together all the Jews you may observe That unity in duty is a sweet preparation to obtain mercy for the Church of God in difficulty Indeed it is the strength of duty and that which adaps us for mercy Psal 134. Verse 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 go 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 waite and knock to enter break through 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. Truely it is in this case with duty as with the child in the womb untill all the parts are rightly framed and composed the soul quickens 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 family 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 whilst we are all now gathered together I hope all of one minde 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 self-ends perswading him might and main 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 â— Representative Persons interposing for the Church in a strait requires representative prayes 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 Jews to the King for salvation the Jews 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 himself The 3. Observation And neither eat or drink three dayes or nights together is this That in cases of great difficulty there is a pressing necessity for the speedy and exact performance of importunate duty A bleeding Church expects a speedy and speeding Prayer Marriners in great stormes are very yare and take double pains Souldiers neer 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 wee must never give over till wee speed Finis operationis est opus the end of the worke is the work it selfe Truly it will be to little purpose for you to goe 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 worke 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 heart 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 self 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 weighty 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 carrie 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 winning and 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 Jacob 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 receit of this intelligence Jacob feareth greatly Gen. 22.7 Nay the Text saith He was distressed Well he cannot avoid a meeting nor can he 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 Truly he goes to God in Prayer to change his heart he knew that it was in the Lords power and although sensible 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 own policies or complements
prove good for it to be so afflicted this is not the first plot intended against it for utter extirpation nor you the first messengers called forth by Providence to speak unto Majesty for its preservation cherish then and augment that courage that I seem to be seated in your aspects most noble Patriots although invironed with Enemies invellopt with difficulties to sense no probability to escape revilings nor possibility to return prevailing You have a sufficient call you have a good and all sufficient God a just Cause unjust Enemies many potent prayers all impotent curses a promise of a blessing a president of good successe in this Book put on resolution and use importunate prayer as a preparation so go in to 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 hath its rise from self ends Esther 3.5 6. When Haman saw Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence then was he full of wrath he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai wherefore 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 monies promised Verse 8 9. And Human said to the King There is a certain people scatered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy Kingdome and their Laws are divers from all people neither keep 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 talâ—nts 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 manageing 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 all the kings Scribes 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 Posts 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 deâ—teâ—d 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 â—6 The City Shushan was perplexed 6. Mordecai's Personall sense of this misery he is more eminently affected Chap. 4. Vers 1. Perceiving what was done he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath and ashes and went out into the City and cryed with a loud and bitter cry c. 7 The Nationall sense 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 sackcloath and ashes 8. The plot to Esther discovered by her maids Vers 4. and by Mordicai confirmed Vers 7. 9 Some difficulties by sense proposed Vers 10 12. and by Mordecai answered Vers 13 14. and by her faith mastered she puts on an heroick resolution and returns Mordecai my Text for a concluding answer Go gather together all the Jews 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 Go 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 aproach 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 self on exact duty 2 The Messengers subsequent independing heroick self-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 Jews were then the people of Gods love his heritage his dear 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 means 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 Jews at the Court may think 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 work 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 fiducia 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 means 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 appear 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
and receive us graciously The sacraficing our dearest sinnes will instantly bring in the greatest mercies for the Church We may truly say of the Land as David of himself Psalm 28.3 There is no rest in my bones because of sinne Lay a man upon never so many soft Down beds if the disease be in the bones the paines continue the way to make him rest is to take the cause of the paine out of his bones You may lay the Church at this day and the Kingdomes on the soft downe-bed of Gods promises on the downe-bed of Councells Armies Propositions for Peace Fastings Prayings The way to give the Land rest is to render and make such Propositions to God as may get sin out of the heart and pardoned and God reconciled To conclude this Reason I may truly say we trouble our selves and bid much but this one thing is necessary 3. Argument Because the Lord takes no notice of easie performances or lazie prayers He expects if the Church be in necessity and well sensible of it that we should use importunity It becoms His