MODERATION JUSTIFIED, AND THE LORDS BEING AT HAND EMPROVED, IN A SERMON AT WESTMINSTER BEFORE THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS Assembled in Parliament: Preached at the late solemn Fast, December 25. 1644.  
By Thomas Thorowgood B. of D. Rector of Grimston in the County of Norfolk: One of the Assembly of Divines.  
Published by Order from that House.  Matth. 10. 16. — Be wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. Mensura convenit, ne aut nimia remissio reddatur aut nimiaa severitas. Ambros. Offic. lib. 2. cap. 22. Si quid corrigendum est, adhibeatur ea Moderatio, quae Christianos deceat, etc. Erasm. Epist. l. 22. p. 916. 
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Christopher Meredith at the Crane in Paul's Churchyard, and for Thomas Slater at the Swan in Ducklane. 1645.   

Die Mercurii 25. Decemb. 1644.  
IT is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament, That Master Heveningham, and Master Lisle, do from this House give thanks to Master Thorowgood, and Master Langley, for the great pains they took in the Sermons they Preached this day at the entreaty of this House, at S. Margaret's Westminster: (It being the day of Public Humiliation) And to desire them to Print their Sermons. And it is Ordered, that none shall presume to Print their, or either of their Sermons without first obtaining liberty under their hand-writing.  
H. Elsing. Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

I Do appoint Christopher Meredith, and Thomas Slater to Print this Sermon.  
THOMAS THOROWGOOD.   

TO THE HONOURABLE House of Commons, Assembled in Parliament at Westminster.  
THe thought of coming into that Pulpit was dreadful to me, and I did unfeignedly decline it; 
1 Sam. 10. 22.  as Saul, I would willingly have hid myself among the stuff, any where rather than undertake the task. 
Palluit ut 〈◊〉 qui pressit calcibus anguem. Et Juvenal. Sat. 6.  Lugdunensem Rhetor dicturus ad aram, Did Advocates change colour pleading at that Bar? And should I have no fear being to speak in such a presence, where so many of you were, and each one resembled the children of a King, 
Judg. 8. 18.  as the Kings of Midian said to Gideon, in respect of his brethren; yea upon whose votes and determinations, depends the welfare of three glorious Kingdoms? But being summoned to the service, it was my duty to run and prepare myself, and I found presently my lot was cast upon that very day, which the providence of heaven had designed to fall on Christmas Day, 
Gentilet. Exam. p. 206.  (as it is named yet) the Metropolitan of all the Festivities, so Gaspar Ferrandi called it in the Council of Trent; It was time for me then by consideration, recollection, and other thoughts to cast out fear; 
1 Joh. 4. 8.  and for my animation, the allusion of him to Caesar happily occurred, as they that dare confidently speak in your judicious and formidable Assembly, consider not what Constellations you are, nor of what Magnitude; so those, that despondingly be afraid, are ignorant of your benign Aspects, and gracious Influences. The election of a Theme, and the manner of handling it was in my power, and by Divine guidance I chose Moderation, not because you wanted it, but for that some so supposed, and I saw, even that Christian grace, well understood would justify your proceed: Your ears entertained the Discourse with spontaneous attention, with the virtue of the Text, which Tertullus begged of Felix, 
Act. 24. 4.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. you have now required it to the other sense, to another censure, in publicum formidandumque judicium as Cassiane said upon his like occasion; 
De Incarnate. praefat.  and for my part, 
Pro captu Lectoris habent sua fata libelli.  though the subject matter, I know, will meet with fatal judge, and my weaknesses also be ever before me, yet I have obeyed your Commands, and with the exoptation of Orosius to Austin, Utinam tam efficaciter quam libenter: 
Praefat. Hist.  for now, as Dedications have been made to you of Zeal, Righteousness, Magnanimity, Perseverance, etc. so the world shall see you Patrons of Moderation also, notwithstanding the unpolitique, Antichristian, and Tyrannical endeavours of your Opposites, some of which laboured so much some years since to embroil the Nation against Scotland, in irreconciliable and intestine combustions, the perfect uniting of whom to ENGLAND was the zealous industry of the wisest Patriots in former times, as our Chronicles relate, and who now also, by supernatural providence, in Covenant, and many other obligations, are contrived into a more firm accord then ever. Those other horrid Miscreants of Ireland have raked Hell and Rome for the inventions, and exercises of such cruel barbarities upon our miserable brethren, 
King Charles Declarat. with the advice of his Privy Counsel.  that no Christian ear can hear without horror, nor Story parallel, as his Majesty did declare against those barbarous Rebels. I wish that Remonstrance of our Clergy there were commanded to be in every Parish of ENGLAND, and the additional depositions hastened to the Press, that all the good people of the Land might know their good meaning to them: And in this Kingdom there was a generation of New Reformers that paved the way to Popery, and under the colour of a good work in hand, 
Holy Table, Name, and Thing, p. 2. p. 192. p. 204.  and the piety of the times were busied in taking the outworks, and that being done they would have a bout with the Fort itself: It is the language and sentence of him that here may well be credited, and our eyes saw then, the Innovations so numerous, that with a little time and observation it might be demonstrated, the lawless Mutation even then was greater from the rules, and received practise, than it is like to be by the Directory so much expected, which beside Parliament Authority, will have the Scriptures, and the example of Reformed Churches to give it countenance; I thought in this Epistle I might make some further mentioning, but I must remember that of Austin to Macedonius, Negotiosissimos in Republica viros, 
Ep. 54. Init.  & non suis, sed aliorum utilitatibus attentissimos non debemus occupare prooemio: I will turn therefore my prefacing, into praying, that our God only wise, 
Rom. 16. 27.  would fill every one of you with wisdom, 
Jam. 3. 17.  even that wisdom which is from above, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the grace of the Text, 
Ruth 4. 11.  Moderate, and full of good fruits, that gasping Ireland may be recovered by you, and as you have done worthily for Scotland, you may be famous in ENGLAND, and regaining the King's royal Person and favour, you may make him glorious also, and raise up in his Dominions the foundations for many generations, 
Isa. 58. 12.  and be called the Repairers of the breaches, the Restorers of the paths to dwell in. I shall wait the compliment of God's good providence in you, and by you, that in his due season every mountain of opposition may be a plain, 
Zach. 4. 7.  and these troublous times may determine in the readvancement, 
Dan. 9 25.  and firm establishing of Righteousness and Peace, through your hands; which is, and shall be in the daily devotion of  
Your constant Orator at the Throne of Grace, THOMAS THOROWGOOD.   

A Sermon preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS, at the Monthly Fast, December 25. 1644.  Phil. 4. vers. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. 
IT is God's word that I have read, let no man's zeal be hot against it, or me; and how meet it is for this time, this very time, judge not till you have heard: my thoughts were not fastened here without some difficulty, I considered again and again, and as often prayed, that I might speak a word in season; it must be affirmed, there is all the reason in the world, you be even now also incited to zeal, wisdom, magnanimity, and present resolution, but inclusiuè, there is no Christian grace, I know, 
Eph. 4. 15.  but you would be acquainted with it, 
2 Thess. 2. ●7.  and grow up into Christ in all things, and be established in every good word and work. But that I may in time take off all prejudice, I shall not speak of Moderation in the sense of Politians and the world, but as it is a Christian grace, and not inconsistent with holy zeal, they were both in our Master Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 1. we read it, 
Joh. 2. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  gentleness of Christ, and my Philippians had to do with dogs, evil workers, dangerous men of the concision, Chap. 3. vers. 2. yea, vers. 18, 19 With wicked walkers, of whom he could not speak without weeping, enemies of the cross of Christ, belly gods, muckwormes, minding earthly things, lively characters of a great part of your opposites: and if Saint Paul then, surely, I may say now, Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand.  
If yet to any apprehension the first clause seem a cooler, the second will show, it seems so only, and my Moderation doth not make a medley of Religion, nor complyes with any transgression, but it is a blessed, and a watchful virtue, living always in God's sight, and in expectation of judgement to come; it quencheth no man's zeal, only it makes it burn fair, and shine more clear; it is enjoined in the first clause of the Text, and the reason thereof is in the latter, the Lord is at hand.  
In the former we have these four things.  

1. The grace required, Moderation.  
2. The seat or subject of it, your, of you.  
3. It's declaration and discovery, let it be known.  
4. The ampliation and extent, to all men.   
The second clause shall be touched upon as a reason, but my purpose is, God willing, to handle both in that method, which our days have found so happy, by Doctrine and Use, yet in the explication, and application, I shall pass through each particular.  
Let this then be the first Doctrine, 
Doctrine 1.  Moderation is a catholic grace of universal practice by all men to all men: and the Application will fall into five particulars, words of Complaint, Limitation, Consutation, Instruction, and Exhortation.  
The second Doctrine of the Lords being at hand, 
2.  will from the Scriptures hold forth unto us these seven seasonable considerations, fitted for our present practice.  

