resolution and use importunate prayer as a Preparation so go into the King if ye perish ye perish May it please you now as an Introduction to my Text to premise with me these particulars 1. The utter extirpation of the Church of God plotted and if you observe it this plot had it's rise from self-ends Esther 3. Vers 5. 6. When Haman saw Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence then was he full of wrath hee thought scorne to lay hands on Mordecai wherfore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdome 2. The Kings humour observed a decree for the execution demanded and an advance of moneys promised verse 8. 9. And Haman said to the King there is a certaine people scattered abroad and dispersed among thy people in all the provinces of thy Kingdome and their Laws are divers from all people neither keepe they the Kings Law therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them If it please the King let it be written that they be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand talents of Silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the businesse to bring it into the Kings Treasuries 3 The request obtained Regina pecunia quid non and the mannaging of the businesse solely to Haman committed Vers 11 12 13. And the King said to Haman the silver is given to thee and the people also to do with them as seemeth good to thee c. Then were the Kings sons called and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the Kings Lievtenants and to the Governours that were over every Province and to the Rulers of every People of every Province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of the King was it written and sealed with the Kings Ring and the letters were sent by Poasts into all the Kings Provinces to destroy and to kill and to cause to perish all the Iews both young and old little children and women in one day 4 The activity of the Churches Enemies for the speedy execution of this plot observed Vers 15. The Post went out being hastned by the Kings Commandement 5 A double effect of this plot decreed the Court and Enemies of the Church are merry and their spirits elevated They sit down to drink The Church of God is perplexed Vers 16. The City Shushan was perplexed 6 Mordecai's Personall sence of this misery he is more eminently affected Chap. 4. Vers 1. Perceiving what was done he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went out into the City and cried with a loud and bitter cry c. 7 The Nationall sence of this calamity Vers 3. And in every Province where the decree came there was great mourning and fasting and weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloth and ashes 8. The plot to Esther discovered by her maids Vers 4. and by Mordecai confirmed Vers 7. 9. Some difficulties by sense proposed Vers 10 11. and by Mordecai answered Vers 13 14. and by her faith mastered she puts on an heroick resolution and returnes Mordecai my Text for a concluding answer Goe gather together all the Jewes in Shushan and fast ye for me c. In the words you have The Messengers order for preparation Nationall and Personall for her good successe in undertaking that great action Goe gather together In which preparation you have two particulars 1. The suitablenesse of the duty to the Churches difficulty or her prescribing them suitable duty to so great a difficulty The Church is in a great strait decreed to death a decree also that none shall dare to approach the Kings presence uncalled much lesse to be a Petitioner for life to reverse a decree Vers 11. 2. Proportionable duty Fast pray nay fast all pray one and all nay do this exactly strictly neither eat nor drink nay do it importunately ply the work ply it night and day The Action these two particulars 1 The Messengers sensiblenesse of the Churches misery and her own difficulty I also and my maidens will fast likewise She doth not put upon others what she will not practise her selfe nor trust to others duties alone as a meanes for her security no I also if the Church be in misery she will as a member put her selfe on exact duty 2 The Messengers subsequent independing heroick selfe-denying resolution So will I go in to the King If I perish I perish The words are without difficulty onely thus farre permit me that I may condescend to every mans capacity 1. The Jewes were then the people of Gods love his heritage his eare friends against these is the decree sealed for death for these the pit is digged the net spread the sword sharpened these thus designed for death must fast and pray heartily for the Messengers acceptance as the onely probable meanes for their deliverance 2. In Shushan that was indeed the winter-Palace of the Kings of Persia but to it was adjoyned a City which was denominated so from it Why the Jewes at the Court may thinke to escape as Mordecai intimates Verse 11. by the Kings favour they in the City to be secure as within Lines of Communication No all must to the worke for the Churches deliverance 3. Fast ye for me Some read it Orate prome The Originall hath it Jejunate supra me Arm me with your prayers and Fasting against the strength of malice and power of a decree Jejunium pro suffragio apud summum Deum petit 4. So will I go in to the King Magna fidncia Reginae in jejunio monstratur magnaque charitas in vitam populi 5. If I perish I perish She submits to God imbracing her own death rather then daring to neglect the use of the meanes for the Churches safety as undervaluing trampling on and contemning that life that may out-live the prosperity of the Church of God There are streaming from these fountaines many eminent truths time and your weighty occasions prohibit me to adventure upon all I shall therefore at this present onely summon some of them to appeare and passe them by with observation one I shall insist on for your present preparation unto the great work of this day First from the first branch of the order Go gather together all the Iewes you may observe That unity in duty is a sweet preparation to obtaine mercy for the Church of God in difficulty Indeed it is the strength of duty and that which adapts us for mercy Psal 134. Vers 1 2 3. Behold how good for brethren to dwell together so to fast to pray together I there the Lord commands his blessing even life for evermore Act. 2.1 They were all with one accord in one place and in the fourth Verse Then they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Indeed there is nothing doth so unfit us for mercy as our divisions it is the Basis of the Churches ruines that we
