Ebdomas embolimaios a supplement to the eniautos, or course of sermons for the whole year : being seven sermons explaining the nature of faith and obedience in relation to God and the ecclesiastical and secular powers respectively / all that have been preached and published (since the restauration) by the Right Reverend Father in God Jeremy, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor ; to which is adjoyned, his Advice to the clergy of his diocese.

TO THE READER.

PEACE is so great a Blessing, and Dispu∣tations and Questions in Religion are so little friends to Peace, that I have thought no mans time can be better spent then in propositions and promoti∣ons of Peace, and consequently in finding expedients, and putting periods to all contentious Learning. I have already in a discourse before the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in this Parlia∣ment prov'd that Obedience is the best medium of Peace and true Religion; and Lawes are the only common term and certain rule and measure of it. Vo∣catâ ad concionem multitudine, quae coalesce∣re in populum Unius corporis nullâ re praeter∣quam legibus poterat, said Livy. Obedience to Man is the externall instrument; and the best in the World. To which I now add, that Obedience to God is the best internall instrument; and I have prov'd it in this discourse. Peace and Holiness are twin-Si∣sters;

after which because every man is bound to fol∣low, and he that does not shall never see God, I con∣cluded that the office of a Bishop is in nothing so signally to be exhibited as in declaring by what means these great duties and blessings are to be acquir'd. This way I have here describ'd is an old way; for it was Christs way, and therefore it is truth and life: but it hath been so little regarded and so seldom taught, that when I first spake my thoughts of it in the following words before the Little, but Excellent, University of Dublin, they consented to it so perfectly, and so piously entertain'd it, that they were pleas'd with some earnestness to desire me to publish it to the World, and to consigne it to them as a perpetual memorial of their duty, and of my regards to them, and care over them in my Station. I was very desirous to serve and please them in all their worthy desires, but had found so much reason to distrust my own abilities, that I could not re∣solve to do what I fain would have done; till by a Se∣cond communication of those thoughts, though in diffe∣ring words, I had publish'd it also to my Clergy at the Metropolitical Visitation of the most Reverend and Learned Lord Primate of Armagh in my own Diocese. But when I found that they also thought it very reasonable and pious, and joyn'd in the desire of making it publick, I consented perfectly, and now only pray to God it may do that Work which I intended. I have often thought of those excellent words of Mr.

Hooker in his very learned discourse of Justificati∣on; [

Such is the untoward constitution of our Nature, that we do neither so perfectly understand the way and knowledge of the Lord, nor so stedfastly embrace it when it is understood, nor so graciously utter it when it is embraced, nor so peaceably maintain it when it is uttered, but that the best of us are over∣taken sometime through blindness, sometime through hastiness, sometime through impatience, sometime through other passions of the mind, whereunto (God knows) we are too subject] That I find by true expe∣rience, the best way of Learning and Peace is that which cures all these evils, as far as in this World they are curable; and that is the wayes of Holiness, which are therefore the best and only way of Truth.

In Dis∣putations there is no end, and but very little advan∣tage; but the way of godliness hath in it no Error, and no Doubtfulness. By this therefore I hop'd best to ap∣ply the Counsel of the Wise man:* 1.1 Stand thou fast in thy sure Understanding, in the way and know∣ledge of the Lord, and have but one manner of word, and follow the word of peace and righ∣teousness. I have reason to be confident that they who desir'd me to publish this discourse will make use of it, and find benefit by it: and if any others do so too, both they and I shall still more and more give God all thanks, and praise, and glory.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ecclus. 5.10. Vulg. edit. Lat.