1. Speedy Repentance from dead works.  
2. Wise weaning ourselves from the world.  
3. Constant perseverance in true Religion.  
4. Zealous endeavour after holiness.  
5. Christian patience in tribulation.  
6. Holy faith in the Lord jesus Christ.  
7. Sober watchfulness unto prayer.   
Moderation is a catholic grace of universal practice by all men to all men. 
Doctrine. 1.  In the Original, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Adjectively; which is sometimes emphatical, in the propriety of the language; but that criticism, and curiosity shall be omitted, yet it is fit to mention the different interpretation.  
First, 
Theophylact. Haimo, Lyra, etc.  Modesty, so it is read by some, which is a virtue, keeping such mediocrity in external things, that no man's eye, or conscience is offended, it moderates the outward converse in speech, 
Aquin. 22. 120. 2, 3.  apparel, and life, in their sense, who refer it to the words immediately foregoing, Vers. 4. Rejoice, etc. So Bernard, We rejoice in that we hope, because the Lord is at hand, 
T. 1. p. 178.  we rejoice in that we suffer, that our Modesty might be known to all men: this modesty is not the maidens blush only, but a colour well becoming men, women, all that be Christians; nature puts a modest aspect upon those that shame to do evil, the blood making haste, as it were, to cover even the suspicion of guilt, 
Offic. l. 1. c. 18.  Ambrose extends it to gestures, gate, and bodily motion, telling his own experiment this way, how he refused to admit one into Orders, merely for his immodest gesture; he suffered not another Clergyman to walk before him, his going was so offensive, and uncomely: and I was deceived, saith he, in neither, the one ran out of his function, the other out of his Religion, and turned Arrian, so discernible is the inward man sometimes by the motion of the outward: no marvel therefore if lightness of gesture be immodesty and a prohibited evil, Prov. 6. 13. Esa. 3. 16. Some better Expositors read it,  
Secondly, 
Genoven. Fulk. etc.  Patiented mind; and so our own Translators elsewhere English the word, 1 Tim. 3. 3. and thus it is a duty very seasonable for these suffering times, when men can be as the Turtle, 
Pier. Hierogl.  though in several conditions, have but one note, keep the same tune, when they be quiet in tribulation, and murmur not when affliction comes; but the last clause of the Text will invite us to patience by and by.  
Thirdly, I shall insist therefore upon our own reading. Moderation, which is allowed by all Reformed Divines that I have seen, 
Clvin, Beza, Zanch. etc. Illyr. Clau. Scr. Modestia.  one only excepted, who in some other things also is himself excepted against. And Moderation is a word of such latitude, that it reacheth to public employments, in civil matters, 
Zanch. etc.  in the judgement of those that well understood the force of it; thence they call Moderation the Assessor of justice, mollifying the rigour, and severity of the law, for Legistators intent strictness of rule, but their providence, not being infinite, nor able to foresee all occurrences, leave a necessity for Moderation, 
Aquin. 22. 120. 10.  and Writers of both Religions do thus instance, 
Antonin. S. 4. 5. 19  it is just depositum reddere, 
Zanch. in Phil.  It is honesty and faithfulness to restore the pledge, or that we are trusted with, yet sometimes, say they, it is not iniquity but Moderation to do otherwise: for example, a man hath given another his sword to keep, he proves furious and distempered, the other is not bound to restore the sword, because he may abuse it to his own, or others hurt; Velure, cum quis depositum reposcit ad impugnationem patriae, Thus, to take away a man's goods or lands is injustice, yet if it be done indeed for the Commonweal, it is Moderation, not iniquity: For the welfare of the natural body diet is abated, though the patient be unwilling, sleep is denied, blood is let out, yea a member is cut off for the preservation of the whole; and for the safety of the body politic, we may without wrong be drawn to part with our private for the public good, Interest Reipublicae ut re sua quisque bene utatur. This Moderation is the soul and life of the law, without which the law itself sometime will savour of unrighteousness. This may seem a paradox, and it is indeed miraculum juristarum 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. c. p. 94.  quia discedit à regula, saith Luther, a strange thing to transgress a Rule without transgression: and this serves much to justify the present proceed, and might satisfy the disaffected also, if reason could do it, in such times as these, which they have helped our sins to bring upon us: it is not injustice, much less cruelty, to raise forces, require contributions, impose taxations for the safety of the kingdom; 
Aquin. & Antonin. ubi supar.  and two of the forenamed Writers give this rule, it is good sometime, to pass by the words of the law, and follow that which reason calls for, and the common benefit. I shall touch upon Moderation again, as it reflects upon public affairs, now therefore I speak of it, as it hath reference to private Christians. Some will have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, over and above that which is right and just; others, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  either from a Noun that signifies equal and good, or a Verb that is to yield, the Preposition adding further force, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and then it is a virtue inciting good men so much to right and equity, that for its promotion they yield sometimes, and part with their own. Further, it stops the violence of a man's own passions, guiding them to their due ends, 
Pier.  therefore in the Hieroglyphic the Bridle & Helm are the Emblems of Moderation; and in this sense it is a prime and choice virtue, carrying a man to the top of the hill, morality cannot get higher, and many Christians come short thereof, both in themselves, and to others. And yet further, it is a grace shining outwardly, it is visible, and illustrious, known unto men, it hath influence into all other virtues, it qualifies and tempers them, it is as salt that makes other things savoury, they relish not so well without the salt of Moderation, it is the grain that evens the scale, aequipoyseth all, it curbs excesses, supplies defects, and is every way helpful; the most zealous would be loath to hear, as those, Rom. 10. 2. They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, the zeal according to knowledge is the Moderation commended, commanded in the Text: and as in Schools and taking up of differences the Umpire, and Moderator understands, pro & con, the allegations of either side, by his wisdom he is able to remove scruples, and give every one their due; so this Moderation is the medium, makes the virtue, walks as it were betwixt the two extremes, and keeps off the distempers of either, as Matth. 10. 16. Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves, this Moderation regulates the rigour of the one, and the simplicity of the other, standing up to keep out both venom and folly, that wrong be neither done, nor revenged. And yet nearer, in our converse with men, this Moderation hath chief place, forbidding us to be fierce in reasoning, rash in censuring, not stand too strictly upon our terms, but in our defence and vindication abate our right, part with our own, yield to our neighbours, interpret fairly their say, and do, and make the best constructions we can, that our Moderation may be known, etc. It is in Beza's description, a quiet spirit taking all in good part, and I may call it a gracious mind that thinks and speaks well of all, and doth ill to none.  
First, It regulates those evil humours, that be so rise in nature, even debates, envyings, wrath, strifes, backbitings, whisper, swell, tumults, which Saint Paul was so much afraid, he should find among his Corinthians, 2 Epist. 12. 20. and thus Moderation is nigh of kin to Christian charity, it is not apt to credit rumours, or be misguided by reports, it is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, thinketh not evil, etc. 1 Cor. 15. 4, 5, 6, 7. it will have full information before it pass sentence so much as in its own breast against any, she will follow her Lord's example, who though the cry of Sodom was great, yet for our instruction he said, I will go down now, and see, whether they have done altogether according to the cry, etc. Gen. 18. 21. and though the appearance be foul, our thoughts and speeches must be as fair as they may; joseph thus moderated the sorrow of his brethren for their selling him into Egypt, God, saith he, sent me before you, to save your lives by a mighty deliverance. Gen. 45. 7. and is it not considerable, that though Solomon had then taken to himself so many wives and concubines, which in a great measure also took away his heart, yet the holy Ghost useth this expression, Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father? 1 Kings 11. 6. see and learn the language of Canaan; Moderation, teacheth to ascribe many offences to ignorance and infirmity: Thus our Saviour Christ prayeth for his crucifiers, 
Facinus enorrae ignorantus tribuit, non ma●●tiae Theophylact. in lo●.  Luk. 
Doroth. Doct. 16.  23. 34. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do; and Saint Peter learned this Moderation from his Master, Act. 3. 17. I wots that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers: As that holy man judged one brother's soul to be very pure, because his cell was so trim, and he said, another was very righteous within, that took so little care of external neatness.  
Secondly, Moderation is a well-doing grace, so good, that it doth ill to none, she knows, that even nature did ever account desire of revenge a feminine and cowardly passion: and that is but an empty objection, with which nevertheless some men's mouths are filled, he is a silly fellow, hath no mettle in him, that is insensible of affronts, but that coin of revenge what mettle is it made of? its stamp and allowance, I am sure, is not from heaven, it is digged from the mines of hell, by the hands of flesh, and beareth the image, impress, and superscription of the world, the flesh, and the devil,— it is earthly, sensual and devilish, jam. 3. 15. You see then the low descent, the base pedigree of this lofty valour; but our Moderation is better borne, even from above, and hath learned of her Master Christ, to be friendly to those that be hostile, Matth. 5. 44. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, though they revile, we must not, do good to them that hate you, etc. though by word and action they damnify us, we must study to win them by our well-doing; and this is the good turn, saith father Latimer, 
Part 2. p. 57  our Master Christ allows us to do to our enemies, to Warm them at our fire, and draw them from evil by our good: It were easy to expatiate here, and enlarge several reasons: as  
First, 
Reasons.  Moderation is a gracious and an acceptable virtue, it sweetens and endears the owner thereof, wherever he comes, it offers a kind of violence upon men's affections bofore they be ware: as the unbelieving husband is won by the holy conversation of the wife, 1 Pet. 3. 1.  
