SChool-controuersies mixt with points of deuotion I sometimes deliuer'd from this place; but now a Text that requires the diuinity of a Prince, and th'exposition of a Souldier, rather then a Schoole: Yet-no man scanda­lize this Text, himselfe, or mee: was not our Sauiour an Oratour vpon't? and if our Sauiour himselfe handle the Common-wealth 'tis possible then to be diuinely handled: and if diuinely handled, it can loose nothing by the handling: If a Kingdome bee &c. Wherein you may please to obserue, a State, the Qualitie of such a State, and the effects of such qualities: the State not of a priuate man, but the Compound aggregate State of a pub­like Kingdome: a Kingdome; that's certaine: then the Con­dition, the Quality, or casuall actions of such a State, they are diuisions against themselues; and they are vncertaine; If a Kingdome be diuided against it selfe; If diuided, that's vncertaine: Thirdly, the Issues and euill events of such diuisions, & that's not-standing shall I say? nay, 'tis non-possibility of standing, and that's too-too certaine, God knowes: [...]: it cannot stand if it be diuided; that it cannot. To handle the State by it selfe, and the casualtie of such a State after that; and so conclude with th'effects of all, were a pretty playing me­thode, [Page 2] fit for easing of the breath; but very vnfit for the seri­ous discussion of the Cause: wee must collect the whole, A diuided Kingdome cannot stand. Had the time bin as royall as the Text, I could haue entertain'd yee all; but no — Yet not like those who professing a glorious magnitude are conver­sant in most inferiour things: for I will open that vnt'ee, which euery man will not vnfold; Treason against a King as a bloud-guiltie sinne, but against a Kingdome as much more, as any whole is greater then its part: Loe, I present vnt'ee the Changes of States, desolations of Kingdomes, the down­fall of the whole full of Intemperance, vniustice, auarice, am­bition, and whatsoeuer herein almost is worthy to be known; I present the causes and th'effects, together with the remedies of all, not without some more especiall application to the time; only be fauourable I pray, to this too much extempora­ry necessitie of the man; so farre as the single nature of the Cause will beare, you shall haue nothing more nor lesse, then the diuision of a Kingdome will afford. If a Kingdome be di­uided against it selfe, that kingdome cannot stand.

When the Prophet would fore-tell th'expiration of the Iewish reigne, he prophecies of dissensions-shall arise; The Childe against th'auncient, the base against the Honourable: Esay 3. chap. 5. ver. and it followes in a moment after; Ceci­dit Hierusalem, the Kingdome is fallen, i'th' 8^th ver: diuide it, and it falls: it came to passe (Iosephus giues it) in three deadly Sects, whose chiefes were Simon, Iohn, and Eleazar: By ciuill discord did Carthage fall; by the like did old Rome her Empire ruine; while their dissention gaue entrance to the Turke; the Kingdomes of Hungarie, Rhodes, and other many States, haue felt the torment of this Text: what needes any more? Interpreters say all, 'tis a popular argument our Saui­our vseth, and too-too wel knowne of all, that a diuided king­dome cannot stand; If a Kingdome bee diuided against it selfe, that Kingdome cannot stand.

As th'essence of God is one, so it behooues all things to be vnite, that will subsist in him: take the most comely body in this learned Crowne of men, and diuide either the spirits or [Page 3] humours of that body one against another, and neither beau­ty, nor body can long subsist: out of the beauteous fabricke of the World, if ye take that excellent correspondence away, whereby the Caelestiall Spheares, and the inferiour Elements doe louingly agree together, the World it selfe can neuer long endure: except the heauens heare th'earth, and th'earth the heauens, and both agree vnto the prouision of the whole, the World it selfe can neuer well subsist: Hosea 2.21.

The demonstrance is as plaine; because diuision destroyes the very Forme it selfe: as if ye diuide a man, there remaines no longer forma hominis, but forma cadaveris: so if ye diuide a Common-wealth, there remaines no longer the forme of a good Common-wealth; but the forme of barbarousnesse and folly doth remaine: there may result out of such a diuision, two armies of souldiers, two parties of a faction; but meane time, the faire, proper, entire bulke and beauty of a kingdome is destroyed: that cannot stand: which is the emphasis of the Text: [...]: that kingdome cannot stand. Neither were it of much consequence, if it destroyed forme alone; but it pe­rishes matter together with the forme: diuision weakens the strongest publicke State that is: diuision calls in the forreine discontents of other Realmes: diuision turnes swords of the same mans making one against anothers point: diuision de­stroyes the very end, for which a Kingdome was ordain'd: For the very prime ordinance of a kingdome was, to vnite all vn­der one Head, one Law, one liberty, one profit and pleasure of good life, that so the vnity being equally interested among all, all might with one accord more strongly combine them­selues against the auarices, ambitions, tyrannies of other en­croaching men: for the World will neuer want Nimrods: ma­ny Oeconomicall hunters there be, that hunt for the prouision of their owne houses; and as many Venatores Politici, that hunt after other mens Kingdomes: and therefore, vae si divida­tur; woe vnto that Kingdome is diuided; for the hunter will take it: If a Kingdome be diuided against it selfe, that Kingdome cannot stand: Wherefore, be we all vnited as firme as flesh is to the bone, cemented all together in loue, glewed vnto the [Page 4] publick welfare of the state: If any diuisions haue amongst vs bin, if any fallacy of selfe-loue, if any poison of debate, it must be so no more: Ile open the remedies, doe but you make righte­ous iudgement, whether they bee not better then the disease.

Some haue taken occasion to contriue a diuision vpon meere REVENGE; so Coriolanus in Plutarch being exasperated by an vniust condemnation, did deriue the warre vpon his owne Countrey: So banisht Alcibiades, how did he discouer the whole Councell of Athens to th'enemy? What a combustion did he make betweene th'Oligarchye, and the Commonalty? So much revenge will doe; and more then so; for smaller iniu­ries, though they be no positiue euills, but privatiues only; as the tenne Tribes against Dauid, because he afforded Iuda all the honour of attendance at repossession to his Crowne, and did not send as honourable a summons to invite them of Israel also; therefore in fiercenesse they arose, pleaded proportion, number, valour, abuse of all; and a great diuision, a great re­bellion did they cause, 2 Sam. 19. and 20 chap. So much a litle distaste, a priuatiue dishonour can produce: and the remedy is, whether they be iustly or vniustly punisht; Superiours, Inferi­ours, to intreate all: Superiours, their authority I intreat to distribute their face and lawfull fauour as proportionably as they can. Giue tenne Tribes the respect of ten, & two that be­longs to two; giue fiue hundred Counties the honour of fiue hundred, & to the lesse number the lesse fauour doth pertaine. 'Tis lawfull peradventure to fauour these, not those, where both doe equally deserue; but 'tis not expedient so to doe: For a litle distaste, a great diuision may arise: Achitophell will diuert, and many a Politician moe, vnlesse they be imploy­ed: on th'other, the neglected inferiour people, I entreate, to arme themselues with patience, considering the honour of it; for it argues them nobly sufficient of themselues; if they can liue without the fauour, aswel as the fauour without them, but basely necessitous, if they stand in need of it: the profit like­wise; for what are faces and fauours of Potentate men, but as the face of the Sunne? which many times dryes and withers, & extracts more out of herbs, then euer it did infuse into them: [Page 5] and I haue euer thought the men of Israel were mad vnto the highest degree, in quarrelling who should carry the baggage af­ter Dauid, as if they had not trouble and taxe enough beside: & let this perswade all neglected Counties and Incorporations; suffer Potentates with their fauours; bestow them how they please; it should neuer cause a diuision among wise men, 'tis li­berty and profit to be without them many times: But you say, there are no such, and God be thanked for it; I am very glad to heare the State of our own Kingdome doth so well agree with the State of the Kingdome in the Text: for this Text is no po­sitiue inferring against the present state: but a gentle referring of the caution to euery mans conscience for time to come; If a Kingdome be vindictiuely diuided against it selfe: [...]: and if it be diuided, it can neuer stand.

