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A01920 Enōtikon or A sermon of the vnion of Great Brittannie, in antiquitie of language, name, religion, and kingdome: preached by Iohn Gordoun Deane of Sarum, the 28 day of October 1604, in presence of the the Kings Maiestie at Whitehall Gordon, John, 1544-1619. 1604 (1604) STC 12059; ESTC S103340 32,572 56

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which signifieth knowledge and doctrine the third is Caph which signifieth the hand and is figuratiuely taken for strength and force of armes and for the hand of Iustice the vnion or coniunction of these three letters in the Hebrew word Melech which by interpretation is called King doth teach vs what is required in this most excellent office of a King to wit that he be a fountaine or water of life and felicitie to his subiects by maintaining the water of life which is true religion that he retaine true doctrine and learning within his kingdome For the administration of iustice and preseruation of his people that he haue in his hand the sword of iustice which is here signified by a mighty hand or a hand of force That he may be able to resist the violence of forraine enemies and punish the rebellious murtherers and oppressors in the Land Also the word Melech doth signifie in Hebrew counsell and in the Greeke tongue it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of the people Wherby we learne that the coūsell and wisedome of a King is the foundation of the whole estate of his subiects who hereby are preserued from all diuisions factions and dissentions whereof commeth desolation as Christ teacheth vs in this Text. The Poet Homer calleth Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enutriti a Ioue nourished by God admonishing therby that as a child doth participate of the nature of his nurce Euen so Kings should participate the nature of God who is their nource This participation of Kings with God is effectuated by exercising themselues in God his word and ruling their kingdome according as they are instructed by God his law As it is written in Deut. The word diuision in the originall language is called Peleg which word doth consist of three letters the first Phe signifieth the mouth the second Lamed learning and knowledge the third Gimel retribution By the which three letters conioyned in one word is mistically contained the causes and effects of Diuision For by the mouth is signified all seducing deceiuing or beguiling with the mouth whether by lying false perswading or poysonable flattering by knowledge and learning is signified the wicked abuse of learning in imploying the same to sow diuision amongst men by retribution is signified the vengeance that men exercise seth one against another by diuision discord and dissention By the which mysticall interpretation we are instructed of the whole nature of diuision to this end that we may see how dangerous a plague diuision is whereby euery one of vs may learne to auoide the same Of all this we gather that Diuision is the separation and partition of things that ware before vnited where also we collect that Vnion doth goe before Diuision and that the one is contrarie to the other The phrase and manner of speaking of Christs maternall language which was the language of Ierusalem doth expresse in this Text the inward operation of diuision with greater force and efficacie then the Greeke language For where the Greeke text saith diuided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against it selfe the Syriack hath Gnal napscheh against his own soule Signifying thereby that the fountaine of diuision is rooted in the soule hart and minde of man whereby we are taught that vnion which is contrarie to diuision must begin in the hart and soule of man Therefore let all men that loue God who is the God of vnion and enemy to diuision gratiously dispose their soules harts and mindes to the performance and accomplishment of this blessed Vnion of this Iland The word Vnion in the originall language is Achad and doth consist of three letters the first is Aleph which as is said signifieth knowledge learning or a conducter the second Cheth signifieth breathing or life the third Daleth signifieth a doore of the which three letters conioyned in the Hebrew word Achad Vnion we are taught that Vnion is the doore whereby we enter by knowledge to life and eternall felicitie I haue set before your eies this doctrine of the mysticall signification of the Hebrew letters that are contained in these words Man Woman Citie kingdome diuision and vnion to this end that the persons which are to treate of this great worke of vnion in the vniting of the Iland of Great Brittannie in one kingdome in the members as God hath vnited them alreadie in one head may make their profit thereof and apply the same to their harts And because I haue heretofore shewed you that the beginning of all societie in this earth is by the Vnion and coniunction of man and woman together I will by God his grace represent vnto you the image of a kingdome both in the outward and inward