Secondly, it is an healthful virtue: immoderation and wrath killeth, 
Aug. de C. D. Ho●●ot▪ etc.  etc. job 52. As Sylla is said in his anger to break a vein, of which Rupture he died; but, qui suavis est vivit in moderationibus, Pro. 12. 12. It is not indeed in the Hebrew, but the seventy, and Latin so have it; and Interpreters thereupon say, That life is preserved and prolonged by Moderation: but,  
Thirdly, take the reason of the Text, in that sense of it, the Lord is at hand, seeing, and hearing, all our cogitations and speeches, Psal. 129. 2, 3, 4. Thou knowest my downsuting, etc. thou understandest my thoughts afar off, etc. there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, thou O Lord, knowest it altogether. It was good counsel of Seneca, Sic fac omnia, tanquam spectet aliquis; and Moderation is not to learn, that God himself always observeth the motions and commotions of our spirits, and every other distemper.  
Fourthly, The Lord is at hand, to call us to account for every inward and outward exorbitance, think, speak well of all, do ill to none; if we have been immoderate in this or any other way, let us repent, amend, and remember the Lord is at hand to reckon with us for every misdemeanour. I might proceed in further confirmation, and declare that this Moderation is of such vast, and comprehensive extent that it checks all overflowings of heart, tongue, gesture, apparel, diet; yea it hath influence upon all our do and sufferings: and then the  
First Use will be matter of complaint in the universal want of this Moderation almost in all things and persons, 
Application. Use 1.  in this age, and inundation of misery; no Moderation or abatement of mirth; though all the Land mourn, how few do lay it to heart? as much excess in diet almost as ever, when so many be ready to starve; pride, and those other abominable vanities now notorious also, even women, wont to be the devout Sex, yet now how are some of them spots in your feasts, jude 14. with spots in their faces, as if they would outface our very days of Humiliation; and men, how greedy are they of the world, plotting and projecting for riches and places, as if here were their abiding city, and they had no thought of one to come? and in Civil matters, those Courts and contentions, I hear not that men find either much more equity or expedition.  
Second Use of limitation; 
Use 2.  for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it must be of you; your moderation, not of, or in things belonging unto God, it reacheth not to the principles or practise of Religion; observe that once for all; Men must be as zealous for truth and holiness as they can; Men, all men have no power to be Moderatours of them, themselves are bounded, and confined by the Almighty, as Solomon said to Shimei: Build thee an house at jerusalem, go not from thence any whither, 1 King 2. 36, 37. From God's word nothing must be taken, and nothing must be added to it, Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Revel. 22. 18. Our God is omniscient, discerning at first all possible emergencies of things, persons, and occursions; so his Statutes be perfect and absolute, and must be obeyed without dispute or moderation; it is a most dangerous adventure, to examine, or regulate Divine Truths by Humane wisdom; such daring hath introduced many foul Errors into the Church, and retained them: our Master Christ said, Drink ye all of this, Matth. 26. 27. All the Clergy, say the men of Rome, the blood may hang on laymen's beards, they may spill it on the ground: our God commands all men to know his Word and will; the Papists will needs be Moderators here, and forbiddeth Scriptures in the Mother Tongue, because the common people may profane and abuse them: a seeming antinomy and opposition appears sometimes in the Word of God; yet even there and then men ought not to moderate, but one Text must be compared with another, and so dark places will be enlightened; In every doubtful business they were wont to ask of the Lord, Gen. 25. 22. 1 Sam. 23. and elsewhere; or of his Priests, Exod. 18. 15. Deut. 17. 9 alibique; or at his word, 1 Sam. 22. 5. 2 Chron. 18. 4. and in other places; we must say with Saint Paul in all such matters, What saith the Scripture? Rom. 4. 3. And again, what saith the Scripture? Galat. 4. 30. The Scripture is the sole rule, judge, and moderator. The first Christians were exceedingly precise this way; not to tell you how they would not part with a word, not a syllable, not a letter in divine truths; they complied not with the Heathen in small matters: 
Optat. l. 3. p. 71. Plin. Ep. 97. Tertul. de Cor. Mil. p. 153. Id. p. 283. Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Euseb. Hist. l. 4. c. 15. m p. 180.  They would not burn incense, nor wear a crown, nor stick their doors with Laurel, nor lay grapes at Bacchus' feet; Polycarpe would rather die than swear by Caesar's fortune; and the Christians in justine Martyr would not tell a lie to save their lives: the after connivance and complication brought in errors by heaps, and huddles: and Rhenanus a learned Papist confesseth the foundation thereof was laid in this presumed Moderation: the first approaches of Gentiles to Christianity were invited and entertained with some pleasing changes of their rites; whereas their total resection would have thrust them quite off: 
In Tertul. p. 103. M.  but those tolerable alterations as they seemed, introduced most intolerable superstition, and profaneness, the smart whereof doth yet remain; and we are not purged from the shame, and stain of it to this very day; there ought to have been no blinding, no blending in Divine Truths; Men should not bring their mixtures hither: Offer this now to thy governor, and will he be pleased with thee? Mal. 1. 8. We will not have dross with our silver, nor mingle vinegar with wine; we must say here as jehu to jehonadab, Come see my zeal, 2 King. 10. 16. And you must be most earnest against those errors that be likeliest to encroach; and even Christian Moderation will grow warm against the stream of common corruption: Our Master Christ forbade expressly, to swear by heaven, or by earth, or by jerusalem, etc. Matth. 5. 34, etc. For it seems by Philo the jew, 
m. p. 490.  that was the customary sin of those times: and so, Gal. 1. 4. Christ hath delivered us from the present evil world. There is an Emphasis in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the present evil world: we must be most watchful against those corruptions, in faith, and manners, that are growing upon us, what ever they be; and not to speak of others now, for my part, use what Moderation you please to the persons, and estates of the Papists; but let us avoid, I beseech you, whatsoever in truth, or true appearance is doctrinally so: the judaical Rites had another kind of claim, yet the first Christians declined them with great and universal vehemency: Say the world what it will, I freely pronounce, 
August. T. 2. ep. p. 346.  saith Hierome, that the Ceremonies of the jews are pernicious and deadly to Christians; and whosoever observes them, whether he be jew or Gentile is sunk down into hell: and yet God's direction to his first people concerns all his Israel now, Levit. 18. 3. After the do of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelled shall ye not do, and after the do of the Land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do, etc. And in both respects we should abandon the ways of Popery, for we came halting from them, and they yet dwell among us; we have found by too long, and woeful, and wounding experience, all our complying with them could not win the least upon them. In our first Reformation Archbishop Cranmer enjoined that no Minister should order matters so, 
Injunct. 3.  that the unlearned people think the old Popish Mass continues still; but the piety of our times, as it was called, wanted nothing, but a command, to trim the Sacraments of Christ after the plain Popish dress of Antichrist. In our second Reformation a Bishop printed it, 
Bp. of Dur. Anno 1561.  in the beginning of the Queen's reign; we are but too much like the Papists, that is our fault generally, that we differ not more from them; but the good work in hand of late, accounted it th●ir great honour and glory to come nigh unto them: To conclude, and I know you observe it well, danger from Rome was foreseen in the first, and second Reformation; I say no more, but, Beware the third time.  
The third Use of Confutation: 
Use 3.  it is of the Remonstrants, Arminians, and Socinians, who endeavour from my Text, to get countenance for the Babylonish Error, the allowance of all Opinions, as if, because the Apostle saith, Let your moderation be known unto all men; 
Remonstranst. sect. ult. Censur. Remonst. Praef. Harm. Remonst. & Socin. p. 231.  therefore all men's conceits must be borne with in Religion, and every one suffered in what he supposeth to be truth: it is a cunning and cozening devise, that strikes in with corrupt nature; but because it offers violence to my Text, I cannot be true to it, or you, if somewhat be not added by way of vindication, and it will be in these six particulars.  