What if a positiue dishonour? the revenge appeares more iust, but the remedy is the same: Inferiours, superiours, to bee detreated all; these to inflict such gentle punishments, as either may not exasperate great spirits to desire revenge, or els such mighty mortall stroakes, as may vtterly dis-enable them from all power to execute the same: for men of vindictiue nature are hard to be restrain'd: this was Gowries pretence, revenge: stop therefore beginnings; for if euer any Gowrie diuide, there will neuer want Alexanders, and Logans; Bowers, and Sprotts to take his part: Those on the other, to consider how much de­ceiu'd they are; propound revenge they doe, and why? Melle dulcior est: 'tis sweeter then the hony-combe vnto their soules: that's the old pretext, but 'tis an Heathen one: amicè amicis, inimicè inimicis, I find it only in Aristotle, and among the Iewes; but otherwise with CHRIST; Loue your very enemies: alas, 'tis Satans instigation, not their owne: If 't be vniust vnto the death it selfe, yet hee that's so most doing now, shall suffer most in th'end: 'Tis a pleasant damnation to be reveng'd d'ee say? Yes, so it is to others, but not vnto your selues: others indeed delight the combat to see you reciprocally pined and wasted, & perish'd with each others blowes; but you your selues, what pleasure can you take in being made the very fable, the disease, and slaues of other men? Quid tibi dulcedo si non conceditur uti? [Page 6] Quid tibi, si non tibi? There's no such crime, as is a studied sinne; there's no such study to the head, nor paine vnto the heart, as is the torment of revenge: 'Tis honourable to suffer & despise; but to seeke revenge, that's a weaknesse of not being able to en­dure; and that with preiudice to a whole Common-wealth; 'tis Arch-diuelishly inhumane: I know heerein also yee'll say, our Kingdome and the Text agree; and GOD be thanked for it; there needes no positiue reproofe; but howeuer, a suppositiue admonition is good against time to come; If a Kingdome bee vindictiuely diuided against it selfe, you know what followes, si modo diuidatur, If euer it be diuided it can neuer stand.

Others in the LVCRATIVE kind haue taken paines to generate a faction for money sake: Philip the father of Alex­ander besieges Olynthus, could not take it by force, but he cor­rupts Euthicrates the chiefe Gouernour by money, and so he ro­ceiues the Countrey betrayed into his hand: so much conetisme can doe; and the remedy as before, to entreat all, that such cor­rumpues may neuer be imployed, either in embassie abroad, or in office at home, whereby they shal haue any power of selling their State-Intelligence for a pension, their Kingdome for a gol­den pound: Those of the suspected on the other, to consider the basenesse of the sinne, what a thrice-odious earthlinesse it is to sell a potent rich Kingdome for a litle red earth: What, the Kingdome? why 'twere much to sell the virginity of one mai­den, if she were a pure devoted good creature: but in betraying a Kingdome, the doctrine of Religion, the propagation of Lawes, the orders of Cities, the Arts of Vniuersities, the In­stitution of youth, the beauty, maidenhead of Humanity, Diui­nity, and all they sell, for a litle handfull of red earth; which when they obtaine, their second generation shall neuer carry it to their graue, nor they themselues be euer buried without an Epitaph of the basest kinde: Vendidit hic auro patriam; heere lyes the notorious corrumpue, that sold his whole Countrey to fill his own chest: or that of Saint Bernard: Viluit huic populi salus prae auro Hispaniae, in his 3^d Booke de consid. ad Eugenium. What cares he, when he is dead? no, nor the Diuell neither; but GOD will make them both care, when he hath them toge­ther [Page 7] in Hell-fire: Yet ye say, there are no such neither, and who is not glad to heare? the State of our owne Kingdome doth so well parallell with the Kingdome i'ch' Text: for this is no peremptory reproofe of any present State, but a louing aduer­tisement against time to come: If a Kingdome be LVCRATIVE­LY diuided against it selfe, [...]: such a King dome cannot stand; 'tis nothing to our owne: there's the Emphasis at that Kingd me, not our owne: that Kingdome cannot stand.

Others by being ALLYED to forraine Nations, haue beene inclinable to diuide: as in the Sicilian warre, the Chalcidians said, they were aunciently allyed to Athens, and therefore rea­son would they should partake with them against their owne Kingdome in the warre. 'Tis i'th' 4^th booke of Thucidides, where you may see what the fancie of Allyance can doe in the diuision of a State; and the remedy is for Chiefes in any king­dome, to make all their Allyes of marriage and other interests of relation, as much as their wisedome may, among themselues: and if they chance otherwise to be allyed abroad, yet know they must, they haue but allyed themselues to such a priuat fa­mily, to such a publicke Kingdome they cannot allye them­selues, vnlesse they'll be Traitours to their owne: to such a Kingdome they cannot allye themselues, vnlesse all allye: Giue vs your daughters to wife, say Iacobs sonnes, and we will render ye ours: Let it be a generall allyance, & erimus quasi genus unum: Gen. 34.16: and vnlesse it be generall, it can be no iust tye of v­nion to another State; because the priuate good must euer giue preheminence to the publicke weale; they may be defensiue to another, but neuer offensiue to their owne: why should they? allyed by wife? but you know not whether it bee your wife or you they doe so much respect: peradventure others are al­lyed vnto her, as neere as you your selues, yet neuer carry opi­nion to such respects as those: they respect not your kingdome for allyance vnto them; why then should you theirs? If euer the enemy enter, there will be no time to deliberate of Allyes: Pardon the Generall what he please, yet the Common Souldier will slay and rifle what he can: Suppose they should offer to exempt yee from the rest, as Sylla did some speciall friends of [Page 8] his, when Praeneste was besieged, yet were ye noble spirits, yee would scorne to accept the condition, ye would rush in among the troopes, and choose rather to die for the honour of your Country, as those Praenestians did: But I heare you say, you feare no such Allyes neither, and I am glad yee are so paralell in all things with the Text, which hath no absolute reproofe of a­ny, but only admonition against time to come; If a Kingdome be MATRIMONIALLY diuided against itselfe, that king­dome cannot stand.

Yet giue me leaue, what say ye to Alliance in Religion, which is the grand of all? for diuision in Religion sets Preacher against Preacher; one Oratour, one Lecturer against another; diuision in Religion setts Scribe against Scribe; one Hearer, one Reader against another; diuision in Religion sets Prince and People, Nobles and Gentry, Clergie and Commonalty, euery man, and all together by the faces: the very name of Religion bearing shew of honour in the profession, of merit in the defence, makes many most willing to dye for their Religion, if it be but Reli­gio vitulorum, the Religion of Calues and Images, yet you know they'll suffer death for their Religion: if you know it not, yet Ieroboam did, and that made him allye the tenne Tribes to another Religion then that of Iudah, assuring himselfe they would not very soone complye with Iudah againe: so much diuision of Religion can doe; and what shall we say? that heerein also we are paralell to the Text? certainely, either are, or may be very easily by redresse: Let the order of Ministers be the same, Oath of Allegiance the same; diuine seruice all the same; articles of Beleefe, number of Sacraments, authority of Scripture throughout the whole Kingdome the same, and let it be paine of death to him that will transgresse, if he practise others but with a speaking countenance to doe the like: so shall we soone be paralell to the Text: for if their idolatrous Priests be banisht, who shall sweare their Children to disobey the Crowne? who shall marry them when they come to yeares? or what lawfull issue shall they haue, if they be not married as they ought? I speake it with a Deo gratias from my heart, you haue a Law, then which there cannot bee deuised a more prudent, a more [Page 9] Christian, no not a more taking way to reduce the Religion of a Kingdome all to one: onely let it haue due execution; he is not Caesars nor the Kingdomes friend, that will not zealously execute that Law, after the diuided haue beene besought to consi­der the difference betweene our diuiner solace, and their poore Romane ioy? we pronounce full absolution from Hell & Pur­gatory, and all other secret torments whatsoeuer are vnknown to mortall man, facilitating their last passage with sweetnesse of the greatest hope, whereas they leaue the most in feare of Pur­gatory, and many times in suspence of Hell it selfe: and is there no difference of gladnesse? wee apply free remission while they are aliue; they make them pay for it after they are dead; and is there no difference in the profit then? we carry them like noble men vnto the Table of the greatest King, in the comely gesture of fellow-heires with CHRIST; but they make them creep like slaues vnto it: wee vnfoulding the whole Volume of GODS Word, make them fellow-Iudges of other mens liues, and of their doctrine too: but they leade them blind-fold vnto Hell: wee make them partakers both of Bread and Wine; they giue them only dry bread at the Communion Table, and is there no difference in the honour then? We translate the Bible for them to serue GOD in a well-knowne tongue; but they impose a language, which the people doth not vnderstand; and is there no difference of difficulty then? thus you may detreate them peraduenture without execution of the Law: but who? The Clergy dare not approach vnto them without feare of poyso­ning, or that which is worse: Plebeïans haue no power among them: great ones therfore, euery man according to his acquain­tance, his consanguinitie, his any respect whatsoeuer should as­say (the vtmost he could) to haue them all allyed in the same Religion with vs. O that Solomon or his Courtiers had bin so industrious to wooe and winne the soules of idolatrous wo­men, as they were their bodies to command, soone would the women haue sided in the same Religion with them, and assoone their Priests bin gone: though 'twere harsh at first, yet to poste­rity very gratefull would it be, and many thankes would they surrender for it: thus wrought vpon; thus allyed in th'unity of [Page 10] the same Religion might they be: by Euangelicall perswasions in priuate, by legall executions in publicke: Tis no Religion to abstaine from diuision your selues, vnlesse yee endeauour to ex­tinguish it in others also; that's true Religion indeed, saith S^t Augustine; parum est non excitare, nisi etiam extinguere coneris: There's no such excuse for tollerating two Religions in our Kingdome, as there is in some Lutherane Churches: for they are in perill of desolation, if not; but wee (God be praised) in a safer case: wherefore if yee'll doe nothing els, yet let the royall Statutes haue their force; and then heerein also wee shall bee quickly equal to the Text, we shall not need any fierce reproof, only a gentle caution against time to come; beware of diuision in Religion aboue all; for if a Kingdome be MISRELIGIOVSLY diuided against it selfe, that Kingdome of all others can neuer long stand.

