Works of Joseph Hall, Sermon 8 – Title page 35
THE TRVE Peace-Maker.
ESAY 32.17. Opus Iuſtitiae pax.
The worke of Iuſtice (or righteouſneſſe) ſhall be peace.
MY Text (you heare) is of Iuſtice and peace, two royall graces; and ſuch as flow from ſoueraigne Maieſty: There is a double Iuſtice, Diuine and humane; there is a double peace, outward in the ſtate, inward in the ſoule: Accordingly, there is a double ſenſe of my Text; a ſpirituall, a ciuill ſenſe: The ſpirituall concerning Theologicall Iuſtice, and inward peace; The ciuill concerning humane iuſtice and outward peace. The ſpirituall thus; The Meſſias ſhall cauſe the fruit of his perfect iuſtice to be our inward peace with God, and our ſelues. The ciuill thus; The Magiſtrate ſhall cauſe the worke of ciuill Iuſtice in his adminiſtration, to be our outward peace with one another: In both, or either (as Muſculus well) there is an alluſion in the Hebrew word to a field; the ſoile is the heart or the State, the ſeed is Iuſtice, the fruit peace: That which was waſte ground is now a Carmell, a fruitfull field; and the fruit of this field of Iuſtice is peace. As there is good reaſon, we will beginne with the ſpirituall Iuſtice and Peace.
The great King of Heauen will disforeſt that peece of the world, which hee calls his Church, and put it to tillage; it ſhall be ſowne with righteouſneſſe, and ſhall yeeld a ſweet crop of peace: in this onelyonly, not in the barren heaths of the prophane world, ſhall true peace grow.
At firſt, God and man were good friends: How ſhould there bee other than good termes betwixt Heauen and Paradiſe? God made man iuſt; and iuſt man (whiles he was ſo) could not chuſe but louelove the iuſt God that made him; ſin ſet them at odds; in one act and inſtant did man leeſe both his iuſtice and peace; now the world is changed; now the ſtile of God is Fortis vltor, God the auenger, Ier. 51.56. and the ſtile of men,God the auenger. The ſonnes of wrath. Filij irae, ſons of wrath, Epheſ. 2.3. There is no poſſible peace to be made betwixt God & man, but by the perfect Iuſtice of him that was both God & man: I would there were a peace in the Church about this Iuſtice; It is pitie & ſhame there is not; but there muſt be hereſies: As there are two parts of Diuinity, the Law and the Goſpell; ſo each of theſe hauehave their Iuſtice; there is a Iuſtice of the Law, and an Euangelicall Iuſtice. The Iuſtice of the Law when a meere morall man is iuſtified (out of his owne powers) by the works of the Law; very Papiſts will giuegive ſo much way to S. Paul, ſo much affront to Pelagius, as to renounce this; freely anathematizing that man who by the ſtrength of humane nature, or the doctrine of the Law, ſhal challenge iuſtification; Vnleſſe perhaps ſome Andradius hauehave priuiledge to teach,Morall righteouſneſſe. that this Ethica Iuſtitia, was enough to iuſtifie and ſaue the old Philoſophers.