man For this effect we shall marke that man is called by the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a little world Because the harmonie of all the Elements is found in the edifice and building of the man in the coniunction of the which mans preseruation doth stand as by their diuision his destruction ensueth And seeing the world is made of many kingdomes we may also call Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little kingdome as before we heard he was called a little world In this little kingdome of the outward man the head is the King and soueraigne gouernour of the whole body because by the head there doth come nourishment and foode to the body And as in a kingdome there be many members that is subiects vnder one King euen so in this kingdome of the outward man there be many members as the armes hands legges and feete which are as officers and vnder-gouernours to the head their King By whose administration the head distributeth equallie to all his members food and nourishment Let vs apply this similitude of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the outward man to our selues seing the whole people of this Iland is alreadie Vnited vnder one head and seeing the armes hands legges and feete are tyed to the obedience of this their head And that the head and the members are ipso iure ipso facto by law and by the deede it selfe Vnited Let no man be so vnreasonable to separate them for in so doing they do but throwe stones against the heauen For how can the armes hands legges and feete serue the head in the nourishing of the whole body if they were onely vnited in the head and diuided amongst themselues If the hands and armes were diuided one from another and separated from the whole body it were then impossible against nature that this body could be nourished by the worke and industrie of the hands and againe if the feet were diuided from the head and the rest of the body and the one from the other the head must needes fall to the ground Therefore let not the hands deny the seruice due to their head which consisteth
in preparing and administrating foode to vphold and nourish the head and the whole body The force of both the armes and hands doth come from the head to the body and from the head to the armes Let not the feete and legges deny their seruice in carying of their body because from thence commeth their nourishment and foode But let vs apply this doctrine more particularly to our selues The head of this Iland the Kings Maiestie hath vnited in his Royall person the armes hands and legs of this body which is this kingdome of Great Brittannie to wit the South and the North in one obedience and seruice whose strength and nourishment doth flow from this head as from a fountaine So hauing this consideration before you iudge and ponder with your selues what a miserable and dangerous estate it were that one of the armes hands or feete should draw to it selfe the whole foode which commeth from the head and not to suffer his fellow to be participant thereof Therefore let not the armes of the South I meane the Officers and great Gouernors in the South attribute to themselues onely the whole sustenance and nourishment that doth come from the head that is to say preferments offices and dignities as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall excluding from thence the fellow arme of the North which is the other arme of this body and on the other part let not the arme of the North which is the other arme of this body withdraw from his fellow the offices preferments and dignities that proceed from the head which equally should pertaine to them both But according to the disposition of nature in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or little kingdome Let both the armes be equally participant of the benefits that come from their head Thus much concerning a perfect and stable Vnion betwixt the members and the head and of the Vnion of the members amongst themselues We come now to the Image of a kingdome which is represented vnto vs in the inward man Honorius a very faithfull Christian Emperour instructing his sonne Arcadius who succeeded to his Father into that great huge Monarchie of the whole world described the forme of that kingdome which is within man As Claudianus the Poet doth record in a very elegant panegyrike of the fourth Consulship of this foresaid Honorius Wherein he doth teach vs that this inward kingdome of the inwardman doth consist of Mens which in the Greeke language is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the wit vnderstanding or minde of man hauing within it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ratio reason which by him is called syncera Mens and alluding to the allegorie of the auncient Greeke Poets he imagineth that this mind filled with wit vnderstanding was stollen out of heauen and placed within the outward man by Prometheus which doth signifie the vnspeakeable prouidence of God in the creation of man to his owne Image which is this diuine mind wit vnderstanding soule and reason infused by