Die Jovis 26. Decemb. 1644.  
IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled, That the House doth hereby give thanks to Master Calamy for his great pains taken in the Sermon he Preached on Wednesday the 25. of this instant December, in the abbey Church Westminster, it being the day of the monthly Fast. And this House doth desire him to Print and publish the same. And lastly, It is Ordered, that none shall Print or publish his said Sermon without being Authorised so to do under the hand of the said Master Calamy.  
Io. Browne Cler. Parlamentorum.   

I do appoint Christopher Meredith, to Print this Sermon, and no man else.  
EDMUND CALAMY.   

AN INDICTMENT AGAINST ENGLAND because OF her selfemurdering DIVISIONS: Together with AN EXHORTATION TO AN ENGLAND-preserving unity and Concord.  
Presented in A SERMON PREACHED before the Right Honourable House of Lords in the abbey Church at Westminster; at the late solemn Fast, December 25. 1644.  
By Edmund Calamy, B. D. and pastor of Aldermanburic in LONDON.  Cyprian. 
Pacem Ecclesiae Martyrio praeferimus.  
Peius est scindere Ecclesiam quam sacrificare Idolo.  
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Christopher Meredith, at the sign of the Crane in Paul's churchyard. 1645.   

TO THE RIGHT honourable house OF Lords Assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
THe differences and Divisions of England at this day are so many, so great, and so destructive to Church and State, as that it cannot but be accounted a transcendent act of Piety and charity for any man to endeavour according to his place to compose the one, and remove the other. But though this work be very excellent, yet it is also very dangerous to him that shall undertake it. For it is often found, that he that will step into reconcile two parties that are a-fighting, doth prove the party against which both of them will fight. Or if not both, yet always the party that doth the wrong will be a bitter enemy to him that would make up the breach. And therefore it is expressly said, Act. 7. 26, 27. That when Moses saw two of his brethren striving one against the other, and stepped in to set them at one, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren, why wrong ye one another? He that did his neighbour the wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a Ruler and a Judge over us? But yet notwithstanding, happy is that man whom God shall make any ways instrumental to the bringing in of a holy and blessed Peace into this distressed island, though with the loss of his own life. Famous is the example of Gregory Nazianzen, who was Bishop of Constantinople, eminent for Learning and Piety: And yet when he saw a prevailing Faction endeavouring to choose another into his place, and that it would much disturb the peace of the city 
Ruffini histor.. Ecclesiast. lib. 2. cap. 9  if he did not yield it up; he broke out into this speech: Absit, inquit, ut mei causâ aliqua simultas oriatur in Dei Sacerdotibus. Si propter me est ista tempestas, tollite, & mittite me in mare, & desinet à vobis quassatio. God forbid that for my cause any difference should arise amongst the Ministers of God: If this tempest be raised for my cause, take me, & throw me into the Sea that so the tempest may cease. A sentence worthy to be written in letters of Gold, and to be put in practice by every true hearted Englishman. The like we read of Codrus a Heathen King, who for the love of his people exposed himself to death. And of Curtius, and of three Decii that devoted themselves to ruin for the safety of their country. The book of God tells us of Moses that was willing to have his name blotted out of the book of life: and of Paul that was willing to be an Anathema, that so God might be reconciled to the people of Israel with whom he was displeased. But the greatest example of all is of our Lord and blessed Saviour, who emptied himself of his divinity, and became a servant, and a curse, that he might become our peacemaker.  
Much to this purpose is said in the ensuing Sermon, which is now made public by your Commands. Something also is said to keep up your spirits from being over-dismaied at the consideration of these Land-destroying Divisions. Great are the searchings and tremblings of heart, because of these Divisions. But be not over-discouraged: It is God's Prerogative to bring light out of darkness, good out of evil, unity out of division. He worketh by contrary means as well as by unlikely means. He delivered Jonah by a Whale, and kept him (as Basil saith) vivus in sepulchro. He raised Joseph by casting him into prison; he cured the blind man by clay and spital. And I doubt not but he will bring a great deal of good at last out of our Divisions. It is observable that Simeon and Levi, that at first were brethren in iniquity, joining together to destroy the Shechemites, and for this cruel act, as a suitable punishment, were divided in Jacob, and scattered in Israel, Gen. 49. 7. Yet notwithstanding because afterwards Levi was zealous for God against the worshippers of the golden calf, and did appear valiantly on God's side, Exod. 32. 26. God did turn this curse into a blessing, Deut. 33. 10. For Levi was consecrated to teach Jacob God's judgement, and Israel his law, &c. And the Simeonites, as Ainsworth observes, 
Ainsw. xi Gen. 4●. 7.  were also Teachers of the Law in the Synagogues of Jacob; and the Levites in the schools of the sons of Israel. This story is written for our consolation. The time was when we dwelled in peace and unity, but than we combined against God and his children; and for this cause as a just curse, God hath divided us one from another, to the utter ruin one of another. But yet notwithstanding, if you (Right honourable) will go on to show yourselves zealous for God and his Cause, and to appear vigorously and faithfully on his side; God will turn our great curse into a great blessing. And as the dividing of the Red Sea was made by God a way and means to lead the people of Israel over into Canaan, and to destroy the Egyptians: So God will make our Divisions in this Red Sea of blood, into which we are plunged, a way and means to a happy Canaan of unity and peace; and to the utter ruin of our implacable Adversaries. Thus he did with the divisions of Paul and Barnabas, as this Sermon relates unto you. Only be courageous for God, and in nothing be terrified at our differences, but make your peace with him, and he at lastwill make us at peace one with another: which is the earnest prayer of  
Your Honours 
 spiritual servant, 
 EDMUND CALAMY.   

A SERMON PREACHED TO the Right Honourable House of Lords on the monthly Fast, December 25. 1644.  Matth. 12. 25. latter end. 
Every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation: and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand.  
THese words are a just Apology of Jesus Christ, against the unjust accusations and blasphemies of the Scribes and Pharisees. There was a man brought unto Christ that was possessed with a Devil that made him dumb and blind; and Christ healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb, both spoke and saw; Vers. 22. This great miracle had three different effects. The common people were astonished and said; Is this the son of David? Vers. 23. His own kindred thought him mad, and sought to lay hold on him, Mark. 3. 21. But the Pharisees when they heard of it, they blasphemously said; This fellow doth not cast out Devils, but by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. Now Christ to clear himself from this cursed aspersion brings four Arguments, whereof this in my Text is the first. Interpreters take much pains to make out the strength of the Argument. The sum of what they say is this. It is an Argument drawn from the policy and subtlety of the devil. For if Satan cast out Satan (saith Christ) than Satan should be divided against himself. And if Satan should be divided against himself, than Satan should seek his own ruin. For every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. But it is incredible to think that Satan should seek the ruin of his own kingdom, which he indeavoureth by all means to promote and propagate. And therefore it is certain, that I do not cast out Devils by the power of Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. This is Christ's first Argument.  
But my purpose is to handle these words, only as they are an entire proposition in themselves; as they are a general maxim, written in great Characters, not only in the book of God, but in the book of Nature: and as they are a clear looking-glass, in which with sad countenances we may behold the woeful condition that England is in at this present. For these words are the words of Jesus Christ, who is truth itself. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every house or city divided against itself cannot stand. And if every kingdom, than the kingdom of England, divided against itself is brought to desolation, and if every city, than the city of London divided against itself shall not stand. In the words themselves, we have two parts.  
First, Christ doth here set down one great Cause of the ruin of kingdoms, Cities, and Families: and that is division against itself. Every kingdom divided against itself: The word in the Greek is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, which doth not signify every little, small division, but such a division, that doth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, that doth cut a city in pieces, such a division, when it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, when it is intrinsical to a kingdom, when it is got within the bowels of a kingdom, it is like unto the wind, which when it gets into the bowels of the Earth, makes an earthquake, and blows up Towns, and Houses, and Kingdoms. So do these divisions, whether ecclesiastical, or political, whether about matters of Religion, or of civil Government, when they get within a kingdom, they blow up a kingdom, a city, and a Family.  
Secondly, Our Saviour Christ here sets out the greatness of the ruin that is caused by these divisions; and that both Intensively, and Extensively. First, Intensively, and that by two expressions.  
First, Christ here says, such a divided kingdom is brought to desolation: the word in the Greek is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, it is made a wilderness: Though a kingdom in time of Peace be as happy as a Paradise, division will turn a Paradise into a desolate wilderness: And the words are in the Present tense, to show the certainty of it: It is brought, not it will be brought; Every kingdom divided against itself is brought, and it is brought to desolation. Divisions do not only distemper a kingdom, and make a kingdom diseased, but they are deadly, and fatal to a kingdom, they are like unto a great and wide breach made in the Banks to let in the Sea, to swallow up a whole kingdom: they are like a breach made in the walls of a city besieged, that lets in the Enemy to take the city. And then,  
Secondly, Christ says, such a divided city shall not stand. Christ doth not only say, it shall reel, and totter; but he saith expressly, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, it shall not stand: or as it is in the 3. Mark. 24. It cannot stand; it must tumble and fall. Divisions in a House, are not only like unto the breaking of the Windows, or the pulling down of the tiles, which may be done, and yet the House may be safe: but they are like unto a House all on fire, which must necessarily be burnt down if it be not quenched. Or like unto a House, when the Pillars of it are pulled down, and the House itself falls with it. So is a kingdom, city, or Family, divided against itself, it cannot stand, says Christ, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Mark. 3. 24.  
Secondly, Our Saviour sets out the greatness of this ruin by the Extension of it; It is here said, Every kingdom divided against itself. Divisions in a kingdom, are like a sweeping plague, that devours whole Kingdoms, without any distinction. Though a kingdom be never so well provided with Men, arms, and Ammunition, Ships, walls, and Bulwarks: yet notwithstanding, if divisions get into that city, and Kingdom, they are as a spreading gangrene, that will quickly infect the whole kingdom, and destroy it utterly, be it never so well fortified by Sea or Land. Nay, though there should be a kingdom of Saints; yet notwithstanding, if Differences and Distractions get within that kingdom, they will prove like the worm that did eat up Jonah's gourd in one night; Divisions in a very little space will swallow up, and devour all the outward happiness, even of a kingdom of Saints.  
And not only so, but every city, (Says Christ) and every House, though it be never so Religious, so Honourable, so rich a Family; yet notwithstanding if divisions get into that Family, it cannot stand. These divisions, they are like unto the Mors in olla, like unto the Coloquintida, that spoiled all the pottage; They are as a poisonful herb, that spoils all the riches and goodness of a Family: like unto eagle's feathers, which (as some say) when they are mingled with other feathers, spoil all the feathers they are mingled withal. So do Divisions, Contentions, and Factions, when they get into a city, or Family, they spoil all the wealth, riches, and honours of that Family: for so says our Saviour Christ; Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city, or House divided against itself shall not stand. The words thus explained, will afford us this doctrine.  
Doct. That Divisions, whether they be ecclesiastical, or political, in kingdoms, Cities, and Families, are infallible causes of ruin to kingdoms, Cities, and Families.  
This doctrine is proved, not only by the History of the Bible; but by the History of all Ages. The kingdom of England is sufficient alone to prove the Truth of this doctrine. Historians observe, that there was never any great mischief fell upon England, but the Cause of it was, the Divisions that were among them. When Caesar first made inroad into Britaino, he was called in by the Faction of 
* 
Lib. 5. de Bello Gallico. quod factionibus & studiis trahebantur.  
Camden Britann. Jam inde interior Britannia magis civilibus bellis, & partium studiis, quam Romanorum viribus attrita, post varias clades ultro citroque illatas in Romanorum potestatem paulatim concessit.  
Dum enim singuli pugnabant universi sunt victi, sic in mutuam perniciem ruentes ut non nisi oppressi senserint omnibus perire, quod singuli amiserunt. Claudius his discordiis fretus, &c.   Mandubratius. And Tacitus says, that all the Victories that the Romans got, it was by the Factions and Divisions that were among the Britain's. And afterwards, when the Saxons made a Conquest of Britain; Vortigern that had got the kingdom by a Faction, to maintain his Party, sent for the Saxons in, as some say, or at least employed them, when, in, to take his part, as others write. But all write, that by this means he destroyed himself, and the whole kingdom. And so likewise, when the Normans made a Conquest upon England; they were invited hither by the Factions that were in England. Especially, by the Faction that the Earl Goodwin made, and his son Toustaine, as our Historians do relate. And since the Norman Conquest, I need not put you in mind of the great effusion of blood that was here in England, all the time of the Barons wars: And of the miserable condition of England, when the House of York and the House of Lancaster rose up one against another. And what shall we say to the desolate and bleeding condition of England, and Ireland, at this present? Doth not our forlorn, and miserable estate sufficiently make good this doctrine: That Divisions in Church and State, are destructive to Church and State?  
But besides the kingdom of England, I might show you, how the Empire of Grecia as long as Alexander kept it in unity flourished in great prosperity, but after the death of Alexander, it was divided into four parts, and these four governors destroyed one another by divisions. I might also instance in the Empire of Rome, as soon as ever it was divided by Constantine into two parts, from that very time (as Sigonius relates) the Roman Empire, which before that was very strong and potent, began first secretly to grow weak, and afterwards to decay, till at last it came to utter destruction.  
I might instance also in the people of the Jews, as long as they were as a city united within itself in David's and Solomon's time, so long they did exceedingly flourish; but as soon as ever they were divided into ten Tribes, and two Tribes, they presently began to war one against another, and to open the door to foreign Invasions; till at last they were all of them utterly ruinated. Famous is the story of the city of Jerusalem, when it was besieged by Titus Vespasian, Josephus tells us it had three mighty Factions in the very bowels of it: The chief of which Factions were Jehochanan, Eleazar, Schimeon. And that these three Factions did kill more than the enemy himself; and were the cause of the taking of that famous city. The like is reported of 