Will you haue higher then these? the Poëts moralize Sa­turne for chastizing his father Coelum; castravit patrem; and Iupiter for deposing Saturne; and the naturall causes, (the Sto­icks say) for deposing Iupiter: The substance is, Caracalla pra­ctised against Severus, and Absalom against David and Solo­mon; the sonne against the father, or one Princely brother a­gainst another: This is the highest diuision, and the remedy as before; to beseech euery soueraigne father, hee would not streighten his sonnes too much in loosing them the flower of their age: rather resigne some portion of his Kingdome, honors or offices before death, whereon to exercise the power of his regall skill; as Dauid did the whole to Solomon, 1 Chron. 23.1: and if he haue moe sonnes then lawfull wiues or kingdomes to possesse, then to compose the matter prudently before, lest o­therwise the kingdome suffer a diuision by it; as't did in Ab­saloms time, one halfe cleauing to the father, the other accom­plicing with the sonne, wherein Absalom was chiefe offendour, yet Dauid not altogether without sinne: on th'other part those royall branches should consider the thornes that be annext vn­to the Crowne: O did a Prince apparent know, what slauish deadly troubles, what perils of poisons, what treasons are be­longing thereunto; what bloudie iudgments, what hell it selfe, [Page 11] especially if it bee not very rightly his; then would hee soone throw downe himselfe, his Crowne & all, to adore such a peece of earth with a most religious kisse, as would but vnburthen him of so great a paine: as 'twas most elegantly aduertis'd by our fourth King Harry to his sonne: But heerein aboue all o­ther yee may most iustly say, our Kingdome is agreeable to the Text, there needes no present rebuke for such ambitious diuision, onely a gentle admonition is good against time to come, If a kingdome be so CAPITALLY divided against it selfe, that kingdome can neuer stand.

What more? Sometimes the diuision ariseth meerely from the harshnesse of a King, as when Alexander past ouer himselfe and all his fauours by deed-of-gift into the Persian habite; so reprobating the very hopes of all his natiue Macedons at one acte: or as when Rehoboam with one proud tyrannicall an­swer, turn'd ten great Tribes into so many traytors at a breath: certainely the remedy is for Kings to forbeare such needlesse provocations, but Subiects them to beare: what if once in sea­uen generations come Rehoboams course to weare the Crowne? yet 'tis no warrant for Subiects to play the Traytours because their Soueraigne playes the folly: What if once in seauen gene­rations? what's that to vs? yet 'tis not so, nor likely to bee so in our time: therefore there needes no reproofe heere neither, but howeuer a gentle remembrance is good against time to come: If a Kingdome be TYRANNICALLY diuided against it selfe, that Kingdome can neuer stand.

