Golden remains of the ever memorable Mr. John Hales ... with additions from the authours own copy, viz., sermons & miscellanies, also letters and expresses concerning the Synod of Dort (not before printed), from an authentick hand.

A SERMON On JOHN xiv. 27.

Peace I leave unto you: My peace I give unto you.

THis portion of Scripture (Beloved) contains a Legacy, which our Saviour gave to his Apostles, and in them to all that are his, when he was about to take his leave of the world. The less shall I need seriously to commend it to your considerations, or to take much pains in wooing your atten∣tion. The words of dying men, though neither the speeches or the persons concern us at all, yet they usually move us much, we hear them with a kind of Religion, and we suffer them to take impression in us. With what affection then would this speech deserve to be heard, delivered by a Per∣son, the worthiest among the sons of women, and concerning you near, yea, very near, as near as your own souls concern ye, as being the Saviour of them, and now breathing his last, and spend∣ing the little remainder of his breath in gracious promises and

comforts, concerning the whole state and weal of your souls? And yet to raise your attention a little higher: Such things as we are made present possessours of, though they be of meaner va∣lue, we prize higher then things of better worth, if we live onely in expectation, if we have onely a promise of them. Now this last most excellent and comfortable Sermon of our Saviour, though in it are many special arguments of his Love, many Gifts and Le∣gacies bestowed on his Church; yet were they almost all assured unto his Disciples, but by way of Promise: onely this everlasting gift of Peace, of which alone they are made the present possessours, that as at his coming into the world, he brought Peace with him; for at his Birth there was peace throughout the whole world: so now at his departure he might leave peace again unto the world, though after another manner.

And this order of disposition seems to be observed, not with∣out peculiar reason. It seems that all other blessings the Apostles might be without; yea, that Grand and Mother blessing, the mi∣raculous coming of the Comforter, they did for a time expect; but this blessing of peace, they might not, they could not want. It is transcendent to all other blessings, and reciprocal with a Chri∣stian man; it flowes essentially from the very substantial Prin∣ciples of our profession. Seneca, that saw something, as it were, in a dream concerning a wise man, could tell us, Securitas pro∣prium bonum sapientis; Inward and solid peace is a good appro∣priated to a wise man: We that know Christianity alone to be truly wisdom, know likewise, that once a true Christian, then truly peaceful, and no true peace but in the true Christian. Yea, it hath pleased God to characterize himself, his Kingdom, and his Servants, by this term of peace, as by a stamp and seal to be known by. He styles himself the King and Father of peace; his Kingdom, the Kingdom of peace; his Servants, the Sons of peace; the fruits of his Kingdom, love and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. The Church therefore anciently, that by this, as by a badge, she might be known whom she served, every where throughout the publick Form of Divine Service, interlaced this comfortable manner of salutation, Peace be with you all. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith St. Chrysostom, When the Bishop came into the Church or Temple, he came like Noah's Dove into the Ark, with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth, and his first words were, Peace be with

you all; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he began his Sermon, his Proem was, Peace be with you all; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when he bless'd the people, his blessing was the blessing of peace, Peace be with you all; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. When the greatest Sacrifice of Christ was represented at the Lord's Altar, he went to celebrate the memory of it with the self same Insense, with which our Saviour himself here goes about to per∣form it, Peace be with all, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and ever and anon is inserted, Grace be with you, and peace. Neither was the voice of the Church onely the voice of Iacob, a soft and still voice, and her actions like unto the hands of Esau, rough, implacable, and indisposed to peace; but in all her oppositions she shewed a sweet and peaceable behaviour. Misericorditer si fieri posset, etiam bella gererentur à bonis, saith St. Austin, Good men, as far as it is possible, even wage war mercifully. And St. Hierom observes, that the children of Israel went to fight with peaceable hearts; Inter ipsos quoque gladios & effusiones sanguinis, & cadavera prostratorum, non suam sed pacis victoriam cogitantes, amidst the swords, and bloudshed, and slaughtered carkases, not minding their own, but the victory of peace.

