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
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
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
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
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 〈◊〉
strip her of all her pleasant things as it is and hath been for some years in England the wild Bore and the Fox shall then do their pleasure by force and fraud against her this is the variable state of the Church Militant mutable as the Moon though it be cloathed with the light of the Sun yet it may be so eclipsed and turned into bloâ—d that there is no help for her but in her God Perfect and perpetual felicity is a state onely expectable in heaven till there is no sin or spot in the Church and soul there can be no security against sorrow shame and sufferings which are our physick in our valetudinary constitution to which this life is subject yea Christ himself the Son of God and Saviour of the Church though without â—in yet was not without suffering while he was found in the form of sinful flesh and bare by way of susception imputation and satisfaction all our sins 6. Obser Times may be so bad and on such a desperate pin that none can either safely or effectually plead Gods cause or his Churches but himself who onely can create deliverances and mercies who alone commands the winds and seas to obey him who can restrain the fury of man and turn the remainder of wrath to his praise who can change the heart of Esaâ— and stir up the spirit of Princes as he did Cyrus and Darius to build his Temple and restore his captives who can either conquer Pharaoh by main force and dint of judgements or change the decree of Ahasuerosh by gentler operations who can level great mountains before Joshua and Josedeck and exalt the lower valleys the day of small things and of a despised Cause to bring forth his salvation who gives nursing Fathers and Mothers to his flock and family and such shepherds as shall seek the strayed carry in their bosom the weary feed the hungry and cure the diseased not with rigor and austerity but with love and tenderness Thus after the sharpest persecution of Dioclesian when Christian Religion as Monarchy and Episcopacy hath been by some in our days was triumphed over as extirpated God raised up Constantine the Great and other Christian Emperors after him who restored life liberty honor and support to the Church after the Church was seemingly dead as St. Paul when he was stoned yet it rose up again when Israels burthens were heaviest in Egypt then was their redemption nearest because their devotion was warmest and Gods compassions tenderest to them After the Marian bonefires and but cheries of so many carbonaded Christians in England filling all things with earthquake fire tempest and horror in what a still voyce for many years did God plead by a wonderful and unexpected providence the Cause of his Church and the Reformation of Religion here in England for an hundred years as I pray he will do again for us in mercy because he hath not forgotten to be gracious nor do his compassions fail but his mercy endureth for ever 7. Obser Gods cause must never be given for lost or desperate while God remains who is both able and willing to plead it or while any good man as Moses or Samuel or Eliah or Daniel remain who by fervent prayers can and will put God in mind of it and excite him to it As David and Jehosaphaâ— encouraged themselves in the Lord then God so must good men in bad times when the best cause goes by the worst A man would even willingly die such a death as our late Martyr King did on condition that he could with faith and truth dye with that divine sentence in his mouth as he did I thank God I have a good Cause and a gracious God This supported the Martyrs and Confessors so of old that when they were sâ—ain for Gods cause all the day long yet as Sulpitius Severus says of them they then hastned more ambitiously to Martyrdoms then afterward in times of peace others did to the greatest preferments in Church or State Though figtree and olive and flock and field and all fail yet the Prophet tells us he will rejoyce in the Lord even in the God of his salvation The Lord will arise as a Giant refreshed with wine to plead the cause of Sion and to vindicate the honor of his great name which is graven on his true Church as on the signet of his right hand in the highest storms we may cast this anchor God can and will appear for his cause in the midst of the fiery furnace never so hot no less then in the cool of the day 8. Obser When all means fail yet the prayer of the faithful must not be wanting to Gods cause This is in naufragio Tabula the rafter left the Church in the greatest shipwrack when neither Sun nor Moon nor Stars appear yet if this Angel the spirit of prayer appear in our agony we may be of good chear as St. Paul was A good Christian as Moses and the Syrophenician woman must not give over its pious importunity though God seems angry and Christ averse God cannot deny the fervent prayers of the righteous they will be effectual in time even to open prison doors as they did in St. Peters case when the Church prayed incessantly for him Acts 12. 