up after their deliverance Votivas Tabulas as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance VVhat are we to offer but Thanksgiving Ps 50. 14. what are wee to render but the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. Noâ— if wee thus I bour to eternize Gods name he will have regard unto our names if we honour him he will honour us so he declares Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly a gratefull commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances Reas 2. Thankfulnes is Gods Tribute is that Tribute that God requires that Homage due unto him VVe are all indebted to God nec solvendo sumus whatever we can doe at the best holds no proportion with the mercy received yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankfull heart and where it is graciously rewards it VVhat speciall notice doth Christ take of the thankfull Samaritan and the Apostle joynes unthankfull and unholy together what a brand of infamy lyeth on the ungratefull Impudence and Ingratitude goe together How many are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Tree what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun to forget the Roâ—k that made them and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies where 's Davids Quid retribuam What shall I render c. Psal 107. 8. A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty to record Mercies to speak good of God and blesse his name to tell what God hath done for thy self and for others what national what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord this is an excellent service To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key and to break forth into the praises of God This is a good thing Psal 92. 1. and as it is a good thing so it is a pleasant thing Psal 147 1. further it 's a comely thing to tell of Gods mercies and to say blessed be God is in discourses a comely Parenthesis The Apostle tels us Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness foolish talking and jesting are unseemly and inconvenient but what 's to be used in their room it followeth but rather giving of thanks but adde further praise is permanent for praise is to all eternity we shall for ever be praising of the Lord we shall sing praise honour and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore David professeth Ps 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being we should thus exercise our selves in that language on earth which will be our employment unto all eternity Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations 1 A Bond of Creation A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lye us upon As 1. Vinculo creationis God it is that made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God and set forth his praise we should be thankfull unto him and blesse his name as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came so wee should returne all wee have to the praise and service of God Auius Fulvius said to his Sonne when he found him in Catilines conspiracy Non ego te Catilinae genui sed patriae So doth God say I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withall but to serve me withall Quot membra tot ora So many members of our body and so many faculties of our soules are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord. 2. Vinculo Redemptionis here 's matter of praise for ever and eternity 2 A Bond of Redemption will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer who hath delivered us from our enemies to this purâ—ose That we might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives Luk. 1. 74 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God Quot inimici tot ora so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christs death call upon us to serve Christ for ever and to blesse God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ 3. Vinculo Gratitudinis Quot beneficia tot ora wee receive mercies 3 A Bond of Gratitude at our lying down and riâ—ng up we are compassed about with varieties of mercies mercies on the right and mercies on the left hand mercies for our bodies mercies for our souls so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankfull Haman plotted most mischief and was counterplotted and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance so the Romish â—un-powder â—raytoâ—s plotted the destruction of Protestants and layed their designes as low as Hell God hath vouâ—hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving dâ—e unto his name 4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae What lyeth in us we should 4 A Bond to promote Gods glory unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God Now this is a way of gloryfying God he is glorysied by the praises of his people â—or he that praiseth God glorisieth him Psal 50. 23. Now put all these together and you 'll conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine but make a Applicat seasonable improvement thereof in some usefull Application I shall onely insâ—st on three â—ses for Infoâ—mation Caution and Exhortation and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day Lend me I pray your patient attention whilst I make a suitable application of all 1. This serves to inform us of the warrantablenesse of our present Use 1. For information meeting upon this day and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving Gods people formerly upon like occasions kept a day of remembrance so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance wherein his own right arme wrought a glorious salvation for us Now to make you more sensible of the greatnesse of the deliverance I conâ—eive it very proper to my businesse that lies before me to make a brief Narrative and acquaint you with the â—istory of this day In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads into which I shall cast my following Narration 1.
voice of his Word Blesse the Lord all ye his hosts the Ministers of his that do his pleasure And we pray thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven 3. To celebrate the praises of God * Isa 6. 3. One cried unto another and 3. To praise God said holy holy holy Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory †Luk. 2. 13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angell a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men ‖ Rev. 4. 8 9. The foure beasts had each of them six winges about him they were full oâ— eyes within they rest not day or night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was is is to come 4. To make it their work to preserve Gods glory And I fell 4. To make it their worke to preserve Gods glory Rev. 19. 10. at his feet to worship him and he said unto me see thou do it not I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy The Angell would not beare with Gods dishonour and would not permit John to worship him 5. To be servants unto Christ When he bringeth in the first begotten 5. to be Christs servants Heo 1. 6. Psal 97. 7. Luk. 1. 19. into the world he saith let all the Angells of God worship him Confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idolls worship him all ye Gods They brought the message of Christs incarnation I am Gabriell that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to tell thee these glad tidings They ministred unto him * Mat. 4. 11. Then the Devill leaved him and behold Angells came and ministred unto him †Luk. 22. 43. And there appeared an Angell from Heaven unto him and strengthening him Christ is the head of them and they are his servants ye are compleat in him who is Col. 2. 10. the head of all Principality and Power 6. Angells are serviceable unto men not one but all not any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ministratores quos vulgò solemus officiarias vocare Beza Numb 20. 16 2 King 6. 