledges and blesseth the Lord for exhibiting His Son according to the promises and his fore-runner John the Baptist Or which concerns all Nations Psalm 100. Oberoyful in the Lord all ye lands Then followes the confession of Faith in the Father Son and Spirit Out of this faith the Minister and People pray mutually one for other Which done the Minister prayes for those things which the Epistle or Gospel holds forth in the Collect gathered out of them then prayes for Peace and thirdly for Grace That we may fall into no sin nor run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by his Governance to do always that which is righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. In these prayers the Petitions are more general therefore the Litany is added containing more particular Petitions according to the several temporal or spiritual wants of Gods people Wherein and afterward prayers are made for the King the Royal issue and spiritual Governors according to 1 Tim. 2. 3. To those under the love of God and their neighbour is propounded a prayer out of largeness of heart unto God Unto whom all hearts are open all desires known unto whom no secrets are hâ—d that he will cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his holy spirit that we may perfectly love him and worthily magnifie His holy name through Christ our Lord. This cannot be done unless the Lord be pleased to write his laws in our heart which we pray for which done we return to our prayer in special for the King and the royal issue c. Then such Scriptures are propounded for Epistles and Gospels as befit that eminent estate And because
they who are in such a condition have a more explicit knowledge of God the Father Son and Spirit and other Articles of the Faith the Nicene Creed is added And because prayer is to be accompanied with alms-giving certain sentences are then propounded stirring us up thereunto And so that Service concludes with a prayer for the whole state of Christs Church c. The like reason there is of Evening-prayer The explication of these and other particular services would require a just Tractate Against this form of prayer the Presbyters except For why should any form of prayer be imposed upon the people of God Or if any why so long Why that which is clogg'd with so many repetitions Why not a prayer more spiritual Must one and the same fit all ages of the Church Why are Godly men thereby hindred from the exercise of their gifts Why must they use such a form of prayer as is taken out of the Mass-book Yea why are many Canonical Scriptures left out of the Kalendar and Apocryphal placed in the room Episcopal men alleadge for themselves that there is no Church in the world no not that which the Presbyters account the best reformed but it hath a form of prayer Because not onely they who are grown up in religion but the young ones also who are not able to pray of themselves may thereby be instructed and taught how to pray such were Johns disciples and such were Christs whom therefore they both taught to pray But if exception be against a form because a form every conceived prayer is a form unto those who hear it which is well to be considered by them who except against a form of prayer because a form But if a form of prayer be needful they ask why so long a form of prayer Why hath it so many repetitions It 's true the Liturgy hath repetitions in it Yet are not all repetitions vain or Heathenish such as our Lord forbiddeth nor for that end but to express the fervency and ardour of affection And therefore we read many iterations of the same petition or thanksgiving which will amount to the same exception used by David as else where so especially Psalm 136. For his mercy endures for ever twenty six times used in that one psalm Yea and our Lord himself is said in his prayer to have used the same words But although this blame were justly laid upon the Common-prayer yet do not many of them who except against it much mend the matter in their conceived prayers wherein they use most what many repetitions especially when they are at a loss and know not what else to say which is not seldom And as for length of prayer The whole Liturgy Litany and all is not so long as many of their conceived prayers And if their prayers be so long surely it is their own fault if all that time they do not exercise their gifts What they say of spiritual prayers are there any more spiritual in all the Latine or Greek Liturgies How much less in these mens conceived prayers And if there bâ— some of all Dispensations in all Ages of the Church why may not this form of prayer composed as I have shewn fit all Ages of the Church Nor do Episcopal men deny but that many of the Church-prayers are extant in the Mass-book And is it not for the credit of the Roman Missal that so excellent prayers are found in it What though all the Epistles and Gospels or the most of them may be read in that Book Are they therefore one jote the worse Or is the Scripture any whit the less true because it hath been cited by the father of lies Feign the Mass as abominable as any man can make it will any reasonable man refuse what is unquestionably good because it hath been ill used May not the Sun shine upon a dunghil and yet loose nothing of its purity It is true that some Canonical Scriptures are omitted in the Kalendar and Apocryphal set in their place as the two Books of Chronicles the Book of Canticles the latter part of Ezekiels prophesie much of the Revelation and some others And why not For although all Scriptures were written for our edifying yet all Scriptures do not edifie alike As for those Canonical omitted the Episcopal man dares appeal to