Oft-times we prove unthankful to the giver, because we skill not of the worth of the gift. Lest therefore we wrong our Sa∣viour, by undervaluing his inestimable gift of Peace, it is necessa∣ry we look into the words of the Will, and see what they pur∣port, and know the worth of that, which by them he hath be∣stowed upon his Church, Peace I leave unto you, my peace I give unto you.

Again, whatsoever was made by God, and no good is there but of God, Every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, saith St. Iames; yet notwithstanding, some things there are, which it pleaseth him peculiarIy to style His, It is a grant and favour that few things have merited to be cal∣led the things of God. Having therefore said, Peace, Iest he might be thought to have bestowed, facile aliquod & parabile, that which at another hand might have been obtained, as well as his, he adds my peace, My peace: The Latin expresses it more emphatically thus, Pacem illam meam, That peace of mine, that you know of, and the world skills not of; so though all good things, and peace in its amplest latitude, be of God, yet it is a peculiar grace, that of peace here given to be called His. We are

therefore to note, that it is one thing to have pacem Dei, another thing to have pacem Deum: the peace of God, or God which is peace. For Christ himself, as he is to us Righteousness, and Sancti∣fication, and Redemption, so is he our Peace. He therefore that knows Christ, knows what the peace is that is here given.

Thirdly, as all good gifts are of God, so is he the Giver of them all; yet somewhat there is, the Donation whereof he so ap∣propriates to himself, that he takes to himself a title to be the Giver of them. Silver and gold is mine, saith the Lord by the Pro∣phet Haggee; yet Abraham would by no means accept of the spoil at the hands of the King of Sodom: Why? Lest, saith he, he should say, I have enriched Abraham. Some things are so given by God, that men will claim unto themselves a part in the Act of giving: Abraham was very jealous of this, he suffers none to part stakes with God. As was Abraham there, so is Christ here: Lest some Emperour, or great Potentate, upon conceit of the Churches quietness, under his Government, or of Largesses, and great Immu∣nities, or rich Endowments bestowed upon the Church, should boast and say, I have given peace unto the Church; Christ tells us, that the peace that rests upon his Disciples He leaves, He gives: Peace I leave, my peace I give.

Fourthly, I told you what hitherto Christ had given to his Church, was but by way of promise: Lest therefore he might seem to lessen his credit by large promises, he tells them, this gift of peace they stood already possess'd of, he now left it with them; And yet further, lest they might imagine, that they were rather made keepers of what was another man's, then possessours of what was their own, he adds, My peace I give unto you, he makes them Lords of it, he gives them an absolute propriety and interest in it.

Last of all, he hath scattered and given to the poor, saith the Psalmist, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he hath with a Royal kind of negligence, and heedlesness, thrown about, catch who can; like Princes, who on some solemnities cast money among the people, without care who take it up; he makes his Sun to rise upon the good & bad, and rains upon the just and unjust; Quam multi sunt indigni luce, saith Se∣neca, & tamen dies oritur? How many men are there, that deserve not so much as the benefit of common light, and yet the day dawns on them? Thus indeed it fares in these outward and more general benefits of God; Deo parum curae de his tribuendis, quae etiam ho∣stibus

tribuit, saith Martin Luther; God seems to have but little care in bestowing those benefits, of which his enemies are par∣takers, as well as his freinds. But here it is not so, that great Floud of Liberality here receiveth an Ebb, and is bounded with certain banks. In bestowing of this great gift of Peace he hath given his arm a check, and seems to be very scrupulous and care∣ful where it lights: He singles out his Disciples out of all the world, with them he makes his everlasting covenant of peace. Peace, saith he, I leave unto you, my peace I give unto you. So then, out of this Paraphrase which I have made on these words, it appears there are three points principally considerable in them.

• First, the Gift, Peace, My peace.
• Secondly, the Giver, I leave, I give.
• Thirdly, the Subject on whom the gift is bestowed, To you.

