21 22 23. And as for Apostates from him and his cause they are no lesse odious unto him witnesse Heb. 10.38 39. If any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him It is our deare Saviours employment in Heaven as to appeare in the presence of God for his friends Heb. 9.24 so to sit downe at the right-hand of God from hence-forth expecting till his enemies â—e made his footestoole Heb. 10.12 13. He hath now no sacrifice to offer he is there above suffering being entred into the fellowship and fruition of the glory of his Godhead to exercise his power and authority for the good of his Church and overthrow of his enemies He sees their day is comming Psal. 37.13 when he shall have contentment and comfort in his enemies ruine triumphantly trampling upon them who shall everlastingly inherit the shame of their owne sinnes and lie under the pressure of his just displeasure Be encouraged in these shedding and discriminating Vse 3 times to take part with the true Church and to adhere firmly to Jesus Christ and his Angels Looke about you as in Joshuah 5.13 may you not see Jesus Christ comming down from Heaven with his sword drawn in his hand Go to him with Joshua's question Art thou for us or for our adversaries Will not his answer be Nay but as a Captaine of the Hoast of the Lord am I now come Then you must be sure to be of the Lords hoast or else he is not for you but for your adversaries Take therefore Pauls seasonable counsell 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of faith Such have the best cause It is Gods Such fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 25.28 The best Captaine Jesus Christ the Captaine of their salvation Heb. 2.10 The best fellow-souldiers Stephen Paul and the rest of that holy band with certainty of victory 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laied up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing This is more then the greatest Champions of the world can promise themselves But may not Christs souldiers be foiled Yes so were the Israelites when they fought against Benjamin Judg. 20. yet was the cause holy and good But what with their over-confidence in the goodnesse of their cause and greatnesse of their numbers and want of humiliation before God they were twice discomfited Againe consider the Cause may prevaile when the persons miscarry and grow great out of the ruines of such as suffered for it Suppose that discouraging question Whether the witnesses be already slaine cannot so comfortably be answered by a peremptory affirmative Yet however better be one of the witnesses though dying then one of the killers of them though triumphing There will be a speedy resurrection of them and the cause Revel. 11.11 But remember to allow the Lord his Prerogative to carry on his Churches cause in his owne method and in his owne time See Deut. 32.35 36. His enemies feete shall slide in due time though his peoples power be gone By the bloud of the Lamb observation 2 The Militant Churches victories over the Devill and his Angels are obtained by the bloud of the Lambe Jesus Christ This is clearely held forth in that mother fundamentall promise which was most graciously intimated to fallen Adam even before the sentence passed upon him Gen. 3.15 The Womans seed shall breake the Serpents head Of this Daniel had comfortable experience when Michael helped him Dan. 10.13.21 which is further confirmed Rev. 17.14 These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings First by the bloud of the Lamb divine justice is satisfied God appeased Rom. 3.25 and the Church reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 Her sinnes being done away which betray her to her enemies she becomes victorious sharing reason 1 in the triumph of Christ over the Devill and his Angels Gol. 2.12 13. Secondly by the bloud of the Lamb we obtaine that reason 2 grace which enables us prevailingly to resist the Devil and his Angels For no peeces of the spirituall armour will be armour of proofe unlesse they be dipped in the bloud of Christ Rev. 7.14 And how was Paul enabled to doe all things but by the might of Christ that strengthned him Phil. 4.13 Whose bloud hath an eternall efficacie Rev. 13.8 The Churches victories are therefore ascribed to the reason 3 bloud of the Lamb because the Oeconomicall Kingdome which Christ hath over his Church is a Priestly Kingdome which he possesses as the fruit of his bloudy sufferings For though he were prepared and made capable of his Kingly glory by the hypostaticall union yet the holy Scriptures invest him with it as the reward of his sufferings and humiliation He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name That {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Name of Jesus not at the Name Jesus every knee should bow And his Church likewise being a royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 conquers through the bloud of her King use 1 If the Churches victories are obtained by the bloud of the Lamb Then why should not we debase our selves this day before God for all our vaine confiding in creatures or magnifying them upon any good successes Hereby we proudly encroach upon the honour of Christ to whose bloud we owe all our Victories It is fit wee should humble our selves when God hath humbled us Eccles. 