ELIAS the Second HIS Coming to RESTORE ALL THINGS: OR God's way of Reforming by Restoring.  
AND MOSES the PEACEMAKER his Offers to make One of Two contending Brethren.  
IN TWO SERMONS:  
The Former preached in WARWICK, at the General Assize there, held August 19 1661.  
The Other in COVENTRY, at the Annual Solemnity of the Maior's Feast there, on All Saint's day following.  
Both Published at the importunity of divers of the Auditors, being Eminent persons of Quality in that County.  
By JOHN RILAND, Archdeacon of COVENTRY, and sometimes Fellow of St M: Magdalene Coll: in Oxon:  Ea nunc sunt tempora, in quibus nec Vitia, nec Remedia pati possumus. Liv. Thus saith the Lord, in Returning, and Rest shall ye be saved, in Quietness, and Confidence shall be your Strength, but ye would not. Isa. 30. 15. 
OXFORD, Printed by HEN: HALL., Printer to the University, 1662.   

To the most highly Honoured THE NOBILITY, THE KNIGHTS, ESQVIRES, and GENTRY of WARWICKESHIRE: The Author hearty wishing all Blessings Spiritual, and Temporal, Humbly Dedicates the following SERMONS.   

To the READER.  
IN the Delivery of these Sermons, it was none of my least Encouragements (even then when I am sure I most wanted them) to think, that I neither begged, nor forced my way into either of those Pulpits; which indeed, to me (who never in my life had any clambering fancy to be aspiring above a private Audience) I confess, were matter of very much Fear and Aversation.  
But those things are over now, and I can securely look upon my former Confusions, as so many Egyptian Carcases, driven down the stream of Time.  
Yet although One Woe is past, behold, two more are coming, I mean, the Printing, and Publishing of those Sermons.  
In reference whereunto, the usual prefacing concerning the Commands of some, and the Requests of others, I suppose, in me may be wholly superfluous, who cannot be so fond as to imagine, that such sorry things as these, should ever travel much further than those warm Hands, which at first received them; whose Justice to me now, if in any measure, such as was their Kindness then, must needs fully certify for me herein, and save me that labour. But if they should chance to straggle further, and so fall under some severer Fingers (which can easily pinch through such slight and thin Discourses) than I entreat all those to Consider, viz. I was a Man (beyond the common condition of men) born to troubles in this World; which (crowding in upon me through some inevitable Misfortunes) for this twenty years, have found me somewhat else to do, then to meddle much with Books, unless they were Debt-books, and such like sad old Manuscripts; the Crossing of which, rather then the Marking any other, hath been the greatest part of my Employment. For this I bless the God of Heaven, who by an invisible hand hath held me up, and brought me hitherte.  
But besides that, the constant task of Preaching for many years, might well exhaust a greater stock of Reading, then ever I could be guilty of, having had so short a time, (I am sure I find it so) to gather in the University, and so long a time to scatter in the Country.  
But beyond all this; when a party of Soldiers from Warwick 
An order for Sequestration.  Castle, coming with Swords in one hand, and Gilbert Millington in the other broke in upon me, threw me out of my Living, (too near the hard walls of that Castle,) and there settled a Jersey▪ Kember in my stead, which force remains unremoved to this day. Much about the same time, (those times of Dispersion) as my Parsonage house was broken in the Country, my Study (or rather myself) was broken in Oxford, where I lost all my Books, (except two or three of the most inconsiderable,) and (that which most undid me) all my Papers, so that thereby I was perfectly reduced to his condition,  — Qui totum perdidit Id Nil. 
Pers. Sat.  
Comparing which losses (and some other Misfortunes, which afterward befell me) with the abundance of Blessings I had formerly there received, I may say of that Weeping eye, (whose very Name is precious, and will ever be honourable 
S. M. Magd. Col. Oxon.  with me) the same Fountain sent forth the sweetest, and some of the bitterest Waters that ever I tasted of. Not that I think any misusage of mine worthy of the World's notice, so as to sound a Trumpet to my Sufferings; but only this, I humbly beg, that in those several respects aforesaid, I may be borne withal, whatever Defects, Mistakes, or other like Frailties, shall be found upon the ensuing Sermons. Wherein (however some have counted me too sharp, and I wish others do not count me too Dull) God is my Record, my Desire and Meaning in the main, is nothing but (the same, which at this time was sung by a Choir of Angels,) Glory to God on high, On Earth peace, Good will toward Men: especially Honour and Obedience to his Sacred Majesty, and all in Authority under him, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all Godliness and Honesty, for which cause I bow my Knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus, that now at last we may all live as Subjects, love as Brethren, that so the God of Love and Peace may be with us.  
Amen. Decemb. 26. 1661. I. R.   

ELIAS the Second HIS Coming to RESTORE ALL THINGS: OR GOD'S WAY OF REFORMING by Restoring.  
Set forth in a Sermon preached in Warwick: at the General Assize held there Aug. 19 1661.  
At the Request of the Honourable Sr EDWARD BOUGHTON Baronet; His MAJESTY'S First High Sheriff for County, after his most happy Restauration.  Dum volumus esse meliores veteribus, sumus forsan dissimiles. Quintil. Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. Joh. 5. 14. 
OXFORD. Printed by HEN: HALL., Printer to the University. 1662.   

ELIAS THE SECOND His Coming to restore all things, OR, God's way of Reforming by Restoring.  Isa: 1. 26. And I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy Counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness, etc. 
THE World was never so forlornly wicked, that God left himself or them altogether without 
Act. 14. 17.  witness. No, He sent not only Fruitful Seasons, but Faithful Prophets amongst the most Faithless and Unfruitful Souls: yea, when by suffering all Nations to walk in their own ways he seemed to wink hardest, even than he was not without his Seers among them.  
In some of the darkest and most midnight times with the jews, Isaiah the Son of Amos had his Visions, who as in many passages he gives testimony of Christ, so in one passage Christ gives a special testimony of him, more 
Math. 15. 7.  than of any the other Prophets: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, etc.  
Indeed such a one this people wanted. For as the stinging of some Serpents (they say) produceth a raging kind of pain, which cannot be cured but by Music: so here this was such a Serpent-bitten people, the Head was 
Isa. 1. 5.  sick, the Heart was faint, the whole Body full of Burn and Swell, and therefore God is pleased to send This (as is said) Blood-royal Prophet with his Eloquent and lofty strains, to try if that Heavenly Music can recover them.  
At this time certain matters were much out of Order among the jews; who unto those several other evil Spirits wherewith they seemed now possessed, had taken in two more worse than any of the former, i. e. a Deaf and a Dumb Spirit: a deaf Spirit of Incorrigibleness, and a dumb Spirit of Unthankfulness.  
Of both which the Prophet attempts the Cure in the beginning of this Chapter: conjuring them with such strange and Powerful Exorcisms, as (if possible) to make the Deaf to hear, and the Dumb to speak.  
For the former he turns himself from them, and calls to the Heavens above, and the Earth below, that so the necessary loudness of that Figure, which must awaken such Creatures as those at such a distance, and make them give ear and listen, might happily reach the Ear, and rouse the Attention of that hitherro Deaf and Uncharmable People: who for shame must say, Those that have Ears to hear, let them hear, when others are called upon that have none. Hear, O Heavens, and give ear, O Earth, at the 2d verse.  
For the latter, he seems to make use of the Lowing of the Ox, and the Braying of the Ass to convince them, whose Dumb Ingratitude had cast them quite beneath the Stall of the One, or the Cribb of the Other. The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Cribb, but Israel doth not know &c. at the 3d. verse.  
Sure the Distempers of that People are very great, which call for such strange and unusual Applications. Heaven and Earth must be appealed unto for proper Remedies, and yet still as the family of judah heretofore, so the malady of judah now, grows stronger and stronger, till God is pleased here to take the Cure in his own Hand, saying in the verse foregoing the Text, I will turn my hand upon thee, etc. and here in the Text, I will restore thy 
v. 25.  judges, etc.  
Many are those remarkable things, which willingly offer themselves from these words, viz.  
1. The best Government in the World may be apt to degenerate, and suffer some kind of Embasement by the Sins of Men: which is plainly employed here and more fully expressed above, Silver may run into Dross, and 
v. 22.  Wine lose itself and languish into Water.  
2. In Degenerating times men love to be shifting, and starting from God's own primitive Constitution: As here, what need God restore them as at First, unless they had been much removed from it.  
3. No Shifts or Removes whatever can rightly Settle a People without this Restoring.  
4. Every Restoring will not serve: 'tis not a Log in lieu of a Stork, as formerly; nor an Image in the room of David: but they must be such as at the first, Moses, Samuel, etc. good, and of God's own Restoring: I will Restore, etc.  
5. Such a Restoring as this will serve turn, without any farther Changing or Destroying.  
6. As the taking away of judges and Counsellors (by whom we understand Magistrates and Governors, whether supreme or subordinate; for Counsellors here mentioned after judges may imply a Subordination) I say, as the taking away of such is a very great judgement of God, and is intended as a Punishment upon a Kingdom; so the Return of such is a very great Mercy of God, and is designed for the Reforming and Amendment of a Kingdom. For their Restoring here we see gins the Repair, as probably their Removal of Old began the Ruin of this People: I will restore thy judges.— Afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousness etc.  
7. Notwithstanding God doth his part (if we may so speak) in Restoring: yet such reluctancy there is from Man's corruption, that reforming and amending goes on very slowly. After ward, here, having in the Hebrew, a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compound doubled Expression, to intimate, as one conjectures, not Suddenly, but some while After ward, thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, etc.  
8. When our Amendment goes on to any purpose, it must begin with Great ones: judges and Counsellors must be Restored to Themselves, as well as to their Places; to their ancient and primitive Integrity, as well as their former Authority; else the bellows are burnt, the Founder melts 
Jer. 6. 29.  in vain, all's to no purpose.  
These several Observables, with some more, a considering eye, and careful hand might gather from these words; to each whereof if any tolerable price of Justice were performed in the prosecution, this one verse would easily swell into a volumn.  
But you see the Children are come to the Birth, 
2 King. 19 3.  and there wanteth strength to bring forth. A World of matter would require a World of strength to deliver it, and another World of patience and leisure to receive it; and as you want Room for the one; I am sure I want Abilities for the other. Therefore passing by the rest, we pitch upon this only Proposition.  
That when God restores good Governors, judges, and Counsellors, & others of public employment, 'tis a most effectual means to make a good people.  
Where of I shall speak thus. 1. That God is the great Giver and Restorer of Government in general- 2. That good judges and Counsellors are very proper Instruments to make a good people, and why. 3. We shall gather up some Inferences of more practical concernment from the whole, and so conclude.  
For the First, God himself hath stamped such ancient and indelible Characters of Government upon man, that had there been no Transgression, yet however there must have been some kind of Subordination. I have read of those, that have made a shift to pick an universal Empire out of the very letters of Adam's name, which they say are, to signify the four quarters of the World. A for ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, D for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. so implying, that Adam was to be of East, West, etc. the sovereign Lord and Commander. But to omit that, when Man was upon making, let us consider that Prerogative Royal, he brought with him into the World: Let us make man, and let him have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea, and over 
Gen. 1. 26.  the Fowl os the Air, etc.  
First over the fish and soul, then over the rest, to show the fullness and comprehensiveness of which Dominion, the very first Branch there of (as I said) reacheth to the deepest Seas, and encloseth the Fish, a Creature of all things most 
Plin. de Animalib.  untameable, saith the Naturalist; insomuch (as 'tis thought) they were not brought with the 
Gen. 2.20. For they are not there mentioned.  rest to receive their names from Adam, and therewithal a Token of his Sovereignty over them. And as the first branch of this Dominion, reacheth to the deepest Seas, and encloseth the Fish; so the second mounts up to the lostiest Firmament, and takes in the Fowl: to let the other know, that if Fowls and Fishes, those Creatures of other Elements, and (as it were) people of another world, if those must come in and submit, sure the Cattle, and Creeping things, that tread upon the same Level with Man, they must not once think to stand out, or be exempted.  
If the long-arme of Adam can reach the hugest Whale, that tumbles in the Northern Ocean; sure then his Foot may securely spurn that Dog that lies under the table. If the quickness of his Commands can overtake the long-winged Hawk, that vanisheth away through the Air, sure he can easily arrest the Creepings of the slow-paced Snail, and what ever else moveth upon the face of the Earth. Thus God lays the yoke first upon those Aliens, that so the other homebred Creatures (Whence was most danger of Rebellion) might yield the more cheerful Obedience and when the Fish and Wild soul prove Adam's good subjects, the Sheep of his Pasture might be ashamed to turn Rebels.  
'twas a sign of the Royalty in Judah, that the posterity of lacob, took not the name of lacobites, but jews, after the name of judah. In like manner the Sovereignty of Adam was signified as before was intimated,) and he called of God to the Regal exercise thereof, when he gave names to the Creatures. God, to signify his supremacy over Man, names him; and Man likewise to show his supremacy over other Creatures, he names them. At which solemnity, saith Philo, there was 
De creatione Mundi.  such a dazzling brightness of Adam's Soul, shining in and through the Majesty of his Body, (that of his Countenance especially) that had not God brought the Creatures (as 'tis said expressly he 
Gen. 2. 19  did) there held them too, they had not been able to endure the sacred Dreadfulness of that Ceremony, but been content to run away with their Nature's only, without any Names at all to demonstrate them.  