5. As the vapors that ascend from earth to heaven are after returned in sweet showers that have in them vital and celestial influences being impregnated with etherial or heavenly spirits so are prayers of the faithful Devout souls that lay to heart the cause of God cannot be more bold then welcome to him in such cases God is as well pleased with their excitation or solicitation of him even to a kind of imperious commanding of him which the Prophet expresseth as a man is with that ruder importunity by which he is awaked out of sleep to quench his house on fire or to save his son from drowning There is more efficacy in praying for the Peace of Jerusalem then in fighting The fiery chariots and horses that are in the brest of zealous and devout Orators will do more good then armed legions of Soldiers 9. Obser There is not a greater sign of a good and gracious heart then to lay to heart the Cause of God even then most passionately and earnestly when it is most deserted most deploring most despairing a good Christian must make good what St. Peter said well to Christ but performed ill Though all men forsake thee yet will not I Is God touched with our concerns and afflicted in our afflictions and zealous to plead our righteous cause to contend with those that contend with his servants Isa 49. 25. when we are molested or oppressed in any kind by sin temptation weakness darkness dejection diffidence persecution or desertion and shall we be as Gallio in Gods cause or as Nabal to Davids not caring or concerned The Cause of
little matters which administer much strife and little edification in truth or love Christians may and must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep the truth in love Ephes 4. though they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ in things indifferent the substance of Gods Cause should have more influence to unite hearts than the ceremonies to divide them 7. Yet the cause of God is Causa ordinata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very regular and orderly in all its motions full of harmony and beauty abhorring any ways that are preposterous desultory violent uncomely disorderly tumultuary confused It needs none of these devillish engines to carry on the Cause of him who is the God of order decency and peace not of division confusion and contention Extravagant and excentricâ— spirits easily lose the Cause of God while they follow it in a preposterous wrong way as men may easily miss the centre of the circle who lay their rule in the least degree awry from the diameter the passions of men and their popular po 〈…〉 es never work out the righteousness of Gods Cause but trouble foil blemish and blaspheme it Not fire and earthquakes and whirlwinds but the still voyce and calm spiriâ— do best bring forth and set up by meekness of wisdom the true Cause of God and Christ and the Church especially as to the concerns of Religion Nor may that cause of civil Justice which some pretend to be promoted by any unjust and illegal ways of tumult sedition and rebellion these mar all and instead of repairing or purging the Temple with Josiah Ezra Josedeck and the blessed Jesus they set both Church and State Temple and City on fire as did Nebuzaradan and his Master Nebuchadnezzar â— These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or genuine characters are the surest and safest tokens by which to discern Gods Cause both in its own merits or temper and in the minds of those that undertake to manage it Other novel popular and politick pretensions as to outward providences prosperities successes multitudes prevalencies of brutal and irregular power vulgar flatteries and factious adherencies or as to the respect of mens parts learning eloquence seeming zeal and cryed up devotion they are all spurious partial and fallacious 1. The Sun-shine of ordinary providence and success of prosperity and power may fall upon Causes that are evil and unjust no less then on the just and good Mahomet hath had great and long successions of successive power to assert his cause and multitudes do follow even that Beast as well as the Lamb or the Messiah Outward prosperity is the idol of fools who care not how little the Cause of God prosper and prevail in their souls if it thrive as to their purses and estates Successes are pursued by silly and easie people as gay Butterflies are by children Gods Cause is seldom seen in crouds or rabbles and throngs of people which Christ abhorred and avoided As its course is strict so its path is narrow 2. As for the decoys of personal gifts and endowments of zeal and seeming or real severities in some things King Saul had as his height so his heats above other Jews against the Gibeonites and Witches so Jehu had his zeal against the house of Ahab and Baal Paul once breathed threatnings against the way of Christ with equal ignorance imperiousness and confidence Novatus wanted not his zelotry and preciser passions nor Manes and Montanus their spiritual and seraphick pretensions with rigid fastings Origen and Tertullian had their excellent abilities which Vincentius Liri â—ensis calls Magnae tentationes magnorum ingeniorum their temptations to extravagancies they were like fair flowers and fruit which are too big for themselves and so crack or break nor did Donatus want his devotion nor Pelagius wit and learning nor Faustus Socinus of late his severity and strictness with his sophistry nor any Heretick or Schismatick ever failed to have some lure either of sensual liberty or special sanctity to take people withal So the Anabaptists in Germany as Sleiden and others tells us cryed most vehemently for Justice Mercy and Repentance other Enthusiasts had their rare visions and the very Ideot Quakers boast of their inward illuminations so the most puâ—id