First, Is it probable that our Apostle, who elsewhere, almost every where, is so zealous for unity, against Schisms, should in any sort tolerate them, and so voluntarily open a wide door● for division? in this very Epistle he writes for peace, even passionately, but with mighty power, Phillip 2. 1, 2. If there be 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, and of one mind. And in the next Chap. 3. 16.— Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing: expressions different from all licentious tolerations: the same Apostle abounds in serious dehortations from schisms and dissensions, Rom 13. 12. 16. 17. and as carnal, 1 Cor, 3. 3. and in other places: And he doth very often exhort with earnest words and arguments, not only that we be , Rom. 15. 6. Phil. 2. 2. and of one mind, 2 Cor. 13. 11. but of the same mind, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  1 Cor. 10. 10. joined, yea jointed together in the same mind, and in the same judgement: And is here the least approbation of that multiplying Doctrine? neither will that excuse, so long as they all breath Christ, tend to the advancement of Christ; it matters not: but let Saint Paul answer this Objection also, Is Christ divided? 1 Cor. 1. 13. Consider it well, and season your consideration with that of our Master Christ himself, Mar. 9 50. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another: If we were preserved by humility from the corruptions of self-opinion, it would be no hard matter to embrace unity.  
Secondly, Such allowance would prove destructive to holiness, both personal, and domestical; Omnis religio, & nulla religio, would soon be the same: Suppose the husband of one opinion, the wife of another, the children, it may be, of one or two other, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and the servants of as many more; what shall the Master of the house do here? how perform the family duties? diversity of opinions, like so many hatchets interrupting their prayers, 1 Pet. 3. 7. chopping all devotion and piety in pieces: as the Duke of Wittenberg was wont to say, New garments introduce new manners, new manners bring in new men, and new men thrust out the old; so new opinions suffered will devour the old; and the toleration of every Religion, will destroy all Religion: and in conclusion, leave no Religion at all.  
Thirdly, this liberty is inconsistent with civil tranquillity; the bleeding condition of our own Nation at present is a living, almost a dying witness of this; and if that one Religion of Popery so tolerated as it was, hath brought in upon us so many destructions; what will that multiplication do, but hasten desolation without recovery? for every party would endeavour to support itself to the prejudice of the rest; & dum de religione certatum est regio, dum de caelo terra amissa; as it was said long since.  
Fourthly, the late Bishops of Ireland may put this liberty to to silence and shame; for when not long since a toleration of Popery in that Kingdom was proposed, they said, To give the Papists a toleration is a grievous sin, and will make us accessary to all their abominations, and the perdition also of seduced souls.  
Fifthly, 
Cam. op. succis. part. 1. p. 262.  This may be currant doctrine among the Turks; and the Grand Signior told his Mufti, that is, his chief Priest, As a Garden is beautified with variety of flowers, so his Empire would be adorned with diversities of religion: let such toleration find allowance in the Turks Paradise; it shall never, I trust, be planted in the Paradise of God.  
Sixthly, We have undertaken all in the Nationall Covenant, the establishment of Uniformity, and how that can stand with this Omniformitie, indeed Nulliformitie, I understand not: it was a prodigious thing in the days of jeremiah the Prophet, jer. 2. 28. According to the number of thy cities, are thy Gods, O judah: here would soon appear another kind of multiplying and increase; but though this fancy be never so plausible, Divine providence hath shut it out of our Camp by our Covenant.  
Fourth Use of Instruction; 
Use 4.  If our Moderation must be known unto all men, in some cases than it is not unlawful to cause our light to shine, not purposely, proclaiming our righteousness in the Market, or sounding a Trumpet; but first, a man may be his own Encomiast, if his innocency be suspected, or besmeared; thus did Samuel, 1 Sam. 12. 3.  
Secondly, if a Preachers doctrine be traduced, he may make his own Apology, as Saint Paul did, Act. 22. 1.  
Thirdly, By the same example, a man may stir up others to emulation, by magnifying his office, so we read, Rom. 11. 13.  
Fourthly, Thus it is said, if a man be tempted to despair, it is wisdom to remember good actions passed, as job, when he was staggered by the reproaches of his friends, thought of his former integrity, which kept him standing; and I have read of another, that in his tentations to pride, objected his sin against himself, which brought him to humiliation, and in his fits of despair he reflected upon his righteousness, and was so preserved from falling: and Moderation must not be known for pomp and ostentation; Plus laborandam est celare virtutes quam vitia; It is not so dangerous to hid our virtues, as our vices; the revealing even of piety may be sin, but the confession of sin is piety; and if a man's righteous performances be occasionally divulged, God must have the praise for it, who is the donour of it: Like vessels of gold and silver, that receive not into them the Sunshining splendour, but by reverberation return it whence it came, so do the Saints in all their gifts and graces, well called in our language gifts, that nothing be assumed unto man, but all ascribed to Christ, the King of Saints, Revel. 15. 3. from whom proceedeth every good and perfect gift, jam. 1. 17.  
Fifth Use of Exhortation, 
Use 5. 1.  will speak as it is of private and public concernment, and first, A sensu diviso ad sensum compositum; Let every man's Moderation be known to all men, all men in sensu composito & aggregato, that is, the Parliament; which is indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Parliament of England is, the All men of England, & now if my voice could reach to every native, and freeborn of this Kingdom, my Text should ring loud in their ears; Let your Moderation in thought, word, and action be known to All men, be shown to this All men, for these considerable reasons.  
First, They are yourselves, you sent them hither, you remain here virtually in them, and with them, do not viciously suspect, or prejudicated their endeavours, do not perfidiously, I might say self-feloniously desert, and oppose them, as some have done; Qui sibi nequam, cui bonus? it is self-injury and iniquity to be injurious to them.  
Secondly, The Parliament is the supreme Magistracy of the Kingdom, and it is a law in the Old Testament, not repealed in the New, but reinforced, Exod. 22. 28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, that is, the judges and Governors, as the word is in the preceding Chapter, 21. 6. and so it is, Act. 23. 5. Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people.  
Thirdly, They have studied to break off every heavy yoke, and deliver you from that vassalage was brought upon you by the tyranny of evil counsellors; Consider well, Old Israel felt their lives bitter by their cruel bondage in Egypt, Exod. 1. 14. And because of it, they harkened not to Moses, Exod. 6. 9 Such a spirit of bondage was upon you, you cried for a Parliament, God heard you, and will you now murmur against Moses, and fight against your Deliverers?  
Fourthly, All the evil that is come upon you, and the kingdom, is from yourselves, in this very particular, some groan under burdenous taxations, in other places the war and plundering devour all in a grievous and bloody manner; the former would not have been, the other could not have been done, if you had been true to yourselves, and your moderation known, and shown to this All men, and in them to your own peace and happiness.  
Fifthly, And yet let it be so manifested, because the odium, envy and danger, that is upon them from their opposites, is for endeavouring your good; let them therefore have your prayers, your purses, your persons, your power, because their peril is from their Moderation; they would confine and regulate the evil counsels about the King in Religious and Civil affairs, this is, and hath been their great offence, which is indeed their praise, and I shall speak to them, as I say it of them elsewhere, they are ready to embrace any Moderation, that is consistent with the safety of Religion, King, and Kingdom.  
And now Worthy Senators, 
2.  I beseech you, suffer ye also a word of Exhortation; God's truths, you know, are above, beyond man's power, one Nation presumes not to give Laws to another, and if all the Nations in the world were convened in an Occumenicall Assembly, they should have no Authority to moderate any one Doctrine of the most High; there be some circumstantials, concerning which my Text speaks to you; Let your Moderation be known unto all men.  
First, 
Modus regendi.  In the manner of enforcing them; fierce and furious prosecution even of a good cause, is rather prejudice, than promotion, but Eckius told Melancthon as it was, 
Tua Philippe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & Pontani 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plurimum adjuverunt causam vestram. Vit. Melanct. pag. 335. per M. Ada.  that his Modeartion, and the fair language of Pontanus, did exceedingly further them; when james and john saw the Samaritans would not receive Christ; they said, Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them as Elias did? but he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of, Luk. 9 54, 55. We must verily even tenaciously adhere to all divine truths ourselves, and with our wisest Moderation labour to plant, and propagate them in others, and I would say with Erasmus; 
Ep. l. 6. p. 258.  Mihi videtur plus profici civili modestia, quam impetu; Opposites, indeed, must be opposed, gainsaid, reclaimed, but all must be done in a way, and by the means appointed from heaven; It is one thing to show moderation to pious, peaceable, and tender consciences; it is another thing to proclaim beforehand toleration to impious, fiery, and unpeaceable opinions: I say no more, but, Sic vigilet Moderatio, ut non dormiat disciplina; Let Moderation be so much awake, that discipline fall not asleep.  