God his spirit into the inward man The wit and reason of the mind beareth the Image of a King in the inward man And as Claudianus sayeth in the person of Honorius The maker of man to wit Prometheus as is sayd hanc alta capitis fundauit in arce mandatricem operum prospecturamque labori He did place this spiritual king of the inward man in his head as in a throne out of the which he ruleth and disposeth all the actions of man prouideth and foreseeth to keepe his subiects which are Ira Metus Cupido anger feare couetousnesse in good order and temperature of the which it will please you heare Claudianus words as followeth Illas inferius collo praeceptaque summae Passuras Dominae digna statione locauit That is the maker of man did place the subiects of this King of the inward man in these parts of the body which are vnder the head and necke as in a fit station ward or standing place to obey the commaundement of their soueraigne Lord the first of these subiects named Ira anger hath his seate in the hart which is full of heat the second Metus feare hath his seate in the lungs or lights the third Cupido desire couetousnesse hath his seate in Iecore in the Liuer Let vs draw this example of the image of the kingdome in the inward man to our selues in this vnion of great Britannie which great worke is now in hand for euen as Mens or Ratio is the king who ruleth and keepeth in order his subiects to wit Ira metus cupido euen so the king and head of this Iland must keepe his subiects in the South and in the North that are as diuers of nature as Ira metus cupido in good order temperature least that not being ruled and ouerruled by their King they fall into a lamentable diuision whereupon will follow according to Christs words in this text a most miserable desolation from the which I pray the Lord deliuer vs So that I conclude if we be vnited vnder one head and one king we must be vnited amongst our selues or els be disobedient to Reason our King This if we do all the members of one body shall agree in a harmonie amongst themselues and be participant euerie one of his fellowes benefits in so much that the heate of the hart wherein wrath and anger dwelleth must participate of the moist and cold of the lights that is the furie of wrath and anger must be ruled and brideled by the feare of god and of the king his Lieutenant heere on earth which otherwise getting loose bridle raines would cut the whole kingdome by diuision in pieces Also the respiration and breathing of the lights must temperate and moderate the ardent heat of desire and couetousnesse that is in the liuer So that ye may see the three inward parts of man which are subiect to their king reason must communicate one with another all their offices and commodities otherwise the subiects of the kingdome of the inward man could not keepe themselues in the obedience of Reason their king Of this we learne that by the figure and type of this kingdome of the inward man the whole people and subiects of this Iland should consider that if they will follow the law of their king reason which they must needes doe or els they cannot remaine vnited with their soueraigne king whose kingdome is ruled by reason it behoueth them all to make euery one participant of an others helpe and aide in communicating mutually one to his neighbour and fellow the emoluments and preferments on both the sides For when the heat of the hart is withdrawen from the cold moistnesse of the lungs and humiditie of the liuer or when the lights and the liuer doe withdraw their refreshing from the heart then the kingdome of the inward man is brought to confusion and desolation by the diuision of the subiects in withdrawing the commodities one from another which should be common
desire of vaine glory in their harts that they were about to build a tower which should reach to heauen all this was attempted by them vt acquirerent sibi nomen That thereby they might purchase themselues a name But God did punish this their vaine glory by the diuision and confusion of their tongues being all before vnius labij of one lippe and of one language This diuision of tongues was the cause that the heads and gouernors of families that were of one language did separate and diuide the whole earth amongst them as we said before where by the way we haue to obserue that diuision of languages was sent vpon mankind as one of Gods curses for there is nothing more forceable to maintaine Vnion and peace amongst men then conformitie in language as on the other part we see diuersitie of tongues doth ingender hatred and enuy amongst the nations of the whole world This being considered it followeth that diuision of lands in sundry countries is a rod and punishment of God which being conioyned with the diuision of tongues hath begotten sundry fearefull and cruell warres betwixt countrey and countrey nation and nation Therefore seeing diuision of languages is a curse of God it followeth necessarily that the Vnion of diuers Kingdomes in one language and one Kingdome is a speciall blessing of God Wherefore briefly we intend to bring