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"sented by so many worthy patriots, legally "called together by his Majesty's writ: but "that which made this proceeding most accomplished, (says the writer of this account) "was to behold the Most Reverend Arch

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bishops and Bishops, by whose pious and "prudent management the church hath re"covered much of her ancient reverence; "several of her grand opposers being per"suaded to a high respect for her. Being "come to St. Patrick's, they heard an excel"lent sermon preached by the Right Reverend

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Jeremy, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor,

"after which the peers went to the Lord's House, and the Commons to theirs. The "latter nominated Sir Audley Marvin their Speaker, and the Peers the Archbishop of 66 Armagh." "

On this occasion Taylor chose his subject from the fifteenth chapter of the First book of Samuel, and the twenty-second and following verse; and endeavoured to prove that obedience is the best medium of peace and true religion; and that laws are the common term and certain measures of it. This ser

"See Kennet's Reg. and Chron. quoting "Public In"telligence," 4to. No. 19.

mon is the most finished of his compositions; and for liberality, vigour, and eloquence can scarcely find its parallel.

mons;

He is addressing the Lords Justices, the Lords spiritual and temporal, and the Comand he applies his subject to the people and their rulers; referring particularly to those who had been most guilty of a breach of his doctrine in the late unhappy time. And, adverting to those persons who had to execute the law, he concludes in these exquisite and impressive passages.

"God hath put a royal mantle, and fast"ened it with a golden clasp, upon the shoul"der of the king, and he hath given you the "judges' robe; the king holds the sceptre, "and he hath now permitted you to touch "the golden ball, and to take it awhile into "your handling, and make obedience to your "laws to be duty and religion: but then re"member that the first in every kind is to be "the measure of the rest; you cannot reasonably expect that the subjects should obey you, unless you obey God. I do not speak

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* Lond. 4to. 1661.

this only, in relation to your personal duty; though in that also it would be considered, "that all the bishops and ministers of religion

"are bound to teach the same doctrines by "their lives as they do by their sermons; and "what we are to do in the matters of doc"trine, you are also to do in the matter of

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laws; what is reasonable for the advantages "of religion, is also the best method for the advantages of government; we must preach by our good example, and you must govern by it; and your good example in observing "the laws of religion will strangely endear "them to the affections of the people."

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Lastly, all the creatures both of heaven "and earth would perish if mercy did not re"lieve us all. Other good things more or less, every man expects according to the

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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

"

Seneca.

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willing to quit his claim to mercy: and if "we all need it, let us all shew it.

Naturæ imperio gemimus, cum funus adultæ
Virginis occurrit, vel terrâ clauditur infans,
Et minor igne rogi.

"If you do but see a maiden carried to her

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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

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in

rejoices in the death of him that dies; and "we also esteem it indecent to have musick "at a funeral. And as religion teaches us "to pity a condemned criminal, so mercy "tercedes 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

* Juvenal xv. 138.

"these together, but to follow the pattern in "the Mount; do as God does, who in judg❝ment remembers mercy." "

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To give still further weight to the Protestant establishment, both Houses made a declaration, dated the 17th of the same month, of the high estimation in which they held episcopal government and the Book of Common Prayer, according to the use of the church of England.

Soon after this the Bishop preached before the Primate at the metropolitan visitation of the diocese of Down. He had shewn in his discourse before the parliament, "that obe"dience 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 co"alescere in populum unius corporis nulla re

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præterquam legibus poterat,' said Livy. "Obedience to man is the external instru

* Δεκάς Εμβολιμαίος a supplement to the Ενιαυτός, p. 71. z Kennet's Regist. 449.

a Vocata ad concionem multitudine, quæ coalescere in populi unius corpus nullâ re præterquam legibus poterat.. Liv. lib. i. c. 7.

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