were so diametrally contrary to the Word of God to the laws of this Land and to the example of Iesus Christ and all â—rue Saints and so no more capable to set up or promote Gods righteous cause except that of his punitive Iustice for our sins to which the Devils themselves may serve as Executioners then the sparks of hell can add to the light of heaven or the falling Stars and Meteors contribute to the lustre of the Sun or the crooked winding of the Dragons â—ail could give protection to the Woman and her childe against whom his mouth vomited those black floods and Stygian eructations which by Heretical or â—châ—â—matical or Heathenish or Atheistical persecutions seek to overwhelm them The great and blessed God hath taken the matter into his own hand what you then faithfully heard and devoutly prayed for with me as to Gods pleading of his own Cause you have lived to see fulfilled as it was then by me discoursed and foretold while the poor people of England were halting between manâ— opinions all eagerly pretending to be for Gods Cause one for Aristocracy the other for Democracy one for Presbyterâ—â— the other for Independency one for their Antiepiscopal Covenant another for their Anti-regal Engagement one for abâ—uration of Kings the other for extirpation of Bishops a third for setting up the Kingdom of Iesus Christ in which they might rule instead of both King and Bishops and all this forsooth in order to advance the Cause of God though in ways quite contrary to the eternal rules of charity justice and religion the Laws of God and this Nation amidst this confusion the Lord from heaven hath on the sudden convicted confuted and confounded all those specious but spurious pretenders to Gods Cause which is not to be begun or carried on as I after declare by any means but such as are pure peaceable just and â—oly either by an orderly doing good in our places or by a patient and humble suffering of evil inflicted on us though it be for well doing It is most evident that as in natural so in civil and Ecclesiastical motions all things magnetically move as they are moved by their chief cause or grand concern which by a circular kind of influence studies to unite the finall to the efficient cause that the power of the one may enjoy the good of the other This Cause is the first and last mover of every knowing agent it is the weight and spring of all rational activity it is a pulse ever importuning the spirit and beating upon the heart the one thing necessary to which men seek to make all other things subservient or at least subordinate the centre from which and to which all lines are drawn The better to compass their respective designs every Agitator for Faction did cunningly entitle God to their Cause as some that are cautious of the crackt titles of their estates resign the Fee to the Crown and take from them a Lease of a thousand years â—o did the counterfeit and contrariant Causes larely so scuâ—â—sing in England for place and power set themselves up under the name of Gods Cause while they were indeed the causeless corrupters of our Laws the Nations heavie curse the Churches moth and corrosive and confounders of all yet each of their pretended causes were impudently pleaded by â—ome men in Churches and Courts of Iustice as Gods Cause yâ—â— by â—ome suppositiâ—ious Parâ—â—aments they were voted for till they had run themselves and all of us like S. Pauls ship in the storm upon such rocks of Anarchy and confusion as were past humane hopes of recovery if God himself had not arose by a providence scarce ever paralleld in any age or instance of the world to plead by a still voyce after all our foregoing earthquakes fires tempests the Cause of his own great Name and the honor of our blessed Saviour with the sanctity of our Reformed Religion and the Loyalty of our English Nation the rights also of the Crown with the double honor of our Church and in sum the just restablishment of all our long shaken and overthrown foundations the cause of all which was pleaded more effectually in a few calm Months when the voyce of Law and Reason of Loyalty and true Religion came to be heard in our streets then they had been or ever could have been in many years by plunderings and sequestrings by killing and slaying by illegal covenanting and perjurious engaging by devouring and destroying both Church and Kingdom I am piously ambitious though my station be now removed from you made without my seeking much uneasier though somewhat higher then it was before to deposite thiâ— work with you O worthy and honourable Gentlemen among whom it had its first productions of whose love and favor as you know I never made any mercenary gain or pecuniary advantagâ— as that wretched Libeller 〈◊〉 Creticus Borborites enviously suggests my charge of attending your service being beyond any benefit I ever received so I musâ— own this as the greatest rewarâ— and only satisfaction which I ever had or expected for my pains among you that I had thereby an happy opportunity in so noble an Assembly and in so desperate paroxysms of our distempered times to set forth with my wonted freedom the great concern of all good men which is the true Cause of God which must be pleaded against our own and others lusts and to discover those potent epidemical cheats which under that name had so long abused these British Nations and Churches I well remember that some of my more touchy and guilty hearers men of name at that time were at once scared and scandalized to hear me preach so freely and smartly of that subject they feared their practice and craft would soon fail if once the true Cause of God were rightly stated and pleaded yea some men of the long robe and of large consciences protested after the hearing of the first Sermon they durst not hear me preach again on that subject least their silence should make them guilty of High-treason by their noâ— complaining of me to the Traytorâ— then tyrannizing over us Indeed they were justly jealouâ— that the true Cause of God like Moses Serpent would eat up alâ— those of the Magicians That the Cause of Christ of the truâ— heavenly Jerusalem would either batter down or undermine those bloody Babels of their Commonâ— wealths which were indeed the common woe though it made for some mens private wealth by the prices of blood and wages of iniquity which they greedily received I thank God I never feared the frowns nor affected the smiles of such servile Sycophants who durst plead any Cause but what was truly Gods the Kings and the Churches I had then sufficient encouragement from the love and approbation of the most and best of their Society without which yet I ought and should have done my duty upon the account of conscience and inward comfort Hence is this
it for as it will rise again in due time so it will raise those with it to eternal glory who stood sted fastly by it Which that we may ever do God of his mercy grant us wisdom courage through Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour to whom with the Father and holy Spirit be everlasting glory Amen FINIS The scope of the psalm The sad eclipse of true Religion in any Nation 1 Sam 4. 1. Observ The Author of this Psalm Iames 5. 13. His Sympathy with the Church Verse 1. Verse 2. Verse 3. Verse 9. Gods fear of mant reproaches Versa 1â— Psal 64. 2. 〈◊〉 13 14 15 Verse 16. Verse 19. The division or parts of the Text. Of the word Cause Exod. 17 2 Sam. 15. 4â— It s sense or import here The Etymology of Cause The many pretonded causes which men plead as Gods 1 Sam. 17. 29. Trial of Causes 1 Iohn 4. Address to the Auditors â—n behalf of Gods Cause Iudges 9. 7. God alone caâ— plead our cause 1 Iohn 2. Heb. 12. 24. Heb. 4. 16. 1. Obs God hath his cause in this world Psal 33 11. Exod. 7. 12. 1. Obs God ever did and will plead his own cause in his due time â—dges â— â—â— 1 King 8. 59. 3 Oâ—s Gods cause may be in a very deplored state 1 Kings 19. 10. Luk. 24. 31. Iohn 20. 13. Psal 11. 3. and 50. 21. and 60. 11. and 119. 126. â—v 21. 4. â— Obs The cause of the Church is signally Gods cause Gen. â—â— 30. Iosh 7. 9. Mark 8. 25. 5 Obs The most flourishing Church may be under great depressions Iob 2. 3. Ioh. 9. 3. Psal 107. 34. Psal 80. 3. ` Obs Times may be such that none but God can plead his Cause Psal 78. 60. 70 and 80. Ezra 1. 1. Zach. 4. 7. Isa 49. 23. Isa. 40. 11. 7 Obs Gods cause is â—â—t never desperate 2 Sam. 30. 6 Hab. 3. 1â— Psal 78. 65. Dan. 3. 8 Obs When all means fail prayer must be applied to Gods Cause Acts 27. 24. Iames 5. 16. Isa 5 11. Psal 123. 6. 6 Obs It is a sure sign of a gracious heart to lay to heart Gods cause Match 26. 33. Isa 63 9. Isa 6â— 7 Esther 4. 16. Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3. The four main subjects of the Discourse 1 General What this cause of God is Acts 14. 17. Gods silence and patience in his own cause 2 Pet 3. 3. Prov. 19. 2. Eccles 7. â—9 Prov. 18. 17. The marks and prâ—periâ—es oâ— Gods cause â— The best cause 2 most true according to Scriptural verity Psal 5. 4. 3 It is a most holâ— pure and just cause 4 It is an intire and catholick cause Ephes 1. 6. 5 Constant to it self 6 The most aâ—â—le and august cause Yâ—t the cause of Goâ— consists not in minute matters Rom. 14. 1. But in grand and clear caseâ— of faith and manners Rom. 1â— 1â—â— Of ornamentals and essentials in Religion 1 Cor. 14. 40. 1 Cor. 14. 40. The cobwebs of small controversies catch fliâ—â— Of varieties â— among good Christians Ephes 4. 3. 7 The cause of God is orderly and comely iâ— all things 1 Cor. 1â— 33. Iames 1â— 16. Iames â— 20. â— Kings 19. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Iames 3. 13. Of populer and false marks put on the Cause of God â—t 5. 45. Of mens rare gifts great endowments and severe Professions â—atan a pretender to Gods Cause Gods Cause most what a crucisied Cause Reve. 12. Phil. 1. 29. 2 Tim 3. 12. Tit â— 12. An Embleme of Gods Cause 2. Particular wherein the cause of God cheifely consists 1. That his Glory as God be owned in the world Gods plea against Atheists 2. The cause of Iesus Christ is Gods Cause Iohn 14. 1. Luk. 6. 35. Acts. 4. 12. 1 Iohn 3. Iohn 17. 3 Iohn 14. 1. 1 Iohn 5. 10. 1 Iohn 5. 7. 3 The Cause of the Church is Gods Cause Zack 2. 8. The Scripture is the tate of Gods Cause The Ministry Gods Cause 2 Cor. 5. 2. Mat. 10. 40. The Sacraments Gods Cause The Churches government Gods cause The Churches liberties is Gods Cause 1 Cor. 14. 40. The Churches unity Gods cause â—om 16. 17. Primitive Churches care to keep unity and charity among Christians Of abolishing things once abused 4. The good of mankind is Gods Cause In civil justice Isa 59. 1. Micah 6. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 8. Col. 3. 25. In settled Laws In Polity and Magistracy Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 8. Every private just cause is Gods The cause of Magistrates is eminently Gods Exod. 22. 28. Psal 105. 15. 1 Sam. 24. 6. and 26. 11. Mat. 22. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 1. 2. No friends to Gods cause who are enemies to lawful Magistracy Of common principles of reason and liberty urged as Gods cause against Magistracy and secled Laws Luke 21. 19. 6 Gods cause is in every mans conscience The cause of the poor and fatherless and widows is Gods Pro. 3â— 9. â—ob 29. 12. The just cause of a wicked and unholy man is Gods Ezek. 17. 19. Psal 115. 16. Heb. 11. 40. 7. The cause of every good creature is Gods Hos 2. 5. Gen. 32. 10. Luke 12. 20. Luke 16. 25. 2 General How and why the cause of God oft needs his pleading â—u the great degeneracy or corruption of mankind as to common principles of reason and Religion 2 Pet. 2. 12. Rom. 1. 24. Gen. â— 7. Acts 17. 23. Gen. 11. Gen. 19. Gen. 15. â—â— Dan. 4. 1â— Dan. 7. â—9 Matth â— 23 2 In the Churches great depressions 1 By heathenish persecution Against the Church of the Iews Exod 5 Ier 12. 9 Cant 2. 28 Psalm 83. 11 Psalm â—0 â—3 Psalm 2. 1 1. Gor 1 Persecut on of Heathen against the Church Christian Iohn 4. 24 Matth 2 Rom 8. 36. Acts 7. 54 â— The Churches depression by Hereticks and Schismaticks Gal. 2. 4 2 Cor 2. 17 Acts 20. 29 30 2 Tim 4. 5 4 The Churches decline by corruption of manndrs among true beleivers Aeatth 13. 25 The darkness and decay of the western Churches unper Popery 5 The deccay of the reformed Churches 1 Pet 4. 19 1 Peâ— 3 1â— 2 Partiâ—â—â—ar Why God suffers his cause to lapse 1 To shew the malice that is in mens hearts Psalm 50. 21 2 To try and exercise the graces of the godly 1 Pet 2. 21 Iames 1. 2 4 3 To punish the malitious by penal hardning Hosea 4. 17 2 Thess 2. 1 2 Tim 4 4 Rom â— 18 Iohn 3. 19 4 To purge away the dross of his gold 5 To give the world presages of an after judgment and pleading Psalm â—3 19 and 11. 16 Isai 3. 11 and 6â— 24 3 General How God pleads his own cause 1 More immediately in the Court of conscience against us Isai 57. 21 and 48. 22 2 God pleads his cause in our conscience for us Isa â—0 10 Isa 41. 21 Exod 33. 12 Rom 8. 1 3 God pleads his cause before all the world by
