A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered, Book 1 · Part 3 · Part 3

A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered · Book 1 · Part 3 · Part 3

p. 733. The fruite of their Governement.

Of PEACE.

Vers. 3. The Mountaines shall bring foorth peace. &c.

THis is the third thing he craveth, the fruite of kinglie Governement in the blessing of peace: whither we takePeace the fruite of a good Governement. the Mountaines & hills figuratiuelie, for the estate in generall, or for the degrees of power in greater and lesser Princes, &c. all is to this end, that Iustice well ministered brings peace to a Countrie: for the mighty (who are as mountaines) when they shall see Iustice reigne in the King, are stayed from oppressing the poore, and become a shadow to them. So Iustice is both the mother to bring foorth, and a Nurce to foster peace. Peace is the desired and sweete end of all blessings, and prosperitie it selfe, without it, is but adversity: All our labours are for Peace, and Warres (the wrake of mankind▪ and br…ake of Peace) are vndertaken t… purchase and keepe Peace. And God, the Authour of all hath contempered the vari…tie and dis…rds of creatures, to bring them all to a purposed peace. All men are of him, he summeth them all vp in Governement, and peace is the beautie of all.

This Peace may bee considered in foure sorts: The first is Peace with God, which commeth of a true Religion:1 Peace with God. When men are led by the truth to belieue in God, to repent their sinne, and sinde remission in Christ, that is the way to Gods Peace. Being iustified by Faith, we hauehave peace with God: No faith iustifieth, but the true Faith,Rom. 5. 1.Rom 5:1 & no Religion informeth men in the true Faith, but the true Religion: As it leadeth vsus in a sure way to peace in p. 74Christ, so it leadeth vsus to keepe that peace in sincere obedience. In which respect when God getteth his due, hee blesseth vsus with his Kingdome within vsus. For the Kingdome of God is righteousnesse, peace, and ioy in the holy Rom. 14. 17. Iustitia non est nisi in …a Repub. &c. Aug.Rom 14:17Ghost. This is the peace that no Kingdome can hauehave, but such as hauehave a true Religion; they may hauehave a civill and politicke peace amongst themselues, but none of this peace with God.

The second is a civill peace with man, when every one keepeth his place, and doeth his duetie as hee standeth2 Peace civill. bound; the body is then in good plight when everie member is whole, and exerciseth the functions in order: So in a Kingdome when everie one in his calling doeth his duetie with a loving respect to other, there is peace; or if any bee not peaceablie disposed, their broyling humour is hemmed in by Iustice that they trouble not the peace of their Neighbour. This is a civill peace, the health of the civill body, and a comely beautie in it; when everie one brooketh another in louelove, and worketh to others hands: And thogh there were innumerable men in callings, places, offices, &c. Yet they seeme all to be but one man with one minde, seeking the good of other, and of the common bodie: As in Musicall instruments soundsAug. …vit. 2. 21. are diverse and contrair, high & low, &c. and yet make a sweete harmonie; so in a Kingdome are diverse estats▪ rich and poore, &c. Yet they hauehave an harmonie and concord, and that concord is peace. That rule is generall for all things, Let no man seeke his owne, but everie one anothers good.1 Cor. 10. 14.1 Cor 10:14

The third is a particular peace of our Lotte; when every mā brooketh his lot peaceably without oppressiō, either3 peace, particular. violent, or coloured by Law: This is as the life of our lot, whē our right and possession hauehave a peaceable vse following, and every man may eate vnderunder his owne vine, and vnderunder his owne figge-tree: It is the verie lotte of our lotte, and a pleasantMicah. 4. 4.Mic 4:4 p. 75sawce to sweeten our vse, a sort of fruition of our Lot, the fruite of that fruition, a way to Contentment, and the verie prosperitie of prosperitie.

The fourt may bee called, a Kinglie peace, when people4. Kinglie peace. are in louelove and peace with their King. They are his bodie, and hee their Head, vnderunder whose shaddow they hauehave these peaces: The vse and enjoying of them will reflect vponupon him as a procurer and maintainer. None can finde comfort of a true Religion in libertie and peace, but hee must louelove and pray for him, vnderunder whose governement hee hath that great blessing: None can looke on that publicke peace the health and beautie of the civill bodie, but he must louelove and honour that Head, from whom the influence of the publick peace floweth: And none can enioy the private peace of his Lot, lying downe & rising in peace, but he will louelove the preserver of it: Yea, that peace that floweth from supreme Iustice, is a natiue and kinde Daughter, and so iust as to make vsus honour him who ministreth Iustice for the procuring of peace. All these are strong bands to ty the hearts of good people to such Princes, by whose governement God blesseth them with so inestimable blessings.