in for all your instructions some examples out of the foure Monarchies where we shall see as in a glasse how these two doe follow the one vpon the other In the first Monarchie of the Assyrians the Assyrian language was then a common language vsed in the whole Monarchie and from thence came to the Iewes by the captiuitie of Babylon and to this day all the Christians of Asia doe vse it in their diuine seruice And it is euidently knowen that the Monarchie of the Greekes did spread the Greeke tongue throughout all Asia and Egypt yea and it did remaine in the beginning of the Romane Monarchie when all men studied to the vnderstanding of the Greeke language and the Romanes hauing obtained the vniuersall Empire did establish therein their owne language Euen so when Christ came into the world to establish his kingdome by the preaching of the Gospell he sent downe vpon his Disciples the knowledge of all tongues which was a spirituall Vnion of them And therefore God conuerted the curse that came by the diuersitie of language into a great blessing by giuing his Apostles the gift of the vnderstanding of all tongues So God did begin the Vnion of this Iland by the Vnion of one language in both these nations which came to passe by a conquest Yet God would not performe this Vnion of these two kingdomes by conquest which is a kind of violent Vnion but in the time appointed by his incomprehensible wisdome hath vnited vs not by a violent but a free and voluntary Vnion So that long after the Vnion of the language of the South and the North he did vnite vs in the couenant of God which is signified by our generall name Brit-an-iah and afterward vnited vs vnder one soueraigne head and King The which Vnion of one language one Religion and one King maketh the Vnion of the two countries ipso iure naturali For as we haue prooued that the first diuision of lands did come from the diuersitie of languages as also the diuersitie of chusing Kings to gouerne sundry people according to the diuersitie of their languages Euen so by the generall rule deficiente causa deficit effectus the cause of the diuision of kingdomes being taken away the effect and diuision of them should be taken away ipso iure ipso facto For so they returne to be one nation one people and one land as they were before the diuision By this it is most euidently shewed to vs that our great Britaine being in our daies vnited in one language in one religion and vnder one head one King and supreame gouernour we cannot by any law be any more two nations or two kingdomes but only one The second example of the Vnion of sundry Countries Kingdomes and Lands being before diuided is manifest in the posteritie of Abraham For the Land that was promised by God to the Israelites which since was called Palestina was diuided into diuers Kings and Kingdomes as the historie of the Bible doth teach vs all these diuided Kings and kingdomes were vnited by God in one kingdome of the Israelites in the person of Dauid and Salomon in the time of which Vnion was the most happy estate of any kingdome we read of before that age So that we may gather seeing the cause of this Vnion of many kingdomes was the vnitie and singularitie of the head euen so the like Vnion and singularitie of the head in our great Britaine doth vnite ipso iure ipso facto the kingdomes that were seuerall and separated before Therefore let no man imagine that we are two kingdomes or two nations but vnus grex vnum ouile sub vno pastore ac vno Rege as Homer did call the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pastour and Sheapheard of the people In this blessed Vnion of many kingdomes in the person of Dauid and of his sonne Salomon was established the kingdome of God in earth which was ioyned with the vnited estate of the temporall and worldly kingdome For the temple of Ierusalem was builded for the exercise of the true worship of God But Satan continuing in his accustomed malicious practises did cast in the seede of diuision first by diuision of Religion and of the spirituall kingdome and then by the diuisions of earthly and temporall kingdomes by the which diuisions in the space of 300. yeeres or thereabout the whole kingdome of the Israelites was brought to a lamentable desolation according to the doctrine of Christ Iesus in our Text. Satan to establish his kingdome in the middle of the people of God did deceaue the wise Salomon by the filthie loue and desire of forraine women afterward he seduced him to erect Idols and false Gods in the high places of that holy Land retaining neuerthelesse the temple of Ierusalem the true Sacrifice worship and adoration of God by the which maintenance of true Religion on the one part and false Religion on the other there did proceede a diuision so odious vnto God that for this cause he did poure foorth his curses and maledictions vpon the posteritie of Salomon and rent away the ten Tribes and parts of the kingdome of the holy land from Roboam his sonne which he gaue to Ieroboam his seruant leauing onely to Roboam the two Tribes which did remaine By this we learne how displeasant this diuision of Religion made by Salomon was to God and what a miserable desolation it did bring by succession of time vpon his posteritie Let this punishment which was laid by God on Salomon be an example to all