Majesty to be so sought unto for such like mercies Ezek. 36. Vers 37. I will yet for this he inquired after saith the Lord c. A man that will have his Vineyard to thrive and be fruitfull must labour and worke in it and a man that will have his prayer thrive must labour in prayer it must be his daily Trade 2 Cor. 1.11 You also labouring for us in prayers God will never answer a lazie begging Christian we must not be reporters of the Churches necessities but petitioners Yea petitioners with a kind of holy impudency not to be put off with privitive silence or positive deniall Nay although God seem to affront us for the present yet must we give God no rest no not hold our peace untill he make his Church the praise of the whole earth Our labouring in prayers will soonest bring the Church to rest from calamities You never found any rich mercy obtained by lazie duty easie seldom performances produce slow remedies a straitned Church cals for an active and inlarged heart And mark it even when the Church prayes with most ease it reaps the least profit or comfort when prayer is a pennance or irksome exercise to us as in 1. Malachy many say what a wearinesse it is and snuffe at it it is never an acceptable service for us But he that is laborious and active in duty cannot long be passive under misery labouring in prayer is that which puts God upon expedition he cannot long delay us or deny us if we industriously ply the worke of Prayer And as a remedie to cure this malady in prayer by the way take this Recipe wouldst thou amend thy easie praying repent of thy active sinning You shall never shew me a man that is active and laborious in sinning but I will show you the man that is and must of necessity be easie and lazie-hearted in praying 4. Argument Because proportionable duty hath Gods promise intailed upon it James 5.16 The prayer of the righteous availeth much if it be fervent ever marke this the more fervency the more prevalency Dauid in Psal 14 1â— desireth that his prayer may come up before the Lord as incense and you know incense never went up without fire Prayers of words are to our and the Churches necessities and against our Enemy as Powder without Ball which may make a great noise and terrifie for a time but hurts them not nor helps us Of all the Elements the Naturallists observe fire gets neerest to heaven and of all means a zealous fervent prayer gets neerest to the God of heaven Our earthie cold-hearted prayers are like a Bell which whilst it lyeth on the ground can make no musick but when steepled then it sounds loud cold or luke-warme water can never fetch out the blood or rawnesse of flesh it must have fire put to it to make it fit for nourishment cold prayers can never fetch out the corruption and scum of our filthy hearts no a heavenly fire must prepare our prayers for Gods digestion 5. Argument In regard of the Churches mercies and deliverances that we stand in need of mercy appeareth best when by a proportionable duty we blazon out our miserie it is a disparagement to Nationall mercy to come at the summons of halfe-duty or duty performed by halves raggs and torne pieces of duty are unbecoming mercy descending from majesty Every good and perfect gift saith S. James comes from the Father of lights and if upon easie requests we would soon slight them if we could get mercy easily we would forget it as easily who prodigall away their estates sooner then they that never sweat to gaine a penny of it that penny that is got with most labour and trudging for is not so usually rioted away in excesse but hoarded up That Samuel that Hanna can with difficulty wrastle out of Gods hand shall be dedicated to his service all the daies of his life the things that cost us deare we ever prize most those Colours we take with hazard of life are charily laid up as Trophies of honour truly it much advanceth friendship when it appeares in necessity and it doeth as much heighten mercy when we gaine it in our faintings for it when in the Mount God is seen hee can rarely be forgot 6. Argument Because the heart of the King is in the Lords hand and he is able to turne it which way soever pleaseth him every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord ordereth the heart Prov. 21.1 2. yea more for your encouragemenâ— to performe exactly Proportionable duty the answer of the tongue is from the Lord Prov. 16.19 21. There are many devices in mans heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand Job 33.12 God is greater then man and ordereth him at pleasure Psal 33.10 The Lord bringeth the counsell of Princes to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect Isaiah 46.11 My counsell shall stand and I will performe all my pleasure c. Ver. 12. Hearken unto me you stout-hearted that are far from righteousnesse I hold out all these Scriptures to you as lights to show where the Kings heart is and who hath the ordering of it it is out of his owne hands a decree sealed by the King is nothing to oblige Ahashuerosh if God wil have it reversed concerning his people Nay although it appeare so it is not in Hamans hand to dispose on nay with comfort I dare speake it the Kings heart is not in Digbys or Hydes or any other such Haman-like hands in the world no it is in the Lords hands God altered the heart of Abimelech Gen. 20 Laban thought his heart to be in his owne hand to act against Iacob he pursued after him seven dayes Gen. 31.23 but read the 24. Vers God commands him to speake to Iacob nothing but good and to enter
or any other way to win upon him This is the strength of all other means he useth to pacifie his brother and vers 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 strengh 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 sinne nay did not the Covenant-Servants of God such as passe for his own children lie dangerously weak under sad divisions yea so that the whole body is out of joynt and then what strength we might have prevailed for the Kings heart it being in Gods hand before this day For why might not we if rightly quallified obtaine a heart out of our hands and in the Lords hand for the good of a Nation nay three bleeding Nations as well as he for himself and his family Gen. 33.4 you have an incouraging president where killing is come to kissing shedding of blood to sheddig of tears They both wept The charging each other is the imbracing each other It will be an argument against us of Nationall weaknesse and wickednesse that one shall doe more then so many with God And if this be Truth we have none more to cry out of then our selves for the continuance of our sorrow may not the Lord say as sometimes to Israel Perditio tua exte we may thank our selves his hand