the Church and the Common-wealth Gods house the Temple and the Kings house the house of David are met in my Text. And they would ever meet and in love no question did not some distempered spirits breath soure upon them For the Church cannot dwell but in the State Ye never read that she fled out of the State into the wildernesse but when some Dragon persecuted her Revel 12. And the Common-wealth cannot flourish without the Church For where the Church is not to teach true Religion States are enforced out of necessity of some to imbrace a false And a false is not a help to make a Kingdome flourish But when they dwell together when the Church the House of Grace is a welcome inmate to the State which is a wise fabricke of Nature then in the Temple there 's meeting The people goe up to blesse and praise the Name of the Lord. And then in the State ther 's meeting To settle the Thrones of Judgement to make firme the house of David And then and never but then Jerusalem that is both State and Church is a City as that is at unity in it selfe My Text is nothing but a most deserved praise of Jerusalem And not of the particular materiall Jerusalem alone but of any State of any Church that is as Jerusalem then was and that doth as Jerusalem then did This praise of Jerusalem both formall in it selfe and exemplary to us is set downe in three things And they sever the Text into three parts For first here 's the unity of Jerusalem 't is builded as a City at unity in it selfe Secondly the Religion of it For thither the Tribes go up even the Tribes of the Lord to the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. Thirdly the Government of it both spirituall and temporall For there are the Seats of Judgement even the Seats of the house of David The first commendation of Jerusalem is from the unity and concord that is in it 'T is like a City that is compacted together That 's for the buildings no desolation in the midst of it saith S. Basil 'T is like a City at unity in it selfe That 's for the Inhabitants For the beauty and artificiall joyning of the houses is expressed but as a type of this unity When men men dwell as neere in affection as their houses stand in place 'T is a great ornament of a City that the buildings be faire that they stand not scattering as if they were afraid each of other But wheresoever 't is so the City is beholding to unity for it Let the Citizens breake their unity once they 'l spend so much in quarrels that they cannot build the City No other times but when the Inhabitants are at peace can build Nor no other time can keep them from waste But what Hath God care of houses out of question not but for the Inhabitants that dwell therein He that taketh the simple out of the dust and lifts the poore out of the mire Psalm 113. loves not man for his house nor no City for the buildings Jerusalem will not let mee wander for an instance For here so long as the Inhabitants served God and were at unity what City like Jerusalem The City of the great King S. Mat. 5. The glory of the whole earth Thren 2. But when they fell from God to Idols from unity to heart-burnings among themselves what then became of Jerusalem what why just that which our Saviour foretold S. Mat. 24. That one stone should not be left upon another that should not be thrown downe not one neither of Temple nor City And so it came to passe before Adrian left it If any man threfore will have his house stand he hath no way but this to labour that Jerusalem the City may serve God in unitie Now Jerusalem is by way of singular eminence called here a City compacted together And David himselfe might best call it so For before Davids time Salem and Sion were two Cities The Jewes dwelt in Salem but the Fort of Sion was yet held by the Jebusites 1 Chron. 11. Two Cities the upper and the lower Two people the Jewes and the Jebusites Two most different Religions the worship of God and Idols till Davids time But then a City most compacted together The Buildings and the Cities joyne Beniamin and Iuda dwell there together Nothing then but unitie We are yet within the walls of the City that 's too narrow We must enlarge the Type to the State and to the Church Saint Hilary puts me in minde that my Text reades not Jerusalem is a City as if that were all it meant to speake of but Sicut civitas as a City just as you see that so the State so the Church The City the Modell if you will but the Building these And for the State first That 's sicut Civitas as the City just so Walls and Towers and Forts are things of second consideration ordo politicus the wise ordering of the people in concord and unity is simply the strongest wall of a State But breake unity once and farewell strength And therefore disjoynted factions in a State when they worke upon division are publica irae divinae incendia the publike kindlings of Gods anger and they burne downe all before them And God seldome suffers these to fire a State till himselfe be heated first with the sinnes of the State But then he will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49. Nay scatter Jacob and Israel it selfe for them And my Text hath it not simply like a City at unity but at unity together or in it selfe And this the better to resist forraine malice It were happy if all States Christian especially were at unity in themselves and with their neighbours And the Church prayes that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered But when the Ambition of