And firſt in Dauids, and all good mens Method, to begin with Praeparation; a part of my Text, which in this Auditory, I might happely haue ſpared. I ſpeak it to Gods glory, the comfort of the Land, and your iuſt encouragement, that as, many of you equall your Prophets in learning, ſo al of you euen preuēt vs in zeale to Gods cauſe: yet when I conſider the Subiect here, I find 'twas Dauid, Dauid, a man ſo often repeating his innocency in this Pſalm, that Caietan conceiues, he wrot it in the perſon of Chriſt (there being none but Chriſt capable of ſo much innocency) yet euen Dauid himſelfe had not ſo much, but he had need of Waſhing and Praeparation. Suffer me therefore, if not to giue light to your vnderſtanding, at the leaſt to quicken your affections: that my periods may ſerue as ſo many places of memory, to reuiue your better meditations.

And if Greatneſse might haue priuiledged this perſon from impurity, Dauid was a King; if the Grace of his ſoule might haue freed him from the ſoyle of ſinne; he was a man after Gods owne heart. But let not great men put too much truſt in their greatneſſe; the longer the Robe is, the more ſoyle it contracts; Great power may proue the mother of great damnation. And as for puritie, there is a Generation that ſay ther's no ſinne in them, but they deceiue themſelues, ther's no truth in them. What euer Romes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pretend for the power of nature, and of free-will, wee wretched ſinners are taught to conceiue more truely of our owne infirmitie. Chriſts owne Apoſtle, ſtout Thomas, fayled in the faith of his Reſurrection; Peter (whoſe Chayre is now the pretended ſeate of Infallibility) denyes his Maſter; Dauid, a man after GODS owne heart, hath need of waſhing; and who can ſay, I am pure in the ſight of the LORD? Certainly, O Lord, No fleſh is righteous in thy ſight. No: this is the beſt ground of Chriſtian felicitie; if with Dauid we fall to a ſight of our owne ſinnes; if with the Publican, we ſtrike our owne breſts, and not with the Phariſee, caſt our eye ſo much vpon other mens faults: why ſhould wee like Taylors, meaſure all men but our ſelues? As if the beſt of vs had not ſin enough of his owne to thinke on See Dauid heere cals himſelfe to an account for his owne ſinnes; O Lord, I know mine iniquity, and my ſinne is euer before me. Oh the powerfull effect of Chriſtian Deuotion! when by the reflectiue Act of the Vnderſtanding, Science is turned into Conſcience, and our knowledge is but the glaſſe of our owne imperfection, the glaſſe wherein the ſight of our ſinnes, ſend vs preſently to God, as it did Dauid here, who makes this account onely betwixt God and his owne Soule, I, O Lord. Firſt, Hee takes his riſe from Humility, and the ſight of his owne ſinnes, and then hee ſoares vp by the wings of Faith, to the Throne of Gods mercy: I, O Lord. He ſees with his owne eyes, and not only with the Church, or the Prieſts Spectacles, he is his owne Poenitentiary and Confeſſor; heere's no interceſſion by Saints, no Maſſes, Merits, Indulgences, Trē tals, Dirges: All's done betwixt God and him, I, O Lord. With the eye of Humility, hee lookes to himſelfe and his owne miſery, then with the eye of Faith, to God and his mercy, and from both theſe, reſults a third vertue of Repentance in the Act of Praeparation, waſhing the ſoyle of ſinne in the Bathe of Sorrow, I will waſh my hands, &c.

This waſhing in religious Praeparations, is a cuſtome eſtablished euen by the Law of Nature. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , was written vpon the doore of Diana's Temple, and therefore they euer went from Waſhing to VVorſhipping from the Lauer to the Altar: Lavabo vt rem diuinam faciam, vvas the common practice of the Romanes, and euen the Turkes themſelues, Waſh before they pray. But not to authorize ſo diuine a Rite from Infidels; In the Old Law, wee finde Sanctity euer accompanied with Decency; the Lauer was placed before the Altar, and Cleanſing was euer the Praeface to Offering. And in the New Law, 'tis our Sauiours Ordinance, that wee beginne with Baptizing; and 'twas his owne practice, to Waſh his Apoſtles feete, before the LORDS SVPPER: Not that Hee would haue vs inſiſt in the outward Act; No, the very Legall Waſhing, was the inſtruction of inward Cleanſing. And our Abſolution heere, it ſounds Regeneration, Repentance, Renouation.