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terrae filii gigantum fratreculi a company of Mushroom men and Christians sprung out of the earth but yesterday a nation in its infancy or minority which is now to learn its A. B. C. of Religion and civil government being set back by a most sad and horrible fate from Homers Iliads to our Primmer or Pueriles by I know nor what new Teachers and many Masters § So that it is high time seriously to meditate conscientiously to preach freely to write and fervently to pray upon this subject The Cause and the Cause of God since every party pretends a Cause and Gods Cause too which they are most eager and ambitious not only to plead fairly but to obtrude for oâ—bly on all others Thus from the great Pretenders â—â— the Cath 〈…〉 Cause of which the Romanisâ—â— would seem the chief Patrons to all other Sects and Subsectionâ— either in civil or religious factions All parties are divided by their Causes and the whole is destroyed by their divisions Ask any side why they thus shuffle and out why they thus divide and destroy why they do things so different from solid Reason and true Religion contrary to all Laws of God and man contrary to the duty they owe â—â— God their Country their King their Posterity the Church and the State as to Justice Veracity Peace and Charity Ask why like Ixicons wheel or Sysiphus his stone they overturn ouerturn overturn all things eivil and sacred by their end less verâ—igoes and rotations then answer is short as that of David to his brother Eliab Is there not â— Cause It will not be amiss therefore as St. John adviseth Christians to try the spirits whether they be of God or â—o of Christ or of Antichrist to examine the several pretended and pleaded Causes whether they be Gods Cause which is indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causarum causa the Cause of Causes The Cause and interest of all the blessed Angels and all true Saints worthy of Princes and Peers of Gown-men and Sword-men of all honest and good men or whether they be not the Cause of the Devil and of mens own evil â—usts disguised with this larva or vizard on them which may not uncharitably be suspected of some of them Since it is most certain they cannot all be Gods Causes they are so many so multiform so mutable so divided so destructive to each other they must needs fail either of the main end and ground or matter and method of Godr pleading his own Cause § Of which I shall by Gods help endeavour to give this honorable and Christian Auditory such an account as may either inform or at least confirm your judgements in the true Cause of God that you may not be tossed too and frâ—â— with every wind of causeless Causes which blow as mens passions and secular interests do arise And further I hope to excite your judieâ—ous abilities and eloquent attentions who are persons of so great learning experience and publiâ—â— influence to be ever zealous in that good Cause which is Gods as bonâ— Causidici honest and able Lawyers to shew your skill and will in the great concerns of God his Church and your Country which are noâ— so eagerly pleaded and counter pleaded among us Appeals beinâ— as it were made to every one oâ— us to judge in our selves which â—â— the righteous Cause of God tp which we ought chearfully to give our suffrages and assistance as most undoubtedly conducing to our publick happiness both in Church and State in civil and religious concernments let not this be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desolate and forsaken Cause in which no men of parts and estate will appear § And cartainly if I had less experience then I have of the favour of the Court I mean of this Christian Assembly which is met in Gods Courts and presence yet I may justly have great confidence as to the merit of that Cause which I shall seek to present to you and plead before you this day in Gods behalf As Jotham therefore said to his Countrymen Hearken to me that God may hearken to you Attend diligently to the pleading of his cause who alone can plead yours yea and hath given us an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous whose blood speaks better things for us whose wounds are so many eloquent mouths whose cross was loaden with strong crys for us whose merits are undeniable mediators whose Spirit continually makes intercession in us and for us even then when we know not what to say or how to pray either unable to plead or ashamed to speak for our selves Gods Cause may sometimes seem to want our pleading for it before men but our cause doth really and ever need the pleadings of Gods mercy and Christs merits before the Tribunal of his Justice that there may be a prohibition granted at the humble motion of believing and penitent sinners to remove the suit or action from the Bar of Divine Justice to the Throne of the heavenly Grace where we may finde mercy to relieve us in all our distresses despairs and deaths § Before I set before you the main fruits with which I intend to entertain you out of the Text iâ— will not be amiss to gather an handful of those fair flowers which offer themselves at the first view of the words as so many short but sweet and excellent observations 1. We may observe That God hath his Cause too in this world his great design concern and interest as well as the wise Statists and great Polititians as well as the strong and the rich and the learned and the ambitious and the malicious and the voluptuous and the covetous men of the world who so eagerly plead and pursue their own projects and Causes that they not only many times forget Gods but generally cross contradict and oppose it as with their sin and folly so to their shame and ruine for as the counsel so the Cause of God shall stand Nor is it to be baffled by any either force or fraud strengtlâ— or sophistry It is as truth Magna praevalebat a great Cause and will prevail by the help of a wise and strong God though for a time it may be unjustly condemned and crucified by unjust men as Christ was yet it will at last be raised again in power and glory yea and justified before men and Angels It will as Aarons rod or serpent devour all those of the worlds Magicians and Polititians It is a Cause which will be as fire consumptive of all other and consummative of it self 2. Observ As God hath his Cause in this world so it becomes him to own it It is opus Dei the work of a God to plead his own Cause as Gideon speaks of Baal Idols were convicted to be no Gods because they could not plead for themselves by speaking or doing good or evil as the Prophet tells
in Gods name and stead to enact and execute them Hence as the just cause of every man is Gods who may say with David and others Psal 35. 1. Plead my cause O Lord c. Though never so poor mean and helpless yet their cause must not be despised or wronged and oppressed God will avenge the meanest Subjects injuries against the greatest Princes or Potentates so the cause of even subordinate Magistrates is Gods cause But above all their cause is Gods whom God hath placed as Supreme above all in Empires and Kingdomes for the good of all Certainly that of I have said ye are Gods and Thou shall not curse the Gods or Rulers of thy people and that of Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harm That of Davids tenderness to King Saul of all good mens subjection in all ages Jewish and Christian to their princes though evil persecutive and oppressive those orders of Christ to give to Cesar the things that are Cesars and so the Canons of the two great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul to obey to be subject by all means in all things actively or passively to Kings and all in authority by whose safety the whole state is safe if they be resisted or injured and destroyed Iliades of miseries like torrents of blood usually break in on all sorts of people Those divine Oracles besides the Catholick constant and eminent practice of the primitive Christians the best commentary on Scripture when they wanted not numbers and armes as Tertullian and others tell us yet they never used other weapons then patience prayers and tears petitions and Apologies to the persecuting Princes all those put together do shrewdly evince that those men are no friends to or assertors of the true cause of God who are not so of settled laws and Government of Magistratick power and civil justice of which not the will and power of man but the Law of God in general and the particular Laws customs and constitution of every Nation and Polity are Arbitrators and Judges What ever ◠done or taught by Prince or People contrary to these under any splendid form and novel names of Arbitrary prerogative or popular liberty or high Justice is the highest Injustice and done with an high hand in Dei contumeliam in affront to Gods Ordinances and of Law Order Peace and Government for the good of mankind § Nor may any Subjects here fly by way of appeale to the common Dictates of reason and loose principles of natural liberty or I know not what necessity after once by publique consent they are limited and confined to the inclosures of laws and rules of obedience either active or passive To which God and mans Laws oblige all men otherwise there will be no quiet or setling in any State for there will never want some whose discontentments or ambition think the Laws themselves too strict and injurious as to the liberties which are necessary to attain their designs and fullfil their lusts § All true Christians will rest either content or patient being never so concerned in any worldly momentary business as to sin upon the account of either getting or preserving it They have enough while they can in Righteousness and peaceful ways possess their own soul in good consciences which enjoy God and Christ and the holy Spirit Christians must be very insatiable not to be content with such society and liberty which will not suffer them to want what is necessary for life and godliness After the cause of publique Justice and peace which are a branch of Gods cause every private mans cause as to sin and grace vice and virtue good or evil trouble or comfort is Gods so far as they are on Gods side and take his part against the evil of World Flesh and Devil his word and spirit will plead for them against Satan accusing and conscience condemning against their fear and jealousies of God or themselves against doubts dejections and despaires The cause also of the poor the fatherless and the Widows is peculiarly Gods cause which he is patrone to and promiseth to protect them if they trust in him as he threatens their oppressors and despisers that he will plead their cause against them Pro. 22. 23. Yea the cause not only of good men but of wicked men is so far Gods as they have reason and justice or right on their side they may not be wronged or robbed because they are wicked or Idolaters God pleads the cause of Nebuchadnezzer though an heathen a persecutor and oppressor against King Zedekiah because of the Oath and Covenant which was in Gods name passed between them So he did that of Amurath that great Turk against Ladislaus a Christian King of Hungary when he violated the accord sworn between them having from the Pope a dispensation for his perjury which God never gives in lawful Oaths as he never obligeth to or by unlawful ones § True Religion binds us to such as are irreligious to Hereticks to Mahometans hometans and to all it is a damnable divillish and Antichristian Doctrine that to them much more to Christians no faith is to be kept that they have no civil right to any thing That they are Egyptians and may be robbed or killed by such as fancy or call themselves Israelites Moses's or Saints God hath given the earth to the children of men as such in natural and civil successions not as to his Children and Saints by grace and Regeneration God hath better things in store for them in Heaven which who so believes will never by fraud or force and so by way of sin and in justice seek to shark and scramble for these earthly things which God gives as a portion and reward sometimes to wicked men and is indeed their all that they desire or expect from God Lastly every creature is so far included to the cause of God as it hath his Stamp and Character upon it The abusing of them to sin riot luxury cruelty is the Gods dishonour as if he made them for no better use and ends Veneranda est non erubescenda natura as Tertullian speaks God is to be reverenced in all his works and not reproached The not owning God in them not blessing him for them and not serving him by them makes the users of them impleadable at Gods Bar and Tribunal Redde ratioonem Redde deprosium Give an account of the Corn and Wine and Oyle the Silk and Flax and the Wool the beauty strength estate and honour time wit learning and all other enjoyments Non hos quaesitum munus in usus as they are not ours by merit or by making the least of them so Gods action lies against us for every one of them if abused or not used as lent us by him who is Lord Paramount in chief above all of whom we have and hold all things in Frank Almoinage as so many Almes