The Euangelicall Iuſtice is not without the interuention of a Sauiour; To which claime is laid in two kindes, either as imputatiue, or as inherent; The inherent wrought in vsus: the imputed wrought for vsus. How eaſie were it to leade you through a thicket of diſtinctions into a large field of controuerſie, concerning the nature, meanes, manner of our Iuſtification? No head in all Diuinity yeelds either more, or more important Problems; In ſo much as Cardinall De Monte, Vice-Preſident for the time of the Councell of Trent, in an Oration made by him in the eleuenth ſeſſion, profeſſes, that when they meant to diſpatch their Decree concerning Iuſtification in fifteene daies, it coſt them ſeuen moneths to finiſh, without one daies intermiſſion; and when all is done, they hauehave left the world, which was before (as Pighius ingenuouſly) intricated by the thorny queſtions of Schoolemen, rather more vnſatisfied and perplexed than they found it. It is the maine care of our liues, and deaths, what ſhall giuegive vsus peace and acceptation before the dreadfull Tribunall of God: What, but righteouſneſſe? What righteouſneſſe, or whoſe? Ours, or Chriſts? Ours, in the inherent graces wrought in vsus, in the holy works wrought by vsus; or Chriſts, in his moſt perfect obedience, and meritorious ſatisfaction wrought for vsus, applied to vsus? The Tridentine faction is for the former; wee are for the latter; God is as direct on our ſide as his Word can make him; EueryEvery where blazoning the defects of our owne righteouſneſſe, the imperfections of our beſt Graces, the deadly nature of our leaſt ſinnes, the radicall ſinfulneſſe of our habituall concupiſcence, the pollution of our beſt works: EueryEvery where extolling the perfect obedience of our Redeemer, the gracious application of that obedience, the ſweet comfort of that application, the aſſurance and vnfailableneſſe of that comfort: and laſtly, our happy reſt in that aſſurance. I inſtance not; open the Booke, ſee where your eies can looke beſide theſe. Satis apertè (ſaith their Caſſander) The Scripture is cleare ours; So is all antiquity, if they beleeue that learned Arbiter; So are their more ingenuous Doctors of the laſt age; So would they all be, if they had grace to know God themſelues, grace, ſinne, heauen, hell; God perfectly iuſt, themſelues miſerably weake, Grace ſenſibly imperfect, ſinne vnmeaſurably ſinfull; Laſtly, if they knew that heauen is for none but the pure, that hell is for the preſumptuous. O Sauiour, no man is iuſt through thee, but he that is ſanctified by thee; What is our inherent juſtice, but ſanctity? That we aſpire towards, wee attaine not to; Woe were vsus if we were not more iuſt in thee, than ſanctified in our ſelues; wee are ſanctified, in part, according to the weakneſſe of our receit; we are iuſtified thorowly, according to the perfection of thine acceptation; were we fully ſanctified here, we ſhould be more than men; were we not thorowly iuſtified, we ſhould be no more than ſinners before thee; whiles wee ſtand before thee as ſinners, we can hauehave no peace; Let others truſt in the Charets and Horſes of their owne ſtrength, wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God; The worke of thy Iuſtice ſhall bee our peace,
Peace is a ſweet word; EueryEvery body would be glad of it; eſpecially Peace at the laſt, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes: How hauehave the politickly religious held out twigs for the drowning ſoule to catch at? Due ſatisfactions, vndue ſupererogations, patronages of Saints, bargaines of Indulgences, woolward pilgrimages, and at laſt (after whips and haire-clothes) leaue the dying ſoule to a feare of Hell, doubt of Heauen, aſſurance of Purgatory flames; How truly may it now ſay to theſe Doctors, as Iob to his friends, Miſerable comforters are yee all; Hearken, O yee deare Chriſtians, to a better voice that ſounds from heauen;Mat. 11.28. Come to mee all yee that labour, and are heauy laden, and I will giuegive you reſt.
Is there any of you whoſe vnquiet breſt boiles continually with the conſcience of any foule ſin? whoſe heart is daily tyr'd vponupon by the vultur of his ſecret guiltineſſe? whoſe boſome is gnawed before-hand with that helliſh Worme, which can no more giuegive ouer than die? It bootes not to aske thee if thou wouldeſt hauehave peace. Peace? Rather than life; Oh wherewithall ſhall I come before the Lord, and bow my ſelfe before the moſt high God? Micah 6.Shal I come before him with burnt offerings? Wil the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rammes, or with tenne thouſand Riuers of Oyle? Shall I giuegive my firſt borne for my tranſgreſsion, the fruit of my body for the ſinne of my ſoule? Heare, O thou diſtracted heart; what talkeſt thou of giuing to the owner? The world is his; thou art not thine owne; Yea, were theſe things thine, and not his, yet know, it is not giuing, but taking that muſt procure thy peace: An infinite Iuſtice is offended; an infinite Iuſtice hath ſatisfied, an infinite mercy hath applied it; Take thou hold by the hand of faith on that infinite mercy, and juſtice of thy Sauiour; The worke of his Iuſtice ſhall be thy peace.