it selfe did begin his kingdome also amongst men whereby at the time preordinate in his incomprehensible prouidence he should ouerthrow the kingdome of Satan God I say did begin this his kingdome in the very fall of man in that blessed promise which he made to Man when he said that the seede of the woman should bruse and destroy the head of the Serpent The first example of the beginning of the kingdome of Satan in this earth by diuision is in his practizing of the diuision of the house of Adam Who hauing two sonnes Satan established his kingdome amongst men in the person of Cain For Cains hart being puffed vp with arrogancie and pride by reason of his birth-right whereby he pretended preeminence aboue his brother Abell both in the fauour of God and in regard of religion he offred vp a Sacrifice to God which was reiected because he offered the same with an euill mind But Abell the second brother hauing his hart filled with loue and humilitie did offer a Sacrifice to God which was willingly accepted because he did offer it with faith as Saint Paul doth teach vs in the 11. Cap. to the Hebrewes Of this Satan taketh occasion to ingender in the hart of the elder brother an immortall inanimitie and hatred against the yonger so that by these meanes Satan seduced Cain to murder his brother traiterously as he himselfe was a murtherer from the beginning This murther made a diuision in the house of Adam which was the cause of a miserable and pitifull desolation that came to passe by succession of time in the drowning of the whole world by the deluge But God on the other part hauing a care of his promise of the blessed seede did renue his kingdome amongst men in the person of Seth Enos Enoch and sundry others who were the true and faithfull worshippers of God that blessed seede that was promised in whom the ruine of man with God did consist Yet notwithstanding Satan continuing in his practises of diuision against mankind being desirous to bring them all to lamentable desolation and confusion did seduce the progenie of godly Seth and Enos whom the Text calleth the sonnes of God by the bewitching beautie of the daughters of men to wit the daughters of the Cainites who were an Idolatrous wicked people of this vngodly mixtion the generations of wicked Idolatrous and blood thirstie men did so multiply that we reade in Genesis the whole race of mankinde was corrupted by falling away from God which diuision brought in by Satan betwixt God and man was the cause of miserable desolation For God for the punishment of such wickednesse did destroy the whole world except Noe his wife their three Sonnes and their wiues being eight persons onely that did find fauour in the sight of God We see by this example that it is most true which is here spoken by Christ that Euery kingdome c. For here we see how Satan in this first age did practise a generall desolation in the whole race of mankind by the diuision which he brought into the house of Adam Out of this doctrine there may be collected a wholsome instruction and warning to all the subiects of this Iland of Great Britannie But more specially this doctrine doth appertain for the instruction of these whom God and his Lieutenant hath assembled at this time to treate of the performance of this godly worke of the Vnion of this Iland in one kingdome For euen as the first age which was before the deluge did descend of one Father and was diuided by discord amongst bretheren and afterward by this diuision brought to small desolation and destruction So the first Inhabitants of this little world of great Britannie who are called by Virgill diuisi toto orbe Britanni were in the beginning borne of one Father but amongst themselues by bretheren diuided who could not liue together in loue and amitie of this diuision which hath beene for many yeers many desolations did fall out in the whole Island by sundry cruell bloody wars yet in our daies God hath shewed his mercy wonderfully towards vs in vniting vs al vnder one head Wherby we are taught also that as the diuersitie of heads and Kings in this Island made the diuersitie of kingdomes Euen so the singularitie of one King and one head maketh the singularitie of one kingdome so that this whole Island is vnited ipso iure ipso facto in that same vnited estate in the which it was before the first diuision thereof into diuers kingdomes Therefore let euery man thinke that it is both agreeable with law and reason that we be no more two kingdomes but one seeing we all confesse to haue onely one head and one King The order of this matter doth lead vs to set downe before you the beginning of the diuision of countreies and lands betwixt people and people of the which diuision the whole multitude of kingdomes according to the diuersitie of languages did proceed in the beginning of the renewed world as we read in the historie of