promoted the victory Then this Testimony of Jesus representing unto their owne spirits as well as unto others the infinite excellency of the Lambe raised their hearts to such a pitch of love to Him and to his cause that they loved not their lives unto the death and so grew more compleatly victorious over the Dragon and his Angels {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} They overcame as by the strength of their Testimony so by the constancy of their resolution to hazzard their lives for Christ and his Gospel observation 4 In the Churches conflicts they prove victorious souldiers who love not their lives so dearely as they love Christ and his cause Two things being cleared we may the better improve this observation in the application of it to our selves The degrees of this love to Christ and his cause by which they overcame The influence such love hath into the Churches victories First Victorious souldiers in the Churches conflicts must love Christ better then their best beloved sinnes Psal. 97.10 Yee that love the Lord hate evill Love is a prime radicall affection when the heart cleaves to any good by love it hates that evill which is most contrary to it How will they submit their lives unto a violent death who have not so much love unto Christ as to make them willing to die a carnall death to die to sinne for him will they lose their lives who cannot leave a lust for Christ Secondly victorious souldiers for Christ must love him better then their most beloved worldly comforts when he made that promise to us Mar. 10.29 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time c. He thereby intimated what he expects from us even amare Deum usque ad contemptum mundi We may use the world as a servant but not grow into league with it as a friend Jam. 4.4 Know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God and that is a searching place 1 John 2.15 Love not the world nor the things in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him These two are inconsistent and therefore certainely he will never be a good souldier of Christ in whom love to any worldly excellency is predominant They must deny their dearest selfe It is hard to protest against our bosome sinne though grossely evill in it selfe it is harder to renounce our alluring worldly comforts which in themselves are lawfull hardest to deny our selves which nature and Religion in a due order teaches us to love Yet Christ makes this a distinguishing character of his Disciples and doubtlesse is a proper badge of his souldiers Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple Comparatively love them all lesse then Christ as appeares Matth. 10.37 When friends or selfe come in competition with Christ or stand in opposition to him in this case saith Jerome we must Patrem calcare c. Here solum pietatis genus crudelem esse We must exercise an holy cruelty to our friends and selfe And indeed Christ hath no more true Disciples or faithfull souldiers in this Assembly then such onely as love not their owne lives in comparison of their Saviour Such is the nature and working of love that it swayes much with the soule like sailes to the Ship it carries one forward even against the streame and tide It was love that brought Christ from Heaven to the Crosse and will draw any where it prevailes from a Palace to a Stake for Christ and his cause Love to Christ and his cause is ingenious and full of consideration how to carry on its designes for his advantage 1 Cor. 13.5 Love thinketh no evill rather it studies and plots how to communicate it selfe in all good offices The Spouses love cost her many serious thoughts how she might enjoy and serve her Beloved Hence some persons are much more usefull to Church and State then others because their love to Christ puts them upon the best improvement of their parts honours interests and influence for his service Love to Christ and his cause will be at any cost and charges to gratifie him it runnes over to Christ himselfe and towards all Saints Phil. 6.5 It was love in Paul that made him willing to spend his strength his spirits his bloud for the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.15 I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soules and for his Philippians Phil. 2.17 be offâ—red as a sacrifice for the service of their faith Christs love to his poore servants thinks nothing in Heaven or Earth too much or too good for them true love to him will be reciprocall giving up to him sua suos se thinking all best bestowed on him Nothing makes a Christian so unweariedly operative as Love In 1 Thes. 1.3 Paul blesses God for their worke of faith labour of love patience of hope True love to Christ is laborious for him so expressely Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which yee have shewed towards his Name in that yee have ministred to the Saints and doe minister One cord of this love will draw more then a Yoake of Oxen and carry you with a pleasing violence from service to service Amongst many other sweete discoveries Paul makes of love in that short chapter 1 Cor. 13. there are divers expressions to shew you how patient love is enduring any thing for the person it loves v. 4.7 When the heart is full of love to Christ it makes us willing to forsake to undertake to undergoe any thing for Christ and his cause This no question made Ignatius so cheerefully to invite and meete killing sufferings having such burning love to Christ that was crucified for him Be pleased to give me leave this day in behalfe of the Vse 1 Lambe to put in a Caveat against carnall selfe-love which so much blunts and weakens the love of Christs souldiers in the Gospels Conflicts If you love your soules better then the Lambe you will never be victorious for him They overcame which loved not their own lives unto the death All men naturally love themselves and consequently may have some kind of selfe-seeking love to Christ as being the chiefest good and so congruous to their necessities But Christians must goe further we should love Christ for himselfe as the primum diligibile for his owne infinite excellencies and then love our selves and all other things with reference unto him Paul was a true Prophet 2 Tim. 3.1 In the last dayes perilous times shall come {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
{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 self- It is easie to prove these three Articles at least against carnall self-selfe-love Carnall self-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 self-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-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