Reason 1. Why Divisions are so fatal to kingdoms, because they take away all the preservatives of a kingdom.  
1. They take away Peace from a kingdom.   the famous city of Constantinople, when it was taken by the Turks, &c.  
But let us a little consider the Reasons why Divisions are so fatal and destructive to kingdoms, Cities, and Families.  
The first Reason is, because that these intestine divisions they destroy all those things that are as walls, and bulwarks to preserve a Nation from ruin. As for example:  
First, Divisions destroy the peace of a kingdom: Now there is nothing that preserves a kingdom more than peace: And therefore the Hebrews comprehended all blessings under the name of Peace. Heaven itself, it is nothing but tranquillitas pacis; what is God, but the God of peace? and what is Christ, but the Prince of Peace? And therefore, as 
* Dr. Stoughton Sermons.  that Cardinal made his emblem, A Beach tree, with this Motto: Take off the top and it is the ruin of all the rest: for such is the nature of the Beach tree, that if you cut the top off, the tree presently withers: such may be the Motto of every kingdom: Take off the top, and it is the ruin of all the rest: Take away Peace, and you destroy a kingdom. The truth is, there is no outward blessing, is a real blessing where peace is wanting: your Estates, your honours, are no blessings, if you have not peace to enjoy them. And therefore, as the Artificer carved his own name into the Buckler of Minerva so exactly, that whosoever should undertake to pick out his name, must necessarily spoil the Buckler: so it is with Peace, peace is so woven into the prosperity of a kingdom, that whatsoever destroys peace, must needs destroy a kingdom. Now Division takes away peace, and therefore Division ruins a kingdom.  

2. They take away unity, love, and concord.  And then secondly, Division takes away the unity of a kingdom; now unity is the great preserver of Church and State: it is the great preserver of all bodies, both natural, political, artificial, and theological. What is that, that keeps the fabric of Heaven from dissolving into pieces, but the unity and the agreement of the discordant Elements? What keeps this great fabric here from falling, but the union and conjunction of the parts of it? stones joined together make a building, but stones uncemented, destroy and overthrow a building: boards joined together make a Ship, disioytned make a shipwreck. What keeps the body of a man in health, but the just proportion and harmony of every part? the members of the body divided from the head are presently destroyed: the branches divided from the Vine receive no joice, no sap, no virtue: Every thing is preserved by unity and concord. Lords and Commons united save a kingdom: divided make shipwreck 
Calente adhuc sanguine Christi. Hieron.  of a kingdom. The Church of Christ at first, when the blood of Christ was yet warm, was at unity within itself, and all with one accord praising and serving God, and then it flourished exceedingly. The Church was then like a pure Virgin attended with all the graces of God's Spirit as with so many handmaidens. But afterwards when it fell into divisions it lost her Virginity, and 
Hegesip. ex Euseb.  all her handmaids forsook her. For this is true both in Philosophy and in divinity, Omne divisible est corruptibile: Whatsoever is divisible, is corruptible. And the like I say of concord, love and friendship, which are nothing else but unity in affection: These are the glue that solders; these are the nerves and sinews that join a kingdom together. And therefore the Apostle saith, Above all things put on love which is the bond of perfection: it is a 
Col. 3. 16.  bond to join kingdoms, and Cities, and Families together. And therefore, whatsoever breaks this bond of kingdoms in pieces, must needs devour and destroy kingdoms. But divisions do this. For they are like a caterpillar to devour all peace, unity, love, friendship, and concord, which are the great supporters of kingdoms. They are like unto the great Plague of the Locusts that devoured all the green things in the land of Egypt: There 
Exod. 9  is nothing that is good in a Nation, nothing that is green and flourishing in a Nation, but division and contention will destroy it. And therefore divisions must needs be destructive to kingdoms. This is the first Reason: and then  


Reason 2. Why Divisions are so destructive to kingdoms, because they open a door to all misery.  
1. They let in confusion.   Secondly: As divisions take away all those things that are the Buttresses to uphold a Nation: So on the other side, they open a door to all kinds of misery; they bring in myriads of evils into a kingdom: They are like unto Pandora's box, which when it was once opened, out flied all kind of sicknesses and diseases: As for example:  
First, Where intestine divisions dwell, there dwells strife and envy; and where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work, I am. 3. 16.  

2. They let in a foreign enemy.  Secondly, Divisions open a door to let in a foreign enemy: and it is a free and miraculous mercy that God hath kept out the French, and the Spaniard, and the Danes from invading England in these times of our divisions.  

3. They disenable us to resist a foreign enemy.  And then thirdly, Divisions weaken a kingdom, and make it unable to resist a foreign enemy, if he should come in: for divide a city, and so many divisions you make, so much you take away from the strength of that city. Let five men join together to bear a burden, and they will bear it with ease: but if three of those five shall divide from the other two, the burden will sink the other two. Vis Vnita fortior, strength conjoined is a great deal stronger; strength divided is weakened; Counsels divided are weakened; men divided are weakened: But than  

4. They set a kingdom against itself.  Fourthly, and especially, Divisions set a kingdom against itself, so says my Text, Every kingdom divided against itself: Divisions make the father to fight against the child▪ and the child to fight against the Father: Divisions set the husband against the wife, and the wife against the husband: Divisions make us to be our own hangmen, our own executioners. Divisions make us Viper like to eat out the bowels one of another. Divisions make us to sheathe our swords in our own bowels. As God caused the Midianites to destroy one another: so these Divisions set a kingdom against itself; they set a man against himself; a city against itself, to destroy itself,: In a word, that I may express all misery in one 
They bring in civil wars.  phrase: Divisions bring in civil wars, which of all wars are most uncivil. There are three Iron whips with which God doth whip mankind, when it grows monstrous in iniquity; the Plague, Sword and Famine, which Tertullian calls Tonsur as insolentis humani generis, The loppings and prunings of mankind when they grow rank in iniquity. Of those three plagues war is the greatest. And therefore when the Prophet put David to his Trilemma, he chose the Plague, rather than the Sword, or Famine, and beseecheth with great earnestness: Let me not fall into the hands of man. Of all judgements war is the greatest, which for the most part is attended with Famine and Plague. But of all wars no war so mischievous as civil war, for these Reasons.  

civil wars are the worst of wars, for four Reasons.  First, Because there is no war so unnatur all as civil war: for in civil war, the father fights against the child, and the friend against the friend, and the brother against the brother.  
Secondly, There is no war so cruel as civil war: and therefore you shall observe, that the Hagarens, and the Ammonites, and the Moabites, and the Edomites, were the greatest enemies that the people of Israel had: Now these were of the kindred 
Odia proximorum sunt cerrima.  of the people of Israel; The hatred of brethren is most bitter when they fall out: You have an example of this in the 20. of Iudg. 48. The people of Israel, they went to fight against their brethren, and when they had conquered them they did not only kill every man they met withal, but they killed every beast that they met withal, and they killed every thing that came to hand: It is a strange expression, to show the cruelty of civil war: and you know how the bloodthirsty cavaliers, at Oxford, do hunger and thirst to drink Cups full of the blood of the roundheads (as they call us).  
Thirdly, These wars, they are most treacherous; no war so treacherous as civil war, for there will always be false brethren, that will labour to betray their brethren into the hands of the enemy, for it is a war amongst Brethren; and these are the times wherein we may take up the complaint of Jeremy, Ier. 9 2, 3, 4, 5. and wherein we had need follow the example of Mica. 7. 5, 6.  
Fourthly, and lastly, these wars of all wars are most uncomfortable. And therefore you shall read that when the people of Israel had overcome the Beniamites, in stead of rejoicing for the victory, they all fell a-weeping because of their brethren that were slain, Iudg. 21. 2.  
These are the Reasons why civil wars are the worst of wars. But of all civil wars that ever were, none so wicked, none so mischievous as the civil wars of England. Of all the arrows that are in the quiver of God's judgements, there is no arrow so sharp, so keen, as this arrow that God now shoots out against England. For there is a Generation of men risen up amongst us that fight against the Parliament whom they themselves did choose, and intrust with their laws, liberties, and religion. Men that fight against a Reformation: That fight themselves into Popery, Slavery, and beggary. That join with the Papists of England, and Popish Rebels of Ireland to fight (as they say) for the Protestant Religion. That fight for their Liberties against the Parliament, the great and only Conservator of their Liberties. That call God to record that they intend nothing but the preservation of the Protestant Religion, and of the liberties of the people, and yet endeavour by all treachery and bloody ways to subvert Religion and Liberties. That God should suffer such multitudes of men to be so far drunk with error, and to be so far blinded with prejudice, this is a judgement of all judgements most superlative.  
Now all these are the fruits of our divisions, and therefore certainly, Jesus Christ might well say, or if Christ had not said it, our own experience would have taught us the truth of this Text: Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every house, and every city divided against itself shall not stand. This is all that I shall say for the explication of the Doctrine.  
But now (through the blessing of God) I shall come to the Application.  