Fly about whither thou wilt, O thou weary Doue, thorow all the wide Regions of the heauen, & waters, thou ſhalt no where finde reſt for the ſoles of thy feet, but in this Arke of Chriſts perfect righteouſneſſe: In vaine ſhalt thou ſeeke it in ſchooles of morality, in learned Libraries, in ſpacious fields and forreſts, in pleaſant gardens, in ſullen retiredneſſe, in witty conuerſation, in wanton Theaters, in drunken cellers, in tables of gluttony, in beds of iuſt, cheſts of Mammon, whiffes and draughts of intoxication, ſongs of ribaldry, ſports of recreation; No, no, the more thou ſeekeſt it in moſt of theſe, the further it flies from thee, the further thou art from finding it; and if theſe things may giuegive ſome poore truce to thy thoughts, it ſhall ſoone end in a more direfull warre. There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked: Stray whither thou wilt, O thou wounded heart, thorow the Lawnds and Woods; alas, the ſhaft ſticks ſtill in thee, or if that bee ſhaken out, the head; None but the ſoueraigne Dittany of thy Sauiours righteouſnes can driue it out; and till it be out, thou canſt hauehave no peace. In plaine termes; wouldſt thou hauehave peace? None but Chriſt can giuegive it thee; He will giuegive it to none but the penitent, none but the faithfull; Oh ſpend thy ſelfe into the ſighes and teares of true repentance; and then raiſe thy humbled ſoule to a liuely confidence in thine all-ſufficient Redeemer; Set thy Lord Ieſus betwixt God and thy ſins; God cannot ſee thy debt, but through thine acquitance; By his ſtripes we are healed, by his wounds we are ſtanched, by his death we are quickned, by his righteouſneſſe we are diſcharged; The worke of his righteouſneſſe is our peace. Oh ſafe and bleſſed condition of beleeuers; Let ſinne, Satan, world, death, hel, doe their worſt; Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that iuſtifieth: who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt that died, yea rather, that is riſen againe; who is alſo at the right hand of God, and maketh interceſsion for vsus: Our enemy is now our Father, our Iudge is our Sauiour, the offended our ſurety, that precious bloud our ranſome, that perfect righteouſneſſe our euerlaſting peace.
Thus much of our ſpirituall Iuſtice, and Peace. The Ciuill followes: I know theſe two are wide termes; Iuſtice compriſes all vertue, as Peace all bleſſings; For that is iuſt in all kinds, which hath a meete adequation to the rule; All vertue therefore conforming vsus to the law of God, which is the rule of perfection, challengeth iuſtly to it ſelfe a ſtile of juſtice.
Narrower bounds will ſerue our turne: We ſpeake of Iuſtice firſt as a ſingle vertue. Habits are diſtinguiſhed by their acts; acts by their obiects. The obiect of all morall vertue is good, as of all intellectuall, is True. The obiect of this vertue of Iuſtice is the good of men in relation to each other; O her vertues order a man in regard to himſelfe; Iuſtice, in regard to another. This good being either common, or priuate; common of al, priuate of ſome; the acts & vertue of iuſtice muſt be ſutable; either, as man ſtands in an habitude to the whole body; or as he ſtands to ſpeciall limbs of the body: The former of theſe is that which Philoſophers & Caſuiſts call a legall & vniuerſal Iuſtice. The latter is that particular Iuſtice, which we vſe to diſtinguiſh by Diſtributiō, & Commutation; the one conſiſting in matter of Commerce, the other in Reward, or Puniſhment; both of them according to a meet, though different, equality: An Arithmetical equality in Commutation; a Geometricall in diſtributiō; the former regarding the value, or worth of the thing; the latter, regarding the proportionable difference of the perſon. The worke of all theſe three Iuſtices, is Peace.