There are two eminent Lauers in the Goſpell, the firſt, Chriſts Bathe, a hot Bathe, Lavacrum Sanguinis, the Lauer of CHRISTS Bloud; the ſecond, Our Bathe, a cold Bathe, Lavacrum Lachrymarum, the Lauer of Repentance. Theſe two mixed together, will proue a ſoueraigne Compoſition, wrought firſt by CHRIST himſelfe, when Hee ſweat water and bloud.

The firſt is as that Poole of Batheſda, into which whoſoeuer enters with Faith, is healed; The bloud of Chriſt is the true Lauer of Regeneration; a Fountaine ſet open for Iudah and Ieruſalem to waſh in. The bloud of Chriſt purgeth vs from all ſinnes, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Wee account it Charitie in Mothers, to feede their Children with their owne Milke: How deare is the loue of Chriſt, that both Waſheth and Feedes vs with his owne Bloud? No ſooner are wee borne in Chriſt, but iuſt as our Mothers, ſo Chriſts bloud is turned into Milke, nouriſhing vs to euerlaſting Saluation. What is Calamus Beniamini, or Storax, or a thouſand Riuers of Oyle, to make vs cleane, except the Lord purge and cleanſe vs? No, 'tis His bloud that ſpeakes better things than the bloud of Abel: Vnto Him therefore that loued vs, and waſhed vs from our ſinnes in his owne Bloud, and hath made vs KINGS and PRIESTS to GOD His Father: to Him bee glory and dominion for euer, Reuelation 1. 5, 6.

But yet 'tis the ſecond Bathe, the Lauer of Repentance, that muſt apply and make the firſt Operatiue. This Bathe of Mary Magdalens repentance, it is a kind of Rebaptization, giuing ſtrength and effect to the firſt waſhing. And it implyes a threefold Act: Firſt, To bruiſe our hearts by Contrition; Secondly, To lay our wounds open by Confeſsion to God; Thirdly, to waſh our hands in Innocency, by Satisfaction to men.

The Sacrifice of a broken heart, makes a happy way to the Sacrifice of the Altar. Lachrymae pondera vocis habent, our teares are the beſt Harbingers wee can ſend before vs, our ſilent Orators to GOD; Quae veniam non poſtulant, ſed obtinent, as Saint Ambroſe ſaith, they ſpeede without asking, and neuer returne from GOD without obtayning. It troubled my Soule in theſe times of Tryall, to perceiue the hearts of men filled with diſtracted thoughts, their mouthes with diſcontented Obloquyes: Had they turned theſe Paſſions into ſound Repentance, they would ſoone haue found more eaſe to their Soules. Through this Red Sea of Sorrow, all our FATHERS were wont to paſſe to the Land of Promiſe, leauing their enemies, their ſins, all ſwallowed vp in thoſe Waters, and by theſe bleſſed Streames they were cleanſed, not onely from ciuill and temporall, but ſpirituall and eternall puniſhments. So Abimelech, Hezekiah, Manaſseh, Iob, the Niniuites. So the Iſraelites; 'tis true, twice they went vp to aske Councell of God, and were ouerthrowne by the Beniamites, but the third time, when they went vp to GODS Houſe, and ſate Weeping, and Faſting, from Morne till Euen, then they ouerthrew Beniamin, and Slew twenty-fiue thouſand men of thoſe that drew the Sword, Iudg. 20. 35.