To speak of these three, of Peace, of Christ, of the Church, in their latitude, were a matter infinite, we must therefore think of them with a mutual relation of each to other; and so conceive of Christ as the Giver of peace, and so of the Church as of the sub∣ject of peace, and so of Peace, as of the Gift of Christ, and an Attri∣bute of the Church. To these three points arising directly out of the words, there may be added certain other very worthy your consideration, arising out of the manner of delivery of them.

First, the Certainty of this promise; doubtless, though Heaven and Earth shake, though men and devils rage, and the mountains be cast into the sea; yet to the Church and every member there∣of, wheresoever abiding, there is given, left, and remains peace. And this I gather out of the doubling of the words, Peace I leave, my peace I give. For as Ioseph tells Pharaoh, Gen. xli. And for that the dream is doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will surely bring it to pass: So may we say of these words, they are doubled to his Disciples, because the thing is established by God, and certainly with his Church is peace for evermore.

Secondly, the incommunicability of this peace, with many out of his Church; I told you, this was a Legacy: of it therefore none partake, but such as are specified in the Will. Here are none menti∣oned by the Testatour, but such as were sealed by him for his own: Iudas saith the story, was gone from them. To that part of the Church therefore, not which we see, but which we beleive, is this

blessing of peace, by right of inheritance, pertaining.

But are these things so as we have said? is it a matter of so incontroleable certainty, that Christ hath left peace unto his Church; that it were almost infidelity to doubt of it? Surely, if we look not narrowly into it, we shall rather think peace, which we make the Churches peculiar, to have been an utter stranger unto her. The Religious Rites of Gentilism, how had they their beginnings? their progress? without opposition? no disputes? no conten∣tions? Scarce any thing of worth, for so many thousand years the world lived under it, done for, or in pretence of Religion! But no sooner was Christian Religion come to the birth, but streight it was attended by that great Dragon in the wilderness, spewing out whole seas of dissentions to overwhelm it. The Apostles themselves, as with one hand they sowed the seed of the Word, so were they constrained with the other to pluck up and weed out Heresies arising with it. So venterous was the envious man, not onely whilst men slept (for the Apostles were no sleepers) but whil'st they were in act, and sweat, to intersperse his Tares with God's good Seed. The Iewish Ceremonies, a plant of God's own planting, seems scarcely to have been acquainted with it: God throughout that story, of which himself was the Pen∣man, registring no one act of any contention concerning the in∣terpretation of the Law; yea afterward, when some dissentions had crept in, they seem to have been of an inferiour order, and never to have broken out to any remarkable inconvenience. But in the Churches story, what leafe, what line almost gives not in large evidence against the Church's peace? it being almost no∣thing else but an Index of controversies, which when they were at least, occasioned great Schism and rents in the Church, and after∣wards receiving strength, brake forth to further inconvenience, one Christian persecuting another with that heat, that Christia∣nity scarce ever felt under the hand of Paganism: now in our Age they have enforced the rending asunder of great Provinces, and mighty Kingdoms, without any hope, as far as humane rea∣son reacheth it, of ever being re-united. Again, if we look into Peace, as the world esteems it, that is, to the outward prosperity, to the good and civil correspondence which is betwixt man and man: if we consider what part the Church hath had in this her

estate, for some hundred of years, was truly represented in her great Champion St. Athanasius, of whom it was said, St. Athana∣sius against all the world, and all the world against St. Athanasius. She was sent forth into the world with no other hope, but of the world's hatred; with no other lot, then poverty and persecu∣tion: so little claim seems she to have to secular ease, and outward state, which by most is termed the Church's peace, much less to Riches, and Glory, and Provinces, and whole Kingdoms, which by some are counted the Church's Patrimony.