use 1.  If intrinsical divisions he so destructive to the kingdom, let us weep and mourn before the Lord this day, at the consideration of the sad condition that England is in at this present. This day is a day of weeping and mourning: And I shall present a subject before you that will move you to tears if there be any bowels of compassion in you, and to say as jeremy 14. 17. Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow. And if a tender and dutiful child cannot without great mourning and lamentation behold his Mother rent and torn in pieces by wild Beasts; surely it will be most unnatural in us who are the sons and daughters of England, to hear of the divisions and distractions of England with dry eyes, and hard hearts. It is reported of Cato, that from the time that the civil wars began in Rome between Caesar and Pompey, he was never seen to laugh, or to wash his face, or to shave his beard, or cut his hair. This example will rise up in judgement against many of us who are so unaffected and insensible of the great and unexpressible calamities of poor England, once a pleasant Paradise, but now a howling wilderness.  
If Divisions destroy a Nation, it is a miracle of mercy that England is yet a Nation: for our divisions are multiplied exceedingly. Our times run all upon divisions, and subdivisions. We may say of England, as Austin of Africa, That it is divided in minutula frustula, it is crumbled into very little little pieces. I will bring them all into two heads.  

1. Our Divisions from God.  
2. Our Divisions one from another.   
First, Our Divisions from God, by our most grievous sins and 

A Catalogue of the divisions of England, and what cause to mourn for them.  
1. Our Divisions from God.   iniquities. For as smoke driveth Bees out of their Hives, so doth sin drive God away from a kingdom. And there is nothing that makes God forsake a kingdom but sin. Isaiah 59 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Now there is no Nation under heaven, that hath divided itself more from God by sin than England hath. There was a time when the Parliament of England made a whip with six strings to whip many godly people to death. This was in H. the eighths days. There was a time when the Parliament of England did solemnly upon their knees abjure the gospel, and desire reconciliation with Antichrist. This was done in Q. Mary's days; after which followed the bloody persecution by the laws then established. And though these laws were afterwards repealed▪ yet how often have we apostatised from God since that time? And even at this very day, though there be much talk of Reformation; yet (alas) there was never less practise of Reformation. Our Churches indeed are Reformed, but our hearts and lives are no whit Reformed. Our high altars are taken down, but our high minds are not taken down. The worship of God is purer, but the worshippers are as impure as ever. We have no bowing to the name of Jesus, no bowing to Altars, Images, and Crucifixes. There is less knee-Idolatry; but I fear me, we have as much heart-Idolatry as ever, as much covetousness, as much trusting to an arm of flesh as ever. And though our Idolatry be less, yet Adulteries, and Fornications, were never more, I cannot say punished, but I must rather say, Never more committed, and never less punished. do not men boast of their adulteries, and yet escape unpunished? It is a mercy of God, that scandalous Ministers are thrust out of their livings. But I beseech you tell me, Is there a Law to punish a scandalous Minister; and is there no Law to punish a scandalous Gentleman, and a Lord also if he grow scandalous? Shall the Cheapside cross be taken down (wherein you have done well;) and shall your Cheapside iniquities, your Cheapside adulteries yet remain? It is a mercy, that we are freed from the tyranny and cruelty of the High Commission, and Star-chamber. But I am sure, there is as much complaint; I do not say, as just complaint; but as much complaint, of oppression and injustice in the Parliament-Committees in the Counties; as ever there was of the Star-chamber, or High Commission.  
We live in times wherein there was never more judging of others, and never less judging of ourselves. We live in the saddest days that ever England saw, and yet what abundance of pride is there in apparel? what lustful fashions, even in these bloody days? what security in sin, even whilst the Ship of the kingdom is sinking? What deadness of heart? What coldness and formality in God's worship? What unthankfulness? what unfruitfulness, &c. Indeed here is much fasting, but little weeping. Never more murmuring, more censuring, & never less reforming, then in these days, even in these days of Reformation. And shall we not weep bitterly before the Lord this day for these sins? These are the sins that divide a Nation from God. And if God once forsake a Nation, it is left in a desperate condition. For as the Trojans when they lost their Palladium, were presently vanquished: so when a Nation hath lost God's favour, it sinks into ruin irrecoverably and presently.  

2. For our divisions one from another.  But secondly, Let us mourn this day also for our Divisions one from another; and first for our State-divisions, and then for our Church-divisions.  

1. For the divisions of the commonwealth.  First, Let us mourn for the Divisions of the Commonwealth. Is it not a sad thing to see the Head rent from the Members; and that that Head that should be a preserver of the Body, is now, by ill counsel, a destroyer of his Body? that, that Head, that should be like a head of gold, is now, through ill counsel, made a head of iron, to crush its own body in pieces? Oh! let us mourn for this, this day.  
And then let us mourn for the rent that is amongst the Members. Is if not a sad thing to see the Members rent and torn one from the other? Nobleman against Nobleman, Gentleman against Gentleman, Citizen against Citizen; Father against son, and son against Father, &c. And that which England never saw till this day, A pretended Oxford Parliament, against a true Westminster Parliament?  
And especially, Let us bemoan, and bewail the Divisions that are amongst ourselves here at home: That we that are all engaged in the same Cause, and in the same Covenant, and that are under the same condemnation, under the unjust charge of Rebellion, that there should be such differences, and such divisions amongst us, even amongst us, whose heart doth not bleed to think of it? That though Hannibal ad portas, yet the Senators of Rome should be at difference amongst themselves; the Lords should divide from the Commons, and the Commons from the Lords, whilst the enemy is seeking to destroy both Lords and Commons?  

2. Divisions in the Church.  But above all, let us bemoan the Divisions that are in the Church about matters of Religion. For 
* Eus. de vita Constantini. Dissensiones in Ecclesia sunt horribiliores & perniciosiore▪ quovis bello civil.  Constantine saith well, That the dissensions of the Church are more terrible and more pernicious than any civil war. And these are exceedingly increased amongst us especially in the famous city of London. One saith, I am of Paul; another saith, I am of Apollo's; a third saith, I am of Cephas. Some are Antinomians, that is, Patrons of free vice, under the mask of free grace. Some are Anabaptists, that say, That the condition of an Infant of a believing Parent, is as sad and miserable as the condition of an Infant of a Turk or infidel: and one of them was not ashamed to say, That it is as lawful to baptise a Cat or a Dog, as an Infant of a Christian Parent. Some are Brownists, that say, That all our ministry is Antichristian, and our Worship, and Churches Antichristian. Some are of no Church at all, believing all Churches to be falsely constituted, and therefore refuse to join with any Church in the worship of God, and wait till God raise up Apostles to plant new Churches. Some believe that the soul dyeth with the body, and that both shall rise again at the last day. Others begin to say, they believe that the soul is mortal, as well as the Body, and that there is no Resurrection, neither of soul or Body. Some plead for an illimited toleration of all Religions. It would see me a wonder, if I should reckon how many separated Congregations, or rather Segregations there are in the city: What Churches against Churches, &c. But I forbear. The Lord knows, that I mention these things with a sad heart, and that I do not hereby intend to exasperate your Lordships against the persons that hold these opinions, above what the Word of God doth clearly require at your hands; or to uncover any nakedness of our dear Mother that was unknown before, but only to present before you our sad and miserable condition; that thereby you may be quickened unto prayer, stirred up to humiliation in a day of Fasting and Weeping, and also provoked to use all Scripture helps for the suppression of these distractions.  