neigbouring States will admit nor safe nor honourable peace then there 's most need Jerusalem should be at peace and unity in it selfe Need yes need with a witnesse For all division if it be voluntary 't is an opening if it be violent 't is a breach Both make way for forraine force Thus it was with Jerusalem of old when shee lost her unity For faction within the walls was a helpe to Titus and his siege without And long after when the Christians had won it from the Saracens their owne divisions among themselves to their losse and shame let in Saladin the Soldan of Egypt And this hath beene often fatall upon our Jerusalem For scarce ever did a great enemie enter this Kingdome but when it was not sicut Civitas like a City at unity in it selfe Not at unity opened the doore to the enemie still For Toustain's division and inrode made way for the Norman And there were more divisions than one to helpe in the Dane And
God plead or maintaine thine owne Cause Remember how the foolish man reprocheth or blasphemeth thee daily THis Psalme in the very Letter is a complaint of the wast that was made upon the City of Jerusalem and the prophanation of the Temple that was in it And these goe together For when did any man see a Kingdome or a great City wasted and the Mother Church left standing in beauty sure I think never For Enemies when they have possessed a City seldome think themselves Masters of their owne possessions till they have as they thinke plucked that God out of his House which defended the City As you may see in that bragge of the Heathen in Minu. Foelix And so 't was here The Enemies roared in the City and displayed their Banners vers 5. And then by and by followes the defiling of the holy Place Downe goes the carved work with Axes and Hammers and Fire on the rest verse 6. A profanation upon the Temple and upon all the Rites of Religion there was All agree upon that But it was yet but in Prophecie not come And the learned which lived after and looked back upon the Prophecy and the accomplishment of it are not agreed For some say the Text refers to the first great desolation by Nebuchadonozor some to the last by Titus some to that which came between by Antiochus Epiphanes and some indefinitely to all The best is you cannot refer the Text amisse For in every of these the City and the Temple the State and the Church were threatned alike And I for my part see no great reason yet why the Prophet should not mean all since certaine it is both State and Church did suffer in all This Psalme as in the Letter it lookes back upon the State and Church of the Jewes so in the Figure it lookes forward upon the whole course of the Church of Christ entertained in any State For if the State come to suffer 't is madnesse to thinke the Church can be free And therefore this Psalme certainely was penned to be Documentum perpetuum an everlasting document to the Church of Christ to labour and pray for the safety of the State Because if any violence threaten the Kingdome with Waste it must needs at once threaten the Church with both Prophanation and Persecution Well This danger is usually threatned before it come And so 't was here But upon that threatning what remedy hath the State What why wisely to fore-see carefully to provide against and unanimously and stoutly to resist the Insolence and the violence of the Enemie And to this work every Subject is bound by all Law of God of Nature and of Nations to put hand and meanes life and livelyhood But what remedy hath the Church What Why a Remedy beyond all this Majora arma as Saint Chrysostome calls them greater sharper weapons For foresight and care and unanimity and courage sometimes come all too short For all these may dwell in greater proportion in the Exemies Camp Whither goes the Church then Whither Why doubtlesse to God For when all things else faile The helpe that is done upon Earth he doth it himselfe ver 13. To God and to God by Prayer That 's the Church way And the Church way is Via Regia the Kings way as Epiphan calls it The Prophet here is all upon this way For here in the Psalme is a Noise of Enemies comming There 's a Prophecie what they will doe if they get the better What doth the Church Doth she stay till the Enemies be come No sure 'T is no wisedome in the State 'T is no Religion in the Church to doe so No nor did the Church so here But she called to minde what strange things God had done of old for his servants ver 14. Upon that mercy she grounds her confidence That upon the same Repentance she shall have the like Deliverance And upon this Faith and hope she repents and prayes ver 20. My Text is the conclusion of this Prayer And it hath two parts The one is the Invocation that God would bestir himselfe Arise O God The other is what the Prophet would have him doe when he is Risen And they are two things which hee doth expresly desire of him The one is that he would pleade and maintaine his owne cause The other that he would remember how the foolish man reproches or blasphemes him daily Arise O God maintaine thine owne cause Remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily The Text it selfe is all as it begins a Prayer It must needs fit the worke of the day For that Proclaimes for Prayer No time is or can be unfit to call upon God But such Times as this are necessary And there cannot more well be said than such Times as this The Prophet David where he points out opportunity for Prayer goes not so farre Call upon me in the day