7.14 In the day of adversity consider We must blesse God for good Instruments but may not admire them to the disparagement of the principall cause Though ignorant wretches did sacrifice unto their owne net and burne Incense to their dragge this is most unworthy of Christians who should live by faith in Christ Gal. 2.20 not onely pray in faith but worke fight by faith expecting all from Christ and resolving all into Christ Improve the hand of God which occasioned this extraordinary Assembly for the Prophet Haggai his purpose To consider your wayes or as in the Heb. Set your heart upon your wayes Hag. 1.5.7 Too many like Hannibal who though victorious knew not how uti victoriâ and so lose themselves in their victories not acknowledging the bloud of the Lamb therein The Lord make us more wise for time to come We may use meanes but must not rest upon them we ought to blesse God for second causes but must not idolize them It was a modest strain in Joab which might make us blush he sent to David that he would gather the people together encamp against the City and take it lest I take the City said he and it be called by my name Let such as are instrumentall for the publike have
Die Jovis 27. Julii 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that Master Hill hath hereby thanks given him from their Lordships for the great paines taken by him in his Sermon he made in Saint Margarets Church Westminster before the Lords and Commons on Friday the 21. of this instant July at the publike Humiliation And he is hereby desired to cause his said Sermon to be forthwith Printed and Published John Browne Cleric Parliamen Die Veneris 21. Julii 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the House of Commons that Mr. Salloway doe give thanks to Mr. Hill who at the desire of the House this day Preached before the Commons at St. Margarets Westminster it being an extraordinary day of Publique humiliation and that he be desired to Print his Sermon And it is Ordered that no man shall Print his Sermon but whom the said Mr. Hill shall Authorize under his hand-writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint John Bellamie and Ralph Smith to Print my Sermon THO. HILL THE MILITANT CHVRCH TRIVMPHANT OVER THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS Presented in a SERMON Preached to both Houses of Parliament assembled on Friday the 21. of July 1643. BEING An extraordinary day of publik Humiliation appointed by them throughout London and Westminster that every one might bitterly bewaile his own sins and cry mightily unto God for Christ his sake to remove his wrath and heale the Land By THO. HILL B. D. sometimes Fellow of Emman Coll. in Cambridge and now Pastor at Tychmersh in the County of Northampton Published by Order of both Houses of Parliament In their affliction they will seeke me early Hos. 5.15 I said not unto the seede of Jacob Seeke yee me in vaine Isa. 45.19 I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy Deut. 32.26 27. LONDON Printed for John Bellamie and Ralph Smith and are to be sold at their shop at the three golden Lions in Cornhill neare the royall Exchange 1643. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE HOVSE OF LORDS AND THE HONORABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT I Never delighted in Pulpit Apologies else I might have prefaced with an excuse from the extreame shortnesse of the warning to performe this solemne service Your Christian attention in hearing and candide acceptance of my meane endeavours hath now likewise prevented my Apologizing Epistle Let rather my pen second my tongue in provoking you and my selfe to blesse the Lord who invites poore sinners to seeke to him in the day of trouble Now will blasphemers say they are glad to runne to their prayers we are indeed desiring humbly to rejoyce that we have such precious promises sealed with the bloud of such a Mediator in whose Name we may boldly seeke our heavenly Fathers face even when he hath a rod a sword in his hand We would shame our selves for our many sinnes and justifie God who is glorious in holinesse in all the judgements that lie upon us If this be to be vile we will with David when Gods hand cals for it be more vile then thus Let stupid Atheists take that portion Isa. 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envie toward thy people If God stile himselfe a God hearing prayers good reason we should runne unto him as a people making prayers Let us now therefore approve our selves Christians indeed not multiply groundlesse jealousies which are almost as troublesome in the State as unsound opinions in the Church not quarrell discontentedly with the defects of second causes but meekly improve the hand whereby the first cause disposes all events Nothing comes to passe in time but what was decreed from Eternity If a few Sparrowes cannot fall to the ground then surely Armies Cities Countries cannot be lost without his providence If he condescend to number his childrens haires then certainely much more their heads He who hath a bottle for their teares a booke of remembrance for their words and thoughts upon his Name will not forget his owne promises unto them but when discriminating times come then shall ye returne and discerne