The mischiefs that Church divisions 〈◊〉.  For great and wonderful are the mischiefs that proceed from these Church-divisions▪ Give me leave to mention a few of them.  
First, Hereby God's Name is exceedingly dishonoured, and the true Religion ill spoken of. Julian that cursed Apostate, rails against the Christians in his days, and saith of them, That they lived together as so many Dogs and bears, rending and tearing one another: and adds, Who then would be so simple as to become a Christian? The very Heathen in their Interludes scoffed at the divisions that were amongst the Christians (as the Histories of the Primitive times inform us) to the great disgrace of Christian Religion. And I wish this might not also be verified of our days.  
Secondly, Hereby the happy Reformation that all good people expect and long for, is much hindered. For as the building of Babel was hindered by the confusion of Tongues, so is the building of Zion also. For every man drives his own private way of Reformation, and strives to hinder all other ways that are opposite to his way. It is with us in England, as it was with the suitors in Plutarch, who because they could not all of them obtain the Virgin they sued for, agreed to cut her in pieces, and every one to take a bit of her. We are all suitors for a Reformation, and because we cannot get such a one as may please every man, hence come our Divisions; by which what do we else but agree together to cut the kingdom in pieces and every man to take his morsel? Epiphanius 
Epiphan. heres. ●8.  tells a sad story of Meletius, and Peter Bishop of Alexandria, both confessors of the Christian faith, both of them condemned ad metalla, for their profession, who upon a small difference fell into so great a schism, that they drew a partition between each other in the Prison, and would not held communion in the same worship of Christ, for which notwithstanding they jointly suffered; which dissension of theirs did cause such a rent and sect in the members of the Church, that it did more hurt than any persecution of the enemy. Just so is our condition: For we are here in London, and in the Associated Counties, shut up as in a Prison, (for we dare not travel beyond our line) and whilst we are in prison we draw partitions one from another, and separate from one another, whilst we are all suffering for the same cause. And this hinders Reformation more than all that the enemy can do to obstruct it.  
Thirdly, Hereby the good cause we fight for is exceedingly disparaged. For do we not hear the enemy boasting and saying, These are the men that cry down Prelacy: you see they can agree in nothing but in anarchy and confusion! Are there not many that begin to grow weary of these wars, and cold in the prosecution of the Parliaments most just cause, even for this very reason, because they know not amongst so many Religions (as they call them) for what Religion they fight?  
Fourthly, Hereby the enemy is much encouraged. His hope of conquering is built upon our Divisions. And therefore he doth as Medea did, who when she fled a way with Jason, and was pursued by her father, took her brother Absyrtus, and cut him in pieces, and scattered him in the way that she fled in, that so her father might be busied in taking up the scattered pieces of his son, and she in the mean time fly securely a way. Even so do our enemy's labour to cut us in pieces by our divisions, (for the enemy hath a chief stroke in our divisions) that they in the mean time may securely study our ruin, while we are gathering up our divided parties.  
Fifthly, Hereby the hearts of people are mightily distracted, many are hindered from conversion, and even the godly themselves have lost much of the power of godliness in their lives. I say, The hearts of people mightily disturbed, while one Minister preacheth one thing as a truth of the Gospel, and another Minister preacheth the quite contrary with as much confidence as the former. And thus, as Optatus saith, Inter licet tuum & non licet meum nutant & remigant animae Christianorum. While one Minister saith I, and another saith No, the common people's minds are mightily distracted. And many also are hindered from conversion. For who will venture into a ship that is tossed with contrary waves, and ready to sink? And even the godly themselves are much decayed in the study and practise of faith and repentance, and of the power of godliness. For all their time is so much taken up with unnecessary disputations, as that they have little leisure to repent, and to study to increase in holiness. Inter disputandum religio amittitur. The truth is, Here is so much dispute about the government of Christ in our Churches, as that there is little of Christ's government in our hearts or houses. So much dispute about the gathering of Churches, as that there were never fewer gathered really to the Church then in these our days.  
Sixthly, By these divisions godly Ministers are mightily discouraged: in so much as there are many that grow weary of their standings in God's Church, and begin to think of leaving their places, and of going to live in private, and to shut themselves up in their Studies, (as Luther was once counselled) and to cry, Domine miserere nostri.  
Seventhly, Hereby a door is opened to all kind of atheism: For do not our profane men begin to say, We know not of what Religion to be, and therefore we will be of no Religion. If we hold of such, others will condemn us, and if we hold of them, others also will condemn us; and therefore we will rather stand Neuters, and profess no Religion at all?  
Eighthly, Hereby God is necessitated to prolong our wars: For all the bloodthirsty Cavaliers are but as so many shepherd's dogs sent out by God to gather his sheep together. God's people are now as sheep scattered one from the other to the reproach of Religion, and dishonour of God; and God hath sent the enemy as his dog to call them all together, and till this be fully accomplished these dogs will not be taken off.  
Ninthly, These divisions open a wide door to the utter ruin and destruction of the kingdom. For they bring in deadly hatred above the hatred that is caused by civil dissensions; even such a hatred that bursteth asunder the very bonds of nature itself, as Christ foretells, Ioh. 16. 2. They shall kill you, and think they do therein God good service. What abominable hatred was there between the Jew and the Samaritane; in so much as that the Woman of Samaria wondered that Christ would ask a little water of her that was a Samaritane? From this hatred followeth, Excommunications, Anathematizations, &c. And from thence to fire and faggot, and to as exquisite torments as the wit or malice of men could invent. witness the ten Persecutions. Witness the Spanish Inquisition. Witness the Parisian Massacre of the Protestants upon Bartholomew Eve. Witness Queen Mary's bloody days. witness the Divisions of the Greek Churches between the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, and divers others of that kind (Pezelius reckons ten) which divisions first brought 
Pezel. mollisi● hystor.  in the Saracens, and afterwards the Turks, who are the great scourge of Christendom to this day. These and many more are the mischiefs that arise from our divisions about matters of Religion.  
And therefore if there be any bowels of compassion in us towards a poor bleeding, dying kingdom, let us weep before the Lord this day; and wish that our heads were fountains, that we might mourn continually for the Virgin daughter of England. Let there be great thoughts of heart for the divisions of our Reuben. It is reported of certain young debauched Gentlemen that 
Dr. Stoughton's Sermons.  were swaggering in a tavern in the marketplace, while the city wherein they dwelled was in great calamity; and one of them putting his head crowned with a garland out of the window, was espied by the Magistrates of that city, whom when they saw, they caused him to be beheaded because he was so insensible of the public danger. A famous Story for our Times. The Lord make us more apprehensive of England's miseries in a spiritual way.  
And let us also this day admire the mercy of God that we are not yet consumed notwithstanding our manifold divisions. And let us expect certain ruin and destruction, if these divisions continue. The word of Christ must be true. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. England is tottering, and it will fall if these divisions last; and the fall thereof will be great. And therefore let us prepare for desolation, and provide an ark of safety for ourselves by faith in Jesus Christ: a kingdom that cannot be shaken; an house made without hands, eternal in the heavens.  
If Divisions be so destructive to kingdoms, Cities, and Families? This reproveth those that are the authors and Fomenters of these Divisions that are now amongst us. These are the Incendiaries 
use 2.  of England. If he that sets one house on fire deserveth hanging, much more they that set a whole kingdom on fire. If he that murders one man must be put to death, much more he that murders three kingdoms. Mark them (saith the Apostle, Rom. 16. 17.) that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. Avoid them as the greatest enemies of England. These are like the Salamander that cannot live but in the fire of contention. These are of a jesuitical spirit. And no doubt the heads, and hands of the Jesuits are in all our divisions. There are Seven things, saith Solomon, Prov. 6. 16. which are an abomination to the Lord: and the seventh and last, and not the least, is he that soweth discord among brethren; but much more he that soweth discord amongst three kingdoms. And if it was a sign of the false mother to desire to have the child divided; much more is it a sign of an unnatural and cruel child to endeavour to divide his mother in pieces.  


Use of reproof of the causers of our divisions.  
1. Such as cause divisions between King and people.   More particularly here are two sorts to be reproved.  
First, Such as sow divisions between the King and his people. That labour to keep up and to increase the walls of partition between them. These are the Sanballats and Tobiah's that tell the King that the Parliament are Rebels, that they seek his life, and would uncrown Him and his posterity, and bring in Anarchy and confusion. These are they that tell the King, (as Rhehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the Scribe wrote to Artaxerxes, concerning Jerusalem, Ezra 4. 12.) that the city of London is a rebellious and bad city; hurtful to Kings, and hath always moved sedition, &c. These give the King this Motto, divide et impera. But these are without my reach, and therefore I shall speak no more of them.  


2. Such as cause divisions at home.  
1. Such as are false-hearted.   Secondly, and especially such Incendiaries and firebrands that kindle the fire of contention amongst ourselves at home: and these are of two sorts.  
First, Such as are absolutely false-hearted, and have made their peace at Oxford; and are here at Westminster only to cast in bones of contention, to divide our counsels, and to work factions amongst us. These are men hardened in sin, and there is little hope of reclaiming them. These build their houses upon the blood of three kingdoms. These are the Judases of England; and it were just with God to give them the portion of Judas.  


2. Such as are discontented.   Secondly, Such as are discontented, though not false-hearted; and through discontent and dislike of the proceedings of Parliament do much hurt, and create many factions amongst us. These discontented persons are like pieces of soft wax, ready to carry any impression that the adverse party shall stamp upon them. These are of three sorts. 

Three sorts of discontented persons.  
1. Such as are discontented out of pride and covetousness.    
First, Such as are discontented out of pride and covetousness, because they cannot get those places of profit and honour which they expect; and because they have not that credit and repute amongst the people that others have: hereupon they come to dislike the public proceedings and to make parties and factions. There were many such in the Primitive Church that turned heretics, because they could not obtain the preferment they stood for. These men seek themselves and not the public. These are not commonwealths men, but Private-wealths men: These seek their own belly, and because they cannot have a cabin so richly furnished as they desire, therefore they endeavour to drown the ship wherein their cabin is. These are like those that will set an house on fire to roast an ●gge. mark what the Apostle saith of these, Rom. 16. 18. They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  

2. Such as are discontented out of a blind zeal.  A second sort are such as are discontented out of a blind zeal; such as differ from us in opinion, and because they begin to perceive, that if matters of Religion were once settled, their ways of worshipping God would be discountenanced, therefore they labour to put all things into confusion, and to hinder a settlement as much as they can; that so in the mean time, their numbers may increase. For as Toads and Serpents grow in dark and dirty sellars, so do Sects, Errors, and Heresies grow in times of distraction and confusion. These are the men that desire to fish in troubled waters, because they can catch most fish in troubled waters. These are like unto Sanballat and Tobiah, &c. who foresaw that if the Temple were once rebuilt, that then their way of worship upon Mount Gerizin would be contemned, and therefore they laboured to cast bitter aspersions upon the workmen, they laid heavy things to their charge, and used all kinds of Policy to obstruct the temple-work they had in hand. Just so do these men cast bitter aspersions upon the Assembly of Ministers, and upon every Parliament man that opposeth their way, and labour by all means to hinder their proceedings; because they foresee that if by their advice, matters of Religion were once established, their ways and opinions would be presently disgusted. It is very observable, that all the several Sects amongst us, though they differ one from another, yet they all agree together in their opposition against the Assembly of Ministers as their greatest enemies. just as we read in the 83 psalm, of ten Nations, differing one from another in Religion, Place and customs, 
Nice. lib. 8. cap. 46.  and yet all of them confederating against the people of God. Nicephorus tells us, that the Meletiani and Ariani, did at first much disagree, not only in opinions, but in affections; but afterwards when they saw the orthodox party increase so mightily, as that it was likely to swallow both of them up, they joined together in a firm league to oppose the Orthodox Party (though still differing one from the other) insomuch that in process of time, the Meletiani were called Ariani, and the Ariani, Meletiani. So also 
Lib. 12. cap. 8.  in Africa. The Rogatianist, Maximinianists, and Donatists joined together as Samson's Foxes not in one Opinion, but in a league of friendship for a while, that they might make up the greater number against the Orthodox Party. And is not this the practice of our times? Do not Anabaptists, Brownists, Antinomians, agree together in opposing the Assembly of Ministers, and in Independency from all superior ecclesiastical Government, without the bounds of a particular Congregation.  

