patch any new piece of home-spun cloath into the ancient and venerable coate of Christ John 19.23.24 Cypr. de simpl plat Prov. 17.11 which was without seame woven from the top throughout to imply the Mystery of unity in the Church So that the barbarous Souldiers which crucified him refused to rend it lest that Proverb of Solomon fall heavy upon you An evil man seeketh only rebellion therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him But for discharge of your loyalty which binds you to be subject for conscience sake for more gratefull correspondence to our Dread Sovereignes most gracious condescensions wherein he hath to the wonder of the world made himself all things to all men that he might by all meanes possible win the more for kinde satisfaction to your kindred and native Countrey which have a long time waited and longed for a settlement in peace Rom. 15.7 that they might at length with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the Passion of Christ who hath so dearly bought you Colos 1.20 that by making peace through the bloud of his cross he might reconcile all things unto himself both in earth and in heaven for the compassion which ye owe to your tender Mother the Church which hath so dearly born and bred you up that ye might follow the things which make for peace Rom. 14.19 and things whereby ye may no more ruine but edify one another set your selves even set your selves with Moses in the breach before the Lord for the Land Psal 106.23 to turn away his wrath that he may not come against us any more to destroy us Take your censers with Aaron and go out quickly Num. 16.46.48 and put on the incense of pure hearts and hands lift up to the throne of grace on high that while ye stand in this posture between the dead and the living the plague that hath been so long raging among us may be stayed If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 Phil. 2.1 2. And consider with how many powerfull bonds this Apostle himself adjureth you If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill our joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind 44. This I hope you will do not onely in your best devotions Psalm 122.6 daily praying for the peace of Jerusalem by which you shall be sure to prosper but also in your constant behaviour and consonant devoirs humbly submitting your selves and suffering the peace of God to rule in your hearts Coloss 3 15. unto which ye are called in one body Psal 126.3 and striving alwayes to be thankfull for the great and wonderful things which the Lord hath begun to do for us already toward this hopefull end whereof we rejoyce still remembring how all the Worthies both in Heaven and Earth conspire to combine us hereunto God the Father from whom we are sent Heb. 13.20 Isa 9.6 Ephes 4 3. Lukâ— 1.14 Isa 33.7 Luke 10 5. Rom. 10.15 Ephes 2.17 John 14.27 Phil. 4.7 Isa 32.17.18 is the God of peace God the Son for whom we are sent is the Prince of peace God the Holy Ghost with whom we are sent is the Spirit of peace the Angels of Heaven that guard us in this message are the Chanters of peace we the Messengers therein guarded by them are the Ambassadors of peace the Message it self with which we are sent is the Gospel of peace the People to whom we are sent are the Heirs of peace And the price at which we are to aim is the rich precious and peerless Legacy of the peace of Christ which passeth all understanding That the work of righteousness may be peace and the effect thereof quietness and assurance for ever That we and Gods people may dwell in a peaceable habitation in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Wherefore I say no more but take my leave and shut up all with the phrase and farewell of our Apostle 2 Cor 13 11. Finally brethren farewell Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and of peace shall be with you FINIS
that though they could both speake handsomly extempore yet they would never propound any thing in publick to their Auditors without due premeditation nay if Christ himself had not at every turn his mouth alwayes open Mat. 5.1.2 but as deliberating in silence on that which he was to speak when his Disciples came to him being set in the mount then he open'd his mouth and taught them what a token of neglect scorn and irrevence must it be both to God and men when some that are scarce fit to speak in publick with premeditation dare openly proclaime their own rashnesse with this evil and idle protestation That they have had little or no time to provide themselves many of their trim points came into their heads since they began to open their mouths and yet they can do thus many hours upon any day Hieron Pammich ad versus error Joh. Hirros Quasi ingenium â—n numerato haberent adeo ut de cunctis ecclesiae quaestionibus uno linguae rotatu sole clariùs coruscarent Besides that such ex-tempore Declaimers by making too much haste are prone to stumble at any errour and when they have fallen upon it some become broody to hatch and hurke it up into a heresy Is not this in the Fathers language dissipare bona Domini Bern. de cosider potius quam dispensare marvel not that I call this evil because it doth other Ambassadors this injury among all their auditors bred in ignorance that hence they are ready to condemne all for drones and dumb dogs who are not so sudden and slippery-tongued as these men I say further that it is idle because it doth themselves this justice among the learned to answer such glorioso's with the magnificat of Apelles to the Painter who boasted of