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
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
of his owne arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and both against Judah For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Fighting or treating can not yet end the controversie we have importuned the sword to be quiet as Jer. 47.6 O thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still and as yet England hath received the same answer with Ashkelon v. 7. How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea shore There hath he appointed it The Lord hath given it Commission to ride circuite in severall Counties of England and who knowes how long what now remaines we reade Mark 5.25 of a certaine Woman which had an issue of blood twelve yeares and v. 26. had suffered many things of many Physitians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse could never be healed till she touched Christ We are this day in a solemne manner drawing nigh unto Christ O that our bloody issue might drive us to improve the blood of the Lambe Could we fiducially put our selves our Church and State our Religion and Liberty into the hands of our Saviour who knows but we might have as comfortable an answer as this woman had v. 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace and be whole of thy plague The good Lord vouchsafe an Amen They overcame by the word of their Testimony Christs Souldiers carry on the Churches victories against the observation 3 Devill and his Angels by the word of their Testimony by the Gospel of Christ If you desire to know what is This word of their Testimony it will appeare v. 17. Christs Souldiers are described to be such as kept the Commandements of God and have the Testimony of Jesus and Rev. 1.9 John was banished for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ which doubtlesse was the Gospell And this not as written in your Bibles onely and comprized in your Bookes But having this Gospell of Christ rooted in your hearts by Faith holding fast the profession thereof without wavering Heb. 10.23 Resist the Devill being stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 whereas Heb. 4.2 The Word Preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it The Gospell will not joyne with corrupt opinions but with Faith it will be received not as a conjecture or possible truth but for a Divine or infallible truth then it profiteth and strengthneth Bearing witnesse to the Gospell of Christ who is the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 Openly with your mouthes Rom. 10.10 by Preaching if Ministers So Paul Rom. 1.16 He was not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ and by confession which concernes all Christians when called to it for the glory of God and edification of the Brethren 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Be ready {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be ready to make an Apology for thy Religion Justifying the Gospell in life and conversation All wisedomes children should be so ingenuous and mannerly as to justifie Wisdome Mat. 11.19 This will be a prevailing Testimony when you walke worthy of the Gospell of Christ Expresse the Gospell-graces in an active Gospell-conversation Commending the Gospel by your patient and cheerefull suffering for it It is a great confirmation of the truth and puls honour upon it when Christians will rather suffer for the Gospell than the Gospell should suffer by them Our losses in this case will be the Gospels advantage Phil. 1.12 13 14. All things which happened unto Paul were for the furtherance of the Gospell by his bonds others waxed confident Such a good Souldier was Timothy who 1 Tim. 6.12 witnessed a good confession before many Witnesses having learned this prevailing method from his Captaine Jesus Christ who v. 13. before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession It clearely appeares how the Churches victories are carryed on by the Testimony of the Gospell reason 1 The strength of the Gospels adversaries lies not in the goodnesse of their cause but in the ignorance of peoples minds and meere mistakes thence arising What is Paganisme Mahumetanisme Popery but a Rapsody and heape of grosse mistakes raised in the darke The Devill uses the same method ordinarily to carry on his designes that he tooke in the Councell of Ariminum The Arrians having procured the exile of the most worthy and learned Bishops and perceiving the company that was left though they were very unlearned yet would not be perswaded directly to disanull any thing which had beene concluded before in the Councell of Nice did abuse their ignorance in proposing the matter for they demanded of them whether they would worship {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Christ these not understanding the Greeke word rejected it with execration being as they thought opposed unto Christ Thus have the Prelaticall party surprised many ignorant Congregations with their innovations and easily misled them while they kept them in the darke But when the Sunne of righteousnesse arises when God sends abroad John Baptists as burning and shining lights John 5.35 they by the beames of truth will discover the most subtile errors and by the spirituall weapons of their warfare cast downe the strong holds of the Devill and his Angels Where the Testimony of the Gospel of Christ is held reason 2 forth there is so much of God as convinces and conquers 1 Cor. 14.15 His owne power is there displayed Rom. 1.16 the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation There is the mighty presence of Christ whose Arrowes are sharpe in the hearts of his enemies wherby the people fall under him Psal. 45.5 There the Spirit of God breaths so powerfully that by the Word alone which is the sword of the Spirit Ephes. 6.17 the Apostles though but a few meane men were much more victorious then the greatest Alexander or potent Caesars conquering by the word of their Testimony so many opposite Kingdomes subduing so many thousand spirits and consciences and that in so short a time without shedding one drop of bloud Indeed when we are to deale with Papists and sonnes of violence which illegally invade our persons Religion Liberty and endeavour to take away our birthright from us the very Law of nature teacheth us to defend our selves against such injustice But for the overcomming of Popery we need not other weapons to consume it but the spirit of Christs mouth 2 Thes. 2.8 It is the word of their Testimony by which Christs souldiers prevaile against the Devill and his Angels use 1 If Christs souldiers carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel Then whose champions are they who in stead of bearing