This is the third time, my Worthy Auditors, that you haue come vp to this Houſe of God, and if heretofore yee haue fayl'd of your good intentions, I feare twas for want of this vertue of Repentance. Prodigious Swearing, blaſphemous Curſing, vncharitable Gluttony, ſwiniſh Drinking, grating Vſury, exacting Bribery, vniuſt Ambition, mercileſſe Oppreſſion: theſe are the ſinnes that haue kindled a fire in the Land, and cal firſt for your teares, then for your hands to quench it. Yee now preſent the whole body of the Land, and therefore now before you approach the Altar, Repent for the whole body of the Land. Certainly we haue no Purgatory but true Repentance, no holy water but this, can quench the fire of Luſt and Hell.

I know there is no good ſoule here, which is not wounded at the Common ſinnes of our Nation, and yet which of vs all, haue euer happily ſhed one teare, either for our owne ſinnes, or the ſinnes of the people? Alas! that we ſhould not yeelde one droppe for thoſe offences; which coſt our Sauiour many ſtreames of blood to waſh them away. I would faine dwell vpon this ſweete vertue, but your deuotions muſt ſupply, what the time detracts. And if yee cannot ſhedde a teare, giue a ſigh for our ſins; if not that, repent that you cannot repent: our ſinnes begat our ſorrow, let our ſorrow deuoure our ſinnes, as the Worme the Tree that bred it: VVaſh and waſh now, for, ad Aras conſulere, it is too late, to waſh at the Altar.

Waſh now and waſh all, from the Crowne of the Head, to the ſole of the Foote, there is nothing in vs but Woundes, and Sores: yet aboue all, there is ſome-thing here in it that Dauid waſheth his hands. Indeede it is not enough to come with wet eyes, if we come with foule hands, to offer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with vnwaſhen hands, The Gentiles would not do it. Contrition and Confeſſion to God make not vp compleate Repentance, without ſatiſfaction to men. Non remittitur peccatum Auguſt. Epiſt. 54 Ser. Latim. before Edw. 6. niſi reſtituatur ablatum, It is an true as old, and in old Father Latimers Engliſh it is, either there muſt be reſtitution open or ſecret, or elſe Hell. Whoeuer repayres not the wrong, reioyceth in the ſinne. Prouerbs 2. 14. Where there is no ſatiſfaction, Non agitur ſed fingitur paenitentia, ſayth Saint Auguſtine: and thoſe who reſtore not all, waſh not their whole hands; they dippe onely the tipps of their finger. Extortion, Rapine, Bribery, theſe are the ſinnes of the hands, (ſinnes ſo proper to the Iewes that they may wel conceiue as they doe, that the Diuell lies all night on their hands, and that is it makes them ſo Diligent in waſhing) but as for vs Chriſtians, vnleſſe theſe Vipers bee ſhaken off our hands, though yee couer the Altar of the Lord with Teares, with Weeping, and with crying out, yet if you continue in your Pollutions, God regards not your offering any more, nor will he receiue it with good will at your hands. Mal. 2. 13.

But there are ſome that put moreAriſt. 3. de anima. ſpirit here into this Obiect, and tell vs that Dauid aymed at more then his hands. It is true, the hand is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the actiueſt part, and ſo put here for the whole Body, and not for the body alone, but vſually in Holy Writ for all the practick faculties and operations of the Soule; the Vnderſtanding, the Will, the Affections, the Minde, the Conſcience, Adminiſtration, Counſell, All. This waſhing here, it is not onely Ablutio, but Balneatio, it is not a little waſhing, but an entire Bathing; if any of theſe be vnprepared, vnwaſhed, hand off from the Altar. In the Popiſh Maſſe, they thinke it enough to waſh the tipps of their fingers. At our Altar we muſt waſh all, offer the whole man a liuing and an acceptable Sacrifice to God. Otherwiſe Pilate waſht his hands, and at the ſame inſtant condemned Chriſt. Wee muſt waſh, and waſh thoroughly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in innocency. This is the Integrity of the Act.