they give all for gone save only a little hold and hope they have in their prayers and in the precious promises of God to whom nothing is impossible or hard that is worthy of him and who is a present help both inward and outward in time of trouble when his time of help is come The Reasons of Gods permitting his Cause thus to lapse for a time as silent and unconcerned or as not seeing nor regarding the low estate of his Church may in brief be these 1. To let wicked men see what is in fundo cordium in the bottom and lees of their hearts if they be let alone unpunished and unrestrained to the very dregs of their malice what a perfect enmity and hatred they have to God and his Cause which is his Truth Word and VVorship yea every grace and vertue or good work yea all rules of justice good laws and decent order in Church and State that as the thoughts of their hearts are onely evil and that continually so will the actings of their lives if left to themselves 2. For the trial of his grace in those that are upright in heart and on Gods side that their prayers faith zeal patience perseverance and Christian courage together with their love to God and charity even to enemies with their compassion for the Church may be manifested Hence as St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 11. God permits Heresies and Apostasies and Schisms to rise and prevail in the Church yea and many sinful at least superstitious corruptions in doctrine and manners that by such trials the sounder sort may be approved who in the hour of temptation persevere without shipwrack of faith or good conscience either in their judgement or conversation which is still such as becomes the Gospel of Christ 3. God permits these lapses and oppressions of Religion to punish by penal induration and blindness the obstinate and presumptuous sinners who gratifie their immoralities and lusts by their errors and Apostacies letting them alone to add sin to sin and to fill up the measure of their iniquity Hence they are given up to strong delusions to believe fables and speak lyes in hypocrisie because they with-held the truth in unrighteousness and loved the darkness of sottish superstition and confusion more then the truth and power purity and order of Religion 4. The Cause of God is many times under great depressions that by such fiery trials God may purge away the dross of such as are for the main sincerely good but yet gradually lukewarm too secure too sensual too carnal and worldly too self-conceited and self-seeking they are cast into the furnace of affliction to wean their affections from the fleshly and sensual world to prepare them for death and a better life by a nearer conformity to Christ in his cross that they may not think the greatest reward of Christian piety to be had in this world that they may embrace nudum Christum crucifixum Christ with the cross as well as with the crown 5. Lastly It is magnum praejudicium futuri judicii an evident token of after judgement and future recompences which shall reward the patience and perseverance of the godly with a crown of glory and the wicked after all their prosperous oppressions with the fruit of their own ways by the impressions of divine Justice in the ballancing of eternity 3. The third General Head is How God pleads his own Cause 1. Immediately by his own special appearing for it against his and his Churches enemies 2. Mediately by such instruments as he stirs up to be on his side 1. God hath his pleadings in several Courts 1. In foro conscienciae in that Court of conscience which is within men sometimes God pleads against them there filling them with terrors and stupors with horror and inquietude as in Cain those surda fulmina secreta fulgura those silent thunders and unseen lightnings which make them self-arraigned accused convinced judged and condemned in interiori tribunali at the bar or tribunal of their own brests as were Josephs brethren when they came into trouble and were more afraid then hurt yet guilty consciences are afraid of a leafs shaking and their own shadow There is no peace saith my God that is no true well-grounded and constant to the wicked as such they are as a restless sea not only foaming out their rage and fury against God but filling and fowling themselves with mire and dirt Prima est haec ultio quod se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur thus the heathens found and owned that the accuser witness judge condemner and tormentor which every wicked man had in his own soul was of all most inexorable and intolerable Poena autem vehemens c. Nocte dieque a suum gestere in pectore testem yea pestem that they seem sometime quiet jolly merry and secure it is but as a puddle of fowl water which stinks the more it stands still or as a warm gleam before a smart showre these are the sharp Indictments in mens own souls not verbal pleas onely but forked arrows and poysoned darts which drink up their very spirits as so many furies or animarum hirudines leeches of their souls 2. Other times God pleads his own Cause in the Court of conscience for us and in our behalf in troubles doubts darkness and desertions when by the evil of times as Eliah Jeremiah Baruch we are dejected or by the evil of temptations buffetted and tossed as St. Paul in a long and dismal storm that we see no light there the promises and Spirit of God pleads for us crying and making intercession with us commanding us to lay hold on his strength God furnisheth us with strong reason bidding us plead with him and urge his own name and glory and goodness as Moses did to disarm an angry God He then puts us in mind of Christs merits who is our righteousness of Gods free gift of pardoning sin for his own sake of the Law fulfilled of the no condemnation to them that are in Christ of his not quenching the smoaking flax or breaking the bruised reed These and the like are Gods gracious pleadings in us and for us when we can say nothing for our selves as a Judge that turns Advocate for a modest and penitent prisoner God stops the mouth of the great accuser the Devil Christ answers for us all doubts and objections all debts and indictments they are paid and cancelled by his rich and gratuitous grace 3. God pleads his Cause many times in foro seculi by the visible instances of his special power and providence which makes all men to see there is a God that judgeth the world who is neither deaf nor dumb neither negligent nor impotent only patient and long-suffering toward his adversaries that they might see they had space of repentance Here the pleadings of God when he
mens part in pleading Gods cause in this world therefore to make amends there is a third Court wherin God will unavoidably plead his cause against every evil doer and all nakedness in the world this will be in foro poli or coeli at the last day when the books of Omniscience conscience and Scripture shall be opened and mens sins with their wilful immoral and impenitent errors shall be set in order before them Then the great Accuser within and without shall be heard and sentence given secundum allegata probata according to the merit and evidence of mens works This is the last appeal of the oppressed righteous cause where it shall be heard and have right done it For then as St. Bernard tells Judges and Juries and Lawyers Omnia judicata rejudicabuntur All judgements and causes shall be reviewed and rejudged § But the consideration of such Instruments as God is pleased to 〈◊〉 up to plead his cause in this world Leads me to the last particular which is to shew the manner and method legitimi litigandi of mans pleading as becomes him this holy cause of God when he is called to it in an ordinary which all are or extraordinary way as some may be § It is not only the work of God to plead his own cause as Joash said of Baal If he be a God he can and will plead for himself But it is the duty of every good Christian that loves God to be a worker and pleader together with him in Gods cause and way we must be all willing to be retained on Gods side to be his Advocates and Attorneys when he calls us to this work to contest for God against an evil perverse and adulterous generation either by living or dying by doing or suffering by preaching or disputing by discoursing or writing It will be demanded why I add not by fighting which is now much cryed up and used by some as a most speedy and effectual way to plead Gods Cause and set up Christ◠Kingdom I answer The cause of God is sometimes to be pleaded by the way of fighting 1. In defence of any Church and State against unjust and foreign invasion or intestine rebellion and sedition 2. By way of a Princes relieving his oppressed Subjects and Confederates in other States and Dominions 3. By way of asserting the proceedings of Justice as to Law according to that power which is established in any Kingdom or Polity 4. As to the Cause of Religion it is no further to be asserted by the Sword then as it is established by the Law and under the protection of the Soveraign Power there to plead its cause by such a Sword as is the sword of God and of Gideon is lawful when it is done by lawful command and Supreme which is in England Regal Authority Otherwise no Cause of God as to Religion is to be either planted and propagated or reformed or vindicated by the sword of Subjects against any Princes or chief Magistrates will and power in whose hand the sword is True God by a special Prophet and a commission from Heaven confirmed by many miracles did once put a sword into the Jews hand to make their way against those Nations which were declared by Divine Justice worthy to be destroyed But the Evangelical spirit is not of that temper the Commission of the Gospel and Christs Spiritual Militia by which he conquers the World is not to fight and kill and slay but to preach to pray and to suffer They grosly mistake Christs Kingdom and Gods Cause now that fancy it is to be pleaded by the Arm of Flesh by popular furies and forces by tumults and violences by subverting and opposing Magistratick power and breaking over the boundaries of good Laws and Customs Civil and Ecclesiastical § Christ commanded Peters gladiatorum forwardness in his defence to put up his sword into his sheath Christ had two other swords of the Word and Spirit which were enough to do his work not by Souldiers but Ministers not by Colonels and Captains but hy Bishops and Presbyters There are other ways to exercise a Christians love zeal and courage for Gods cause which as it is most worthy of our pleading so we must take care to plead it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becomes our Lord and Saviour It is a caution which Quintilian a great Orator gave to all Pleaders Cavendum ne bonam causam male litigando perdamus Many men are untowardly forward to plead Christs cause like hot mettal'd and heady horses neither well mouthed nor well wayed and managed They endanger more by their rashness then they advance by their capring activity The Cause then of God must in times places and points be pleaded so as becomes the Majestie Truth and Honor of the great God 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisely with understanding by the clear and potent demonstrations of it grounded on the Word of God not by humane fancies wilde notions and extravagant presumptions and fanatick fetches The Word of God is able to make us perfect pleaders of his Cause We must not adde to nor detract from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compleat armour offensive and defensive If any plead not according to that rule of Law and Gospel of Faith and Loyalty of patience and obedience it is because there is no light of truth or grace of humility in them Gods Cause needs no cavilings nor sophisms no wisdom or eloquence of mans invention which is to joyn humane fraud and force meer froth and folly to divine sufficiency As if one would muster up Frogs and Mice with their bulrushes to joyn with Angels in Gods battels to help the Lord against the mighty 2. Gods cause is to be pleaded by man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincerely for Gods sake not for self-ends and interests for our glory gain or advantage as to our persons or parties our secular and civil interests of power and preferment which are many times the dead Flie cast into this precious Oyntment as Jehu did whose ambition was the belows and blazoner of his zeal So they that preached the Gospel out of Envy and ill will or for filthy lucres sake to serve their bellies and not the Lord Jesus to please men and not God seeking not the salvation of souls or the good of the Church and State but their own emoluments and preferments These are in all ages the greatest deformers of Christian Religion exposing it first to popular fury and after to the shame and contempt of all 3. Gods cause must be pleaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Integre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solidly and entirely not picking and chusing what parts or points or duties of it most suit with our fancies opinions parties designs desires and private interests We must not so plead for the first table in piety as to