cannot be got to goe together unto the throne of grace for mercy in this our time of need Unity it is the Portall at which prayer enters every supplicated mercy When the Church is thus together their desires like Peter Act. 12.12 wait and knocke to enter break thorough all barres shackles bolts difficulties to speak to them the prevalency of such Saint-like performances It is observable whilst there was division betwixt Abraham and Lot God never appeared Gen. 13.14 c. Truly it is in this case with duty as with the child in the wombe untill all the parts are rightly framed and composed the soul quickens it not nor will any mercy cordially smile on us untill we are knit together in love indeed our Saviour prohibits our service to God untill we are at peace with one another nothing like this hinders the prosperity of Gods famlly or blocks up the passage for the Churches deliverance and I am confident nothing so much as this sinks your spirits in the expectation of present successe in this dayes imployment O what an inexpressible evill is it that all the Church of God cannot be got together for your good successe in this businesse for peace whilest we are all now gathered together I hope all of one mind with an importunity to implore it and God to soften the Kings heart to incline to it I wish heartily there be not some in this Kingdome professing the same faith baptized with the same Baptisme praying God to harden the Kings heart against it or for selfe-ends perswading him might and maine to refuse the Propositions conducing to it But however let us that are together with one accord pray and I hope the prayers of the Saints are at this time active for a blessing upon your atchievements this day And so I shall hold out to your view a second truth wrapt up in the Text Observation 2. Representative Persons interposing for the Church in a strait require representative prayers They are nationall men and will need nationall assistance A Kingdomes strength is necessary for those that stand for a Kingdomes wealth If Esther personate the Jewes to the King for salvation the Jewes must present Esthers condition to the King of Kings for preservation All the Churches Worthies are worthy of the Churches best duties if Paul be labouring for the Church and adventuring for it he had need have a stock of prayers going in all the Churches for himselfe The 3. Observation And neither eat or drink three dayes or nights together is this That in cases of great difficultie there is a pressing necessity for the speedy and exact performance of importunate duty A bleeding Church expects a speedie and speeding prayer Mariners in great stormes are very yareand take double pains Souldiers neare a quartering enemy are upon serious and constant duty then night and day at it life is on it as we proverbially expresse it Souldiers grutch not limbs or lives for victory nor must we think much of praying and fasting againe and againe for a Nationall mercy Indeed we must never give over till we speed Finis operationis est opus the end of the worke is the worke it selfe Truly it will be to little purpose for you to go to the King if you go not first to God to move the Kings heart For it is the master-peece of his own hand to work the heart of Princes that way as shall make most for his glory and the accomplishing his fore-thought designes touching his Churches good and the Kingdomes of the earth and when hell hath plotted a designe and found out fit instruments to suggest it to Princes nay when corruption hath over-power'd convicting light and be-midnighted the soule that it consenteth to be guided and followes every Ignis fatuus or other fading meteor nay somtime forsaking the more eminent lights of heaven doating on very glow-wormes but indeed composures of corruption and to follow what is suggested to it and is in it selfe resolved to act what plotted yet then even then God can alter And what God can do for any peoples good importunate prayer exactly performed may prevaile with him to do for us his people and his Churches good Truly such Prayer with fasting hath been of old former Messengers Preparation upon the undertaking any great and waighty action S. Iames adviseth us before we put forth our resolves to say If God will I will do this or that Iames 4.15 It is good upon every undertaking to aske Gods leave and to consult him to carry him or somthing of him with us to effect that which we cannot promise our selves in the 24. of Gen. 12. Abraham dispatcheth his servant upon a message of concernment and it was concerning the and winning perswading of a heart as appeareth Ver. 51. It may be the woman will not be willing to follow me c. saith his Messenger so that it was dubious whether her heart might or might not incline to his Message well what course doth he take Vers 12. by way of Preparation knowing it was in Gods power to incline it he seeks God And he said O Lord God of my Master Abraham I pray thee send me good speed this day And the successe you may read in the succeeding Verses To come a little nearer to our purpose Esau had an old grudge against his brother Iacob the messe of Pottage was not yet digested but boyled the second time in his stomack and the gaining his Fathers blessing was laid to heart and what he secretly thought in his heart before when the dayes of his Fathers mourning were come he begins to act now and arrayes foure hundred men to go against his brother upon the receipt of this intelligence Iacab feareth greatly Gen. 22.7 nay the Text saith He was distressed Well he cannot avoid a meeting nor can hee expect lesse then ruine there is no probability to shun his Army or to sense possibility to escape his fury well what course takes he Truely hee goes to God in Prayer to change his heart he knew that it was in the Lords power and although sencible of his unworthinesse and insufficiency he chooseth rather first to wrastle with a good God indeed whom he might overcome and prevaile with to change his brothers heart then meerly to trust to his owne policies or complements or any other way to win upon him This is the strength of all other meanes he useth to pacifie his brother and Verse 28. you see the excellent consequence of his Prayer As a Prince hast thou power with God and men and hast prevailed And I pray observe this for a truth That powerfull men with God are ever prevailing men with Man If we can but get strength enough to wrastle with God let us trust God to wrastle with the hearts of men 1. Kings 18.37 yea the greatest Princes Oh had not this Nation laboured under the malignant distempers of sin nay did not the Covenant-Servants of God such as passe