The very 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Crowne of all our preparation, the pureſt Water wee can waſh in, is innocency, and innocency is a vertue of the heart, as well as of the hand. Cleanſe your hands Iames 4. 8. yee ſinners; and purifie your hearts yee double-Minded. I could wiſh our waſhing might be like Crprians Baptizing adtincturam, euen till wee were dyed in Repentance, and the Blood of Chriſt. Let the quantity of thy ſins bee the meaſure of our Repentance. Firſt offer thine innocency, then thy Sacrifice. It is not enough that you come this day by order, you muſt come with innocency. God requires the Duty of the ſecond Table, as well as of the firſt: hee abhorres the outward Act of Piety, where he finds no conſcience and practiſe of innocency.

I haue here (my Honorable Auditory) a large field to runne in, and you to worke in; but I will contract my ſelfe within Dauids Limitation. He in this Pſalme markes vs out three enemies of innocency: Diſsemblers, at the fourth verſe: Men of blood, at the ninth: and Bribe-takers at the tenth. Dauid (as you this Day) goes to the Altar, that he might ſeperate himſelfe, and not ſit with ſuch as theſe are. And too many ſuch Iebuſites there are in our Iſrael, after whom giue me leaue to make a ſhort inquiſition.

Firſt Diſſemblers, ſuch as our Church-Papiſts in whom Machiauell in the head hath gotten the aduantage of the Pope in the belly; halfe Papiſts, halfe Proteſtants; Like Oſeas Cake, halfe baked, halfe dough: Iuſt Saint Auſtins Amphibions: Qui dum volunt eſse & Iudaej, & Chriſtianj, neque ſunt Iudaej, neque Chriſtianj. While they would bee both Papiſts and Proteſtants, they are indeede Newters and Nihils. Let all zealous ſoules ſet a brand vpon ſuch Hermophodite Chriſtians, as theſe latter times haue diſcouered to vs.

There is another ſort of them yet, to whome wee are more beholding though it be but for their impudency, profeſt Diſſemblers, who wilbe profeſt Papiſts, and yet profeſt Partakers of our Altar, and they haue a reaſon in conſcience for it too: our Sacrament is no Sacrament, they receiue it onely in a ciuill obedience, and it is no more with them, then a ciuill act. Oh the bold cunning of Sathan, whoſe kingdome conſiſts in lying, without eyther memory or modeſty; in diſſembling without ſhame or innocency; and if any ſuch Foxes be crept into the Vineyard of Iudah, and thinke to lurke vnder our Altar: giue me leaue to hunt them out with their owne Weapons, euen ſuch as ſhall challenge the beſt Buckler the Diuell affoords them, their Equivocation.

Firſt then tell me: thou profeſt Hypocrite. To deny Gods true Worſhip, is not this to deny God himſelfe? and doeſt not thou by ioyning in our Sacraments, deny thine owne Religion? in thy conceite the onely true worſhippe: True, but thou doeſt it in ſhew onely, not in heart, no more did Saint Peter, when he denied Chriſt, but he that denies me before men, I will alſo deny him before my Father. Matth. 10. 13. Againe, if wee be ſuch branded Hereticks as you ſtile vs, our Table is as you terme it, the table of Diuells, and therefore to communicate with vs, is to ſhake hands with Satan, and pertake of the Table of Diuels, 1. Cor. 10. verſ. 18 If yet yee will not go when the Diuel driues you, at the leaſt let that which you preferre aboue eyther GOD or the Diuell, the power of your Church, let that exorcize you Is it not your Trent Preſcription, fetcht out of Lombard, and Aquin Firmi in ſide non debent conuerſari cum Haereticis Sent. 4. Diſt. 13. q. 10. Aquin. ibid. in diuinis. Thoſe that are firme in the Roman faith, ought not to conuerſe with Hereticks in Diuine Worſhip. Was it thinke you well done of Saint Peter, to ſcandalize the Goſpel by eating with the Gentils, if he do, Saint Paul will withſtand him to his owne face, and ſo doe I you. In a word, if the curſe of Rome or your owne conſcience can preuaile with you, hand off from our Altar. If God bee God, follow him: if Baall bee God, away from this Holy place, follow him. Thoſe that thus equiuocate in Gods Houſe, what will they doe in your Houſe, and in your Councels? There ſhould bee none but Dauids ſonnes in Dauids aſſembly, but there is none of Dauids ſeede loue to ſit with Diſſemblers. verſ. 4. Much leſſe with ſuch Diſſemblers as lye in wayte for blood: Such as heare not the complaynts of the wronged, but build vp Syon with blood, and Ieruſalem with iniquity Micah. 3. 10. Gather not my ſoule with ſinners, nor my life with ſuch bloody men, verſe 9. But of theſe more anon.