This order is in the Angels Song, Glorie to God in heaven Luk. 2. 14.Luke 2:14peace on earth, and towards men goodwill: When man giveth God his glorie, worshipping him in Spirit and truth, then God giveth Peace to man, beeing reconciled to him in Christ; and the ground of both is Gods good will towards man, whereby hee elected him in Iesus Christ; that good will sendeth downe true Religion to man, to direct him in the obedience of Gods revealed will.

These are the fruites of Iustice in their severall branches:The harmonie of these, peaces. The first is Gods peace in our minde: The second is, mans peace in the civill body: The third is Peace of our Lotte: And the fourt is, a peace with the Head of the common p. 76bodie. The first appeaseth the terrours of our Conscience: The second stayeth sactions and divisions amongst Subjects: The third, privat oppression: And the fourth, Rebellion against Princes: And all of them are our ends in their severall kinds: when God dwelleth in vsus, and maketh vsus enioy him in his peace, then hee maketh vsus brooke one another, and our selues in him.

Where Iustice is not, these fruites of peace cannot beeNo Iustice, no peace. Levit. 26. Deut. 27 28.Lev 26Deut 27:28 found: Where God getteth not his due honour in a true Religion, there can bee no peace with him, but hee sendeth warre or other calamities to trouble their peace and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant: As long as Israel worshipped him a right, matters went well with them; but when they fell to idolatry, he raised vp bordering nations to punish them: In like manner hee can punish iniustice among people: Lawfull Governement ministreth Iustice, and Iustice bringeth peace, so want of Iustice bringeth confusion, and confusion breedeth discord. Heerevpon also commeth the losse of particular Peace, when by tumults no man can securely possesse his goods, his blood or life. Where violence rageth, there reason is not heard, and the Lawes are silent more where Armes doe speake.

Iustice well administrate is a great preservation to a Saving severitie.Land: It purgeth it from sin committed, by punishing the sinner, & keepeth many from sin, that they would otherwise commit, and so holdeth off Gods anger, and procurreth his blessing, But neglect of Iustice is crueltie andCruell Clemencie. not clemencie, or rather a cruell merciemercy; it fostereth sinne, and hasteneth Gods wrath; when grievous sins are committed, they defyle the Land, and the Land defyled canNum. 35. 34Num 35:34 not be expiate, but by the punishment of the malefactor: What shall God doe, but powre out his plagues, and mak the Land spew out her Inhabitants, where sinners will not repent, and the Magistrate will not punish.

These two then Iustice and peace goe in others hands inIustice and peace goe in others hāds. p. 77a well governed Kingdome: Iustice without Peace is a fruitelesse severitie, and peace without Iustice is a conspiracie against God: Iustice is Gods arrestment layed vponupon mans corruption, and peace is the quietnesse that followeth that arrest: Both the necessitie and difficultie to keepe peace are as great, as to purchase it; for peace bringeth wealth, and wealth because of our wickednesse bringeth insolencie, and insolencie bringeth violence, so that the daughter Peace would devoure iustice her mother, except Iustice did her second service, to keepe men from violence: Her first service is to giuegive every man his due, and her second is to secure him in it: Peace of her selfe is a thankfull daughter to her Mother Iustice, but our corruptionDeut. 32. 15.Deut 32:15 that abuseth all, can abuse her also, and Ieshurun waxing fatte, will kicke against his feeder; but peace is both best purchased & preserved, when Iustice absolutely reigneth: Therefore good governours of Provinces may tightlie bee called Iustices of peace: their name beareth these twinne blessings of Iustice and peace, and if they answere to their name, they are worthie instruments vnderunder God, and the King by ministration of Iustice, to keepe peace amongst people.Solomon answereth to this peaceable name. 1 Chro▪ 22. 9. 10.1 Chr 22:91 Chr 22:10