the Presbyter whether Adam Seth Enosh and the rest of the Genealogy edifie so much as the Scripture Canonical or Apocryphal appointed to be read in place of it Yea whether the History of Judith may not edifie as well as the History of Jael Yea why he though with much study he hath hardly attained to the true meaning of the latter chapter of Ezekiel and the Book of Canticles and the Revelation yet should desire that the same Scriptures should be propounded to the understanding of the rude multitude ex tempore and hope that thereby they should be edified The Learned Jews were not thought to envy the people the Holy Scriptures when they forbade the novices the reading of the three first chapters of Genesis and some other Scriptures lest they should frame ill interpretations of them Many other exceptions are taken by the Presbyterians and others against the Book of Common-prayer which are so frivolous that its apparent their Palmarium their main Reason against it is Stat pro ratione voluntas They would not have it But the Presbyterians take great exceptions against the Forms of Godliness expressed in Ceremonies in Gesture as Bowing Standing Kneeling enjoyned at the performance of divers parts of the Divine Service with which the Church of God should not be burthened Concerning such Ceremonies Episcopal men say That a reason may be given of them according to the different parts of the Service where they are commanded to be used Divers of Episcopal perswasion have written particularly of these and therefore I refer the Reader to them for satisfaction I shall onely adde a Rule out of Ticonius cited by St. Austin When any thing in Scripture is prescribed to be done without the circumstances when where how c. it should be done which yet cannot be done without such circumstances that duty to be done must be circumstantiated out of the word elswhere mentioned or according to the ancient custom of the Church As when the Apostle saith Preach the word yet adds not when or where or how a due circumstance of place and maner may be taken from the practice of Ezra Nehem. 8.4 or of Solomon 2 Chr. 6.13 where the word turn'd a Scaffold signifies rather a Pulpit So when our Lord saith Baptize all Nations And touching that other Sacrament Do this as often as ye do it in remembrance of me The mode or way of administring and receiving these Sacraments is no where commanded and therefore it s left to be directed by the Fathers of the Church But whereas Forms of Godliness are either in gesture or vesture 1. In vesture as the Surplice At this some take most
upon the affections of the people However was it reasonable or equal that the faults of some one or few should redound to the blame yea extirpation of the whole Community Judge righteous judgement Is it just that because some Aldermen have been faulty in the Transactions of these late times therefore the whole rank and order of them should be taken away Or because some Presbyterians have been zealous and pragmatical in many unwarrantable actions is it therefore just or reasonable that the whole order of Presbyters should be extirpated O that these divided Parties would leave off the blaming one another and would enquire 5. Wherein they ought to agree THe endeavors of most men towards pacification have been spent in presenting certain Tenents and Principles wherein they would that all men should agree Hence the formula concordiae was framed and many other Confessions and Articles of Religion as those of the Church of England But its worth the enquiry whether all these pretences of Agreement tend not rather to division and disagreement than union amongst men that in some particular Opinions some might accord and in others oppose all other men To this purpose pains have been lately taken But the issue hath been rent and division Because they have endeavored such an Union as should be made by equivocal and amphibological Phrases which may be understood and taken divers ways which could hold men no longer together than that Artifice was unridled And if men agreed in these Tenents then they were on this side or that which gloried by encrease of their party Thus the Pharisees compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes And many like them have labored to make men Orthodox as they speak that is to bring men to their opinions to think as they think while mean time little or no regard hath been had of the Christian life nor do men consider that it matters not much of what Religion or Opinion any man is if he be a knave The holy Scripture directs us not so much to Principles of Speculation as to good affection life and practise If thou do well c. Gen. 4. Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Esay 1. He hath shewen thee O man what is good c. Micah 6. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Math. 3. In every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted of him Otherwise to dogmatize to know and believe and hold this or that principle without the life affection and action cui bono to what what purpose is it See what account the Spirit of God makes of such Theory and Faith see Romans 2. and James 2. What then is it wherein we should agree That wherein they who differ and we all ought to agree is the wisdom and life of God in righteousness and holiness of truth This wisdom is begun in the fear of God The progress of it is in faith and hope The consummation of it is in the love of God and our neighbor The life of God is that from which we have been all alienated and unto which we are again lovingly called The archetypon of this is God himself who is our life and the Son of God who is our life and the Spirit of God