The third Corrupter of innocency is he, whoſe right hand is full of Bribes, verſe 10. Bribery, an vbiquitary vice, a ſinne as fearefull as common; as in a publike Auditory at Pauls Croſſe, I haue heeretofore diſcouered, and though I haue knowne whole families groane vnder the burthen of it: I haue neither time, nor will to repeate any thing I then Deliuered. Onely ſpare me ſo much of your pious liberty, to commend to your Religious endeauours, one prodigious ſtrayne of corruption, the ſtayne both of Religion and nature, ſome of the Profeſſors whereof haue fallen within the liſts of mine owne knowledge, and thoſe are Engliſh Penſioners to For raine States. Such as ſacrifice their King, their Country, their Parents, nay their Sauiour to Mammon; ſuch as winde into our Court, our Parliaments, our hearts; ſuch as eate and take Councell together with vs, but like the Traytors in the Troyan horſe, fifty of them doe more hurt in one night, then fiue thouſand open enemies in ten yeare. I might ſubioyne to theſe ſuch World-wormes, as ſell their conſciences eyther for Court-fauour, or popular applauſe, pretending the Common good, but ayming at their owne.

But I make haſt to the Altar, it is your waſhing in innocency muſt prepare you for that, and the zeale of that cannot but ſtir you vp to waſh the Land from corruption. I will wind vp this point with the Prophet Eſay's Character of a good Parliament, as I may call it. Waſh you, make you cleane, ceaſe to doe euill, learne to doe well, ſeeke iudgement, releeue the oppreſſed, iudge the Fatherleſſe, pleade for the widdow; then come and lets reaſon together, ſayth the Lord: though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be white as ſnow, though they be red like Crimſon, they ſhall bee as white as Wool. Eſay 1. 16.

Not that all this waſhing and innocency of ours ſufficeth to ſalvation, without Gods Altar: If it had, it is likely Dauid would haue gone no farther: Nay euen when wee are at the Altar; in Altari non inuenit viam, qui in Chriſto non inuenit cauſam: Not by the works of righteouſnes which we haue done, but according to his mercy hee ſaued vs, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. Tit. 3. 5. Wee ſee after all his waſhing, yet Dauid goeth to the Altar.