Friars and politick Monks had their forged miracles and forced celibacies set off with great austerities to cover over their fedities Satan hath many masks and vizards of an Angel of light yet he is never further off from Gods Cause then when he most sets men awork to cry it up and carry it on in ways that are no less unjust violent and extravagant then perhaps for a time successful as was the Arrian perfidy which seemed so zealous for the unity of the Deity that they sought to overthrow the sacred Trinity and the grand foundation of the Christian Faith honor and comfort the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word made flesh the Theanthropy and Philanthropy of God to mankind in the Incarnation of the Son of God Their disputes as St. Cyrill tells us were not more sophistical and perverse then specious and plausible insomuch that the pest infested in a few years the most part of the Christian world both in Court Cities and Countries which was as St. Jerom says amazed to see it self in a short time so be witched with the Arrian enchantments which set up a new Saviour and another Gospel then was primitively beleived in all Churches So the Novatians and Donatists or â—ntient Catharists which were the Christian Pharisees or Puritans pretended as Optatus and others tells us so to promote the Cause of the Churches purity that they destroyed its unity and charity And the Pelagians so stickled for the power and liberty of mans will that they derogated from Gods grace and glory as St. Augustine speaks 8. Causa crucisixi saepius crucisixa as Christ so his cause which is Gods is oft not onely circumcised but crucisied with him yea it may seem dead and buried too for a time to the judgement of sense we must not look for the true Church always cloathed with the sun but rather flying into the wilderness and covered with sackcloth The prosperities and crowns of Gods Cause are reserved for another world here the cross and thorns and buffettings and spittings and blood and spears and nails do not mis-become it but conform it to its head § T is certain the Cause of God was then purest as to faith and manners when it was like gold in the furnace and fiery trial under the first ten persecutions which lasted with some lucid intervals three hundred years In vain do those that seem high zealots for the Cause of God dream and speak big of houses and lands and liberties and victories and kingdoms and crowns and Judicatures and reigning with Christ after secular methods and policies of blood and fraud these are figs in this world The honor riches crowns and comforts of true
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
or Beadsmen Tenants at will and only by the courtesie of the grand Lord being less then the least of his mercys as Jacob humbly and ingenuously confessed It will be eternally inculcated upon wicked men with repeated torments not onely as to their injustice to God and man disciteâ—justitiam moniti netemnite divos but as to that which was said to the rich fool whose are all those good things now whose will they be when thy soul is taken from thee enjoying neither thy self nor any thing since thou enjoyest not God the chiefest good of all And that Son remember thou enjoyedst thy good things in thy life time not as Gods but as thine own and as thy chiefest goods which made them evil to thee both as to sinning then and to suffering now But I have done with the first particulars shewing you first that God hath his cause in this world and what this cause is in the particular instances of it The second General Quere I proposed was 1. How the cause of God comes to stand in need of his pleading 2. And why the Lord in his providence permits it to come to come to such lapses low ebbs and distresses 1. If we consider that cause of God which is on foot in all the world among all Nations according to what of God and his glory is made known to them by the works of his power wisdom bounty and providence also by those innate and self-demonstrating principles of right reason which remain in mens hearts as the measures of Justice rules of chastity sobriety veracity humanity and the impulses to some religion that is agnition and reverence of the Divine Majesty even this common cause of God in nature may stand in need of his special pleading by the great degeneration of people when they have generally corrupted their ways so that they are turned beasts monsters devils in pride lust oppression and cruelty in contempt of all true Religion in professed and practised Atheism and it s giantly consequences prostituting all things to debauchery and villany § Here the righteousness of God from heaven is usually so revealed by the way of great judgements upon such persons people and Nations by war and famine or plagues or inundations or fires or earthquakes that the remnant may learn to fear God and do no more so presumptuously So when the Old world had polluted it self in all sensual fedities and Cyclopick villanies God rinsed the earth with a flood and washed the whole race of mankind like dung from the face of the earth except eight persons one righteous Noah and his seven relations God makes even Heathens and Idolaters as he did the Athenians to acknowledge there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unknown God who is too hard for all their Idols too wise for their policies and too just to be either deceived or despised § Thus Gods cause was driven to a necessity of some judicial and extraordinary pleading