And as the Characters of Government were thus deeply engraven in Man at the making of the World, the like we may see also at the restoring of the World, after the Flood had destroyed it. For the Ark, as to the use of it, it resembled the Church, and its Ordinances: (the like Figure Whereunto even Baptism now saves us:) so as 
1 Pet. 3. 22  to the Frame and Composure of it, it typifyed the World, and the Government thereof. Which Frame was (saith St. Austin) bi-camerata & tricamerata, that is, probably, (though the Commentator 
Aug. civ. 1, 10. c. 26.  there hath a different conceit) three stories high, and two partitions in each story, which also is more agreeable to the Scripture-model, With lowermost, second, and third stories shalt 
Gen. 6. 16.  thou make it. In the lowermost was one Partion for the Food, another for the Excrements of the Beasts. In the second, one for the wild, another for the tamer sort of Creatures. But the uppermost of all was reserved for Noah and his Necessaries, thereby mystically denoting (saith a learned Author) Man's Supremacy, and dominion.  
But yet though Noah was lifted up one Story above the Beases, he sat but at the same height, and dwelled upon the same Floor with his Sons and Daughters. Therefore as we have made the Man to be Rex Brutorum, so we must make him Rex Hominum too, else we do nothing.  
For this, 'twas neither brag nor lie in Cyrus, 
Ezra 1. 2.  when he said, The Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth. And in that Psalm we read, The Shields of the Earth belong to the Lord. Which if compared with that of Hoseah, 
Ps. 47. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos. 4. 18.  your Rulers with shame do love, give ye: that is, in the Hebrew, your Shields. 'tis plain, by Shields, are mean Rulers and Governors: They are indeed those Shields of the Earth which belong to the Lord, the sole maker and maintainer of them. Only this must be granted, that if Man had not sinned, Dominion than had not been Despotical, but merely Paternal. There must have been Duty, yet without any Slavery, or reluctancy; the yoke of Government weighing no more than do the Feathers upon the back of a Bird. Yet doubtless there had been still Ten Commandments, and the fisth no less in force than the first, and extendable as well to Governors, as to Fathers and Mothers; but yet the yoke that was to be derived from that Command had been so soft and silken, that it had no more oppressed us, than the Wedding-ring weighs down a man's finger: no more than the Oar and Sails encumber the Barge, or the Spokes and wheels are a Clog to the Chariot, or the Scale and Fins are a Burden to that Fish, who with them cuts her way through the Ocean.  
However 'tis a Chain, though made of Gold, and may bind as firmly as another that is made of Iron. The sweet influence of the Pleyades and the 
Job. 38. 3●.  bands of Orion are Bands still, and who can lose them? and a man may be held as fast by a twist of Silk, as a thong of Leather.  
This Dominion, we are now discoursing of, was to be enstated in the Elder Brother over the Younger, and in the Father over the whole family. This some conclude from God's saying to Cain, His desire shall be to thee, and thou shalt rule 
Gen. 4. 7.  over him. Others think that to be spoken of cain's power over Sin; but than it should be thus, thou shalt rule over it, which the Gender in the Hebr: will not bear. And therefore it must be meant of Abel, whose Offering though God accepts of, yet all the fat of his Sacrifices shall not excuse him from Subjection: no, it seems neither the goodness 
Gen. 4. 4.  of Abel can exempt him, nor the wickedness of Cain deprive him, of that prerogative royal which he had by birth over his younger Brother.  
If any yet scruple God's being the only giver and restorer of Government, let them go to Aesop's Frogs, who petition above and look upward for the coming of their King; not expecting he should arise out of the mud, but come down from lupiter. Thus, though it be in the hoarse notes of a Fable, the voice of Nature speaks clearly, how that Government comes from above, the uppermost link whereof (they said of Old, and so do we still) is fastened to God's throne in Heaven, and thence let down by several underlinks, Judges, and Counsellors, etc. and all for the good of us Mortals.  
Which offers me a fair passage to the second thing proposed, viz. How that good Magistrates, judges, and Counsellors etc. are very proper Instruments to make a good people. And here 1 might speak of their Power in rewarding and punishing, a weing and obliging the people, together with many other advantages, which are more peculiarly annexed both to their Persons and Places. But I have wasted so much of my allowance in the first part, that I doubt I cannot be so much as indifferently just to the second, without being extremely unjust to the third part: the which being of most Practical concernment, and because I perceive also that much of the Second will without any violence flow into that Channel, I hasten thither to meet it, and so shall spend the rest of my time in recommending unto you those Inferences that may arise from the whole matter, which was the third thing proposed.  
1. Since God, we see, hath that great Hand in Government, that he saith here I will restore thy judges etc. then it may not be unseasonable here 
1. Inference.  First of all to enter our Caveat against the People. 'tis not they, but God (as the Text informs us) who is the giver and restorer, and indeed the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the oeconomy of Dominion. Why then do the People imagine a vain thing? why should they trouble themselves (and others) in things too high and too hard for them? Let the 
1 Sam. 6. 13.  men of Bethshemesh follow their reaping: why should they forsake their own, to thrust their sickles into God's Harvest; and with their sweaty palms handle his Mysteries?  
I would to God that some of those that now pretend to so much study of the Scriptures, would not overlook that one line in S. Paul, but Study to be quiet, and do their own business. 
1 Thes. 4. 11.   
'Tis confessed, matters in Government may chance to be somewhat unhinged and disordered; but then are these men of skill and authority to set things right again? If any thing be amiss in the instrument, must every rude and boisterous hand, (that can only increase the distempers of it) be trying and tampering with it? What? must that venerable image, Order and Government, which (as hath been showed) fell down from Heaven, upon the least crack or bruise, be only hammered out by a company of Ephesian silversmiths?  
No, let the people know, 'tis not their common Shop-oyle, but the Oil of the Sanctuary, that is used in the Fiat of Government. Besides let them but view this Text again, and there they will meet with Counsellors, Judges and in them Kings, like Angels ascending and descending, and God himself standing at the uppermost round of this Ladder. All these are betwixt them and the honest power of restoring and reforming. So that unless they overturn this Ladder, which will be hard so long as God stands at the top of it; or unless they resolve to rush on and ride o'er the heads of their Superiors, 'twill be a great while ere it fairly comes to their turn, to have to do in these grand matters of Government.  
The Ark I told you was a Type of Authority, what State-Carpenters soever might have an hand in the hewing and erecting it, we know not; but this we are sure of, 'twas God only that put Noah into it, and gave him the full possession of it, by that usual ceremony of shutting 
Gen. 7. 16.  him within it, as there 'tis expressed, they went in male and female,— and the Lord shut him in; which unless the Lord himself had done, shut the door fast upon him, and closed up all the chinks, and little crevices in the outside thereof, (which none of them within could possibly do) the waters you know might soon have soaked through, and endangered all. So for this great bottom of Government, unless the Lord take the Governor, and shut him in, and then perfectly close up every cranny with his own hand, it cannot be, but the waters of Strife, Sedition, and Rebellion will soak through the sides thereof, and in time hazard the drowning of all.  
That's the first Inference: 'tis God and not the People.  
I will restore etc. Then how contrary are 
2. Inference  those unto God Almighty, who are altogether for changing or destroying, when God is wholly for restoring, yet not as of Late, but as at the Beginning.  
First for Changing: Some there be so strongly enamoured with any strange face of Affairs, that fresh and new Deformities please them better than accustomed Beauties. So the Scenes be new, and often shifted, the Play will be applauded, be it never so bloody and Tragical.  
I was well, and would be better; I took Physic, and died, saith that foreign Proverb: and how far our late troubles may put it into better English, I submit to any indifferent Judgement. Certainly this Turba Medicorum had well nigh made an end ofus, and cured the Disease, (as one observes many do) by destroying the Patient.  
And yet how rife and frequent are those amongst us, that would willingly part with their present Gold & Silver (Peace & Safety) for a little more of the former Iron and Steel again?  
When the lews passed through the red. Sea, every 
Orig. sup. Exod. hom. 5.  Tribe, saith a Father, had its peculiar channel, for their safe conveyance to the Shore. Was it not so with us, when on this side, and that side, the Waters stood upon huge threatening heaps, we were so in love with Ruin, we were not content to be saved the same way, but among those many Divisions of ours, every Tribe must be allowed a several and safe passage through its own Channel. And yet now that we are so newly gotten upon these Banks of justice and Peace, whereon (God be blessed) we yet stand; what numbers have we, who would be glad to plunge themselves (& others) back again into the bottom of that red Sea of blood and confusion; and this chief, if not merely, from a fond love after Changes. If there be, as some hold, such Circulations in Nature, that in seven years' time, men may be said to have other Flesh and Blood, and so other Bodies: certainly such men as these may have twenty other Minds in half that space.  
Not that he who (without tumult) fairly motion's a change in lesser matters, should always do it (as their Custom was) with a rope about 
Plutarch.  his neck. Nor that it should be present death to offer to wind up or slacken the least string in the circumstantials of Policy: no, but if Archimedes thinks he can unhinge the Earth, he must have some firm foundation for the foot of his Engine to rest upon. So if the great globe of Government should be stirred (which God forbidden) though some can spy not only Motes, but Beams in the World's bright eye, the Sun: and though the Goddess be well drawn, yet 'twill go hard, but some Hypercriticks will find fault with her slipper: however, I say, (if they will be moving) our modern Archimedes should choose some more probable supporters whereon to fix their new Engines, than the various and floating humours of the People; who if they are, like 
Gen. 49. 3, 4.  Reuben, the beginning or chief of our strength, yet like him also they are unstable as water.  
I am the more earnest herein, because I perceive in divers no great mind after changes in themselves, but only the People love to have it so, and they love to humour those People, But it 
Nullam vestem bis induit. Sueton; de Ne●one.  was costly following his Fashions, who was never seen twice in the same Garment: and certain it is we have found this novellizing of Ours, none of the cheapest for Imitation. As when we behold a full Moon, we think it a glorious Body, yet 'twould make but an uncertain Standard to go by. Such are the minds of this kind of People, and if we should chip and chop all our Measures according to that Standard, we might do like that Statuary, who thought the piece never fine enough, till at last by overmuch he wing and polishing, he had scraped away all into an heap of Dust in stead of a Statue.  
2. And as this kind of wanton changing, so any 
2. Destroying.  kind of destroying is contrary to this restoring. This hath so little of jacob, that it hath both Esau's hands, and Esau's voice too, and so is plain down right Edom, who said, Down with it, down with it even to the ground. Good and Bad, Corn and Tares, all must be bound up in the same Bundles. As if Absalom's way to burn joabs' field had been the best course to cleanse and weed it; 
2 Sam 14. 30.  and if the House be grown a little dusty, presently to bring the Bosom of Destruction to reform it. Certainly that Bosom hath no relation to Christ's fan, wherewith he hath promised to purge 
Luc. 3. 17.  his floor.  
If either the Church-clock, or State●arum should be at a stand, sure a little oil, and a gentle rubbing would do better, then to come with axes, and hammers, to set it going.  
Indeed time hath been, when those Clergymen were hung by as useless Harps, whose mad Music could not enrage our late Alexanders, and 
Dion.  make them presently draw their swords, & runie either City or Country. I desire to bless God, I never knew how to beat a March upon these sacred Board's, nor had I ever the least skill to sound a Charge from the Pulpit; but have often wondered to see, how any could rejoice in, or at the work of Destruction; especially, because it looks so like the Devil, who took one of his chiefest titles from thence, and is called the Destroyer: and God Almighty keep us all from the paths of 
Ps. 17. 4.  that Destroyer. When two strings of Music (saith 
Cùm ista sonitum reddit, illa quae in eodem cantu temperata est, tremit. Greg. M. 1. c. 5.  that Father) are equally stretched to both the same note, touch but the one, the other (though at some distance) will shiver, and tremble by Sympathy.  
I would to God, that all Christians were sensible of these sympathising kinds of Shivering, though we are at a distance in some other respects, yet we all agree in that common key of Christian: and why should not those many great things wherein we do accord, hold us faster together, then that those few little things wherein we differ, should be able to shatter us asunder?  
O let us often read and ponder upon that of the Prophet, Destroy it not, there is a Blessing in it. 
Isa. 65. 8.  I would be understood of those vulnera non immedicabilia, such as are not past our help (those that be so, we leave to higher, and better judgements) and I could wish we might hear no more of those dismal Dirges, at least that they might be all taken out of some of David's Al-taschiths; provided, that a Psalm of Mercy 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  & Compassion to one, prove not a Song of Lamentation to many. Then for God's sake, Destroy not: for as 'twas said before, there is (at least there may be) a blessing in it. And so 'twere well we were all of God's mind there, or here in the Text, rather to seek the Restoring, then the Ruin of a Sinner.  