his picture Plut de educan liberis Sueton in Julio Laps epist 65. that he made it on the sudden Video tacente etiam te sed id miror quòd non plures tales tanto temporis spatio pinxeris In these affairs we must not brag of Julius Caesars expedition Veni vidi vici lest we be tuckd up with Julian Caesars exprobration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vidi legi damnavi And lest we be compared not onely to Demades Bagpipes which being puffed up with wind as soon as they are pressed break forth presently into squeaking Epist 61. but also to Lipsius Chameleons which because they feed on no solid meat Plu Apoth lac but on the empty air are still found with open mouths alwayes gaping Quid tanto dignum feâ—et hiâ— promissoâ— hiatu unlesse it be to carry home from their Auditors no better answer then either that of the Seniour King Agas to the Ambassadors of the Abdâ—rites and Perinthians tell your Masters that as long as you pleased to speak so long I thought good to hold my tongue Or that of the French King to a talkative Italian Plutaâ— Ibid. Venis de natione verborum or that of the Spartans to the tedious and needless speech of the Samnites that they had forgot the beginning understood not the middle and disliked the end How much better were it for us to stand in awe of the Lords owne warning Jer. 23 28. the Prophet that hath a dream let him tel a dream he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully That we may not be 2 Cor 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that as of sincerity but that as of God in the sight of God we may speak in Christ Plâ—t de multit aâ—niâ— let us in our preaching strive to equal the care and diligence of the acurate Xeuxis in his painting when being challenged for being so long about it he made answer that he was therein the longer that his works might last the longer So let us be studious to bestow the longer tâ—me in delineating and portraying our works that they may be more ponderous and powerfull to make the deeper impression â— Cor. â— 2 3. and last the longer engraven not in tables of wood or stone but in the fleshy tables of mens hearts And so these shall prove our letters of credence knowne and read of all men that therein now we we are ambassadors for Christ 23. Next it is meet to adde thereto Moderation in addressing our selves discreetly according to the circumstances of time place and persons with whom we have to do Inrespect of the time as it is a caveat in State-affairs Plut. in Demo. Mentitur legationem qui nomen legationis non praefert suo tempore So Demosthenes said well to this purpose We give them not swords or weapons of war to manage but words Of which Solomon tells us fitly that a word spoken in due season Prov. 15.23 25.11 is like apples of gold in pictures of silver To make us careful in observing the opportunity of the time in taking heed of their miscarriage who despising that of the wise Eccles 22.6 Musica in luctu importuna narratio long alwayes to run counter to the time turning fasts into festivals and festivals into fastings as if they were led with the spirit of contradiction against all that comes under the injunction of superiour authority Lest we be slighted as the Trojan Ambassadours were in coming to bemoan the Emperour Tiberius for the death of his son when he took it to be too late and therefore jeered them with this answer Sueton in Tiber. That he much more condoled with them for the losse of their excellent Citizen the valiant Hector dead indeed many hundred years before any of them were born Whence we should pray unto the Lord God from morning to morning Isa 50.4 to give us the tongue of the learned that we may know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary 24. Again in respect of the place though it be true that the place honours not the man Agesilaus yet it was the saying of a great and witty King That a wise man will be carefull to honour his place The neglect whereof hath been noted to have blemished some otherwise of worth that being called to do their message ad clerum who deserve non modo scripta sed etiam sculpta have marr'd a good tale in telling it feeding them with such indigested crambes coriated crudities as were unseemly to trifle with young school-boyes much more unworthy to tire out judicious men of ripe age profound understanding And again being sent ad populum who require as Saint Austin saith Nutritoria potius De catech rud c 15. lib. 2. de advers legis Sueton in octav Tacit. annal lib 1. quà m peremptoria or as S. Bernard Apta non alia have either foiled them with the strong-lin'd extravagances of Antonius Quae homines mirentur potius quam intelligant or else puzled them with the curious impertinent digressions of Tiberius fuller of dignity then of fidelity