To clear these things, and first, to remove the scandal of Ec∣clesiastical dissentions, give me leave to commend unto you two facile notes, which of your selves you might easily have observed. First, it hath ever been the practise of the divil, to bend his ma∣nifest strength and cheif forces against that, which God hath with most strictness and severity commanded to be kept: Whence it comes to pass, that what we are especially commanded to ob∣serve, in that we usually shew our selves most frequent and no∣torious transgressours. When the Lord was to chuse himself a people out of the whole world, habituated in Idolatry, his great∣est care was to wean them from the Idols of the Nations: His com∣mandments therefore to the Iews, and almost all the messages of the Prophets, beat on nothing so much as on this point, to be∣ware of the gods of the Heathen, whence they were taken. Yet such a strange bewitching madness possess'd them, that even almost in the sight of the Sea, that had given way unto them; when the cry of the drown'd Egyptians was scarce out of their ears, they fell to Idols. Afterward what breathing time had they from plagues and calamities, into which, for this crime, if not altogether, yet cheifly they fell, wherein they did not strangely relapse? Which of their Kings had his heart right before God? Solomon himself, who had he not known God, yet by that light he had of Moral and Natural Wisdom, could not chuse but see the folly of it, must needs to his other exorbitant lusts add this, Adultery with stocks and stones! But when long experience had taught the world its errour, and the absurd Legends of their gods their lying miracles, and their halting Oracles became, so palpable; that the learned writ in scorn of them, and the unlearned sufficiently de∣scried them. Christ by his Apostles being to lay the ground of Christianity, seems to have thought it a matter superfluous to

spend many precepts in beating down Idolatry, a thing of it self now ready to fall. Neither was there in the Church's increase ever feared a voluntary relapse unto Paganism: few men being so simple, but though they had not the grace to imbrace Christ, they had the wit to see, as good do so, as follow Idols: And among all the Christian Emperours, there is but one alone hath fallen in∣to the crime of Apostacy, and is known by that name. Christ gives therefore a new and a great commandment of Love, of Peace and Vnity: This he makes the character of his, By this, saith he, shall men know that ye are my disciples: This he and his Apostles every where beat on, and therefore by his Apostle St. Paul, he calls the message which he sent by him, The Gospel of Peace, as being the cheifest argument of his Embassage, yea, the whole sum of the Law: Love which is so much spoken of, and an indivi∣dual companion of Faith, being either peace it self, or the emi∣nency and perfection of peace. No marvel then, if that ancient ene∣my of the Church's peace hath pull'd every cable, used all occasi∣ons, set all his engines and instruments awork, to infringe the quietness and union of the Church, especially in the Ministry, who as they are the Church of the Church, so is their peace the very bond and seal of all union in the Church. Much might I say, partly reproving, partly bewailing Ecclesiastical dissentions: but neither were it fitting to my Auditory, nor profitable for the times, they being so, as an Ancient spake of his own, In quibus nec vitia nostra pati possumus, nec remedia; in which we can endure neither our vices, nor their remedies. Onely thus much shall be added by way of advise unto the Laity, It shall little avail them to urge these things against us: The light of the truth shines too clear, the way of life is too plain for them to claim any privilege, or plead any excuse from our dissentions: The voice which came to St. Austin, Tolle, lege, comes likewise to every one of them, Take up and read; Open your books, and look on that which is before your eyes, and there needs no more ado. It was never the intent of the holy Ghost, to make it a matter of wit and subtilty, to know how to be saved. Bring me a soul, not one deeply learn'd, sharp and subtil, Sed simplicem, rudem, & impolitam, & qualem habet, qui ••••m•• l••m habet, as Tertullian speaks, a dull, a silly, an unlet∣ter•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and such an one as that man hath, that hath nothing 〈…〉〈…〉 to witness him to be a man, and even this shall

with ease apprehend what is necessary to save him.

