continue each time in his worshippe together many daies preuenteth all their obiections for they might say but wil not this giue great aduantage to the enemy to watch such times to win their coūtries again Which in any one of those three times in our so long absence from our houses leauing none to defend thē but women childrē they might easily enter vpō Or were it not fit if there must be three such meetings y t the people of one prouince should assemble at one of them they of another at the second and so in the third then to leaue the whole coūtry at once without men and strength exposed to such certaine danger No saith the Lord come before me euery man thrise a yeare for no man shall desire thy land when thou shalt appeare before the LORD Exodus 34. 24 himself would be the strength of it at y t time so watch it as the enemy should not so much as desire it the like we may obserue in their gathering of Mannah euery day in y e morning w c was not only an obediēce vnto gods cōmandemēt but a special resemblance and shadow of seeking Iesus Christ in y e parts of his worship Now herein seemed to lie no smal danger towards them For either the enimies w c were continually troublesom vnto thē might take their camps whilst the whole host was abroad gathering Mannah or else they might lye in ambush in the wildernes for the host about y e place wher the Mannah fell yet for al their danger notwithstanding they had many skirmishes in y e wildernes wee neuer read y t this was any disaduantage vnto thē The Lord so watched them theirs that neuer by their gathering of Mannah nor in that time and place they wer disparaged no nor set vpon for the eye of the Lord is most vpon them y t ar nearest vnto him Set thy selfe to gather Mannah in the ministry thou shalt not faile of Gods protection And this the Prophet Dauid in the second place teacheth in the vers following For God is the Sun and shield And hereby he prouoked himself often into the presence of God in the assemblies and the rather in that now he was so hunted out of euery corner and euery day brought him more danger then other that there was often but a step between him and death hee had great cause to long after that defence and safety which the Lord reacheth out to such as haue libertye with good heartes to worship before him in his Temple Thirdly strong consolation for al conditions of life euen such as otherwise would be most vncōfortable For when the people of God are compassed with such iudgements and terrors whether without or within them as they cannot tell what way to turne them when changes of sorrowes come thicke and threefold one in the neck of an other when whole armies of temptations besiege them so as they see no way of issue escape here are they incouraged to set their eies vpon y e Lord who pittying them as a father the child which he loueth wil not suffer them to sink in their sorrow but holds them vp by the chin that they perish not in their trouble For heere come they to know 1. that the Lords manner is first to giue strength and then the burden w c shal not bee aboue that strength 2. that the Lord must rule in his house and necessarily must administer out of his iustice as wel correction as reward and draw euen his deare ones vnto him as well by the rods of men as by the cords of loue which is a singular prop vnto their patience So as they can be wel contented vnder it 3. y t though their troubles be neuer so great yet he will deliuer them out of al in due seasō 4 that he wil make these afflictions soueraign and wholesom vnto them and turn euen their sufferings to their best all things fall out to the best to them that loue God Thus the Lord maketh good his promise to such as conscionably seeke him in his ordinance as one whom his mother comforteth so shall you in Ierusalem Whereas if the word were not their comfort they were sure to perish in their trouble Besides here the people of GOD reape the comfort of their prayers for as a King receiueth petitions at the Court or as a maister of a family is ready to heare and receiue all the complaintes and requestes of his children and seruantes euen so the LORD in this house giueth free accesse vnto him-selfe and for their incouragement herein freely promiseth that hee will bee ready to heare their prayers behold their sighs put their teares into his bottle send no man awaie emptie and cast none in the teeth for his importunity so it bee guided aright Seeing thererfore that heere are such consolations to bee attayned as the whole Worlde besides cannot giue nor take away so certaine so seasonable so spirituall so perpetuall Which of vs haue not as much reason to wish the fruition of such a gratious presence of GOD were it but for one day aboue all other all our dayes as Dauid did This holy man well knewe that one day was but short in comparison of many dayes But yet their