against those proud and presumptuous builders of Babel who fancied to ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the reach of a future flood forgetting that God had not only Seas and waters to bring upon them from the great deep but thunderbolts also and fire from above to cast upon them as he did upon Sodom and those other Cities who burning with unnatural lusts the effect of high feeding and idleness were made the fuel of everlasting flames So when the sins of the Canaanitish Nations were ripe and their measure full God brings in the sickle of the Israelites swords a Nation which of all in the world they would not have feared or suspected having lately been under hard bondage in Egypt and their spirits so infinitely cowed that being Six hundred thousand fighting men they durst not make head against their accustomed Masters the Egyptians yet by these did God plead against the abominations of these mighty Nations which cried to heaven for vengeance even to an utrer extirpation of men women and children beyond all pitty and sparing § So in humane histories we shall still finde such remarkable instances of Gods Justice making Nations punish one the other by dashing them against each other by bringing some desolating judgements upon them that mankind might still preserve some fear of the Divine Majesty § Thus he brings the Median and Persian power under Cyrus and Darius to hew down the great tree of the Babylonian pride and Monarchy when Balshazzars saoriledge grew so impudent as to use the holy vessels of Gods Temple as measures for his drunkenness and excess After this when the Persian Monarchy was dissolved to excessive luxury and tyranny under the last Darius God brings the Grecian sword by the conduct and valour of Alexander the Great to mow down those Eastern Nations by thousands and ten thousands yea by hundred thousands in a few years § When the Greoian Princes which set up for themselves in their seve ral shares of that Macedonian Empire in Persia in Egypt in the lesser Asia and in Greece when these were debased to all vile affections and actions against the principles of their own Philosophy and Divinity to which they pretended Then did the Lord stir up the fourth Beast the Roman Empire with Iron Feet and Teeth to tear devour and trample all the others power and glory their riches and dominions As all private judgements are Gods pleading against single persons so Epidemick miseries do proclaim some publique indignities and extraordinary injuries offered to the Divine Majesty contrary to those principles of reason justice and Religion which were known among them their very light being turned into darkness and the bounty of God to all manner of wickedness when his blessings to them had in vain been witness of his goodness to them he comes as a swift witness in storms and tempests of desolation against them which none could withstand or escape as is to this day oft seen even among Mahometans Tarters Chineses and Indians Secondly Since the Church of God is more peculiarly and eminently his Cause under his special care and cognisance the chief Quaere is how this comes to need Gods own immediate pleading 1. By open enemies persecuting opposing and many times utterly oppressing the Church of God as Vultures or Eagles seising on Pigeons or as Lions Bears and Wolves on Lambs and Sheep So when the Church of God grew from a family to the Nation of the Jews and were owned by God as his peculiar people and concern above all the world all the world was generally against them and sought not onely to despise but destroy them as gentem exitiabilem a vile and execrable Nation as Tacitus terms them So Pharoah first and the Egyptians held them under hard bondage till they were weary of life as well as of their burthens there was none to plead their cause but God who did it at last to purpose with
an high hand and out-stretched arm confuting Pharaohs Pride and obstinacy with the Egyptian Gods in the red Sea when no other miracles in lesser drops would soften their hard hearts he soaked them in such great waters as quite drowned them After this how oft was the little flock of Gods Church as a speckled Bird in the Wilderness surrounded with Enemies as a Lilly among Thorns there was Gebal and Ammon and Ameleck the Philistines and they of Tyre the Assyrian Arabian Egyptian all were against them from not onely reason of State but of Religion where different principles make the most deadly antipathies and desperate fâ—wds Thus the wild Bore sometimes with power other while the subtil Foxes of Mungril Jews and half Idolaters with fly insinuations sought to pull down and waste the peace honour plenty safety and Religion of the Jews Thus the Heathens raged and their Princes set themselves against the Lord and his cause fulfilled that first prophecy of an irreconcileable enmity between the Serpent and the seed of the Woman All the gods and Demons all the Oracles and Priests all the Poets and Prophets all the Orators Historians all the great Princes and valiant Soldiers and subtil Polititians all the Wise men and Philosophers set themselves to despise to reproach to oppress and extirpate the name and Nation and Religion of the Jews which was that of the true God from under Heaven as a most pestilent people and of a most detestable superstition Afterwards when the blossoms of Judaick ceremonies fell off and in the fulness of time the ripe fruit of Messias came into the world in spirit and in truth that all Nations might