The second thing I would wish you to observe, is this, That there is a great errour in many men, who guiding their eye by what they see of the Church, if they descry a deluge, or darkness, or confusion in her, streight imagine the powers of Christ's pro∣mise to be shaken: Whereas every Christian man is bound, even in the midst of winds, and storms, and tempests, to recount with himself, that notwithstanding this, still the Promise of peace is made good unto his Church. We must observe therefore, that we have two manner of eyes to look upon the Church of God; one of Charity, by which we suppose every one, which professes the name of Christ, to be of his fold; another of Faith, by which we believe that God doubtless hath, and shall have to the worlds end, a select and chosen company, sealed up for the day of Re∣demption, such as never shall finally miscarry, or be taken out of his hands. The first extends it self to the whole company of Professors,* 1.1 to Heretical and Er∣ring Churches, yea, even to Reprobates; and this is it we term the Visible Church. The se∣cond comprehends onely the number of his Elect. Now all those glorious speeches, and gracious promises, made unto the holy Church in Scripture, are belonging to none but this, on this alone, and on every member thereof, wheresoever living under the roof of heaven, truly resides that gracious pro∣mise of peace, even on the Coelestial Ierusalem, and the Israel that is of God. It is a fruitless labour for any man, to think to make good to the eye of experience, those glorious words in Scri∣pture spoken of this Church. God hath not acquainted any man so far with her, as to descry thus much; neither could this be, unless the persons were definitely known. And this is an Attribute of God, reserv'd to him alone, to know who are his. Though no man therefore know any thing at all concerning this Church, it matters not: The foundation of God still stands sure, notwith∣standing this. That of the Church of Rome, so much urged in disgrace of the Reformed Churches, Where was your Church before Luther rose? to this purpose is clean impertinent; the Labours of men, who have gone about to make it good, and prove a suc∣cession of true Christians, save onely to stop the mouths of idle Questionists, might well have been spared. For all that is

necessary to be proved in this case, is nothing else but this, That there hath been from the Apostles times a perpetual succession of the Ministry, to Preach and to Baptize: Of this, by the providence of God, there remains very good evidence unto the world, and shall remain. But this makes nothing to the true succession of the Elct: for it were not prejudicial to the Church of Christ, or any promise concerning it, though none of the Ministery, ever since the Apostles times, had been of the number of the Elect, according to that of St. Chrysostom, in his Comments on the Acts, where consider∣ing the weight of the Minister's Calling, and their slackness in ex∣ecuting it, he cries out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. I much marvel, whether ever any Minister were saved or no. As therefore no man ought to be discouraged in these uncertainties and contentions, so let no man flatter himself in his outward conformity and plausible correspon∣dence with the Church's constitutions; as if he might upon con∣science of this, securely pronounce himself possess'd of the peace here given to the Church. When all this outward shew of state shall be gone off the Stage, it may peradventure prove for the good onely of some few unrespected, unthought of Souls, who had least part in all this mask. For that falls out oft-times be∣twixt God's intent, and Man's comments, which the wise Histo∣rian sometimes observed to have been the conceit of his times, concerning Claudius the Emperour, Quippe fama, Spe, venera∣tione, potius omnes destinabantur imperio, quam quem futurum prin∣cipem fortuna in occulto tenebat: by the common voice, hope, obsequious carriage of most, every one was destin'd to the Em∣pire before him, unto whom in secret the providence of God had assigned it.

I intend not by this to animate any man to disdain order, it is a Divine thing, and without it, Angels, and the Com∣mon-wealth of God cannot consist.

Onely I would wish men to beware, lest whilst they doat on the outward consent and union of the Church, that befall them, which in our age hath befallen our Schools, where men for a long time were so studious of Order and Method, that Arts and Sciences were almost forgotten. We must not so much gaze on the outward quietness of the Church, as that we forget to reflect into our selves, and examine our own inward peace.