In this point David alludeth to Solomons name, for God tolde him: Beholde, a Sonne shall bee borne to thee who shall bee a man of rest: And I will giuegive him rest from all his enemies round about: For his Name shall bee Solomon, and I will giuegive peace and quietnesse to Israel in his dayes. On that prophecie David foundeth this prayer, and Experience proveth both the truth of the Prophecie and force of this prayer. Hee answered to his name; as hee was called peaceable, so hee ruled his people in peace, and God blessed them with great prosperitie vnderunder him: Iudah and Israel dwelt every one vnderunder his vine, &c. They had peace2 Chro. 1. …52 Chr 1:5 with God, so long as they keeped his Commandements, and peace with neighbouring Nations and amongst p. 78themselues: And the fruite of long peace was gold and silver as Stones at Ierusalem.

Heerein hee was the type of the true Solomon Christ Christ the true Solomon Multa de Solomone dicuntur quae e… conventre non possunt, &c. Aug. Civit. 17. 8. 1 Cor. 1.1 Cor 1Iesus, whom this Psalme principallie respecteth, and who for this same end was shaddowed by Melchisedecke; hee is first King of Righteousnesse or Iustice, and then King of Salem or of Peace. Hee proved the King of righteousnesse, when hee fulfilled all righteousnesse, in satisfying the Iustice of God for vsus: and then applying and imputing that Righteousnes vntounto vsus, is the Lord our Righteousnesse: for hee is given of the Father to bee our Righteousnesse, Redemption, &c. Hee proveth the King of our Peace, in that hee hath purchased vsus peace by righteousnesse: ForEsay. 53.Isa 53 the chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his strips wee are healed: When wee are covered with his righteousnesse,Num. 23.Num 23 God seeth not sinne in Iacob, nor iniquitie in Israel: His Iustice beeing satisfied, hath no quarrell against vsus, but by vertue of that satisfaction, iustlie adiudgeth peace and salvation to vsus. It is as proper to Iustice to pardon a penitent sinner in Christ, as to punish an impenitent1 Ioh. 1▪ 9.1 John 1:9 sinner: If wee confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue them. Christs obedience hath a double respect to Iustice, the one of satisfying all it can claime of vsus, the other of meriting all good to vsus. The first putteth away the demerite of sin The other possesseth vsus in peace and glorie.

Of Warre.

THus a good King ruleth his people in peace; butNecessitie of warre. some time necessitie will draw him to Warre, and that either for defence of the truth, his Crowne or Countrie, the iust causes for a lawfull warre. Some hauehave thought Warres vnlawfull to Christians, aaTertul de Coro…, militisbut that was onelie in some times and cases, when the Heathen Emperors vrged Souldiers to offer to idoles, and if they refused, they p. 79were shame fullie cashired or martyred: In such a case it was good to abstaine from a voluntarie or mercenarie warrefare: To goe to warre is not sinne, but to doe it for prey is sin. Non enim militare delictum est, sed pro praeda, &c Aug de verb. Dom. in Matth serm. 19.And though warfare bee a lawfull calling, yet warre is one of the three plagues wherewith God vsuallie breaketh the pride of mans body: As by with-holding of nourishment in Famine, So by violence with his Arrow of pestilence, or by the hand of man in warres.

Our sins procure war at Gods hands: For when we will not serue him in peace, hee maketh vsus suffer in warres: And when our lusts rebell against his grace, why should heeWarre is for sinne. Galat. 5. Rom. 7.Gal 5Rom 7 not punish vsus with the warres of man? Yea, our lustes fighteth within vsus, before wee can fight with man without: For if man could dwell in himselfe in the contentment of his lo…te, hee would not encroach on his neighbour in ambition, crueltie, avarice, &c. Miscontentment with our lot, and too great louelove of earthly thinges maketh vsus quyte peace, and fall in iarring: Warres are sweete to them that hauehave not felt their miserie, but a taste of them giveth a sweeter relish to peace, and this is among other reasons why God afflicteth a Land with warre, that thereafter they may count more of the blessing of peace.