and prayed for those that spitefully used them This gave repute to the Cause of God and shewed the spirit of God was in them of a truth they did not speak but act great things and if they could less dispute they would yet readily dye for that cause which was delivered to them by the Pillar and ground of Truth the Church of Christ Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charitative with charity to all sorts of people pittying their blindness and barbarity in meekness of wisdom instructing them as holy Polycarp did fervently and humbly praying for them yea osculando prodit orem even kissing our betrayers and destroyers as Crysologus observes of Christ not behaving themselves as vermin in a trap or wild Buls in a Net but as Lambs and Sheep of Christs Flock and Mark who opened not his mouth save onely to pray for his crucifiers as also did the first Martyr S. Stephen whose name imports the comfort and crown of his thus suffering for Christs Cause not as an evil doer or an evil speaker some mens stomacks are so full of Choler gall and virulency that they do not plead for Gods cause so much as spit and spue upon it when pretending high zeal and godliness they so foully disgorge themselves in ill language against their superiors and betters every way no Magistrate no Minister escape their dirt and mire All are Beasts and Antichrists and Satans and Enemys and fit to be destroyed that do not comply with the cause they look to set up together with themselves by pulling down all that stands in their way § What scurrilous and scandalous Libels have some men made like the wast and filthy papers of Martin Marprelate and others of that bran to wrap up their several causes in what undecencies what barbarities whatâ—edities whatfuries what menaces have their Sermons and Prayers abounded with and so their action s by a superfluity of self conceit passion pride arrogancy envy desire of revenge and the like enormous distempers so far beyond a Christian that they would make a modest and ingenuous heathen blush and abhor any cause that is pleaded or managed by such poy sonous pens such polluted lips and unwashed hands § I may truly say with St. Iames my brethren these things ought not to be so these are not the methods of Christians pleading their Gods and Saviourâ— cause either bitterly to rail like Rabsakeh or pompously to vapour and flatter like Tertullus crying up every cause as Gods that is uppermost either in power or in popular applause or vulgar pitty which are no true Touch-stones of Gods cause either as to civil Iustice or true Religion And thus O worthy and Christian Auditors have I finished the demonstrative or doctrinal part which shewed first the nature of Gods cause Secondly the manner of pleading it and Thirdly what method we must use in our pleading it so as to observe the holy laws and orders which become our respects to the cause of God and to our Superiors yea to all men whose rules are his written word rightly understood not wrested and depraved by sinister passions and presumptuous dispensations of what is our duty indeed to God and man I will not abuse your patience while I crave the use of a little time to feel how the pulse of your affections and resolutions do beat and whether your understandings have transmitted the cause of God to your heart that knowing your duty in so great a concern you may resolve to do it 1. Vse of instruction to shew us what is that cause which is most worthy our pleading with all the wisdom power and capacities we have it is Gods For this cause as Christ speaketh he came into the World and into the bosome of the true Church for this cause we are endowed with understanding memory eloquence conscience civil influences in Counsel and in authority publique and private for this cause we were baptised by the Blood of Christ and dedicated to him sutably educated and instructed also nourished and refreshed by his body and blood that we should plead for Gods glory for our Saviours truth Worship Ministry servants and institutions against our own iusts and Passions against the ignorance Atheâ—sme prophaneness licentiousness hypocrisie novelty extravagancy error superstition idolatry Flattery sacriledge and security of the world It is a shame for us to be so zealous industrious solicitous and importune in our own petty concerns for a little profit honour or pleasure and to neglect that cause which is worth all we are and have even our estates liberties and lives Nec propter vitam vivendi per dere causam if we expect God to plead ours we must plead his and with a vehemency as much above all other causes as heaven is above earth eternity above a moment and the excellency of Christ above the loss and dung the seraps and excrements of this world 2. Vse of Caution but as we must be careful to adhere to and assert Gods cause so it must be in Gods way with Iustice holiness order humility patience charity sincerity according to the bonds of Gods and mans laws not with tumult violence saction sedition sraud sury partiality injustice and hypocrisie Gods Ark though it â—otters must not be stayed or held up by such rash hands better it do honeste cadere then inhoneste stare These Midwives are not fit for the birth of Gods children Such as call in the assistance of these either mistake Gods cause or they make his cause but a stale and visard to their own private interests and designes or lastly they are ignorant of Gods methods and the way of his Saints in all ages or they greatly distrust his power and goodness as if he were not sufficient to vindicate himself and his cause by such means as are onely worthy of him of Christ and of us as his servants 3. Vse of trial and reproofe you may see clearly what cause they plead who observe not Gods course and method but think to justifie evil pleading by the goodness of the cause To such violent injurious perfidious and unreasonable men we may put that question which God doth Psalm 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my cause into thy hand or my word into thy mouth since thou hatest to be reformed c. On which words they report that Origen after his lapse commented with his tears Those that plead Gods cause any way by fighting or writing speaking or doing must have written in their hearts and affections on their forehead and hands as the Horses in Zacharies vision had on their bels or bridles holiness to the Lord St. Chrisostome observes in the disorders and corruptions which distracted with exstatick convulsions and madness the heathen Sybils and Prophets in their Oracles and in the calmness or harmony which was in Gods Prophets how great a difference there is between Diabolical possession and divine inspiration
Causa Dei Gods pleading his own Cause Set forth in Two SERMONS PREACHED At the TEMPLE in November 1659. BY Dr. Gauden Bishop of Excester LONDON Printed by John Best for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in S. Pauls Church-yard 1661. TO THE Honourable Societies OF THE TEMPLES IN order to adorn my departure from you worthy and honored Gentlemen with a Beno decessit such grateful respects and civility as becomes me to your eminent and worthy Societies I have formerly prepared and now dedicated this following Treatise as my fare-well Present to you or a second monument of mine yea and of your Honor after that which was by me the last year of Englands captivity consecrated to the memorie of my reverend and renowned Predecessor Bishop Brownrig under the patrocinie of your Name that was as the Urn or Conservatory of his and your reciprocal kindness and mutual merits with whose mortall remains your piety hath adorned your Temple This second piece is the substance of those two Sermons which I first preached among you after I was invited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those dark and dangerous times to bestow my pains with you in the Term time The main subject of this is the The true Cause of God and the right pleading of it Which Theam I then chose to preach on because I observed in the whole course of our English tragedâ—â— that eveâ—y party still pretended to act their factious confusions upon their several stages in these three Kingdoms under the specious dress colour title and pretence of Gods Cause and the high zeal they had to plead it This this was always inscribed on the most bloody banners with this their tongues and pens were whetted who sought to build their Counter-Babels on the foundations and ruines of Zion With this Mark of the Lamb were those ravening wolves marked who drank the blood and eat the flesh of their Fathers and Mothers of Kings and Clergie of Church and Country with this Motto The Cause of God and Christ their false tongues their crazie heads their cruel hands and impudent faces were to be set off to popular reputation when nothing indeed was further from their hearts or works O the Cause of God the Cause of God the Cause of Iesus Christ cries every tatling and teeming faction when prostitute to and impregnated by the Incubus of some novel lust and new fancy as if it were now in travel and readie to be delivered of some holy birth or sacred prodigie This language or fallacy non causa pro-causa of urging the Cause where no Cause of God was the rigid Presbyterian learned in Scotland this the puny Independant brought from Arnheim or New England This of old the Anabaptists cried up at Munster when to encrease their Faction they multiplied wives This the silly Quaker now peeps and mutters in every corner This the more bloody Papists boasted of in Ireland and other Bigots of that perswasion do every where magnifie the Romish cause as the only Christian Catholick Cause Mean while all these parties joyntly and severally labour to overthrow the true Cause and excellent constitution of this Church and Monarchie of England That is the truth peace honor and order both of these Brittish Kingdoms and of our Reformed Religion as it is conform to the Word of God to our ancient good Laws and to the customs of the true Catholick Church In which the learned loyall and Religious Nobility Gentry Clergie and Commons of this nation with their Kings have ever judged that the true Cause of God as to justice and Religion holiness and peace the divine glory and welfare of mankind was and is most eminently contained I confess I was then wearie and ashamed of the counterpleas counterscufles of those bold and divided harlots who did each pretend with great zeal the Cause of God against the other in order to oppose Gods righteous cause which certainly ever was and will be but one and the same for ever as to the main of truth and peace of faith and good works of justice and holiness I evidently saw by many years sad experience that these rude rivals already had and ever would first divide then destroy the true cause of God and the publick interest of this Church and Kingdom only to advance their private and partial causes which were evidently leavened with most illegal extravagancies with sacrilegious covetousness with immoderate ambitions with inhumane revenges with implacable cruelties and with impudent exorbitancies and with most â—eigned necessities Hence it was that I adventured in so great and illustrious an Auditory even before the day of our redemption dawned or that day-star of the North appeared which afterward ushered in our Sun of Righteousness I say I then adventured truly and fully to set forth my sense of Gods Cause with such a resolution as our learned Bradwardin Arch bp of Canterbury sometime took up when he set forth his large and elaborate Volume De Causa Dei of which he thus says in his Preface De Causa Dei Scripturus sciens manum in ignem terribilem mitto c. That he well knew into what flaming fires with Scoevola he put his hand how many enemies he should contract and exasperate by his honest stating and asserting the Cause of Gods grace and glory against the Pelagian pride and presumption who sought to advance the impotent power of nature the cloudie twilight beams of Reason and the maimed liberty of mans will which is clogged corrupted and hampered with many sensual lusts above the necessity and against the only sufficiency of Gods grace in order to his glory and a sinners salvation yet that good Prelate did both proceed and speed he did his work and had his reward both in a good conscience and in great successes as to his repressing that petulancy of poor worms exalting themselves against the great God without whom they can do nothing but sin against him and damn their own souls In like manner have I lived to see in a few months after that bold essay of mine among you the wonderful revolutions of Gods providence pleading at once his own the Kings this Churches and this Kingdoms cause the Cause of our Laws Liberties Lives and Religion the cause of all honest men for their souls and bodies for themselves and their posterities in their temporal and eternal great concernments All these great and good Causes are at once pleaded by our wise just and mercifull God against those strong delusions those false pretensions those rebellious usurpations and those novel intrusions which under the lie and hypocrisie of setting up Gods Cause and the Cause of Jesus Christ made prophane men abhor the very name godly men to pitty the reality of Gods holy cause which they saw so miserably mistaken by some and by others so shamefully deformed so sordidly defiled so impudently blasphemed through the wicked policies and horrid practises of some monsters of men most unsanctified Saints who