is not shortned that it cannot save nor his eare heavie that he cannot hear but our prayers are weak because our hearts are wicked that cannot hold out a wrestle with God Indeed we act duty but not proportionable for the Churches necessity or as cordially sensible of its misery and speedy calamity not as if we see no way but one for it or beheld it sentenced to death under a Decree no we look most of us as Eliahs servant upon the first command 1 King 18.4 when misery was on Germany Ireland and Scotland being often perswaded by the Eliahs of those times to look out what we could see the return of our hearts was that we saw nothing Indeed we laid it not to heart as any thing Nay when at this day commanded to look out those within Lines of Communication and fenced Garrisons can see but a little cloud out of the Sea like a mans hand we esteeme all the Protestant blood nay the Saints blood that hath been shed as nothing do all the cruelties Murders Woundings Imprisonings Fireings Plunderings Deformings Reproachings of the Saints as yet appear as nothing How many sighing groaning lamentable complaining sad-hearted good Christians may you see in many parts of this distracted Kingdome seeking for bread and glad to part with their former pleasant things to relieve their families pressing necessities How doth many a gallant family sit solitary How many beautifull houses forlorne Yea how many are aggravating their misery by viewing over the records of their former injoyments How in many places doth the Enemy magnifie himself against God and his people having possessed and dispossessed our Congregations and destroyed the place of the Assembly How doth the blood of the Church spring forth as wine out of the wine-presse and lies spilt on the ground abroad the Sword consuming at home lofty and sad divisions even the wills of men like wild horses renting limb from limb the poore Church of God the Enemy hearing of this trouble and being glad Nay in a word The cause of God in three Kingdomes crying with them in the 1 Lament verse 12. Is it nothing to you O all ye that passe by Is there any sorrow like to my sorrow and yet who with Mordeca although it be past beyond a Decree and come to the Haman-like action of cruelty against the Church before your faces even at the doores and gates of your Cities in heart yet saith Is it any thing Nay let me adde something more Although God be so angry as to licence his enemies to pull out his own eyes for his Church is as dear to him as the apple of his eye and he must be incensed highly when he will permit this yet who laies this to heart as any thing Nay even now although God hearken and hear who speaketh aright at all or if but for a day and then every man with the day casts off the duty and returneth with the dog to his vomit and with the wrinsed sow to wallow in the mire Had Mordecai lookt thus a squint on the condition of the Jewes he had never laid it to heart and if never laid to heart it had not been communicated to every one that in probability might conveigh it to Esthers eares and had she slightly entertained it as newes onely it had never come to the hazzarding of her life in the Churches cause or prescribing an order for so serious preparation for the Churches preservation Will you license me to advise you I know you will you called me to that purpose to this duty this day Why then as the Prophet 1 King 10. Prepare your Chariots so you and I wish the whole Church of God their hearts and improve you all your interests noble Patriots of the Cause of God and let them improve theirs by proportionable and importunate duty for successe this day suitable to the Churches necessity and misery Esa 22.4 you have the story of the invading the Land of Jewrie by the Persians by reason whereof the Church of God and the Kingdome were like to be brought into a sad condition it was like to be a day of trouble and treading downe and of perplexity by the Lord breaking downe walls and breaches seen in the City of David mark in the 4. Vers what the Prophet puts immediately in practice to divert it Therefore said I look away from me mind me not of any thing else I have nothing else comparatively to look after this is the businesse of the time what I will weep bitterly or as the Originall hath it I will be bitter in weeping Labour not to comfort me because of the spoyling of the daughter of my people Jer. 8 21 22. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt I am black astonishment hath taken hold on me c. i. grief to an extasie hath seized on me that I am not my self the hurt of the Church is his hurt I then he seeks proportionably a remedy Moses when God is angry with the people he fals sensibly to the work and being to wrastle out reconciliation and a diversion of Gods expresse resolution against them he is at it 40. dayes and nights together So againe upon another provocation Numb 14.11 How long will this people provoke me Ver. 12. I will smite them with the Pestilence and disinherit them and now God
into Covenant and to blesse them Balak thought it in the power of his heart to curse the people Numb 22. ult sends to Balaam a Sorcerer to this purpose Balaams heart is now in his owne power In the 8. Verse Lodge here and I will bring you word againe as the Lord shall speake unto me First read what followes Verse 12. and Verse 24. Numb 13. There is no sorcery against Iacob See Esay 8. Verse 9 10 11. It is not to be held counsells Saul had spent much time in the pursuit of David and his heart was set for evill against him and yet God upon their meeting disposeth of his heart and tongue to blesse him read 1 Sam. 26.25 Princes hearts have been nay they still are there you see it is but improving of proportionable Nationall and Personall interests and strength with our God in duty and without all question we may gaine this eminent mercy and have his heart with us before his person who thinks on or grudgeth his hazardous voyage to the Indies when he considereth a probability of getting gold pearles and diamonds we never think of the hardships of warfare and the difficultie of duties when we are bent upon honour and were we resolved for Nationall mercy and such a blessing as the Kings heart to subscribe to the just desires of all his Kingdomes we should not stick at any duty if we were but a little love-sick of mercy it would break a little more out of our lips And thus having given you reasons for this truth I shall supplicate you for a little patience whiles I apply it Use 1. For information of us how much they are to blame that do not at this day supply the lamentable imploring necessities of the Church of God in both Kingdomes but are extreme short in