which also is the Spirit of life This life is explicated in righteousuess which comprehends all graces and vertues of which that Poet whose verses were accounted Oracles saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tully turn'd Justitia in se se virtutes continet oâ—nes And we may English it In righteousness all vertues are contained The effect of this righteousness is peace whence another of the old Poets in his Genealogy of Vertues and Graces which he calls Gods saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the daughter of Justice and Equity This divine life came forth from the Lord in all purity This was prefigured by Eve taken out of Adam that is the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken out of Christ of whom then to come Adam was a figure Rom. 5. This Eve is the mother of all those who truly live as Hierusalem is said to be the mother of us all As this life came spotless and pure out of Gods hands so it must return unto him And therefore Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5.25 26 27. Hitherto we are to be gathered Gen. 49.10 2 Thes 2.1 Hither tend all the labors of the Bishops and Presbyters Herein we all ought to meet Ephes 4.13 This divine life hath been much obscured and counterfeited by all sorts of Philosophers and false Christians and is said for that reason to be taken from he earth The Lord Jesus therefore appeared to make discovery of this divine life John 17. This is life eternal to know thee and whom thou hast sent Josus Christ And therefore the Apostle saith that he hath conquered death and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlighten or illustrate the life which was darkened and obscured before 2 Tim. 1.10 And it is more and more discovered in the growth of it For as there are different ages in the natural life so likewise are there in the spiritual life And the wisdom of God enters into the holy souls according to the ages Wild. 7.27 To which purpose the Apostle is to be understood Ephes 4 7. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ that is of Christ himself who is that gift as our Lord calls Himself the gift of God John 4. For as the visible sun by few or many and often revolutions makes a like number of natural days or years in the outward and visible world after the same proportion in the invisible and spiritual world the sun of Righteousness lifts up the light of his countenance on the souls of those who fear him on whom he ariseth Malach. 4.2 And accordingly make some younger some elder some old aged men For if in truth and in Gods computation they were elder or yonger whom the world accounts such who should be more full of days then Adam and Methusala Who yet are never in all the Scripture said to be old men But Abraham the father of the faithful who had soon Christs days is said to die in a good old age and Joshua Job David Jehoida with some others all children in respect of those two are yet styled old men and full of days when yet the eldest of them all if we regard their natural life in this outward world came short of Adam and Methusala many hundred years The Wise man speaks home to this Wisdom 4.8 9. That honorable old age is not
turning from all and every one of our evil ways all our humbling all our praying all our pretence of seeking Gods face will be utterly in vain and to no purpose although the best men on earth should pray for us When the people had desired Samuel to pray for them he promised so to do but unless they turned from their evil ways he assures them his prayer would be ineffectual as indeed afterward it proved 1 Sam. 12.23 Hence it is that notwithstanding all the pageantry all the ostentation of Relâ—gion all the partial and false righteousness the envy the pride the covereousness the wrath the gluttony the chambering and wantonness the slothfulness in all spiritual duties generally the sin remains and consequently no peace can be hoped for which is the proper effect of righteousness For what peace saith Jehu so long as the whoredoms of Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many There is an inconsistency and incompossibility of peace with the whoredoms and witchcrafts of Jezebel Jezebel hath a diverse Etymon either Insula habitaculi an Island of habitation and dwelling as the Island wherein we dwell or Insula sterquilinii an Island of a dunghill And this latter the Scripture it self warrants 2 King 9.38 The carcase of Jezebel shall be like dung upon the face of the field So Jer. 9.22 O how unhappily is this Etymon this Notation fulfilled in this Island Jezebel spiritually understood Revel 2. and her whoredoms and witcherafts Whoredom is spiritually idolatry a most known metaphor Disobedience is understood by witcheraft Gal. 3.1 By these and all open sin and false righteousness this Island which the hâ—â—â—man told King Edward the Confessor was Gods kingdom by these this Island is made a dunghil therefore what peace can be unto it Since therefore my beloved Brethren of both perswasions such abundance of iniquity and false righteousness such as the Apostle calls dung Phil. 3. hath over-spread this Kingdom and the Church in it and hidden the way of peace from us and since the partial false righteousness hath proved useless and ineffectual for the discovery and finding out that way let us all and every one of us prose quisque enquire and seek for peace and persue it in those narrow and untrodden pathes and follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath gone the same way before us that we should follow his steps And let the same mind be in us and every one of us which was also in Christ Jesus who humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross Let us seek peace in these ways infallibly and unquestionably leading thereunto Let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle exhorts persue peace as eagerly as a man would persue his enemy and follow hard after it yet let us not use it as an enemy but as a dear friend and such as we would make an umpire of our differences and so let every one of us entertain peace in himself as St. Paul perswades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the Peace of God arbitrate and rule in your hearts Col. 3.15 as when we are injured commonly mutinous and seditious thoughts arise in our hearts whereof some stir us up to revenge suffer this and suffer all c. but others coming most what after the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundae cogitationes sapientiores these second thoughts perswade us to humility self-denyal taking up the cross long-suffering rendring good for evil and overcoming evil with goodness c. what 's therefore now to be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts and that will guide our thoughts wills and affections into the way of peace Let that peace of God umpire our differences Let that peace moderate arbitrate and rule in our hearts whereunto we are called in one body Will one member contend with or do injury to another O no but every member is compassionate and helpful and bears the infirmity and we â—â—â—â—ss of another The holy Apostle labours for this peace and 〈◊〉 of the Church by the same Allegory of the members mutuâ—â—â—erviceableness one to other and to the body the Church that there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another and whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honored all the members rejoyce with it Those last words contain an hard lesson in them For it is much to be feared that our envy at our fellow members honors and our ambitious desires of them for ourselves hath made this schism and preach of peace in the body which the Apostle endeavours to prevent when he tells us Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular And how unseemly is the tumâ—r or swelling of ambition or the Marasmus or Consumption of envy in the body of Christ Especially since the honors of Christs members arise with their proficiencies as was shewen before and their variety is ordered of God And therefore the Apostle adds that God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. implying forcibly that if men duely considered that this subordination of divine honors is by divine institution the evil spirits of ambition and envy would soon be laid especially in the members of Christs body And therefore the same Apostle exhorting the Ephesians to this unity he begins at the lowest step of Jacâ—bs ladder Humility walk with all lowliness and meekness wtth long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit even as you are called in one hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ And lest this different measure of grace might raise the evil spirits of ambition and envy he calls those dignified persons Gods gifts unto men which he gave some Apostles some Prophets c. which gifts he gives for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ until we all come into the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the 〈…〉 of the stature of the fulness of Christ O my brethren let this umprage and arbitation of peace be wrought first in every one of our souls For until this peace be promoted at home in every mans own heart especially in every one of yours my brethren who are of the Ministry how can it be hoped that you should advance it abrâ—ad among the people Nihil dat quod non habet How can you impart to them the spiritual gift of peace if you have it not your selves Yea how can it be
brought not without your own sins by what hand soever you were brought into it Acknowledge that God is just and own his good hand in bringing you out of that great tribulation Leave vengeance to him to whom it belongeth Put on Charity above all which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God umpire all differences in your hearts to which also you are called in one body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And be ye thankful that 's a good sense but it 's a better and more fit for that place gratrosi estote according to Hierom be ye gracious amiable and lovely according to that proverbial precept which it were to be wished that we all obeyed Ut ameris amabilis esto that thou mayest be beloved be lovely Shew this love and kindness of God to your brethren of the Presbytery You know the heart of oppressed men it's Gods argument to his people why they should love the Egyptians and it is the kindness of God to overcome evil with goodness and to love our enemies Let these considerations prevail with you above your ambition above your revenge For consider advisedly and in the sight of God and deal truely with your own heart what moves thee to desire a Bishoprick a Deanary a Prebend the Bishops Deans and Chapters lands or the land of the living The Honor annexed to that high place Digiâ— monstrari ac dicier hic est to be called Rabbi Rabbi Or that highest Honor that cometh of God onely whether the ease hoped for or the good work Whether thou rather desire the Corps and body of a Prebend or rather the duty of it Hospitality Almesgiving the trayning up of novices and yong men and fitting them for the work of the Lord that they may grow up and become Presbyters Priests or Elders all which is the soul and spirit of these dignities and I doubt not but it was the end at which the Founders and Donors aimed And if thou attain to