And as this Destroying is contrary to this Restoring here, (and so contrary to that great Restorer) in respect of private persons, much more in respect of judges and Counsellors, and such like public persons. Our King is worth ten 
2. Sam. 18. 3.  thousands of us: one of his judges or his Counsellors are worth many hundreds of us, and his Government it self worth us all: for indeed we were all less worth than nothing without it.  
Yet time was, we would adventure, and be trying, how it was to be without it, and therefore God sent Locusts amongst us, such as those in the Revelations, they had faces men, and 
Rev. 9 7, 8 etc.  Hair like Women, yet withal they had Tails like Scorpions, and Teeth like Lions; nor would the seeming sweetness of their looks, cure the stinging of the one or the bitting of the other. I say, the Lord sent Locusts amongst us. Now as Agur observes, The Locusts have no King, yet they go 
Prov. 30. 27.  forth all of them by Bands, and so did we, who a long time had none of the former, but God knows enough and too much of the latter. These I say that, have no King, God sent amongst us, that would have none, that so our Punishment might be our Fescue to point out our Sin.  
But their ways were not God's ways, and 'tis well for us they were not; for they, like true Locusts, are all for devouring and destroying, when God is all for restoring. He, and all his, I am persuaded, are for peace, though the other make them ready for battle. When I consider the perpetual Desolation, even all that the Enemy hath done evil in the Sanctuary, I cannot but admire 
Ps. 74. 3.  in the name of God, out of what bottomless pit hath arisen that Spirit, which is all for ruining, and nothing at all for restoring. What is his name, 
Prov. 30. 4.  or what is his Son's name, who can tell, faith the Scripture? We know God, of whom that is spoken, his Name is, The only Potentate, The Mighty King, The judge Eternal; and his Son's name is, Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father; all names of Order and Government: But for this Spirit (whereof we now are speaking) what is his, and his son's name? I'll tell you, his Name is Legion, and (it may be feared) a Roman one; and his Son's name is Confusion and Destruction.  
Oye foolish Christians, who hath bewitched you with these principles of Destroying? What, though Corah and his company abused their Censers? (which real abuses are of an higher nature, than any petty personal ones whatever,) yet even those Censers may serve for broad plates for the 
Num. 16. 38.  Altar. What is Belshashar's heathen lips defile 
Dan. 5.  the Bowls of the Temple? yet if they be well washed again, what were those jews the worse, who afterwards might drink their full draughts out of them. Act. 17. 23. St. Paul sees an Heathen Altar, and Superscription: what doth he straightway offer to demolish the one, or deface the other? No, but by the advantage of that opportunity preacheth a good Sermon from a bad Text.  
Thus the stones of Ramah (with a little hewing) 
1 King 15. 22.  may help to build Gebah and Mizpeh; and blessed are those, who are such Building, without destroying. For if it be Felony (as I have heard some Lawyers affirm) to burn the bare frame of an House, what is it then (in the laws of God) for one faulty pin (perhaps,) or two, to set on fire the compleatest and goodliest structure of Government under the Sun?  
This would not Abraham do: he (if but for Ten sake) would not have a Sodom destroyed. No, neither will the God of Abraham do so: for though he here tells them plainly, at 10. v. they were Rulers of Sodom, and a People of Gomorrah, 
Isa. 1. 10.  yet what follows? Doth he presently say, I will deal with thee, as with thy sister Sodom, I will rain down fire, and brimstone upon thee, and consume thee? no, but at the 25 v. I will purely purge away all thy Dross, and take away all thy Tin; and here in the Text, he saith not, I will ruin, but I will restore thee thy judges as at first, etc.  
So much for Changing and Destroying, which was the second Inference.  
In as much, that when God hath restored 
3. Inference.  their judges etc. he saith, Afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness, then of how great importance is it, that judges and Counsellors, and all such public persons, should be good men, and such who in all likelihood may begin the reforming of a bad people. As here we see God restores them merely in order thereunto: Good judges and Counsellors being the very first foundation stones of this new intended Building.  
This doth highly concern them in many respects.  
First, in respect of God: that those who newly (as it were) came forth of God's fingers, may still retain some touches and lively impressions of that Divine hand, which hath so lately restored them Just as it was with the newmade World, that when God comes to review his Workmanship, saying, Come let's see what I have made? what have I restored? the answer may be, Behold is very good. For if God made not the smallest seed, nor sand, nor the least spill of Grass, nor that next to Nothing-creature that crawls upon the face of the Earth, but he reviewes and searches it round, to see how he likes it: how then shall judges and Counsellors, those most eminent pieces of God's power and providence, I say, how shall they think to escape the severe review of those Eyes, whose Sharpness pierceth them, whose Brightness will confound them, when he makes that amazing search within them.  
When God had made a Sea, 'tis said, He made Leviathan to play therein: and many think, if 
Ps. 104. 26.  they be but once restored, they are made, & that's enough; then they may securely wallow (like the Leviathan) in the wide Sea of their own humours. But there's more ado than so; when God hath done his work (he hath Restored) he looks that men should also perfomre theirs; they must be the better for that restoring. For here we have not only a plain single Making, (though that, as was said before, calls for an exact reviewing) but this Restoring is a redoubled Making, and as it were- Coelorumcura secunda, Heavens second (if I may so speak) and most accurate Thoughts.  
O how careful then should such be, so to approve themselves in their Places to which they are restored, as God may not hereafter be ashamed to own them, or the Restoring of them, as sometimes we read he hath been so ashamed. The People which thou (Moses) hast brought out of 
Exod. 33. 1.  Egypt: why, pray you, did not God himself bring them out of Egypt? And so in this Chapter, The Sabbaths and the Assemblies, your New 
13. & 14 v.  Moons, and your appointed Feasts etc. What, were they not God's Sabbaths, and God's Assemblies? were they not his New Moons, and his Appointed Feasts? O'tis a sad thing, when our Sins cause such a shyness and estrangedness in God, that he is figuratively ashamed of what he hath done, and will not acknowledge the work of his own hands. As if we hereafter should in the behalf of you our judges, and our Counsellors, plead to God this Act of his Restoring them to us, and so hope that he will also continue them amongst us; he should then turn away his face, and say, Depart, I know not you, nor them neither; they are your Judges, and your Counsellors; you longed, you begged, you prayed for them, and you would have them; they are yours, but they are none of my Restoring.  
So that it behoves them to be good in respect of God: that's the First.  
2. And as in reference to God, so also secondly in regard of Themselves. Judges and Counsellors, and such great men, should be upright and good men.  
Sins in our Saviour's language are called debts, 
Math. 6. 12 Anselm. in Mat. c. 6.  (and so saith Anselm,— Debitores sunt, & qui debent pecuniam, & qui fecerunt injuriam. He that 
Ex insoluto debito Officii, debitum supplicii contrahitur. D. Episc. Linc. in Praelect. Oxon.  doth an Injury is a Debtor, as well as he that borrows money:) because, in the commission of evil (saith a Father) a man takes his pen (as it were) and writes an Obligation with his own hand against himself before God, and firmly binds himself to incurse such a penalty; the greatness of which Sum is according to the greatness of the Sin, and the greatness of the Sin is according to the greatness of the Person so offending. And indeed your great persons can hardly commit little sins, or be guilty of small offences.  
And not only by their Sins, but by their very Pleces Great men enter into greater obligations to God Almighty, than any of the meaner sort are commonly capable of. For though God be not of so austere a nature, as to gather where he hath not strawed, and to reap wherehe hath not sowed; yet where he hath strawed he will look to gather, and where he hath sown he will expect to reap, and that in some measure, proportionable to his sowings. Nor will he be content with an handful of Gatherings for an armful of Straw, or that the seed of an Ephah should yield but an Omer; but to whom Much is given, of them More will be required.  
Platina reports of one of the Popes, that in the depth of Melancholy, of a sudden he struck the Board, and said, Non video quomodo possunt salvari, etc. Those that are in such high places as I now am, I can scarce imagine how they 
Quàm difficilè hi ad requiem tendunt, qui tam duris rationum multiplicium nexibus astriuguntur. Greg. mor. 1. 4. c. 5  should be saved. O'twill be an heavy thing for one judge to arise with the weight of so many Shires, Cities, and Counties upon him, for which if he gives not a good account, 'twill be a sadder load, than so many Millstones about his neck, or so many mountains upon his back at the day of Judgement.  
If he that had but one Talon can't pass his 
Math. 25. 25.  Accounts, though he bring again that one entire, and undiminish'd; sure he that had ten Talents, must not think to come off with accounting for five; nor he that had five, to reckon for two only.  
Therefore when I read in the Gospel of that 
Mat. 18. 24  Servant, that owed his Lord so many thousand Talents, as that must needs be some great Lord, who was able to lend so much, so the other must signify (me thinks) some great man too, who was able to borrow so much, else sure he had never been so deeply entrusted. No, 'tis not for a mean man to arrive at so honourable a ruin. Your petty Larceny, poor sort of Sinners, they 
Prov. 23. 21.  indeed may transgress for a piece of Bread, or a pair of Shoes, or a burden of Sticks, and so overrun themselves in God's books, with such trifling Mite-trespasses, and Sins of the lesser Shekel. But 'tis the sad Privilege of great ones, they can take up their condemnation by Talents, and at last utterly break with God for many thousands.  
Hence it is, that (as one observes) Pharaoh and his Chariots are said, to sink like lead into 
Ex 15. 10.  the mighty waters. 'tis for your slighter sinners to float up and down upon the surface of that Infernal lake: but for great Transgressor's (compared to Pharaoh's Chariots, because the Devil is most victorious and triumphant in them) 
Zach. 5. 7, 8.  they sink down like lead, which as it is the proper Emblem of Sin in that Prophet, so the higher it falls, the heavier it lights, and the lower it sinks towards the Centre. Therefore as Solomon says to every one, If thou be wise, thou shalt 
Prov. 9 12.  be wise for thyself the like I may say to you great ones, if you be good, you shall be good for yourselves, and therefore it concerns you, that you be so. And that's the second respect.  
3. And as for themselves it behoves Judges and Counsellors to be good; so thirdly in regard of the People, whose following reformation we see here wholly depends upon their Restoring. So that their being good, is of very great importance to the People; and that upon this account.  
First, if they are had, they cannot without sin be resisted; unless we prove ourselves plain Romanists, and that of the rankest sort among them.  
For this Doctrine of Non-resisiance was heretofore an ancient Landmark, to part betwixt them and true Protestants, who like Isaac, when they see nothing but knives and cords, fire and faggot, yet know no other Language, but, My Father, My Father, and so follow on 
Gen. 22. 7.  in peace and quietness to the place of slaughter: whereas a fierce Romanist would have snatched the Knife out of his Father's hand, struck him beneath the fifth rib, fling the fire in his own face, and if but strong enough, to twist & wrest them from his hands, He will quickly bind the common Father, even with cords to the Altar.  
Which Resistance, if it be still upheld secretly in hearts of of men, I see not what Stage there is for Passive Obedience to appear upon in this World, and there's no room for it in the other World, and so one Pearl (of great price) is dropped and utterly lost from off this chain of Graces.  
Sure, if those of Old had thought so slightly of it, as some of late seem to have done, for certain there had been but very few Martyrs, and so one of the highest Mansions in Heaven, should still stand void and empty.  
Thinkest thou, that I cannot now pray to my Father, 
Mat. 26. 53.  and be shall presently give me, saith Christ, more than twelve Legions of Angels? Christ, you see here, though he could, yet will not resist an unlawful Power, (for such was that of the High 
Dr. Hammond.  Priests, as that Learned Man observes) no not so much as by a Prayer, which one would think was the most innocent resistance in the World. And therefore I believe, that he, who rather than suffer, would resist, if he could, though the Power be never so lawful; well may such a one suffer as a Murderer, as a busy body in other men's matters, as an evil doer, or an evil speaker. But 
1 Pet. 4. 15  because he doth not suffer like Christ, he cannot suffer like a Christian, and so can justly have but little Comfort, much less of Glory in those sufferings.  
But for this, we need not pass beyond the bounds of our Text. 'Tis certain here the Iewes had evil Judges and Counsellors, and therefore God promiseth to restore them those that should be good, but for aught I find, gives them no power to pull out those that were bad.  
Secondly, and as they can't be resisted, if they are evil, so they will be imitated by the People, whom therefore it much concerns they should be good.  
That device of Pharaohs, how that the midwives 
Ex. 1. 16.  should murder the Hebrew Infants was most unnaturally cruel: for their employment which was the office of life, was thereby abused, and made an instrument of death to the Babe, that was new born. Just so is it with those in power and authority; the midwivery of whose good examples should give life, their bad examples bring death upon a People.  
Those Dames that have breasts, have no bowels, who poison those fountains of nourishment; and pity it is to see poor Infants draw in death from those Nipples that should be the Springs of life.  
All this is done by these evil Examples, which, like Ezekiel's waters, so long as they are no higher 
Ezek. 47. 3.  than the Ankles, the Knees, or the middle, (that is, the sins of our Equals or Underlings) than we may happily wade over; but if by another measure (that of greatness) they come to rise higher, and get above us, than the deep waters run over our Heads, and grow up to a drowning river, so that we cannot pass over.  
