4. Ye cannot obey God unless ye do justice: for this also is better than sacrifice, said Solomon, Prov. xxi. 3. For Christ, who is "the sun of righteousness," is a 'sun and a shield' to them that do righteously. The Indian was not immured sufficiently by the Atlantic sea, nor the Bosphoran by the walls of ice, nor the Arabian by his meridian sun; the christian justice of the Roman princes brake through all inclosures, and by justice set up Christ's standard, and gave to all the world a testimony how much could be done by prudence and valour, when they were conducted by the hands of justice. And now you will have a great trial of this part of your obedience to God. For you are to give sentence in the causes of half a nation: and he had need be a wise and a good man that divides the inheritance amongst brethren; that he may not be abused by contrary pretences, nor biassed by the interest of friends, nor transported with the unjust thoughts even of a just revenge, nor allured by the opportunities of spoil, nor turned aside by partiality in his own concerns, nor blinded by gold which puts out the eyes of wise men, nor cozened by pretended zeal, nor wearied with the difficulty of questions, nor directed by a general measure in cases not measurable by it, nor borne down by prejudice, nor abused by resolutions taken before the cause be heard, nor over-ruled by national interests. For justice ought to be the simplest thing in the world, and is to be measured by nothing but by truth and by laws, and by the decrees of princes. But whatever ye do, let not the pretence of a different religion make you think it lawful to oppress any man in his just rights: for opinions are not, but laws only, and 'doing as we would be done to,' are the measures of justice and though justice does alike to all men, Jew and Christian, Lutheran and Calvinist; yet to do right to them that are of another opinion is the way to win them; but if you for conscience sake do them wrong, they will hate you and your religion. Lastly, as "obedience is better than sacrifice," so God also said, "I will have mercy and not sacrificed" meaning that mercy is the best obedience. Perierat totum quod Deus fecerat, nisi misericordia subvenisset, said Chrysologus, all the creatures both of heaven and earth would perish if mercy did not relieve us all.' Other good things more or less, every man expects according to the portion of his fortune; ex clementia omnes idem sperant, but from mercy and clemency all the world alike do expect advantages.' And which of us all stands here this day, that does not need God's pardon and the king's? Surely no man is so much pleased with his own innocence, as that he will be willing to quit his claim to mercy and if we all need it, let us all shew it. Naturæ imperio gemimus, cum funus adultæ [1 Sam. xv. 22.] Sen. [De clem., lib. i. cap. 1.] [Hos. vi. 6.] • [Serm. xli.] [Juv. xv. 138.] 358 A SERMON PREACHED AT THE OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT. If you do but see a maiden carried to her grave a little before her intended marriage, or an infant die before the birth of reason, nature hath taught us to pay a tributary tear. Alas, your eyes will behold the ruin of many families, which though they sadly have deserved, yet mercy is not delighted with the spectacle; and therefore God places a watery cloud in the eye, that when the light of heaven shines upon it, it may produce a rainbow to be a sacrament and a memorial that God and the sons of God do not love to see a man perish. God never rejoices in the death of him that diesh; and we also esteem it undecent to have music at a funeral. And as religion teaches us to pity a condemned criminal, so mercy intercedes for the most benign interpretation of the laws. You must indeed be as just as the laws, and you must be as merciful as your religion; and you have no way to tie these together, but to follow the pattern in the mount; do as God does, who in judgment remembers incrcy.' To conclude; if every one in this honourable assembly would join together to promote christian religion in its true notion, that is, peace and holiness, the love of God and the love of our brother, christianity in all its proper usefulness, and would not endure in the nation any thing against the laws of the holy Jesus; if they were all zealous for the doctrines of righteousness, and impatient of sin in yourselves and in the people, it is not to be imagined what a happy nation we should be. But if ye divide into parties, and keep up useless differences of names or interests; if ye do not join in the bands of peace, that is, the king and the church, religion and the good of the nation, you can never hope to see a blessing to be the end of your labours. Remember the words of Solomon', "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people:" but when righteousness is advanced in the hearts and lives of the nation, who shall dare to reprove your faith, who can find fault with your religion? God of His mercy grant that in all your consultations the word of God may be your measure, the Spirit of God may be your guide, and the glory of God may be your end: He of His mercy grant that moderation may be your limit, and peace may be within your walls as long as you are there, and in all the land for ever after. But remember, that since the honour and service of his majesty, and the peace and prosperity of the church, the perpetuity of our fundamental laws, public justice, and the honour of all legal authority, the advancement of trade, and the wealth of the nation is your design; remember, I pray, what warranty you have to expect all this; no less than the words of our blessed Saviour, but it is upon these terms, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to you." Amen. b [Ezek. xviii. 32.] [Prov. xiv. 34.] [Matt. vi. 33.] VIA INTELLIGENTIÆ. A SERMON FREACHED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN, SHEWING BY WHAT MEANS THE SCHOLARS SHALL BECOME MOST LEARNED AND MOST USEFUL. PUBLISHED AT THEIR DESIRE. BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, JEREMY, LORD BISHOP OF DOWN, &c., AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THAT UNIVERSITY. Ad majorem Dei gloriam. ΤΟ THE READER. PEACE is so great a blessing, and disputations and questions in religion are so little friends to peace, that I have thought no man's time can be better spent than in propositions and promotions of peace, and consequently in finding expedients, and putting periods to all contentious learning. I have already in a discourse before the right honourable the lords and commons assembled in this parliament, proved that obedience is the best medium of peace and true religion; and laws are the only common term and certain rule and measure of it. Vocata ad concionem multitudine, quæ coalescere in populi unius corpus nulla re præterquam legibus poterat, said Livy. Obedience to man is the external instrument; and the best in the world. To which I now add, that obedience to God is the best internal instrument; and I have proved it in this discourse. Peace and holiness are twin-sisters; after which because every man is bound to follow, and he that does not shall never see God, I concluded that the office of a bishop is in nothing so signally to be exhibited as in declaring by what means these great duties and blessings are to be acquired. This way I have here described is an old way; for it was Christ's way, and therefore it is truth and life: but it hath been so little regarded and so seldom taught, that when I first spake my thoughts of it in the following words before the little, but excellent, university of Dublin, they consented to it so perfectly, and so piously entertained it, that they were pleased with some earnestness to desire me to publish it to the world, and to consign it to them as a perpetual memorial of their duty, and of my regards to them, and care over them in my station. I was very desirous to serve and please them in all their worthy desires, but had found so much reason to distrust my own abilities, that I could not resolve to do what I fain would have done; till by a second communication of those thoughts, though in differing words, I had published it also to my clergy at the metropolitical visitation of the most reverend and learned lord primate of Armagh in my own diocese. But when I found that they also thought it very reasonable and pious, and joined in the desire of making it public, I consented [lege 'concilium.'] [lib. i. cap. 8.] a b |