of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt glorify me Psal 50. There 't was but the day of Trouble But these Times might I be bold to put them under their just character for difficulties both at home and abroad are more than the day of trouble For beside that they have made up a long Day of trouble already These Times are the very concurse of Feare and Danger The Cloudes have threatned from heaven now many dayes together to destroy a hopefull and plentifull Harvest in the Day of Possession As the Prophet speakes Esay 17. The Pestilence as if it were angry that God had driven it out of this great City of the Kingdome wastes and destroyes far and neare in other places of it The Sword of a forraigne Enemy threatens to make way for it selfe And if it enter 't is worse than Famin and the Pestilence The Prophet calls it a Rasor Esay 7. But such as is readier to cut the Throat than shave the Beard Can yee tell where to sue out remedy against these but at God Perhaps you may think upon second and subordinate Helps And 't is fit yee should For these are simply necessary too And 't is Gods great blessing upon the Kingdome that to meete with the Distractions of the Time he hath placed over us in the Throne a wise a stout a vigilant and a most provident King Well But can you alwayes have these second helpes at hand Can you always by them effect your end Have you them ready at this time Have you the Sinewes that move them 'T is well if you have But I doubt 't is a great part of the sorrow and trouble of the time that you have not And howsoever have or have not there is a commanding power both over you and these And therefore this is a time for Humiliation under that power that he which gives Grace to the Humble would resist the Pride of our Enemies S. Jaco 4. I need not presse this any further The necessity of these Times
How was it in the Citie and the Common-wealth there while How why the Citie was then a very famous Citie in Ionia a part of Asia the lesse At this time subject to the Romane Empire Their Proconsul and other Deputies were over them Acts 19. But Diana was goddesse there and the Citie heathen Ephesus then was Ethnick No Religion but Paganisme avowed by the state And the City was a stranger to the Church that was in it A Stranger and without as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 5. Yet such is the force of Christian Religion that as Herod and Jerusalem were troubled when Christ was borne S. Math. 2. So here Demetrius and Ephesus were troubled when the name and Religion of Christ was borne and nursed up among them For the word of God did no sooner grow and prevaile at Ephesus Acts 19. 20. but by and by there arose no small trouble about it ver 23. The City and the State Heathen yet troubled when Religion came in Therefore A City and a State Christian must needes be more troubled when Religion goes out And the ready way to out Religion is to breake the Vnity of it And the breach of the Vnity of Religion will be sure to trouble the City first and hazard the State after For the State whether Pagan or Christian hath ever smarted more or lesse as the Church hath crumbled into Divisions S. Paul I know wrote this Epistle to the Church of Ephesus not the City And hee called for Vnitie bound up in peace for the Churches good without any expresse mention either of City or State Yet he well knew that the good both of the State and the City would follow upon it For Vnity is a binder up And Vnity of Spirit which is religion's unity is the fastest binder that is And lest it should not bind fast enough it calls in the bond of peace So that no man can exhort unto and endeavour for the Vnity of the Church but at the same time he labours for the good of the State And if it were so at Ephesus where the state was Heathen much more must it needs be so where the state is Christian I shall follow my Text therefore both in it selfe and in the Consequent which followes upon it In it selfe and so 't is for the Vnity of the Church And a maine Text it is saith S. Jerome against Heresie and Schisme In the Consequence it hath And so 't is for the Vnity of the State And a full Consequence it is For Vnity not kept in the Church is lesse kept in the State And the Schismes and divisions of the one are both Mothers and Nurses of all disobedience and dis-joynting in the other So the Apostles Exhortation goes on directly to the Church by Consequent to the State And it will behove both Bodies that all the severall members of each Endeavour to keepe the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The Text hath six particulars For first here 's the thing it selfe to which the Apostle exhorts That 's Vnity Secondly All Unity will not serve the turne It must be the Vnity of the Spirit Thirdly what 's to be done with this Unity It must be kept Fourthly there will be no keeping of it without a strong Endeavour Fiftly this Endeavour to keepe will be to no purpose if it be not in peace And sixtly Peace it selfe cannot hold it long except it be bound up in Vinculo in the strongest bond that peace hath I beginne with that which is the matter of the Apostles Exhortation 'T is Vnity A very charitable tye but better knowne than loved A thing so good that 't is never broken but by the worst men Nay so good it is that the very worst men pretend best when they breake it 'T is so in the Church Never Heretick yet rent her bowels but he pretended that he raked them for truth 'T is so