Firſt, the legall Iuſtice is the apparent mother and nurſe of publique Peace: When Gouernors and ſubiects are carefull to giuegive each other their owne; when both conſpire to command and obey for the common good; when men frame their liues to the wholſome lawes of their Soueraignes, not more out of feare than conſcience; when reſpect to the community caries men from partiall reflections vponupon themſelues; As contrarily diſtractions, and priuate ends are the bane of any ſtate. When the head and members vnite their thoughts and endeuours in the center of the common good: the head to deuiſe and command, the eies to ſee, the eare to heare, the palate to taſte, the heart to moue, the bellowes of the lungs to blow, the liuer to ſanguifie, the ſtomach to digeſt, the guts to export, the hands to execute, the tongue to talke for the good of this naturall Common-wealth of the body, all goes well and happily; but if any of theſe parts will bee gathering to themſelues, and obſtructions grow within; and mutinous diſtempers ariſe in the humors, ruine is threatned to the whole: If either the Superiors miſcommand, or the inferiors diſobey, it is an affront to Peace. I need not tell you that good lawes are the walls of the City, the ſinewes of the politicke body, the rule of our life, the life of our ſtate, without which men would turne brute, yea monſtrous; the world were a Chaos, yea an hell. It is wiſedome that makes lawes, it is Iuſtice that keeps them; Oh let this Iuſtice ſtill bleſſe vsus with a perpetuall peace; as thoſe that doe not thinke the world made for vsus, but our ſelues made for the world, let vsus driue at an vniuerſall good; let there be euer that ſweet correſpondence betwixt Soueraignty and ſubiection, that the one may bee happy in the other, both in peace.
Secondly, the diſtributiue Iuſtice is not leſſe fruitfull of peace; when rewards of honors, and gracious reſpects are ſuited to the well-deſeruing; when malefactors ſmart according to their crimes; This Iuſtice hath ſtocks for the vagrant, whips for harlots, brands for petty larzons, ropes for fellons, weights for the contumaciouſly ſilent, ſtakes for blaſphemous hereticks, gibbets for murtherers, the hurdle, and the knife, and the pole for traitors; and vponupon all theſe engines of Iuſtice hangs the garland of peace. It was not for nothing that Maximilian the Firſt, paſſing by the gallowes, ſaluted it with Salue Iuſtitia. Ye neuer ſee Iuſtice painted without a ſword; when that ſword glitters with vſe, it is well with the publique; woe be to the Nation where it ruſts. There can be no more acceptable ſacrifice than the bloud of the flagitious. Immediately after Garnets execution, Father Dauid at Ypre, in a publike Sermon declared the miracles ſhowne thereat; Amongſt the reſt, that a ſpring of oyle brake forth ſuddenly in the place where that Saint was martyred; In ſtead of a lie, let it be a parable; The bloud of Traitors ſhed by the ſword of Iuſtice, is a well of oyle to fatten, and refreſh the Common-wealth.
I know well how mercy befits the mouths of Gods Miniſters: The ſoft tongue of a Diuine is no meet whetſtone for the edge of ſeuerity; but withall, I dare ſay, that Iuſtice is a noble worke of mercy; neither need we wiſh to bee more charitable, than the God of mercy that ſaies, Thine eie ſhall not ſpare the murtherer, Numb. 35.31. The Tempter to idolatry, Deut. 13.6. The very ſonnes of Leui were appointed to win an euerlaſting bleſſing, by conſecrating their hands to God in Iſraelitiſh bloud: The vniuſt fauour, and plauſibility of Romiſh Doctors, towards capitall offenders, hath made their Sanctuaries (euen literally) a denne of theeues, an harbour of villany. It is memorable of Lewis of France, (ſtiled the Saint) that he reuerſed a pardon wrought from him to a malefactor;Pſal. 106.3. vponupon reading that verſe in the Pſalme, Beati qui faciunt iuſtitiam in omnitempore; Bleſſed are they that doe iuſtice at all times: No maruell if one of thoſe foure things which Iſabel of Spaine was wont to ſay, ſhe loued to ſee, were, A Theefe vponupon the ladder; Euen through his halter might ſhe ſee the proſpect of peace. Woe bee to them that either for gaine or priuate intereſt ingage themſelues in the ſuit of fauour to maliciouſly bloudy hands; that, by the dam of their bribes labour to ſtop the due courſe of punitiue Iuſtice; theſe, theſe are the enemies of peace; theſe ſtaine the land with that Crimſon die, that cannot be waſhed out but by many wofull lauers of reuenge: Farre, farre be it from any of you, generous Chriſtians, to endeuour either to corrupt, or interrupt the wayes of iudgement, or for a priuate benefit to croſſe the publike Peace: Woe be to thoſe partiall Iudges, that iuſtifie the wicked, and condemne the innocent; the girdle of whoſe equity ſags downe on that ſide where the purſe hangs: Laſtly, woe to thoſe vnworthy ones that raiſe themſelues by fraud, bribes, ſymonie, ſacriledge; therefore are theſe enemies to the State, becauſe to Peace; and therefore enemies to Peace, becauſe violaters of iuſtice, And the worke of iuſtice is Peace.