my confidence of inviting you again to review the Cause of God which hath been now mightily pleaded beyond what we could ask or think God himself conquering the monsters of our sins and miseries by the miracles of his mercies My aim is to retain and engage as Counsellors Advocates and Servients to this righteous cause yet without any other Fee then that of a good conscience in this world not only men of my own profession as Divines and Ministers but you â—s o that are either the Sages and Iudges or the Students and Practisers in the Laws because I look upon you as Masters of great Reason and no less careful I hope of true Religion best acquainted with the constitutions of this Church and Kingdom persons generally adorned with ingenuous education and good literature yea and which is more in vulgar eies and esteem with good estates Gentlemen related by birth or alliance or clients or acquaintance to the best Families and greatest affairs of the Nation you either fill the one or attend the other house of Parliament while no Bishop or other Clergie-man never so worthy is admitted to come there unless as a Supplicant or Delinquent your counsels and examples are not onely influentiall in your country retirements but also efficacious in all the Cities and Courts of England It is your custom and no less your wisdom and honor to keep to and plead for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Magna Charta fundamental Laws and ancient and excellent constitutions of this Church and Kingdom not therefore good because ancient but therefore ancient because they were judged and experimentally found by our wise and pious Progenitors to be very good yea best for this Church and State It becomes the freedom of your spirits and estates as Lawyers and Gentlemen however the poor Clergie are oft compelled to popular dependancie yea and some of them like leeches thrive best when they hang most upon the skins of people I say it becomes you to be the furthest of any men living from flattering or abetting any factius novelties or Fanatick Novellers in Church or State which you cannot do without greater sin and shame then other men because you have more knowledge of good and evil of Law and Iustice of Reason and Religion the guilt and burthen of other mens sins which are lead and deluded by your counsel or example must needs lie heavie upon your souls as well as ours of the Clergie when being their guides lights and oracles you or we prove their deceivers and seaucers Certainly if the poyson of some Lawyers teeth had not venomed the wounds which some Preachers tongues first gave to the life and welfare of this Church and Kingdom we had not run to such horrid ulcers such in veterate and incurable gangreens of disloyalty and irreligion of faction and confusion nor endured so various ridiculous and superfluous Tragedies which then began when Pulpits rang Aarons bels backward as to the Cause of God and Courts of judicature meanly conformed to the vilest lusts of men such as have given horror and astonishment to the modest part of mankind and which threatned except the Lord had been merciful to us to have tormented Kings and Parliaments and people of all degrees in the hell fire or Tophet of everlasting fewds factions and confusions under the specious name but most putid fallacy of Gods Cause the good cause and at last the good old cause though nothing was more vile and novel less ancient or more arrantly wicked for perjury perfidy Sacriledge and Regicide void of all fear of God or reverence of man contrary to the Word of God and Laws of that Nation A Cause the zealous Martyrs for which are only fit to be put in the Devilâ— Diptych or Calendar or in God Black book not in the Book of lifâ— Against all which presumptuo 〈…〉 imposures in Church and State You O worthy professors of the La 〈…〉 and of our reformed Religion aâ— well as we Preachers of the Gospelâ— have now all honorable and safâ— encouragement to oppose ouâ— selves under the protection of God and the King that both you a 〈…〉 Iudges and Iustices by the civil sword and we as Bishops and Presbyters by the spiritual sword may be as valiant for the honour and order of the established Religion and Laws of England for the ancient and excellent Government Regal and Episcopall of this Church and Kingdom as others have been impudently pragmatick to broach those novel errors most illegal injuries and high indignities which they brought upon us more by our own cowardize perhaps then their courage Let us dare as much to be Loyal and religious honest and orderly as others have dared to be false and base insolent and irregular injurious and sacrilegious They wanted not many black mouths vile tongues and libellous pens to plead for the Baalims which they set up meer Idols and Teraphims in Church and State which are now blessed be God cast out to the moles and bats O let not us for I would have no difference between your learned Tribe and ours let none of us who are most versed in God or mans Laws be wanting to the true Cause of our God and Saviour of our rightful King of our reformed Religion and of our famous Church in its Doctrine devotion discipline and Government In the cause of which all your and your posterities happiness are included Since then by the goodness of God the monstrous and many-shapen Dagons of our late Philistins and oppressors are now faln to the ground and broken off head hands and feet a meer fanatick stump let us turn Israelites unanimously set our selves as we have done to the welcome reception of his Majesty so to bring home with truth and peace honor and order joy and jubilation the Ark of God the Church of England restoring it to its place and adorning it with all the beauties of holiness worthy of the wisdom and piety munificence courage and honor of our Ancestors who were famous both for their loyaltie and Religion the fruits of whose care and constancie we enjoyed heretofore as men and Christians in a wel-reformed united and setled National Church till some men lost their wits and hearts their credits and consciences their sense of duty to their God and their King yea and their first love of our reformed Church and Religion for which our famous Forefathers had so notably pleaded not only in the Pulpits at the Bars but in prison also and at stakes when they were able to say with truth and comfort as the royall Martyr of admired memory did now dying That they thanked God they had a good Cause and a gracious God Certainly t is better thus to suffer for God cause inpietie justice patience and charitie then to prosper in the Devils with sacrilegious usurpation and injury this as a fire of thorns may blaze for a time but it will soon be extinguished the other carries the lawrells and
crowns of eternal victory for though we die for it yet we shall live by it the greatest trophies of Gods cause are in another world there our Lord Iesus Christ with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors and all the true Professors set up their victorious banners and rest in eternal Triumphs O let us all cast anchor in Gods Cause and we shall have no cause to fear the tossings of this world which was and ever wil be a restless Sea Let us keep Faith and a good conscience from shipwrack by preservation of our Laws and reformed Religion so shall we and our posteritie Kings and Subjects be most safe on earth however we shall be sure to gain our main cause and process at last in heaven tho in other things we be less advantaged as to this world for all our care pains in pleading Gods the Kings and the Churches Cause In which I hope I have not been wholly wanting to my duty in the worst of times nor shall I be now discouraged in these more Halcyon days however my sun may seem to be in its Western decline wher I find my self preferred as to much more love civility and honor from the Gentry sober Clergie ingenuous people of that Diocess then I can well deserve so I am exposed to much more business and fatigue of life sweetâ—ed with far less worldly comfort tâ—anquillity then formerly I enjoyed when I had the happiness of a more convâ—nient as well as a more private and retired condition but Iow my self more to the publick cause of God and his Church of my King and Country then to my own ease or private interest for those we must be willing to do suffer and deny our selves in any thing short of heaven sin and hell faithful seruice of them is our greatest freedom highest honor and will be at last our greatest reward if we can but have patience to wait a few years till we pass to another world where the crown of eternall glory shall be set on the head of that vertue which envie here may depress That you with my self may persevere in sincerely pleading and promoting Gods blessed Cause which is our own is the earnest prayer of Your very humble Servant John Gauden Bp. of Exeter Eâ—ueter Feb. 20. 1660. ERRATA Pag. 66. line 26. r. which l. 27. r. of l. 28 dele them p. 61 l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 18. r. Hinges or â—xes l. 19. r. polar p. 89. l. 15. r. pleaded p. 150. l. 19. r. l p. 153 â— 8. r. pursue Causa Dei Gods pleading his own Cause Set forth in two SERMONS Preached at the Temple in Novemb. 1659. Upon PSAL. 74. 22 Arise O God Plead thine own Cause Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily THis Psalm is a most Pathetick Lamentation for the deplorable state of the Church of God among the Jews in the Babylonish captivity after the Justice and Wrath of God had let in the power aud malice of enemies as a mighty flood which swept away not onely the civil peace liberty plenty safety and honour with the Majesty and Government of the State but also the very face and form of the Church The publick profession order decency and solemnity of Religion the Worship and Service of God moral and ceremonial as to sacrifices and oblations Prayers and praises in the Temple § A matter of the greatest consideration to every pious and devout soul who cannot but be grieved to see Religion as the light of the sun put under a bushel confined to closets and corners driven to private and precarious Conventicles to be forced to thin and scattered Congregations or which is worse to affect separate Conventicles where the ta 〈…〉 d raâ—â— of verity will never be able to â—â—ep charity warm or cover the 〈…〉 of Schism and Faction 〈…〉 iâ— theâ— time to cry out with old Eli Ichabod The glory is departed from Israel the beauty of holiness is turned into sackeloth ashes and publick joys sink into mourning and solemn Halelujahs into sad lamentations full of sighs and tears There is no cause to triumph or joy upon any civil and secular accounts in any Nation never so prospeâ—â—â—s when true Religion is eclipsed or the true Church and its Ministry discountenanced debased persecuted plundered destroyed reproached Then if ever as the Mariners cryed to Jonah in the storm Every man should cry mightily to his God apply his hands to the ore that is to such means as being pious and prudent are only proper to be used in Gods Cause This Psalm beare the name of Asaph that famous Master in Davids time of Church-musick both Vocal and Organical in which there is so much of humane yea divine sweetness composure and rapture that nothing but savage Barbarity and rude hypocrisie can envy or deny the Church of Christ both Christian and Judaick the blessing of holy harmony in singing to God and setting forth his high praises in the greatest perfections of melody that man can attain unto and the Churches gravity enjoy Not that it is like to have bin then penn'd by Asaph as if by the spirit of prophesie he had foreseen foretold and forewarned the captivity four hundred years before it came to pass but either some other of that name wrote it in the time of the captivity or some man of another name might then write this doleful Psalm or Threnody to the composure method or tune of Asaphs excellent melody who was one of the chief Singers leaving to after ages further monuments not only of devout compassion of the Churches affliction but also of those heavenly comforts which may in all cases be used and enjoyned in such holy forms as do set forth the exemplary passions of devout men either as to joy or sorrow complacenc 〈…〉 compassion prayer or praise in publick or private concernments so that not onely as St. James speaks If any man rejoyce he may sing Psalms of praise and thanksgiving But if he be afflicted he may read pray and weep over such divine Ditties as are most suitable to the sence and sorrow of his soul or the state of the Church yea and of any private friend This holy Pen-man whoever he were having an heart full of zeal for Gods glory no less then eyes full of tears and lips full of complaints for the Churches calamities suffers himself to boil over to all the Topicks of pathetick Oratory and devout importunity sometime deploring in general the sad state of things other while complaining to God in particular instances yea in one place he seems to complain of God himself as if he were regardless and negligent of his own interests Tanquam coecum surdum numen as if he needed a Monitor and Remembrancer to mind his own cause one while he deplores Gods fierce anger against his Church Then he tells him of the near relation he had to that suffering Cause