worship the true God aright in every place without confinement I need not tell you who are not ignorant of Scriptural and Ecclesiastical Histories how from Herods malice and subtilty seeking to destroy Christ in his cradle and satiating his defeated malice like a worrying Wolf or raging Bear with the massacring of so many innocent children who were ever esteemed by the antient Church as Infant-Martyrs suffering in Christs stead and upon the first occasion of his cause pleaded in the world by the baptism of their own blood until Constantine the Great 's days of refreshing and rest for a season the true Church and cause of God was never out of the furnace of tribulation martyrdoms fears afflictions and dayly deaths true the bellows did not always blow up the fire and fury of men to the same flames but there wanted not those as Decius and others who envied Christians their numerous cheerful and speedy Martyrdoms of which they were so ambitious § Nothing was more wonted in the mouths of the people than what they clamored against Polycarp a primitive Bishop of Smyrna in S. Johns days Tolle Atheos away with these Atheists and Christiani ad Leones Christians were thought such beasts that they were onely fit to fight with and to feed Beast or to be baited in Beasts skins Yea nomen crimen as Tertullian observes men were so mad against them and gnashed on them as the Jews against S. Stephen that they would not examine their cause or crime thinking it accusation enough that they owned themselves Christians § Dioclesian makes such havock as Decumanus fluctus after others that he not onely cut up the harvest but raked the gleaning of Christians in all the Roman Empire even so far as here in England where S. Albanus and others were Martyred that he gloried and triumphed and set up Trophies for the extirpation of the Christian superstition At this dead lift was the Church of Christ and cause of God when the Bishops of the Churches were banished or Butchered the Presbyters starved destroyed and scattered The Oratories and Temples or Churches all demolished or put to prophane uses the Christian people condemned to the Mettals Islands Prisons Limekills Racks Gibbets and Fires Thus did the cause of God as to the Christian Church stand or rather fal for the first three hundred years under Heatheninsh Persecutors and the oppositions of Philosophy or science falsely so called which yet afterward came to naught as all power and polity will at last do which set themselves to oppose the cause the truth the Church and servants of the living God Thirdly After the Church had some rest in Constantines time by the suppression of Heathenish fury and Idolatrous folly yet was the cause of God not without its following conflicts by reason of Hypocrites Hereticks Schismaticks false Apostles Hucksters of religion deceitful workers Wolves in sheeps cloathing who delighted to divide and destroy to shake foundations and shipwrack consciences to lead Disciples after them by factions partialities and respect of persons either darkening the verity or dividing the unity or defacing the uniformity or destroying the authority or confounding that order and subordination which Christ and his Apostles left in the Church of Christ men full of lusts and pride daily spawned innovations in the doctrine or in the faith or in the customs and in the forms of Religion § Such were all those pristine Hereticks and Schismaticks whose names and deeds deserve to be buried with their damnable doctrines and uncharitable factions in eternal forgetfulness they are too many and too odious to repeat I would to God they were not digged up out of their graves in our days by some carrionly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who searching the graves and raking the kennels of old errors seek to fill the English world with such odious noysom and unsavory spectacles both of opinions and practices § Who that is learned can be ignorant of the prevalent numbers and powers of the Novatians Arrians and Donatists what petulancy and cruelty they used against the Orthodox Cause challenging the Cause and Church of God wholly and only to themselves what despite they had against St. Cyprian Athanasius St. Cyril St. Hilary St. Augustine Optatus and others that opposed routed and confounded their contumacious impudence Thus was the Cause of Christ one whole age or century like Noahs Ark floating in a deluge of Arrian perfidy and persecution to its own grief and astonishment till God took the matter into his own hand and pleading the Cause of Jesus Christ and his eternal Godhead against both people and Bishops and Emperors that were infected with that pestilence for the inundation of the Goths and Vandals the Huns and Heruls the Gauls and Daci seemed no other but the fountains of the great deep broke up to wash away with humane blood the blasphemies with which the Christian world was then polluted against the glory and honor of the Son and Spirit of the blessed God when times were such that men would not endure sound doctrine but heaped up teachers and clucked together Councils and conventicles according to their own lusts and interests without any regard to the primitive Faith and practice of the Church of Christ
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