these Honors consider the the greatest is servant of all That the Bishaps are Fathers and Shepherds and such an Office as inferres and requires sutable acts to the relations as that the Fathers deal fatherly with their children though they too often stubborn children as Moses did Num. 11. Deut. 1. that they rule the flock pedo non gladio rather with the spirit of meekness then with the rod rather with the rod then with the sword That they are Bishops that is Overseers of the Church and like the Lord the great Bishop of our souls they oversee many things and wink at small faults as the Lord doth Acts 17. That as they oversee all so all see them and such as they see their overseers such they think it 's lawful for them to be therefore St. Peter would that they should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Peter 5. paterns to the flock And if they see them spotted they will bring forth a spotted issue of evil work Therefore as the Lord commanded Micha chap. 6.1 2. so let me the meanest of you in both your and mine own esteem that 's Micha speak unto these Mountaines the two swollen parties who as they say of Mountaines cannot meet nor touch one another but in puncto Yee are too high too lofty Remember the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low Esay 2.12 which must come to pass before we can see the salvation of God Luke 3.5 6. The Soveraign Majesty the King who is supream he hath exceedingly condescended and stoopt to the moderation of your differences pardoned many insolences even before pardon was desired Declared and resolved to pâ—â—mote the power of Godliness and to encourage the exercises of Religion publick and private c. granted and confirmed a liberty to tender consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for difference of opinions in matter of Religion which doth not disturb the peace of the Kingdom All which according to the divine wisdom and goodness in him he hath manifested in that beyond all precedents of former favours his most prudent and moderate Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical affaires Shall his Maâ—esty my brethren make your Peace and Unity your mutual Love and Reconcilation his study and should not you much more study the things which make for your own peace and unity and the peace of the Church and kingdom I know well there are many very learned men and great Students among you of both perswasions And I acknowledge my self much inferiour to many of you Yet since Micah must speak to the Mountains let me be bold to tell you that there is one main point of learning wherein many of you have declared your non-proficiency many of you have not studied to be quiet and to do your own busmess which was the counsel of learned St. Paul to his Thessalonians 1 Thess 4.11 I know well that many of you who cannot endure Episcopacy have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 busie Bishops in other mens dioceses and intermedled with the temporal affaires of the City and Nation under what pretence viz. in ordine ad spiritualia in order to spiritual things which is the same whereof your selves accuse the Bishop of Rome Yea there have not been wanting non-proficients in this study on both sides who have vigorously disquieted and disturbed the Church and Kingdom and indeed were the most notable troublers of our Israel Some of these to humour the people would tell them what the Kings Office and duty was toward his people and to prove it out of the Common-prayer-book viz. to preserve the people committed to his charge in wealth peace and Godliness And would remember the people what their liberties and properties were which the King ought to preserve and maintain And by this craft they had their wealth as Demetrius told his fellow-tradesmen and many a good morsel they got by it for they had read and were perfect in that rule cave ne majorum tibi forte Limina frigescant that otherwise they should have cold entertainment at the great mens tables On the other side the King was taught what his prerogative was â—nd what the peoples duty was to him To give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars that every soul should be subject to the higher powers c. Mean time the King was not told what his duty was toward his people Nor the people what their duty was toward their King So that both heard what the others duty was not what their own was and hence both parties were embittered one against the other by the evil spirit in the mouth of the Prophets Did these men do their own business Surely no. For though they preached the word yet were they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd men and illogical they did it out of due place unlearned men who had not studied to be quiet and
unto him Acts 5.32 Nor can the Book of Common-prayer though full fraught with Divine Petitions and Praises of God nor your dayly reading of it render you divine or as ye are called Divines unless your selves have a share of what you pray for Do ye not pray that we may hereafter that is after the Confession of sins live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of Gods holy Name And in the Communion-service do not you put up unto God this large Petition That we may ever hereafter serve and please him in newness of life to the honor and glory of his Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yea do you not pray every day that we may fall into no sin nor run into any kinde of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by his governance to do always that which is righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord Is your charity more fervent toward others than toward your selves