Such as are discontented by way of revenge.  A third sort are such as are discontented, and thereupon disturb our Peace by way of revenge; that lie under jealousies and suspicions (whether just or unjust I dispute not) and cannot regain their credit, and therefore labour to cast a blame upon all others, and bring as many as they can into the same condemnation with themselves. Just like the fox in the Fable, that had his tail cut off, and therefore persuaded all other Foxes to cut off their tails, telling them it was an uncomely thing for a fox to have a tail. Even so do these men. Because they lie under suspicion themselves, therefore they would persuade others also, that they are under the like suspicion, that thereby they might make them discontented, as they themselves are. And thereby the building of the Temple is much hindered, public affairs disturbed, and the poor Ship of England ready to sink under the burden.  
Now all these sorts of men are sharply to be reproved, every man according to his degree of guiltiness. These are the devil's Agents. For it is the proper work of the devil to divide God from men, men from God, and one man from another. And as it is a work of the devil, so it will bring us to the devil, if we repent not of it.  

use 3.  If Divisions be so fatal and destructure to kingdoms, Cities, and Families. Oh let us all be entreated according to our several places, to contribute what help we can possible to the healing of our Divisions, and to the bringing in Peace, Love, unity and Concord amongst us. Oh that God would make me his instrument this day, to raise up your hearts to the obedience of this duty.  


Exhortations to unity and peace.  
And first with the King's majesty.   First, Let us labour to be at Peace with the King's majesty, as far as is possible, and may be obtained, saluâ conscientiâ. Let us not only pray for Peace, but follow after Peace, and if it flies from us, let us pursue it. I remember what I have read of Calvin, that he should say; That he would willingly travel over many Seas, to see one uniform draught of Religion, wherein all Protestants might agree. And who would not willingly sacrifice up his life to the fire to see King and Parliament throughly agreed? To see a Holy, Safe, and well-grounded Peace made? I say, a Holy well▪ grounded Peace. For there are some amongst us, that are like the Gadarens, that prefer their Hogs before Christ and his Cause; that wish more for the settlement of their Trading, then of their Religion. These are swine not Christians. There are others as bad that desire a Peace upon any terms, though with the loss of liberty and Religion. Just like the Israelites, that would needs have quails. But while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them. He that desires Peace without respect to Religion, the plague of God will go along with that Peace. There is a double Peace.  


A double Peace.  
1. A treacherous Peace.   First, A treacherous Peace. Such as shall betray us into Popery, Tyranny, and slavery; Such as was made with the Protestants in France, a London▪ massacring Peace. Such as the Israelites made with the Canaanites, which was a perpetual thorn and snare unto them. Such as Ahab made with Benhadad. This is a Land-devouring, and a Religion-destroying Peace. This is to betray Christ as Judas did with a kiss of Peace.  

2. A holy and safe Peace.  Secondly, A holy, safe, well-grounded Peace. And Cursed is the man that is an enemy to such a Peace. My prayer is; That God would make our King a Melchisedeck, who was King of righteousness, and King of Peace. That righteousness and Peace may kiss each other in his days. That this may be added upon the King's coin. Henricus Rosas, Regna Jacobus, Populum Carolus. And here let me crave leave humbly to beseech your Lordships, that in this treaty that is shortly to begin, you would make Religion your jewel, and Peace as your golden ring, on which it may be put. To make Peace your box of alabaster. And Reformation the precious ointment within it. To make Peace as the gold, and Religion as the Temple that sanctifieth the Gold. Happy is the people that is in such a case. Happy England if once it comes to sing the angel's Song. Glory be to God on high, in earth Peace.  
And yet let me forewarn you also, not to trust too much to Treaties, and overtures of Peace, David had a son whose name he called Absolom, which in Hebrew signifieth a Father of Peace▪ David promised to himself great felicity in that child. But he proved a Father of war and misery to his Father. Say not. This treaty will be an Absolom, for fear it prove an Absolom in a contrary sense as Absolom himself did. It is very fatal, that in the midst of our Treaties, there have always been great Plots to destroy us, as we see verified at this day.  