These are provocations within, there are instigations with­out, as the Syracusan Oratour taught the Camarins touching their neighbour Athenians, that they should beware them, be­cause they did wholly apply themselues to worke dissociati­ons and diuisions in other mens Kingdomes; ut alios ab alijs dissociarent: so I am afraid doe some neighbour-Nations vpon vs, as well as others: I would to God 'twere otherwise, and that heerein also we were equall to the Text: but there are strong presumptions to the contrary: Pompeius Trogus an an­cient Historian sayes, there is a Kingdome neere vs of an vn­quiet minde, their weapons dearer then their bloud vnto thē: [Page 12] women administer tillage to what they haue already, but they seeke abroad for more: of an vnquiet minde? and seek abroad for more? Heere's presumption enough: can there bee two greater incendiaries then Polupragmacy and auarice? vnqui­etnesse of minde, and covetousnesse of goods? any one of them if it be well followed, doctis dolis, haue a learned dissimulador for an Agent, 'tis enough to diuide all the Kingdomes in the World, it is: what Kingdome is there, wherein you shall not finde a Polupragmatist, one or other? an Antony that will make the warre vpon Octavius, be it neuer so vniust: alas this Inquietudo naturae, 'tis but his nature, he cannot bee quiet vn­lesse he doe diuide: and when two such meet together, 'tis like the meeting of two windes, and what doe they make but a whirle-winde? and what does the whirle-winde (sayes the Philosopher) but gather a company of leaues and feathers to­gether? and what's that company, but one part of the diuisi­on? What speake I of vnquietnes by nature? there is an vnsati­able ambition of domineering ouer all: What meane those vulgar reports, that they can diuide the Commons and the King, and so by a tollerable kinde of treason blow vp a Par­liament without gun-powder, when euer they please? What mean those complaints from beyond the Seas, that their king­domes haue bin diuided from them? yet all this I know would seeme fabulous to some, did not their more then too much audaciousnesse so lately refresh the verity of it, whenas in the face of the whole Realme they attempted a diuision between the Kinglie Father and the Princely Sonne: what? attempt a diuision betweene the Trinity? Tis only that is greater then this? now woe vpon such diuels incarnate, such forges, such fire-brands, such bellowes, such very windes of Hell! neuer cease coueting of other mens Valtolines? O say the Inhabi­tants, if they were once altogether in that Valtoline, where they might couet a droppe of English water to coole their tongues, then they would surcease: still making divisions by their mineralls amongst vs? If they were once in that diuision of places among the sulphures and the mineralls, from whence there is no redemption; where the fire diuides betweene the [Page 13] ioynts & the marrow; there they should haue diuisiō enough; their fill: —Good ye vnerring Iewry remember these when yee come to fit vpon the twelue Tribes; what compound sin­ners! ambitious, vniust, intemperate, vnnameable transgres­sours! censure them deepe enough: but can the malignant a­spect of Planets & blazing starres do nothing i'th' mean time? Thou that rulest from the supreamest or be to the center of the earth, shall such a kingdome stand, as seekes the ruinous diui­sion of all other Christian kingdomes in the world, and that at such a time, as they stand in greatest need to combine al against the cōmon aduersary of Christ? They would cut all thy seruāts throats: they would burne all the professours of thy trueth: they would tosse, they would teare thy dearest childrens ten­der limbes on cold hearted iron speares: they would crucifie them beyond eternity, if they could. All these things hast thou seene! But when? did euer our agents seek to make a diuision in their state? or their owne best authors legitimate their ma­king of it in ours? Stratagems in time of warre, sollicitations to rebell, then peraduenture lawfull in some case; but when in peace, in time of league wast euer heard? speake thou that ru­ind'st Iehoiakim for not keeping his faith with an heathen king, ith 2. of K. 24. chap and when thou speakst reuenge thy selfe, not vs, thy deare Apostolicall truth: thou that hast numbred hatred and variance, strifes and sedition, ith' 5^th to the Galat. among such operations as shall neuer inherit euerlasting life: thou that hatest six things and accountest the seauenth a very abomi­nation to thy soule, Prov. 6.16. a prowd looke, a lying tongue, bloudy hands swift feet (from Indies to Indies) and that sow­eth discord among brethren; are they not all in them? for when they are amongst vs, they take season, and they sowe, and they sowe discord, and that which is the most abstract abomination of all, they sowe discord among brethren; among naturall, a­mong spirituall brethren, nay betweene the subiect & the king betweene father and sonne they sowe it: If Scripture moue not, what saies their owne Secunda 2 ae in his 37^th question? that is at discord sinnes, but that introduceth discord is a greater sin­ner, and therefore the greater damnation he shall receaue. But [Page 14] returne to Scripture againe, and S. Paul did induce discord be­tweene the Sadduces and the Pharisees. Acts 23. but returne to exposition againe and their owne authors shall condemne them; for Aquinas forecited saies, and Caietan vpon Aquinas saies, and Lorinus the man whom they all reuerence saies, that S. Paul did not purposely intend it, but accidentally procure it to be done: or if purposely; yet 'twas an euill hereticall con­cord, not a good correspondency the Apostle did diuide: or if a good concord he did diuide, yet he did it by true allegations, not by false; or if by false allegations; yet 'twas with open pro­fession of distast, not vnder colour of goodwill: whereas they doe it of studied purpose, to diuide the best concord, and that by most diuelish false detractions, and that vnder profession of peace and league they doe it: theres the height, but where's the remedy? vnlesse as before, to entreat others Highnesse, lownes, all: Those that they suffer no such nation (whosoeuer it be) to hold any farther knowledge or correspondency in our kingdome, then they can take by force of armes: 'twas the counsell of Don Ber­nardino to Philip Prince of Castile: these that they giue no far­ther credit to their accusations against one or other, then God himselfe did, when the Diuell accused Iob: ad mutuam diffiden­tiam inducere (faith Thucidides) there's nothing strengthens the enimy more, then for people to distrust each other: nothing strengthens a people more then to distrust the enimy: therefore beleeue them no farther, then the Philistines did Achish, 1 Sa­muel, 29.3. Where they still cryed out: What doe the Hebrews here amongst vs? So long as they are enimies, there's no other pleading, but quid hic Hebraei? Why not we as wise in our ge­nerations, as they in theirs: Imò quid hic Romani? What doe our mortall enimies the Romans here amongst vs? If they'll de­part, wee'll accompany them to the shoare; that was euer the wisdome of the ancient, least by communication of language, they should corrupt the people, sayes the historian: per commer­cium linguae: if not depart, yet bridle them from speaking into the common peoples eares, as Eliakim besought Rabsekah, 2 K. 18 to estrange his language, least the people should revolt: If none of these, but that they will remaine, and will make diuision a­mongst [Page 15] vs; let euery plot haue his counter-plot, as the Plata­ans serued the Lacedemonians, let them haue diuision for diuisi­on, let their bowels be diuided in the midst: nec lex est aequior vlla: or if that too seuere, yet let their tongues be diuided in the midst: the affinity of the punishment doth so aptly resemble the sinne; neuer would nation more be guilty of such crime, as whose mocking punishment should bee so wittily the accuser of it selfe. Something must be done, and the safest is to keepe them out with iron hailestones, grandine ferreo, as that Queene of heauen did after 88: Neuer kingdome so wel stated, but dis­contents would arise through naughty administration of Iu­stice, partialities in choice of officers, one way or other; if peo­ple refraine their appetites, yet alwaies not a Prince; if a Prince refraine his passions, yet alwaies not a people. 'Tis to be noted, saith Bernardino, in this matter of malecontents, that they are to be found in all kingdomes, Prouinces, and the very Courts of Princes themselues, yee may finde men to worke vpon. It being annext to humane nature, that men are neuer satisfied, no not with the gouerments, which our Lord God himselfe ordaines: no maruell then if they be discontented with the rules of more ordinary kings; such is the corruption of vniuersall nature, eue­ry one to imagine he could gouerne better, then the man who­soeuer hee bee that is in place. These are the humours to bee wrought vpon: Say they so? Therefore something of necessity must be done shall I say? Nay therefore many things are done by men of potentate place: the Firebrands are remoued; the prouoking cause is taken away, all that were giuen to incense di­vision are now restrain'd; there needs no positiue reproofe, for herein also are we equall to the Text; yet a cautelous admoniti­on is good against time to come: If a kingdome doe admit such stirrers of diuisions to reside among them, that kingdome neuer long can stand.