Secondly, 
Sacrilegium.  Give me leave in the next place, to mind you of the Harpies of this Age, who spying a great alteration like to be made in the revenues of the Church, have their mouths open, and their finger's itch for a share; here is great need of your umpirage, and Moderation: consider, I beseech you, there be many dark corners in the Land, that have not where with to get oil for their lamps, their souls cry aloud for your help, and some ask no more but their own, which hath too long been kept from them, and it is now high time to make restitution; Sacrilege hath ever proved a fatal offence, you will not so much as in purpose be defiled with it; you would not have Ministers meddle with secularities, poverty will make them more secular, and if Preachers be poor, there will be poor Preaching too at the last; Oh that every Lamp in the Kingdom had its proportionable oil, that is your endeavour, and as you have no thought yourselves to entangle your own Patrimonies with the Church's possessions, I wish you would declare to the world, you will not suffer others to do it; And again, I beseech you in this; Let your Moderation be known, etc.  
3. 
Templa.  And the fabrics of the Churches in some places call for your care, the stone out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber decaying apace: I am glad for my part, they are scoured of their gay gazing, and I marvelled a great while since, how, and why the Organs grew so many, and blew so loud, when the very Homilies accused them for defiling God's house; 
Part 2. 131.  Much dispute there was of late about adherent and inherent holiness of Churches, and it was accounted a sin to be covered in them, and it is now a pnnishment in some not to be covered, a punishment by the wind and weather, from the roof, and windows; so easily men fall from one extreme to another, and 'tis meet that in this also your Moderation should be known. 
Dies festi.   
4. And your Moderation must have influence upon Holy days also; the Lords day indeed, the holy Sabbath, is a Noli me tangere, you must not otherwise meddle therewith, then to sanctify it yourselves, and command that by all others it be sanctified, and in this you do well to use all diligence, because of the most profane and desperate attempts of late made against it, as if we had been Turks or Pagans, 
De C. B. l. 16. c. 32.  and not Christians, from Christ; Divino praecepto intonante obediendum est, non disputandum, Augustin. the thunder of God's word was not heard, and now the thunder of God's sword is felt; 
Immodicam festorum multitudinem non ego solus improbo, praescrum, quia hodie nullis diebus plus peccetur, quam festis; moderata festa valde prob●, sed ea velim sacris rebus, non voluptatibus & sceleribus dari. Io. Long Episc. Lincoln. l. 22. p. 914. De B. Philogon.  you have power, 'tis most happily improved for the Lord, and the day of the Lord; there is reason and religion your Moderation should be known and shown to the other festivities, not only because of their abuse, superstition, and other evils, but of their increase, the holy week of Lent crept into the rubricated Calendar in these days: so did the Conversion of Paul and Barnabas his day. I would commend the zealots of this devotion to the care of Rome heathen, C. Cassi: de Moderatione festorum, or else to their own Lyndwood, or above them both to Erasmus; for I hasten to make mention of that which I know every one observes, that the providence of heaven is here become a Moderator, appointing the highest festivity of all the year, to meet with our monthly Fast, and be subdued by it: for chrysostom doth well call the day of Christ's Nativity the Metropolis and chief of all other festivals; for indeed from this arose all the other dedications in the name of Christ and his Apostles, which else had not been known in the world, those be the children of that mother, and who is not abundantly satisfied with the hand of God upon them altogether, which hath, as Austin said of the jews synagogue, given them an honourable burial? but to those that are not thus satisfied, I have three other things to say.  
First, 'tis probable enough, we never yet kept right the day of Christ's Nativity, 
Wolf. de T. p. 81.  I do not mean in respect of the manner, but the time, learned men supposing it very unlikely that such a general taxation should be made through the peaceable world in the depth of winter, so unseasonable a time for all to travel into their own Cities to be taxed, as in Luke 2. 1. etc. not to mention their other conjectures.  
Secondly, 
Scromat. l. 1. m. p. 98.  Clemens Alexandrinus about 1400. years since declares, that some thought the day of Christ's birth was in the month of May, and others in january, others yet in April; there were yet further surmisings: but observe, if there was so little certainty in those days, so near the times of the Apostles, there must needs be much more uncertainty now.  
Thirdly, 
Epist. l. 9 71.  It was Gregory's counsel, that the Pagan feasts should by degrees be changed into Christian Holidays, that they might the more easily be drawn to Christianity; and some writ expressly, that our Christmas Festivities, in respect of time and manner of celebration, 
Io. Beleth. c 120. Hospin. de Festis Christianis. p. 111.  came from the Saturnals of the Gentiles; These were also observed in the month of December, They had their liberal Feast and Invitations, ServantS among them also at that time were Masterly and followed their own affairs, They had a wild Ceremony, like to the Lord of Misrule in some places, Newyears gifts were also sent abroad, which Hierome calls Saturnalium sportulas. But it will be said, 
Object.  this is hard doctrine for servants, whose condition shall be worse than beasts, if they have no rest, nor relaxation, and shall those abuses quite abolish the memory of Christ's Birth and Nativity, and that among Christians? Is this your Moderation? this relisheth surely of extreme excess rather. 
R.  I have three things to speak against this pretence, not doubting, but that servants shall have time allotted them for their refreshing, and yet God not rob of his honour, care being taken that their sports be not sinful, nor they in them; and if any Sermon or Lecture occasionally be in the place, and on the day of their refresh, that they repair thither also, for even the Canons of 1604. required Schoolmasters to bring their Scholars to the Sermons, see them quietly and civilly behave themselves there, and examine them at times convenient what they have learned by such coming▪ Yea their condition then both inwardly and outwardly will be much bettered. 
Can. 79.  And to the other part of the Objection I say;  
First, I wish on mine own behalf and others, that those heathenish, mad, and riotous usages had never been known among Christians, and that now they might be quite abandoned for ever; but let the neighbourhood, and charity of those times at least in some time of the year be continued; sure I am, that some who had withered hands all the year beside, did at that season stretch them out to the poor.  
Secondly, Though this day of Christ's Birth be thus overcome by our monthly Fast, yet our Saviour's Nativity hath, and shall have its Commemoration, not only in the Day solemnised for his Resurrection, in which is involved all the Compliment and Consummation of Christ's doing and suffering, and Exaltation; but further, the Lords Day is thought to be the very determinate Day of the week when Christ was borne; for those that mention the Privileges of the elder Brother, the first Day of the week, say it was not only the first Day of the world, no night went before it, 
Alb. M. Comp. p. 158.  but it shall be the last day, and no night shall come after it, and that it was the very Day of Christ's Birth and Baptism, etc.  
Thirdly, If the serious disquisition of Historians, and Mathematicians, shall calculate and design the month & the day, I shall not vote against the Christian celebration thereof, but as at Berne, when the Gospel was first reintroduced, they set their prisoners at liberty, and proclaimed freedom; and we observe a Day in memory of our Deliverance from that Hellish, Romish Powder Plot; so, if God please to deliver us from the Diabolical designs of these times, I hope you will appoint a Day in Commemoration thereof.  
Fifthly, 
Jejunia.  And for Fasting Days, your Christian Moderation is already made known, not twice or thrice in the week, which they said of old might savour of vainglory, 
Vit. Pat. part. 2. p. 150. 4.  neither have you commanded such rigorous observation, as Luther blamed in Melanct. macerating his body, 
Vit. ubi sup.  quasi ferrum, aut saxum esset; nor as Bernard, who confessed he did too much debilitate his body by abstinence, and watching, but as Zach. 8. 19 The Fast of the fourth month, etc. and yet besides this, you have had many other occasional days of Humiliation, that which you had the last week among yourselves, was most remarkable among men, and acceptable, we are assured, unto your God also, and yet I crave leave to invite unto one Solemn Fast more: Oh that a Trumpet were blown in Zion, and a Fast sanctified; but I would have it sanctified, thorough both the Armies, in all the Kingdom, and though your power reach not so fare, I wish it were tendered to them; and trial were made of them; however, two most memorable occasions implore Divine direction and blessing upon your unwearied labours.  
First, Treaty of Pacification, is in your serious endeavours, that the Kingdoms may yet be happy in a safe and well-grounded Peace; & it is high time to hasten it, the whole Land almost is already laid waste by the Sword, which, if not speedily sheathed, is bringing upon us a worse evil avoidable, a Famine; for they that be slain with the sword, are better than they that be slain with hunger, etc. Lam. 4. 9 but let not the fear of Sword, or Famine scare you into any other Peace then that which is the Peace of God made in Christ, joined with truth, else a greater mischief will fall upon the Nation, than war or hunger; Not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of God, etc. Amos 8. 11. Great cause have we therefore now to cry mightily unto God, and seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance, Ezr. 8. 21.  
Secondly, The great change in Ecclesiasticals, that is to appear suddenly in the Kingdom, in respect of Worship and Government, may well double our devotions in this very time; 
Prologue. in Matth.  Hierome Writes, that when Cerinthus, Ebion, and other heretics, denied Christ's coming in the flesh, the holy men of those times desired Saint john the Evangelist, to write his Gospel in their confutation; which he promised, upon their undertaking to Fast, and Pray for God's blessing: which done, Saint john, he said, was full of the holy Ghost, and wrote; In the beginning was the Word, etc. Joh. 1. 1. And indeed when the greatness of this work is looked upon, with the multitude of opposers, there is great reason we should all with our holiest diligence invocate the Majesty of heaven, that these things may tend to his glory, and find acceptation in the souls, hearts, and lives of the people.  