leave behinde you The Lord never forgets a cup of cold water given to quench the Saints thirst in their necessity how much sooner will it be ingraven upon his heart the providing of cordiall precious portions for his languishing people yea God will provide a compensation for you and yours in all your afflictions Nay you shall treasure up praises for your selves and prayers for your surviving families in the ages that are to come and know this also that God hath riches enough in his Cabinet to make you amends for all you can do or suffer in this way Indeed I have beheld you with such alacrity noble courage expediting your motion endeavouring by all meanes night and day to find out him whom your soules love and long after for the Churches good that the quaere of the Church in the third of the Canticles and the third was to any whom it might concerne your first salute Can you tell us of His Majesty Yea I have seene so much of your unalterable and prepared patience digesting the vulgar curses and affronts as your diet and content with any thing that you might do the Church service that I shall ever blesse God that he yet accommodates the Church with such Friends and the King and Kingdoms with such Worthies who will venture through an host of enemies if possible to fetch water to refresh the Church of God therfore I will spare my self the labour by any more Motives to put you in mind to go on who are ready to run for the Churches and Kingdomes peace All therefore that now remaines is but to hold out to your view some other Observations that I had thought to have handled to complete your preparation for this dayes great Action but in regard you have Summons for the action and but a small parcell of time before you attend His Majesty that I may no way be prejudiciall to your private practice of this preparation or any other becoming so great a work I will briefly shew you the jewells they are ready command me to place them inyour ears at your pleasure and my obedience shall eccho to your order You have heard 1 That Nationall and Personall preparation is necessary for the undertaking any great action for the Church Gather all the Jewes in Shushan I also c. 2 That Representative persons interposing for the Church in a strait deserve representative prayer Fast pray for me 3 Extraordinary and great duty is necessary for the Church in great misery Fast pray night and day eat nor drink c. The fourth you should have heard and I handled is this 4 That messengers of such prayers are ever messengers of praise they are thriving prospering messengers 5 That all selfe must be denied that the Church may be saved We must not thinke of our selves and the Church at one time if we do we shall never go thorough stitch with the work If I perish I perish let me assure you this if you save the Church you cannot lose your selves and if the Church perish juggle and Hocus Pocus it as nearely as you can your sleights will be found out and you cannot save your selves It is no time to feather our nests and build to lay our young when so many stroakes have beene given at the root of the tree seek we great things for our selves for shame no more of it what do we painting our cabines when so many leakes in the ship first stop the leakes get out the water there is a time to trim this cabine afterward Lastly The meanes must be used although our ends are not obtained If we perish we perish For although God can deliver his Church without us yet his usuall method hath been to make choice of some Moses some Ioshuahs Gideons Davids c. for the preservation of his Church nay of Jesus Christ for the salvation of it And now give me leave to wind up all with the practice of that duty for you which I have in this Sermon commended to you Go and the Lord be with you yea the God of heaven blesse you and cause the Kings face to shine upon you and make you glad that he speak nothing but good unto you this day the Lord avert all whispering flattering Doegs this day and returne you with a Message of hope at least if not of present help for these three bleeding Kingdomes yea the Lord make your interposing for the Church as prosperous as Abigails and let the Kings answer be as Davids 1 Sam. 25.31 33 34. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent you this day to meet me and blessed be your advice and blessed be ye which have kept me this day from going on to shed any more of my Subjects innocent blood and from avenging my selfe with my own hand and that he may receive at your hands what you have brought him and say unto you Go up in peace to both my Houses of Parliament see I have karkened to your voyces and accepted your persons give me but favour to add one word in prayer after the Apostles directory 2. Thes 3.16 Now the Lord of peace himselfe give you peace alwaies by all meanes yea now peace and let it be the Lords peace and the Lords free gift of peace let it be peace with him peace with your consciences peace one with another such a peace as all things may prosper with you yea that publike tranquillity and quiet in the Church may follow that it bee not troubled with Schismes and Heresies within or without by persecuting Tyrants ruinating all by slaughters and cruell bloody warres O let every good heart pray for this peace for our Hierusalem that there may be tranquillity in the state and free from forraigne and civill uncivill warres that in the peace thereof we may have peace that these distracted Kingdomes may be in security and void of dangers free from the noise of terrifying alarums and other dangers Yea the Lord give us such a peace that there may be an everlasting Covenant betwixt God and the King betwixt God the King and his people and let us and the whole Church of God heartily cry Amen Amen So be it And so the Lord be with you all to blesse you in the great worke of this day and all other your great imployments for his glory and his Churches good To whom with all our hearts be rendred and ascribed all Honour Glory Power and Praise now and evermore Amen FINIS