base and unworthy in the stalke they prove Daubers with untempered morter Ezech. 13.10 Planters but envious ones sowing Tares Matth. 13.25 Hedgers but not to hedge in as Hos 2. but hedge out the Church such as throw thornes into the Churches way So that she had need be fenced with shooes as the Apostle speakes yea iron as the Prophet speakes Ephes 6. Remember for a president Cardinall Woolsey and many since that ejusdem farinae of the same branne Observe whether the Motive drives that to be base in spirit accuseth of basenesse in stocke or if not in stocke yet in stalke which shall be a stocke to a future breed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And oft times God casteth blemishes of nature upon men notoriously peccant One observed that in his time all Arminians had a blemish in one of their eyes Another observed that one turning with the times beginning to bow towards Altars never went upright more Cavendum est ab eo quem naturae notavit say the Naturalists Men in common experience are marked for exceeding good or extreme bad 7. Mot. preferre a sordid condition in body to be Potters in state to be in comparison poore in freedome of person liable to Babylonish Empire and taxes in life liable to be pressed to the Heathen Kings warres to fight for Babylon yea and perhaps against Israel this is a type of us of our times in crying up the corrupt persons and things of the times Babylon is a type of Rome Romes Religion is partly Heathenish So Morisinus in a Treatise Romes slaverie as bad or worse then Babylon Rev. 1â— they are neerer to us even partly amongst us If ever wee be inslaved it is to Rome wee have felt it oft and oft in former ages And when cast off the yoke once or twice still they indeavour to cast it on like Vulcans net invisible or like the great Turkes golden fetters If wee fall into slavery to them our bodies must be inslaved we must have their marke in the hand as well as in the forehead we must worke for them as well as dispute our estates must be subject to them See in Histories what pollings the Pope exercised upon all mens purses B. Bonner said that the Pope had more out of England then the crowne our soules must be subject For the Pope deales in soules wee must believe as they believe to our perdition See then preferre speake for the corruptions of the times and it is a stirrup for Antichrist to get up on our backs and ride us for Asses 8. And last Motive is that if wee refuse wee refuse a God-given liberty 1. Spirituall liberty Gospel liberty more freely to doe good Iob. 24. â— Psalmes 119.68 makes us like God the freest agent and the fullest of doing of good when a man is a slave or but a servant hee cannot doe good what where and when he would So spiritually when subject to humane inventions and ceremonious nets of men but when the Sunne hath made us free like Christ wee are free indeed to goe about doing all good at all convenient times 1 Cor. 1. penulâ— 2. It is purchased by God-Christ for by Christ is redemption and if every thing that is for freedome Isa 4.18 Luke 1. Luke 4.18 Gal. 5.12 3. God hath given us some pledges of the particular spirituall liberties hoped for in these times It is a wise decorum that when Bills of piety are to be signed bills of profit should be sealed An Act for subsidies is subsidiary to put forward a Bill for sanctity The Act of pol-money to the acts to push downe oppressing Courts but the maine Bill for the Churches libertie is yet behinde if that come last and alone that it may not be lost we must joyne with it subsidy-prayers pole-prayers every one must pay a pension of prayer The acts for God should be accompanied with that which is most agreeable to God and that is prayer Niniveh in their distresse paid by pole I meane prayed by pole for their deliverance men women and children and beasts after their kinde cried out for deliverance much more should this be done in a Christian Kingdome 2. meanes Remove Move Remove those things that hinder these Potters Move those things that may helpe you Remove 1. They might thinke that it was but arbitrary whether they returned not necessary Know wee it is an injunction not a permission to sue out our liberty Gal. 5.1 2. Long continuance of their travell in an heathenish land did much marre them So travelling into Italy and Popish Countries doe much marre our Gentry from doing the Church that service in suing out her liberty Pity therefore but there were a Statute against such travels however there is a Divine statute Come out from among them 〈…〉 doth not imply goe in