2. One with another.  Secondly, But that which I especially aim at this day, is to persuade you that are here present, to be at peace and unity amongst yourselves, and to join together against the Common enemy. But most of all you that are Earls, Lords, and Gentlemen of rank and quality. For the greater the persons are that disagree, the more is the hurt that is done by their disagreement. As in a House, if the Master and Mistress agree the house will stand and subsist, though the inferior servants fall out one with the other. So if the Lords and Commons unite together the city and kingdom will stand, though there should be many divisions amongst the Common people. And therefore it is your duty above others (Right Honourable) to follow after those things that make for 
* {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  Peace, unity and Concord, to be ambitious of Peace as you are exhorted, 1 Thess. 4. 11. to speak the truth in love. 
* {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  Eph. 4. 15. and to love in the truth. 
* {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  2 Epist. of John vers 2.  
Now that your hearts and affections may be fully wrought up, to make it your chief design to practise this duty. I shall use these ensuing Motives and Arguments.  
First, Consider how Pathetically and Emphatically, the holy Apostle persuades all God's people to the practice of this duty. I 
Motives and Arguments to persuade us to study unity and peace.  will name but two Texts. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgement, Phil. 2. 1, 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies; fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, &c.  
Secondly, Consider what excellent Arguments the Apostle useth, Ephes. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, &c. These are omnipotent Arguments. If one God, and one Lord, and one body, &c. Shall not his children be one? And afterwards, vers. 11, 12, 13. the Apostle tells us. That when Christ ascended up to Heaven, he gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors, and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, &c. Till we all come to the unity of the faith, &c. Christ's intendment in appointing a ministry in his Church was not only to bring his people to verity, but also to the unity of the faith. This is the great work of a Minister, to bring his people to unity as well as verity.  
Thirdly, Consider what a horrible sin it is to divide one from another, and to be at hatred and variance one with another. This is a work of the flesh, Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. where it is observable that the Apostle reckons up seven synonymicall expressions to set out the greatness of this sin. The works of the flesh are hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, envyings; of the which I told you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. This sin alone unrepented on will shut a man out of heaven. Therefore it is said, Revel. 22. 15. without are dogs. This sin alone makes thee unfit to come to the Sacrament, Mat. 5. 23. This sin alone makes God abhor our fasting-days, Isa. 58. 4. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, &c. This sin alone turns our prayers into curses: For when thou prayest unto God, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, if thou be'st in malice and hatred with thy brother, thou prayest unto God not to forgive thee thy trespasses. Notable is the speech of Cyprian, Peius est seindere Ecclesiam quam sacrificare Idolo, schism in the Church is a greater sin than Idolatry. Austin saith, it is a greater sin than heresy. And this (saith he) God himself declared when he punished Corah and his company that were schismatics with a greater punishment than ever he punished Idolaters or heretics: Quis iam dubitaverit hoc esse scelaratius commissum, quod est gravius vindicatum.  
Fourthly, Consider the woeful mischiefs that are brought into Church and State by these our divisions. If all the Jesuites in the Christian world; If all the Devils in hell should join together, to devise a way to undo the Parliament, and the good Cause they manage, they could not invent a readier way than by dividing you one from another at this time. This makes you to fight against yourselves, to murder yourselves; your Cause, your Religion, and to murder all that adhere unto you. Hereby God is dishonoured, Reformation hindered, Religion discredited, the good Cause disliked, the enemy strengthened; You are weakened, your Counsels disturbed, the war prolonged, the Power of godliness abated, &c. as hath been formerly mentioned. Hereby we are all tantum non, destroyed, and destroyed we must be if our breaches be not made up. For if we bite and devour one another, we shall be consumed one of another, Gal. 5. 15. Famous is the Story 
Liv. Decad. 1.  of Menenius Agrippa, who, when the people of Rome had divided themselver from the Senate of Rome, came to the people and told them an Apologue of the members of the body, how they did once conspire together against the belly, because that the belly did live idly, & devour all the meat that the hands did work forand feet walk for, &c. And therefore they agreed together to starve the belly. The hands refused to work for to feed it; the mouth refused to take in meat; the feet refused to go to fetch it, &c. But within a very little while the members of the body saw their error: for the feet began to grow feeble and unable to walk; the hands grew weak; the whole man sick: and then they understood that the belly was not idle; but that it conveyed the nourishment it received to every part of the body: and hereupon they all agreed to join together to provide for the belly as well as for themselves. This Fable reconciled the people, and Senators of Rome. This Fable teacheth us, That divisions in the body natural, and so also in the body politic, are ruinating and destructive to the body.  
And the truth is, All the hope the enemy hath, is in our divisions; herein he boasteth, and glorieth: There is nothing that strengthens their designs at Oxford so much: nothing that puts so much courage and resolution into the hearts of our Adversaries, as the Divisions that are amongst us.  
This is the argument Melancton used to persuade the divided Protestants of his time to peace and unity; and he illustrateth his argument by a notable parable of the Wolves and the Dogs, who were marching on-ward to fight one against another. The Wolves that they might know the strength of their adversary, sent forth a master-wolf as their Scout: The Scout returns and tells the Wolves, That indeed the Dogs were more in number, but yet they should not be discouraged: For he observed, That the Dogs were not one like another; a few mastiffs there were; but the most were little curs, which could only bark but not bite, and would be afraid of their own shadow. Another thing also he observed which should much encourage them, and that was, That the Dogs did march as if they were more offended with themselves then with us; not keeping their ranks, but grinning, and snarling, and biting; and sometimes tearing each other, as if they would save us a labour. And therefore let us march on resolutely, for our enemies, are their own enemies; enemies to themselves, and their own peace; they bite and devour each other, and therefore we shall certainly devour them. I need not make any Application of this Parable. There is nothing that more heartens our enemies, and disheartens our friends, than our Divisions.  
Fourthly, Consider the great happiness that would accrue to Church and State, if we were united together against the Common Enemy. If all the Saints upon earth, and Angels in heaven should study to find out a way to save England from ruin, they could not find out a readier way, then by uniting us together at this time. England is an island divided from all the world; and if it were not divided within itself, it need not fear all the world. If London were as a City at unity within itself, what could destroy it? Did we all do as the Israelites did, Iudg. 20. 8. They all arose as one man, &c. and as Joshua 23. 12. how quickly would these wars (through God's blessing) be at end? What an honour would it be to the Cause we fight for; to the Reformation we pray for; the Religion we profess; to the God we worship, if we did with united strength pursue these things? How should we support and help one another, et portantem portare, as the Cranes do one another in the manner of their flying. I must not here forget to mind you of that known story of Scillurus that had eighty sons, and when he was dying he called them all before him, and presented them with a bundle of spears, and bade them try whether they could break that bundle; and they tried, but were not able. Afterwards he pulls out one javelin out of the bundle, and bade them break that, which they easily did; and so a second, and a third, till they had broken them all. Intimating thereby, that unity in Families, and compacted strength is the bond that preserves the whole Family; and wheresoever this bond is broken, that Family is quickly destroyed. The like story doth Sallust tell of one Micypsa, who when he was dying called his sons and caused them to write this sentence in Golden letters: Concordiâ parvae res crescunt, discordiâ magnae dilabuntur. Oh that God would give us hearts to spiritualise these stories!  
Fifthly, Consider the late national Covenant you have taken, wherein you have lifted up your hands to the most High God, and have sworn to study unity and conformity in Religion, &c. And to endeavour according to your places, to extirpate heresy, schism, &c. I know not how it is come to pass, but sure I am, our divisions are greater since we took this Covenant then before. And sure I am that God will call us to a strict account for this grievous sin of perjury. And if ever England perish by these wars, this shall be England's Motto: Here lieth a Nation that hath broken Covenant with God, and therefore is this great evil come upon her. And therefore I beseech you, be mindful of your Covenant; and remember it is not the taking, but the keeping of Covenant that prevails with God. And if he shall be shut out of heaven that keeps not his promise, though it be to his hurt, Psal. 15. 4. much more he that keeps not his oath, when it is for his good.  
Sixthly, Consider further, That our enemies that fight against us agree together: Herod and Pilate are made friends, and join together to put Christ to death. The Herodians and the Pharisees, though dissenting one from another, yet both agree against Christ, Mar. 1●. 13. The Herodians were Courtiers, and sought to bring in Tyranny; the Pharisees were popular, and sought to maintain the people's liberties; and yet they both joined together against Christ. thus did the Sadduces and Pharisees also. Thus Act. 17. 18. The Epicures and Stoics combine against Paul. Shall Judas conspire with the Pharisees and Sadduces to betray Christ? and shall the Disciples of Christ fall out amongst themselves? Shall Paul and Barnabas divide one from another? God forbid! Shall the Irish Rebels, the Oxford Lords and Gentlemen, the English Papists, and the English Bishops: The Protestants at large, and the seduced people all agree together like Samson's Foxes with firebrands at their tails to burn three kingdoms? And shall not we agree together to save three kingdoms? Shall the Lions, Bearee, tigers, Wolves, lambs and sheep, &c. that were shut up in the ark, agree together while they were in the ark? (for we do not read that they did hurt one another all that while) And shall not we that are shut up here, in London, and in a few associated Counties as in an ark, agree together to preserve one another from a Deluge of Waters that is drowning us all▪ though we should differ in some few things one from another?  
Seventhly, Consider the very Heathen how careful they have been to maintain unity and peace in times of public danger, and how careful to lay aside all private quarrels. I will instance only in the speech of Aristides to Themistocles. Plutarch tells us, that from their very childhoods they did differ one from the other, and never could agree. But when a common enemy came against them, than Aristides comes by night to Themistocles, and saith unto him, Si sapimus, omissâ tandem iuvenili et inani concertatione, contentionem de servanda Graecia salubrem honestamque suscipiamus, &c. Let us leave all youthly contentions, and tend unanimously to the public good. Oh that this counsel might take impression in the hearts of us Christians at this time.  
Eightly, Consider further, how that the very Devils in hell agree to promote their own kingdom. If Satan be divided against Satan (saith Christ) how can his Kngdome stand? And my Text is brought (as I have said) as an argument to prove that Christ did not cast out Devils by the power of Belzebub, because than Satan should be divided against himself, and seek his own ruin which he will never do. There is peace amongst the Devils in hell. And certainly there cannot be better music to the devils in hell, then to see the Parliament divided against itself; and the City divided against itself; and the Godly Ministers divided against themselves at such a time as this is.  
Ninthly, and especially, 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ who is the Great Peacemaker, who came into the world when all the world was at peace; at whose birth the Angels sang, Glory to God on high, and in earth peace: who when he was dying left a Legasie of peace to his people, and gave his Disciples a New commandment, to love one another: (which was therefore called a New commandment, because it was enforced with a new example; even the example of Christ's love to us) Who when he made that admirable Prayer, John 17. the chief part of it was, that God would make his children one, as he and the Father were one. And he gives the reason of it, vers. 21. That the world may believe that then hast sent me. The world will not believe in Christ when they see Christians disagree. Nothing hinders men from believing in Christ more than the differences and divisions of those that do believe in Christ. It is an excellent observation of Athanasius: That the very manner of Christ's death doth preach the Doctrine of unity and love to Christians. For Christ was not sawen asunder as the Prophet Isaiah was. He was not beheaded as John Baptist was. There was not a bone of his broken, nor any whit of his garment rent or torn. And all this to teach Christians (saith he) to be at unity within themselves. Was not a bone of Christ broken upon the cross, and shall all his members break in pieces now he is in heaven? Was his garment kept whole, and shall his body be rent and torn in pieces? This is Paul's Argument to persuade the divided Corinthians to Peace and unity, 1 Cor. 1. 13. Is Christ divided? And why are Christians divided if Christ were not divided? Why doth one say, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollo; another, I am of Cephas, &c. And therefore if you be Christians live in love and unity, as the Disciples of Jesus Christ, that so the world may believe in Christ.  
Oh that these Motives might take deep rooting in your affections: And that every one in his place would labour after Peace and unity. That you that are Magistrates and justices, would bind yourselves to the peace! It is no discredit in this sense to be bound to the peace. You are called justices of the Peace, not because you should hold your peace when God would have you to speak; but because it is your duty to make peace, and to keep peace. Let all godly Ministers preach up the duty of brotherly love, which is quite forgotten amongst most Christians. It is a duty quite dead and buried; let us labour that it may have a speedy resurrection. The Apostle saith, 1 Thes. 4. 9 As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you &c. But we Ministers, now a days, need to write and preach of no duty more than this. And then let all Ministers and people, Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and give the Lord no rest until he make England and Ireland, a praise in the earth. Let us pray for peace, and fight for peace, and contribute our money willingly for a peace. For indeed, all our fighting, and all our vast expenses, are but as ways and means to a safe and well grounded peace. Let us fight for peace, with peace one towards another. And let us not complain and murmur at the greatness of our contributions; but remember the story of the old covetous Miser that hung himself to save charges; and his man coming in unawares and seeing his Master a hanging, cut the rope in pieces and thereby saved his Master's life. The Master being recovered, instead of thanking his man, fell a chiding of him because he cut the rope in pieces, and so did put him to the charges of a new rope: whereas he should rather have untied it, then cut it. This man, you will say, did little deserve to have his life saved. Just such is our condition. Our cruel enemies are ready to devour and destroy us. All that the Parliament doth, is to cut the rope in pieces with which they would hang us. And if we be put to more than ordinary charge, let us not grumble at those expenses which are the preservation of our lives. That man is unworthy to live, that murmurs to lay out a little money to save his life.  
But here I must put in three Caveats, & beseech you in the first place, to remember that when I speak so much for unity, I would also have you to remember that unum & verum convertuntur. That unity without veriy, is not a true peace, but a conspiracy. Omnis concordia in veritate. Unity joined with falsehood is execrable adultery, saith Cyprian. When unity and falsehood are married together, it is no lawful marriage, but execrable adultery. If I cannot have peace with men, but I must lose my peace with God; farewell peace with men that I may keep my peace with God. One great reason why we have so little peace upon earth, is because we seek after it more than after the glory of God in heaven.  
You will must remember in the second place, that this unity that we must labour after, must be in a Scripture way. The Primitive Church for unity sake, and to prevent schisms, set up one Presbyter as a Bishop to rule over the rest with majority of power in jurisdiction and Ordination. But this at best was but a human invention, and it proved an increaser of schism and Division. The Papists set up the Pope to preserve unity: But he is the greatest Apple of strife the Christian world hath. It will be our care to study to promote a unity in such a way which the Scriptures hold forth, and this will prosper.  
You must also remember in the third place, that our unity, peace, and love, as it must be in the truth, so it must be in truth. It must be cordial and real. Oh, that I could once see all God's people of one lip, as it was before the confusion of Tongues, Gen. 11. 1. That this might be the Motto of God's people in England: Cor unum, via una, One heart, and one way. That they that shall sing one and the same Song in heaven, may agree in the same way of worship here upon earth. Excellent was that speech of Grynaeus, when he was dying: I am now going (said he) to a place (meaning heaven) ubi Lutherus Calvino bene convenit: where Luther and Calvin agree well together. Shall we agree well in heaven, and shall we not agree together upon earth? God forbid. Let us always remember that speech of Joseph his brethren when they were going home to their Father, Gen 45. 29. See that you fall not out by the way. We are all pilgrims, travelling towards our heavenly Canaan, to one and the same God and Father. Oh let us not fall out by the way. And let the two Arguments that Abraham used to Lot, Gen. 13. 7, 8. mightily prevail with us, to make us more ambitious of unity, peace, and concord, than ever yet we have been. Let there be no strife between me and thee, &c. for we are brethren, and the Canaanite is in the Land. These are two golden allurements: the Lord make them effectual! I had almost forgotten David's Arguments in the 133. psalm. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to live together in unity. The word Behold, is prefixed that so the commendation might take the deeper impression. Many things are good which are not pleasant, and many things pleasant, which are not good; but it is both good and pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like Aaron's precious ointment that went down to the skirts of his garments, &c. It is a communicative mercy that perfumeth whole kingdoms with blessings. It is like the dew of Hermon, &c. It makes barren Lands fruitful. It is like the dew upon the mountains of Zion, where the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.  


object. 1. Means and helps for the procurement of unity and peace.  
Answ.   But you will say, Here are Motives and Arguments sufficient to persuade any man to the practice of this blessed grace. Let us hear some helps and means to procure this great mercy, that so our Divisions may be healed; and peace, unity, and concord may dwell in our Land.  
This is a work worthy of a God, and none but a God can do it.  
It is with us in England, as it was with the women that went early in the morning to the Sepulchre, and there they found a great stone, and they said, Who shall roll away this stone? for it is very great. Mar. 16. 3, 4. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. This is our condition. There is a great mountain of Division that obstructs the happiness of England, and that hinders the Lord Christ and his kingdom from rising out of the grave of superstition. But who now shall roll away this great stone from the door of the Sepulchre? I fear it will cost an earthquake before it be removed. Oh that we had faith to remove mountains! Oh that God would send his Angel to roll away this stone! That God would make the Assembly of Ministers his Angels to take away this great mountain, that so there may be a Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his pure worship in all its glory and beauty even in our days! The story of Jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 10. 12. will very well suit with our times: We are in a very great straight as he was; and what he did, and said, will very well be fit us. Let us go to God by prayer, and say. Oh our God, we have no might against this great company that cometh against us. We have no strength to heal our Divisions in the Church, and in the State, they are so great and so many. We know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. Thou that didst find out a way hid from ages and generations, Col. 1. 26. A way hid from Angels and Archangels, hid within thyself, Ephes. 3. 9 To save poor undone, fallen, lost man, even by Jesus Christ. Oh find out a way to reconcile King and Parliament, to unite thy divided people in the truth! Oh blessed jesu that camest into the world to break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile; that art the great peacemaker, make up our wide and great breaches, and take away the many walls of partition that divide us one from another. After this manner we must wrestle with God in prayer, and watch thereunto with all perseverance.  
But besides this general help by Prayer; give me leave to name a few other which are more particular.  