After he shews God the â—ad and shameful prospect of his Churches ruines what havock the enemies insolent and unbridled rage had made First of his publick Worship then of the very places which his name had consecrated and pious gratitude had both dedicated and adorned with politure and art to be Temples or Synagogues that is Houses of God in the Land Then he quarrels and almost chides as it were by an humble expostulation and pious impatience Gods long silence and great reservedness § At last to take off any seeming stupor which is not incident to the Divine omniscience and most vigilant clemency he applies the most sharp spur and pickquant goad in the world namely the reproaches of God's and his Churches enemies which the Lord professed long ago so much to fear speaking after the manner of men and thereupon more than once disarmed his Justice now brandished against his own people when they had sinned and highly provoked him not onely to punish them but to purpose and threaten the utterly destroying them yet he made gracious retractation that he might avoid the dint and impression of his enemies poysoned darts and venomed arrows even bitter words petulant scorns and arrogant reproaches which Moses represents to him as a notable allay or cooling to the over-boylings of his wrath And it wrought so effectually in the highest paroxysms of Gods anger that the Lord chose rather to use the shield of his patience long-suffering great goodness and indulgence towards his Church grievously apostatising that he might thereby defend himself from the sarcasms of his enemies as if he were either ignorant or impotent or malicious or mutable then by using the sword of his Justice too rigorously against his Church to wound both it and himself to the most odious joy and insolent triumph of their common enemies who hated and opposed the Church not as smning and swerving sometime against God but as serving of him and adhering to him in some measure at least beyond all other men § The Psalmist further urgeth the former experiments of Gods power and providence as in the general course of nature which is regular and constant so in the special exigents of his Church endeared to him as the Turtle to its harmless and loving Mate from which to be separate is as death Gods covenant with the Church is firmly alledged also his faithfulness is pleaded his lasting philanthropy or tender regard to all that are oppressed is inculcated and nothing omitted that pious passion can suggest or compassionate Oratory can express in so few words § After all these lively colours brought forth with no less skill then plenty and vehemency to set forth what he either deplores or deprecates or supplicates he adds at last this notable Ingemination to rowse and excite God to consider if not his poor Churches calamity yet his own great concern The pathetick Pen-man is resolved not to let God alone to give him no rest till he had some answer worthy of his love pity jealousie and zeal yea worthy of so merciful a God who ambitiously delights in the titles of the Father of pity and God of all consolation Therefore he adds this Epiphonema or close as the ultimi conatus nâ—vissimi ejaculatus ecclesiae Arise O God plead thine own cause c. As to the partition of the words we may easily discern these particulars in them First The excitation Arise Secondly The Invocation O God Thirdly The declaration To plead Fourthly The Appropriation Thy own cause Fifthly The grand Motive or Incitation Thine enemies reproach thee daily Sixthly The Sollicitor or promotor of the process action or plea The pious and pathetick pen-man of this Psalm who had rather seem rude and importune then irreligious to God or uncompassionate to the Church by being either silent or so cool as if he were indifferent and thereby taught God to deny him by the faintness of his asking he asks and seeks and knocks he prays and crys and roars for the disquietness of his soul his bowels are turned within him and his soul poured out like water impatient of a repulse in such a Cause as was Gods own Cause The word Cause is not here taken in a Physical or Metaphysical sence nor in a natural or logical notion but sensu forensi politico in a politick sense as a term used in Courts of Judicature in foro vel Senatu to shew the rational and just foundation upon which civil Pleas or legal actions are grounded and from which as to the point of right or wrong all controversies derive the force and efficacy as all activity and effects do from natural causes So the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes a contest by way of complaint rebuke and repair whence the waters of Meribah or strife had their name where God pleaded with the murmuring people So Gideon is nick-named Jerubbaal for pleading against Baal Judges 6. 31. And the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Latin Litiga litem tuam Domine do all import a quarrel or controversie an action of the Case in point of Trespass injury or indignity wherein Gods honor was concerned which was not to be put up in silence but a just reparation to be made In this sense both the Greeks use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also the Latins Causa or Caussa as Tully oft and other ancient Orators no less then the later pleaders according to our common or the Imperial and Canon Laws Thus the word Cause denotes Id quod est ut in vita voto sic in lite causalissimum that which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or optatissimum the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main center Hinge Butt or Design the chief end motive that grand concern and interess which men are most fearful to forfeit or to be frustrated of and to lose or miscarry in Some Etymoligists in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grammatick curiosity are pleased to derive the word Causa either from Cautio because men are most wary not to fail of it which is Causa cadere or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heat and burning indicating the fervor and zeal with which men prosecute their main cause and their indignation against those that oppose or obstruct them in it or lastly from Chaos as that which contained in it all primitive natural and elementary causes This last notation doth very unhappily fit our sad condition in England when under pretence of several causes which the eager partial and inordinâ—te prosecution of them pleading them Arte Marte by arguments and arms too by word and sword by fraud and force by faction and fury we have run our selves in Chaos antiquum almost to a very chaos or confusion both in things civil and religious as if we were 〈◊〉
Idolaters Therefore the Psalmist here so earnestly urgeth it upon God who he believed ever did and would own his own Cause so as to plead it himself in his own way and time Both as to the Majesty truth justice holiness and honor of it also as to the indignities which are by evil men cast upon it Summus Deus summas patitur injurias none is more a sufferer as to the malice and insolence of wicked men then the most blessed God who yet is as impassible as the suns light is uninfectible with the filthy exhalations of dunghils Plato puts this true saying into the mouth of Socrates dying under the malice of his persecutors Anytus and Melitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is impossible for evil to make any impression of affliction upon that which is good and which can as a jewel so preserve its native goodness and firmness that sufferings shall make it not onely no way diminished but as in the wheel and file more illustrious and meritorious such were the sufferings of Christ properly and of all good men in an Evangelical sense being for a good Cause and on Gods account till God ceaseth to be just and good and true and faithful vigilant and zealous for his own glory his cause cannot utterly miscarry 3. Observ The Cause of God may be as to the eye of the world and to the sense of the best men in a most sad dejected deplored despised and desperate estate so sunck and oppressed that there is no outward sign of its being ever boyed up and recovered thus it was represented to Elias as if he onely were left to plead a lost Cause So the Disciples expressed their sorrow and despondency We verily trusted this had been he who should have redeemed Israel So Mary weeping to the Angels answers their questioning of her tears They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him many times the foundation of Church and State of Justice and Religion are so out of course that the righteous know not what to do or say all things so unhinged by violent wicked and unreasonable men that nothing moves by any order or written Law of God or Man but by the power and impulse of mens own lusts who from Gods silence permission and patience are prone foolishly to conclude his approbation and liking of their cause and ways yea and to say God is such an one as themselves the distress of Gods Cause may be such that the whole Church may be ready to cry out as the Psalmist Help Lord for vain is the help of man It is time for thee O Lord to put to thy hand for they have made thy Law of none effect § So did the Heathenish persecution and the latter Romish superstition tyrannically triumph a long time over the slain Witnesses the Law and Gospel the Scriptures and Catholick Traditions the Preachers and Professors of that true Religion which hath been testified both as to moralities and mysteries faith and manners not onely by the two Testaments but also by the confessions and conversations of all antient and modern Christians conform to Gods Word and the best Churches customs The vapor of numbers pomp prosperity and prevalency are no demonstrations either to approve the cause of Arius or Antichrist or to prejudice the cause of Christ and of Gods true Church But as Lucan speaks of the cause of Pompey and Cesae in which the justice of the first was overborn by the successes of the second Victrix causa Diis placuit sed victa Catoni the gods abetted Cesar by victories but Cato's constancy adhered to Pompey's and the Senates conquered cause because it was most just 4. Obser The Cause of the true Church is Gods cause most signally and peculiarly in this world his interests and concernments are so linked with its that they are insepâ—trable as Jacobs soul was bound up in Benjamins as the Husbands honor in the Wives as a friends happiness in a friends so is the relation between God and his Church if that be black God is eclipsed as to the most visible eradiations of his glory to this world if that be bright and conspicuous as a City on a hill in truth and holiness in charity and prosperity Gods great name praise and renown are most glorious and illustrious Then his Wisdom and Truth and Justice and Power and Mercy and Patience and Goodness and Faithfulness are in their meridian strength as the Sun at noon day If the Church be hidden it is as the moon turned into blood or the Sun of Righteousness into sackcloth as Joel speaks as Joshua astonished when Israel turned its back upon its enemies said to God And what wilt thou do O Lord to thy great Name So do holy men they are prone to despond and deplore Gods own condition and Cause when they see the Church of God or any part of it as to its veracity sanctity order peace prosperity and unity decline and decay under error prophaness persecution disorder distraction division or any uncomfortable condition Tunc periclitatur coelum Dei res agitur then Gods Cause is at stake then as in the Giants assault his heaven is in hazard as if he were in danger to be numen infelix a miserable God Then is Christ tossed in the storms then do true Beleevers cry out as the Disciples Lord save us we perish Help Lord and do it for thy own name sake which is called upon by us God hath no considerable design in the world but that of his Church when this is consummated the world as the scaffold or stage or shell or chaff is to be destroyed The Church cannot be undone until God is undone and bankrupt 5. Obser No Church hath ever been so famous and flourishing in outward piety plenty peace and prosperity but it may fall under persecution and great oppression sometimes indeed as God said to Satan in the case of Jobs trials without a cause that is as to any predominant and unrepented sin at present provoking God against him but only as Christ said of the man born blind That the work of Gods grace and Spirit might be manifest in the trials and tribulations of his Church So in the first ages of the Church when Religion was purest and love warmest yet was the fire and furnace of persecution hottest Sometimes indeed as a fruitful land is made barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein so the lukewarmness and corruptions of a Church the Apostasies and falling of Christians from their first Faith loyalty patience love and good works may cause God to hide his face to withdraw his protection to remove his candlestick as he threatens and to give over his Turtle to the will of its adversaries who shall set up their banners and roar in the Sanctuaries and break down all her carved works and