Genes For Noah and his three sonnes Sem Ham and Iaphet did diuide the whole habitable world amongst their posteritie After the confusion of languages which did fall out a hundred yeares after the deluge The auncient Greeke authors whom Epiphanius did follow in his Anchorato did most constantlie hold that the whole Orient which commonly is called Asia did fall by lot to the eldest brother Sem and to his posteritie the whole South called Africa to Cham and his posteritie the whole North and occident commonly called Europa to Iaphet and his posteritie we haue the testimonie of this also in those auncient Greeke histories and poesies which Horace did follow in the which he calleth the posteritie of Iaphet Audax Iapeti genus In this generall diuision of the whole world we may obserue that the gouernours and captaines of these people which first did inhabite any land gaue the first names to that land or kingdome that they did inhabite Of the which names there remaine as yet to our daies some signes markes and remembrances of their first imposition as for example the countrey of Thracia gat the name from Thyras one of Iaphets sonnes the country of the Grecians was called Ionia from Iauan one of Iaphets children who by the Grecians was called Ion et inde Iones The countrey of Moschouia whose people to our age are called Muschouits did take the name from Meschet another of Iaphets sons In the 10. cap. of Genes after that Moses hath named Iaphets posteritie he saith that the Isles of the Gentiles were deuided likewise by Iaphets sonnes according to their families and languages and although the names of the gouernours and people who first did inhabite the ilands of the Gentiles are not expressed in the Bible yet we find them expressed by that most renowned Doctor Epiphanius in his Anchorato who after he had named and spoken
vs the dangers that diuersitie of Kings ordinarily doth bring foorth to wit diuision of Religion and aduancing of Idolatrie All these considerations should instigate vs to put to our helping hands to the performance of the Vnion of the members of this Iland that is the South and the North and for this effect let vs beware that the pretext of worldly commodities doe not make any separation or diuision amongst vs as we see Satan did amongst the people of Israel which only fell out for worldly respects Let not the people of the South challenge to thēselues the great riches fertility of their country to be a colour whereby they should not ioyn in vnion with the people of the North because their riches are not so great or their soile so fertill Let not their riches be a meane whereby they should pretend any preheminence aboue them either in offices or preferments temporall or spirituall or in dignities of honour On the other part let not the subiects of the North desire or hunt after any preheminence in honour dignitie offices or preferments either temporall or Ecclesiasticall because that the King his Maiestie our common head was borne and bred and had his beginning in the North or because the Nobilitie of the North may claime to haue some preheminence by the antiquitie of their houses aboue the South But let vs all thinke with our selues that as our head and Soueraigne Lord is made of a blessed commixtion of the bloud royall of the South and the North Euen so let all the subiects of the South the North thinke themselues mingled together and vnited in their head and King So that all men of worth and merit be equally participant of the honours dignities preferments and offices of great Britannie according to their talents places and merits laying aside the place of their birth whether it be South or North. This equalitie is the only meane to establish this blessed worke of the Vnion in the members as God hath established the same already in the head which will take away from amongst vs all seede of discord The order of this matter which we haue in hand doth lead vs to set before your eyes that the vnited estate of Kingdomes hath beene alwaies the most blessed and happy estate amongst men and that as well in respect of worldly commodities as in regard of the propagation and maintenance of true Religion which we may easily gather by the Vnion of the kingdomes of the world vnder the foure Monarchies as on the other part we may see the miserable and fearefull estate of all men that are subiect to diuision in the diuision of the Monarchies in sundry kingdomes as it did fall out whereby the true worship of God and Religion was troubled and oppressed and the false worship of Idolatrie augmented and maintained by the diuision of kingdomes before vnited After that the kingdome of Iudah was ouerthrowen by Nabuchadnetzar King of the Assyrians the Temple of God destroyed the whole people led into captiuitie to Babylon God did begin to establish his Kingdome in that captiuitie and the calling of the Gentils which was a figure and a type of the eternall kingdome of God that he was to establish by his eternall sonne ouer all the nations and people of the world Of which kingdome Daniel did speake in the