Thirdly, that commuatiue Iuſtice workes Peace; needes no other proofe than that all the reall brables and ſuits amongſt men, ariſe from either true or pretended iniuſtice of contracts. Let me leade you in a terme morning to the ſpacious Hall of Iuſtice: What is the cauſe of all that concourſe? that Hiue-like murmure? that noiſe at the Bar, but iniurious bargaines, fraudulent conueyances, falſe titles, diſappointment of truſts, wrongfull detentions of money, goods, lands, coozenages, oppreſſions, extortions? Could the honeſty and priuate Iuſtice of men preuent theſe enormities, ſilence and ſolitude would dwell in that wide Palace of Iuſtice; neither would there be more Pleas than Cob-webs vnderunder that vaſt roofe. EueryEvery way therefore it is cleare, that the worke of Iuſtice is peace; In ſo much as the Guardians of Peace are called Iuſticers.
This for the Common-wealth; If it pleaſe you to caſt your eyes vponupon her Siſter the Church, you ſhall finde that the outward Peace thereof alſo muſt ariſe from Iuſtice. Alas; thence is our hopeleſneſſe: Neuer may they proſper that louelove not, that wiſh not peace within thoſe ſacred wals; but what poſſibility of Peace in the peremptory repulſes of Iuſtice? What poſſibility of Iuſtice in the long vſurped tyranny of the ſucceſſor of Romulus? Could we hope to ſee Iuſtice once ſhine from thoſe ſeuen hils, we would make account of Peace; but, oh, the miſerable iniuſtice of that imperious Sea; Iniuſtice of claime, iniuſtice of practice. Of claime, ouer Kings, Church, Scriptures, Conſcience: Ouer Kings; there is S. Pauls ſuper-exalted (foreign;Lord of the world.) His vſuall title is Orbis Dominus; Dominus vniuerſorum in the mouthes and pens of his flatterers: And leſt Princes ſhould ſeeme exempted; He is Rex Regum, as Paulus 4. ſaies of himſelfe;Ouer Emperors and Kings. he is ſuper Imperatores & reges, ſaith their Antoninus, Triumphus, Capiſtranus, and who not? How much? you know the calculation of the magnitude of the two great lights: How ouer them? As the maſter ouer the ſeruant; they are the words of their Pope Nicholas; The Imperiall throne is vnde niſi à nobis, ſaith Pope Adrian: What ſhould I tell you of his bridle,Whence but from vsus? ſtirrup, toe, cup, canopy? Let the booke of holy Ceremonies ſay the reſt; Theſe things are ſtale, The world hath long ſeene and bluſhed.
Ouer the Church; There is challenged a proper head-ſhip, from whom all influences of life, ſenſe motion come; as their Bozius; why ſaid I ouer? He is vnderunder the Church: For he is the foundation of the Church ſaith Bellarmine; Ouer as the head, vnderunder as the foundation? What can Chriſt be more? Thence, where are generall councels but vnderunder him, as the ſtreame of Ieſuites; Who but he is, regula fidei, as their Andradius: he alone hath infallibility and indefectibility, whether in decretis fidei, or in praeceptis morum, In decrees of faith or precepts of manners.as Bellarmine. He hath power to make new Creeds, & to obtrude them to the Church; the deniall wherof was one of thoſe Articles which Leo the tenth condemned in Luther.
Ouer Scriptures. There is claimed a power to authorize them for ſuch; A power to interpret them, ſententialiter & Obligatoriè, being ſuch; A power to diſpenſe with them, ex causā, though ſuch. Ouer the conſciences of men; In diſpenſing with their oathes, in allowance of their ſins. It is one head of their Canon Law,He abſolues from the oath of Allegeance. A Iuramento fidelitatis abſoluit, Decret. p. 2. Cauſ. 15. qu. 6. And in eueryevery oath is vnderſtood a reſeruation and exception of the Popes power, ſay his Paraſites.
I am aſhamed to tell, and you would bluſh to heare of the diſpenſation reported to be granted by Sixtus 4. to the family of the Cardinall of S. Lucie; and by Alexander 6. to Peter Mendoza Cardinall of Valentia.