Sin I'll warrant you is none of those modest Guests, who when they are bidden, choose to sit down in the lowest room; it desires rather to come 
Luk. 14. 10  in with gay apparel, and those of the Gold ring, and 
Jam. 2.  with them be bidden, Friend, sit here in a good place, rather than like a poor Sneaks, to stand under the footstool.  
Indeed Sin is a mere Pharisee, and loves the uppermost 
Luk. 11. 43  seats in the Synagogues, and greetings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, in the Courts of Judgement, rather than in the Market place. And if it be so kindly greeted, as to get upon the Bench, 'twill quickly soak through all those seats below it. If it once be upon the solemn board with the Masters of Israel, soon get down among the Dogs underneath the Table; and with the same easiness, when once it scales the Pulpit, it makes nothing of over-leaping the lower Pewes and Bases of the Congregation.  
judges and Magistrates in Scripture are signified by those that sit in the gates. As when job was a judge, saith he of himself, I went out to the 
Job. 29. 7.  Gate through the City. And such were those that 
Ps. 69. 12.  sat in the Gates, and spoke evil of David. Now if the Sickness once seizes upon the Gates and Entries of a City, what with going forth, and coming in continually, both City and Country will quickly catch it. If your common Pillars be but besmeared with the Infection (I have heard of some Devilish minded men, that so designed to propagate the Plague) sure there is a mighty danger of its spreading: and if great ones, such as are or should be Pillars, the common resting places of wearied souls, where every one comes to lean and repose himself: I say, if these common Pillars are once infected, the Disease can't choose but increase, and Death will multiply.  
The word which is here set to signify Lawyers 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forerius in loc.  and Counsellors in the Hebrew, signifies also Foundations. Now if the Foundations be not only destroyed in themselves, but by ill Examples destructive unto others; alas what hopes can there be of that Building?  
But on the contrary, if they be good, and such as at the first (here promised) and as those at the Beginning, that is, like Moses, joshua, Samuel, etc. then it follows, Thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness, the faithful City; or, 'tis in one Translation, Metropolis justitiae, Mater fidelis Zion, that is, jerusalem and Zion, the State both Ecclesiastical and Civil, Church and Kingdom, both shall be the better for them.  
Water you know, comes forcibly from above, and how small a stream we see drives an overshot Mill: certainly, if you that are in height and power, would but make use of that advantage-ground which God hath given you, 'twere impossible the Chariot wheels of Reforming (after this Restoring) should drive so heavily, and that this Afterward in the Text, should be so long a coming.  
We have a great while talked ourselves out of breath about this general Amendment: if indeed we have any mind to it, these very words before us, point out that which must be the way, and none other: first, Good judges and Counsellors, and then a Good People; unless we think to read the Text backward, then indeed we may for on at the bottom of the verse; begin with the People, and so force Reformation to creep upwards from them to their Governors.  
But mending, you kuow, is a sort of moving, and motion hath its rise from above; from the heads, and not the heels of the people. Good judges & Lawyers seem here to be sufficient of themselves for the work: but if to them we readded a Religious Gentry (we may putin a pious and obedient Clergy, though not one word is here spoken of them; for alas, the glean of your Ephraim is more considerable this way, than the whole Vintage of our Abiezer; therefore) I say again, had we to those helps in Government, which the Textmentions, an additional assistance from a Religious Gentry, doubtless Sin in a short time would grow into such disgrace, that it would be an absurd uncivil thing for a man to be Ineligious.  
All we lie in a low Flat (as it were,) but the Gentry are the rising ground in a Kingdom; and as it was in Noah's flood, so was it also in our late Deluge, the very first sign of the Abatement of those waters was, when the tops of the Mountains 
Cen. 8. 5.  were seen, I mean when the Gentry began to lift up their Heads. As they are Mountains, so were they but spicy ones, O how would Christ (and his Kingdom) come running like a Roe upon 
Cant. 8. 14  those mountains of Spices? But if these mountains of Spices should prove mountains of Gilboah, whereon no drops of heavenly dew descendeth, or mountains of Golgotha, Where in stead of beholding 
2 Sam. 1. 21.  Christ running like a Roe, we may see and hearhim crucisyed like a common Slave all the day long: Surely very sad must be the condition of that Kingdom.  
Great men were allowed to derive their Pedigree 
Varro.  from the Gods, ut ad magna impellantur, that their Actions might rise as high, and be as divinely noble, as their Extractions. But when the people shall behold this highborn blood to boil over so much in vanity, excess, and impiety, when those that are brought up in Scarlet embrace Dunghills, and their Sins as deep in grain as their Garments, O what shall we do in the end thereof?  
Sed spero meliora; and therefore it is, God knows, that I have said thus much: for I could not rub and chafe a Corpse, but that I have a desire and hopes of life in it. To which purpose, I'll here relate to you, what I have from Origen, 
super. Gen. Hom. 17.  who reports concerning the young Lion, that when at first he is brought into the world, he lies stillfor many days, as it were in a dead sleep, without any stirring at all: at last in comes the old Lion, who beholding his beloved young still lying in the same deathlike posture, what with grief and rage falls a roaring, wherewith the Den shakes again, and so at last the young sleepy Creature stirs and rouses.  
Our Land is the Lioness; after a long time of pain and travel (when the Thunder of the late Wars produced nothing but Gourds and Mushrooms) at last there's a young Lion brought into the world; Men of noble Birth and Extractions, Persons of generous Designs and Inclinations, and what loyal Subject, yea what good Christian is not truly joyful at the sight hereof? But alas, as yet the newborn Creature stirs not, very little show of life there's in it. If it must be so, forcertain that old Iudah's Lion will come among us at last, and beholding so sad and unpleasing a spectacle, he will fall a roaring, and our Dens of Security will fall a trembling; then sure those that now seem divided between Sleep & Death, will hear that voice of God, and live. That so the many enemies of God & the King may all know this Noble Creature was not dead, but sleepeth. When once the due Fear of that our God, the true Love and Honour to this our King, the tender regard and pity toward this our Native Country, together with a just care of our own common Concerns and Safety, shall make us think it high time to stir and look about us in obedience to that Jog, which St. Paul hath given us, Awake to Righteousness, and sin not. 
1 Cor. 15. 34.  So much for the third Inference.  
Now for the fourth and last. Since good Governors, Judges, and Counsellors etc. are here given of God as meet Instruments to make a 
4. Inference.  good People, Then sure those People must needs beexceeding bad, whom such good Government and Governors, as aforesaid, can make no better. And here because my remaining Task and what I have to do therein, is you see with evil, very evil Persons; and since also that in Scripture, 
Luk. 6. 35.  Evil and Unthankful, are Synonymous, and that Mis-thankfulnesse (may I be allowed so to speak) is a kind of Unthankfulness, what I have to say upon this last point, I'll share betwixt those two sorts of Persons, the Unthankful, and the Mis-thankfull. I mean such, who though they have some kind of Thankfulness within them, yet they make choice of very untoward and unlucky expressions thereof.  
First to the Unthankful: who, albeit that Government be a mercy of God's own promising and performing (I will restore to the jews, he bathe restored to us) though it be like that Vessel let down from heaven to earth (as was shown in in the first General, that Government is from God) and this Vessel also (as that was) full of all Variety and Satisfaction, yet many like S Peter will not with thanksgiving partake of any of those Blessings therein laid before us; yea notwithstanding their present necessity and hunger (as I may say, like his) be never so instant and urgent. For if (as some misled Scruplers will say) they are Damned if they Eat, sure they are Starved if they do not eat, and hearty join in those common causes we all have of Rejoicing. Yet for all this, Now the satted Calf is killed (I mean, Rebellion is 
Luk. 15. 23  slain) and there be now (as then there were) some more than ordinary shows of joy, the Elder Brother will not come in, though never so 
ib. 28.  much wooed and entreated by all the Importunities of a most tender Father, whose mere Rogamus with good natures should be the strongest Mandamus. And all because he seems to show too much kindness (as they think) to this lost child, the Government now established, which was lost, and is found; was dead, and now gins to live. 
ib. 32 .  
Besides, The Gold ring, and the best Robe: the new Shoes (they conceive) at first tread awry toward Superstition. As for that, I could hearty wish that Learned men were fully agreed about the Length, Breadth, and other Dimensions, of that which indeed is Superstition, & then I am verily persuaded, those who do cry out of it in others, would find it mostly amongst themselves. But I can't stay now to Define or Dispute, only I'll tell you my fears; since so many of God's houses have of late been turned into Stables, this Age I fear may have enough to do to farm the Churches.  
Which work since our Royal Hercules hath begun, (the God of Heaven grant he may live to finish, than no doubt but he will do as Moses there, neither turn to the right hand, nor to be left, but go by the King's highway) I say, since like another 
Num. 20. 17 . Hercules, his Sacred Majesty hath begun this cleansing work, let not any say, the Place smells of holy water, because it doth not scent so rank of Horse-dung; nor let any give out, that Popish Altars are going up, when only Racks and Mangers are taking down.  
This is the wretched Perverseness of some unreasonable men, as indeed the world is merely made up of strong prepossessions as to ourselves, and the Spirit of unkindness and contradiction, as to others. Though we have been newly drawn up out of the Dungeon (as jeremiah 
Jer. 38. 12.  was) with rags and clouts (in the account of the Enemy the most unlikely means;) nor is it so long since our shoulder have been eased of our burdens, but that the marks of the Iron-furnace are still upon us.  
And yet how many are there, whose Fingers itch to be making Brick and Morter again, (though tempered with the blood of Christians,) only to build houses for a company of Egyptian Lords to dwell in  
Those I speak of, who long to be offering up their reasonable service, indeed, by presenting bumane bodies (and souls too, if they could) a living, dying Scarifice upon the Sword's point, and so they may but consecrate themselves Bellona's Priests, no matter, though by the blood of God's own Clergy.  
Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered? faith our Saviour. And give me 
Mat. 12. 3.  leave to ask one Question not much unlike it; Have ye not read what David did when he was thirsty? He longed indeed for some of the water of Bethlehem, but yet when he perceived 
2 Sam. 23.  it looked like Blood, he is content to lose his longing, and will not so much as once taste of it; and why, because, thinks he, 'tis the blood of these three men. For my part I am not yet covinced, best water in Bethlehem (I mean, the pretended clearest Reformation, that would make us never so clean) is sit to be bought with the blood of one man, much less should we offer to purchase a little (we know not what) Puddle by the blood of thousands.  
Tell me, Oye lowering and discontented souls: is it nothing, that God should please so unexpectedly to send us another Elias to restore all things? 
Math. 17. 11.  and He not by might, nor by power, but merely by his long wrapt-up Mantle (Prudence and 
2 King. 2. 8.  Reservedness) to smite our angry jordan, so that the Waters thereof dividing hither and thither, he and his Army marched through on dry ground, without dipping their foot in one drop of blood. And when for a time we were all quietly enclosed (clean and unclean) in one Ark of Government, such as it was, not made of Gopher wood, but Bulrushes (the best that then could be gotten) where one might behold our infant Kingdom, like the Babe Moses, floating upon the waters; what, was it nothing, that neither the blustering winds, nor boisterous billows from without, no, nor all those wild unruly Creatures from within, should be able to overturn that Ark of Bulrushes, wherein for a while we were contained?  
Yea, one thing more, when either by Acts of open Hostility, or close Neutrality, the most among us had forfeited his Majesty's protection, and so made a sad Shipwreck of life and livelihood all at once. What, was his Majesty's gracious Pardon, the Act of Oblivion nothing? whereby after so universal a shipwreck, some on boards and planks (like those with St. Paul) others on broken pieces of the Ship, almost all escaped 
Act. 27. 44.  to land, by the merciful support of those Lethaean Waters. And for all this, should we again leave the shadow of the Royal Oak, and adventure a second scratting and tearing by the basest Bramble?  
I hearty wish, we would all impartially consider, what we have, as well as what we would have; and lay those two before us (like Beauty and Bands) in several distinct heaps, and 
Zech. 11.  then say, if our heaps of Beauty be not far the biggest.  
Many thousands we know came short of Canaan, merely for their murmuring and misbelieving; And we, if we still join with those jews in their repining notes, Wherefore came we 
Num. 21. 5.  forth of Egypt, here's neither bread nor water. Our soul loathes this light bread. If so, then as we par-take with them in their Sins, let's beware we share not with them in their Sufferings, and so the Lord send Serpents amongst us, even as he did amongst them. A sly and subtle generation, that are wise as Serpents, but innocent as Eagles or Vultures, and long to be dividing the Prey upon the Carcases of the two grand Combatants.  
Therefore let's not murmur, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of Serpents. And that's all I have to say to the Unthankful.  
Secondly and lastly, to the Mis-thankfull (as I may so call them,) who err and miscarry much in those wrong and improper expressions of that Thankfulness, which else they seem to have; as Drinking, Swearing, Swaggering, abusing themselves, and insulting over others, and such other sad expression in this kind, which too frequently we meet withal.  