Howsoeuer our owne present care must bee, that wee our selues belong not to the number of those that will by any meanes be prouoked to such a sinne. 'Tis all th'aduersary desires in any state, to finde such matter to worke vpon: 'tis their open profession, to fish in troubled waters: If you'l be tinder, they'll [Page 16] be Fire: If you'l be Waues, thei'l be quickly Winds: If you'l be discontented, thei'l quickly seduce yee to diuide: If you'l float, thei'l quickly contriue yee to their owne side: Wherefore I beseech yee receaue a gentle persuasiue remedie for this dis­ease also: what doe's the vnfortunately necessitous conceaue? That his case is desperate? Or what the prodigall waster of his substance? that he cannot satisfie by making payment of the debt? What then? Can hee therefore satisfie by making a diuision in the land? Will one sinne expiate another? No more then one punishment will ease another: better therefore hee fall into the Creditours hands alone, then into the diuells too, where he shall be sure to pay the vtmost farthing for both, & yet neuer shall come forth: Or what th'ambitious male-con­tent? That hee is not officed according to his worth? What then? that's anothers default, 'tis none of his: but if hee make a diuision vpon it, then the sinne is his owne, and then hee may quickly be officed according to his worth: Are vnworthies pro­moted? Stomacke it he may; declare it seasonably to presidents of state he may; but make a diuision for it among the multitude that he may not: 'twere a most foolish indiscretion, and more then a deadly sin: Or what the vaineglorious discontent, whose selfe-loue will neuer be satisfied, what attributes soeuer yee be­stow vpon him; vnlesse that Country, that Shire, and that very part of the shiere, wherein he was borne bee prefer'd before all other Countries and kingdomes ith' world beside: vnlesse that booke, that methode, and that exposition which he likes, be deified before all other methods and expositions that are; vnlesse that ranke, that condition whereto he belongs be mag­nified aboue all other rankes and conditions whatsoeere they be. Thus they set Oxford and Cambridge, Northerne & Sou­therne at variance among themselues. Thus they make Nobles to despize Commons, and Commons to distast Nobles, and King and Clergy to be diuided from them both: Are these the ingenuous men yee speake off? Now I beseech them, what Poet or Orator, what Historian or Diuine did euer teach them this wit to diuide a powerable kingdom againt it selfe? Were there any depth of wisdome in them, they would neuer desire [Page 17] all of their shire, all of their condition to bee so highly extold aboue the rest: because then there is no excellency left for him: If all be such, where I pray is the difference of acumen that is belonging vnto him? All these are fit materials for a diuision. Their conferences, newes, letters, verses, speeches, Sermous, re­senting of nothing more, then of desire to diuide; whereat the enimy doth much reioyce, and hopes to sucke no small aduan­tage out of such diuisions ith'end. Wherefore they are often to be entreated, that they would abandon all discontent, leaue off such foolish factious words, partake with neither side to the preiudice of the whole; but in a loueable prudent kinde render to euery place his due; affection to whom affection, and sub­iection to whom subiection is due, yet still keeping the corre­spondency of the whole together; not so subiect to a King as to talke tyranny against a state, nor so affected to a state as to speake treason against a king: not so partake with Nobles as to oppresse the Commons, nor so with Commons as to scandall Nobles: not so with Citty, as to incense the Country, nor so with Country as to enrage the Citty: not they vilifie our Cler­gie to magnifie their Laitee, nor we vilifie their Laitee, to dei­sie our Clergie; because all these are the beginnings of diuision: but euery man being humble in his owne eyes, let him esteeme another better then himselfe, & the preseruation of the whole to be greater then all; so shall we be all free from the greatnes of this nationall sinne, The diuision of a land. If any be otherwise minded, and will maintaine a faction still, that Man-diuell is nei­ther Caesars nor the kingdomes friend: for he doth but prepare the Fuell of diuision to th'aduersaries hand; be doth but main­taine such engins, as when any subtle plot-master meets with­all, that kingdome can neuer long stand. Some of them the Ma­gistrate may meet withall: if their number gather head and troupe together, yee knowe the remedie is in the law: yee haue prisons for wandring rogues; houses of correction for idle tongu'd parties, misteries of trades for indigent men of occu­pation: let the multitude be looked vnto, and each man enter­tain'd in his owne proper place: 'tis alwaies best walking in the safest way. The hitory of Florence can report vnt'ce, what [Page 18] insolent diuisions haue arisen from certaine distasts about the my steries of wooll. The history of the Turks, what armies haue growne from exiles & malecontents. The history of the Kings insteed of al; Euery one that was in distresse, euery one that was in debt, and euery one that was discontented gathered themselues to Dauid, and hee became a Captaine ouer them: saies the Text, 1. Sam. 22.2 These things yee knowe: happy are yee if yee doe them: as superiours haue done their part, so let vs doe ours; they haue taken the FIRE away: let vs remoue the FVELL too. For if a Kingdome retaine but the fit fuell of diuision within it seife, that kingdome can neuer long stand—So ye haue corrup­tions within, prouocations without, and the particular reme­dies of both. Two other more generall remedies there are, Me­ditation and Prayer. Consider how VNPLEASANT it is to nourish a diuision in any kinde: whether you sit at your dayly meales, walke in the priuat recreations of your gardens, or hold a parly in any other perambulations that yee make, come there a pleasant conceit into your head, you dare not vtter it; come there a lofty censure, you dare not vtter it; for feare of misprisi­on, misinterpretation, condemnation, you dare not vtter any thing: write any thing, it shall be censur'd; say any thing, it shall be censur'd; nay thinke any thing, or if you please thinke no­thing, yet will they censure the very non-imaginations of your thoughts: ô what a life is this? you haue a president of it at Sa­mus; Thucidides sets it forth by three as vnpleasant things as euer mortalitie did endure, suspition, silence, death: a hurly burly; euery man suspected his dearest friend, and in that suspi­tion kept silence in the deepe of his heart; but—paine and griefe vnto them; and that which was the plague of all, their silence was their death, because they durst not answer of what faction they did partake: yee gentle sweet dispositions of amitie and peace, who would not hate, abhorre the authors of diuisions? disturbers of all your Christian quiet, troublers of your hearts, impeachers of all your ioy; that Christian liberty, that sweetnes of conuersation, that honest cheerefulnesse, that tranquility of body and minde, wherein God allowes euery man to passe his time away; how doe they hinder all? O had you euer liued in [Page 19] house or kingdome where diuisions are, you wold say it were a certaine kinde of hell to be depriued of that sollace, which in peaceable louing societies yee might enioy. Stand ye newtrall, partake neither side, yet will the one strangle yee with smoake, the other slander yee with baser kitchinstuffe, saies Alphonsus, yee were as good dwell in the middle chamber of an house, which is sure to be abused of either side: but if yee bee farther interested to beare a part in the study of reuenge, how vexati­ous a torment is it then vnto the braine, heart, & soule of man? what plodding, plotting, carking, caring, contriuing must there be? A man were better vphold the building of 9 seuerall houses with his shoulders; then beare vp the burden of one such diuisiō with his head. Therefore for the odious vnpleasantnesse of it let all men avoid this sinne of diuision: for the very sorrow & dis­content thereof is enough to kill the greatest, goodest part of men: If a kingdome be diuided against it selfe, it can neuer stand in temper long, for very sorrow that it cannot.

Who would not couer his face with a shamefull blush, to be the author of so many vncomely disorders in a state? Bring in a diuision once, & yee disrobe the kingdome of all gracefull mee­tings whatsoeuer they be: no such Acts of Parliament; no such Commencements i'ch' Vniuersitie, no such festiualls of coun­try pompe, no such solemne celebrations at the Court; no such assemblies of scarlet at the market, no such glorious congrega­tions of Diuines at Churches, as now adaies there are. Bring in a diuision, yee set sonne against father, seruant against master, the vassall against the king himselfe: what irreuerent gestures, vnseemly words, sawere actions? Alexander flies into the kings royall face, grasps him by the tender soft throat, thrusts two or three of his homeliest reprobate fingers into the Kings sweet eloquent mouth, to stop the passage, that hee might neither call on God nor man for succour. So and no otherwise will your in­feriours serue you all: euery strong handed baser fellowe will kicke yee, and teare yee, and trample yee, & all the good report yee haue into vtter reproach, if euer yee introduce a diuision in­to the state: no beauty of body, no good friendship of mind, no good report abroad, no contentment at home, no true felicity [Page 20] of any kinde can yee secure vnto your selues, if euer ye bring a diuision into the land; whose heart then is not fill'd with holy indignation against such as are the authors of diuision? that one illfauor'd fellow should vndoe so many rare comely beauties: one base newter vndoe so many true loyall hearts! What? take away the forme & beautie of our kingdom frō vs? 'tis all one, as if they should confuse the order of the stats; or take the spring from our the glorie of the yeare: for shame of dishonour then doe not a diuision breed: if a kingdome bee diuided against it selse, it can neuer stand long in the excellency of its former glo­ry, that it cannot: and then as good it neuer stood at all: If a kingdome be diuided against it selfe, that kingdom can neuer stand in any good fashion as it ought to doe.

If I should open the DISPROFITS of it; how it embaseth and impouerisheth the whole common-wealth:-traffickes of wine, trafficks of rarer merchandise, it is diuision sets the grea­ter impost on them: dealings in Cartle, tradings in cloath, it is division sets the greater price vpon them: it is diuision many times that makes the price of corne to rise: It is diuision of cō ­petitours that makes the Landlord state his farmage at so high a rate: Tis diuision makes Gold and Iewells to be exported in­to other lands: 'tis diuision makes each man betray his neigh­bour into the enimies hands; to the Pyrat; to the robber, the murtherer; what not? And I wonder the authors of it doe not foresee, that it will be ith'end as preiudiciall to themselues as others; for the ruine of particulars will proue the ruine of the vniuersall in the end, and a wise Counsellour did long agoe aduertise the Sicilian state.