And as there is horrible iniuſtice in theſe claimes; ſo is there no leſſe in practiſe. Take a taſte of all: What can be more vniuſt than to caſt out of the lap of the Church thoſe that oppoſe their nouelties, to condemne them to the ſtake, to hell for Heretikes? What more vniuſt than to falſifie the writings of ancient or moderne Authors, by ſecret expurgations, by wilfull miſ-editions? what more vniuſt than the withholding the remedy of generall Councels, and tranſacting all the affaires of the Church by a pack't conclaue? What more vniuſt than the ſuppreſſion of the Scriptures, and mutilation of the Sacrament to the Laity? What more vniuſt than allowance of equiuocation, than vpholding a faction by willing falſhood of rumors, than plotting the ſubuerſion of King and State by vnnaturall conſpiracies? Well may wee call heauen and earth to record againſt the iniuſtice of theſe claimes, of theſe practiſes. What then? Is it to hope for Peace, notwithſtanding the continuance of all theſe? So the worke of Iniuſtice ſhall be Peace: And an vniuſt and vnſound Peace muſt it needs be that ariſes from iniuſtice; Is it to hope they will abandon theſe things for Peace? Oh that the Church of God might once be ſo happy: That there were but any life in that poſſibility; In the meane time, let God and his holy Angels witneſſe betwixt vsus, that on their part the Peace faileth; we are guiltleſſe: What hauehave we done? What hauehave we attempted? What hauehave we innouated? Only we hauehave ſtood vponupon a iuſt and modeſt negatiue, and hauehave vniuſtly ſuffered. Oh that all the innocent bloud we hauehave ſhed could waſh their hands from Iniuſtice, from enmity to Peace.
That from them we may returne to our ſelues; For the publike, we enioy an happy Peace; Bleſſed be God for Iuſtice: and if in this common harmony of Peace, there be found ſome priuate iarres of diſcord, whence is it but from our owne Iniuſtice? The world is of another minde; whoſe wont is to cenſure him that puniſhes the fault, not him that makes it; Seuerity, not guiltineſſe in common opinion, breakes the Peace: Let the queſtion be who is the great make-bate of the world; begin with the family: Who troubles the houſe?The like diſcourſe to this ye ſhall finde in Coara. Schluſſelburgius in his preface to his thirteenth booke Catal. Haeret. Not vnruly, headſtrong, debaucht, children, that are ready to throw the houſe out of the windowes, but the auſtere father, that reproues, that corrects them; would he winke at their diſorders, all would be quiet. Not careleſſe, ſlothfull, falſe, lime-fingred ſeruants, but the ſtrict maſter, that obſerues and rates, and chaſtiſes them; would he hold his hands, and tongue, there would be peace.
Not the peeuiſh and turbulent wife, who forgetting the rib, vſurps vponupon the head, but the reſolute husband, that hates to leeſe his authority in his louelove; remembring that though the rib be neare the heart, yet the head is aboue the ſhoulders; Would he fall from the termes of his honour, there would be peace.
In the Country, not the oppreſſing Gentleman, that tyrannizes ouer his cottagers, incroches vponupon his neighbours inheritance, incloſes commons, depopulates villages, ſcruzes his Tenants to death, but the poore ſoules that when they are cruſhed, yeeld the iuyce of teares, exhibit bils of complaint, throw open the new thornes, maintaine the old mounds; would theſe men be content to be quietly racked and ſpoiled, there would be peace.
In the City; not the impure Sodomitiſh brothels, that ſell themſelues to worke wickedneſſe; not the abominable Pandars, not the iugling Cheater, not the Counterfeit Vagrant, but the Marſhall that drawes theſe to correction; Not the deceitfull Merchant that ſophiſticates his commodities, inhanceth prices, ſels eueryevery inch of (what he cannot warrant) Time; Not the vnconſcionable and fraudulent Artiſan, but the Promoter and the Bench.
In the Common-wealth; not the cruell robber by ſea or land, that lies in the way, like a ſpider in a window, for a booty, for bloud: Not the bold night-walker that keepes ſauage houres fit for the guilty intentions of his burglaries, but the watch that takes him; Not the ranke adulterer that neighs after his neighbours wife, and thirſts after onelyonly ſtolne waters, but the ſworne men that preſent him. Not the traiterous Coyner, that in eueryevery ſtampe reades his own conuiction, whiles he ſtill renewes that face againſt which he offends, but the Sheriffe that attaches him.