This is Motus, his geſture, hee doth not onely looke on it, hee goes to it: as in the old Tranſl. Hee doth not as moſt among vs, make the Temple a thorough-fare, and paſſe by the Altar, but with ſeemely deuotion hee compaſſeth the Altar: as in the new Tran. I might here Litigate which were the fitteſt geſture at the holy Table; ſtanding, Sitting, Walking, or Kneeling, which are all vſed in ſeuerall Churches. The reaſon of this diuerſity is the generality of the Goſpell Phraſe, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Matth. 26. 20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Luke 22. 14. They both ſignifie leaning, or falling downe, not ſitting. Dauids geſture was compaſsing with Hymnes and Pſalmes; and the ſame geſture Theodofious and Charles the Great vſed; but I would not heere make a quarrell of a Ceremony, I leaue that to the Tithers of mint and cummin, who in the meane time let paſſe the more eſſentiall comfort of Gods Table. It is enough that the Text runnes with our Church, making humility and penitence the beſt preparatiue to the Altar, no geſture too low in the receite of ſo high a benefite, Humble your ſelues in the fight of the Lord, and he ſhall lift yee vp. Iames 4. 10. And as for this and the whole body of our Church-orders, I had it from the mouth of that Reuerend Father Paul of Venice, the worthy Author of (that excellent diſcouery) the Hiſtory of the Councell of Trent, that hee eſteemed the Hyerarchy of our Church, the moſt excellent peece of Diſcipline in the whole Chriſtian VVorld. But howeuer they eſteeme it abroad, wee here at home, if wee bee not vnworthily-vnthankfull muſt needes confeſſe, that for this ſixty yeares and vpwards, wee haue felt ſuch a bleſſed effect of it, as no other Church nor Nation in the Chriſtian World can paralell. And therefore to your care, and loue I commend it. Compaſſe you Gods Altar, with your protection, and you haue Gods owne Word for it: hee will compaſſe you with his prouidence, Hee will open the Chatar acks of Heauen, and power out a Bleſsing vppon you. Mal. 3. 10. Bleſſe you Gods Altar, and no queſtion Gods Altar will bleſſe you.

Thus at the length, though I feare with ſome exerciſe of your patience, I haue brought you to the deſired port of Health, the Altar.

The Altar? why but that is the place where the Romaniſts wold haue you; if to the Altar, then to a Maſſe, to a ſacrifice for the Living and the Dead: God forbid. I confeſſe that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 come both from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to ſacrifice,Lib. 1. de miſſ. and with Bellarmine that an Altar properly taken, infers a ſacrifice properly taken. But the words that I ſpeake vnto you, are ſpirit and life. Iohn 6. 63. Our High Prieſt is Spirituall. Heb. 10. 22. our Prieſthood, and our Sacrifice Spirituall, 1. Peter 2. 5. When wee ſpeake properly, in our Canons and Communion Booke, wee call it with the Apoſtles, (and as Bellarmine confeſſeth with all the Fathers to Tertullians time, 200. yeares of Chriſt) The Table of the Lord, 1 Cor. 10. 21. Not but that in a Metaphorical ſenſe we can allow it to be called Altar, and Sacrifice too: We are content to heare Saint Chryſoſtome call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Sacrifice, if hee adde by way of explanatiall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rather the memoriall of a ſacrifice. In this wee will ſubſcribe to their owne Lumbard, Vocatur Sacrificium quia memoria Lib. 4. Diſt. 12. eſt veri Sacrificij. It is called a Sacrifice becauſe it is the memoriall of a true Sacrifice. Wee confeſſe it both an Altar, and a Sacrifice in Signato, though not in Signo, in the thing ſignified, though not in the ſigne. We contemplate at the Altar, the Sonne of God himſelfe ſweating Blood, wreſtling with the wrath of his Father, torne on the Croſſe, pierced to the Heart, for our ſinnes. We confeſſe him there, as the Holy Lambe of God, really offred vp a true Propitiatory ſacrifice for our ſinnes, and by the Vertue of this Sacrament really ſealing vp remiſſion to our ſoules.

And if then we haue no other hope nor faith, but in that reall Sacrifice of Chriſt once offered for vs, why haue thoſe men of blood, for this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 this word-quarrell of the Altar, ſacrificed the liues of ſo many Deuout Confeſſors? while they profeſſe they drinke the blood of Chriſt, why haue they made themſelues ſo drunke with the blood of Chriſtians and Chriſtian Princes? In theſe men is too truly fulfilled that viſion of Iohn, Reuele. 6. 9. I ſaw vnder the Altar, the ſoules of them that were killed for the Word of God, and for the Teſtimony which they haue maintained. Should theſe men eſcape your Zeale and Iuſtice, which I aſſure my ſelfe they ſhall not, yet God hath a cup in ſtore for them, with which they ſhal one day be fully drenched. Becauſe they haue ſhed the Blood of the Saints, therefore haſt thou giuen them blood to drinke. Reu. 18. verſ. 4. & 24.