From this part of the Church's peace, consisting in outward consent and harmony, necessary in its kind, I pass to another of an

inferiour order, namely, Peace from persecution, joyned with out∣ward glory, and temporal felicity. The first days of the Church, those heroick and exemplary times, never tasted of this: and when afterwards under Christian Emperours it was partaker of it, the censure of St. Hierom was most true, Potentia & Divitiis major virtutibus minor fact a est; In Wealth and Authority she grew greater, but in her Virtues she much impaired. But that which in the first times, fuisset ejus impudens votum, as Seneca speaks in another case, it had been also most impudence in the Church so much as to have wish'd. She is now provided of Proctors for the purpose, that have entitl'd her, as it were, by right of inhe∣ritance to all kind of secular honour and state, as if she had so sure a claim unto it, as the Iews had to the Land of Promise. Yea, it is generally thought a matter of congruity, that the world go well with every good Christian man. Against those I will lay down this one conclusion, That if we look into the tenour of the New Te∣stament, we shall find, that neither the Church, nor any Christian man by title of his profession, hath any certain claim to any se∣cular blessing. Indeed if we look into the Iews Common-wealth, and consider the letter of Moses Law, they may seem not onely to have a direct promise of Temporal felicity, but of no other save that. For in the Law God gives to Moses the dispensation of no other but temporal Blessings and Cursings in the xxvj. of Le∣viticus, and the xxviij. of Deuteronomy; where God seems to strive with all possible efficacy, to express himself in both kinds, there is not a line conteining that which should betide them at their ends: all their weal, all their woe, seem'd to expire with their lives. What sense they had of future rewards, or with what conceit they passed away to immortality, I list not to dispute. This suffices to shew, that there is a main difference in the hopes of the Church before and since Christ, concerning outward pro∣sperity, as for Christians, to them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith St. Chrysostom, they have greater and harder races to run, greater prizes to take in hand, then our Fathers before Christ. The Church was then in her youth, she was to be led by sense as a child: we are come to the age of perfect men in Christ. That the Church therefore might not deceive her self with this outward peace, which is but a peace of ornament, he strips her, as it were, of her borrowed beauty, and washes off her Fucus, gives

her no interest in the world, sends her forth into a strange Land as he did Abraham, not having possession of a foot; and which is yet more, not having so much as a promise of any, which yet Abraham had. If Christ and his Apostles teach, as sometimes they do, Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, and the righteousness thereof, and these things shall be cast in upon you. That Godliness hath the promise both of this life, and of the life to come; It is not presently to be conceived, that every true Christian man shall doubtless come on, and thrive in the world. That which they teach is no more but this, That we ought not to despair of the Providence of God; for look what is the reward and portion of vertue and industry in other men, the same and much more shall it have in Christians, their goodness shall have the like approbation, their moral virtues shall have the like esteem, their honest labours shall thrive alike: If sometimes it hath fallen out otherwise, it is but the same lot which hath befallen virtue and honesty, even in the Pagan as well as the Christian. In the fifth of St. Matthew, where Christ teacheth us, That the meek spirited shall possess the earth, think we that it was the intent of the holy Ghost to make men Lords of the earth, to endow them with Territories and large Dominions? That which he teaches us, is but a moral lesson, such as common reason and experience confirms, That meek and mild spirited men are usually the quietest possessours of what they hold. But that these speeches, and such as these in the New Testament, be not wrong'd by us, by being drawn to our avaritious conceits, and thought to halt, if sometime the meek-spirited become a spoil to the extortioner, and be stript of all he hath, give me leave to commend unto you one rule for the in∣terpretation of them, which will give much ease to unstable minds. The holy Ghost delivering general propositions in things, sub∣ject to variety and humane casualties, is to be understood for the truth of them, as far as the things themselves are capable of truth, and according to the certainty of them. There are many propositions fram'd even in Natural things, of Eternal truth, no instance neither of time nor person can be brought to disprove them, our daily experience evermore finds them so. There is a second order of things created by God himself, subject to mutability, which some∣times are not at all, and being produced owe their being some∣times to one cause, sometimes to another, the efficacy of the cause