The fruite prooveth it to bee a plague: Thereby peace is broken, Lawes are silent, oppression and iniquitie doeIt shaketh all. reigne. There is neither marches of possession, nor propertie of vse: and no man hath place to iudge, or power to set things aright: beside the violence of the enemie, the insolence of our assistants is intolerable: They who come to helpe vsus, thinke they cannot hurt vsus, but vnderunder colour of defence they bereaue vsus of our goods, and of our liues also if wee resist; and though neither the enemie, nor assisting Friend vse violence, the licence of people in their owne Countrie is no l…sse hurtfull: The Souldiers girdle looseth the most part from all feare of God and respect to man: childrē & women (the obiects of pitie) find p. 80no pitie, but their chastitie and liues destroyed at once, and their defyling is more bitter than their death; cities of many yeares building, in one houre turned in ashes: And though a …and bee a Paradise before Armies, yet after them is an horrid wildernesse.

Man exceedeth all creatures in Hostilitie: Lyons againstMan cruell against man. Lyons, and Dragons against Dragons are not so cruell as man against man: Their fighting is but at occasionall encounters, yet out of sight of other their rage ceaseth:Neque enim vnquam in…er se Leones aut inter se Dra… cones, &c. Aug. civit 12 22. But man can spend dayes, nights and yeares in devysing mischiefe against absent man; their yoaking in Battell is but the fruite of their former plotting: Reason (our priviledge aboue Beastes) when it turneth furious, putteth vsus farre vnderunder them. Wee are borne naked, but crueltie hath turned vsus all in armour: And where it might bee called prudence to invent defensiue weapons, yet crueltie is more inventiue of offensiue weapons to hurt other, and more forward to destroy others than saue our selues. This last Age (the Rendevous of all wickednesse) hath fetched from the hels the invention of Gunnes and fire worke, and that with a defect on the defensiue part: There was no hurting weapon before, but Nature found a Guard for it; but fire-work hath not yet found a shield. Corrupt Nature is more ingenious to destroy than to preserue, and decaying mankind falling further from God, …urneth more to Sathans image, both in an actiue and passiue destruction.

When Armies ioyne in Battell, man is going out of himselfe: And though hee bee reasonable, yet beeing cloathedArmies are men transported. with Brasse or Yron, hee is more brasen and irnish, than his Armour: Hee hath none other respect to his enemie but to destroy him, and that rage is so b…nded, that they cannot helpe their Friend: Though woundes strike their neighbour-Souldier to the ground, yet the necessitie to keepe their ranke turneth them out of louelove p. 81and humanitie; and if they bee straited, they must trode on his bellie to keepe their order: The feete of horses on their head or wombe, pressing out their Braines and Bowels, are the vsuall comforte that fallen men can sinde. Their death is violent in rage at their enemies, and without comfort in soule or bodie from their friends: A Romane Souldier spoyling his slaine enemie, found that hee was his Brother, and killed himselfe for griefe: And what isAug. Civ. 2. 25. all warre-fare, but a killing of our Brethren?

Warres then are the last of all remeeds: A wise Physitian goeth not at the first to cutting and burning, but after all other cures hauehave failed: So a wise Prince goeth not to warre, till all peaceable treatings faile. It is not vndertaken for it selfe, but for peace; and some in a tolerable peace hauehave made warre for a better peace, As a man evill cured of a broken legge will breake it againe, to hauehave it better cured. This is the taske of a good King, in peace to bee furnished for warre, and in warre to aime at peace, and if he must hauehave warres abroad, to keepe louelove and peace at home with his Subiects, and amongst themselues.

True Religion in puritie, & peace, the greatest care of Kings & Subjects.

OF all that is spoken, a generall duetie riseth, both for Princes and people, that if they would hauehave all theseTrue Religion the great care of princes and people. former blessings, they striue carnestlie to maintaine a true Religion: So Theodosius on his death-bed exhorted his Sonnes aboue all things to maintaine the true Faith: And Iustine told the like to Tiberius his Successor. It directeth Kings to bee Kings according to Gods heart, and people to obey as the Lords people: It tempereth authoritie in Princes, and sweetneth Subiection to people: The p. 82great power of Princes that might turne in tyrannie, is made profitable for people; & the naturall antipathy that is in some people is mitigate, and so Princes rule meekelie, and people obey willinglie: Thereby Kings are taught the forme of Governement from God, who disposeth all things sweetely and powerfully; and people submitteth themselues to his ordinance, as to the will of their Father: Kings see great meekenesse ioyned with great power in Christ, who beeing the Lord of all, made himselfe a servant to all; and people see in him a willing subiection to Ioseph and Marie, in the course of his education: And both of them respect other, not onelie as men but as Christians, the Brethren of Christ, and partakers of that same grace and glorie in Heaven. Out will by nature is captivate to sinne, and the fountaine of disobedience; but beeing made free by grace, it sweetelie inclineth that way that God directeth it: God dwelleth in Kingdomes where true Religion is harboured, & by grace giveth an higher qualification to men; as it maketh them true Christians in their Persons, so their actions and offices are good service to God, when they are done at his command, and respect to his glorie.