Christians are figs and grapes and olives that are not to be gathered from the bryars and thorns of the present world in which whoever will live godly must expect and patiently suffer but not deserve persecution A good Cause must not think it strange to finde bad entertainment on earth where it is a pilgrim and stranger Times are seldom so good as really to favour Gods Cause however the policies and lusts of men their pride licentiousness covetousness and ambition may seem to flatter it so far as suits with their present interests which are most what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-seeking partial and inordinate ut in vitis sic in causis homines spes improbas alunt as in other things so in religion men have their impipious ambitions and perverse hopes § Whereas the Cause of God is a self denying cause as to all ungodliness and worldly lusts teaching us to live contentedly righteously soberly and godly in all things § So that these large flags and streamers which some men of the Roman or other factions of later editions hang out to the vulgar as to the potency and prosperity of their Cause argue no more Gods cause to be with them or they with it then the fine feathers in fools caps argue them to have wit or wisdom in their heads coppar may be thus stamped and guilded which will not endure the fiery trial as true gold will and such is the Cause of God ever pure and precious just and holy though it be oppressed and persecuted as a jewel it loseth not its native lustre and worth though it be ill set or cast into the dirt To conclude this general description of Gods Cause this may be its Emblem It is as the tree of life in the Pardise of God the root of it is the Truth of God in his word the sap is holiness or true sanctity the leaf is charity without dissimulation the rinde or bark is order and good discipline in the Church also Equity and civil Justice in the State the lesser and lower fruit is every grace and good work growing in us or from us the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prime and topmost cluster is Gods glory and the salvation of sinful souls through his free grace in Jesus Christ Having shewed the general tokens or marks of Gods Cause I now proceed by way of Induction and instance to set forth the particulars in which it consists 1. The grand Cause of God is his own glory this is the first mover great conservator and last consummator of all things which the divine Wisdom contrives or his Patience permits or his Power performs or his Justice Goodness and Mercy moderates or his Word commands For this cause he hath made and manageth all things in heaven and earth that the glory of his being may appear to men and Angels who are with all humility gratitude adoration service and admiration to return the just recognition and praises due to the divine Majesty for all his essential excellencies and his gracious emanations every Attribute and Perfection of God is by them to be owned with due respect of Faith Fear Love Duty Adoration and Admiration thus his Power Wisdom Justice Mercy Immensity Eternity Veracity Immutability c. are to be considered by men and Angels with suitable affections reflecting from them to God And among Christians the unity of the Divine Nature together with the Trinity of the sacred Persons or relations distinguished by the names of Father Son and Holy Spirit must be ever owned celebrated and adored according to the wonted Doxology or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the Orthodox Churches This Cause God hath in all ages pleaded as his own royal concern against Atheists Polytheists Idolaters Antitrinitarians Anthropomorphites against prophane and proud livers who live as if there were no God above them also against vain and false swearers who blaspheme the name of God and bring a curse on their souls families and countries against presumptuous wicked doers who are their own gods and worshippers both self-Idols and self-Idolaters This is the first most immediate cause or concern of the Divine Nature and Glory that God be owned and none beside him or comparable to him This will be made good against wicked men and Devils by the pleas and principles of right Reason by the sensible beauty order harmony proportion usefulness and constancy of Gods Works in the world by his signal providences in judgement or mercy by his preservation of the Scriptures and the Church with true Religion by the predictions fulfilled and lastly by the terrors convictions and presages of mens consciences which are that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little God in our own brests as Mar. Aurelius calls it 2. The next great concern or Cause of God is that of the Lord Jesus Christ the eternal Word and coessential Son of God the blessed Messiah the brightness of the divine glory and express image of the Father It is not enough now to beleive in God as Creator and Preserver of men but we must also beleive in the Lord Jesus Christ as Redeemer of beleiving penitent and obedient sinners by the mercy love and free grace of God This is the beloved Son of God whom we must hear the onely name under heaven by which we may be saved he that doth not obediently beleive the testimony of Prophets and Apostles of Miracles and Angels of Martyrs and Confessors of the Church Catholick and an enlightned conscience in this great Cause of the Messias even the crucified Jesus is under peremptory condemnation while such § Of this great and mysterious Cause God gave the world an account of old under types figures sacrifices and many ceremonies as shadows and resemblances under the Law but now the Substance and Son of Righteousness is come and hath fully taught his Church the will of God and the work such sinners have to do which is to repent and beleive in him whom the Father hath sent who so beleiveth not makes God a lyar and is already condemned to which must be added to compleat the cause of the sacred Trinity the belief and adoration of the Holy Ghost as God one with the Father and the Son in the Divine essence and glory though a distinct person as to the emanation from and relation to both ◠The Cause of God extends to the true Church of God as an holy corporation or society of such as do truely believe inwardly or outwardly and profess with Order and Charity the word worship and service of the true God with our Lord Jesus and the blessed Spirit according to the rule of the Scripture ◠God owns himself in Jesus Christ as the Father friend head and Husband of the Church such as fight against that fight against God and afflict the apple of his eye God is concerned that the foundation of his Church which is
ariseth terribly to judge the world and to ease him of his adversaries and to plead the cause of his oppressed Church are most worthy of the divine majesty For 1. They are most just in themselves 2. They are most pregnant and convictive in mens consciences as the pleas of God 3. They are unavoidable and irrisistible and potent 4. They carry the cause at last against all opposition the highest cedars are feld by it the greatest mountains levelled Gods Cause like Moses his serpent devours all those Enchanters and Magicians 5. They are impartial without respect of persons great or strong rich or noble wise or foolish few or many God sometimes so pleads it as to pour contempt even upon Princes to pull down the mighty from their seats to confound their counsels to break the arm of their strength to lop off all their branches yea to stub up their roots as to their posterity and renown which was done against Nebuchadnezzar Haman Balshazzar and Judas Sometimes God pleads his cause even by miraculous appearings in signs and wonders full of terror and destruction so against Pharoah and the Egyptians so against Senacherib and his hoast sending a destroying Angel to confute in one night his blâ—sphemous insolency by slaying the greatest part and flower of his Army sending him away with shame which was followed with the parricide of his two sons who slew him So in privater cases God pleads against Miriams murmuring by leprosie so against Nadab and Abihu by fire So against Korah and his mutinous complices God wrought a new way of burying them alive Numb 16. 33. So against the pride of Herod whose popular diety was confuted by worms Act. 12. 23. Sometimes God fills his enemies with Pannick terrors and makes them sheath their swords in their own bowels to become executioners of his vengeance yea and we read Achitophels or acular wisdom ended in a halter even so let all perfidious and impenitent Polititians perish O Lord that are enemies to thy Cause in true Religion and just Government Sometimes God stirs up unexpected and despicable enemies against them who kindle such fires of intestine or foraign wars as consume his proudest adversaries as in the Kings of Israel and Judah when they forsook and rebelled against God When God ariseth to plead his own Cause he fears the face of none he spares none not Families or Cities or Nations or a whole world as in Noahs days or the whole race and nature of mankind as in Adam and Eve who fell under the curse with their posterity when they beleived and obeyed the serpent more then God Against some he pleads vvith fire famine pestilence evil beasts War Deluges Nay he spared not the rebellious Angels but cast them out of heaven into hell fire from the light of his blessed presence to chains of eternal darkness Nay God spares not his ovvn servants People and Church he pleaded sorely against Davids sin vvhich argued his despising of God vvhen he preferred his lust and caused the enemies of God to blaspheme all religion and grace by the scandal of his extravagancy God shevvs us that as Saints may sin so he sees sin in them and vvill not let it go unpunished § So he pleads against Eli and his sons even to their untimely death and the extirpation of that family from the honor of Priesthood So against King Uzziah for his sacrilegious intruding on the Preists office So against King Saul for his rebellion which was us witchcraft So against King Solomon vvhen his wisdom left him or he left it and fell to so gross a folly and effeminacy as to countenance and tolerate Idolatry in an uxorious vanity and inconstancy So against King Hezekiah vvhen his pride made him forgetful of so great a mercy as his miraculous recovery and delivery Nay God pleaded oft against the vvhole Church of the Jews in their Apostasies the Cause of his Lavv Worship Service and Servants the Prophets whom they slew by cutting them short by pulling dovvn and abasing the crown of their glory by giving their adversaries dominion over them to destroy them to burn their Cities and Temple to desolate their Land to lead them into captivity and so to give the Land its rest and Sabboth which they had prophaned Thus did he oft plead the controversies he had with that Church and people that City and Sanctuary which was called by his own name with whom at last he reckoned for all the blood of the Prophets and that of the Messias too which filled up the cup of Gods wrath against them to an utter desolation which hath held now for near sixteen hundred years In like sort did the Spirit of God plead his Cause against the famous seven Churches in Asia and their Angels or Bishops of which we read in the second and third chapters of the Revelations reproving and threatning them sorely both Fathers and children Bishops and Presbyters Pastors and people except they did repent So against all the Greek and Eastern Christian Churches whose heresies luxuries schisms ambitions and hypocrisies have at this day put them under the Mahometan bondage and tyranny that they have scarce now a name to live as Christians or Churches § Nor was God wanting to plead his Cause by many terrible judgements against the depraved state of these Western Churches when overgrown with Image-Saints and Angels-worship with Tyranny and superstition with covetousness and ambition with sottery and debauchery even from the Popes or cheif Bishops chair to the Princes and Peers and Clergie and Gentry and people of all sorts how were they tossed too and fro in the sactions of Gnelphs and Gibelins wasted in the holy Wars as they called them terrified with excommunication and bans that there was no peace to him that came in or to him that went out Lastly God sometimes pleads his Cause and gives evident token it is his by an unexpected way even by suffering it to fall into fiery trials and many temptations not as offended with his Church but as giving the world experience of the mighty power of his grace and the eminent faith courage patience and constancy of his servants who love not their lives to the death but can set all the loss and dung of this world at stake for Christs sake So the primitive Martyrs and Confessors Apostles and others glorified God So many Bishops Presbyters Virgins young and old filled the world with admiration of that cause for which they were so resolved and undaunted that their pious perseverance as Justin Martyr and others tell us with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertinacy as Mar. Aurelius calls it was a most powerful way to commend the glorious Gospel of Christ to the world Thus the blessed company and holy Hoste after Christs example did assert the cause of God and his Christ not by armed forces