Let ſuch as theſe ſtill offer their ſacrifices which cannot take away ſinnes. Heb. 10. 11. But let vs who haue an Altar whereof they haue no right to eate, Let vs holde faſt the Profeſſion of our Faith, without wauering, Hebrews 10. 23. As all Iewiſh ſacrifices lookt forward, ſo all ours looke backward to the ſacrifice of Chriſt. They were as the morning ſhadowes; growing ſhorter and ſhorter till the midday, ours as the after-noone ſhadowes, growing longer euen till the ſecond comming of our Sauiour, when wee ſhall offer the ſacrifice of prayſe for euer.

Let vs in the meane time with Dauid in the next verſe, begin that Euchariſt here; let vs at the Altar of GOD, ſhew forth the voyce of thankſgiuing, and tell of all Gods wondrous Workes. The wondrous workes of our Creation, Vocation, Redemption, the wondrous worke of Gods Bleſsing this Land with peace, plenty, and the liberty of the Goſpell; the wondrous worke of our preſeruation in 88. the wonder of wonders in our deliuery from the Gun-powder Treaſon; the wondrous worke of our Royall Prince's ſafe returne to his Pious Fathers Houſe: in all theſe the wondrous loue of God to his Deere Church, and the members thereof, his conſtant ſeruants in this Land.

And if God hath ſo loued vs, let not vs now fayle to loue one another: Yee haue all taken oathes heretofore, ratifie them now againe at Gods Altar, vowe one vowe more there, euen the vowe of loue and conſtant vnion, and the power of Grace enable you to performe it. The Altar is the proper ſeate of reconciliation, Mat. 5. 24. and that Holy Sacrament, as it is the beſt Pledge of Gods loue to vs, ſo of our Communion, one with another. Beleeue it Chriſtians, the maine axiome and anuile of popiſh Pollicy, the very Axell whereon they winde about the whole body of their Machiauiliſme in England, is our diuiſion and diſſenſion; themſelues haue brag'd, that there is no way ſo ready to conuert a Lutheran, as by the paſsion of a Caluiniſt: no meanes ſo prompt to make a Proteſtant a Papiſt, as by the oppoſition of a Puritane. Thus they endeauour to deſtroy vs (as wee deſtroyed their inuincible Nauy) by ſending fire, euen the fire of diſſenſion in the midſt of vs. Oh let vs beare downe this pollicy of the world, with the wiſedome of the Spirit: Away with theſe diſtracting names of Lutheran, Caluiniſt, Puritan, &c. We are all the children of the ſame father, who hath begotten vs in the loue of one Mediatour, and Sanctified vs by one and the ſame Spirit. Chriſt and his ſpouſe, the King, and his Kingdome, Chriſtian Brother and Brother, theſe are they which God hath ioyned together, and curſed may hee be that endeauours to put them aſunder.

I will conclude with the Vote of Paul, I beſeech you brethren by the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that yee all ſpeake the ſame thing, and that there be no diuiſions among you, but that you bee perfectly ioyned together, in the ſame minde, and the ſame iudgement: That ſo by the vnited power of charity, and a good cauſe yee may all march on Valiantly, and meete the aduerſary in the face, conſtantly fighting the battell of our Elder Brother Chriſt Ieſus, who fought to the Death, for our ſinnes.

That Ieſus, who for vs was made both the Prieſt, the Altar, and the Sacrifice, accept this your morning Sacrifice of prayſe and thankſgiuing. He waſh you in his blood, cloath you in his innocency, Crowne you with his Glory. He this Day at his Altar conueigh ſuch grace into your hearts, that yee may forme all your enſuings, actions, and counſells, as if you were ſtill at Gods Altar. To that Ieſus with the Eternall Father, and Holy Spirit, wee aſcribe all Prayſe, Power, Glory, Dominion, in Saecula Saeculorum.