in the State Seldome any unquiet Spirit divides her Union but he pretends some great abuses which his integrity would remedy O that I were made a Iudge in the Land that every man which hath any Controversie might come to me that I might doe him Justice And yet no worse than David was King when this Cunning was used 2 Sam. 15. Vnity then both in Church and Common-Wealth is so good that none but the worst willingly breake it And even they are so farre ashamed of the breach that they must seeme holyer than the rest that they may be thought to have a just cause to breake it Now to be one here whether in Church or Common-wealth is not properly taken as if all were to be shrunke up into one Body But One is taken here saith Paulinus pro multorum unanimitate for the unanimitie and consent of many in one And the Church and Common-wealth take them severally or together they are they can be no otherwise One than Vnione multorum by the uniting and agreeing of many in one And so S. Luke Acts 4. The Church was a multitude of Beleevers sed Cor unum but they lived as if they had had but one heart among them This Vnity then is so One as that it is the Uniting of more than one yet such a uniting of many as that when the Common Faith is endangered the Church appeares for it as One And when the common safety is doubted or the common peace troubled the State appeares for it as One. As Israel was said to be knit together as one man Jud. 20. And indeed when One Man is not more at Vnity in himselfe for his owne defence than the Church and State are for publike defence then both are justly said to be at Vnity You see what Unity is Will you see what hurt follows where t is broken First Fraction makes uneven reckonings And t is hard very hard for a man that breakes Vnity to give either God or man a good account of so doing Hard to give account but that 's not all For if Vnity be broken if a Division be made the parts must be aequall or unaequall If the parts be aequall neither of them hath more than halfe its strength If they be unaequall one hath not so much And that which hath more usually hath more pride and so lesse will to unite And yet for all this pride far weaker it is than when there was Vnity and altogether Nay in breach of Vnity there is not alwaies safety for the greater against the lesse For in that grievous breach in Israel when the Eleven Tribes came out against Benjamin foure hundred thousand strong and their quarrell good yet they fell twice before them Judg. 20. Nay this is not all not any almost of the hurt which followes in either Church or State when discontents have swallowed up their Vnity For the Church Nothing saith S. Chrysostom doth so provoke God to anger as to see divisam Ecclesiam
SEVEN SERMONS PREACHED Upon severall occasions BY The Right Reverend and Learned Father in God WILLIAM LAVD Late Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY c. LONDON Printed for R. Lowndes at the White Lion in S. Pauls Church-yard MDCLI The severall Texts of Scripture on which the learned Author grounded the inlargement of his Meditations SERM. I. PSAL. 122. 6 7. 6. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem let them prosper that love thee 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces p. 1. SERM. II. PSAL. 21. 6 7. For thou hast set him as Blessings for ever thou hast made him glad with the joy of thy countenance Because the King trusteth in the Lord and in the mercy of the most High he shall not miscarry p. 47 SERM. III. PSAL. 122. 3 4 5. Jerusalem is builded as a Citie that is at unitie in it selfe or compacted together For thither the Tribes goe up even the Tribes of the Lord to the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord. For there are the Seats or the Thrones of Judgement even the Thrones of the house of David 95 SERM. IV. PSAL. 75. 2 3. When I shall receive the Congregation or when I shall take a convenient time I will judge according unto right The earth is dissolved or melted and all the Inhabitants thereof I beare up the pillars of it p. 145. SERM. V. PSAL. 74. 22. Arise O God plead or maintaine thine owne Cause Remember how the foolish man reprocheth or blasphemeth thee daily p. 191. SERM. VI. EPHES. 4. 3. Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 241. SERM. VII PSAL. 72. 1. Give the King thy Judgements O God And thy Righteousnesse unto the Kings Son p. 287. SERM. I. Preached before His Majesty on Tuesday the 19. of June at Wansted Anno 1621. PSAL. 122. 6 7. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem let them prosper that love thee 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces THe Arke of the Lord was brought out of the house of Obed-edom the Gittite with musick and great joy into Jerusalem and there placed 2 Reg. 6. The learned are of opinion that David composed this Psalm and delivered it to be sung at this solemnity Before this the Arke was in Gibeah a high place in the City Baalah of Judah 2 Reg. 6. otherwise called Kiriathjearim Josh 15. 