Impyres hauehave their beginning, growth, hight, and fall: But they fall not as they rise▪ They rise by small degreesTrue Religion is the health of Kingdomes. but fall at once, as by a precipice. Belthazar in one night lost his life and his Kingdome, and the Persian Monarchie fell to Alexander in one day. But there is nothing more forcible to make a Kingdome immortall, than Religion truelie practised, thereby God dwelleth in a Land as their glorie and their Shield.

Kingdomes without true Religion are not so: the old Monarchies of Assyria, Greece, &c. and Republickes, asPagan kingdomes farre behind Christian Kingdomes. Rome, Sparta, &c, are but bad paternes of Governement; they went no further than Nature, because they had none other guide: And neither knew God in Christ, nor sanctification by grace: They had indeede a right to p. 83secure them from the chalenge of man, but in the vse of it were almost as farre behind Christian Kingdomes, as flock, of Beastes are behind Pagan societies. The Heath…n saw this farre, that Religion is most necessar for Estate: And some of them gloried, that the Romanes came to their Monarchie, Religio & timor Dei est qui custodi… &c. Lact▪ de …ra. 12. & 8.not so much by power and craft, as by their Religion. But what they spake of their superstition, we apply it to the truth, for it is Religion and the feare of God that keepeth the Societies of men in order, without which the life of man would bee filled with foolishnesse wickednesse, and cruel…ie.

As true Religion bindeth Princes & people together, soTrue Religion keepeth peace amōg Kingdomes. doth it Kingdome with Kingdome. The pride of Conquerours falleth not in a godly Prince; all the foure Monarchies were founded by Pagans; & whē the Roman Emperors turned Christian, they left their conquering humour▪ though they had power to conquer more: Christ the Prince of Peace, maketh such Kings (as hee ruleth) peaceable; his Gospel is a Law of peace, and his grace maketh men as Lambes, to do as they would be done to: …hogh the beasts in the Ark keeped their naturall fiercenes, vet God suspended it during their byding there, and the Lyon & the Lambe liued peaceablie together. Nature and superstition bidde men vse their sword to conquer and destroy, but the grace of Christ maketh them turne their Swords in Syths, andIsa. 2. 4. Micah. 4. 3.Isa 2:4Mic 4:3 their Speares in Mattockes. Pagans and Mahumetans warre against other, and both of them against Christians; and amongst Christians the conquering humour is not in Protestant Princes, but in Papists: because their superstition mortifies not their corruption, but giveth it full libertie. Since the Catholike Kings became Iesuited as well in policie, as in Religion, they are the oppressours of Europe; but when they turne to the truth, they will lay downe that invading and encroaching humour, and content them to rule their owne Subjects in peace: But since poperie directeth them to oppresse other, and for that end p. 84hath set vp the negociating and statizing order of the Iesuits, it is not the Religion of the Lambe, but the cruelti… of the Dragon. France, Austria & Spaine hauehave their owne iealousies and encroachings on other, and will keepe them so long as they are Popish: But when they become reformed in the true Religion, they will accord amongRegna in orbe ut domus in urbe &c. Aug themselues. So true Religion is a bond of peace, and maketh Kingdomes in the world like houses in a Citie, who delight in a neighbourlie concord.

By all meanes therefore Princes and people wouldNo mixture of Religion. maintaine the true Religion, and that without any mixture, or libertie to professe a false Religion. There is but one God, and one true Religion expressed in Scripture, and all falseReligio & ve… …eratio nulla alia quam vnius Dei, &c. Lactant. lib. 1▪ cap. 20. Religions, and their mixtures with the Truth offend him. Hee forbad Israel to till the ground with diverse sorts of Beasts, or to sow it with diverse seedes, or to make garments of linnen and wollen together: and that not so much for these things in themselues, as to tell that hee abhorred all mixture in Religion. Therefore Constantine spake likeIstud omnium maximè—vna fides—&c. Theod. l. 1. cap. 10. himselfe: I hauehave thought that most of all to bee proponed by mee, that in the multitude of the holy Catholicke Church one Faith, and sincere Charitie should bee keeped.