Not the vnreformable drunkard, that makes a God of his liquor, a beaſt of himſelfe, and raues, and ſwaggers in his cups, but the Conſtable that puniſhes him; would theſe Officers conniue at all theſe villanies, there would be peace.
In the Church, not the chaffering Patron, or periured Chaplaine; not the ſeducing heretike, or ſeditious ſchiſmatike; not the ſcandalous Leuite, not the careleſſe Queſtman, not the corrupt Officiall, but the clamorous Preacher, or the rigorous High-Commiſſion. In the world; laſtly, Not the ambitious incrochers vponupon others dominions, not violaters of leagues, not vſurpers of miſ-gotten titles and dignities, not ſuborners, or abettors of conſpiracies, and traitors, but the vnkinde patients that will not recipere ferrum: I wis the great Potentates of the world might ſee a ready way to peace.
Thus in family, countrey, city, common-wealth, Church, world, the greateſt part ſeeke a licencious peace in a diſordered lawleſneſſe; condemning true iuſtice of cruelty, ſtripping her of the honour of peace, branding her with the cenſure of troubleſome. Fooliſh men ſpeake fooliſh things: Oh noble and incomparable bleſſing of peace, how iniuriouſly art thou aſcribed to vniuſt neglect? Oh diuine vertue of iuſtice, how deſeruedly hauehave the Ancients giuen thee wings, and ſent thee vp to heauen in a deteſtation of theſe earthly indignities; whence thou comſt not downe at all, vnleſſe it pleaſe that eſſentiall and infinite Iuſtice to communicate thee to ſome choiſe fauourites. It is but a iuſt word, that this Iland hath beene long approued the darling of heauen; We hauehave enioyed peace, to the admiration, to the enuy of neighbourhood: Would we continue it? would we traduce it to ours? Iuſtice muſt doe it for vsus. Both Iuſtice and Peace, are from the throne; Peace is the Kings Peace; and iuſtly deſcends from Soueraignty by cōmiſſion; let me hauehave leaue to ſay with the princely Prophet (a word that was too good for the frequent text of a Pope) Diligite iuſtitiam qui iudicatis terram. Still, ô God, giuegive thy Iudgment to the King, and thy Iuſtice to the Kings ſon. And if any ſhal offer wrong to the Lords anointed in his perſon, in his ſeed, the worke of that iniuſtice ſhall be war; yea Bellum Domini, the Lords war; (2 Sam. 25.28.) Then let him who is both the Lord of Hoſts, and the God of Peace, riſe vp mightily for his anointed, the true King of peace; that he who hath graciouſly ſaid all this while, Da pacem, Domine, GiueGive peace in our time, O Lord; may ſuperſcribe at the laſt his iuſt Trophees, with, Bleſſed be the Lord which teacheth my hands to warre, and my fingers to fight.
Ye hauehave heard of the ſpirituall Iuſtice and Peace; Ye hauehave heard of the Ciuill; may it pleaſe you to mix both of them together: My text alone doth it; if you doe but with our moſt accurate Tranſlation, reade Righteouſneſſe for Iuſtice; So ſhall you ſee the ſpirituall diſpoſition of Righteouſnes produce the ciuill effect of Peace. What is righteouſneſſe, but the ſincere vprightneſſe of the heart to God in all our wayes? He is perfect with God, that would be ſo.
What need I tell you that this is the way to true inward peace, Nil conſcire, Not to be guilty of ill.A cleare heart will be a quiet one. There is no feaſt to a good conſcience; this is meat, muſicke, welcome; It ſeemes harder that time ſpirituall honeſty ſhould procure euen outward peace: Heare wiſe Salomon; By the bleſsing of the vpright, the city is exalted, Prou. 11.11. When a mans wayes pleaſe the Lord, he maketh euen his enemies to be at peace with him, Pro. 16.7. Righteouſnes exalteth a nation, but ſin is a reproach to any people, Pro. 14.24. It followes then as a iuſt cor…llary, That the honeſteſt, and conſcionableſt man is the beſt ſubiect: He may perhaps be plaine, perhaps poore, perhaps weake, but the ſtate is more beholden to his integrity, than to the ableſt purſe, than to the ſtrongeſt arme; Whereas the graceles, & vicious perſon, let him be neuer ſo plauſible a talker, neuer ſo careful an officer, neuer ſo valiant a Leader, neuer ſo officious a Courtier, neuer ſo deepe in ſubſidies, neuer ſo forward in actions, is no other than an enemy to the ſtate, which he profeſſes to adore.