to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ yet our Apostle would have us mindful how we carry this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power maybe of God 2 Cor. 4 5 6 7 and not of us Now absit verbo invidia by the space of above 53. years wherein I bless his holy name for making use of my poor talent in this function I have observed that such vessels hardly clash one against another Jerem. 13.11 Gal 5.15 but when the weaker is dasht in pieces the stronger sometimes receive such a flaw which can seldome be sodered up again As then all good Ambassadors leave all private envy jarrs and animosities to promote the publick good so before ye go to your next home and so long as ye are going to your long home be carefull to follow the frequent and friendly counsell of the Holy Ghost See that yee fall not out by the way Gen. 45.24 Ephes 4 3. Rom. 16.17 but bee diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have received and avoid them 40. Whether they be such as delight to run their descant upon the Corinthian division saying I am of Paul 1 Cor. 1.12 and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Now that Christs Church with us is like a weak Patient newly revived from an epidemicall and dangerous epilepsy to be more fairly and gently nurs'd up again let not that tearing voyce of the harlot be in request with any among you nec mihi nec tibi sed dividatur lest you suffer again 1 Reg. 3.36 as you have done of late with too many forced thanksgivings if a man bring you into bondage if a man devoure you 2 Cor. 11.20 if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a man smiteth you on the face ubi insidiosissime nocet cui gratiae aguntur pro injuriis Sen. de ben lib. 5 c. 20. 1 Cor. 4.6 but as this Apostle writeth that he transferred these things in a figure to himself and Apollo for your sakes that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written that no one of you be puffed up for one against another so suffer me with the same Apostle to adde this further to every one of you Rom. 12.3 that none of you think of himself more highly then he ought to think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as God hath dealt to every man not the fulness but the measure of Faith 41. Neither be ruled by those that take offence at the manner of some mens expressions because all do not deliver their message after one and the same kind of method who can say that all have the same gifts and graces of the Spirit when our Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.7 1 Cor. 12.11 that every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that according to the manifestation of the Spirit dividing his gifts to every man several as he will And his Brother call's upon us as every one hath received not all gifts but the gift 1 Pet. 4.10 so to minister the same one to another as good stewards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—hel in Hieren adversus Jov. lib 1. Apolog. Orat. 1. where I am sure that the mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports not onely the toleration of the necessity but also the commendation of the excellency of various and several gifts Whence Nazianzen divinely inferreth that above all students we in the ministery have need of the art of Arts and science of sciences that we may be able to treate and prevail with man who is the animal above all maximè varium multiplex And St. Austin thereupon resolves it to be more both material and majesticall for the message it self to be handled by divers men diversly Where because his expression is both elegant and pertinent and time wiâ—l not suffer repetition I shall only refer you to his own words in the twelfth of his confessions cap. 26. And therefore I say again with this Apostle Are all Apostles are all Prophets 1. Cor. 11.29 â—1 are all Teachers do all speak with tongues do all interpret But covâ—t earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellnt way 42 That is in fine that ye much more take heed of those who going further seek an open schisme and separation in regard of certain harmless riâ—es and ceremonies of order and decency In rebut de quibus nihil ceâ—ti statuit scriptura divina â—â—s populi Dei vel instituta majoâ—um pro lege tenenda sunt August epist 36. of ornament and indifferency in the Church According to the excellent rule of the forenamed Father who knows not that Ambassadors in going to several Princes with the same errand are alwayes advised for outward ceremonies to comply with the received customs and constitutions of the Natâ—ons to whom they are sent As in common Courtship Ambassadors go to most Christian Princes and converse with them keeping their heaâ—s covered They are led to the Grand Signior by the arms between two Bashaws with their faces looking toward the ground But if they come before the rough and rugged Russian they must stand bare unlesse they will have their Hats nailed to their heads So in Gods service the Ambassadors of some Reformed Churches speake to their people with their heads covered which custom notwithstanding if any should seek to presse upon us without the Authority of the Church I doubt you would all judge it fitter to have his hat nail'd to the block And why may not we have the same liberty in other ceremonies also Hieron ad vers Jovin lib. 1. which the Ancients conceive conveniently recommended both by Josephs coat of many colours the token of his fathers greater love Genes 37.3 and by the Kings Daughter who is all glorious within and yet her cloathing is said to be of wrought gold Circumamicta varietatibus Psal 45.13.14 Insomuch that our Apostle requires no lesse in joyning both these together as the sovereign salve for all sores in this kinde that all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if any desire to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God 1 Cor. 14.40 43. The sum then of all is this when you enter into this calling the holy prophet tels you that the Lord looks for such Caduâ—tators especially among you who should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before the Lord for the Land Ezech. 22.30 Do not then O do not you prove the foremost to make the breach wider under which the Land hath been too sorely shaken already by seeking to