interpretation of the Vision of that great Image which did appeare to Nabuchadnetzar which was a representation of the mutation of all Monarchies and Kingdomes to the end of the world of the which kingdomes we shall speake according to the order of their establishment We reade in Daniel how Nabuchadnetzar was called to the true Religion from the Idolatrie of the Gentils by the miracles which were wrought by Daniel but Belthazar his sonne for falling away from the true Religion to the prophanation of the golden and siluer vessels that were dedicated to God his seruice in the first Temple of Ierusalem was depriued of the Monarchie For it was translated from him to the Medes and Persians We reade in Esdras and Nehemias how Darius and Syrus were conuerted to the true Religion and adoration of the only increated God how they did restore the people of God to their owne countrey and how they gaue great wealth and riches to build the second Temple which was a figure of the establishing of Christ his kingdom In like manner when God did translate the Monarchie from the Persians to Alexander and his successors we doe learne by the historie of Flauius Iosephus that Alexander himselfe did maintaine the Priesthoode and Temple of Ierusalem being in his voyage to war against Darius by the way besieging Tyrus he gaue a command to the high Priest Senate of Ierusalem that they should furnish his army with all things necessary for their siege But being refused by them after the winning of Tyrus he went to Ierusalem with an intention to destroy the same but when he did see the high Priest and his brethren clothed with their clothes dedicated to the Sacrifice of the true God who came to receaue him in a peaceable manner he did humble himselfe in all reuerence before the Priest gaue him all the externall adoration which was ordinarie due to Kings Priests Prophets being asked of his chiefe Captaines why he did so he answered that before his expedition in warre there was a God that did appeare to him clothed after the fashion of this high Priest who did call him to the kingdome of all Asia and did promise the same to him This was the cause that mooued Alexander to enter into the Temple of Ierusalem and Sacrifice to the true God of Israel which was a preparatiue of the establishing the Vniuersall kingdome of Christ by calling all nations in the world to the true Religion and worship of the onely true God from gentilisme Idolatry and worship of a multitude of false Gods After his death the Monarchy was diuided into foure parts during the which diuision of kingdomes before vnited the Church of God did suffer great troubles Yet God did maintaine hir for a time by Ptolomaeus one of Alexanders successors who did much good to the Israelites and was the Author of translating the Bible into the Greeke language which was a meane to instruct the Gentiles in the true knowledge of God and of his religion which as I haue said already was a preparatiue to the establishing of Christ his kingdom amongst all the nations of the world The diuision of the Monarchie and kingdome of the Greekes brought by succession of time a miserable desolation according to the doctrine of our Text which was a preparing before hand of the translation of the Grecian Monarchie to the Romanes The Romane Monarchie did grow to her perfection in the person of Augustus Caesar and did indure partly in perfection partly in her decaying age for the space of seauen
which God hath powred foorth vpon vs. The first is a publike embracing of Christian Religion begun by King Lucius and all his people and abolishing of Gentilisme and Idolatrie wherein God did preferre this Iland before all the nations of the world The second blessing is that God raised vp in this Iland Constantinus Magnus a Britaine Emperour in whose raigne God did vnite the earthly kingdome with the spirituall The third blessing is this last admirable Vnion of the South and the North in one kingdome vnder one King and gouernour in the true Religion and worship of God by the which Vnion this Iland is in the most happy estate of all the kingdomes of the world God giue vs all thankefull harts to acknowledge the same I will entreate all the subiects of Great Britaine to lay before their eyes the blessed estate of the Vnion of this Iland in one language one true Religion and in one temporall kingdome And on the other part looke what was the miserable and lamentable estate of this Iland during the space that it was diuided into many earthly kingdomes and holding vnder the spirituall captiuitie of the Idolatrie of spirituall Babylon And for this cause remember the history of the diuision and ciuill warres of the Romane Monarchie how they did draw their souldiers and warriours out of this Iland and marke at that same time what a desolate and miserable estate both the spirituall and temporall kingdome did fall into For the North Britaines did rise vp in warre against the South Britaines who for their aide and helpe had refuge to the Saxons who did professe Gentilisme and Paganisme But the Saxons hauing deliuered