Besides other dangers, which are possible enough: for whom will you call in to decide the cause, if a diuision should arise? I will only enforme yee what I haue read touching Philip King of Macedon, reputed a man of clemencie, yet when euer he was called in to be a Iudge of differences in any kingdome, hee did alwaies (not Venire but) supervenire, saies the Text, ad iudicium tanquam ad bellum: he came vpon them alwaies with an Armie ready furnisht, and I beseech you marke the euent, for so he de­vour'd the Empire from them both: 'tis ith' 8^th booke of Iu­stin: [Page 21] Sic vtrun (que) regno spoliauit: And are there now none as greedy after other mens kingdomes, as euer Philip was? I would it were not too well knowne, that those which are the right male Catolici indeed doe acknowledge another Catholike king in temporalls to be aboue our Soueraigne, as well as the Pope in Spiritualls to be aboue our Archbishop: and is not this dan­gerous? Who knowes not how constant Flanders was to the kingdome of France, till a great misleader perswaded thē, there was another King of France beside Philip? then presently they reuolted from him: and to speake all, the Grecian Prouin­ces were in an vproare, for want of expression to their joy, and thought they had accusation enough against the Apostles, whē they found them teaching, there was another King beside Caesar, Act. 17.7 and for certaine it had beene a dangerous doctrine, if of a temporall King: as yee'll take them teaching it of a tempo­rall King, that there is another Soueraigne beside our Caesar: wherefore be not miscarried to their bed of sleepe: yee knowe the disprofit, yee knowe the danger of it: suppose the enemy were approaching to the walls: the Citty arme themselues; the valiant men of warre marching forward with greater fury then the rest, encounter the enimy at the gates; and now they charge and then looke backe againe; and now they fight, and then a­gaine looke backe, for feare their greatest enimies bee behinde them, a diuision of their own: yet still they make good the wall, vntil the heat of skirmish be began, & thē the mistery of discord also begins to worke, and here a Captaine flags, and there ano­ther falsifies his fire: and one man shoots the enimy; & another shoots his fellow Cittizen that is next vnto him; thus the diui­sion workes: and then to handy stroakes they come amongst themselues: the throat that's next him then, each bloudy blade bereaues him of his life: then their glittering swords are shea­thed into each others guts: the hewing Axe and wounding Pe­tronell set bloud for bloud abroach: no matter though the e­nimie doe preuaile, saith the dissentious man, yet howsoeuer this villaine my neighbour shall neuer liue to triumph ouer me againe, and downe he beates him to the ground: thus each butchers other, while the enimie is glad to enter on so rich a [Page 22] spoile: and thus a Citty and thus a kingdome is too too often lost: whereas if they were vnanimous among themselues, the e­nimy might sacrifice his powder to the empty ayre; and feed vpon the sound thereof insteed of richer spoiles. Alas, saith So­lomon, The children of mine own mother, mine owne mothers chil­dren haue fought against me, no marvell if I fall.—If thus you stand affected against each other; Alas the frustrate enterprises of our former Queene! Alas the fayling hopes of peaceable men! the too much deceaued expectation of vs all: for I see you fighting, weeping, bleeding, dying; standing wet-shoo'd vp to the very ankles in each others bloud, and more fearefully then so, 'tis deepe blood, 'tis very dreadfull goarebloud I see; if so! I say; if so! For I delight not these heauy descriptions, I had ra­ther diuine happy things vnt'ee: yet weigh well the danger, thats the best preuenting way: knowe yee not that the furious Diuell walks his rounds? the whole world is his family at hand and becke: non infans vnius diei, imo non infans vnius Dei: not an infant of a day old, but he labours to make it child of wrath, and of diuision as well as others.

A thousand seuerall arts he hath to make diuision in a land, hee hath false teachers of euery kinde, & varieties of furies at com­mand: the world full of ambition without; we of vnconstancy within: each gaping after change. Tis no age for Tacitus his Prince to commit neighbour Prouinces against each other: that's when he feares a conspiracy within, but we most without: they are all growne Machiavellians now: diuide & impera; tis the precept, the practise of them all: safe for them; dangerous for vs: if none of these will moue; goe then yee Pilot-marriners and make yee a tumult in the ship, let the windes blow, and the surging waues arife, and the enimy come vpon yee, yet still be yee roaring mad against each other; there is no feare of robbing drowning, dying; there is no danger in it: Alas, yes; nothing more; vnlesse yee stand constant to the whole, vnanimously af­fected to each other, with one heart and hand to liue and dy to­gether; there's no preservation neither of shippe nor kingdome, [Page 23] that there is not: vnlesse yee bee all like Nestor and Achilles, whom neither Court nor Country did euer heare to iarre. Fly therefore faction, renounce debate; sharpe is the enimies sto­macke set with choller of ambition and reuenge: why will yee gratifie the Roman power by committing your tongues, your swords one against another? neuer talke against diuision, but liue against it: neuer say peace, peace; but doe it: pacatiùs loque­ris, quàm vivis: put vp your two-edg'd wordes into their sheaths: leaue off inuectiue Sermons; and each intemperate, bloody, good name-killing abuse: each man bee reconciled to his foe: great Babylon it selfe can neuer stand, if Euphrat [...]s be di­vided into three hundred sluces, as 'twas in Cyrus time: put le­gall remedies in execution, and by all euengelicall sweetnesse let vs study to preserue the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace: one law, one religion, one King, and one kingdome let vs by; yee all mioy the same ayre, which makes your complexions to bee liker to each other, then yee are to any other kingdome in the world beside: yee all partake the same bloud by interveining marriages with each other: yee all partake the same diet, the same studies; the same tutelary Angells doe defend yee all: why should there be any diuision amongst yee? because yee hate to be reconciled? But Diuision will reconcile yee, whether yee will or no: See the shallownesse: for diuision at home doth euer call in some warlike nation from abroad, and they will make you A­mici inimicis, & inimici amicis; friends with your vtter'st eni­mies, which would make a wise man mad; and I would to God it would make mad men wise also, for it will make you enimies with your best friends too, whether you will or no; as the wise Hermocrates did easily fore see: so that if neither for displeasure, nor dishonour, nor disprofir, nor danger neither, yet for necessity it selfe each man of prudence diuision should avoid.

What higher? but their executiō here, & the tormentiue punish­ments of hell hereafter: Read Suidas, pervse the Athenian, the Roman Commonwealth; they were euer banisht or imprisond, or put to more shamefull deaths. Remember Phryno, Philocra­tes, Theagenes, & the rest: escape the common Souldiers know­ledge, yet the magistracy found meanes against them: escape [Page 24] the magistracy, yet the Commous drew them to the market place, cut off their hands and bad them goe now & diuide more kingdomes, betray more Citties, if they could: escape both Commons & Magistracie; yet can they neuer escape the iudge­ments of God: that diuides a man is murtherer of one; that a pregnant woman of more then that a man; and that a Church of more then that a woman: but hee that a kingdome doth di­vide, is a greater sinner then them all: hee destroies truth, cu­stomes, chastity, religion, from mothers, from Churches, elect, and reprobate altogether: this is more then parricide, or tyrant, or the diuell himselfe did euer doe: the sinne of a whole king­dome, and the sorrowes of a whole kingdome are his guilt; & therefore his doome, as much as the punishment of a whole kingdome shall it be: ô did such a diuisioner see, what an intol­lerable summe they make, when they come altogether: put Di­vesses punishment to Iudasses, and Iudasses to Ahabs, and Ahabt to Hieroboams, that made all Israell to sinne: put the adulterers paines to the bloudy murtherers tortures, and both vnto the Idolaters sufferings; and whose flesh and bloud is euer able to endure it? Nay suppose all the paines, that are hellishly inflicted vpon a whole kingdome of reprobates, were all laid vpon one man: euen such shall the punishment be of all them, that king­domes doe diuide: and will not this disswade neither? Farther then this we cannot goe, only wee haue accesse to him, that can goe farther, by prayer, which is the last remedy. Among twen­ty Commentators there's one sayes, Precemur ergo deum: O ye that are chosen to collegiate liues; encrease ye the number, I beseech yee: what d'ee thinke, is the primitiue institution of the Founder, or what the expediency of such a pious place? that ye should waxe olde in studying superfluous questions of Ma­teria prima, and whether puncta be entia realia in continuo, or no? admiring only the Man in the Moone, and studying the question, till—as wise as he. Yee haue no pastorall charges to converse withall: ye are sequester'd from all the World beside: ye are the only fit men and place for prayer vnto God: O re­commend this cause in your petitions often to his Throne: Pa­tria prae patre: The Philosopher was wont to say, he loued his [Page 25] dome dearer then his owne father: and I that could make mine owne interests (being a single man) vpon foresight of aduantage as well as others, yet hauing conscience of the publike, I so far preferre my Countries good before mine owne, that I baseech you all often to pray against diuision, both in your priuate and publique deuotions vnto God: that it would please him euer­more to preserue vs from all mercenary pensioners, as hee hath at any time done heretofore, from all false Catholiques & con­trarieties to the truth, from all temptations to rebellion by for­raine alliance whatsoeuer it be: that hee would so direct the kingdomes gouernment, as no reuengefull spirit may haue any matter to worke vpon, either within themselues, or abroad a­mong the multitude of the Commonwealth: you haue your iniunction the 1. Ep. To Tim. 2. Chap. 1. ver. That prayers and in­tercessions be made for all: for Kings and Kingdomes, and all that are in eminent place, that so we may lead a quiet and a peaceable, a peaceable life. Peace is the fruit of prayer: Peace is the preserua­tion, the augmentation of the Church: pray therefore that our kingdomes peace faile not; because the preseruation, the aug­mentation of the Church depends vpon the kingdomes peace: these are the causes, effects, and remedies, which in a Theologi­call modesty we can be permitted to declare vnt'ce: other there are more politicall, which if yee knowe them, happy are yee, if yee doe them; For if a kingdome bee divided against it selfe that kingdome can neuer stand.