neglect the second in equity and charity So to contend against superstition in Gods worship as to overthrow the order and decency which ought to be solemnly observed in it or that duty and obedience we owe to those which are in Church or State called Fathers and to whom we stand obliged by the first Commandment with promise We must not so plead or urge our duty to God as to skip over our duty to our neighbour nor so plead against Idolatry as to indulge Sacri ledge or against Adultery as to acquit Murther or so cry up Religion or Reformation as to encourage Rebellion and Sedition Noâ— may we so inculcate and insist on one duty as to omit and slight others to be meer Euchites for prayer or Acoits for hearing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pragmaticks impertinently and irregularly busie in Church and State as to neglect the Sacraments or to be so eager in dispute for Truth even the minores veritates as to forget the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great things of God in which the Kingdoms of the Gospel consists so magnifying faith that we omit good works and crying down ceremonies to the overthrow of all orderly and uniform Devotion to cast out Commandments Lords Prayer Creed and all settled Liturgy out of the Church 4. The Cause of God must be pleaded by us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holily justly and lawfully according to our place and duty after a righteous manner also peaceably and orderly Nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 violently rudely and injuriously This is the first thing God requires of us to do justice and then to shew mercy and walk humbly with him Extravagant motions mar the cause of God and rather prejudice it then any way plead it We must not commit Robbery to do Sacrifice nor lye or oppress upon Gods account We must not be so far partial to Gods Cause as to do evil that good may come thereby this is to turn the staff of Moses into a Serpent The great care of the Apostles was to have Mysteries of Religion made good by Moralities Cardinal Poole well expressed that those would best understand the eleven first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans which are full of high mysteries and disputes who did most practice the five last which exhort to holy life teaching such as believed well to do all things well that the Cause and Name of God might not be evil spoken of We must not violate the good laws of civil Societies under pretence to exalt the Law of God nor run Church and State into confusion to set up Reformation of either in seditious ways Gods Cause needs not the Devils engines either plead it as becomes it or let it alone It will support it self without the rash hand of Uzzah to stay it If thou canst not plead it actively thou mayest do it passively and much more to purpose as primitive Christians did then by any inordinate activity No man saith the Apostle that striveth is crowned unless he strive lawfully Secundum leges Athleticas such as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Institutor and Umpire had appointed 5. Gods Cause must be pleaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with moderation discretion and calmness so as not to suffer any transports of passion and precipitancy to over sway us to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excess or indecency We must not so plead against superstition as to reproach or weaken true Religion or against humane corruptions as to vacate and voyd Divine institutions or against the abuse of things as to abolish the good use of them to have no Our Father because we would have no Ave Marys in our Prayers § Reformation must not run to the ruine of Church or the riot of State as if a Physitian should destroy the body with the disease purging away the spirits with ill humors such as their former methods seem to be who will have no Bishops according to the primitive and Catholique order of the Church because some Bishops in after times had their fauls and frailties or no Ministers because some of them have been too blame or no Sacraments because some may be unworthy receivers These as immoderations and madnesses become not those that undertake to plead Gods Cause It is like theirs who would starve themselves because some have been gluttons or destroy all Vines because of some mens drunkenness or have no singing because some may sing out of tune it is an ordinary error in men to suffer their pleas to pass from the cause to the persons and so from the persons to the cause which transports of envy and anger arise from the overboyling of mens passions which wasts their judgments and make them instead of snuffing dim candles to put them quite out an error that I fear hath been too prevalent in some mens spirits and practises among us whose meaning and intentions possibly might be good or at least not so bad as the event Sixthly Valiantly and couragiously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the generosity and magnanimity of a true Christian spirit which is rather good then great or therefore great because good not by a military robusâ—ness and boysterous forwardness or childish pertinacy that resolves to maintain any cause they once ingage for but such a cool and sober valour as first hath made a just conquest of our selves as to all irregular passions inordinate lusts oblique designes that being listed in Christs spiritual Militia and having given our names to him we may put on that spiritual armour which becomes a Christian in truth faith love zeal patience justice sobriety sanctity and constancy for these are the solid grounds and sure guides of a Christians courage in Gods cause whose sacrifice might not be offered with strange fire or strange incense nor may his cause be pleaded by brutish valour or by turbulent passions For that were like baking the shewbread of the sanctuary with mans dung which the Prophet Ezekiel so much abhorred and deprecated Seventhly Gods cause must be pleaded by us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becoming Christ and Christians who are persons under the severest restraints of any men with modesty gravity humility and due respects to our betters and superiors beâ—itting their place authority and dignity So the ancient Martyrs and other confessors in their Apologies petitions and Remonstrances as Iustin Martyr Tertullian and others presented to the Emperors or Senates owned them with due honour and payed that reverence to them which their dignity required and Gods word either commanded or permitted They never used rayling accusations against them nor spake evil of dignities to set a gloss and soyl on their good cause no not in their greatest agonies in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they were dying and suffering as well as disputing preaching or writing they blessed those that cursed them
such a people as we are whose iniquities have forfeited former blessings the sins of peace made way for war and war for domestick confusion and these for foraign invasions and this for Romish superstitions and Papal usurpations for there want not factors at home and abroad who are earnest sticklers for a Cause which they call the Catholick Cause what it means as to our civil and religious concern as to the honor of this Nation and the prosperity or peace or liberty of the Reformed Religion you cannot be such strangers in the Christian world as not to consider How long as Eliah said to the Israelites will you halt between two opinions between two Causes nay now they are multiplied to twenty if the Reformed Church and Religion which God so blessed with temporal and spiritual blessings with excellent gifts and graces to your forefathers in the last century of Englands honor and happiness if it be Gods Cause grounded on his word sealed by his Spirit and conform to the best of primitive Churches let us plead and assert this against all other for it will be our wisdom and our strength our honor our peace and our safety as it was to our forefathers for the greatest part of an hundred years while they joyned Loyalty to Religion and thought nothing further from Reformation then Rebellion against lawful Magistrates and their lawful power The Second Question you may make to me is What is this Cause of God which we are now to plead in England or what is there left for us to do I Answer as Joseph to his brethren this do and live First retain righteous principles as to civil Justice and true Religion in your own judgements and in the Court of your consciences that you be not warped in them so as by any events or successes to call evil good and good evil darkness light and light darkness Though you have not opportunity or power or courage at present to plead according to your principles yet turn not from them comply not with such as are false unjust irreligious though it be so evil a time that prudence adviseth and piety indulgeth you silence yet time may come when you may plead for Gods Cause according to your principles Mean time as by your speaking you do not strengthen the hands of an evill cause and evill doers so by your silence and reserve you do cast a just reproach and discountenance upon them there is yet hope of a good Cause if the Court and Judge be not corrupted Notwithstanding that some evil pleaders cry it down Secondly As you have power and opportunity given you dare to own and plead for Gods Cause 1. In your own brests and consciences every grace and vertue every good thought and motion is Gods plead them against thy own lusts and the Devils temptations 2. In thy Family and relations plead Gods Cause against lying swearing idleness prophaness c. Thirdly In civil affairs plead the cause of Justice against any injury and oppression the poorest mans cause if just is Gods yea and the cause of a wicked mans so far as it is just is Gods Specially in causes of publick Justice there thou must not be wanting to speak out by pleading when called to it by petitioning and praying for Justice yea and acting for it according to what is just and lawful but a just Cause must not be set as the Ark on the cart of injustice we must not so plead Gods cause as to injure Cesars nor Cesars as to injure Gods Fourthly Plead the cause of true Religion of our reformed Religion of the Church of England and its excellent constitutions against the Pseudo Catholick Church of Rome the cause of Christs merits and intercession against all mixtures humane or Angelick the cause of the Scriptures against all Apocryphal traditions and fanatick illuminations which are false illusions and not divine inspirations The cause of the Lords Supper in its compleatness against the subductions and seductions of the Mass which loseth the bread to all and steals away the wine from the Laity the cause of the worship of God in a known tongue to edification against Latin service which few understand so as to say Amen to what is prayed So the cause of chast and honorable mariage against scorched and affected coelebacy Further Plead as for the verity so for the unity of the Reformed Religion and this Church against those lice and locusts those noxious and noysom vermine of factions which have so gnawed and defaceâ— this Church the reformed religion and which seek to deprive your children of one and your selves of both the holy Sacraments Plead for the Churches patrimony for the support and honor of an able learned authoritative and worthy Ministry in due order and government of it against those sacrilegious spirits who with Judas grudge all as wast that is by a grateful charity and devout superfluity poured on Christ for the honor of his name and the encouragement of his Ministers according to the general tenor of Gods word not only permiting but commanding us by personal or national donations to honor God with our substance Plead for our due ordination subordination as Ministers that we may not by novel projects of levelling confusion plebeian Anarchy in the Church be driven from conformity with the ancient Fathers and the order and universal government of all Christian Churches as wel as our own from our first being Christian If you think us able or worthy to take care of your souls eternal welfare and to administer to you spiritual things Do not think us worthy to be condemned to live to dye and to be buried even yet alive with the meanest of the people since by what I have now discoursed to you it may appear that we are neither ignorant of nor enemies to the true cause of God Jesus Christ as our blind and bitter enemies do maliciously pretend Of which cause I have in all my discourse not spoken my own private sense only but the sense of my Fathers Brethren of all true Bishops and Presbyters and of the whole Church of England Lastly Since I hope you are as willing as able to plead Gods cause and since I know you pray that God would plead your and your posterities cause in Church and State that he would make yours his own cause Keep I beseech you always in your souls this holy resolution not to be wanting in your place to your power to assert Gods cause corde et ore consilio exemplo prece praxi atramento sanguine In which behalf you cannot form your thoughts to a better tune and words then Luther did when he undertook that great Cause of religious reformation Aut propugnemus causam Dei aut succumbamus cum causa Dei Either let us stand by the cause of God or let us fall with