the South Britaines from the oppression of the North did thrust out the Southerne people out of their possessions lands houses and Countrey so that a great number of them did flie into little Britannie in France and the remnant went to the Westerne part called Wales I might shew you also how that the South was deuided into seauen Kingdomes at what time there were most cruell warres exercised amongst themselues how that afterward they were afflicted by the Danes and how during the diuision of kingdomes in all these ages all learning all true Religion and all pietie was banished yea almost extinguished and by the contrary all barbaritie by violence and bloodshed all Gentilisme and Idolatrie did abound I might shew you how all these things did raigne in this Iland during the deuided estate of this kingdome but time will not suffer me Let the consideration of felicitie which doth flow from Vnion on the one side of misery and calamitie which doth come by diuision on the other side worke mightily in the harts of all these whom God and his Lieutenant hath chosen at this time out of the South and North to entreate of this Vnion whereof I haue now spoken And that they may learne what a dangerous thing it is to leaue any little seede of any former diuision we are to take heede of Satans lying deceptions who is a busie watchman seeking by all meanes to throw in some seede of diuision amongst men to hinder stay the good worke of God as mens particular commodities preferments which are not of such waight or importance in respect of this happie Vnion Therefore Tollantur à nobis nomina diuisionis Let all the names of diuision or discord be taken from amongst vs. Let vs also learne by these histories of the Vnion and diuision of kingdomes a very sure rule as I shewed you a little before that the diuision of countries in diuerse kingdomes doth come from the head Gouernours who by deuiding of one kingdome made many kingdomes as we see in the first diuision of the world and specially in the diuision of the kingdome of the Israelites In the third Monarchie of the Greekes amongst the foure successours of Alexander In the dissolution of the Romane Empire into the Orient and the Occident In the subdiuision of the kingdome of Carolus Magnus in the Occident In the subdiuision of Spaine into many kingdomes In the diuision of this Iland into many kingdomes So that the cause of diuision ceasing by the Vnion of kingdomes the people was vnited ipso iure ipso facto as Fraunce was during the first race of Kings called Meroninges deuided amongst foure brethren into foure Kingdomes but so soone as all those foure fell in one Kings hands they were all vnited ipso facto in one ratione capitis by reason of their head Likewise we haue an example in Spaine and in South Britannie when the seauen kingdomes did fall in one Princes gouernment they were all seauen vnited ipso facto ratione capitis by reason of the head Euen so pari iure the South and North being vnited vnder one King it followeth necessarily that the Kingdomes are vnited amongst themselues so that by the Law of God and man our Great Britannie is no more two kingdomes but one onely He that opposeth himselfe against this holy Vnion doth offend his God make little regard of his Prince and King and hurteth the welfare and happy state of this whole Iland Let all men remember by the foresaid examples that the Vnion of kingdomes hath beene alwaies the furtherance and standing of true Religion but diuision of kingdomes hath beene the ouerthrow of true Religion and aduancing of Idolatrie let all those that loue God perseuerance in true Religion prosperitie of their naturall King and standing of the Common-wealth of this Iland which is the common mother of vs all be carefull of the performance of Gods worke and put to their helping hand for the furtherance thereof And let all reasonable and godly men consider how God on his part hath taken away from vs all the causes of diuision as diuersitie of Language Religion Gouernours and Kings and hath vnited vs in one Language in one Religion and vnder one head and King If we then cast in any lets or impediments on our side or if we inuent any new subiect of diuision betwixt the South and the North we shall be like vnto those that doe diuide teare and cut in peeces their owne bowels deuoure their owne children and put fire in their owne houses Let all men therefore examine their owne harts and minds whether they feele any inward motion within them to further and aduance this good woorke If they doe let them beleeue certainly that such a motion doth come from God and by the contrary if any man find any euill motion in his hart that tendeth to the hinderance of this good worke let him beleeue that this motion commeth by the Diuels suggestion Let vs all pray to God as well in our priuate houses as in our publike assemblies that God would performe this his owne worke wherein doth consist the establishing of his true worship and Religion in this Iland and the extinguishing of all false Idolatrie Let vs auoyde all euill motions inuentions of