A SEASONABLE SERMON FOR THESE TROVBLESOME TIMES Preached to the Right Worshipfull COMPANIE of the HABERDASHERS NOVEMB 23. 1641. In the Parish-Church of St. Mary Stainings in LONDON BY SAMVEL FAVVCET Pastor there Stirring up every one to lay to heart the Publique troubles and to doe what is in his power to remedy them ESA. 61. 1. For Zions sake will I not hold my peace LONDON Printed by R. Cotes for Joh. Sweeting and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Angell in Popes-head-Alley neere Lumbardstreet 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE MASTER WARDENS ALDERMEN ASSISTANTS And the rest of the Society of the HABERDASHERS THis Sermon Worthy Sirs is Dedicated to you because Preached by your appoyntment and now published through the importunity of many of you who heard it It was neither ability in the Author nor choysenesse in the Work that caused this Sermon to take so well among so many of you but the sutablenesse of the Subject to the present times and it may be the familiar plainenesse of the Sermon did worke much with some Ferrum potest quod Aurum non potest Iron may doe that which Gold cannot doe A blunt Sermon may by Gods blessing worke more upon the hearts of the hearers than that which is more acute and in it selfe more excellent as for other reasons so from the nature of the thing because most sutable to the most of hearers that which the understanding doth not reach cannot take the affections The Authour studyed not to please but to profit he prepared and delivered this plaine Sermon with a heart bleeding for the present troubles of our Israel and breathing after the publique peace and common good as the spirit of the whole Sermon shewes and he doth confesse that no importunity should have prevailed with him to have given it this unthought of second birth had he not beene withall prest unto it by his owne perswasion that that which was accepted being heard may being published doe good to many who heard it not Some little is added in a place or two which was prepared but through want of time was omitted in the delivery What ever it is Worthy Sirs it is yours if you please to owne it and so is the Authour of it yours who desires to be reckoned among those who respect and honour you and pray for you and acknowledgeth himselfe your debtor for many favours and rests Your Worships ever in the Lord SAMVEL FAVVCET A SEASONABLE SERMON FOR THESE TROVBLESOME TIMES PSALME 25. 22. Deliver or redeeme Israel O God out of all his troubles THE Ministers of God though they may not be time-servers yet they may and ought to be time-observers speaking their words in due season to that purpose Right Worshipfull and well-beloved Fathers and Brethren ye being by Gods gracious providence here met and presenting your selves at this time as members of a publique Societie and that Society one chiefe branch of this great Citie and this Citie a principall part of the common bodie of this whole Land I looking upon you in this your publique relation shall endeavour at this time to quicken in you publique affections and raise up in you publique spirits to seeke the common good and lay to heart the common cause and I know there is none of you such a stranger in Israel but considering the present state of things and face of the times will acknowledge this subject seasonable and this Text full and pertinent for my purpose Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles In which words I shall consider 1. The partie whose good and welfare is laid to heart Israel 2. The meanes used to procure Israels good and welfare viz. prayer deliver Israel O God 3. The mercy craved in behalfe of Israel delirance from troubles from many troubles Deliver or redeeme Israel O God out of all his troubles I begin with the first of these the party whose good and welfare is laid to heart Israel Israel signifieth a prevailer with God a name first given to Jacob and from him to that whole Nation that sprang of him sometimes the name doth relate to the Church of Israel sometimes to the civill state of Israel Sometimes to both and so here in this place this Text is for substance the same with that prayer of David Psalme 51. 18. Doe good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the wals of Jerusalem make up Lord those sad breaches that are made both in Church and Common-wealth So here in the Text Lord finde a way to ease thy people of their many pressures to quiet the many and publique troubles that are amongst us Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles The Prophet David having throughout the whole Psalme put up many great petitions for himselfe and his owne particular and personall concernements now he endeth and closeth the Psalme with this zealous petition for the common cause as if he had said Lord how ever it fares with mee doe well to thy Church and people how ever my cause speeds let the common cause prosper though I should have all granted that I have asked for my selfe yet that would not satisfie me without it may be well with Israel the publique troubles trouble me most therefore deliver not onely David but also Israel O God out of all his troubles Now this disposition and affection which appeares here in this holy man to the common good is the same which is and ought to be in all true Israelites in all the people of God and that shall be my first Observation from these words which I propound thus Doctr. 1 Observ. It is the duty of every one to stand well affected to the common good of the Church and state wherein he lives First I say it is the dutie of every one be he high or low rich or poore of what ranke and condition soever Magistrate Minister private person every one that hath any relation to Israel Secondly it is his duty to stand well affected to the common good that is first in his mind highly to esteem it above all his owne private concernements secondly in his will and affections to desire it earnestly to rejoyce in it heartily to mourne for the want of it deepely thirdly in his actions to endeavour it zealously to studie it speak for it plead for it to labor every way possible to promote it This is to stand wel affected Thirdly To the Common good both of Church and State Israel in my Text includes both they are both one and the same Israel so neere allied that the same men are the subject of both though under a diverse notion the Church and Civill state of Israel doe reciprocally imbrace one another like twins the State defends and upholds the Church and Religion and the Church blesseth and upholds the State as the Widow maintained the Prophet and the Prophet the Widow if it goe ill with the one the other cannot thrive
