Good Counsel for Evil Times, Title page – Dedication
GOOD COUNSELL FOR EVIL TIMES.
OR, A PLAIN SERMON Preached at Pauls in London, April 16. 1648.
By EDW: BOWLES M. A. of Katherin-Hall Cambridge.
Printed by the deſire and Order of the Lord Maior and Aldermen of that famous City.
Pſal. 34. 12, 13, 14.
12. What man is he that deſireth life; and loveth many dayes, that he may ſee good?
13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from ſpeaking guile.
14. Depart from evil, and do good: ſeek peace and purſue it.
LONDON: Printed by F: Neile for Samuel Gellibrand, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Braſen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard.
1648.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD MAIOR, To the Aldermen and Common-Councell of the City of LONDON.
GIve me leave to joyne You together in an Epiſtle, and may it be a pledge of Union in all things that tend to an happie and ſpeedie eſtabliſhment of Truth and Peace. The Kingdome is very ſenſible how conſiderable You are in the welfare of it, eſpecially as it now ſtands. And according to the influence you have upon the publick good or evill are the endeavours of the Enemies of our reformed Settling to diſtract and divide you, for they ſee no other means to deſtroy you, and thoſe with you, whoſe welfare is bound up in yours. And in this you are a reſemblance of the Kingdom of whom a great Politician ſaith, that it is Magnum Animal ne que interit niſi a ſeipſo: and according to this Axiom have the Enemies of our Religion and State framed their deſignes. The zeal of Spaine and Rome carried them on indeed at firſt to furious attempts, as in 88. and Powder Treaſon; but when they ſaw they were not able to prevail that way, they put on the Foxes skin, and have moſt ſtudiouſly raiſed and fomented jealouſies and differences betwixt the King and Parliament, betwixt the Parliament and Kingdom: not to mention thoſe ſubdiviſions lately ſtirred, which I would not be ſo far guiltie of keeping alive as to name them. So hath it fated with your renowned City, you have been to the Reformation and Liberty of this Kingdom, what this Kingdom hath been to the Proteſtant Religion in other parts, a great ſupport. The oppoſing party as impatient of ſuch an adverſary (you know) directed the firſt fruits of their ſtrength aud malice againſt you they were indeed interrupted in their way by the battell at Edge-hill, but as ſoon as they were recruted and recovered, how eagerly they purſued their former purpoſe, Brainford can witneſſe: but the next day when the City appeared ſo unanimouſly, and heartily, for their own and the Parliaments defence, they ſaw it was neceſſary to take another courſe, and try if they could become your maſters by deſigne and fraud, and bring you to a cheaper ruine by making you deſtroy one another. To this purpoſe ſeverall courſes have been taken, and not altogether without effect. But ſo long as there was a Common Enemy appeared, there was a diverſion of the humors, which ſince our late ſemblance of Peace have broken out into violent and ſtrange diſeaſes, which have alreadie diſtempered the health, and go on to endanger the life of that famous City. The beſt expedient to remedie this great evill, were doubtleſſe a reconciliation of thoſe perſons and parties who are now diſtant, but were in the beſt eſtate of the City affectionate and unanimous. This is not onelyonly policy but piety, as by a ſerious peruſall of Jam. 3. from the 13. ver. to the end may appear. Experience witneſſes the hard task and fate of reconcilers, who lye betwixt the extremes as corn betwixt the Milſtones: But yet I muſt profeſſe my ſelf one of them, and I had rather they grinde me then one another.
To the accompliſhing this great work, a ſpeciall portion of the wiſdom that is from above, which is mentioned, Jam. 3. ult. is very neceſſary, which let us beg on the behalf of all Chriſtians, eſpecially thoſe whoſe influence into publick affairs requires a greater meaſure. A probable expedient hereunto may be this, that extremities on both hands be layd aſide, and perſons that drive them on. For of each party there are ſome parts ſo heterogeneous, that there is little hope they ſhould ever mingle together, neither is it beneficiall that they ſhould while they ſo remain, for they tend to diſtraction, that is, to deſtruction. And give leave to him that hath many faults to complain of one: That is, that thoſe who have and might have agreed, have put ſo little truſt in God, and ſo little mutuall confidence in each other, that they have choſen rather to ſupport and ſtrengthen their factions (for that it's come to) with perſons leſſe deſiring their welfare then themſelves of one another. And therefore whatſoever perſons▪ principles, or practiſes tend to bring us under old revenges, or new confuſions, ſhould carefully be avoided.
There is hardly any man who is not in reaſon convinced, that the continuance of this diſtance and oppoſition betwixt good men will certainly expoſe them to the power and revenge of them who equally hate both, and yet how few are there whom paſſion or faction will ſuffer to act accordingly. You will pardon the mention of this odious word Faction, it is of miſchievous conſequence, and deſerves to be branded, for it will undoubtedly ruine both ſides, eſpecially when there is a third to wait the advantage, and the iſſue. And he that would be free from this evill, muſt not inordinately affect his own opinion or intereſt, which will expoſe him to that inordinate courſe of making parties to maintain it, but be content to have all his Propoſitions fairly examined; neither muſt he look at perſons more then things, as weak and angry men are wont to do, having ſome mens perſons ſo in admiration, as they moſt cry up, or at leaſt juſtifie or excuſe all their wayes; and others in ſuch deteſtation, as to undervalue, blaſt and blemiſh all they ſay or do. It's hard to finde ei…her a man ſo good, as in ſome things he ſhould not be declined: or ſo evill, that there may not be ſome uſe of him: and if we could abſtract from perſons, and let things and actions take their own demerits, much injury and miſery might be prevented. There have been many viciſſitudes of late, and thoſe that have been higheſt have ſtill loſt themſelves, and endangered others by extremities.Moderata durant. It's now come to your turn again, and unleſſe God grant ſo much wiſdom, ſelf-deniall, and forgetfulneſſe, as may diſpoſe toward moderation, it will not, it cannot laſt. I adde no more but an excuſe, firſt, for this Epiſtle, if plain dealing need one: and 2ly, for the Sermon, which when I compoſed, I was ſo far from thoughts of the Preſſe, that I never thought of a London Pulpit: it hath been a monethmonth delayed in hopes of an excuſe. But ſince you will have it, I ſubmit with a homely but hearty complement, Much good may it do you. And the God of peace give you peace alwayes by all means: The Lord be with you all. So prayeth
York, May 15. 1648. Your welfares faithfull Servant, EDW: BOVVLES.