reioycing with the Church in the Church assemblyes for one daie was worthily to bee preferred before the reioycing of many dayes without the Church in that the waight of this ioy recompensed the shortnes of it self counteruailed the length of the other being vnspeakably glorious This third priuiledge is that w c he in the third place mentioneth as a steele spur to his affection where in the next vers he addeth that the Lord is not onely the Sun shield but grace in his church that is gratiously accepteth in his Christ 1. the persons and then the prayers of such as are assembled in spirit truth to worship him and call vppon his name Fourthly Blessednes and saluation w c is not ordinarily out of these assemblies to be attained A true saying it is that none can haue God his father that hath not the church for his mother neither can any testifie himselfe a childe of the Church but by the dutiful acknowledgment of hir whensoeuer God shewes hir face Whē Iacob was awake out of his sleepe in which the Lord had appeared vnto him Hee said This is the house of GOD this is the gate of heauen in like manner may wee conceiue and speake of these places in which it pleaseth the LORD so gratiously to appeare vnto vs this is no other then the gate these are surely the suburbes of heauen Out of the Church is no saluation whosoeuer remained without the Arke a tipe of the visible Church was drowned The Lord sauēth none whom he first addeth not vnto the Church And the Scriptures attribute saluation but yet ministerially to the wombe brests and lappe of the Church which
natural To such men therfore I say that lette them make what profession they wil let them reioice in the peace and liberty of the church if in the church inioying the word and exercises of religion thou prizest any thing in the world aboue them in thy affection yea if any thing be so sweet vnto thy taste as these bee thou now by vnder-valuing these vnvaluable priuiledges of Gods people declarest thy selfe for all thy profession to bee no better then cockle in the field or chaffe on the floore of Christ. And againe if in the want of these holy ordinances of GOD thou esteemest not with Dauid that the greatest want is vppon thee that can befall thee thou art but an vnsound member yea rotten at the coare of thy heart This doctrine teacheth further y t it is a iust cause of mourning when the word Ministery either decay amongst any people or are interrupted for this bringeth the greatest want that any people can be exposed vnto the dissoluing of the ministrie is the peoples decay Prou. 29 18. Where vision faileth people perish Hosee 4. 6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge Can there by any greater losse then the losse of a mans soule or can there bee a greater want then for a man to be starued to death or if this losse this want be brought vpon any man can any recompence bee made vnto such a party answerable vnto either what a griefe then should it bee to a godly heart to see whole townes lye vnder that curse of God Amos 8. 11. euen vnder a famine not of bread and water but of hearing the word of the Lord for although religion and exercises of it bee safe in the places where wee dwell yet if the absence of it else-where greeue vs not we lay not to heart the distresses of Gods people as we ought our bowels are too ayery wee are too priuatly minded and further if we heare or see any faithfull ministrie interrupted wee must lament that the free passage of the Gospell is hindered that that meanes wherein the Lord conueyeth all his goodnesse into faithfull soules is taken away and so a doore opened to all iniquitie yea a flood-gate vnto all impiety If any mans outward estate were broken his wealth by force and violence snatched out of his hands here would be sence and sorrow more then inough for the losse shall then thy inward state be crackt the liberties of the ministerie and of the assemblies be infringed the sanctuarie of God desolate the exercise of pure religion together with Gods worship be hindred or abolished and all this cause no sorrow nor set any griefe to thy heart Is this such a dispositiō as becommeth him who professeth himselfe to be the Lords no surely for such as they haue cause fill their mouthes with complaints of the desolations of Sion A iust cause of sorrow was it to Dauid when he saw the enemie lift vp axes and hammers to breake downe the carued worke of the Sanctuarie As iust a cause when such a man as Ioseph shall be euill intreated who hath beene a meanes to releeue a whole towne in the time of famine If at any time by their or such other meanes Sion shall sit in the dust the childen of the Church must shew their compassion in their mothers miserie weeping when shee weepeth and no more bee able to reioyce in her sorrow then the Iewes could compose themselues to sing Hebrew songs in Babilon when they remembred Sion Eli a good old man notwithstanding his weaknesse towards his sonnes when the Arke was carried to the battaile against the Philistines it is said his heart feared for the Arke of God 1. Sam. 4. 