between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not There are now many veines opened in England it is in the body Politick as in the Naturall much bad bloud cannot be let out but we shall lose some good The Lord of Hoasts hath purposed to staine the pride of all our glory Much honourable bloud hath beene shed amongst us since these sad troubles began When the judgement comes by Famine or Pestilence ordinarily most great persons escape the vulgar sort of people fall by such Arrowes God hath now sent a sword which hath done execution upon divers of our Nobles and many of our Gentry The good Lord helpe you and all whom it most concernes to heare what this rod this sword saith and who hath appointed it We all acknowledge it was drawne for the sinnes of this Nation and will it be sheathed againe without repentance It was a strange prophesie of Robert Grosthead that great Bishop of Lincolne in H. 3. time who prying much into the abominations and spirit of Popery said a little before his death The Church shall not be delivered from the servitude of Egypt but by violence and force and with the bloudy sword We have found this too true as well as other Churches Is there not a generation amongst us who rather then they will have Christ raigne over them rather then Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline should be reduced to the simplicity that is in Christ will hazzard King and Kingdomes involving one after another in bloudy troubles Me thinkes we may heare groaning England speaking the language of the woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14.4 Helpe O King and upon her ground her two sonnes strove together in the field and there was none to part them but the one smote the other and slew him v. 6. It will be your High Honour O Noble Worthies to be so faithfull to your Saviour and to your Soveraigne as to put hereunto your helping Heads and Hearts Counsels and Prayers When God suffered his Church to be brought very low to be a flocke of slaughter yet then he took unto him two staves the one he called Beauty and the other he called Bands and he fed the flock Be pleased to improve your utmost now as good followers of the Lambe Call for the helpe of the Reverend Assembly who will study to advise you according to the Testimony of Jesus Church-Reformation may prove a compendious way to compose State-commotions Hereby poore distracted England may yet finde two supporting Staves Beauty and Bands a Beautifull union established in Church and State The Lord delight to imploy you to these happy purposes so shall
all due acknowledgment but it may cost us yet much dearer if we baptize any with the name of Conqueror but onely Jesus Isa. 9.6 The government is upon his shoulder his Name shall be called Wonderfull Him we may admire to eternity Oh then take heed of abusing the precious bloud of this use 2 Lambe by your sinnes lest he prove to you a devouring Lion This Lambe hath wrath when he is provoked and who shall be able to stand in the day of his wrath Rev. 6.17 Especially beware of sinning directly against the blood of Christ That 's a dreadfull thunderbolt against many Professours when they count the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 Though they have not internall sanctification by renovation of nature and inhabitation of the Spirit of grace yet they have an externall sanctification by consecration and dedication to Gods Service by calling and covenant common to every member of a visible Church and this by the blood of Christ but when by their backesliding they shall disavow Christ and his Gospell they doe interpretativè in effect say his blood hath no value in it is no better than the blood of a common malefactour and so make themselves obnoxious to the sorest punishments But there is another sinne against the blood of Christ very dangerous and more epidemicall by profaning his holy Sacrament the memoriall of his blood 1 Cor. 11.27 28. The Lord knowes how deepely guilty many here present are having their hearts and hands imbrued in the blood of their Saviour Rivers of teares of blood are too little to bewaile this one provocation There is now a most bloody sword drawne in England does not the Lord bring it upon us as to avenge the quarrell of the Covenant Lev. 26.25 So the blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.25 Doubtlesse as God will make inquisition for the blood of his Saints so for the blood of his Sonne and if now he should search England as once Jerusalem with candles Zeph. 1. 12. would not many of our Nobility and Gentry Magistrates and Ministers as well as common people be found guilty of the blood of Christ Chrysostome was very sensible of this evill whereupon he professed I will rather give my life than the blood of Christ to any unworthy one and I will rather suffer my owne blood to be shed than give that most holy blood to any but him that is worthy Ambrose expressed the same zeale against this sin in Theodosius Wilt thou faith he to the Emperour reach these hands dropping with the blood of Innocents to receive the most sacred body of the Lord wilt thou put that precious blood of his to thy mouth which in a rage spilt so much Christian blood depart rather and heape not one sinne to another But alas how great is our Ministers misery we lye under a kinde of necessity of suffering this evill among our people Our straights are most uncomfortable First The Lawes and constitutions of England require the body of England to come to this Sacrament after sixteen yeares of age That they may prove themselves no Papists they must communicate Secondly The Scripture denounceth judgment against them if they eate and drinke unworthily 1 Cor. 11.29 Thirdly Yet Pastours and Churches want that power of the Keyes whereby they might doe their duty therein All you who love and follow the Lambe helpe England by your Prayers that all old leaven may be purged out 1 Cor. 5.7 Ye Members of the Assembly contribute your Counsell with Jehojada 2 Chron. 