experience showes that the ruine of Civill States proves the ruine of Churches and decay of Religion and the ruine of Churches and decay of Religion proves the ruine of Civill states When Christ had removed the Candlestickes from Epbesus from Smyrna from Laodicea c. those famous Cities were quickely laid in tho dust Therefore the Doctrine saith That it is the duty of every one to stand well affected to the common good both of the Church and State wherein be lives Religion admits not of that distinction betweene a good man and a good Citizen it is impossible that he should be a good Common-wealthsman who is not a true friend unto the Church nor can he be a good Church man who is not a true friend to the Common-wealth as there is no trusting of that man to be true in his Religion who is not true in his Loyaltie so there is no trusting of that man to be true in his Loyaltie who is not true in his Religion These things being thus explicated I come now to the proofe of the point and here first it were easie to bring forth variety of examples of godly persons of all conditions whose pulses have continually beate towards the common good sometimes endeavouring it sometimes rejoycing in it sometimes bewailing the want of it sometimes praying for it sometimes preferring it before their owne private concernments yea before their owne lives I will instance in two or three examples instead of all Looke on Moses a publique person indeed and a man of a publique spirit The people of Israel having sinned against God and provoked his wrath against them the Lord saith to Moses Let me alone and I will utterly consume this people and thou shalt lose nothing by it for I will make of thee a great Nation but how likes Moses this preferment upon these tearmes sde the verse following how he takes on Lord I beseech thee what ever becomes of me spare the people and doe them good God forbid that my honor greatnes shold be raised out of the common ruine Such a publique spirit also was in Mordicai when he was raised to high honour all his care was to improve all his preferment to the common benefit it is said that he sought the publique good and welfare of his people So Hester engaged all she had and all she was for the common good Remembring that she was raised to honour for that purpose that she might doe publique service What should I speake of David how doth he lament and mourne for the overthrow of Israel even in that battle wherein Saul and Jonathan were slaine though the Crowne came thereby to his owne head the joy for his owne gaine and honour was drowned in his griefe for the publique losse The truth is it hath alwaies beene the disposition of all the godly never to desire to rejoyce but with the joy of Gods people nor to be glad but with Gods inheritance as the Psalmist speakes but still to stand affected one way or other as it goes well or ill with the common cause and such a publique spirit should possesse us all and that for these reasons First In respect of God the people of God must tender Gods honour above all things and desire that God may be glorified Now God is most glorified and honoured in the world when his Church and Religion fiourisheth but the decay of Gods people is the decay of Religion the decay of Gods Worship an occasion of triumph to the adversary and of reproaching and blaspheming saying Where is now their God and therefore holy men when they begge of God for the common cause pleade thus Lord doe it for thine owne sake for thy names sake for thy glory sake Secondly in respect of others for my Brethren and Companions sake saith the Psalmist we are all members of the same body and members sympathize one with another and all with the whole body they are rotten members that feele no paine when the bodie is out of temper we ought not to minde every one his owne things but every one the things of others he is the best man who is most usefull and instrumentall to the common good the very Heathen could say so non nobis ipsis solum nati sumus c. we are not borne onely for our selves and Virbonus est commune bonum a good man is a common good the whole Neighborhood and Communitie is the better for him yea the whole Kingdome the whole world the better any man is the more ready he is to promote the common good Thirdly in respect of our selves Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee there is no true prospering but in the prosperity of Jerusalem in the publique weale the thriving of one member when the whole bodie pines as it is in nature monstrous so it cannot be in time lasting What folly and madnesse is it for a man at Sea to be decking and trimming up his owne private cabin and in the meane time take no care of saving the whole Ship which is in danger as the Lord said to Baruch Behold I am plucking up this whole Land and seekest thou great things to thy selfe seeke them not This is not a time to have our thoughts altogether taken up about our owne private and personall concernements when the publique cause lyeth a bleeding In this behalfe there is great reason we should have publique spirits and labour all we can the common good because every one of our private comforts or discomforts are involved in the publique weale or woe Hence is that charge Jer. 29. 7. Seeke the peace of the City wherein yee shall dwell that in the peace thereof ye may have peace and therefore Psalme 128. it is promised to a man that feareth the Lord as the very top and Crowne of all his comforts that he shall see Jerusalem in prosperity and peace upon Israel the blessings promised him before that his wife should be as a fruitfull Vine upon the walls of his house and his children like Olive Plants round about his table had beene but sad blessings without publique peace the publique flourishing of Church and State hath a great influence upon all our private affaires and so hath the publique woe and wracke By this time I hope ye are all satisfied That it is every mans duty to stand well affected to the common good both of the Church and Civill state wherein be lives and by all possible meanes within his reach to preferre it before his owne private concernements Now this Doctrine I shall apply by way 1. Of Conviction 2. Of Reproofe 3. Of Exhortation Vse 1 First this Doctrine convinceth of falsehood that malicious slander and reproach which hath beene cast upon Religion and Religious men by the devill and his instruments in all ages it hath beene the policy of the devill to labour to bring Religion into disgrace