13. and when tidings came that the battaile went against Israell that Hophni Phineas his sonnes were slaine and the Arke taken it is sayd when he heard of the Arke he fell from his seate and brake his neck it was not the sorrow for his sonnes but for the Arke that brake his heart that it failed him Hee had likewise a good daughter in law Phineas his wife who when she heard of all these tidings the text noteth also of her that it was not the death of her father her brother nor her owne husband all at once y t so went to her heart but this was it which her minde and tongue ranne vpon and made her refuse all comfort because the Arke of God was taken and the glory was departed frō Israel vers 21. The like is worthy noting in that faithfull Captaine Vriah who when he was called and commanded by Dauid to goe home and eate and drinke and company with his wife hee vtterly refused because the Arke and Israell and Iudah were in tents and his Lord Ioab and his seruants in the open fields and therefore hee could take no delight in any thing at home because it was not well with the Arke and Israell abroad 2. Sam. 11. 11. Euen so should wee neuer thinke our selues well when it is not well with the Church nor when the Gospell runneth not with free passage which consideration should abate much of our present carnall reioysing in as it did in worthy Vriah Daniel was well enough highly in fauour with the King had libertie of conscience euen in that Idolatrous kingdome to worship the GOD of Israel purely he was in no bondage nor affliction but yet so long as GODS people were in calamitie Gods temple in desolation Gods worship in contempt he could not but sorrow fast and pray in their behalfe The like wee read recorded of that faithfull captaine Nehemiah he was a great man in the Court of King Artaxerxes in an office very honorable and neere the Kings person for he was his Cup-bearer yet when enquiring of his people he found they were in great misery and reproche and that the wall of Ierusalem was broken downe and the gates of it burned with fire his zeale stirred vp exceeding sorrow euen such as hee could not hide but that the King before whom no mournefull spectacle might come did read the deepe sorrow of his heart in his countenance his owne aduancement and honour could not comfort him so long as hee saw God dishonored abroad the Citie dedicated to his name now defaced by Heathen Princes that religion which by himselfe was prescribed to serue him by now decayed and that people which was his owne peculiar now to become seruants to strange Lords Nehem. 13. wherein wee read our owne lesson that our selues enioying the pretious libertie of our assemblies we ought to pitty the distresse of our countrymen who sit still in the shadow of death by our prayers and best meanes to releeue them groning out the desires of our hearts and that all Israell euen in our owne country might be saued Thirdly if the want of the word and exercises of it be the greatest want of all other then such as haue it must be wise
aboundantly aboue all that wee haue spoken or can thinke and though all thy seruice is but dutie and farre vnder that yet the LORD will not take thy labour for naught Hee challengeth the seruants in his Temple whether euer any of them did so much as open the doores or kindle a fire for sacrifice freely and without wages no hee allowed them liberallye for such vnder-seruices How then may wee thinke will hee requite such as are continually about him in his eye and still behold his face in the presence-Chamber of his Church The latter sorte which is also the last of which wee propounded to speake are timerous and fearefull Christians who thinke it better sleeping in a sound skinne then in a sound conscience and because this diligent frequenting of the Church which we call them vnto is not without some reproche among the prophane and wicked of the world they are lothe to pull their warme hands out of their bosome to sette to this Ploughe They will not in such a way as men coūt haeresie or Praecisenes serue the God of their fathers they will keepe an euen course and a good report while they haue it and Sermon-gadders and Sermon-mongers they will not bee counted Ans. Weerevnto I answer that as it is not amisse to cast our costes aforehand yet must wee so lay our counters as that we desist not from building vppon our foundation in casting these costes wee cannot say that this course is exempted from reproch Nay seeing Satans mallice is no whit abated neither in him-selfe nor in his instruments wee affirme that there cannot a childe so soone be borne into the Church but the Dragon standeth before the woman