Politicks call this mixture an Accommodation or Toleration: Such mixture is vnlawfull.the Cassandrians call it a mitigation or condescending; and Atheists call it a libertie of conscience which is nothing but a passe-port to runne to hell: For what a worse Qua est peior mors anima, &c. Aug.death is there to the Soule, than the libertie of errour? But God calleth it, An halting betwixt God and Baal, and grosse Atheisme in the want of Gods feare: The people that were sent to dwell in Samaria, worshipped the Lord, and the gods of their owne Nations; they thought themselues2 King. 17. 32 33 34.2 Kgs 17:32 sure in that pluralitie of gods, and libertie of worshippe; but the Scripture saith, They feared not God at all. The Papists fall in that same sinne; they hauehave multiplied gods with the true One. Beside God, they hauehave their p. 85gods and goddesses, and they honour their cannonized (a) Qua Divorum nostr… rum Apotheoses. Cerem. p. 1Saincts as the Pagans did their Apotheosedmen: and their Pope vsed it more eminently, in calling the blessed Virgine a goddesse when he is suteing timber to build her Church at Loretto bbNe D…am ipsā, &c. Leo. 10. lib. 8. Epist. 17.But their patrone granteth that these names savour of Paganisme, and desireth them to bee a mended in his Bookes; ccBellar recog. p. 2.and as for the worship given to them, another ddVives ad Aug. civit. 8. cap. 27.granteth that hee saw no difference betwixt their opinion of the Saincts, and that, that the Gentiles held of their gods. Varro eeCivit. 4. 22 It is a fleshly policie.boasteth that he appointed to the gods their offices & sacrifices & what else are the Rituals & ceremonials of the Papists, but that same busines vnderunder other names.

The Kings of Egypt granted libertie of Religions to their people, and that in a fleshlie policie, that while everie faction courted them for favour, they might keepe all factions obno…ious to them: And Iulian at his entrie gaue the like libertie to Iewes, Gentiles and Christians: with theAug Epi. 146. same spirit he rendred the Churchs to damned Hereticks, and opened the Temples to devils.

Many Christian Princes hauehave a slayed reconciliation ofIt is impossible. Religions, but God never blessed that worke in their hand: Constantius made his Typus Heraclius his Ecthesis, Zeno his Henoticon, and Charles the fift his Interim; but all of them kindled the fire more than quenched it. They found the truth of the olde proverbe, Isthmum perfodere, to digge through the Isthme, which was spoken of workes, neither lawfull to attempt, nor possible to doe. And though some proud kings therby assayed to correct Gods creation, in ioyning Seas which he had distinguished, yet they wer om…nouslie forced to desist: So others hauehave laboured to reconcile the true and false Religion (which hee hath made irreconcilable) but their labour to this houre was ever in vaine. It seemeth but a small matter (for condescending) to cast one letter in the midst of a word, and turneBaron. Ann. 357. n. 12. homoousios in homoiousios, that is the same-substance in the p. 86like-substance; & yet that one Letter overthr…w the Article of the Divinitie of Christ. And when Basile in the end of aBin. Tom. 1. p. 519. 520. prayer, said in the holie Spirit, for with the holy Spirit, great offence was taken by the people: therefore hee advised Amphilochius to examine not onelie words but syllabs and letters in Divinitie. So hard it is to worke a condescendingBasil. de Spir. Sanct. cap. 1. even by the smallest alteration.

