We use to end our Sermons with a Blessing,
Christ begins his with the Beatitudes, and of
the eight, my Text is neither the last nor the least,
Blessed are the Peace-makers.
5. Observe in the words the best worke and the
best wages; the best worke, Peace-makers: the best
wages, They are blessed.
I begin with the worke,
which shall imploy my paines and your attention
this day. Now the goodnesse of peace will the
better appeare, if we consider the misery of warre.
It is said, Gen.12.11. And it came to passe when Abraham
was come neere to enter into Egypt, that hee
said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now I know that thou
art a faire woman to looke upon. Why Now I know
thou art a beautifull woman? Did Abraham live thus
long in ignorance of his wives beauty? Did he now
first begin to know her handsomnesse? Learned
Tremelius on the place starts and answers the objection:
Now, that is, when Abraham came into Egypt,
as if he had said, When I see the tawny faces
and swarthy complexions of the sun-burnt Egyptians,
thy face seemeth the fairer, and thy beauty
the brighter in mine eyes. I must confesse, I ever
prized peace for a pearle; but we never did or could
set the true estimate and value upon it till this interruption
and suspension of it. Now we know, being
taught by deare experience, that peace is a
beautifull blessing: And therefore we will consider
warre first in the wickednesse, then in the wofulnesse
thereof.
6 First, warre makes a Nation more wicked.
Surely, swearing and Sabbath breaking do not advance
the keeping of the first Table. And as for
the second Table, how hard is it in these distracted
times to be practised? Yea, it is difficult to say the
Lords Prayer, the Creed, or ten Commandements:
The Lords Prayer for that Petition,
And forgive us our trespasses, as wee forgive them
that trespasse against us. The Creed for that Article,
The Communion of Saints, which doth tye and
obliege us to the performance of all Christian offices
& charitable duties to those who by the same
Christ seekes salvation, and professe the same true
Christian Catholike faith with us: The ten Commandements
for that precept, Thou shalt not kill: and
though men in speculation and schoole distinctions
may say, that all these may be easily performed
in the time of war; yet our corrupt nature, which
is starke nought in time of peace, is likely to be far
worse in warre, and if these times continue, I am
afraid wee shall neither say the Lords Prayer, nor
beleeve the Creed, nor practise the Commandements.
And as hard it will be preparedly and profitably
to receive the Sacraments, when wee shall
drinke Christs bloud as on to day, and go about to
shed our brothers bloud as on to morrow.

20 Come we now to consider what be the hindrances
of Peace: these hindrances are either generall
or particular. The generall hindrance is
this: The many nationall sinnes of our kingdome
being not repented of; I say of our kingdome, not
of one Army alone. Thinke not that the Kings
Army is like Sodome, not ten righteous men in it,
(no not if righteous Lot himselfe be put into the
number) and the other Army like Syon consisting
all of Saints. No, there be drunkards on both
sides, and swearers on both sides, and whoremungers
on both sides, pious on both sides, and prophane
on both sides, like Jeremies figges, those that
are good are very good, and those that are bad are
very bad in both parties. I never knew nor heard
of an Army all of Saints, save the holy Army of
Martyrs, and those, you know, were dead first, for
the last breath they sent forth proclaimed them to
be Martyrs. But it is not the sinnes of the Armies
alone, but the sinnes of the whole kingdome which
breake off our hopes of Peace, our Nation is generally
sinfull. The City complaines of the ambition
and prodigality of the Courtiers, the Courtiers
complaine of the pride and covetousnesse of
Citizens, the Laity complaine of the lazinesse and
state-medling of the Clergy, the Clergie complaine
of the hard dealing and sacriledge of the
Laity, the Rich complaine of the murmuring and
ingratitude of the Poor, the Poor complaine of
the oppression and extortion of the Rich: Thus
every one is more ready to throw durt in anothers
face then to wash his owne cleane. And in all
these though malice may set the varnish, sure
truth doth lay the ground-worke.
21 Of particular hindrances, in the first place
we may ranke the Romish Recusants, Is not the
hand of Joab with thee in all this, was Davids question
2. Sam. 14. 19. but is not the hand may we all
say of Jesvites in these distractions. Many times
from my youth up have they fought against me may
England now say, yea, many times from my youth up
have they vexed me, but have not prevailed against
me. At last, the Popish party perceived that the
strength of England consisted in the unity thereof.
(Sampson is halfe conquered when it is knowne
where his strength doth lye) and that it was impossible
to conquer English Protestants, but by
English Protestants. Is this your spite and malice
O you Romish adversaries, because you could not
overcome us with Spanish Armadoes, nor blowe
us up with Gunpowder Treasons, nor undoe us
with Irish Rebellions, to set our selves against our
selves, first to divide us, then to destroy us. Well,
God knowes what may come to passe. It may be
when we have drunke the top of this bitter cup,
the dregs may be for your share, and we may all
be made friends for your utter ruine and destruction.