And if yee doe them, receaue a word of consolation to your soules, all you that are not guilty of this Nation-falling sicknes, this kingdome-killing sinne: you haue neither taken pension to betray the kingdome, nor for reuenge encouraged others to make a faction in the land: yee haue not for schisme sake engen­dred any other religion, then that which is the maine orthodox­all of the state: sollace your selues, you can be no causes of the kingdomes fall. But yee say yee haue beene discontented at the present state, and that yee feare is diuision: you haue sometimes spoken a word against the disorders of the Realme, and that is diuision, yee seare: yee haue said 'twere good we had warres, & is not that diuision too? No I beseech yee; marke but the em­phasis: [Page 26] if diuided against it selfe! there is a diuision that makes for the good of the whole: so the mouthes of Disputants are many times diuided in pursuit of deliberatiue argument for fin­ding out the truth, and yet they accord well enough in the vni­tie of the same conclusion all at last: and such a diuision is like a diuision of notes in musicke: it is not diuided against it selfe, it makes the sweeter sound. Your discontented eies gush out with teares, because men keepe not the law; this is not to make, but marre the diuision of a land: your tongue reports vnto the Church some disorders you haue seene; but in words of swee­test charity; in the abundance of louely desires, not in any bit­ternesse doe yee report the same: and so peraduenture yee pro­cure the euill to bee taken away by man, or pardon'd by God, because yee are so zelous against the sinne: in all such estates of causes the division is not against it selfe, but for the whole; such a kingdome is not diuided against it selfe: you desire warres, but forraine not ciuill warres; and that's no diuision a­gainst it selfe, but a firmer vnion of the whole. And ma­ny other cases there are, wherein it is not onely lawfull, but most necessary to be diuided for the publicke good; and one mans tongue to moue one way, and anothers in a second path, as the Orbes doe in the Firmament: The primun mobile runnes West, the next particular Spheares East, the lower Planets ob­liquely take another course: yet all tempering sweetly together for the commodity of the whole: otherwise if they should run all one may, they would hurry the earth and all to peeces, and spoyle the naturall growth of all: So runnes the King our Pri­mum Mobile, in motions all aloft: the Nobles as the next Spheares seeme another way: the Clergie and Courts of equi­ty like the neerer Planets take a third course: but all working sweetly for the commodity of the whole: otherwise, if all one way; the Commons which are terra Reipub: would be hurryed all to peeces, & it would spoile the publique growth of all: You know how Lucan describes the ouer-whelming of a Ship: dum nimium pugnax: while they ranne all to one side topsy-turvy by vnequall poyse they ouer-weigh'd the Ship: they must diuide themselues therefore, that meane to preserue the Common­wealth, [Page 27] that floating Ship: but still they must agree in mana­ging such a diuision very circumspectly, for the well-fare of the whole: If any man hath bin guilty of indiscretion to the con­trary, let him hereafter temper himselfe in a wiser kind: if hee'll endeauour to make vs sing the 133 Psalme in a pleasanter tune then euer we did before: O how pleasant a thing it is for bre­thren to dwell together in vnity! then shall his presence bee as acceptable to our eyes, as Musick it selfe is to our eares: O how beautifull is the presence of them that preserue peace among vs: Musicke is no musick to be compared with that sweet recipro­call conversation of body and soule, of flesh and blood, which is most liuely displayed euery houre betweene each other in time of Peace: Musicke onely glorifies the eare; but this the whole body of a Kingdome doth adorne: Tis like the precious oyntment on the head, which runneth downe to the skirts of all the Kingdome: Musicke preserues from Melancholy onely for a while: but this for euermore: for there the Lord promised his blessing, and life for euermore: Musicke cannot make a litle town a great City: but small and contemptible beginnings haue growne into great Kingdomes by concord, whereas mighty Empires by diuision haue bin ouer-turn'd: who then not honour those that doe preserue our peace? to them the cō ­fort: Yee haue pray'd against diuifion, and there's no signe in that of diuiding a Kingdome against it selfe: ye haue hated the Societies of the seditious, as the King himselfe commands, Prov. 24.21: and that's no signe of diuiding the Kingdome against it selfe: yee haue scorn'd pension, allyance, reuenge, ambition, all to preserue the Kingdome in vnity with it selfe: you haue pre­seru'd the vnion of the Kingdome, and the vnion of the King­dome shall preserue you: you shall not be guilty of this foule Kingdome-killing sinne: But you say there are other destructi­ons of a Kingdome from without: 'tis true, yet I neuer loue to wander from my Text: my Text concernes onely dissipations within: If a Kingdome be diuided against it selfe, that kingdome can neuer stand: Wherefore to summe vp all; whether Princes be diuided against themselues, or Subiects against themselues; or Prince and People one against another: whether about supe­rioritie, [Page 28] or any other pretensiue matter of pleasure, profit, or re­uenge: whether the subtilty of any other kingdome instigate, or they be the beginners of it themselues: whether it arise frō the Clergy, and so proceed to the Laitie, or from Laitie to Clergy: howeuer it bee, if it bee absolutely diuided against it selfe, it can neuer long subsist, for it will turne the Physutian a­gainst the Patient, Sonne against Father, Seruant against Ma­ster, Flocke against Minister; it turnes tongues and pennes, hearts and hands, swords and speares of one against another: makes them betray, murther each other behind their backes: disgrace the meetings, solemnities, orders, attributes of each other, and therefore it can neuer stand: a kingdome diuided a­gainst it selfe can neuer stand.