no way being determined to this effect, but of it self indifferent to produce it or not. The managing of affairs, whether in publick of Common-weals, or in private of any man's particular state or calling; Moral rules of behaviour and carriage, yea, all the things that are spoken concerning the temporal weal or woe of actions good or bad, they are all ranged in this second order. Now in all these things it is impossible there should be propositions made of unavoidable certainty. If the rules and observations drawn for our direction, ut plurimum, usually and in the ordina∣ry course of events, hold currant, it is enough to make them Maxims of Truth; it matters not though at some time, upon some occasions, in some person, they fail. Now from the condi∣tion of these things, the propositions made by the holy Ghost himself, are by their Authour not exempted. In the Book of the Proverbs, the holy Ghost hath registred such store of Moral wis∣dom, and Precepts of carriage in temporal matters, that all the wisdom of the Heathen, most renowned for Morality, come far short of it. These Precepts, though with us they have, as in∣deed they ought to have, much more credibility, as delivered unto us by an Authour of surer observation, and exempted from all possibility of errour; yet notwithstanding, in regard of the things themselves, they are of the like certainty, of the same degree of truth, when we find them in the Writings of these fa∣mous Ethnicks, whom it pleased the holy Spirit to endue with Natural wisdom, and Moral discretion, which they have, when we read them registred in the Oracles of God, and thesame un∣certainty have they in regard of some particulars, when they be spoken by Solomon, which they have, when they are uttered by Plato, or Euripides. Solomon much inveigheth against the folly of Suretiship; was it therefore never heard of, that a wise man was surety for his neighbour, with good success? I. Caesar, when he thought to have upheld his estate through mercy and cle∣mency, lost his life; is it therefore false which Solomon teacheth, that Mercy upholdeth the throne of the King? He knew well, and his son had dear experience of it, that the peoples hearts are won and kept by mild and merciful dealing, rather then by rough and tyrannous proceedings: yet he could not be igno∣rant, that even Kings sometimes reap mischeif, and death there, where they have plentifully sowed love and mercy. Thus then,

and no otherwise, are we to understand the holy Ghost preach∣ing unto us the reward of the meek-spirited, and the promises of this life to the godly. For we are not to suppose, that God in his ordinary proceedings concerning his Elect, exempts things from that mutability and change, to which he made them subject in the day of their Creation. All things come alike to all, (saith the Wise-man) There is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked, to the clean and unclean, to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sa∣crificeth not. As is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. Which speech is true, in regard of those humane casualties, from which the good Christian is no more exempted, then the honest Pagan. But it is a maxim of eternal truth. and the joynt conspiracy of Heaven and Hell shall never be able to infringe it, That all things work for the good of them that sear God. Though sometime the meek-spirited men be turned out of house and home, and the godly man have not a place whereon to rest his head. By this then it appears, that the title of Christian men unto temporal blessings, is not out of any Divine Right, giving undoubted assurance, but onely of com∣mon equity and congruity, by which it pleaseth God usually to crown honest counsels with good success. As then this claim is uncertain, so hath not the desire of Christians to intermeddle with secular business been scandalous to our profession. Iulian the Emperour, in an Epistle of his to the Bostrenses, taxing certain seditious Christians, tells them directly, that their tumult sprang not out of any probable reason, but meerly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. But onely because he had made it unlawful for them to sit as Judges between man and man, to interpose themselves in matters of Wills, to interpret other mens possessions to their own uses, to make division of all things unto themselves: That much of this might be probable, I will not easily deny. He that shall look into the Acts of Christians, as they are recorded by more indifferent Writers, shall easily per∣ceive, that all that were Christians were not Saints. But this is the testimony of an Enemy. Yea, but have not our Freinds ta∣ken up the same complaint? Doubtless if it had been the voice and approbation of the Bridegroom, that Secular State and Au∣thority had belonged to the Church, either of due or of necessity,