such is the disorder that attends men in their own cause and the order which they observe who intend Gods There was wont to be proclaimed before the olympian games and Athletick agonies That none who were misbegotten or slaves or vile or infamous persons should offer to enter the lists or contest in those famous and solemn yea sacred conflicts which were not for private gain but for the honour of their gods and the Victors such a proclamation may I make as to Gods cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let no proud prophane covetous ambitious sacrilegious perjurious popular partial parasitick insolent disorderly and licentious persons pretend to plead it since they do more prejudice and disparage it then any way advance or forward it good and wise men are ashamed and weak men are jealous and affraid to be sâ—en in that good cause wherein wicked men appear not good but great sticklers as Magots do in what was a good dish of meats not to garnish or adorne it but to defile and devour it 4. Use fear to oppose Gods cause or by anyforcible or fallacious ways to plead against it for it will be as a burthensome stone a rock of offence who ever dasheth against it or on whom it falls at last with the weight of Gods vindication It will dash them to pieces who ever contended against God and his cause and prospered For it will at last be pleaded with fire and brimstone with an omni potent and unexorable justice which will consume as fire doth stubble all the opposing powers and fallacious pretensions 5. Vse of exhortation when we have done our duty in Gods cause and in his way according to our place and see that we profit nothing as to the publique but onely to our own peace and discharge of good consciences yet cease not to follow God with our prayers and holy importunities that he would take the matter into his own hand Bonae causae sufficit unus patronus bonus Gods cause is never to be despaired of though it have no patron or advocate among men yet it hath one above who is optimus maximus the greatest and best of all It may as a bladder be forced under water for a while but it will buoy up again The Church may be as the ship in which Christ was tossed and covered with waves yet Christum vebit causam Christi as Caesar said to the fearful Mariners of himself and his fortune God oft lets things run to low ebbs that he may shew his mighty power and make the extremities of his cause the opportunities of his help however let not thy faith or Prayers fast which have a kind of omnipotency in them to remove Mountains and to do miracles at a dead lift Gods arme is not shortned though mans be withered let God alone with his own cause the gates of bell shall not prevail against it 6. Vse Measure not the cause of God by outward prevailings and prosperities the gayest feathered foul are not the best meat we must condemne the generation of Gods people and the cause of the righteous if we think that the worst cause which hath the worst usage or success in this world look to the Prophets from righteous Abel to John Baptist look to the Apostles and the best of their successors look to the holy Preachers and people we shall find they had always enough to do to plead the cause of God and his truth against the many open persecutions and secret underminings of evil men and devils who many times so prevayled by Gods just judgment that the cause of God seemed wholly routed such were their powers their victories their numbers their policies their cruelties all bent against the cause of God yet even their banishment and prison and tortures and plundrings and sequestrations and loss of all even to life it self these with a good cause and a good conscience were infinitely to be preferred before all the Treasures and Triumphs and Thrones and successes and applauses of impious prosperity or prosperous impiety The just must live by faith not by sense the touch stone of Gods cause is Godsword both as to the end and the means the usual badg or mark of Christs cause is Christs cross to which we were all devoted in our baptism nor must we fly from those colours least the Lord answer us as those that plead with him at the last day have we not prophecyed in thy name and cast out Devils c. So have we not pleaded thy cause O Lord by tumults mutinies falsities sedition rebellion by plunder and rapine by sacriledge and perjury by blood and violence To whom the Lord will reply depart from me ye hypocrites and accursed I know you not you pleaded the cause of your own lusts and belly of your pride envy covetousness ambition and revenge and not of my holy name and true Religion and reformation which owns no such manner of pleading or practising 7. Vse Is by way of examination wherein I will propound two Questions to you with such answers as I conceive may suit them 1. Question is What may be that cause of God for which he thus pleads in wrath against us in England So far that his hand hath been a long time stretched forth against us and his wrath is not yet turned away from us but burnes as a consuming fire to the very foundations in a long war and the worst of all a civil war which destroys even humanity it self setting nearest relations at distances and friends at distances and neighbours at enmity and countrimen at mortal contentions Yea and this upon the worst account even religious dissentions and jealousies no less then secular if we ask why the Lord hath brought all this evil upon a people that were once called by his name and but too happy the very wonder joy or envy of all Churches and Nations and Kingdomes Why is it that the Lord hath pleaded thus severely against our Kings and Princes our Parliaments and Peers our Bishops and Clergy our