What hath our Kingdom been so lately blown up, and hovered in the Air for so many years together, and now at last (as I have read of a City-wall) light upon the very same Foundations again, and must our Sins be needs sinking a new Mine to try the fortune of a second Blast?  
God indeed hath restored, and here it is, Afterward thou shalt be called, Civitas Justi, (as one Translation hath it) the City of the Righteous one, that is, Christ's City: but when will this Afterward once be? me thinks, like the hinder-wheels of the Chariot of Sisera, it is too long a coming.  
We have had bouncing and Knocking, God knows, enough, and too much, and some have still hoped, all in order to a very glorious Building at last: But what will others say, Is this your Civitas justi, and are such as these and these 
Jud. 5. 28.  the Citizens thereof?  
Is this the end of all God's purging, purifying, and refining here spoken of, only to produce a Vessel of Dishonour? Have we been so long stripe of our jewels and Ornaments, (the Majesty and Glory of our Kingdom, and by Fasting and Prayer laboured in the very fire, and after all, out comes the Beast, instead of the Man or Christian?  
I speak it with shame and sorrow concerning some of ourselves. Had it not been better for some, that the jebusite and Canaanite had still Stuck like Thorns in their sides (would that have kept them upright) rather then the Beasts of the Field should thus prevail against us, and all manner of Brutality and Sottishness over run us? What do some say, Are these the good Subjects of his Majesty? Are these the true Sons of the Church? those especially whose Garments should proclaim their gravity and purity?— As with a sword in my bones, the enemy reproacheth me daily, saying not, where is their God, but where are his Servants? We may say in this case, as St. Paul doth in another (not much unlike it,) If unbelievers (or Mis. believers) come in amongst such,— will they not say they are all mad? When 
1 Cor. 14. 23.  David did but act a mad man's part, what saith Achish? Have I any need of madmen? But sure 'tis 
1 Sam. 21. 15.  now beyond Acting; when even the Ass leaves her old Hebrew prose, and now of late turns English Poet, to reprove the madness of such Prophets.  
However St. Paul affirms, The Head cant 
1 Cor. 12.  say, it hath no need of the Feet; yet I am confident, our Head may say of such soul and dirty Feet, I have no need of you.  
God saith in the Text, he will Restore; but we can say, he hath Restored, and our eyes may behold our own judges as at the first, and our own Counsellors as in the beginning, but above all our own King; whose exemplary goodness and temperance, justice & prudence is such, that however some Heretics have falsely affirmed, we sinned at first, yet certainly now, we may at last be reformed, merely by lmitation; unless the People that pretend to love him most, shall imitate his Goodness the least of any.  
But to conclude, remember this, that Resorming is the only end of Restoring: God hath done the one, it rests upon you and me, all yours and all ours, really to endeavour the happy attainment of other; which, do not, we stick still in the midway, and have come through but half our Text; but if indeed we do it, than the Whole verse is dispatched: and we, not being hearers only of what God hath done for us, but Doers of what we should perform back again to him, shall most assuredly be blessed in our deed. Which blessing, God Almighty, the fountain of all Blessings, bestow upon us, for Jesus Christ his sake. To whom etc.  
FINIS.   

MOSES THE Peacemaker his Offers to make one of two contending Brethren.  
A SERMON Preached in COVENTRY, at the usual Anniversary of the Maior's Feast there, upon All-Saints day, 1661.  
At the Request of the Present Mayor, several Knights, and Gentlemen, in and about that City.  
By JOHN RILAND, Archdeacon of COVENTRY.  Si Haeredes Christi sumus, in Pace simus. Cypr. Beati Pacifici, quoniam Filii Dei vocabuntur.— Parens enim omnium Deus est, neque aliter transire in nuncupationem Familiae ejus, licebit. Hilar. in Mat. And the work of righteousness shall be Peace, and the effect of righteousness Quietness and Assurance for ever. Isa: 32. 17. — I am for Peace. Ps. 120. 7. 
OXFORD, Printed by HEN: HALL., Printer to the University. 1662.   

To the Right Worshipful THOMAS PIGEON Esq MAYOR of Coventry:  
To the Right Honourable the RECORDER, JAMES, EARL of NORTHAMPTON, Lord LIEUTENANT of the County of Warwick, and the City, and County of Coventry:  
Sr. THOMAS NORTON Baronet, Sr. ARTHUR CAILEY, and Sr. RICHARD HOPKINS, Knights:  
HENRY SMITH, and MATHEW SMITH, aldermans, Deputy LIEUTENANTS of the said City and County, with the rest of the Aldermen,  
The Author wishing all the Blessings of Peace, dedicates the following SERMON.   
Act. 7. 26. — Saying, Sirs, ye are Brethren, why do ye wrong one to another? 
THE words came at first from him, who was the designed Governor of the Jews, and may not be impertinently discoursed upon before an elected Magistrate among Christians. Moses their Ruler elect (as yours is now) spoke them, so they can't be unfit for the time: and the main Purport of them driving at Peace, I think they may not altogether be improper for this Place.  
The whole Chapter contains St. Stephen's Apology for himself, against a lewish Calumny, whereby they charged him with blasphemy against Moses; who chooses to defend himself chief out of Moses; producing Moses all along 
Act. 6. 11.  speaking for him, who, they falsely said, had spoken against Moses.  
Our Saviour says to the lews, do not you think that I will accuse you; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. Now is that Scripture here fulfilled in our Ears, where we have Moses accusing the Jews, as fast as they do St. Stephen: he saying little for himself, being not so tender of preserving his own life, (no notice taken of that) as of saving their Souls, only we have Moses, almost in every verse, accusing his Accusers and considering the bloody design they were now upon, to take away the life of a just person, and so to do that great wrong to their innocent Brother, the said Accusation lies against them in no one passage more strongly, then in this of the Text; imagining Moses himself now speaking to them, what St. Stephen did out of Moses, Sirs, ye are Brethren, why do ye wrong (especially so great a wrong as this) one to another?  
The Text (as'tis now before us) is part of a dying man's speech, containing some small drops (as it were) of that full (few in Scripture so full) and divine shower of words, which by and by was to be answered with a strome Stones. 
ibid. 58. v.  Which harsh reply sufficiently proves, that if the Speaker have a sharp tongue, the Hearers have a hard band; and though 'tis said, he cut them at the heart, he shall feel for all that, they can sooner bruise his Bones, than he can break their Hearts.  
But however the words were slighted by that, I hope they will not be so by this Audience; and that the rather, because their Importance is nothing but Government and Peace. Things, which, as they are very suitable to the present Occasion, so are they much becoming the lips of the first Martyr in this his last Speech. And 'twere well, if all that seem now adays to covet his Name, (the name of Martyr,) would be careful to copy out his Example; and when they go, be sure to leave the World such legacies of Love and Peace, as he did, to whoom though the People's ears were stopped, yet the Heavens were 
ib. 57 v . opened, where he beheld by Glory of God shining 
ib. 56. v . upon him through a thick cloud of Stones ready to overwhelm him; and apparently saw the glittering of Christ's face above, even through 
ib. 54. v.  the gnashing of their Teeth below.  
In our passage (before we come to particulars) I thought it not amiss to point at two general Observations: the First inferred from somewhat of Coherence with, but Antecedent to the Text: the Second, from a Circumstance arising in it.  
1. First, we may consider, how ready Satan is by his instruments to hinder any good settlement in the Church, especially, if it have any relish of, or tendency unto that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Government 
Act. 6. 5, 6.  Ecclesiastical. For no sooner had the Apostles ordained Deacons in the Church, (an Office derived from, and compounded of the very Dust, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, still minding the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Duty, Industry, and Humility, as 'tis in the jewish Proverb, 
Beatus qui se pulverizat, etc.  Blessed is he that is dusty with the dust of the Temple, that is, ever labouring in the concernments of God's service, which was the work of these Deacons) I say, no sooner had the Apostles made so good an Establishment in the Church, but presently the Devil projects how to hinder the work; stirring up malicious Engines (those of the Libertines) who by false Accusations should cut off St. Stephen the chief workman, 
Act. 6. 9  thereby to weaken the hands of the rest. That is the First.  
2. For the Second general Observation, 'tis this, though here we have the words from St. Luke, he from St. Stephen, he from Moses (as we see Exodus is quoted in the Marg: of the Text) yet notwithstanding we have the words here in 
Ex. 2. 13.  the Acts, I suppose we shall hardly meet with them in Exodus. Now St. Luke being full of the Holy Ghost, when he wrote them, and St. Stephen also, when he spoke them, 'twere a kind of 
Act. 7. 55.  Blasphemy to imagine, they should both belly Moses. Therefore we may conclude, that Moses being the humblest, as well as the meekest man on the Earth, did not himself record all that he 
Num. 12. 33.  said, or did, in that matter of Peacemaking betwixt the two Brethren, but might leave somewhat (than not recorded) to be brought down by constant Tradition, or some such like way: which I observe the rather, in regard the observation of the Lord's day, Infant Baptism, the ancient Church-Government now established, yea the Scripture itself, (as here you see) may be somewhat cleared, and explained by this way. All Tradition should not presently be fling away, because some hath been foisted in, that (perhaps) may be frivolous. What if others preserve only Shells and Froth should we therefore hurl away those Pearls, which the bottom of this Sea affords us? 'Twere very great folly in us to reject good O are, because others dig and find nothing but Dirt. This is certain, good Gold and Silver may be kept in the same Box, where some put nothing but Counters, or Brasse-farthings.  
Now (as the Psalmist bids) walk about Zion, 
Ps. 48. 12.  go round about her, tell the Towers thereof; so we having by these degrees surrounded the Text, & fully viewed the several Strengths thereof; these following Propositions we may tell out to you, as so many Towers of Zion, arising in this order. The First sort from Moses, here the Peace maker: the Second sort from the two Brethren, the Peace-breakers. Of the First sort, thus.  
1. That every good Christian (those especially that are publicly commissioned, as Moses was) should with all diligence labour to make up the breathes betwixt Brethren. This is warranted from Moses Example here, (which we all should imitate) who, as elsewhere, he throws himself into the Gap betwixt God and Man; so here, he sets himself in the breach betwixt man and man, he showed himself, and would have set them at one again, as here 'tis in the former part of the verse 
ib. 26. v. .  
2. This endeavour of Peacemaking must be managed with abundance of Meekness, Prudence, and Tenderness, even towards him that doth the wrong; to both indifferently: Sirs, ye are Brethren, why do ye wrong etc.  
3. As this Endeavour is to be carried on with much Meekness, Prudence, and Tenderness, so also with as much vigour and earnestness. For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies. He would have forced and constrained them to Peace, without which sweet kind of violence, 'tis not truly Mosaical.  
4. If the said Endeavours be in all points managed so as aforesaid, then, though the Peace be not made, yet God is pleased so to accept the Will for the Deed, as if it were made. For here though Moses was fain to fly, and leave the two Combatants in the midst of their Quarrel, yet saith the Text, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he did constrain them to Peace, though (alas) he could not do it.  
These four Observables, the Peacemaker here affords us, and the Peace-breaker just so many more.  
1. That Brethren may be at mutual strife and contention; yea farther, they may actually injure one another, (as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint, together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, amount to so much at least) and yet continue Brethren for all that: Sirs, ye are Brethren, though ye deal thus unbrotherly one with another.  
2. In the heat of Contention men are apt to slight and forget their nearest relations. As the eyes of these Brethren were blood shotten, they could not discern Moses to be their King; so had they quite forgotten themselves to be Brethren; else Moses needed not have been their Remembrancer here: Sirs etc.  
3. When Brethren strive, the wrong most commonly is reciprocal, at least, 'tis hard judging which is the wrongdoer, and which the wrong-sufferer; so that we must divide the wrong-doing betwixt them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, why do ye etc. i. e. For certainye both do wrong one to another: he that had the best of it, might ill manage it, and so (though in the right) might be a wrongdoer.  
4. The strife and variance of Brethren is the most unreasonable that possible can be in the World.— Why do ye wrong? which why implies there was not wherefore, but is a Question, that remains upon Record, without an Answer to this day.  
And should the same Question be put to many of our causeless Quarrellers, I suppose it might meet with the same, that is, no answer; unless it be one, as full of Impertinency, as Blood, like this, 
ib. 27. v.  Who made thee a Ruler over us? wilt thou kill etc. Each of these might challenge some particular regard from the words now in hand, and in respect also of their abundant usefulness in the application, they may be compared to those 
Can 4. 2.  even shorn Sheep in the Canticles,— every one of them will bear Twins, and none is barren among them. And if by your Patience (to make proof of their Fruitfulness) they should be allowed to bring forth their thousands, and ten thousands, (all that various sort of Matter, which were hence derivable) though the Oxen were so strong to labour: yet this would prove a sad Captivity, and (I perceive) there would be great complain in your Street.  