Sixthly, 
Ecclesiastici.  The men of my Profession desire to have a share in your Moderation also; and indeed I cannot think, but that of Titus, otherwhere called, 
Joseph. de B. J. 7. lib. c. 13.  deliciae humani generis, favoured not of humanity, when his soldiers had taken the Temple at Jerusalem, and the Priests begged their lives, he denied them, saying, they should perish together; I wish all the evils of these men were destroyed, but do none of their persons deserve favour? did none of them, to their power, withstand the inundation of superstition? When the Monks and Nuns here thrust themselves out of their unclean Cages; they had salaries for their lives, and in other countries, Exire poterunt ad laborem, 
Mycou. Vit. Zuingli.  coniugium, literas, quis erat animus, They were dismissed from their employment, but had stipends to their death: You have already herein declared your Moderation, in assigning a portion, for the support of wife, and children, and it were well, if no complaints were brought before you against some, that are so loath to part there with.  
Seventhly, 
Heterodoxi.  Another sort of men call for your Moderation; yea, and plead merit too; I know not what to call them, but I mean the men of many opinions, though, I hope, they be neither so numerous, nor faulty, as their opposites suggest, and yet to as many of them, as pretend to godliness, and be with us in Covenant, I say no more, but wish them to read it, to study it, to keep it; in the rest, I would wonder with what conscience, or wisdom they abstain from that bond, when the Romanists universally are in armed combination against them, and us; a very hard matter, I confess, it is to moderate erroneous opinions, some have dared into the world that should have been, Anonimas, not once named as becometh Saints; and for the rest, I thought sometimes, and pardon me, if I think so still, if their Tenants were commanded from them, in express terms, they would appear, either not to be tanti, that for them public tranquillity should be endangered, or else coming forth naked into the world, barefaced, and in their colours, they would be a shame to their abettors.  
Eightly, 
Papifts.  The Papists indeed, that be jesuited, in respect of their guilt, and Ireland's blood, expect not your Moderation; and surely such should be shown them, as may preserve yourselves and the Kingdoms from their frauds and cruelties; against which you will be now more vigilant than ever, because they have revealed now more than ever their evil intentions, and can swallow those oaths without chewing, which former times of peaceableness could not get down, by any art or persuasion: and though their very Religion, 
p. 503.  like Draco's Laws, be written in blood, as King james observed: and in the Nether-lands they made a show of Moderation, and called their Edict so, yet even that in truth was, was felt, and was then called Murderation; also as Meterane writes, 
p. 46  they had then their Consilium sanguinis: they walk by the same Principles, and worse Practices; yet none of them ever suffered death among us merely for Religion. [I had other particulars to have mentioned, but I saw the time would not permit me to speak them out of the Pulpit; I forbear them therefore now also; 
Secunda par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ] and I come to handle the reason of the Text, but Doctrinally, and very briefly: The Lord is at hand: and I shall not insist upon the Lords being at hand, by his providential approximation to support us in, or deliver us from trouble, as Psal. 22. 11. Be not fare from me, O Lord, for trouble is near: nor how he is at hand to observe all our actions, so keeping us in awe and obedience, because All things are naked, and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4. 13. But in this Doctrinal part of the propinquity of our Lords coming to judgement, I shall show first, the parallel Scriptures; and secondly, the probable reasons thence; and then the Application will be in such practical uses as you shall see God's Word hold forth visibly in those places where the Text, or the sense of it, is mentioned.  
First, 
Scripture.  It is very considerable that the Apostles all so speak, as if Christ, the Lord, would in their days come to judgement, so many hundred years ago. Thus 1 Cor. 10. 11. We are they upon whom the ends of the world are come. So Heb. 10. 37. Yet a little while, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yet a very very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. And Saint james 3. Behold, the judge standeth before the door, 5. 9 And Saint Peter, The end of all things is at hand: And thus Saint john, It is the last time, 1 joh. 2. 18. And so Saint jude, 18. And if so then a thousand years ago, it is the miracle of miracles, that yet the Lord is not come to judgement: the succeeding Ages after the Apostles were of the same mind, and they watched on Easter Even by ancient tradition, as if their Master Christ would in one of those Vigils come to judge the world; in similitudinem Aegyptii temporis, saith Tertullian: As Pharaoh the King risen up in the night, 
p. 107. K. Lactan. 7. 19 Hieron. in Matth. 25. August. de T. 154. 251. De Vn. Eccl. p. 301.  and all his servants, and there was a great cry in Egypt, etc. Exod. 12. 30. And in Cyprians time all things were accomplished, as he thought, that were forerunning tokens of the world's end. It were easy to heap up the conjectures of several Centuries; but we must all acquiesce in the determination of our Master who shall be the judge, Matt. 24. 36. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heaven, but the Father only. But that I may prepare myself and you to the serious and practical consideration of the  Uses: observe these Scripture arguments.  
First, 
Reasons.  There shall be signs in the Sun, and the Moon, etc. Luk. 21. 25. And if Mathematicians, may be credited, the celestial Orbs are not as they were: 
Aret. Probl. p. 1016.  the Sun not so distant from us as at the first, but nearer by many German miles; to say nothing of the prodigious sights and noises seen and heard in our days.  
Secondly, Mens hearts fail them for fear, etc. Luk. 21. 26▪ As lightning is first seen, then thunder heard; smoke precedes fire, and the sea swells before a storm; so the soul of man, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Epist.  as Synesius, calls it, droops before danger, trembles before it is hurt, and by its inward timorousness foretells evils to come; and that appears by the several presaging of men that discover their fears by their conjectures: That famous Grebner found out the year of the world's end by the word judicium, 
JUDICIUM numerum ruituri continet orbis. Problem. p. 1057. Ecce Spons. ven.  every letter thereof being numeral; but we have already outlived that fancy above thirty years. Aretius' by some Chronogrammaticall expressions of Scripture, proposed this next to be the last year of the world. Doctor Alabasters conceit out of those two Greek words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, may savour of fancy and fear.  
Thirdly, Religion and Holiness, the two pillars of Heaven and Earth, are so much decayed and discountenanced, as we need no other demonstration that those last and perilous times are come, that Saint Paul spoke of, 2 Tim. 3. 1. For as the old age of man, the lesser world, is full of corporal infirmities; so the greater world in its declining estate abounds with manifold abominations: read at leisure the two next verses, and see how unhappily these day's comment upon them; if you think on any one of those sins, the same thought will tell you where to find them.  
Fourthly, The unnatural divisions that are up in the world, are undeniable presages that the Lord is at hand: for when the Disciples privately demanded of their Master, what should be the signs of his coming to judgement; among others this is recorded by the three Evangelists: The brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son, etc. Mar. 13. 12. Matth. 24. 10. Luk. 21. 16. And we need not inquire among jews, Turks, and other Nations for the accomplishment hereof; but as Christ in another case, Luk. 4. 21. I may say, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your cares, O England: never since thou wert a Nation didst thou see thyself so miserably torn, and rend with such civil, uncivil, unnatural, and bloody distractions: If it had been said to any of thy people, four or five years since, that they should do such things, as are now done in the midst of thee; they would have replied with the indignation of Hazael, 2. King. 8. 13. Are we dogs, destitute of all humanity, to do this? and yet, wretched things are done by men, Christian men, Englishmen against Englishmen, professing the same Religion, protesting the same Cause, and End of their quarrel: O that thou couldst yet discern those formidable clouds of blood in their scattering: but alas, they threaten worse evils, even to make thee a full sea of blood within, as thou art without surrounded by water: for the woeful divisions of England there be great thoughts of heart: I will not say, as jeremy 2. 12. Be ye astonished, O heavens, at this; Nor, be ashamed ye Husbandmen, joel 1. 11. But let all those be ashamed and astonished, Prophets and people, that have not helped to quench, but kindle this fire: This is indeed a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation, Ezek. 19 14. But to return from this sad complaint upon our most miserable dissensions, a doleful presage that the Lord is at hand, the props of the world decay; prodigious sights portend as much, and the fainting of men's hearts fore-bode the same: I am not ignorant, that some convinced by strong evidence of Christ's reigning here upon earth; before that time, understand all these places of that coming of Christ; and my purpose is not at all to pry into those hard and hidden moments of Gods own concealing: and sure I am, those that wade this way meet with deep difficulties; as bow?  
●irst, all the forenamed Scriptures should be so applied, 1 Cor. 10. 11. The ends of the world are come: and it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Roman world or Empire, as Luk. 2. 1. And Saint Peter is yet more universally express; The end of all things is at hand, 1 Pet. 4. 7.  
Secondly, the day of judgement is called, A great and notable day, Act. 2. 20. An appointed day, 17. 31. Yet it is more than one, one of the days of the Son of man, Luk. 17. 22. 26.  