1. Help.  First, Let us labour to make our peace with God, and God will make us at peace one with another. Tranquillus Deus tranquillut omnia. If God be at peace with thee, he will make the very stones in the street to be at peace with thee; he will make peace flow down like a river, and like a mighty stream. When a man's ways please God, he will even make his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16. 7. You shall find in Scripture, that when a Church, State, or person divided itself from God by sin, God suffered it as a punishment to be divided from itself by faction. as soon as ever Solomon had forsaken God by Idolatry, God presently divided his kingdom from him. And God threateneth Ierem. 13. 13. That because his people had forsaken him, that therefore he would fill the Inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness, and he would dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, he would not pity, &c. You shall find also that when a King and kingdom returned to God, than they had peace, and flourished in all outward happiness, 2 Chron▪ 15▪ 3▪ 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 19 2 Chron. 17. 3, 5, 6. 10▪ And therefore if ever you would cure England's distractions to purpose; strike at the root and cause of our divisions. Let us labour to find out all those sins that separate between us and God; And when you have found them out, you must not deal with them as the Parliament doth with their prisoners which they take, using them more kindly and courteously than they were used before they were prisoners: nor as David would have his son Absolom, concerning whom he gave a strict charge, that they should use him kindly for his sake: but you must do as the Oxford men do with our prisoners, use them cruelly. Do as Joshua did with the five Kings whom first he kept up close prisoners in a Cave, and afterwards sent for them, and trod upon their necks, and hung them up before the Lord. Thus must we deal with our sins, and then we shall have peace. For as the lines in a circumference that are drawn to the centre, the nearer they are to the centre, the nearer they are one to another: So the nearer any men come to God in similitude and likeness, the nearer they will be joined one to another in unity and love. For if any may say he loveth God and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he that loveth God, love his brother also, 1 Ioh. 4. 20, 21.  
Secondly, Take heed of the Land-destroying Opinion of those that plead for an illimited toleration of all Religions, even of turkism, Judaism, &c. The Lord keep us from being poisoned with such an Error! This Text riseth up against it. For it will divide a kingdom against itself. It will rend it into a thousand pieces. It it a Doctrine directly contrary to your late Oath and Covenant. A Doctrine that overthroweth all Church-Government, bringeth in confusion, and openeth a wide door unto all irreligion and Atheisms. For at the same door tha all false religious come in, the true Religion will quickly get out. And if it be as good for a man to live where nothing is lawful, as where all things are lawful: surely it is every way as uncomfortable to live where there are all Religions, as where there is no Religion at all.  
Thirdly, To heal our Divisions, we must labour to be clothed with the garment of humility: For only by pride (saith the Wiseman) cometh contention, Prov. 13. 10. Now there is a double humility we must be clothed withal; humility of judgement, and humility of heart. First, humility of judgement, to think that others may know the truth as well as ourselves; to have a low esteem of our own understanding: For he that thinketh he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know, 1 Cor. 8. 2. And if any man teach otherwise, &c. saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. 3. 9 He is proud knowing nothing, &c. And therefore let us not be wise in our own eyes, nor lean to our own understandings, Prov. 3. 5. 4. Secondly, humility of heart. An humble heart is a peaceable quiet heart. An humble heart will be sensible of the least sin, much more of this great sin to distract and destroy the peace of three kingdoms by unnecessary disputations.  
Fourthly, Labour for grace to contemn the world and all worldly things. For many times divisions arise out of base covetousness. It was the love of the world that divided Demas from Paul. And therefore it is said, 1 Tim. 3. 3. That a Minister must not be greedy of filthy lucre; and as if that were not sufficient; he adds nor covetous. And therefore if you would live in unity and peace; Take heed and beware of covetousness.  
Fifthly, Pray for the spirit of meekness, patience, long-sufferance; and for mortified affections. It is one of the Ingredients required in a Minister, that he should be one That is not soon angry, Titus 1. 7. and one that is patient, no striker, no brawler, 1 Tim. 3. 3 Meekness, and Patience, and Mortification, are necessary Ingredients into that Medicine that must cure our divided kingdom. For an angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgressions. Prov. 29. 22. unmortified affections are the cause of much disturbance in Families and Cities. And therefore Christ saith, Mar. 9 50. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. This salt is the salt of Mortification. We must labour to have our anger mortified; our love of the world mortified; our pride mortified; and this will be a notable means to make us at peace one with another. As in the Old Law, every sacrifice was to be seasoned with salt: So let every man pray for This salt within himself to season his unmortified affections, and this will keep him from putrifying in malice, envy, hatred, &c.  
Sixthly, Let all thy private aims be swallowed up in the public good. Let the Cause of Jesus Christ and his Church be dearer to thee then thine own life; and this frame of spirit will exceedingly incline thee to all lawful ways of peace and unity. Remember Old Ely, and how his heart trembled for the ark of God, 1 Sam. 4. 13. 18. He trembled not for the thought of his children, but for the ark; and as soon as ever mention was made of the taking of the ark, he fell down and broke his neck: he was not troubled at the mention of the death of his two sons, &c. The like we read of his daughter in law, 1 Sam. 4. 19, 10, 21, 22. The like of Nehemiah who was in great prosperity himself, and yet how was he distressed in spirit for the miseries of Jerusalem, Nehem. 1. 4. The like we read of Daniel, &c.  
Seventhly, We must nip Divisions in the bud, and quench the fire of Contention at the beginning. That fire is easily quenched at first, which when it hath once taken possession is not to be quenched. The Lord grant it be not laid to our charge, that we have suffered England's distractions to grow to such a height, and have not laboured in our several places to compose and quiet them.  
Eightly, Let us yield one to another for peace sake. Famous is the example of Abraham, and worthy of all imitation, who yielded his right up to Lot, who was his younger and inferior, for peace sake, Gen. 13. 9 If thou wilt take the left hand, than I will go to the right; or if thou departest to the right hand, than I will go to the left.  
Ninthly, Take heed of groundless jealousies and suspicious one of another. This is England's great sin, and the chief cause of many distempers amongst us. We are like unto the children of Israel, who when they came first out of Egypt did almost deify Moses and Aaron, But afterward, as soon as ever they began to meet with straits and difficulties, they began presently to murmur against them, and to call their fidelity into question; and to accuse them, as if they had a design to bring them into the wilderness to destroy them, Exod. 16. 2, 3. Just so do we. When our Armies for our sins are justly punished with ill success, instead of reflecting upon our sins, to be troubled for them; we fall a-murmuring against our chief Commanders, and question their fidelity; as if they had a design to betray us into the enemy's hand. I do not speak this as if I would countenance any Commander that is guilty; or hinder just complaints of, and inquiries after those that are guilty; or the use of just means to be rid of such. But all that I say is: That to fasten unjust suspicions, and groundless jealousies, upon those that venture their lives and estates in the common cause, is to be guilty of Robbery and Murder: it is to steal away and murder their good names, which is as precious as life itself: and it is a sin that God will not pardon unless the party that is guilty endeavour to make restitution of his good name, which is a work not easy to be done. For a man's good name is like a white piece of paper, which if once blotted it will be hard to wipe out that blot so as to leave no print of it behind. A man's good name is like a merchant's estate which is long in getting, but is lost in a minute: and when it is lost in the bottom of the Sea, how shall it ever be recovered again? So is a man's good name. But yet God will accept of our endeavours to make restitution if faithful and industrious.  
Tenthly, To heal our Divisions, we must make conscience to silence all our private Opinions, and differences. Hast thou faith? (saith the Apostle, Rom. 14. 22.) have it to thyself before God. do not disturb the Church of God at this time with thy private faith. Indeed if it be a matter absolutely necessary to salvation, it is charity to acquaint the Church of God with it: but if we can be saved without it, this is not a fit time to broach any new Opinion. For as Elisha said to Gehezi, 2 King. 5. 26. Is this a time to receive money? &c. So say I: Is this a time to trouble England with New Opinions? Aulus Gellius tells us of certain men that were in a Ship ready to perish by reason of a great Tempest, & one of them being a Philosopher, fell a asking of many trifling Questions: to whom they answered: {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}; We are perishing, and dost thou trifle? So say I; Is England a perishing, and is this a time to trouble it with unnecessary disputations? I doubt not but there will a time come wherein every man's own opinion shall be heard: but this is a time wherein we should all unite against the Common Enemy that seeks to devour us all. For my part, I do here openly profess, That if I had an opinion disagreeing from that way of Reformation which is likely to be set up, and did see that the publishing of it would disturb the peace of the kingdom, I would do with it as the Mariners did with Jonah, I would cast it into the sea rather than increase the Tempest by my opinion; especially at such a time as this is. And I doubt not but every honest man will do the like.  
Lastly, It is your duty (Right Honourable) whom God hath betrusted with great power, to suppress these divisions and differences in Religion by your civil authority, as far as you are able, lest you be accessary unto them. For God hath made you Custodes utriusque tabulae, Keepers not of the second Table only, (as some fondly imagine) but of the first Table also, and not only Keepers, but Vindices utriusque Tabulae, Punishers also of those that transgress against either of them. For you are the Ministers of God for good, and Revengers to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Rom. 13. 4. And God hath deputed you for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. 1 Pet. 2. 19 There are some that would blot out half your Commission, and restrain this Good and evil to civil good and to evils only against men. But this is against that general Rule, Non est distinguendum ubi lex non distinguit. Where the Law doth not distinguish, there must not we distinguish. Tell me I beseech you, Shall it be lawful for Magistrates to punish those that destroy men's bodies, but not those that destroy men's souls? Shall they be blamed for suffering men to draw people away from obedience to the Laws of the Land and to themselves, and not also for suffering men to draw away people from the truth of the Gospel, and from the ways of God, such as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who overthrow the faith of some, and their words eat as a Canker? Shall Christian Magistrates take up the maxim of Tiberius, Deorum iniurias Diis curae esse? Let God himself take care to vindicate himself from injuries committed against God? As for me, I will (just like Gallio) take care of none of these things. Can Christian ears endure such language? Doth not God prophecy, Isaiah 49. 23. That in the New Testament Kings shall be our nursing Fathers, and Queens our nursing Mothers? And how can a Christian Magistrate discharge that duty aright if he hath not power from God to punish those that would poison the souls of his weak children with heresies, and soul-destroying opinions? I do not deny, but that there is great wisdom to be observed by Magistrates in distinguishing between persons and persons, between errors and errors. Some persons are pious and peaceable, others turbulent and furious. Some errors are such, as subvert the faith, and destroy the power of godliness: others are of a lesser nature, which may consist with the power of godliness, and with an unity in the faith. But that which I now speak against, is that unbounded 
Bloody Tenent. The Good Samaritan. John Baptist.  liberty that is pleaded for in divers books lately written, which hold forth this prodigious Tenent. That every man is to be suffered to have the liberty of his conscience, be it never so heretical or Idolatricall. This overthroweth all the power of the Magistrate in punishing heresy, blasphemy, Idolatry, and is contrary to many plain Texts of the 
* 2 Chron. 15. 13. 2 Chro. 34. 32. Ezra 10. 8. Deut. 13. 5, 6. 2 King. 23. 1.  Old Testament, and to those of the New Testament above mentioned.  
Object. Will you allow the Magistrate to Tyrannize over men's consciences.  
Answ. By no means. But I believe it is the duty of Magistrates to keep men from infecting their Subjects with soul-destroying errors. If thou hast an heretical opinion, have it to thyself, and the Magistrate will not; nay, cannot meddle with thy private conscience. But if thou labourest to infect others with thy grace-destroying opinions. I doubt not but the Magistrate is bound to keep thee from spreading thy infection to the undoing of the souls of his Subjects. If he may lawfully shut up a man that hath the plague upon his body, that he may not infect others, why not a man that hath the plague of heresy upon his soul, that so he may not destroy the souls of thousands? Shall a Master in a Family have power to put away a servant that is tainted with a gross opinion, and yet not be called a Tyrant over that servant's conscience? And shall not the chief Magistrate of a kingdom have power to put out of his kingdom (at least to shut up from doing hurt) one that is his subject and polluted with blasphemous heretical idololatrical opinions? Is not the kingdom the Magistrates House and Family? But enough of this.  
These are the means that are to be used to cure the miserable distractions of England. The Lord give us grace to put them in practice.  