Therefore from following these Ewes (as it were) great with young, lest I should quite tyre you in following me, I return, & here present unto you 
2 Sam. 12. 3.  this one little Lamb, which (like that of the Poor man's) I would have every one of you buy and nourish, that it may grow up with you and your Children; let it eat of your Meat, and drink of your Cup, and lay it up in your bosom, I mean this one mild, profitable, peaceable, and every way Lamblike Assertion, viz.  
That the most effectual means to Peacemaking amongst us, is to consider, we are all Brethren.  
The very remembrance of our Spiritual and Natural Nearnesses, and Relations, should be srongly preventive, or expulsive of that Rancour, which is too apt to rest in the bosom of Christians one toward another. In speaking whereof  
1. First, I should show what is meant by Brethren; as for Sirs, that's a Term of mere civility, and common usage, and affords us only thus much: That although we are told in the 
Heb. 12. 21.  Hebrews, that Moses once said, I exceedingly fear and quake, yet if this, Sirs, be here rightly rendered, and he that was skilled in all learning of the Egyptians, be here made to speak proper English, then sure Moses was none of our modern Quakers. But we leave them to God's mercy, without which, like the Turkish Enthusiast, they run round and round, till they swell, and at last fall down and deliver Oracles; and so let them, only so they do it in that fallen posture. But yet the wisdom of Rulers must (as one said wittily and shrewdly) take heed in time, left at length these Thou's and 's quite destroy all Mine and Thine.  
To return; (as I began to show) First, what's meant by Brethren, (for some I told you before might forget it,) together with its chief Comprehensivenesse, as it were, the outstretched arms & open embraces of this one word in Scripture. And here we might speak of Brethren by nature, nation, religion, kindred, and affection; all which (except the last of all, which indeed is all in all) all I say, or most of them (I am confident) would fetch in those, that yet stand at the remotest Distances among us. And one would think too, that the first should of itself be able to reach and command the last; and the nearness of our Natures fill up those Chasms, and Gulfs of Distance in our Affections. Sure Saint Paul thought it should do so, when he said, God had 
Act. 17. 26  made of one Blood all nations of men, much more should it be effected, when that of Nature is assisted with all those other auxiliary Relations aforesaid.  
All Mankind is (as it were) God's Oar; but Christians, saith an ancient Writer, are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Clem. Alex.  God's proper lawful money: and would we but rub off that Rust, (which by an inveterate Rancour, and mutual Malice) hath formerly been brought over it, we might soon see whose Image and Superscription lies underneath it; and then how should we dare thus to scorn and refuse the meanest piece of God's Money? As what's meant by Brethren, so  
2. Secondly we might bring Reason, why this Word should be such an over coming Quirites, so potent a Charm amongst Christians, as to allay, and rebuke the most violent Storms and Tempests, saying unto them, Peace, be still. What manner of thing this is, that even the Winds and Seas, (the boisterous and unruly Passions of men) should obey it, and why?  
3. Thirdly, whence it is, that amongst professed Christians, and those (to see to) none of the lowest form neither, there are so many deaf Adders, that refuse to hear the voice of this charmer, but like St Stephen's Enemies, stop their ears, (and withal) widen their mouths, and hurl about those Stones, even harsh unchristian language one of another, I say, whence is it, that such deaf Adders should be so loath to part with their poison, or give way to have that venomous Tooth pulled out, whereby they by't and devour 
Gal. 5. 15.  one another, and so (more like Cannibals than Christians) are consumed one of another.  
And here, had we but time and leisure, to cast the lot aright, most of the demure and darling sins of this Generation would be taken: especially it must needs challenge the Pride and Passion of Some, the Interest and Ignorance of Others, and the wilful Prejudice and Prepossessions of most Christians one against another. By which means it comes to pass (as St Austin observes) that Dragons and Lions, Bears and wild Boars, maintain no such deadly seuds, and destructive hostilities, as Men do. But there is one thing more, which being produced, may supersede all those other Reasons of this continued averseness. The strongest Reason is, there can be no Reason for it. For (as I said before) Strife amongst Brethren was the most unreasonable strife in the World. This why in the Text, being without any wherefore; so that we need not further inquire, what should be the causes of its Continuance, whereof there can be assigned no Reason; or else such only as is a Contradiction, that is, the unreasonableness, which is to say, the Unmanliness of Men.  
But the time would fail me to speak fully to each of these, and therefore I shall only offer some Proofs of the Proposition last of all tendered; make some more particular Deductions (tending to Knowledge and Practice) from the whole matter, and so conclude. For the First, viz. the Proof of the Proposition; how that our being Brethren should make us Friends.  
1. For this end we find the Scripture very frequently making use of this Compellation, in order to purposes of Peacemaking, and gaining, or confirming of Affection.  
Men and Brethren, let me freely speak unto you, 
Act. 2. 29.  faith St. Peter, at that time, when at once he won three thousand souls. And St Paul (when 
ib. 41.  he was pleading for his life, and it behoved him to speak persuasively) gins with, Men and Brethren: in both instances, the very fame words in the Greek, as here. And not to load you with heaps upon heaps of more Quotations to the same purpose, let this suffice to say, That as in all holy Rhetorical insinuations we met with this Word, Brethren, as a chief Ingredient, so most commonly (as in the two Instances aforesaid) is it placed in the Re●er●e, according to the Rules in Oratory, whose strongest Forces usually appear last, and bring up the Rear, as there we see Brethren doth in both those places.  
2. A Second Proof may be thus When Christ was about to teach all the Christian World a Form of Prayer, and therein chief to insinuate that love and Kindness that should be among Christians, he was pleased (after the delivery of the said Form) to turn back again, repeat and explain that one Petition, concerning mutual forgiveness amongst men, and none other, For if ye forgive not men their trespasses etc. I say, when 
Mat. 6. 14.  Christ was upon prescribing such a Form, which might not only comprise all our Wants; but unite all our Hearts too, he finds no fit an Introduction thereunto, than Our Father; whereby 'tis necessarily employed, that those who call him Father, should also call, or at least account themselves as Brethren, which is intimated 
Joh. 20. 17  by Christ elsewhere; Behold I go to My Father, and your Father; and the more to endear himself unto them, thinks it no scorn to call his 
Mat. 28. 10  Disciples Brethren; Go tell my Brethren.  
O how dare any sleight or slacken the blessed Bands of that Name, which Christ's own lips (as it were) have fastened upon us with so many sacred Knots. Be that spoken to Despisers. And on the contrary, why should some others so much contract and overstreighten that Relation, as to make Brethren only a peculiar Band to such a small Fardel of Mankind? when, to my thinking, Christ meant it rather for an universal Girdle, that should go round and encompass all Christians. That's for Engrossers.  
3. Because in this Appellation, Grace and Nature, Flesh and Spirit may both innocently unite, and join forces.  
Thus St Paul in that his persuasive Epistle to 
Phil. 19  Philemon, concerning Onesimus, speaking of a common Brotherhood wherein he related toward himself, faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How much rather to thee, Philemon, both in the flesh, and in the Lord. The which two respects, when they are twisted together, like two Streams, one running into the other, with combined embraces, go hand in hand, with a greater force down the same Channel.  
In the Tragic Description of that Fatal battle, faith the Poet,  
— Cunctos hoerere cruores  
Romanus, campisque vetat consistere Torrens. In the slaughter there made, the thick blood of the Barbarous enemy stood like a Lake, till the Conqueror's sword began to open the Roman Sluices, than it ran down like a Torrent. Thus the Waters of Siloeh may move softly, but if the Rivers of Damascus should Change their course, and run into the Rivers of Israel, the paces of both may be amended. And albeit Abanah and Pharpar should be slow-paced Heathen streams, yet if once they come (as it were) to be baptised in jordan, and join with that River, they soon would partake of its swiftness. And further to illustrate those advantages which Grace makes of Nature's Relations, it is thought by some, that St John was the beloved Disciple not only as a Disciple, but as a Brother of Christ: And that here also, This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, was some endearment to the 
Gen. 2. 23.  second Adam, as well as heretofore it was to the first.  
So much for the Proof of the Proposition. In the next place follow those several Conclusions from the whole matter.  
Since there are (as hath been shown) such 
1 Concl.  bands in Nature, as well as Religion, we infer, That those are much to be condemned, who have broken all those Bands asunder, and cast away those Cords from them.  
Among many other of those sad Predictions 
2 Tim. 3. 3  (which we have lived to see fulfilled, and running over in abundance of other mischiefs) it is said, Men shall be without natural affection. These are the men, whose unnatural Tempers help to complete that Prophecy, and their ungodly Actions flowing from those No-naturall Affections, do justify St Paul was a true Prophet, as well as a faithful Apostle. How many have we now adays, whose fierceness so great and abounding, that they have enough to spare the Brute Creatures, so that we think we have set a sufficient mark of Cruelty upon a Bull or a Boar, if we once say he is Man-Keen (a name derived from this sort of men) I say, how many, though they came shamefully short in things of common humanity, yet the very same men in matters of spiritual concernment are so seemingly transported, that (if their own conceits may carry it) like Saul, they are taller by the head (where those conceits are lodged) then others, and indeed so much over and above Christians, that they fall much below Men. For 'tis expected a man should first be honest, then holy; first just, and then religious: and we must all make good our ground and right standing in Nature, before we can advance to those higher Transcendencies of Religion; else'tis, as if we should engraft in the Sea without a Stock, or build in the Air without a Foundation.  
But without some better fruits meet for Repentance, the very Heathen will arise and condemn such Christians: and then, Quanta erit damnatio à damnatis damnario when Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah shall give Judgement against jews (much more against Christians) how great is that Judgement!  
Indeed St Paul saith in one place, Hence forth 
2 Cor. 5. 16.  know I no man after the flesh, and thence some take occasion to cut off all Relations, as King and Subject, Father and Son, Brother and Brother, and the like, merely as superfluities of the Flesh; and because (in their sense) we must not know them, 'twill follow in time we may destroy them; and then (as heretofore we have) so again we shall destroy we know not whom. Thus some, like those Barbarians, do mistake 
Act. 28. 4.  a blessed Apostle, for a base Murderer.  
But, as'tis in Amos, The Lion hath gotten a 
Am. 3. 12.  piece of an Ear, so the People run away with a piece of the Apostle's language, and will only hear him by parcels, and hot suffer him to speak out; which if they would (as Amos his Shepherd takes the piece of an Ear out of the mouth of the Lion) St Paul himself would soon rescue this piece of his language out of the mouths of such Scripture-invaders. For do but compare St Paul with himself; St Paul in the forecited place to the Corinth: with St Paul to Philemon in the 
ib. 16. v.  verse aforesaid: Much more a Brother beloved to thee both in the Flesh, and in the Lord: with St Paul 
Rom. 10. 1  to the Romans, My heart's desire is for Israel, that 
ib. 9 3.  they might be saved; and he could wish himself accursed for his Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh.  
These, and divers other passages will acquit the Apostle from that horrid meaning, wherein some mistake him. But when men have quite debauched their own Natures, no wonder they dare abuse the holy Scriptures. Whereby it falls out amongst us too frequently, that, as the false, dead Child is cast into the lap of the true Mother, these wrongful and rotten Conceptions of Men are daily thrown into the bosom of the only true, and living Father.  
But to pass on to a second Conclusion, in that Moses is here so earnest, and daring to make Peace (for though▪ 'twas but yesterday that he 
Act. 26. 28 Ex. 2. 12.  had killed an Egyptian, whom he could not so hid in the Sand, but that, it seems,▪ 'twas discovered; yet when he saw two of his Brethren strive, he must adventure to show himself (as 'tis in the Text.) Hence we infer in the second place:  
Those sure are very contrary-minded to Moses, 
2 Concl.  who instead of being Peacemakers, like him, make it their main business to be Peace-breakers; with these two quarrelsome brethren, throwing about their wildfire where ever they go, secretly scattering the seeds of Sedition, infusing Discontents, and disloyal aversations into the hearts of the People, and so compass Sea and Land to gain Proselytes for a new War. As if we had not bled enough already, they deal with credulous people (who else would be quiet in the Land) just as the Devil did by Job;— verba 
Greg: Mor.  post vulnera, reserving the cutting words of his Wife's tongue, after all the deep gashes his own hand had given him. So is it with us: we have been a long time followed with breach upon breach, one Wound spreading and multiplying into many, and yet still we hear most edged and dangerous words, notwithstanding we have felt already such desperate blows. Certainly, this is one of the most abominable things to God, to sow discord among brethren. But on the other 
Prov. 6. 16.  side, Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is for 
Ps. 133. 1.  brethren to dwell in unity! David himself admires it, but many amongst us cannot endure it; but if City or Country should be on fire again, they would cheer and warm themselves at that fire, and like Nero, sit and sing some of Homer's verses by it. Being much of the same mind with that other Monster, Optimè olere hostem, sed melius civem; the carcase of a Turk would smell well 
Sueton. Vitell.  indeed, but the carcase of a Protestant far better.  
Hence it is, that since the late Deluge of blood hath been so newly abated, whereas every good Christian, like Noah's Dove, should now be coming in with the Olive leaf in their mouths, these, with the Raven, are still hover about, and croaking for more Carcases.  