Some reformed Churches hauehave found woefull fruites of Confusions of Holland.such libertie, and hee proues now a true Prophet, who said, That libertie of prophecying in Preachers, and of professing in people, would shake Religion in Holland. aaLibertas prophetand… in Pastoribus, &c. Pareus.They began modestlie with some fiue disputable points, as the small end of the wedge, to make way for grosser heresies: And if God had not put in the heart of K. Iames to devise▪ and Prince Maurice to effect their curbing by the Councell of Dort, their heresies ere now had overflowed that Land: But God hath justified that prudent foresight of K. Iames, since they hauehave declared, what thē they denyed. They hauehave taken Socinus by the hand, whom I may call (as one did Origen) bbTheophil. Epist. pasch. 1hydriam omnium haereseων, a masse or surviving monster of all heresies: And to mitigate the horrour of these opinions, they are pleading for favour to the Socinians, as men that either erre not, or if they doe, they are excusable, and not to be censured, because (forsooth) their errours touch not the foundation. ccAnonym dissert▪ de pace & concordi… Ecclesia. An. 1630.They layed the seeds of these Apologies covertly long since; ddVorst pra… fat. Exeges.but now they are discovering to the world, that their grounds are the overthrow of the grounds of Religion. Their rule is(e) Grot. de Ver. Christ. Rel. in fine. Exam Cens. cap. 10. C…eer. de Di vinat. …dem de Nat. Deor. lib. 3. in fine. to preach and professe what they please without censure. Mans originall miserie in originall sinne they call with Pelagius, figmentum Augustini, or Augustins dreame; and the efficacious working of the holy Spirite, applying grace to vsus, they call figmenta Calvini, Calvins dreames. In the matter of free-will they follow the Pagans, as it is pleaded by Cicero: Hee was so hote in that cause, that p. 87not beeing able to conceiue how Gods Prescience, and mans Free-will could stand together, for maintaining of Free will hee denyed both Gods Prescience and Divination: And rather then these two should stand, hee denyed a Deitie. His arguments taken from Lawes, Rewards, Aug Ep 107. Ci…it. …ib. 5. c▪ 9. toto.Prayers, and Exhortations, &c. to proue the absolutenesse of Free-will; Pelagius hath borrowed from him: Socinus from Pelagius; and they from Socinus. So in end vnderunder colour of Trueth according to godlinesse, they come to the naturall Religion of Pagans, the common Rendevous of all defections from the Truth.

Thus after long gadding they proue that Socinus is transformed in them, as Ierome said, That Basilides was transformed in Iovi…ian, and that both in sense and style: For they affirme that they teach otherwise, than heeretofore was beleeved: aaA…ter quā hactenus cre… ditū est. exam cap. 18.So said hee before them, that his opinions of Christ were hid from others, and that the true meaning was not knowne of all the Interpreters that are extant. bbExplanatores latuisse videtur. Socin Explic▪ 10. 1. inifio pag 1. & 3.And againe, our opinion is vnheard, not onelie in our time, but also in many Ages ccSententiā nostrā, …nauditam scimus Socin. de nat. Christ p. 1.before: And more fullie with disdaine of the Fathers: Wee ingenuously confesse that our sentence of Christs ddAdversari omnibus, &c. So…in contr▪ V…jek p. 134Nature and Essence is contrair to all interpreters of Scripture who are come to our time. Moreover, hee professeth the noveltie of it▪ in his Vncle, who first proponed the opinion which hee imbraceth of Iesus Christ, and telleth vsus the way how hee got it, was by Revelation. eeLal. Soc. primu… omniuū docuit. Soci… ▪ def…ns. Asser 1. Soc. de nat. Christi. p. 7.This is like his friend Puccius, who affirmed that his opinion of vniversall salvation was revealed to him by God ffCert…sumus hanc interpretationē, &c. Puc. Christ ser. rat 120.This plat-forme of his divinity is for Epicures, and that not farre from Origens merciemercy, to pleade for Sathan Annihilation, if not Salvation. What grace could this plat-former of Religion hauehave who refused to bee baptized: and when a zealous Preacher challenged him for that hee was not baptized, nor would not bee baptized ggCuteu. Object. 21hee answered like a novelling opiniator. p. 88That, what hee thought of Baptisme hee would leaue it to his owne thoughts. aaQuid hic faciat aut sentiat▪ &c. Soc. resp ad C…t. Ob. 2…Sure…t is, that one who refuseth to be initiate in Christ by sacred Baptisme, is not a fitte instrument to reforme Christian Religion.