30It hath been a great curse of God upon us,
to make a constant misunderstanding betwixt our
King and his Parliament; whilest both professe to
levell at the same end. I cannot compare their
case better than to the example of Ruben and Judah,
Gen. 37. There Ruben desired and endeavoured
to preserve the life of his brother Joseph,
and Judah desired and endeavour to preserve the
life of his brother Joseph; and yet these two imbracing
different meanes, did not onely crosse and
thwart, but even ruine and destroy the desires of
each other; for Ruben moved and obtained that
Joseph might not be killed, vers. 22. And Ruben
said unto them, shed no blood, but cast him into
this Pit that is in the wildernesse, and lay no hand
upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands,
to deliver him to his Father againe. Judah also desired
the same; but being not privie to Rubens intents,
and to avoid the cruelty of the rest of his
Brethren, propounded and effected that Joseph

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might be sold to the Medianitish Merchants, meerly
so to preserve his life; and thereby he did unravell
all the web of Rubins designes, and frustrated
his endeavours. Thus when God will have
a people punished for their sinnes, hee will not
onely suffer but cause mistakes without mending,
and misprisions without rectifying, to happen betwixt
brethren who meane and really intend the
same thing; so that they speake the same matter
in effect, and yet, be Barbarians one to another,
as either not or not right understanding what
they say each to other.

31Objections. But may some say, though we
doe never so much desire peace, we shall not obtaine
that blessing, which is pronounced in my
text, for the Peace-makers are to be blessed. And
it is to be feared, that our breaches are too wide
to be cured, and Gods justice must have reparation
upon us.
32 By Peace-makers, Peace-endeavourers are
to be understood, not only the Effectours of Peace,
but even the Affectours of Peace shal be blessed.
Rom.12.18 If it be possible, as much as in you lyeth
live peaceably with all men. God out of his goodnesse,
measures mens reward, not by their successe
but desires, 2 Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a
willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man
hath, and not according to that he hath not.
33And yet I am not out of heart, but that there
is hope of Peace, and that as yet our sinnes are not
sweld so high, but that there is mercy with God
for our nation. First, my hope is founded on the
multitude of good people in this land, which assault
and batter Heaven with the importunity
of their prayers. We read of Ptolomeus Philadelphus,
King of Egipt that he caused the Bible to be
translated by seventy Interpreters, which seventy
were severally disposed of in seventy severall Cels,
unknown each to other; and yet they did so well agree
in their several translations, that there was no
considerable difference betwixt them, in rendering
the text; an argument that they were acted with
one and the same spirit. Surely it comforts me
when I call to minde, what shall I say, seventy,
nay seven times seventy, yea seventy hundred,
yea seventy thousand, which are peaceable in

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Israel, which on the bended knees of their souls, daily
pray to God for peace. These though they know
not the faces, no not the names one of another,
nay, have neither seen nor shall see one another till
they meet together in happinesse in Heaven; yet
they unite their votes and centre their suffrages
in the same thing, that God would restore Peace
unto us, who no doubt in his due time will heare
their prayers.