Gentry and Commonalty even all sorts of people against Church and State against our peace our laws our government our liberties our estates and our plenty against the prosperity and the honour of the Nation yea against our very Religion and reformation it self as if he did abhor us So that we seem condemned to everlasting torments to contend with and devoure each other with endless diesolations and confusions turning like Ixion in the wheel or Sisyphus his stone or St. Laurence from one side to the other upon the gridâ—ron of dayly exactions vexations terrors and vastations while Manasseh is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and Iudah against both That we cannot find or will not follow the way of peace With what Earthquakes and Shakings and Overturnings and bloody Battels and mutual Exhaustings and unplacable Annimosities have we been wasted many years and are still
not how to bless God and man for moderate blessings God pleads against the perjuries and forswearings among us The little or no conscience made of contradictory Oaths the familiar but vain and most rude swearings which are so common among not onely the dregs and beasts of the people but even those persons who pretend to some good breeding who by evil speaking corrupt good manners God pleads against us Ministers of all degrees for our insufficiencies presumptions popularities inconstancies and scandals for not better employing the great advantages and Talents they had to the glory of God and his Churches good rather then private Pomp profit or pleasure God pleads against you Lawyers for your failing in those duties which the law your callings and your consciences call you to in all righteous causes publique and private God pleads against the Gentry and Nobility for their luxury and idleness for the looseness and sottery of their lives doing so little good where they have so much means and opportunities wanting nothing but good hearts and a true sense of honour which aimes in all things at Gods glory the Churches flourishing and their countrys peace God pleads against all sorts of people in and out of Parliament for their servility and flattery their partialitie and compliances with any powerful lusts and predominant humors of men never so palpably against law reason religion oaths and conscience prostituting Parliamentary honour and priviledges fulness and freedome not onely to interne factions but to extern tumults and violent impressions after which open rapes there is no great cause for some men ever to plead their Parliamentary virginity and honor God pleads against the common people for their Phanatick giddiness and factious foolery that loves to have many Masters to heap up teachers to themselves having itching ears that will not endure sound doctrine but delight to be carryed about with every wind of doctrine according to the sleights and cheats of those that ly in weight to deceive unstable and silly souls which are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth § God pleads against the Souldiery for their variableness violences insolencies and inconstancies For their carrying on private and partial interests so much and so long to the prejudice of the publique safety peace and honour making their places and payes their bellies and backs the Common-wealth putting the military interest into the scale against the whole Nations To the exasperating of so many of their countrimen and brethren who have not patience to see themselves their Parliaments and Country so oft bafled and defeated of their long looked for peace and pretended settlement Hence they that should be the bulworks and defence of the Nation are looked upon by many as the le 〈…〉 s and incubusses that suck the blood and spirits of it making themselves the onely Soveraigne Senate the necessary imployment and absolute Government § God pleads against Rich men for the uncharitableness of some in hard times the unhospitableness of others in the distresses of many even excellent Ministers who for their consciences sake and as they think for Gods cause have been reduced to a morsel of bread For their racking and oppressing poor tenants for their pusillanimity and cowardise in a good cause for being so prodigal of their souls and true Religion to save their estates or their skins § God pleads against us all and as a Nation full of men that are wantonly wicked and industriously injurious to God and man delighting to destroy its self refusing as Babylon to be healed when God and good men would have done it long ago Men that make a mock of such sins as the sober and modest heathens though Idolaters did abhor a people as sacrilegious robers of God and prophaning his house that in affliction sinned more and more contracted dross even in the very fiery furnace that hath so little fear of God or reverence of man or sense and conscience of duty to either that it hath shut its eyes as wilfully blind and is most impatient to see or seek and follow the things that belong to the publique peace turning piety into policy and reformation into faction and the true interests of Religion into those of parties and opinions that hath so oft prayed and fasted in vain because we prayed amiss to consume blessings on our lusts fasting onely for strife for debate to smite and destroy one another that might and not right should take place a Nation that is self condemned and self punished yet still dares to pursue or applaud most unjust and unwarrantable actions that is downright villanies