use 4.  There is one use more yet behind, and that is an use of Consolation to the people of God. Notwithstanding, all the Divisions and Distractions that are in the kingdom. This is an alabaster box full of precious ointment, and it consists of four particulars.  
1. Remember for your Comfort that there was never any great Reformation brought in by Godinto a kingdom, but it hath always been attended with divisions and differences in Religion. In Luther's Reformation, How great were the differences between him and Calvin; Insomuch, as the Reformation was more hindered by their Divisions, then by the power and policy of the Enemy, and yet notwithstanding, God carried on the work of Reformation maugre these divisions. In the Primitive times, many and great were the Divisions of the Church and of the Ministers thereof; Insomuch, as Nazianzen saith, that in his time there were six hundred errors in the Church; and in Constantine's time, the differences between the Bishops were so many, that they brought bundles of petitions one against another, which the Emperor out of his wonderful desire of Peace would not so much as read, but burned them all before their faces. How sad was the division between Paul and Barnabas, and yet God turned it to a good effect. For by that means the Gospel was the more spread throughout the world! And therefore let us not be over-discouraged. For these Divisions are no new things, and therefore no strange things.  
2. Consider for your comfort, Magna veritas et praevalebit. Truth is a beam of God, the purchase of Jesus Christ, and it shall prevail at last. Though our divisions and distractions do much weaken us and prorogue our settlement, yet notwithstanding the Cause we manage is God's Cause, and it shall prevail at last. As Christ Jesus rose from the grave in spite of the Jews that rolled a great stone before the door of the Sepulchre to hinder him. So the Cause of Christ, and the worship and government of Christ shall rise and flourish: and there will come a time wherein the Church of God shall be glorious here upon earth; and the Motto of it shall be Cor unum, via una. One heart, one way. This will come to pass in spite of our Divisions. For God hath promised it, Ier. 32. 39 Zeph 3. 9  
The third Comfort is: That Antichrist shall down though he be never so firmly united. The kingdom of the Devil shall be destroyed though Satan join with Satan. And though Satan will not cast out Satan, but is strongly compacted, and as a city at unity within itself, yet God will cast out Satan at last, and his kingdom shall perish. Though Turk and Pope; though French and Spaniard; though the Irish Rebels, and English Papists and Protestants at large should join hand in hand & conspire together to overthrow the little flock of Jesus Christ, yet notwithstanding they do but kick against pricks. Antichrist is fallen, and the poor flock of Christ shall be as a burdensome stone unto all people; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it, Zach. 12. 3. Bellarmine makes unity a sign of a true Church. But then there should be a true Church amongst the Devils; for where he dwells there is peace. And yet the Papists cannot boast much of their unity. For they have their different Sects opposite one to another, and the Jesuite to them all. Unity without verity is a sign of the Malignant Church, but not of the Church of Christ. And unity without verity, shall not uphold a State. For though hand join in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished, Prov. 11. 21.  
Lastly, Remember in what state and condition the people of the Jews were in when Christ came into the world. It was when the government was departed from Judah, and the kingdom given to a stranger; when the Sanedrim (which was their Parliament) was destroyed; and they themselves brought into perfect slavery. Their condition was never so bad as at that time. And also they never had more Sects and Divisions then when Christ was borne: There were in Jerusalem the Herodians, the Scribes and Pharisees. There were also the Esseni, (though the Gospel makes no mention of them.) In this sad juncture of time Jesus Christ was borne. Oh what abundance of consolation may be sucked out of the breasts of this truth! Christ came into the world when his Church was in the greatest extremity. And are not we at this time in great extremity? Are we not brought very low by our sins, and by our divisions the fruit of our sins? We have divided ourselves from God by our sins, and God hath divided us one from another. Let us beseech the Lord Jesus Christ to come once more into the world by his Spirit of power! Let us not despair of his coming. For he is Deus in monte. He is our peace now the Assyrian is in the Land, Mic. 5. 5. And when he comes he will come as a conqueror to subdue his enemies under his feet.  
This day is the day which is commonly called The Feast of Christ's nativity, or Christmas day: A day that hath been heretofore much abused to superstition and profaneness. It is not easy to reckon whether the superstition hath been greater, or the profaneness. I have known some that have preferred Christmas day before the Lord's Day, and have cried down the Lord's Day, and cried up Christmas day. I have known those that would be sure to receive the Sacrament upon Christmas day, though they did not receive it all the year after. This and much more was the superstition of the day. And the profaneness was as great. Old Father Latimer saith in one of his Sermons, That the Devil had more service in the twelve Christmas holy days (as they were called) than God had all the year after. Seneca saith of his time, Olim December mensis erat, nunc annus est. There are some that though they did not play at Cards all the year long, yet they must play at Christmas; thereby, it seems, to keep in memory the birth of Christ. This and much more hath been the profanation of this Feast. And truly I think that the superstition and profanation of this day is so rooted into it, as that there is no way to reform it but by dealing with it as Hezekiah did with the brazen Serpent. This year God by a Providence hath buried this Feast in a Fast, and I hope it will never rise again. You have set out (Right Honourable) a strict Order for the keeping of it, and you are here this day to observe your own Order, and I hope you will do it strictly. The necessity of the times are great. Never more need of Prayer and fasting. The Lord give us grace to be humbled in this day of Humiliation for all our own, and England's sins; and especially for the old superstition, and profanation of this Feast: always remembering upon such days as these, Isa. 22. 12, 13, 14.  
FINIS.   


A Catalogue of the Sermons Preached and Printed by Order of both or either Houses of Parliament▪ From January 1643. to January 1644.  
January 31. 1643. 

Master Cawdrey. Prov. 29. 8.  
Master Rutherford. Dan. 6. 26.     

February 28 1643. 

Mr. Bailiff. Zach. 3. 1, 2.  
Mr. Young. Psal▪ 31. 24▪     

March 27. 1644. 

Mr. Gelespie. Ezek. 43. 11.  
Mr. Bond. Isaiah 45. 15.     

At the Thanksgiving for the Victory given to our Forces under Sir William Waller, and Sir William Belfore, over Sir Ralph Hopton's army.  
April 9 1644. 

Mr. Obediah Sedgwick. Psal. 3. 8.  
Mr. Case. Daniel 11. 32.     

At the Thanksgiving for the Victory given to the Forces under the Command of the Lord Fairfax at Selby in Yorkshire.  
April 23. 1644. 

Mr. Perne. Exod 34. 6. not Printed.  
Mr. Caryl. Revel. 11. 16, 17.     

April 24. 1644. 

Doctor Staunton. Deut. 32. 31.  
Mr. Greene. Nehemiah 1. 3, 4.     

May 29. 1644. 

Doctor Smith. Psal. 107. 6.  
Mr. Hall. Matth. 11. 12.     

June 26. 1644. 

Mr. Hardwick. Psal. 126. 5, 6.  
Mr. Hicks. Isaiah 28. 5, 6.     

At the Thanksgiving for the Victory over Prince Rupert, and the surrender of York.  
July 28. 1644. 

Mr. Vines. Isaiah 63. 8.  
Mr. Hinderson. Matth. 14. 21.  
Mr. Herle. not Printed.     

July 31. 1644. 

Mr. Rathband not Printed.  
Mr. Gower. Dan. 12. 10.     

At a Fast Extraordinary.  
August 13. 1644. 

Mr. Hill. Hag. 1. 7, 8.  
Mr. Palmer. Psal. 99 8.     

August 28. 1644. 

Mr. Rayner. Hag. 2. 6, 7.  
Mr. Tysdale. Psal. 122. 6.     

At a Fast Extraordinary for the disaster in the West.  
Septemb. 12. 1644. 

Mr. Newcomen. Joshua 7. 10, 11.  
Mr. Coleman. Psal. 65. 5.     

Septemb. 25. 1644. 

Mr. Proffet. Isaiah 9 13.  
Mr. Seaman. 1 Kings 3. 9     

At a Fast upon the Uniting of the Armies together.  
Octob. 22. 1644. 

Before the Lords▪ Mr. Temple. not yet printed. Mr. Chambers. Mr. Palmer.  
Before the Commons▪  
Mr. Calamy. Acts 17. 30.  
Mr. Sedgwick. Hebrews 11. 7.  
Mr. Vines. 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26▪     

Octob. 30. 1644. 

Before the Lords,  
Doctor Smith.  
Doctor Staunton. Psal. 106. 30.  
Before the Commons▪  
Mr. Scudder. Micah 6. 9  
Mr. Woodcock. Revel. 16. 15.     

Novemb. 5. 1644. 

Before the Lords,  
Mr. Strickland. Psal. 46. 1.  
Mr. Spurstow. Ezra 9 13, 14.  
Before the Commons,  
Mr. Herle. 2 Sam. 21. 16, 17.  
Mr. Anthony Burges. Revel. 19 2.     

Novemb. 27. 1644. 

Before the Lords,  
Mr. Hill. 2 Corinth. 17. 18.  
Mr. Wilkinson. 1 Chron. 21. 24.  
Before the Commons,  
Mr. Pickering. Zach. 3. 2.  
Mr. Gipps. Psal. 46. 1.     

Decemb. 25. 1644. 

Before the Lords,  
Mr. Calamy.  
Mr. Sedgwick.  
Before the Commons.  
Mr. Thorowgood. Phil. 4. 5.  
Mr. Langley. Psal. 74. 19, 20.