After this same manner spake the olde Arrians, of whō Lyrinensis sayeth, That they overthrew well grounded Antiquitie by wicked noveltie, and that the ordinances of the Ancient were violate—while the desire of profaine and new curiositie cannot containe it selfe within the marches of sacred and pure Antiquitie bbDum bene fundata▪ &c. Lyrin. Con. cap. 6.And they speake directly like the Pelagians: by vsus as Authours, as beginners and expounders; condemne the things that yee held afore, and hold these things that yee condemned, cast away your auncient Faith, and receiue another: And what faith? I shrinke to speake it; they are so proud, that I thinke they cannot so much as bee rehearsed, let bee refuted without some guiltinesse, ccDamnate quae …enebatis▪ &c. Ibid c. 14in like manner, Abelardus said, All men thinke so, but I thinke not so. And Bernard posed him iustlie, What then art thou? Tell vsus what is that, that seemeth to thee and to none others? What hath the Law? What hath the Prophets and Apostles, or Apostolicke men preached vntounto vsus? but that, that thou onelie denyest? ddOmnes sic, sed nō ego sic. Ber… Epist. 190.And Hilarie speaketh like an Orthodox. These things I hauehave beleeved by the holy Spirit, so that beyond this Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ I cannot bee taught. And a little aboue: I hold fast that, that I hauehave received, neither doe I change that, that is Gods. eeQuod accipi▪ ten…o nec d…muto &c. Hilar▪ ad Constant p. …81.I demand of them as Pacianus did the Novatians; VVho teacheth so? Did Moses, or Paul, or Christ? No, none of these: Who then? Novatian commanded it after three hundreth yeares▪ ffQuis hoc vendi…at an Moses Paciā. Epist. 3 apud Biblio. Pat. Tom. 3. col. 4.So I may say, That Socinus hath both invented new heresies, and renewed old heresies after a thousand fiue hundreth and eightie yeares. And I charge them as Ierome did Vigilantius, If any before thee hath received this thy Interpretation, let it bee true thou sayes; But if the Church of God never heard of such wickednesse, and Sathan hath spoken by thee, p. 89then repent in sack-cloth and ashes, and wype away such great wickednesse by continuall teares.ffEt tant… scelus iugibus absterge …acry…s Hieron▪ advers. Vigilant.

This is the damnable fruit of liberty of prophecying, and professing, after that God hath blessed a Church with a bodie of sound Doctrine, according to the paterne of wholesome words: The mindes of people are shaken from the Truth, made susceptible of any opinion, and inclinable to the worst. When Arianisme and other errours, had shaken the Church for a time, the ambiguous mindes of people received Mahumetisme greedily.

For keeping of true Religion, it is necessar to keepeSchisme renteth both the Church & the state. Peace in the Church: Schisme bringeth heresie; and these two renting the Church, doe rent the state also: The Church and state are twins, and their peace, and trouble are inseparable: Some Politickes hauehave advysed Princes to foster dissentions in the Church, as a way to make the Impyre floorish: So did Themistius to Valens the Emperours, but hee found confusion in the end: And Iulian allowed Heretickes to vexe and trouble the Church, because he thoughtAug. Ep. 146. these dissentions a speciall meanes to put Christian Religion out of the world. When Peace is keeped in the Church, the state flow risheth, but where it is neglected, horrible confusions follow as well in state as in Church. The Schisme betwixt the Greeke and Latine Churches could never reconceale▪ and the Greeke Emperour lost the hearts of the people for too much inclining to the Pope. The divisions of Germanie are most by schism…, and the disputes of their Theologues turne the Courts of Princes in factions: The thrusting of Gregories Liturgie on Spaine devided the hearts Field of the Church. pag. 189.of people from their King, and amongst themselues; for al… beit things were good, yet change of custome doe morePlus no vitate turb…nt, qu… vtilitate prosunt. Aug. Epist. 118. hurt by noveltie then helpe by profite, as Augustine well observeth: When affections accord, men may well brooke other in diversities of opinion, but the renting of affection (the marrow of Schisme) breaketh vnitie of opinion: p. 90also: By nature wee are averse from the Gospel, but if a stumbling blocke bee layed in our way, our aversnesse findeth a reason for it selfe. The kinglie Prophets practice is good heerein: Pray for the peace of Ierusalem, let them prosper that louelove thee: Peace bee within thy walls Psal. 122. 6, 7Ps 122:6Ps 122:7and prosperitie within thy Palaces.