duty if they consider the length heighth depth and bredth of their misery little water will not quench or decrease a great fire no rather increase the flame the taking away a little bloud will not cure the Calenture the body must in such a case be brought low the leaving of a few grosse sins will not cure the Churches evill nor the simple performance of monethly duties no the Church of God is brought low but our hearts are not brought low no they must if ever we will do good on it be brought much lower yet 2 Such as consider not at all or take no notice or looke a squint on the Churches misery Amos 6.1 Woe to those that are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountains of Samaria that put farre from them the evill of the Nation and lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves on couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and calves out of the stall And so Ver. 5 6. That chant to the sound of the Viole and invent to themselves instruments of musick That drink wine in bowles and annoint themselves with the chiefe oyntment but they are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph How many in the Kingdome keeping the Churches fasting dayes as feasting days instead of neither eating nor drinking day nor night drink if not eat day and night 3. Such as delay the answering the Churches necessity in misery by performance of proportionable dutie like Solomons sluggard A little more sleep a little more slumber and a little more folding of the hands and so misery eats in like a gangrene it is an old saying Quod cito fit bis fit An oppâ—rtune remedy is a double curtesie he that helps at a pinch helps to purpose he that cryeth spare the child when the stripes are given gives little case gets little thanks O that we would know what belongs to the Churches peace Luk. 19.41 in this our day before these recovering mercies are hid from our eyes he speaks too late to the Judge for a reprieve when the ladder is turned It may be God will now heare and grant to morrow he will not In Cant. 2. the Church that drowsily neglected her safety after in the third Chapter seeks it night and day but found it not It is good stepping into the poole upon the motion of the waters if you misse your wind you may lose your voyage the season hath pantings and swounding fits already take heed it go not away in one of these fits Fourthly they also are much to blame who proportion their duties to the measure of their own pressing necessities and so are injurious to the cause of the Church of God Jeremy was not hurt for the hurt of himself but the daughter of his people Many are praying and fasting for their owne interests no Esther thinkes not of her self but her people so it must not be thy life or my life or thine or my goods estate children c. or thy personall suffering that must affect thee and afflict thee but the sufferings of all the members of Jesus Christ In all their afflictions thou must be afflicted and for them all thou hast must be hazarded And now right honourable and well-beloved suffer me to come to you in a word of Exhortation with some few Motives and I shall conclude all with supplications for God to guide your hearts to such personall preparations that you may this day find favour in the sight of God and the King and return at least with hopes of Peace or some small branch to show the waters are abated and that God in due time will cause the Arke which is the Church of God to rest safe upon the mountaines of hope 2. Use of Exhortation That by way of preparation for your addresse to His Majestie for the Churches preservation you and the Church of God would learn and practice that lesson that you may be prayerfull and powerfull You see Esthers practice for her distressed people Nay you see the three Kingdomes like that man that fell among theeves wounded and bleeding to death Oh be not like the hard-hearted Priests and Levites that minded more the market then their neighbours miserie But put on the good Samaritans compassion and go and do likewise let your bowels yerne towards the poore wounded lacerated halfe-dead Kingdomes looke out for oyle betimes to poure into the deepe wounds of it O apply such plaisters as may cat out the putrifying cores and if yet you cannot heale yet keep open and sweat the wounds of the Church of God I know you are men of skill and know how to doe it you indeed with those Honourable Houses that sent you under God are the Physitians must doe it It is you that must heale up the wounds make up the breaches that must bring backe God to his people and fetch the Kings heart to his God and your selves and his people And I heartily pray there may be found no Mountebanks amongst you who are more affected wâ—â—h the goods of the Nation than the good of the Nation such who mount the Stage to vent old drugs by faire bumbasted expressions for wholesome and
we never feare the noise of a Fly as the humming of a Bee because it hath no sting So that this kind of duty though it cannot keep thee and me from dying by the Sword it will keep us from dropping into hell and it is a sweet mercy for the members of the Church with Stephen at their death to see heaven opened and to die with the sense of Gods love though of mans cruell malice 6. Motive Your paines in duty for the Church of God in misery what ever it be shall be rewarded to you and yours unto many generations this will intitle you to the most sure inheritance and lasting legacie you can 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 souls 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 seen 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 jewels they are ready command me to place them in your 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 forme 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 would 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 self must he 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 worke 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 been 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 means 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 Dâ—egs this day and return 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 hearkned 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 means 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 our 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 be 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 forraign 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 the 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 the Churches good To whom with all our hearts be rendred and ascribed all Honour Glory Power and Praise now and evermore Amen FINIS