witnesse unto employ their power and policy to suppresse the Testimony of Jesus Doubtlesse none but the Dragons regiment will fight against Christ and his Gospel Elymas the Sorcerer is wont to withstand Saul and Barnabas seeking to turne away the Deputy from the faith Men of corrupt minds of no judgement concerning the faith resist the Truth as Jannes and Jambres did Moses But Paul will keepe backe nothing that is profitable for their soules teaching them publikely and from house to house Acts 20.20 And also charge Timothy that he preach the Word be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 Doe the worke of an Evangelist fulfill thy ministery Oh how unlike to Paul and Timothy are many of the Prelatical Tribe whom yet they pretend to succeed What successors of Paul and Timothy by preaching against preachings and using their power to undermine the Testimony of the Gospel No rather they unhappily tread in Jesuiticall steps complying with Contzens rules whether occasionally or intentionally they best know for the overthrowing of the power of the Gospel His very engines have they used to pillage our Churches of afternoone Sermons of weekely Lectures and to turne praying into bidding of prayer c. and according to his subtile counsell were extorting such an approbation of the Prelacy amongst us as would soone have plundered England of many of her faithful Ministers or at least their consciences of their sweete peace if not of their liberties And are too like those soule-murdering Jewes 1 Thes. 2.16 enemies to Christ and to the salvation of others forbidding the Apostles to speake to the Gentiles that they might be saved No wonder they lie under so much contempt God makes good his owne word by Malachi chap. 2.9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as yee have not kept my wayes but have beene patriall in my Law They who smother the Testimony of Christ taking away the key of knowledge do the most dishonourable work must expect answerable wages here and hereafter use 2 Mat. 23.13 Luke 11.52 Do the Souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by holding forth the Word of their Testimony Then if we prevail not against the Devil and his Angels in these Gospel conflicts we may blame our selves and our own remissenes as not being valiant for the truth which was their defect Jer. 9.3 We are too ready to translate the fault to others an old prank our first Parents taught us as soon as they had fallen Parliament complains of the army Army of the Parliament City against both and Countrey will spare none of them Thus most unhappily by the secret policy of Malignants jealousies are fomented and multiplyed to the prejudice of all our hearts and hands thereby weakned in the Churches cause It were more like Christians upon a day of mourning to be bewailing our owne coldnesse and want of appearing as active souldiers under so good a Captaine God forbid it should be verified of us what the Lord said Jer. 8.6 I harkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Oh that you would call your selves to a particular account it is opus diei a worke sutable to the day saying How much evill have I done to enflame these warres and how little good have I done to extinguish them Might not some Nehemiah contend with many of our Nobles and say What evill thing is this that you doe and profane the Sabbath day But is this all though too much Might not some Peter contend with many of our Gentry who walk in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries thinking it strange that others runne not with them to the same excesse of riot And might not some Jeremiah complaine A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will yee doe in the end thereof Many blesse God heartily for that Religious Ordinance of Parliament set forth some months since to stirre up England to repentance for nationall and personall sinnes Did you more exemplarily commend it to us by your owne practice it would have a more commanding influence upon us What though we talke against Atheists if we still wallow in prophanenesse cry out against Papists and still continue lukewarme Protestants inveigh against Malignants and yet remain ful of Malignant Antipathy against Scripture Reformation This is not to hold forth the Testimony of the Gospel as becomes a good souldier of Christ The Lord lead us all into our owne hearts and teach so to judge our selves that we be not judged Doe the souldiers of Christ carry on the Churches victories by the Testimony of the Gospel As ever you desire they should prevaile in so good a cause it concernes you who are the grand Counsellors betrusted with so much superintendency for the liberty as well of our Religion as of our persons and estates that you emprove it faithfully for the advancing and propagating the Gospel of Christ so will you be fitted to give a more comfortable account of your great Stewardship when your Master cals for it Luke 16.2 Be pleased worthy Senatours to accept these few hints for this purpose Patronize protect reward preferre faithfull witnesses of Christ If a Prophet come with a word of reproofe though sharpe if seasonable doe not therefore count him your enemy as Ahad did Elijah 1 King 21.20 because he dealt plainly with him nor send him away as Amaziah did the Prophet when he came to discover his sinnes Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbeare 2 Chron. 25.16 Check restraine disable Diotrephes Demetrius and that fraternity who undermine not onely Parliament Ordinances but even the Ordinances of Jesus Christ making no small stir in England about the way of Reformation and all maintaine their owne Diana as Act. 19.23 24. c. Have a vigilant eye upon such intemperate Preachers and Writers as pervert truth and disturbe peace Papists would take away the Cup and leave us but halfe a Sacrament Antinomians would abolish the morall Law and leave us but halfe a Bible If such be suffered our Religion will grow lame and licentious Forget not I beseech you forget not the purging and pruning of the Universities the Nurseries of piety and learning If Satan have a seate there if there be such that hold the doctine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication what Papists such Tutors are like to send abroad we have found by too much unhappy experience And they loved not their lives unto death Christs souldiers first pleaded the Churches cause by the word of their Testimony and by such Gospel weapons they