9. But now the presence of it made the City of David Domicilium religionis the house of Religion as well as Regni of the Kingdome It is Domus Dei the house of Religion Gods house ver 1. and the last of this Psalme And it is the house of the Kingdome too for there is the seat of Judgement and there is the house of David ver 5. And it is fit very fit it should be so The Court and the great Temple of Gods service together That God and the King may be neighbours That as God is alwayes neere to preserve the King so the King might be neere to serve God and God and the King cannot meet in Ierusalem without a solemnity Now this Psalme was not fitted by David for the people onely when the Arke was brought to and placed in Jerusalem but also for their comming at their solemne feasts to Ierusalem to which they were bound thrice a yeere by the Law Exod. 23. For then some thinke they sung this Psalme either in their journey as they came up or else on the steps as they ascended to the Temple So the comming to the Temple was alwayes with joy And they were glad when the solemnity came At this joy the Psalme begins I was glad when they said unto me We will goe into the House of the Lord. Glad they were but no vanity in the mirth For as they went up with joy ver 1. so did they with prayer here at the 7. And the prayer is for the peace of Jerusalem Why but in Davids time the Temple was not built and how then this Psalme composed by him for this solemnity Yes well enough for though the Temple was not then built yet the Tabernacle was then up 2. Reg. 6. according to which patterne the Temple was to be built So all the service was there and therefore the solemnity too Beside the eye of the Prophet was cleare and saw things farther off than the present For first it is evident Qui non videbat praevidebat David that saw not the Temple built foresaw it was to bee built by his Sonne 2. Reg. 7. And so fitted the Psalme both to a present Tabernacle and a future Temple And it is not improbable but that he saw farther or if he did not the Spirit of God did and so fitted his pen that the same Psalme might serve the Jewes at their returne from Babylon to reedifie the ruines of both City and Temple For then the people assembled as one man to Jerusalem and kept their wonted ceremonies Esra 3. Nay I make no question but that he saw farther yet For what should hinder the Prophet but that hee might looke quite thorow the Temple which was but the figure or shadow and so see Christ his Church and Kingdome at the end of it So the Psalme goes on for both Jew and Christian Temple and Church that ye as well as they might pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that they may prosper that love it The words containe two things an Exhortation both to Princes and People to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Prophets owne prayer for it Let them prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces In the Exhortation to both Princes and People that they pray for the Peace of Jerusalem I shall observe three particulars The Body for which he would have us carefull that is Jerusalem The Action by which we should expresse our love to it Our care of it that is Prayer And the Blessing which our Prayers should intreat for it and that is Peace First then here is the Body for which and all the members of it he would have them pray and that is Jerusalem Now Jerusalem was at this time as I told you made Domus religionis regni Gods House and the Kings And so it stands not here for the City and the State only as many of the Antient name the City onely nor for the Temple and the Church onely but joyntly for both For both Therefore when you sit downe to consult you must not forget the Church And when we kneele downe to pray we must not forget the State both are but one Jerusalem There are some in all ages too many in this which are content to be for the State because the livelihood both of them and theirs depends upon it but it is no matter for the Church they can live without that And there are some which are all at least in their out-cry
Kingdome And 't is not Juda onely but all Kingdomes of the Earth are subject to melting The many changes of the world have Preach'd this over and over That whatsoever hath Earth to the foundation is subject to dissolution And the Sermon is still made upon this Text Terra liquefacta est The Earth is dissolved Now usually before melting there goes a Heate And so it was Hos 8. A fire first and then the melting of Israel There neither is nor can be any Kingdome but it hath many Heates These are most felt by them that are at the working of the State But these are all quite above me save to pray for their temper and I will not further meddle with them Heates then there are but all Heates are not by and by a Furnace nor are all Furnaces able to melt and dissolve States No God forbid Not all but yet some there are that can melt any Kingdome especially two The one of these Heates is Sinne great and multiplied sinne For saith S. Augustine delinquere est de liquido fluere To sinne is to melt and drop away from all steddinesse in vertue from all foundation of Justice And here a State melts inward there 's little seen yet The other is Gods punishment for these sinnes For that makes empty cities and a desolate Land And there a State melts outwardly and in view And by this we have found what and who it is that melts great and glorious Kingdomes In the Text there 's no more than liquefacta est the earth is disolved not a word by whom or for what But it is expressed ver 7. that it is by God And it is too well knowne that it is for sinne and for great sinne too For as there goes sin before God heates so there goe great and multiplied sins before God makes his fire so hot as to melt or dissolve a Kingdome The sinnes of the Amorite not yet full therefore not yet cast into the melting pot But so soone as their sinnes were full their