to bee deliuered to deuoure her childe so soone as euer it is brought forth and if he cannot do that he casteth out of his mouth water like a flood that she might bee carryed away of the flood But yet the comfort is they are the rebukes of of Christ both because they are vttered against him hee accounteth them as against himself he helpeth his seruants to beare them becommeth a porter putting vnder his shoulder as also disburdeneth no lesse displeasure against thē then if they were done against his own person And this is rather a matter of reioycing to partake of Christs sufferings yea it is a peece of the blessednesse of Christians to suffer for well doing and to bee railed vppon for Christes sake And therefore a Christian must with Moyses esteeme these rebukes of Christ his greatest riches although hee hadde the treasures of a Kingdome before him else will hee neuer bee able to hold out vnto the end of his saluation Neuer therefore professe the name of Christ into which thou art baptized if thou beest ashamed of it before men neuer professe loue to Christ any longer if thou canst not indure a word for his sake neuer professe so fast to cleaue vnto him that thou wilt rather die with him then deny him if thou beest affraid of euery damosels speach putte on humility of heart that thou maist bee contented with abasement for his sake that if any Michal shall mocke thee in thy reioycing before the Lord thou maist resolue that thou wilt yet bee more vilde indure more lashes of the tongue and more forrowes then soe if GOD call thee vnto it rather then misse of such comfortes and matter of true ioy as before the Lord thou maist meete withall And pray for courage and resolution to hold thee on vndaunted in thy godly course And seeing thou maist bee bolde so long as thou haste a good cause and a good conscience putte on the spirit of that worthy Nehemiah When hee had a prophecy though a false one that if hee did not take the Temple for his sanctuary that night the enemies would come and slay him his answer was shoulde such a man as I flee who is hee that beeing as I am would goe into the Temple to liue I will not goe in So should such a man as I who professe the Ghospel who haue giuen my name to Christ who knowe the Commaundement of GOD and that this is the beaten way to heauen troden by all such seete as euer walked in faith and obedience should such a one as I forsake the assemblyes of Gods people And that for the blasts of such as are of satans sinogogue If it stood vppon my whole estate my liberty and losse of life it selfe I would not doe it I know whatsoeuer men accoumpt of mee whose corrupt iudgements would condemn euen the innocency of Christ him-selfe if hee liued againe vpon the earth if hee should bee dilligent at Sermons yet seeing y e Lord hath honoured mee so highly as to become one of his houshold and seeing his word doth iustifie my waies my dilligence in his house I am at a poynt I care not what man can say I feare nothing hee can doe against me I haue a soule to saue I must looke to that 3. Vse If our hearts delight be in these assemblies then wee cannot but breake out into the praise of God where euer we see these ordinances established we cannot but reioyce when others inioy them with vs as beeing the meanes by which men are redeemed vnto God and made Kinges and Priestes vnto him If Dauid were aliue againe he would lead vs ioifully to Church Of whom we neuer read that he danced but before the Arke The Communion of Saints cannot but cause and raize our hearty reioycing for the greatest good which can befall the Church Now what is y t greatest blessednesse that God him-selfe can either promise or performe to the sonnes of men liuing in earth surely euen this to set his tabernacle amongst men to dwell with them become their God This is the knitting vppe of all his mercies But what speake I of the Saints vpon earth seeing the Saints in heauen make it the matter of their heauenly songes that out of all kindreds and tongues and people and nations men are redeemed vnto God Dost thou see the desolate haue children as well as the marryed wife Dost thou see the truth of the church inlarged seest thou y e coūtries of hir habitatiō spred out Perceiuest y u the increase of her on the right hand and on the left Examine here whether thy heart breaketh forth into holy reioycings in that the barres are put into the rings of the Arke whereby the glory of the Lord after a sort walketh amongst his people in that heauen is filling apace by the accomplishing of y t number of the elect in y t the comming of lesus Christ hastneth for the final redemption of his body Til thou findest this y u hast not found that affectiō of the Prophet heere commended vnto thee 2. The truth of this affection will make vs call others to haue their parts with vs in these priuiledges The Prophet Dauid though he