the freinds of the Bridegroom hearing it, would have rejoyced at it; but it is found they have much sorrowed at it. St. Hilary much offended with the opinion, that even Orthodox Bishops of his time had taken up, that it was a thing very necessary for the Church to lay hold on the temporal sword, in a Tract of his against Auxentius the Arrian Bishop of Millain, thus plainly bespeaks them, Ac primum miserari libet nostrae aetatis laborem. And first of all, I must needs pity the labour of our Age, and bewail the fond opinions of the present times, by which men suppose the arm of flesh can much advantage God, and strive to defend, by secular ambition, the Church of Christ. I beseech you, Bishops, you that take your selves so to be, whose authority in preaching of the Gospel did the Apostles use? By the help of what powers preach'd they Christ, and turn'd al∣most all Nations from Idols to God? Took they unto themselves any honour out of Princes Palaces, who after their stripes, amidst their chains in prison, sung praises unto God? Did St. Paul, when he was made a spectacle in the Theatre, summon together the Churches of Christ by the Edicts and Writs of Kings? 'Tis likely he had the safe conduct of Nero, or Vespasian, or Decius, through whose hate unto us, the confession of the faith grew more famous. Those men who maintain'd themselves with their own hands and industry, whose solemn Meetings were in Parlours and secret Closets; who travelled through Villages and Towns, and whose Countreys by Sea and Land, in spite of the prohibition of Kings and Councils. 'Tis to be thought that these had the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Did not the power of God sufficiently manifest it self above man's hate, when by so much the more Christ was preach'd, ••y how much he was forbidden to be taught. But now, which is a greif to think, dust and earths appro∣bation gives countenance to the Sacred Faith: whil'st means are made to joyn ambitious Titles to the Name of Christ, Christ hath lost the reputation of self-sufficiency. The Church now terrifies with Exile, and Prisons, and constrains men to beleive her, who was wont to find no place but in Prisons and Banishment. She depends upon the good acceptation of her favourites, who was wont to be hallowed in the fear of her Persecutours; she now puts Preists to flight, who was formerly propagated by fugitive Preists. She glories that she is be∣loved of the world, who could never have been Christ's, except the world had hated her. What shall we answer to this complaint? Our enemies are apt to traduce the good things in us, our freinds

to flatter our vice and imbecillity: But when our freinds and enemies do both joyntly consent to lay open our shame, to whose judgment shall we appeal, or whether shall we flie? Whe∣ther? Even to thee, O Lord Christ, but not as to a Judge; too well we know thy sentence. Thou hast sent us messengers of peace, but we, like Hierusalem, thy ancient Love, have not un∣derstood the things belonging to our peace. O Lord, let us know them in this our day, & let them no longer be hidden from our eyes. Look down, O Lord, upon thy poor dismembred Church, rent and torn with discords, and even ready to sink. Why should the Neutral or Atheist any longer confirm himself in his Irreligion by reasons drawn from our dissentions? Or why should any greedy minded worldling prophecie unto himself, the ruines of thy Sanctuary, or hope one day to dip his foot in the bloud of thy Church? We will hope, O Lord, (for what hin∣ders?) that notwithstanding all supposed impossibilities, thou wilt one day in mercy look down upon thy Sion, and grant a gracious enterveiw of freinds so long divided. Thou that wroughtest that Great Reconciliation between God and Man, is thine arm waxen shorter? Was it possible to reconcile God to Man? To reconcile Man to Man is it impossible? Be with those, we beseech thee, to whom the presecution of Church Contro∣versies is committed, and like a good Lazarus drop one cooling drop into their Tongues, and Pens, too too much exasperated each against other. And if it be thy determinate will and counsel, that this abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, con∣tinue unto the end, accomplish thou with speed the number of thine Elect, and hasten the coming of thy Son our Saviour, that he may himself in person sit, and judge, and give an end to our con∣troversies, since it stands not with any humane possibility. Direct thy Church, O Lord, in all her petitions for peace, teach her wherein her peace consists, and warn her from the world, and bring her home to thee; that all those that love thy peace, may at last have the reward of the Sons of peace, and reign with thee in thy Kingdom of peace for ever. Grant this, O God, for thy Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee, and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all Praise, Might, Majesty, and Do∣minion, now and for ever.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Here Charity may be sometimes, and many times is mistaken.