State melted The fruit of it from above and the root of it from beneath all destroyed And this was not the Amorites case onely for all Stories are full of it That when States have melted into wanton and lustfull sinnes they have not long after dissolved into desolation For as S. Hierom observes that course God holds with impious and impenitent Kingdomes as well as men absque discretione personaruus without any difference of persons or places Well when 't is Terra liquefacta when a Kingdome dissolves and melts what then What why then no man is in safety till it settle againe not a man For the Text goes on The earth is dissolved and all that dwell therein All men then to seeke what to doe the wisest to seeke and the strongest to seeke All. And it must needs be so For so long as a State is Terra like solide ground men know where to set their footing and it is not every Earth quake that swallowes the place But when it is once Terra liquefacta molten and dissolved there is no footing no foundation then I sticke fast in the myre where no ground is Psal 69. and myre is but terra liquefacta molten and dissolved earth All foule then and no foundation And when a Kingdome melts indeed that is both wayes In sinne and under punishment there 's great reason the inhabitants should melt with it into feare into danger into ruine For God never puts his fire to the melting of a State but for sin and sinne that is never committed by the dead State but by the living For when a fruitfull land is made barren it is for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein And therefore there is great reason when the earth dissolves that the inhabitants should all sweat and melt too When David came to the Crown 't was thus How is it now Why if you take the earth at large for the Kingdomes about you out of question there hath been liquefactio a melting in the earth and many Kingdomes have sweat blood But if you take the earth for the State at home then 't is high time to magnifie God First for the Renowned Religious and peaceable Reigne of our late dread Soveraigne of blessed Memory who for so many yeeers together kept this Kingdome in peace and from melting And secondly that now in the change of Princes which is not the least occasion for a State to melt we live to see a miracle Change without Alteration Another King but the same life-expression of all the Royall and Religious Vertues of his Father and no sinewes shrinking or dissolving in the State If you aske me the cause of this happinesse I can direct you to no other but God and God in mercy For as for the Kingdome that is made of the same Earth with others and is consequently subject to the same dissolution And as for us that dwell therein I doubt our sins have beene as clamorous upon God to heate his fire and make it fall on melting as the sinnes of them that inhabit other Countreys And though I doubt not but God hath the sure mercies of David in store for the King and will never faile him yet if Habitatores in eâ they that dwell in this good and happy soile will burden it and themselves with sinne great sinne multiplied sinne unrepented sinne it will not be in the power or wisdome or courage or piety of a King to keepe the State from melting For David was all these and yet liquefacta est terra the Earth was as good as dissolved for all that And therefore that this Kingdome is not a melting too I can give no firme reason but God and his Mercy For he is content to give longer day for repentance and repentance is able to doe all things with God And the time calls apace for repentance The Heavens they melt into unseasonable weather and the Earth melts and dissolves her Inhabitants into infectious humours and there 's no way to stay these meltings but by melting our selves in and by true repentance Would you then have a setled and a flourishing State Would you have no melting no dissolution in the Church I know you would it is the honourable and religious designe of you all Why but if you would indeed The King must trust and indeere his people The people must honour obey and support their King Both King and Peeres and People must religiously serve and honour God Shut out all Superstition on Gods Name the farther the better but let in no prophanenesse therewhile If this be not done take what care you can God is above all humane wisdome and in some degree or other there will be Liquefactio terrae a melting or a waste both in Church and State And this falls in upon the second generall part of the Text which is The Remedy as it was then with the Jewes the
calls it Concors Odium unity in hatred to persecute the Church And to this worke there 's unity enough Men take counsell together Psal 2. Saint Augustine calls it unitatem contra unitatem a unity against unity when Pagans Jewes and Hereticks or any prophane crew whatsoever make a league against the Churches unity And about that worke that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance that there may be no Church or no reformed Church Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck the Philistims and they that dwell at Tyre are Confederates together Psal 83. S. Hilary will not vouchsafe to call such union unity Indeed It deserves not the name 'T is not unity saith he be it in Church or be it in State but 't is a Combination And hee gives his Reason For unity is in faith and Obedience but Combination is Consortium factionis no other no better the consenting in a faction And all