23.19 that such Porters such Church Discipline may be set at the Gates that the uncleane enter not in And improve your power ye Parliament Worthies for setting up such spirituall railes in our Churches such a due order that Scripture dogges be not suffered to the hazzarding of their owne soules and the dishonour of their Saviour to rush upon these holy things The third Use is of Exhortation in two Branches branch 1 First If all the Churches victories be obtained by the blood of the Lambe then as you desire to prevaile make peace with Christ How can we in England expect Hee should fight for us if we fight against him It is wise counsell Psal. 2.11 for Kings for Judges for all Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little not with a treacherous kisse as Judas but with a kisse of loving loyalty of humble subjection of peaceable reconciliation That Question is frequent among us which Jâ—ram proposed to Jehu 2 Kings 9.22 Is it peace may not we returne the same answer What peace so long as whoredomes remaine and many other abominations Jehojada tooke a right method to peace and quietnesse 2 King 11.17.18.20 And Jehojada made a Covenant betweene the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people betweene the King also and the people And all the people of the Land went into the house of Baal and brake it downe his Altars and his Images brake they in pieces thorowly and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altars And the Priest appointed Officers over the House of the Lord This very place was not long since the valley of Berachah 2 Chron. 20.26 here solemne praises for the discovery of most destructive plots It may now be called a Bochim as Judg. 2.5 oh that there were more teares among us we should all appeare before God this day as mourners in sense of his displeasure If wee would have it a day of atonement as Levit. 23.28 a peace-making day both betweene King and People and betweene Christ and England let it be a thorow-reforming day as v. 18. They brake all Baals altars and images in pieces thorowly Let every one say What have I to doe any more with my Idols Let it be a day of serious protestation against our sins and renouncing all those weapons whereby we have fought against Jesus Christ then may all the people hope to rejoyce in quietnesse v. 20. branch 2 Then if you desire to be victorious appeale from second causes unto Jesus Christ and the merit of his blood In all our straights let us speake Jehoshaphats language 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee It is the observation of a Politician England is a mighty animall which can never dye except it kill it selfe Among our other crying sinnes we are now involving our selves in the guilt of Selfe-murther Here is an unnaturall sword most unhappily drawne amongst us as Isa. 9.19 20 21. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoasts is the Land darkned and the people shall be as the fuell of the fire no man shall spare his brother He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eate on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eate every man the flesh
{non-Roman} thorny times full of difficulty because then such a confluence of wickednesse Eighteen severall factions he names and the head of all those factions is selfe-love Men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud c. Whilst Adam was in innocency the Image of God inclined him to act according unto God seeking him and his glory in the first place Since the fall the Image of God being lost Selfe is perkt up we seeke our selves in the first and God only in the second place Few seek God for himselfe out of love to him most seeke God onely in reference to themselves this is carnall selfe-love and so indeed by seeking lose themselves Matth. 16.25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it Much time hath beene spent in the Great Senate how to finde out and punish Delinquents Allow me the liberty in the Name not onely of Church and State but also in the Name of Christ to impeach One Incendiary who hath beene too long winked at It is a Bosome Incendiary a domestick adversary which dwels within us I meane Carnall Selfe-love the loving our owne ends and interests better then the publike good and better then Christ himselfe It is easie to prove these three Articles at least against carnall selfe-love Carnall selfe-love is the greatest underminer of Parliament proceedings Whence so many neuters whence so many back-friends to the Publike but because so many sicke of Baruchs disease Jer. 45.5 seeking great things for themselves Carnall selfe-love