among them that are uncleane Men of place must forget to alledge how much worse other places and see how much worse wee be then the rule 3. They loved the King of Babylon yet did not love the man because an heathen In Iudea they had just cause to love the King and the man both because religious Let men beware of that Alexander the King said to his attendants many of you saith he love Alexander but doe not love the King Men that will reforme must love as well him the Christian as him the King The man as well as the Magistrate must seeke the good as well as the greatnesse of the higher Peers and powers If reformers admire onely greatnesse they will only comply to please men But if as Christians they love their King and Country as Christians they will petition and practise for such a reformation as may please God and bring inward joy and outward glory to King and kingdome they will so Christian-like speake to a Christian King that Agnoscat sentiatque sibi non principi dici Plin. 2. Paâ—â— ad Trajan That they wish him well and not flatter greatnesse 4. They did not reckon time as those that went up did Dan. 9.2 let Daniel reckon for us too cap. 12.11 The abomination was in Julians time 360. then Julian would set up the Temple againe in despight of the Christians Bright Sym. G. and withall set up the Jewish Religion To this time of 360. adde 1290. and there is made just 1650. And it is 1641. already yea drawing 1642. Now therefore in all probability is the high time for the worke to be on foot for all Christendome and I hope Ireland will be the last publike resistance against reformation 5. They did not deeme this the onely opportunity this is ours onely A Parliament like to continue The Irish tugging for a blood-shedding Religion therefore wee for a blood-saving Religion but not in their way wee by petition and Parliament not by sword and rebellion The dumbe daughter of Cresus could speake when one was about to kill her father saying Will yee kill Cresus Who would not speake for the Church and against Popery when it is about to kill our mother the Church Postest occasio calva The Church I am sure will be bald if wee catch not hold on Christ who waits our reformation till his locks be wet yea with blood and teares of his Saints And God will wound the hairy scalpe of him that goes on in his iniquity to hinder the Churches returning to liberty Psal 68.21 compared with verse 22. Now the King and all Israel is met to bring in the Arke therefore let the Priest and people goe on with supplications and acclamations 2. Move on those indeavours and put on those persons that will best advantage the cause 1. Let every man as he is set in the orbe of the Church do that which is in his power The stars though of severall magnitudes fought in order against Sisera the enemy of the Church the sonne of Themistocles perswaded his mother 〈◊〉 5. the mother perswaded the father and the father ruled the City the Prophet spake to the Queene the Queene to the King and so Adonijahs disobedience was suppressed 〈…〉 Morcai speaks to Hester the Queen Hester to the King Ahashuerus and so conspiracies were prevented Every man must improve that or so many talents of power Mat. 25. prayer and purse that God hath put into his hands in a regular way to put forward the Churches reformation till it come to perfection 2. Consider what are leading Cases Causes And every one in his order and to his power regularly to put on such Nehemiah and Ezra first built the walls secondly oppose Sanballat and Tobiah thirdly built the Temple and set up it's services Regular reformation first sets the State or Common-wealth the walls of the Church in good repaire secondly opposeth those that conspire against the Church and her Christian Sabbaths Removes the men that have got into their hands the Monopolies of the Churches misery such being removed the misery they bring is removed when the bodies of trees fall the sprigs fall and breake thirdly sets up the pure worship of Christ for matter and forme Christs Doctrine and Discipline which set up beare all manner of good fruit 3. Meanes Of Causes or Cases of an equall consequence put on that which will first goe the good workeman drives that naile that will first goe till hee hath well fastened his worke so spiritually Eâ—za 9.8 * when an Architect hath set up divers bayes of building Eâ—c 12 1â— or severall posts and beames there falls out divers little roomes for cupboards or closets or c. that could not be so well foreseene In mechanick arts oft times one piece occasioneth another be alwayes doing building of the Church according as God hath made you Besaleels or Aholiabs or Moseses and Aarons or c. And after a while you shall see your way better to goe on and at last God will give you an eternall habitation in the heavens and even so be it to all that love Sion Amen FINIS