and horrid evils pretending that good willcome thereby so that from the crown of the head if we had either Crown or Head to the soal of the feet it is full of biles and putrified sores both of sins and pains We have made necessities of sinning and God hath made necessities of our sufferings Therefore hath God suffered us to run to this great consumption and satisfied us with our own delusions therefore are we smitten once and again by the sword and rod of God which crieth aloud to us making upon us the wounds of an enemy which are not healed by any friendly hand because we are not yet turned to him that smote us therefore do our eyes fail not only with the expectation of the calamities that are coming upon us but also with looking for good things when behold saluation is far from us because our iniquities have blinded us and not only bereaved us of but still keep good things from us yet still we trust to I know not what Physicians or State Montebanks that are either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either many and cannot agree or unsk lful and of no value or unfaithful to others or unhealthful themselves insani insanabiles of inauspicious looks and lives yea for the most part incurable as to their sins and sores loving as vitiated appetites to feed not on wholesom food but on trifles trash not Reason and Religion Law and Gospel but the froth of seraphick fancies and unbounded raptures which the better to colour over and excuse the miseries and ruines of three flourishing Kingdoms pretend to expect a glorious kingdom of Christ on earth such as he never yet enjoyed for sixteen hundred years nor ever will after their methods of blood and violence which are the weapons of Antichrist and Belial not of Christ or good Christians This then is the answer which I may with too much truth and justice give as from the Lord to you or any that enquire of the burthen of the Lord why he pleads writes and acts such bitter things against us as if he would be no more en treated by us nor his heart could be toward
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
his providences Psalm 58. 1â— Isai 1. 24 The nature of Godspleadings in the world Against the greatest and highest Princes Psalm 107. 4 Miraculous pleadings of Gods cause Isai 37. 39 Isai 37. 37 Iudges 7. 22 Gods pleas impartial Gen. 3 Ier 15. 3 2 Pet 2. 4 Gods pleadings against the sins of the best men as David c. 2 Sam 12. 10 â— 1 Sam. 2. 1 Kings 15. 5 1 Sam 15. 23 1 Kings ii Isai 29 5 2 Kings 20 4 Gods pleading against the ews Matth. 23 35 Gods pleading against Christian Churches 2 Chron â—5 5 5 Gods pleading his cause by persecutions Phil 1 Rev 12. 12 1 Pet 4. 14 Rom â— 37 4 General Gods immediate pleading his Cause by men By pious Princes Isai 41. 2 Acts 3. 19 By Councils and Synods Rev 12 Gods pleading in the reformed Churches Gods pleading at the day of judgement Rev. 20. 12 and 20. 13 5 The right method of mans pleading Gods Cause Iudges 6. 31 Of pleading Gods cause by fighting Iudg. â— 1â— Of Religion to be asserted by the sword Luke 9. 55. Mark 16. 15. Mat. 26. 52. Gods cause to be pleaded by men 1 Vnderstandingly 2 Tim. 3. 17. Isa â— 20. 2. Sincerely 2 Kings 10. 16. Phil. 1. 15. Tit. 1. 11. Gal. 1. 10. 3. Entirely 4. Holily anâ— justly or lawfully Micah 6. 8. Isa 61. 8. 1 Pet. 4. 15. 2 Pet. 2. 2. Rom. 3. 8. 1 Peâ— 2. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 5. 5. With moderation and discretion Phil. 4. 5. â— With Christian courage and magnanimity Exod. 30. 9. Lev. 10. 1. With respect and modesty to superiours 2 Pet. 2. 11. Iude â— Mat. 5. 44. 2 With charity and compassion to all men 1 Pet 2. 23. Acts 8. 32. Acts 7. 60. 1 Pet. 3. 16. Of rude and riotous pleadng Gods cause Iames. 3. 10. 1 Vse to direcâ— us to the best cause that is to be pleaded Iohn 18. 37. 2 Vse Caution to plead Gods cause in Gods way Of mistakers and mispleaders of Gods cause Psal 50. 16. Zach. 14. 20. 4. Vse of Terror to such as oppose Gods cause 1 Pet. 2. 8â— 5. Vse of exhortation and comfort in the lowest ebb to plead Gods cause by our prayers Ps al. 119. 126. 6. Vse not to measure Gods cause by false rules Psal 73. 15. Heb. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Mat. 7. 22. Vse of examination by putting two Questions 1 Quest what is the cause which God thus pleads against us in England Gods controversie with the Land Hos 4. 1. Ier. 25. 31. Iudges 9. 23. 2 Chron. 15. 5. Gods long and sore pleading against us Answer to the first Quaere Hag 2. 23. Isaiah 5. God pleads against our unthankfulness to God Isaiah 5. 3. Against our self seeking Against our Hypocrisie and Sacriledg Against our unthankfulness to man God pleads against Ministers Against Lawyers Against Nobility and Gentry Against the people in and out of their Parliaments 2 Tim. 4 3. Against the Souldiery God pleads against rich men Against our incorigibleness and obstinacy Iames 4. 3. God pleads against us by the voyce of his rod sore afflictions Our too greattrust in State Physicians Answer to the first Question Factors for the Romish Cause 1 King 18. â—â— 2 Query what is the cause of God we now are to plead in England Ans Maintain honest and just principles with in â—sa 5. 20. 2 Plead as you have power and opportunity 1. In thy own soul 2. In thy family 3. In the publick As to justice As to true religion The verity of it The unity of it For the Churches patrimony For right ordination and subordination among Ministers Peroration or conclusion of Gods cause and the pleadings of it