is the most treacherous betrayer of our Military undertakings making too many Judas-like to sell Christ and his cause for some few peeces of silver Mat. 26.15 Carnall self-love is the strongest obstruction of Scripture Reformation in the Church so many seeke their own not the things which are Jesus Christs Phil. 2.21 and therefore will rather hazzard the ruine of all then suffer their own Dianaes to goe downe By this craft we have our wealth Acts 19.25 then Diana must be cried up what ere become of the Gospel of Christ Amongst all other Jonahs that endanger the Ship of Church and State throw out carnall selfe-love let it no longer sleepe within you lest the storme continue and grow more tempestuous Amongst all other Achans that bring a curse upon our undertakings let justice justice be executed upon your owne carnall selfe-love Passe on sequestration to regulate that in your selves which is so great an enâ—my to Christ and his cause use 2 As you desiâ—e to approve your selves victorious souldiers in the Chuâ—ches conflicts which would put a most glorious lustre upon your Noblenesse and adde many Pearles to your Crownes get hearts more enflamed with love to Christ and his cause How lovely is your Saviour in himselfe in the beauty of his Person in the glory of his graces Cant. 5.10 the chiefest among tenne thousand He hath beene admirably loving unto you in discovering plots against you and in wonder-working providences for you Should not the love of Christ constraine you as it did Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 to be active and passive for him O presse the Lord with his gratious promise Deut. 30.6 that he would circumcise your heart that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soule This he expects from you Luke 10.27 that you should love him with all your strength give him the utmost emprovement of the whole and best-selves We looke at you as Starres in this our Heaven God forbid our Starres should fall that any of them should prove Comets let your light motion and influence animate others Doe not say your taske is so difficult your sufferings are so sharpe that you are discouraged Get more love to Christ that will allay the difficulty and facilitate the worke you may with comfort commit the keeping of your soules to God in welâ—doing who knowes how to sweeten the bitterest troubles by his owne refreshing presence If God call you forth as Champions possibly yea probably you may have the same support which that Heroicall woman found of whom story relates That being condemned for Christ not long before she was to suffer fell into travaile and having sore labour cryed out grievously whereupon being asked how she would endure Martyrdome that was so ready to sinke under these paines she answered to this purpose I suffer now as a daughter of Eve I shall suffer then as a child of God my Father will helpe me Never say because the event is uncertaine therefore it is not best to appeare for Christ and his cause Doe thy duty what becomes a good Souldier trust the Lord of Hoasts with the successe It is true we live in trying discovering times Who knowes but the providence of God may be now making the same discovery in England and with the same successe that the wisdome of Constantius Chlorus the Romane Emperour made in his Court He having a mind to trie the sincerity of his Courtiers made this proposall to them All they who would sacrifice to Daemons the superstition of those times should continue at Court and all that refused should be cashiered Hereupon some soone professed their readinesse to sacrifice others publikely denyed it Such as complyed the wise Emperour chides sharply ut proditores Dei and banishes them as unworthy to remaine at the Emperors Court who would betray God himselfe He commends them who were conscientious and would not sacrifice pronouncing tales solos dignos esse quos Imperator inter amicos muneraret Such onely were worthy to be accounted the Emperours friends who were true to God and his cause What though for the present you should be disparaged as factious rebels and traytors c. The Lord knowes who are most loyall to their Soveraigne and most faithfull to their Saviour Be not dismaied the time may come when Christs true hearted souldiers in England may be vindicated justified and honoured as much as now they are disgraced Our Brethren of Scotland were cursed in too many Churches as Rebels yet afterwards by concurrence of King and Parliament upon the day of Thanksgiving acknowledged as good subjects Remember Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. being condemned were cast into the Furnace v. â—1 their malignant adversaries consumed v. 22. yet they preserved in the middest of the fire v. 24. their God justified v. 29. and afterwards they promoted by the King v. 30. And consider I beseech you that you may encourage your selves and one another in the cause of the Lamb the Court Parasites having obtained the Kings decree against Daniel whereby he was cast into the Lions Den The Lord most admirably turned the streame v. 24. the King commanded and they brought these men which had accused Daniel and they cast them into the Den of Lions them their children and their wives and the Lions had mastery of them and brake all their bones in peeces or