or clay for the businesse of the King And also belonging to the sordid or drudgery imployment of the King and the Princes Those dwellers among plants were those that were imployed in the plantations of the King 1. Dirty Potters 2. Dunghill Planters 3. Dusty Wallers I set them forth thus not but that the callings are to be respected but their preferring these before liberty is to be disgraced according to the intent of the Holy Ghost 2. Place With the King of Babylon Yea in Babylon Yea Labouring there Yea most sordid works there in the mire Merchandising may transport a man beyond the Sea yet not alwayes to Heathen Kingdomes if to a heathen Kingdome not to the worke or to any relation to or dependance on a King opposite to true Religion if so yet not in businesses of the most sordid nature But these descend to the lowest step of basenesse of spirit and that with all aggravations choosing and preferring rather to be the King of Babylons dirty day-laborers then to enjoy their civill liberty of body and state and their spirituall liberty of ordinances of soule Neither longing after their native soyle nor listening after their spirituall Temple nor hoaning after their kindred and nation in the flesh nor harkning after the Priests and Prophets indued with the spirit In a word nor the good of Iudeah nor the bad of Babylon can make them desire a change of condition though to the better 3. Project All these meane imployments in this meane place are by them projected and chosen Voluntarily Sordidly 1. Voluntarily this is strongly touched in the word dwell for though for seventy yeeres they were carryed away captive so 2 Chron. 36. and seventy yeeres captivity were to be fulfilled as Ierem. and Dan. prophesied yet now they are inhabitants and there they dwell For both these nâ—ed of these potters c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They tooke houses leases or purchased they might and should but would not goe up they accepted not of liberty 2. Sordidly The best of the project could be but for worke and a meane worke too neither handsome nor wholesome To tread clay dwell in poore Cottages see what ropes of sand what cords of grasse draw carnall men from salvation both of body and soule Was there no worke in Iudeah to be had that might intice them thither 4. The Prorogation the time they had thus degenerated had used these poore plots and meanes for a maintenance set forth in three degrees 1. Dwelling which is more then sojourning 2. Dwelt with the King therefore more then seventy yeeres there for seventy yeeres they had been captivated there 3. These are ancient things they so long had degenerated and used these meane imployments that all things preceding these imployments are very ancient and obsolet so as not to be mentioned scarcely So that this custome of their sordid imployment prescribed against imitation of any better things imitable in their ancestors Thus of the Matter of the Text. Next of the Forme or Manner used by the Penman Ezra out of all doubt with all modesty to dive into the scope sets downe these things at least some of them by way of disgracing the men here mentioned 1. Because speaking the best of them he puts it off But those are ancient things as if not to be looked at in their behalfe that had so imbased themselves As a naturall man in his naturall Dialect or Phrase of speech would say Etgenus proavos quae nonfecimus ipsi Vix ea nostro voco 2. Because Ezra tells every circumstance of their basenesse of spirit without any mitigation or helping the matter afterwards viz. In what place of the land Among Plants and Hedges And what was the cause Even for worke for no better or greater preferment Lay all these together and they will compose this one point The Lord records with disgrace and discards as gracelesse men of such unworthy spirits who prescribe antiquity to preferre a sordid condition before a God-given libertie The illation or deduction of this point is evident For it containes or is made up of all the limbs joynts and parts of the Text. So that take the Doctrine asunder and presently it is resolved into all the parts In the explication of the point let us goe according to the order of the nature of things in the Doctrine And so to resolve every Quaere 1. Q. What