Faction is a Fraction too and an Enemy to unity even while it combines in one For while it combines but a part it destroyes the unity of the whole Is the Spirit in this Out of question No. For a Faction to compasse it's end I will not say when it sees a theefe it consents to him or that it is alwaies partaker with the Adulterers but this it doth It speaks against its owne Brother and slanders its owne Mothers Sonne Psal 50. Can any man call this the unity of the Spirit or is this the way to Unity And now I cannot but wonder what words S. Paul were he now alive would use to call backe Vnity into dismembred Christendome For my part Death were easier to me than it is to see and consider the face of the Church of Christ scratched and torne till it bleeds in every part as it doth this day And the Coat of Christ which was once spared by Souldiers because it was seamblesse S. Ioh. 19. Rent every way and which is the miserie of it by the hand of the Priest And the Pope which Bellarmine hath put into the Definition of the Church that there might bee one Ministeriall head to keep all in Vnity is as great as any if not the greatest cause of divided Christianity Good God what preposterous thrift is this in men to sowe up every small rent in their owne Coat and not care what rents they not onely suffer but make in the Coat of Christ What is it Is Christ onely thought fit to weare a torne garment Or can we thinke that the Spirit of Vnity which is one with Christ will not depart to seeke warmer cloathing Or if he be not gone already why is there not Vnity which is where ere he is Or if he be but yet gone from other parts of Christendome in any case for the passion and in the bowels of Iesus Christ I beg it make stay of him here in our parts For so the Apostle goes on Keepe the Unity of the Spirit This Exhortation requires two things saith S. Ierome the one that they which have this Unity of the Spirit keep it the other that they which have it not labour to get it And certainly nothing can be more beneficial or more honourable either for Church or State than to get it when they have it not or to keepe it when they have it And this is implyed in the very word which the Apostle uses Keepe For no wise man will advise the treasuring up and keeping of any thing but that which is of use and benefit And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not barely signifie to Keepe but Tueri to defend too which is the stoutest keeping Now all wise men are for Vnity And all good men for the Vnity of the Spirit Yes saith S. Isidor Boni servant Good men keepe it Wise and good men keepe it why then none but fooles and bad men breake it Sly and cunning men perhaps may have their hands in Divisions but wise or good men they are not For are they not all without understanding that worke wickednesse Psal 53. And a greater wickednesse men can hardly worke than to dissolve the Vnity of the Spirit in either Church or Common-wealth For they doe as much as in them lies to bring profanenesse into the Church and desolation upon the State Keepe therefore the Vnity of the Spirit Keep Vnity why but what needs that will not unity keepe it selfe T is true unity is very apt to hang together It proceeds from Charity which is the glue of the Spirit not severed without violence Yea but for all this it needs keeping In the Church it needs keeping And therefore the Prophets and Governours of the Church are called Custodes Keepers Watchmen and Overseers Ezek. 3. and Acts 20. And they must watch as well over her Peace as her Truth And yet there are so many that scatter the tares of Schisme and Heresie that her Vnity is not kept In the Common-wealth it needs keeping too For her Governours are Custodes Civitatis Keepers of the City But there also there are not few that trouble the waters for their owne fishing And many times a Common-wealth is in danger to lose her Unity just as Ephesus did Act. 19. At which time all the City was troubled but the greater part knew not why And the true cause of the Division was no more but this Demetrius and his fellowes were afraid they should lose their gaine if Diana and her Temple kept not up their greatnesse Now this noyse at Ephesus doth not onely tell us that unity needs keeping but it informes us farther of the way to keep it The way to keep unity both in Church and State is for the Governors to carry a watchfull eye over all such as are discoverd or feard to have private ends For there 's no private end but in some thing or other it will be lead to run crosse the publique And if gaine come in though it be by making shrines for Diana 't is no matter with them though Ephesus be in an uproare for it And certainly there 's no keeping of Unity in either Church or State unlesse men will be so temperate when it comes to a lump at least as to lay down the private for the publique's sake and perswade others to do the like Else saith Saint Chrysostome Quicquid ducit ad amorem sui dividit unitatem whatsoever leads men to any love of themselves and their owne ends helpes to divide the unity And the Schoole applyes it both to Church and State For in the Church they which seeke their owne and not that which is Christs who is publicum Ecclesiae the publique interest of the Church depart from the Vnity of the Spirit And in an earthly City the unity of that is gone when the Citizens studdy their owne not the publique good Why but when then is Vnity to be kept When why surely at all times if it