Brethren Or is your endeavor less in behalf of your selves than in behalf of others Do you pray that they may live a godly righteous and sober life that they may ever serve and please God in newness of life that they may fall into no sin that they may do always that which is righteous in the Lords sight c. and do you not pray for all these things in behalf of your selves If so whence is the complaint that these things are not found in you that you have but a small part of them For if you prayed for them so that your selves might be partakers of them there is no doubt but our good God would grant your requests because they are according to his will Now this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions which we desired of him 1 John 5.14 15. Yea and because you pray not for your selves it is much to be feared that your Prayers are not heard for others For in this sense the Proverb is good and true That Charity begins at home And this is the ground of another Complaint That the Common-prayer is resorted unto by many loose and debaucht persons and I believe it is as true that many close hypocrites resort unto conceived prayers And hence ariseth one of the Presbyterians Invectives against the Book of Common-prayer that like as St. Paul reasons against the weakness of the Ceremonial Law Heb. 10.1 it cannot make the comers thereunto perfect Not that they think it possible that any one should be perfect in this life by what ever power God gives a man their own words in their large Catechism though Christ and his Apostles enjoyn us to be perfect and Epaphras prayeth for the Colossians that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Colos 4.12 But this is the Presbyterians argumentum ad hominem Howbeit this cannot be imputed unto the Book of Common-prayer that it cannot render men perfect For the defect is not in the prayers which are in commensuration even to the highest perfection as elsewhere so especially where the Church prayeth that we may perfectly love God and worthyly magnifie his holy name But indeed the great defect is in the Comers thereunto or many of them who without due consideration of either prayers or praises turn them over their tongues carelesly and negligently as if the very hearing and reciting of these prayers were the onely true and perfect service of God and think he is pleased with such a performance of it and so they rest in it tanquam in opere operato Yea I have heard it alledged that the Common-prayer is that pure offering whereof the Lord speakes as to be fulfilled among the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 In every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering Surely by Incense Prayer is understood according to Psalus 141.2 But the pure offering is little understood and less practised even the dayly sacrifice of mortification which is taken away according to Daniels Prophesie Dan. 8.11 12 13. 11.31 Truly what is generally spoken may be applied more properly to the Book of Common-prayer Quaeneglecta vilescunt eadem si considerentur habentur admiratione The method of the Liturgy the Prayers and Praises of God in it because neglected by Presbyters yea and by many Episcopals themselves they are not esteemed but if according to their weight and moment they were duly considered some offences being removed they would provoke pious men of both parties even to admire them So that the principal thing that 's wanting to the Honor of God the good of his Church and the due estimation of the Book of Common-prayer is the Christian life which is required out of it This my brethren procures authority to your Priesthood veneration to your outward Divine Service and due respect unto your Persons Without which neither a Long Cassock nor a Broad Girdle nor affected Gravity of Deportment will avayl any thing at all among wise and good men Ad populum phaleras Not that these are despicable as some vain and ignorant men have thought them but indeed venerable if we consider what they import as we shall understand if we remember our vow in our Baptism which I fear the most of us forget viz. an abremutation of Satan and all his works c. which in the antient Church was expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I renounce Satan And belief of the Gospel and all the articles of the Christian faith and the keeping of Gods commandments all which were comprized in the opposite phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I enroll my self in Christs Matricula or Military Roll. So that the Christian Profession is a kind of warfare and the person baptized promiseth to continue Christs faithful Soldier and servant unto his lives end And this is that which the Priest holds forth in his Sagum or Cassock which was Vestimentum militare a military Garment and so used by the Germans saith Tacitus and it is the same which is in use among most Soldiers at this day Plutarch calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Soldiers garment which saith Nomius he wore above all his other apparel a figure of Charity which must be put on above other Col. 3.14 And because love must be sincere Rom. 12.9 the Christian Soldier must be girded with the girdle of Truth Eph. 4.15 6.14 For the Girdle was a part of the Roman Soldiers armour Cingulum militare the Soldiers Belt a quo arma dependent saith Isidor whereon his other weapons hung Yea when the Israelites came out of Egypt it 's said Exodus 13.18 they went up harnessed the woâ—d is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly accincti girded importing thus much That the Israel of God going up out of the Spiritual Egypt must be armed with the whole armour of God