Thirdly, Who can determine the finals of the Beasts power, unless the Originals were manifest? Rev. 13. 5, etc.  
I might say much of Ancient and Modern confidences this way, but my purpose is to improve the remaining time allotted, in the serious consideration of what God himself tells, we ought all practically learn from the Lords being at hand, and the judgements now in the land may, and aught to hasten these truth's home to our souls.  
First, 
Repentance.  Speedy Repentance from dead works: read Act. 17. 30, 31.— Now he commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world, etc. Many things are here observable, but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Now, is that I desire to fasten upon you, and myself; for if in Saint Paul's days it was an argument of, and to Repentance; it should much more accelerate us thereunto, upon whom the Lord is nearer now by sixteen hundred years. Consider with thyself then, O my soul, and suppose, thou wert here guilty of some capital crime, for which the judge were ready to reckon with thee, and pass sentence of death, or deliverance, as he finds thee; couldst thou sleep or be secure? or wouldst thou trifle away thy time? would not all thy care be by some means or other to gain favour from the judge? Be thou assured, O my soul, That the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, Psal. 1. 5. Thy conscience knows what a load of sin lies upon thee; even a burden too heavy for thee to bear, Psal. 38. 4. Oh why dost thou not hasten to ease thy self of this weight by unfeigned repentance, before the judge come, and pronounce the irrevocable sentence? Read, and remember to do as Act. 3. 19 Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Infinite is the matter of our Humiliation, in respect of nature, persons, and nation; of past, and present times: but this day, and those next it, have been heretofore the only merry season of the year, and the Devil hath been served better on those Twelve days, then on all the twelve months beside; and our Master Christ hath most unchristianly by many been dishonoured, even in those days said to be devoted to his glory: And I may borrow here the words of Nicholas de Clemangis, 
M. p. 143.  touching his Popish Festivities; What heathen man, if he had come into those feasts, seen and heard our Christmas Gambols, would not have taken them rather to be the Floralia of Venus, or the Orgia of Bacchus, than Christian holy days? and who can lay his hand upon his heart, and say, he is innocent as touching this in all respects? 
Ordinance.  Great cause therefore had your Ordinance to command this day to be kept with more solemn humiliation, because it may call to remembrance our sins, and the sins of our forefathers, who have turned this feast, pretending the memory of Christ, into an extreme for getfulnesse of him, by giving liberty to carnal and sonsuall delights, being contrary to the life which Christ himself led here upon earth: Those days were professedly dedicated to extraordinary mirth, and rejoicing: we read no such thing of our Master Christ at any time, but he wept often, and offered up many prayers, and supplications with strong crying and tears, Heb. 5. 7. Our Master Christ was never idle; but went about doing good, Act. 10. 38. and elsewhere, every where in the Gospel; but among us it was accounted almost a crime, for men, or their servants to do any labour on any of those days: practices, as your Ordinance said truly, contrary to the spiritual life of Christ in our souls, for the sanctifying and saving whereof Christ was pleased both to take an humane life, and to lay it down again: but the extreme forgetfulness of Christ in those days of Christ, the extreme excess of carnal and sensual delights were most extremely distant from that spiritual life should be in Christians, who work out their salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. not in secure, heathenish, and profane merriment; They pass the time of their sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1. 17. Not only because he that hath called us is holy, and bids us to be so likewise, vers. 15. 16. but because of our redemption by the precious blood of Christ, etc. vers. 18, 19 therefore we should pass our time in fear; not in wanton, wild, and impious pastimes, which do put men into a posture altogether unmeet for the service of Christ, or care of our souls: had the Nation no other sins to answer for, surely without the blood of Christ, whom men have so much dishonoured to his face, we should be in a most desperate condition: Go hence therefore and examine, and bewail, and consider, God's providence hath made this day, this very day, the head of all that jocundity, a day of Humiliation; do not miscall it, let it be so to every one of us, for our own, the Nationall transgressions it hath been formerly guilty of in those days; and if the Lord, who is at hand, had called any of us out of the world, when we were busy in those foolish, vain, and unchristian usages; we may now tremble to think how unfit we had been to meet the Lord jesus coming in the clouds.  
Secondly, 
heavenly-mindedness.  Let us wisely wean ourselves from the world, and this we learn from the very next words after the Text, The Lord is at hand, In nothing be careful: Yea, our Lord himself gives us the same counsel, in the very same words, Luk. 21. 34. Take heed that your hearts be not at any time overcome with the cares of this life, and that day come upon you unawares: There may be a season for other things, but none for Christians to be solicitous for earthly things: Our Father is in heaven, so we say, so we pray; heaven is our Country, so we profess, Heb. 11. 16. Why do we then dig so deep in the earth, and desire to load ourselves with thick clay? The Apostle, in the Chapter before my Text, hath expressions that may loathe any man thereof; whose end is destruction, and their glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 19 Damnation is their end, and why should not Hell be their portion, who care not for Heaven? But they are the brave men of the world in the mean time: No such matter, their glory is in their shame; they wallow in the mire with swine, that might have conversed with Saints: But who are those damnable and inglorious men? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men that are wise for the world, that mind earthly things. What shall I say more, what can I add better, then that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 29, 30, 31. This I say brethren, the time is short, it remaineth that both they who have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as though they used it not; for the fashion of this world passeth away: The dehortation is very full and emphatical; but that which I especially observe in it is, that it is compassed in, and about, at the beginning, and in the end, with the argument of my Text, lest our hearts, that hanker so much world-ward, should any way get out, after it.  
Thirdly, 
Perseverance.  The Lord is at hand, therefore constantly persevere in his holy truths, and this Use is held out to us by john the Divine, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that keep the words of this Prophecy: for the time is at hand, Revel. 1. 3. Yea and S. Paul, assoon as he had mentioned this doctrine, 1. Cor. 10. 11, makes this very use and application; Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he full, ver. 12. He that is strong, must not be secure, because he stands in slippery places, nay he standeth not, only he thinketh that he standeth, therefore let him take heed lest he fall: and caution for perseverance is not only suitable to my text, but the times, these suffering times, wherein men are most apt to recidivate, and fall away, as the parable of the seed and sowers make evident, Matth. 13. 21. Peter and the other Apostles promised fairly to themselves, and their Master in the Calm, Though we should die with thee, yet will we not deny thee, so said all the Disciples, Mat. 26. 35. Yet in the storm, nay before the storm came at them, they run away for fear, they haste to shelter, indeed from shelter, because from Christ, They all forsook him, and stead, verse. 56. Thus Demas entangled with the love of earthly things, deserts Christ, and his Apostle, embraceth the present world, and departs to Thessalonica, 2. Tim. 4. 10. where he is made a keeper of the Pagan Idols, as some of the Ancient have recorded; 
Doroth. Synop.  but as for us, let that of our Master Christ be ever in our ears, always in our hearts, Luk. 12. 9 He that denieth me before men shall be denied before the Angels of God, and if Christ turn his face from thee in that day, tremble at thy doom, who will, who can; who dare speak for thee, if thine own Advocate be silent, and indeed it is most just they be so dealt with, that Apostatise from the truths of Christ; it is just, I say, Lege talionis, even by the Law of retaliation; for that's the sentence of the holy Ghost, If we deny him, he will also deny us, 2. Tim. 2. 12.  
Fourthly, 
Holiness.  Zealous endeavours after holiness: and thus S. Paul having spoken of the judgement to come, 2 Cor. 5. 10. he adds presently, verse 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, to what? but the righteous actions of godliness and Christianity: and upon this very foundation S. Peter builds a strong argument to holiness; for having spoken at large doctrinally of the day of the Lord, as also concerning the formidable manner of his coming, 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? he interrogates, but answers not, not because the holy Ghost was at a Non plus, and could not express it; but because he would have us inquire, examine, and increase in every good word and work in our own persons, and as fare as ever our relations do, and can reach private men in their interests, public persons in their engagements, according to that of the holy Prophet, which concerns every one of us, Let judgement run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream, Amos 5. 12. It must be done speedily, delayed no longer, let it run down, and it must be performed impartially, run down as waters, which favour none, drench all that be near them, yea and powerfully also, as a mighty stream, that will suffer no obstructions, but bears all oppositions before it; and that of the author to the Hebrews is pertinent to this purpose also, Let us consider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, because ye see the day approaching, Heb. 10. 24. 25. a Scripture otherwise remarkable in these times, wherein men consider one another, and provoke not to love, but to schism, and siding, not to good works, but their own fancies, to separation, and forsaking the assemblies: but there the Apostle lays the force, and so would I, in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so much the more provoke one another to good works, because ye see the day approaching.  