And the better to set forward this work of Destruction, as those Heathens bedavvbed their own Bodies with strange figures, to render them the more formidable; so do these disgaize and blacken their Brethren with most ugly shapes and representments, to make them the more odious and detestable. Or as the Persecutors of old dealt with the poor Martyrs, because their Dogs would not seize on them, while they looked like Men, 'twas but clapping a Bear's skin about them, and so bait them. Thus diveise good Protestants, who, in my soul I think, would die for Christ, are by way of Calumny, clad in the skins of Turks, Popes, Anti Christ's, Baal's, and Belials, that so under those ugly notions (which their enemies please to put upon them) the base Bandog of the Rabble may (when time serves) the more eagerly fasten on them, and tear them in pieces,  
Upon the same account also it was, that in that decretory and concluding Fight between Caesar and Pompey, when both Armies came closetogether, the Father being on this side, the Son on that; the Uncle taking one part, the Nephew another, and Brother fight against Brother: Caesar (fearing lest at those near approaches they might discern each other, and so give back and resuse to join Battle) rides up and down, calling on his Soldiers,— Miles serl faciem, Soldiers, strike and foyn at the Face. Not but that 
L. Flor. l. 4. c. 2.  the breast or bowels were more mortal than the face; but because, it being once mangled, they might not discern whom they killed, whether a Father, Son, or Brother, and so might kill him the more undauntedly; which action of his the Poet thus expresseth, 
Luc●an.   
Adversosque jubet ferro consunde●● vultus. i e. Dash and confound the known Characters in the looks of your nearest Relatives, that so with less relent you may dispatch them. And in like manner, though not with our swords, yet with our tongues and pens, what horrible gashes and deformities do we engrave upon the face of that way of Others, (which we like not) lest happily we might discern how little it differs from our Own. Thus as Hypocrites disfigure themselves for self-affliction; these cruel ones disfigure Others for their Destruction.  
Tully likens the People to the Sea, which of it self would be smooth and calm enough, but that the boisterous winds do so enrage and discompose it: and thus the minds of Christians, after all these troubles, sure would be of themselves Even, and quiet, but only the blustering breath, and tempestuous tongues of some men do nothing else but ruffle and disturb them.  
And this they will do: for as he in the Hieroglyphic, that had the Quiver of Arrows, could say, Nequicquam, nisi emitterem, To what purpose, unless I spend them? So those that abound in Malice, Pride, self-willedness, ill Principles, and the like, and have their Quivers full of them: alas! they lose their Talon of Mischief, unless they trade with it. And hence is it, that Firebrands, Arrows, and Death are hurled about with such confidence, and all in sport; indeed a mad-man's sport, so was it formerly accounted: but now adays this & more is done in good sad earnest, by the sober Subverters of our Kingdom, who very seriously contrive the Platform of new Confusions, and upon pretence of pulling down I know not what imaginary Babylon, (as I have seen the blackest Chimney bedecked with the goodliest Flowers) do indeed what they can lay the foundations of another Babel.  
Is this torrid Temper any part of that Fire, 
Luk. 12. 49  which Christ came to send upon the Earth? no, I cannot believe it. Is this the Gospel trumpet, which that Evangelicall Prophet speaks of, saying, Life up thy voice like a Trumpet. I can't believe 
Isa. 58. 1.  that neither. 'Tis confessed, they do lift up their voice like a Trumpet indeed, but what? not to tell jacob of his Sins, so much as his supposed Sufferings, nor to reproove Transgressions, but rather to raise, and encourage Rebellion.  
Truly one would think, that English Swords had now been sufficiently made drunk with blood, and long before this, might all have been beaten into Ploughshares; even those,  Qui niteant primo tantum mucrone cruenti, 
whose points have been only dipped; much more some others, whose blades have been drenched in Blood. But if Swords are not become Ploughshares, nor Spears, Pruning-books, but remain Swords and Spears still, then thank the Restlessness of those, who will not suffer it: whose Tongue, as'tis the most sharp-edgedsword, so is it still unsheathed, and runs riot every where, walking through & through the World; as he describes that fierce Commander in the Head of his several Regiments:  — Quâcunque vagatur Sanguineum veluti quatiens Bellona Flagellum. 
i e. Their Tongue is an overflowing Scourge, wheresoever it lights, it draws blood.  
O how contrary are these to Moses! He saith here, Sirs, ye are Brethren: no, say these, they are Tyrannical, Anti-christian, any thing rather than Brethren He says, Why do ye wrong one to another? not then positively determining, which was the wrongdoer, till afterward he wronged him also who was the Peacemaker: but these say peremptorily, Sirs, they are in the Wrong, and doubtless you are in the Right, O why will ye take the least wrong from any other? In a word, he finds men at enmity, and would gladly make them friends: these find men at unity, and would fain make them enemies. So that however they please to call others Anti christs, themselves are plain Anti-Mose's, yea I doubt, Anti-Prophets, and Anti-Apostles also: and indeed, like genuine jews (according to that character of theirs) they please not God, and are contrary to all good men. For the Word is the Gospel of Peace, Christ is the Prince of Peace, God is the God of Peace; but these are People that do err in their hearts, the way of peace they have not known.  
If such as these will needs be Preaching: (For I would not have you think, I have been all this while speaking of lawful Preachers, I hope I have not; O how beautiful are their feet, that bring glad tidings of salvation! and pity it were, any of those beautiful feet should prove bloody feet.) Therefore I say again, if such as those (I have here spoken of must needs be Preaching, 'ttwere well they would think of such Subjects as these.  

Study to be quiet.  
Fellow the things that make for Peace.  
Obey them that have the rule over you.  
Let nothing be done through strife etc.   
In which kind should they make any adventures, yet such Subjects as these now proposed, being so much out of their way, I suppose it would not be worth a Sabbath day's journey to go out of ours, to hear them. So much of the 2d Conclusion.  
And as from this Act of Moses here, we have raised (as to some contrary minded ones) matter of just Reprehension; so  
In the third place to All (the chief Magistrate 
3. Concl.  especially) here is matter of Religious imitation. Reconcile persons at variance, compose their differences, part their Quarrels, prevent their petty strifes, and wranglings; these little Beginnings from growing to greater Mischiefs. Do, as doth Moses here, who was first their Peacemaker, than afterward their Lawgiver.  
This is a time of uniting; this day's Solemnity calls for it: the Church now comemorating that grand Union betwixt Heaven and Earth, in the Unity and Community of All-Saints. Not that we are for his Patrocinia Dominorum. One God, One Lord. Dominus we own, and adore, but can't tell what to do with that Dominorum.  
Angels themselves, though we know not of what Original Extraction, before, or above us; yet, as the same Author elsewhere saith, acknowledge themselves, in respect of us, Consanguineos 
Bern.  in sanguine Redemptoris: there is Consanguinity betwixt them and us. And Origen affirms 
Hom. 5. sup. Levit.  Quandam esse cognationem inter visibilia et invisibilia, Heaven and Earth are a Kin (as it were) and the Kindred this day commemorated.  
In this Chapter (where our Text is) we read how the Heavens were opened; and in one of 
ib. 56. v.  the Lessons for this day, we have them opened 
Rev. 19 11  again. And whereas in the Transfiguration of Christ, we find three together on the Mountain, Moses, Elias, and Christ, a Congregation made up of Heaven and Earth, two from Above, and one yet Below: so here in our Text we find the like, though not just the same Congregation, Moses, St Stephen, and St Luke; one penning, another pronouncing, the Third (we know not how) dictating unto him: and this Congregation so also compounded as the former, one yet of the Church Militant; the other two of the Church Triumphant.  
Which several Openings in Heaven (as aforesaid) to receive and take in Earth: and holy combinations on Earth, Earth (as it were) mixing with Heaven, me thinks should much encourage us to the ready embracement of those uniting Motions, which this Text affords us, especially at such a time as this; concerning which (beside what hath been already spoken in that regard) I shall only add that of the Psalmist (which hints both the day, and its duty,) Sing unto the Lord all ye Saints of his, and give thanks, etc. All Saints, except some new ones, who (they say) care not much for any Singing, and so how they may share in the Day I know not, but doubt they will not join in the Duty.  
No question, but you (the Magistrate, to whom I speak) like Moses your Pattern, may meet with some Egyptian, as well as Hebrew Transgressor's, I mean some Criminal Offenders; as well as other sleight Quarrellers, and peevish Contenders. If so, you must with Moses here, admonish the one, but smite the other. When there's any Sin or Mischief going forward, Swearing, Drinking, Whoring, contemning the Lord's day, despising the Lord's worship, plotting against the Lord's Anointed, and the Peace of this Kingdom, etc. All these are mischievous Egyptians; and'tis high time then for Moses to show himself, and not Himself only, but his Sword also.  
Thus the Curser and Blasphemer were brought before Moses; and so the Stick-gatherer on the 
Leu. 24. 11  Sabbath day was brought before Moses, and his bundle of Sticks (poor Sinner!) turned into an 
Num. 15. 33.  beap of Stones. Which I observe, not that we Christians ought to meet by that severe Jewish Measure, but this in general, you cannot likely overdo in the Concerns of God's Glory.  
Only remember, as the Breast was Moses his part of the Sacrifice, so Prudence should be yours. 
Ex. 29. 26.  Here you are in the midst of Dividings, (as where else would you not be so) Ephraim against Manasseh, Manasseh against Ephraim, (but few I hope against judah) what should you do, but with St Stephen here in the Chapter, Look up stead fastly into Heaven, and with Moses here in 
ib. 55.  the Text, look down directly upon your Duty, and doubt you not, but the Lord, and his Anointed will direct and defend you. So much of the Third.  
And now having said thus much to the Magistrate, me thinks somewhat more should be spoken to the People.  
Therefore in the Last place, let me persuade 
4. Concl.  you all to these two Duties, First to Obedience towards Superiors. Secondly to Love and peaceableness amongst your Selves; the Former employed, here the Later expressed; both I am sure claiming very properly and directly from the Text  
First for Obedience. Without this there can be no Peace; and with this, there could have been no Strife betwixt these two Brethren. For had they but obeyed Moses, as they ought to have done, when he said, Sirs, why do ye wrong etc. then there had been an end of the Quarrel. Peace is the Daughter of Obedience; Obedience is the true Mother of Peace; which Peace cannot any way be broken, but the Daughter must be dashed pieces against the Mother.  
Thus it was with these two Combatants (which the Text presents us withal,) before they had quite forfeited their Peace, they must needs bid adieu to their Obedience. For Moses was now their Governor, deputed from God to deliver them (as'tis in the verse foregoing,) and 
ib. 25. v.  though where he might have commanded, he only entreated a Peace, Sirs, why do ye wrong? yet in the account of good Subjects, such Entreaties are the most powerful Commands.  
But we see, how little Moses is regarded betwixt them; the One (probably) slighting him, the Other thrusting him away, and threatening him: while he (poor Prince) is fain to fly for it, the Field is kept, and the Quarrel maintained, by the two Brethren, as well through their Disobedience to him, as their Variance one with another. For had they been but loyal Subjects, and harkened to Moses, without more ado they head been loving Friends: but as the fruit of Submission had been peace; so on the contrary nothing but Strife, endless strife is the Product of Disobedience: which one disloyal act of theirs, beside the particular trouble it cost them two, it (occasionally) brought a general mischief upon the whole body of the jews, by being one visible means of retarding their Deliverance, yet forty years longer.  
St Bernard writing to one of his Brother-abbots' 
Epist. 87.  who in his love to Obedience, had voluntarily quitted his place of being a Governor, for that he smartly rebukes him; but in that he presently put himself under the Power of another, he doth as highly commend him, adding this of his experience, Securiùs possum praeesse multis aliis, quàm mihi soli etc. He could with far more ease 
Qui se sibi magistrum constituit, stulto se disci. pulum subdit. ibid.  and safety dispose of others than himself, much more be at others Disposal than his own, as he intimates in that Epistle.  
O there's a great deal of Sweetness in the Conscience of Obedience: do but taste and see. Certainly there's none but may perceive it, except those, who never did, never will taste, or make Trial of it.  
The sickly Woman in S. Mark, touches not 
Mar. 5. 28.  the very body of Christ, yet by touching his  only, (which do touch his Body) she is healed. And we that live in this sickly Haemorroisse Kingdom of Ours, though by our submission to our lawful King (& all those under him) done't just touch the very top of Christ's sceptre, yet mediately we do, by touching that, which doth touch it, and is in immediate subordination unto it: and would we all touch but so, we might soon be healed. So that Obedience is no● only a pleasing, but a healing Virtue.  
All is not, cannot, ought not to be, as every one would have it; what then? must People repine, wrangle, fight for it, rather than be debarred of their own peculiar fancies? God forbidden. Remember at the rebuilding of the Temple, some joyed, 
Ezr. 3. 12.  others wept, yet such was the Obedience of them all, they don't offer to remove, or hinder the laying of one Stone, whereby to disturb the Building. So much for Obedience.  