Let no Philoſopher tell me of, maius vir bo… usic…uis; I ſay from better authority,An il man a good ſubiect. that a lewd man can no more be a good ſubiect than an ill ſubiect can be a good man: Heare this then (whereſoeuer ye are) ye ſecret oppreſſors, ye profane ſcoffers, ye foule mouth'd ſwearers, ye cloſe adulterers, ye kinde drunkards, and who euer come within this blacke liſt of wickedneſſe, how can ye be loiall, whiles you lodge traitors in your boſomes? Proteſt what ye will; your ſinnes breake the peace, and conſpire againſt the ſacred Crowne and dignity of your Soueraigne; What care we that you draw your ſword, and vow your bloud, and drinke your healths to your Gouenours, when in the meane while you prouoke God to anger, and ſet quarrels betwixt your Country and Heauen?
That I may winde vp this clew; It were folly to commend to you the worth of peace; we know that the excellency of Princes is expreſſed by ſerenity; what good hath the earth which God doth not couch vnderunder the name of Peace? Bleſſed be God, and his Annointed, we hauehave long and comfortably taſted the ſweetneſſe of this bleſſing; the Lillies and Lions of our Salomon hauehave beene iuſtly worded with Beati pacifici: Would we hauehave this happineſſe perpetuated to vsus, to poſterity? Oh let Prince and people meet in the ambition to be Gens iuſta, a righteous nation, righteous eueryevery way; Firſt, let God hauehave his owne; His owne dayes, his owne ſeruices; his feare, his louelove, his all: Let Religion leade all our proiects, not follow them; let our liues be led in a conſcionable obedience to all the Lawes of our Maker: Farre be all blaſphemies, curſes, and obſcenities from our tongues, all outrages and violences from our hands; all preſumptuous & rebellious thoughts from our hearts. Let our hearts, hands, tongues, liues, bodies and ſoules be ſincerely deuoted to him. Then, for men: let vsus giuegive Caeſar his owne: Tribute, feare, ſubiection, loyalty, and (if he need) our liues; Let the Nobility hauehave honour, obeiſance, obſeruation; Let the Clergy hauehave their dues, and our reuerence; Let the commons hauehave truth, louelove, fidelity in all their tranſactions: Let there be trutinae iuſtae, Leu. 19.36. Iuſt balances, iuſt weights.pondera iuſta: Let there be no grinding of faces, no trampling on the poore (Amos 5.11.) no ſwallowing of widdowes houſes, no force, no fraud, no periury, no perfidiouſneſſe.
Finally, for our ſelues; let eueryevery man poſſeſſe his veſſell in holineſſe and honour; framing himſelfe to all Chriſtian and heauenly temper, in all wiſdome, ſobriety, chaſtity, meekneſſe, conſtancy, moderation, patience, and ſweet contentation: ſo ſhall the worke of our righteouſneſſe be peace of heart, peace of ſtate; priuate and publike peace; Peace with our ſelues, peace with the world, peace with God; temporal peace here, eternall peace and glory aboue; vntounto the fruition wherof, he who hath ordained vsus, mercifully bring vsus, for the ſake of him, who is the Prince of Peace, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous.
A COMMON APOLOGIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND, AGAINST THE VNIVST CHALLENGES OF THE OVER-IVST SECT, COMMONLY called BROWNISTS.
WHEREIN THE GROVNDS, AND DEFENCES, OF THE SEPARATION are largely diſcuſſed.
Occaſioned, by a late Pamphlet, publiſhed vnderunder the name of AN ANSWER TO A CENSORIOVS EPISTLE: Which the Reader ſhall finde prefixed to the ſeuerall SECTIONS.
By IOS. HALL.
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.