is a God-given liberty Res I call it so because it proceedeth from Gods gift by proclamation and containes two liberties first Personall of body state and condition secondly Spirituall of soule and worship See Ezra Chap 1 v 1 2 3. the King proclaimes not only liberty for them to goe up from Babylon but also to build Gods house at Ierusalem All these put together are a right platforme of Christians purchased liberty viz. The partition wall is downe all are subjects to Christs Kingdome all brethren no longer slaves so much as civilly And Ecclesiastically all needlesse Ceremonies * Some derive the word Ceremonie à Ceâ—tibis â—s a people of Hetrutia that carefully observed the Heathenish Superstitions of the vestall Nuns belonging to Vesta when Heathen Rome was taken of the Galli To whom I thus farre assent that Abundance of the Ceremonies now in use in Christendome are Heathenish in their forme and also in their originall as may be seen at full in Papatus seu Depravate religionis origine et incremento per Thom. Morâ—sinum Others derive Ceremonâ—ea Carends To which Etymon I must needs assent For even the Iewish Ceremonies intimated a want or absence of the Antitype as not yet come in the flesh But I think not unfitly are they derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time or occasion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide Because they were to indure the best of them at most but for a time superstitions and humane inventions are put dawne And so Christians are no longer subject to those rudiments of the world of which Saint Paul speakes Colos 2. longer to live in subjection to such ordinances as these Touâ—h not taste not handle not after the commandements and doctrines of men which things have a shew of humility in will-worship and neglect of the body For saith he yee a e comâ—leat in him i. e in Christ both for salvation * Coâ—â— penulâ— as also for matter and form of worship doctrine and discipline (a) Heb. 3.6 7. and therefore in all to heare his voyce (b) Heb. 5. v. 2. lastly spiritually sin is put downe Rom. 6 2.14 2. Q What is that sordid condition which some preferre in opposition to a God-given liberty R. These in the Text preferre first sordidnesse in civill things if they could as yet to this day weave or spin linnen it seemes by all circumstances they would rather doe it for the King of Babylon then for the Temple If they had yet left in
we know scattered with the ten Tribes never likely to be relieved till the generall calling of the Jewes Thus of the explication of the Doctrine next of the vindication of it To cleare it from Objections and scruples 1. Object God ceaseth now to write therefore ceaseth now to record mens ill manners with disgrace Sol. 1. Parallel or like sinners and sinnes will bring them all under the same disgrace How did England growing cold and formall like Laodicea cause men to call her Laodicea Brigstman on Apocal. So that Iohn in the Revel who suffered banishment under the Tyranny of Rome And Rome imitating Babylon in persecution and tyranny to be termed Babylon imitating Sodome * in lust and lasciviousnesse to be termed Sodome and imitating Egypt * in Idolatry and superstition to be termed Egypt ** Revel 11.8 The Adulteries and Lust and the Idolatries and Superstitions of Rome being so notorious that Poets have sung of them Mantuan of her Lusts Roma est jam totalupanar Yea the Heathen Poet Persius Iuvenal and Horatius so much and in such grosse terms as is not meet to be mentioned So of Romes Idolatrie and Superstition Mantuan thus Eclog. 9. Famaest Aegyptum coluisse animalia quâ—dam et pronuminibus multas habuisse ferarum Illa superstitio minor est quam nostra ferarum Hic aras habet omue genus contraria ceyte Naturares atque Deo qui dieitur olim Praposuisse hominem cunctis animantibus unum Yea Iuvenal the Heathen Poet of Aegypts superstition thus Sat. 15. Quu neseit Volusiâ— Bitâ—â—nice qualia demens Aegyptus portenta Colat Crocodylon adorat pars bacâ—â—â—la pavet saturam seâ—pentibus Ibim Illic Ceruleos hic piscem fluminu illic Oppidatota canons venerantur Porrum et Cape nefaâ— violare et frangere morsu O sanctas gentes quibus haâ— nascuntur in hortâ— Numinâ— 2. It is Gods Divine providence that orders mens pens still much more then Crowes and Sparrowes and therefore Gods providence so provides that sometimes meere men write of the vices of men as Livius Tacitus c. Sometimes open persecutors and enemies of all goodnesse write of their owne facts to their owne shame so the Records in the offices of BB. and