Secondly for peaceableness. And here one would think, that few Arguments might serve to persuade men to be happy. However, let's First look upon the Danger. 2ly the Deformity of its contrary, that so the mischief and ugliness of Strife, may, if not enhance, yet give a due worth to the Blessings and Beauties of Peace.  
1. First the Danger of this kind of Strive. What said one? Vincere fratrem, non interficere volui. I will only conquer my Brother, I don't mean to kill him. Indeed, it is so at first, men strive only for Mastery; yet rather than they will not master, they will Kill & murder, And when once it comes to that,— jusque datum sceleri, that kind of legal Killing, or (as the Psalmist hath it) imagining, (yea and doing) Mischief by a law: then we shall find, Non solum cum Rhodiis, sed cum Artibus bellum geri, the War is not only levied against men, but against good manners, against good Learning, and Religion too. Inso much that however we may slight it, yet in God's account (who best knows the weight of his own Judgements) a three-months War, especially if in the 
2 Sam. 24. 33.  bowels of the Kingdom) is put in the Counterbalance to weigh against a seven years' Famine.  
And sure we, that now but seem to behold the Ghastly looks of one year, may thereby think how it would be, should we feel the hard pinches of a seven years' famine, and thence imagine what hath been, and what would be a seven, and seven years war.  
'tis recorded of the Civil Wars in France, that they produced 30000 witches, and above a Million of Atheists, what the Effects of ours hath been upon us in particular we know not, but 'tis much to be feared, there hath been a greater increase of such Monsters, then good Christians. For as it is with that of Nilus, so with those Overflowings 
Diod. Sic.  of War; these are the vermin, and half-made Creatures, that use to Crawl out of the Slime and Mud of those Over flow. And generally we find that's shrewd Proverb, When War gins, Hell opens; for be sure than some Customers will be coming; but especially, if they be Civil Wars: those being Hell's huge Fair days, when others are but ordinary Markets.  
I have heard indeed, how that Woolves, if they want Prey, will devour one another. But we are in no such want, (I wish we were,) nor are likely to be, so long as the Turk, that circumcised Heathen defies all the armies of the living God. There we may go, and show our Zeal, Skill, and Courage, and be confident we fight against Antichrist, and (if not the Whore, yet) the great Ravisher of Christendom. But what saith old Galdas? Englishmen are strong at home, but little doers abroad. If we should adventure upon another Grapple within our selves, I much fear the Moral of that Fable, which tells us, that, while two smaller Birds are tugging and pecking one another, down comes a third, that is greater, and at one swoop both are taken. Therefore as Origen observes of the Dove, when ever she drinks at the rivers, she looks not only up into the Air, but down into the Water, and even there doth plainly discern the shadow of the hawk approaching. And if we will be sipping at the Waters of Strife, and Bitterness, let us look well about us, and we can't but see, not mere shadows, but many substantial enemies, without us, and within us, both hover over us, and ready to pray upon us, & devour us. And however the Israelites may differ (as here they do) I am confident these Egyptians will never quarrel, unless it be which of us shall afford them the first, and fairest Morsel. There's the Danger.  
2. Now for the Deformity of this Striving. As the danger thereof (we see) is great, so were there no danger at all, yet its mere Deformities are so exceeding great, that to all, who have but their Senses exercised, it must needs be very odtous, and abominable.  
None ever hated his own flesh, saith the Apostle: and is it not a dreadful spectacle to see a 
Eph. 5. 29.  man catch on this hand, and snatch on that, and tear off the flesh of his own Arms? Do but look again into the Text, and you will go near to see as ugly a sight, as that is. Behold here two Brethren, hewn out of the same Rock, derived from the same Fountain of Israel; so that, if one had said, Thou art flesh of my flesh, the other might have replied, And thou art bone of my bone. These two in a strange Land, under hard labour, in the midst of Enemies, and in the presence of Moses, a man sent from God to be their Deliverer, yet for all these outward Circumstances, and obliging Relations, they can a while, thus to manage an inward Quarrel, and so fall on, tug and tear one another, that is, their very selves, as if both had not been their own, but each the flesh of some other; and all this done in despite of Moses, who stood by unregarded.  
This I am sure, and (in some regard) more than this hath been our Condition. For albeit Moses here saw this sad Combat, yet 'tis likely, the Egyptians did not; which if they had, Moses durst not, because of his yesterday slaughtering one of their Brethren (as before was observed) but suppose they had stood by, and beheld the Conflict, O what sport and rejoicing had this been unto them!  
Now this is the transcendent and peculiar unhappiness of these our Duelling, we perform them, not only in sight and despite of this our Moses, (who may fitly be so called, not so much because he was drawn, as that hestrangely drew us out of the waters) but also in the presence of the Egyptians, those many enemies round about us, who will most gladly make us a Ring, so we will but make them Sport, especially if it be such a sport, as Abner's was, Come let the Young 
2 Sam. 2, 14.  men arise, and play before us:  
I neverloved to see the Butting (some call it the Playing) of Sheep. But to behold a Flock well fed, and safely guarded by their own Shepherd, I say, to seethem run, and dash one against another, while a company of woolves, and fleering Foxes look on, and laugh; this me thinks is one of the most unpleasing sights in the World. And since there are seven things, which are abominable to the Lord, this (I am persuaded) may be the eighth thing, which his Soul hateth.  
Which also is the more hateful, because mostly 'tis your smaller matters which chief uphold and maintain these vast distances. We agree well about judgement, and Mercy-matters, and only differ in Mint and Cummin-concernments. As if Abraham and Lot should be well accorded about the whole Countries they were to go into, and only wrangle about their several Inches.  
And here (besides divers other dismal consequences) I might speak, and show how this Disuniting weakness and unravells us: as 'tis observed when those two huge Armies of Hannibal and 
T. Liv.  Scipio came near to join Battle; Hannibal's Forces being raked and pitckt up from several Nations, and parts of the World, the Shout which they gave upon the Onset, was but ragged and contemptible, whereas Scipio's Soldiers, being all Romans, having all the same language, their Shout being uniform, was more Majestic and Formidable. I leave the History to your Application.  
But (to omit several other dissuasives of that nature) me thinks, a Sin that is so much its own Punishment, as is Contention, should in it self have Amulet enough to unpoyson the minds of men, and dis●enamour them of those other supper▪ added Deformities, which now we are speaking of, (for if there be any Hell above ground, sure this Strife and Contention is part of the Suburbs thereof,) yet take it with all its faults, some are still most paffionately in love with it; but especially the wrong-doers, as we say of some, they never forgive, whom once they injure; and here (if we observe) he that did the wrong, 
ib. 27. v.  thrusts Moses away, and talks of killing, when Moses speaks of reconciling; Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian? indeed 'tis Death to some to hear talk of Peace. As Millers and Sailors, with other such, that live by the winds, a perpetual Calm would undo them.  
Give such as those Sea-room enough, and then they are safe, whereas if they come near firm ground, and are once cast upon Shoar, they split, and are broken to pieces.  
The Disciples of Christ (we read) were once 
Mat. 14. 27.  afraid of their own Master, as if they had seen a Spirit: So many when they see Peace a coming toward them, are afraid, and think 'tis an Apparition. But what Christ said to them, his Majesty hath been pleased to say to us, Be not afraid, behold it is I.  
In some 'tis probable the fear of Restitution may lie like a Lion in the Way. And indeed should many amongst us repent, but at half that rate, as the little Publican did, and restore but twofold, (yea but the same again) for his fourfold, I doubt many that are great ones now, would soon be as little in Estate, as Zacheus was in Stature, and they would quickly repent of such a Repentance. Therefore that the way of Peace may be strawed with Flowers, as well as paved with Marble, so that all may be persuaded to come, and walk in it, Behold, here are no severe exhausting Satisfactions, no grievous, and ruining Restituions, no harsh and cruel Compositions.  
As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here, that must be let alone for ever. Be of good cheer, if thy sins are forgiven thee, thy wrongs are. Only after all the Injuries on one side, and the Acts of Kindness on the other, let's be willing to be friends with our King and Country, and those, whom we have so much wronged; if they have wronged us, in forgiving us, O forgive them that wrong.  
St Austin observes, that whereas the other Creatures were made two and two, God created Man single, there assigning the reason thereof, De uno multitudo propagatur, ut in mult is unitas 
Civ. D. l. 22. c. 26.  servaretur. Thus that we might be all taught of God to love one another; God would at first give us all one Spring head (as it were,) that so we might the more undividedly stream along in the same Channel. God is the God of Love and Peace: be perfwaded to it for God's sake.  
And Christ, though content to be crucified on Mount Calvary, yet while he was living (as may be observed) he was most delighted to be in Mount Olives. He looseth his life in the place of Skulls, an Emblem of War, (where, the truth is, he is still crucified,) but he leads his Life most commonly in a place of Olives, an Emblem of Peace. There he prays, there he preaches, there he walks, contemplates, and watches, does all but die, that was reserved for Mount Calvary, yea thence he ascends up into Heaven: and as Peace 
Act. 1. 12.  was one of the last legacies his Lips bequeathed us, when he died; so Mount Olives (the dwelling place of Peace) was the last piece of Earth his blessed Foot touched, when he ascended.  
Remember Christ is the great lover of Peace; Do it for Christ's sake. But if neither for God's sake, nor Christ's, yet some perhaps may be moved for their countries' sake.  
Imagine you sawthis native Kingdom of ours like another job, not now upon, but newly crept off the Dunghill, and thus bespeaking you, as there he doth his Visitants, Have pity upon me, O 
Job. 19 21  my Friends, have pity, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me. Indeed the hand of the Lord hath not only touched, but a longtime lain heavy upon this Land of ours; and if after all, we have yet no pity, we are far more miserable comforters then ever Jobs were. For if we observe, they seem to have some kind of sympathizing with his Sorrow. He rends his Mantle, and they rend theirs, he shaves his head, they throw Dust upon theirs. If he sits upon the Ground, so do they; and their Sorrows maintain as long, and as sad a silence as his do. Yea as in most things they did with him, 
Job. 2.  so in one passage they outdid him. For whereas we find not as yet that job had shed one Tear for all his sufferings, 'tis said of them, They lift up 
ib. 12. v.  their voice, and wept.  
O be not more remorselsse than were Iob's friends: Do it for your country's sake.  
But if the present age prevail nothing, yet have some regard, and pity upon Posterity. Let not the little ones (as soon as born) be taken, and dashed against the stones (as it were) by being taught such hard, and unrelenting Lessons, and exposed unto such harsh, and ruthless principles, as the men of this generation have proceeded upon.  
I have heard of an ingenious Limmer, who mostlively represented a dying piece in this manner A goodly Matron, mortally wounded, at the Storming of a City, as she lay bleeding, and expiring of her Wound, behold, her helpless hungry Infant, comes crawling towards her Breasts, while the dying Mother looks wistly and carefully upon it, Ne sanguis metuens pro lacte bibatur, as if fearing, (lest the hungry Babe should suck down Blood in stead of Milk.  
How far this sad Resemblance might (not long since) be suitable to our Church and Kingdom, I leave to your Consideration. Only take heed (I speak it to all unpeaceable, implacable Spirits) that the Children yet unborn, in lieu of the innocent, wholesome milk of true Christian Principles, be not betrayed to Blood by your Examples.  
I do not despair, but that by these poor, yet well-meant Motives, some Salamander may be enticed out of his beloved fire, and that we Christian Brethren will regard these Peace-offers of Moses, although the jewish ones did not.  
But what need we a further waist of Words to a Christian Audience, when one Quirites hath pacified an Heathen Tumult?  
Men and Brethren, (that's only our Quirites,) what have, we so soon forgotten the miseries of War, that we must already be laboured, and persuaded to Peace? Need there be a Law enacted, That every one shall eat, when he is hungry, and drink when he is thirsty? Need any of us be entreated to sleep securely, live plentifully, eat the fat, and drink the sweet of a good Land; sit quietly under our own Vine by day, and rest undisturbedly in our own Beds at night?  
What, is it indeed so much sweetness and pleasure for me, to eat my own morsel with a trembling hand, and drink of my own Cup, as Belshazar did of another's, with a perpetual shaking, because of the sad, and frightful Alarms of War?  
Well, if we must be argued into Peace, and men will not be happy, unless they see good reason for it: at present, I shall seek no farther than the Text, Sirs, ye are Brethren.  
Were are they Hebrews? so are we Christians. Were they in the midst of enemies? are not we? Had they a Peace making Moses? blessed be God so have we: and if they are all Brethren, we much more. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Co-uterini, such as have lain in the same womb of this our Church, drawn at the same Breasts of Consolation, (both the Testaments,) have been nursed up with the same sincere milk of God's word, and a good Chatechisme.  
And as we have been brought up on the same Knees, and hung upon the same Breasts of one common Mother; so we hope all to be received into the Bosom of one common Father.  
What saith St Paul? There's one Body, one Spirit, 
Eph. 4. 4  one Hope of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all.  
Now if after all these ones, we must still be two, I shall even leave you, as Moses did them. Only remember this, the time may come, that what Moses here speaks to us all, we may one day sadly repeat to each other, saying, Sirs, we were Brethren, why would we do such wrong one to another?  
THE END