Now to refresh yee with another word of speciall application to the time, and so an end: To day is this Scripture doubly fulfill'd in all your eares: had the Court with them, or the Clergy with vs, bin absolutely diuided against the Kingdomes good, the Kingdome had perisht then, the glory of it now; yee had bin both destitute of such a King, and such a glorious cele­bration of the day: the one well knowne among our selues, the other all abroad: For as on this day Gowrie and his brother set both vpon the King—But GOD gaue the victory, determin'd the question, sent his seruants to rescue him; and Ramsay thrust Gowrie through the heart: he strooke him, & he strooke him dead, and he strooke him dead at a blow, and I am some­what afraide he strooke his soule downe dead to hell: For he died in a moment, without crying either to the King or GOD for mercy: —the diuision of a Kingdome, of his own king­dome, and that against so great an Anointed of the Lord, as our Soueraigne is, whose Seed was to gouerne in so many o­pulent Kingdomes after him; I see the rume of Ireland, the confusion of Scotland, the diuision of England, the suppression of all Protestant Religion in Germany, and what not? all in this one more then Nationall sinne of Gowries Conspiracy; & ther­fore may I not iustly feare he strooke his soule downe dead to hell? —diuisions are too-too often in euery State, and that v­pon small occasions many times: what sayes Traytor Gowrie [Page 29] for himselfe? 'Twas to reuenge his father: to reuenge your fa­ther? what, vpon the man that neuer wrong'd your father? vpon the King himselfe? your father was a tainted man; the King was but in his yong minoritie; a meerely gentle passiue in those affaire: They were the Protectors and the hand of Iustice cut your father off, 'twas not the King: and if he were iustly executed, why should you not endure it? if vniustly, yet endure it; for then Heauen would reuenge him without any such sinfull helpe of yours: your Tutor Rollocke (M^r Alexan­der) and a greater then Rollocke, what saith hee? Tell me sayes Chrysostome, when Cain put Abell vniustly death, which of those two was the dead man? dic quaeso uter illorum erat mortu­us? whether Abell, Ad Rom. cap. 4. serm. 8. whose bloud did after liue to triurnph in a victorious crye, or Cain whose bloud did after liue in seruile feare of euery aspine leafe? bloud-guilty Cains countenance waxt pale, and speechlesse, and dead, while aliue; but innocent Abels bloud was fresh and liuely, & triumphant in a glorious cry: witnesse the Law; it is the crying child, that doth inioy the state of life, and therefore Cains bloud was dead, but Abels was aliue, because it cryed vnto the Lord: so that if your fa­ther were an Abell, vniustly put to death, then was your fa­ther aliue, and being aliue, his bloud should haue commenced the suite, his bloud haue sought reuenge, not you: but being iustly executed, much lesse: Tis reprobat-like to iniure those that iniure you; but pure damnation to iniure those that ne­uer iniur'd you: Is any man culpable? witnesses are produ­ced; be it the apparence of his own actions, or other mens suf­frages to condemne him: howeuer if he suffer, let him blame the witnes, not the Common-wealth: if he seeke reuenge by the diuision of a kingdome for it, he iniures those that neuer iniured him, and the height of damnation shall bee his due. No, no, there was somewhat more then the priuate reuenge of his father that vrged the Traitour to it: he was brought vp in Ita­ly, the very place where the most King-killing doctrine is taught to be the true meaning of the Gospell: I should mis­report the probability of all story, if I should arraigne Earle Gowry for a Praecisian before yee, rather then a Papist in this [Page 30] fact-for he was a notorious Magician; the Characters found a­bout his, searcht in the presence of the King: a very vsuall thing with Papists, but where did yee euer know a Praecisian that was so magically giuen? brought vp in Italy? common a­mong Papists; but where euer Praecisian that was Italianly gi­uen? his plausible popularity argues him Papist, or carnall Protestant at least: but where euer sowre-faced Praecisian, that was so popularly giuen? his daylie complices Logan and Bour, men of no Religion at all, by Sprotts owne Sprott at his Arraigment exhorted all to take heed how they kept company with such as made no profession of Religion: acknowledg­ing before thē all, that his haunting so much with the Lo: Logan, a man without Religion, and subiect to ma­ny other vi­ces; as also his continuall being in com­pany with the Lo: Bour, who was as irreli­gious as the other, and without feare of God, had ensnared him thereunto: and therefore he desired them all againe, to beware of euill company, especially those that were voide of Reli­gion: they are his owne very words: publisht by authority. Confession, his diuine correspondencie with Iesuits also, who did euer know Praecisian so irreligiously, so Iesuitically giuen? perad­venture some mis-praecisians did adhere too much vnto the fairenesse of his tongue, because they dis-affected the Kings E­piscopall gouernment of the Church: peradventure some al­lyed by blood or seruice or other affection to the man can not so well digest the mention of that treason vnto this day: peradventure the ignorance of others do to this houre mistake his intendments, as if they were really belonging to their own side; but mistakes be they neuer so many, cannot satisfie the arguments alleadged; nor will the nature of the cause euer beare it to be defined vpon him as a Praecisians fact: The hi­story is knowne, and I haue heard this pulpit speake so much a­bout 14 yeares agoe, that his out-landish education was the chiefest cause of all: For there ye haue the height of all pride; there ye haue profest schooles and methods of reuenge; there factions are taught by rules, and treasons by a kinde of Law. I would to God I had but freedome to speake: but what euer the cause was, the sinne is a crying, killing, deadly, damning sinne: Is this your Catholicke trayning vp of children beyond the seas, to prepare them for after-treasons and diuisions in a State? Is this your hypocriticall wearing of CHRISTS Crosse about your neckes, that so yee may more cunningly crucifie o­thers? is this the recompence ye returne him for all the merits of his passion? How often did he endure the buffetting fist, the bloudy speare, and many a tormenting diuision more? & why? [Page 31] but that we might liue and flourish in the fulnesse, the fatnesse of our peace: Peace hee brought downe from Heauen with him: Peace he recommended being about to die: But Logan will none of his peace, he sayes, he will hazard life, lands, and honour; nay, Hell it selfe shall not affright him, but he will be revenged vpon the King, they are his own words. Not Hell it selfe affright him? yes, the grisly ghastly lookes of one tormen­ting fire-flaming diuell would make his traytorous bones tremble into so many seuerall anguishes, as an Angell-Oratour were neuer able to expresse: Irons, fires, chaines, prisons, gib­bets, wheeles, tortures, yellings, howlings, crucifyings, and e­uery moment they suffer the multiplication of a thousand seue­rall deaths: and that which is the horrour of all, those sauage spiries are so furious about them, it seemes GOD doth not re­straine their malice in that world to come; but they may tor­ment a man beyond all infinitenesse, if they will: For doe yee not see the wheele vpon them? and the worme that neuer dyes gnawing their conscience about the heart? doe yee not see the fire that neuer goes forth, parching their tongues with burning thirst? and foule coale-blacke sprights tearing their flesh with red-hot iron instruments of vengeance for their sinne? iust as they did offer to pull and teare the visage of the King: O the intollerable painfull punishment they doe endurel euery houre a new addition to their old hell! doe yee not he are them cry sometimes, if yee listen well about the dead time of the night? for certain it may well be some of that company; It any of thē did depart this world vnrepented of so great a sinne: And still they say, oh that they might haue a little ease, if it were but a very litle ease, if but neuer so litle peace with those infernall fiends; they would willingly returne to their former paine a­gaine about an houre after with all their hearts: no, they were full of diuision and bloud, and vengeance, and all tormentiue i­maginations while they were aliue, and therefore it is but iu­stice now that the full vialls of Gods vengeance should bee powred out vpon them.

Beware ye spirits of sedition, that yee come not to this bur­ning lake: doe not effect those out-landish fashions of ambiti­on [Page 32] and reuenge: Tis not your characters of Magicke can se­cure you from the paines of hell, no nor from stroake of execu­tion neither, if ye deserue the blow: diuision of any kingdome is a deadly sinne, but the greater, if your owne; and in your owne the greatest is against the King: seauen times hotter shall be your hell: if hee were reprobate, yet your God on earth; but being regenerate, he partakes the bloud-royall of IESVS CHRIST himselfe: for him yee must fight, as on this day loyall Ramsay did; for him giue thankes, for him pray: Come I beseech you, and let vs binde our selues againe by faith and Sacrament vnto him: by prayers wee'll be his thundring Army, and if need require, those your faire learned hands shall be his Praetorian band; faithfull to the death! with whom can yee be in charity, if not with him? you desired the preheminence should bee taken from your sister, and bestowed vpon your selues; it was so: a new reformation by Parliament ye did de­sire; to that his Maiesty did consent: you desired the forgiue­nesse of old debts, it was so: that excessiue bands of Vsury might be released, to that also he did consent: one while you desired there might be peace in your owne dayes, and it was so; another-while warre, and to that also he did consent: one while to be stewards of your owne lands and moneyes; it was so: another-while commanders of your owne waters, & thereto also he did consent: Now what can he doe more for his Vineyard, that he hath not done? euen that also shal be perfited in after-time: Wherefore, long may he rule ouer vs, and neuer too long may we obey his prosperous raigne; and liuing in v­nitie one with another, Let the world grow olds, but neuer this Kingdome know what diuision meanes: If yee agree, no hostile power shall vnarme yee; if diuide, euery small enemie shall take your kingdome from ye: giue me your speares, giue me strong cords, and I will breake them before your faces, if yee diuide them; but keepe them vnited, and Sampson himselfe shall not doe the deed.

The time commands mee: take only S. Bernard with ye, & I haue done: Ante mihi contingat mori, quam audire in vobis aliquem iustè clamantem; fily matris meae pugnaverunt contra [Page 33] me Let me die, ere euer I heare any man iustly complaining a­mongst ye, that the sonnes of his owne mother haue fought a­gainst him. Yee are all children of the same Kingdome, of the same Congregation all; and all brothers to each other; neither is any man so like himselfe in all things, as yee are all in some things like to one another: Loue therefore but within your selues; nothing without yee shall euer be preiudiciall vnt'ee: the 29 Serm: on the Canticles. —O thou heauenly concord, that dwellest aboue the Orbes, descend into the hearts of such as heare me this day: or giue them concord, or else thou blottest me out of the booke of life; or giue them concord, or else thou wilt diuide mee; or giue them concord, or else wee all shall die: Heare vs good Lord, and answere vs according to the multitude of thy mercies for IESVS CHRISTS sake, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory now and euermore, AMEN.