Chancellours and Registers in Queene Maries dayes preserved for us a History to fill a Booke of Martyrs of and concerning their owne tyrannicall persecutions (b) Diâ—â— neguts quam inâ—redibilâ— Christianorum tun pudore tum ettam corum qui vere tales sun cordolio ut Iuda filia scortari non liceat Dei filialiceat Imo Isâ—aclâ—s filia meretricarâ— non aliter ante possâ—t quam facta per baptismur sanctum Christs soror 〈◊〉 fiâ—â—a â—â—spen de coâ—â—â—â— l b. 3. c. 4. The Papists themselves write with detestation that in Rome a Jewish maid might not be admitted into the Stewes of whoredome unlesse she would be first baptised That 80. Martyrs were put in an house by the massacrers and fetcht one by one by the Executioner to a blood pit over which hee cut their throats as Calves hee putting his bloody knife like a Butcher in his mouth whiles hee dragged another to the pit * Book of Martyrs 2. Object It seemes not to stand with Gods mercie to cast them off for gracelesse nor with his truth to forsake them seeing he hath sworne he desires not the death of a sinner Sol. We may see in the 65. of Esay and the first seven verses that when the Lord hath first freely and fully revealed himselfe in his Ordinances then hath he left sufficient testimony of his mercy and of his willingnesse that men should not perish 2 Chron. 36.16 For them that slight the meanes of Grace there is no remedy so that if then men come not in by the ordinances the Lord is discharged from all his ingagements and justice is to succeed in the place of mercie and to proceed against the contemners of mercy Thus also of the vindication next of the probation of this point by testimonie of Scripture First wee find in Scripture a prophesie that this unworthy spirit should emasculate some tribes of this Iewish nation Gen. 49.14 15. That Isachar should be a strong Asse couching downe betweene two burthens It is in the Hebr. without any tense of is or shall But it is meant in the future tense See v. 1. of that 49. of Gen. and seeing that rest was good and that the land was pleasant he bowed his shoulder to beare and became a servant to tribute upon this prophesie of Iacob the father of the twelve Tribes Moses after descants Deut. 33.18 saying that Isachar should rejoyce in his Tents as Zabulon in his going forth that is Zabulon should be of an Heroick ventrous spirit for seafairing and Isachar should be of a duller domesticke spirit like a Snaile alwayes fastened in the shell or as a Bee sucking the hony in the hive though both Tribes should partake of worldly blessings the one by sea the other by land Dent. 33 1â— Nor is this meannesse of spirit prophesied onely of Isachar but Secondly it is practised also by other Tribes others of them could couch betweene two burthens as well as Isachar Iudges 5. â—erse 〈◊〉 So Iun. Quandâ— quidem sumit ultiones per Isiaclem And to read the words otherwise As to avenge Israel seems to overforce the Hebr. phrase which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ulcis endo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ultiones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last word to reader In Israel were to speak as if the revenge had bin wrought upon Israel Therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred per by the means as ofttimes it is Praise yee the Lord for taking vengeance that is on the enemies by the meanes of Israel by the meanes of those of Israel that offered themselves willingly for it seems all came not forth to the battell Some indeed rode forth voluntarily valiantly v. 9.10 And Zebulon Napthali jeoparded their lives to death vers 18. But Deborahs song expostulateth wich Reuben Gilead Dan and Ashur v. 16.17 For there was great wondering that Reuben though divided by Jordan should be divided in heart at least in hand at such a time of common danger wherein they might all have lost their spirituall liberty for want of a little more helpe not to be regained with much helpe Therefore the author of this song expostulates with Reuben why now after Isachar had left off couching between two burthens and plaid the men that Reuben would turne Isachar and couch betweene two burthens Why abodest thou O Reuben among the sheep folds * The Heb. word is the same as Gen. 49. is interpreted to signifie Isachars Burthens viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being in the Dual Numb sign two Burthens However we sound the word that is the sense some worldly reasons were as poyses upon the will that they would noâ— come out to help They were pressed down to