Fifthly, 
Patience.  Christian Patience in tribulation, is the next thing to be learned from this doctrine of the Lords being at hand; an hard lesson I confess, and they are out of the Form, and School of nature that have learned it, for it is an herb of Grace, and grows not in man's garden, we are all by nature children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. not only passively, subject to suffer the wrath of God because of our sins, but actively also, we are hot, fiery, and impatient, and upon every occasion do discover our distemper; Luther spoke observably, because his own heart, God hath given us, saith he, many blessings, health, quietness, wife, children, and which is above all, the word of his Patience, and yet one fit of the Stone beats out the memory of all these benefits; 
3. 59 5. 81.  Vno malo plus movemur quam mille bonis, Though we have had twenty years of felicity, if one day of sorrow come, all the former calmness is forgotten, clouds of indignation gather, and break out into streams of impatience; nay, if one tooth do but ache, that Centre or point of pain darkens all the Sphere and circumference of God's mercies; It were easy to abound in complaining, but fare more comfortable to fasten upon a remedy, and that is not fare of; because the Lord is at hand; and what sense soever is put upon the words, they breath upon us abundant matter of patience.  
First, The Lord is so nigh, that no suffering can befall us without his appointment, and if we remember it is his hand, we will not utter so much as one word of impatience; as David professed, He was dumb and opened not his mouth, because the Lord did it, Psal. 39 9  
Secondly, The Lord's example is near, should always be at hand for our animation and encouragement; It is enough for the disciple to be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord, Matth. 10. 25. an expression that may make us not only patiented, but joyful, yea triumphant in misery, Christians to be as their Master Christ, it is enough, and they that consider it well, need no other consolation.  
Thirdly, The Scriptures of Christ are written for our comfort, Rom. 15. 4. and in them the Lord is at hand; For the word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, Rom. 10. 8. and for this, in this, thou mayest be patiented; I will rejoice in him because of his word, in the Lord I will rejoice because of his word, Psal. 56. 10.  
Fourthly, Yea the Lord is at hand, to put a period to all our pressures; Look up, and lift up your heads, for the day of your redemption draweth nigh, Luk. 21. 28. so jam. 5. 7, 8. Be patiented therefore brethren, unto the coming of the Lord; Behold, the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, till he receive the early and latter rain; be ye also patiented, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh; It is no great matter that the husbandman expects, fruit of the earth, yet he hath great patience; we have much more in hope, heavenly and eternal things: and therefore we should be much more in patience, and we may note also the reason of the Text, gins and ends, compasseth about this lesson of patience; initio 7. verse. & fine 8. Yea in this, and for this, hear the judge himself, who is at hand, Luk. 21. 19 By your patience possess your souls, a direction for times like ours, suffering times, ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake, Vers. 17. and if they say, Master, in that deplorable condition, where no man will appear for us, what shall we do? 
Non villas vestras, non laudes, non luxurias. August. Faith.  his answer is, be not solicitous for your houses, or lands, or reputation, or body, but for your souls; possess them by patience.  
Sixthly, Faith in the Lord jesus Christ is also commended to us, from this Doctrine of the Lords being at hand, for when the Apostle had said, Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry; every one that hears this, and believes it, would presently make enquiry, Is the judge coming, so certainly, so speedily, so suddenly? and is he indeed so nigh at hand? Alas, what shall we then do, what course shall we take, where, or how shall we appear? The answer is ready, most excellent and comfortable, in the very next words, Vers. 38. Now the just shall live by faith; Now, at that very time, in the instant of Christ's judging the world, faith shall support and uphold all that depend upon God: A man indebted, that hath not where with to satisfy his Creditor, dares not look him in the face; but if his Surety take out the Bond, all is well, and he is safe: We are all run into deep arrears with, and against God by our sins, and cannot answer him one thing of a thousand, job 9 3. not the least part of one of many thousands, what shall we then do? Live by faith, and our interest in the price of Christ's blood, pay all the debt of our ungodliness, that great and superabundant expiation is made over to us by holy believing; for he was not only our Surety, Heb. 7. 22. but he hath blotted out the hand-writing that was against us, and taken it out of the way, etc. Col. 2. 14. It is written of Pilate, 
M. West. ad A. 38.  that being called to Rome before the Emperor, to give account of some Maladministration, and misgovernment, he put on the seamlesse Coat of Christ, and all the time he beware that garment, Caesar's fury was abated, to his own, and others admiration; That may be a Fable: but sure I am, if we have the Robes of Christ's Righteousness upon us by a lively faith, we shall then have no cause of fear, in that we have not only an Advocate with the Father, 1 joh. 7. 2. but Christ the judge, for our defence and deliverance; It is a terrible question, that of job, but very profitable; and oh my soul sleep not this night, nor any other till thou hast put it home to thyself; For the Lord is at hand; the question is, What shall I do, when God riseth up, and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? job 31. 14. To which no other answer, no better answer can be given, then that of Saint Paul. Rom 13. 14. Put on the Lord jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  
Seventhly, 
Prayer.  The last Practical consideration held forth from this Doctrine of the Lords being nigh at hand, is sober watchfulness unto prayer, and this is the very Use, in terms, Saint Peter wils us to make thereof, who having said; The end of all things is at hand; addeth this immediate inference: Be you therefore sober, and watch unto prayer, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Yea, our Lord himself, who is a● hand, speaks to each of these.  
First, Concerning Sobriety; Take heed, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, and that day come on you unawares, Luk. 21. 34.  
Secondly, The Evangelists generally, for the same reason exhort to watching, Matth. 24. 42. Mark. 13. 33. and they do not mean so much abstinence from sleep, but from sin, and watching, not for worldliness, but for prayer.  
Thirdly, So, Luke 21. 36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always: and in the next words, he gives a Directory of Prayer, two heads of petitions, one, That ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass; the other, that ye may stand before the Son of man; and if you ask when, and how often this must be remembered, he tells us that also; pray always: a duty needful ever, but most of all now, in respect of our own particulars, and the Churches of jesus Christ.  
And for ourselves, let us pray for pardon of sin, strength against lusts, standing in judgement; and as the Martyrs in prison, and at the stake, said to themselves, and others; Pray, pray, pray: so remember the Lord is at hand; therefore forget not to pray, yea, Watch, and pray, Matth. 26. 41. that ye enter not into tentations, into the devouring part thereof, 
Ne intremus in ventr●m tentationis, quasi bestiae cujusdam. Theophylact.  as the belly of a beast: we know not what calamitous times may be reserved for us, but whatsoever they are, or may be, we cannot be armed against them, but by prayer, so we must be prepared, and this we see by our Apostle, who to the Text, The Lord is at hand, instantly subjoins; Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks giving, let your request be made known unto God, Phil. 4. 6. Pray for me, saith Father Latimer to Bishop Ridley, again and again pray for me, 
p. 14.  for I am sometimes so fearful, that I could creep into a Mousehole; (It is his own expression) but God doth visit me again with his consolation: and then the other answers him, unless the Lord assists me with his gracious aid in the time of his service, I know I shall play but the part of a white-livered Knight; 
p. 15.  and yet what Champions, what victorious Champions were they both; and that by prayer? For in the same little Treatise of their comfortable conference, during the time of their imprisonment, Ridley calls on Latimer, as upon an Old beaten Soldier for instruction, 
p. 16.  and help to buckle on his harness; as he phraseth it: and Latimer tells him, you shall prevail more with praying, then studying, 
p. 36.  though mixture be best; but forget not to pray. Let every one for ourselves remember, the Lord is at hand; Besides, the houses we dwell in are made of clay, and the calamities of these times are daily battering these Tabernacles of dust, that may very soon, and suddenly fall about our ears; therefore let every one of us always be sober and watchful unto prayer, and pray earnestly to God, that he will give us Repentance from dead works, that he will wean us from these things below, and teach us to persevere in all Divine truth, and make us abound in every good word and work, that he will enable us to be patiented in tribulation, and fill us with the most holy faith in the Lord jesus Christ.  
And for the Churches of Christ, 
Jer. 30. 7.  remember it is their Day, the very day of jacob's trouble; all the Israel of our God is in perplexity, pray for them all, at home and abroad, pray for the overthrow of Antichrist, the fall of Babylon; pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, and the welfare of Zion; yea, pray earnestly, holily, constantly, 
Gen. 32. 26.  and as jacob, wrestle with God, and do not let him go, till he give you a blessing; And you that make mention of the Lord, hold not your peace, 
Esa. 62. 6, 7.  day nor night, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem, the Churches abroad, and in these Kingdoms, a praise in the earth. And let us of this Nation pray, pray that God would return the Head to the Body, the King to the Parliament; that he will heal our breaches, compose our differences, and hasten the restauration of a safe and well grounded Peace, that yet sticks in the Birth; pray that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon England, Scotland, and Ireland. Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon them, and they shall be safe; And let all them that love God, that love their Religion, that love their Country; that love their Souls, say Amen; Yea, say thou Amen to these things; Thou that Art the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, 
Revel. 3.— 14.  the beginning of the Creation of God. Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.