troubles without seeking to God by Prayer and that for these three reasons 1. All Israels troubles come from God no commotions in States no combustions in Church or Common-wealth but God hath an all-ruling and all-ordering hand in them There is no evill in the City in the Kingdome which the Lord hath not done whether it come from enemies abroad Ashur is the rod of Gods anger orfrom bad governors at home God sometimes Gives a King in his wrath to be a scourge to a people or come it from the rebellions of people The Lord raised up evill against David out of his owne house The Lord stirred up adversaries against Solomon The Lord rent the Kingdome from Reboboam The Lord sent an evill spirit betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem The Lord bringeth people low through oppression c. Men and devils may have their wicked heads and hands in nationall troubles but God hath a just hand in them all therefore by what meanes soever nationall stormes doe rise in a Kingdom we should looke above instrumentall causes and say with the Mariners in Jonah Thou Lord hast done as it pleased thee Secondly As God hath a hand in bringing upon Israel all his troubles So God onely can remove them and therefore it is necessary to pray with the Psalmist here Deliver Israel O God In vaine is Salvation hoped for from the hills and you know great men are called hils and mountaines In Jehovah our God is the Salvation of Israel saith the Prophet If there bee a Nationall storme raised it will not downe untill the Lord say unto it Peace and be still if there be Nationall rents and divisions in Church and State it is the Lord onely that can cure these wounds and make up these breaches If a watch bee taken asunder and every part unpinde it must be the skill and hand of the maker of it to set it together againe one Scripture saith that he that turneth the Rivers of waters turneth the hearts of Kings Another Text saith he that stilleth the rage of the Seas quieteth the fury of the people If the sword be unsheathed it is the Lord onely that can command it up there is a full place to this purpose in the Prophesies of Jeremiah O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it beere thou be quiet Put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still this is Vox populi the voyce of the people but in the next verse followeth Vox Dei the voyce of God How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon and against the Sea shore there hath he appointed it Every judgement commeth from God with a commission and charge what to doe and how farre to goe untill wee can prevaile with God to call in his Commission there is no possibility of staying the judgement Vaine is the helpe of man Trust not in Princes there is no helpe in them nor in Parliaments there is no helpe in them neither all the consultations and endeavours of the greatest and wisest and holiest men in the world cannot remove one Nationall trouble from Israel unlesse the Lord put to his hand and that God will not doe unlesse wee be earnest with him in Prayer in that behalfe and that is the third Reason why wee should pray for the removall of Israels troubles Because as God onely can remove Nationall troubles So prayer onely can prevaile with God to doe it Prayer is that which will bring all Gods promises into performances God hath made many sweet promises but all his promises are made to our prayers Aske and yee shall have and saith the Lord I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them Prayer is the key to unlocke all the Treasury of Heaven there is not a blesting there but prayer will fetch it downe God hath in a manner bound himselfe to Prayer hee who ruleth the world and hath the hearts of all men in his hands suffereth himselfe to be as it were over-ruled by Prayer Prayer can knocke downe enemies When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed Prayer can undermine all the plots of mischievous men and blast all their designes It was Prayer that choaked Achitophell Lord turne the wisedome of Achitophell to foolishnesse saith David It was Prayer that advanced Haman to the gallowes Hester and Mordecai and the Jewes fasted and prayed and they prayed Haman to death and all his plots to shame and ruine Therefore if we would have our Israel freed from troubles we must seeke to God in behalfe of Israel Deliver Israel O God Vse 3 Now from this Doctrine we may be informed which is the right way to remedy our present troubles in Church and State it is to strive with God and be earnest with him to helpe and amend all use other meanes we must but without this all other meanes will be inavaileable nothing can helpe Israel so long as the children of Israel bee loud in their sinnes and silent in their prayers when Christ is asleepe in the ship it is not the tumbling and tossing of the ship nor the roaring of the winds Sea nor the noyse of the Mariners handling their tacklings that can awake him but only the prayers of the Disciples Lord Save us wee perish And hence we are also informed who are like to be the best helpers of Israel at a pinch the best friendes to Church and Common-wealth when they are in distresse namely such as have acquaintance with God and can prevaile in Heaven the praying generation are the wonder-workers of the world the true Chariots of Israel and horsemen thereof Vse 2 Therefore beloved suffer the words of Exhortation if ye desire to be instrumentall to the publique good pray pray pray your consultations will doe no good without prayer your Fortifications no good without prayer your ammunition no good without Prayer your contributions no good without you give prayers with them and send prayers after them Prayer must remedy all and hold up all and therefore it is needfull we should hold up Prayer The few Prayers that have been made in the Land have prevailed hitherto with God to spare us that we are yet a Nation O let us venture still in this ship which brings home such returnes let us give God no rest till he make our Ierusalem the praise of the earth let us beset the Throne of Grace with much earnestnesse and much importunity the season requires it and the present state of things calls for it delay will be dangerous ye know if fire be begun in a house a few buckets of water brought in time may quench it if time be delayed a thousand times so much water will doe no good If we will not now for the allaying of Israels troubles part with prayers hereafter we may offer to redeeme Israels safety with teares and blood and yet not