16. aâ—e exempted They are all ministring spirits in the text And these singular services which they have done and will do for Gods children are upon record They deliver them from dangers When we cried unto the Lord he heard our voice and sent an Angell and hath brought us forth out of Egypt and behold we are in Kadesh a Cittie in the uttermost of thy border Feare not saith the Prophet for they they that be with us are more then they that are with them Who were they but Gods Angells for the Prophets safe-guard 1. The Angell of the Lord incampeth about them that feare him 1. The Angell of the Lord incampeth about the righteous and delivereth them * Dan. 3. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angell and delivered his servants that trusted in him aad hath changed the Kings word and yeelded their bodies that they might not serve or worship any God except their own God And Daniel makes this acknowledgment My God hath sent his Angell and hath shut ‖ Psal 91. 11. the Lyons mouth that they have not hurt me for asmuch as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee O King I have done no hurt †Dan. 6. 22. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all his waies Angels are Protectors Guardians commissionated by God Dan. 10. 13. to protect Gods children The Prince of the Kingdome of Persia withstood me one and twenty daies but lo Michael one of the chiefe Princes came to help me and I remained there with the King of Persia Michael is generally interpreted to be Christ the only Archangell 2. The Angells are of marvellous wisdome to direct counsell 2. Angels are of marveilous wisdome Gen. 24. 7. and advise the children of God The Lord God of heaven which took me from my fathers house and from the Land of my kindred and which spake unto me and sware unto me saying unto thy seed will I give this Land he shall send his Angell before thee and thou shalt take a wife to my son from thence The Lord before whom I walk will send his Angell with thee and prosper thy way and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred and of my Fathers house 3. They comfort Gods children Gen. 32. 2. This is Gods host said 3. Angells comfort Gods children 1 King 19. 5 6 7. Jacob as Elias lay and slept under a juniper tree behold then an Angell touched him and said unto him arise and eate And he looked and behold there was a cake baken on the coales and a cruse of water at his head and he did eat and drinke and laid him down again And the Angell of the Lord came a second time and touched him and said arise and eat because the journey is to great for thee 4. They punish their enemies * Gen. 19. 11 They smote the men that were at 4. Angells punish the saints enemies the dore with blindnesse both small and great so that they wearied themselves to find the dore †2 King 19. 35. And it came to passe that night that the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses Herod was made a signall spectacle of pride as is on record ‖ Acts 12. 23 And immediatly an Angell of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory he was Rev. 12. 7. eaten of wormes and gave up the ghost They stand for Christ and his Church against Satan and his Angells And there was war in heaven Michael and his Angells fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angells 5. They resist the wicked and their attemps Balaam found 5. Angells resist wicked men Num. 22. 22. 6. Angels carry the Saints souls into heaven Luk. 16. 22. 7. They gather the elect unto Christ Mat. 24. 31. Mar. 13. 27. Q. 4. Whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell his keeper Mat. 18. 10. it so And Gods anger was kindled because he went and an Angell of the Lord stood in the way for an Adversary against him 6. They carry the soules of Gods children into heaven And it came to passe that the begger died and was carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried c. 7. They gather the elect unto Christ at the last day He shall send
after however the prologue may promise a comedy yet the Epilogue will discover a fatall tragedy whatever laughter was extorted was but risus Sardonicus All the pleasures are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter-sweets will there not in all these be bitternesse in the end Thus drawing an induction from these and the rest I may hence collect an universall conclusion That nothing under the sunne is worthy of the labour and pursuite of the sonnes of men Thou then ex meliore luto sictus who art fram'd of a better mold who art imploy'd in a more peculiar service for the God of Heaven O tread not Antipodes be not unsutable to thy Lord and master A shame for a child to be so unlike his Father Tu tibi ipsi quaeris grandia dost thou O Baruch Baruch the person seeking seeke great things thou for thy selfe which is the person seeking and now bespeaks the continuance of your patience This string sounds harsh It 's strange that a man so highly advanc't in the service of God should so much forget himselfe C. A Laâ—ide checks him thus solus vis otiari nil vis pati pro conversione salute C. A Lapide in Loc. populi would'st thou enjoy thy rest alone and venter nothing for the conversion and safety of the people of God There 's an Emphasis in the word wilt thou seeke for thy selfe As supposing the Church and State should be put into one ballance and thy life in another would'st thou desire to outweigh them both Is thy life more pretious then so many millions Would'st thou be advanc't when the Church is brought low Would'st thou warme thy selfe at home by thine own fire when the temple of the Lord is a burning Questionlesse my brethren it 's the duty of a child of God to haue a fellow-feeling of his brethrens calamities to lay to heart their miseries as if they were his own Private interests must give place to publick miseries Particular relations must be swallowed up in the weale publick Private affaires must cease and be suspended when mighty and urgent businesse of Church and state require our helping hand Good old Elyes heart trembled for the Arke of God he could heare with patience the flight of Israel and the slaughter of his sonnes but as soone as the messenger made mention that the Arke of God was taken he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate and his neck brake and he died 1 Sam. 4. 18. And his daughter in law Phineas wife bowed her selfe and travailed and called her child Iâ—habod saying the glory is departed from Israel because the Arke of God was taken vers 22. You heare how deeply these two were affected with the Churches misery It were a prudent and profitable course in such times as these wherein we live to read leasurely over the booke of Lamentations that so our hearts might be fram'd into a broken temper And in the fayling of this man of God it should be our wisdome profitably to reflect upon our selves and see where 's our sympathy in these times of nationall calamities I feare most of our Consciences if they be not cauteris'd will give in evidence to the contrary How many are there who grow worse and worse in these perillous times adding dâ—unkennesse to thirst living in all manner of Epicurisme and sensuality Now Gods judgments are abroad how few are there that learne righteousnesse at home Where 's the man that makes such an excellent use of these distractions as to labour to walke more closely with God and to make his peace with him Where 's the man of Jerâ—mies temper who makes his head waters and his eyes a fountaine of teares Jer. 9. 1. Who eats no pleasant bread with Daniel who with Job abhorres himselfe and repents in dust and ashes we have many water-breaches and we may feare an innundation It nearly concernes us to put in practise the prophet Joâ—ls counsell To turne unto the Lord with all our hearts and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Joel 2. 12. would we were better acquainted that our Benonies will prove our Benjamins our sons of sorrow the sons of our right hand we should mourn with those that mourn and share with our brethren in their sufferings There 's more comfort to be extracted out of one daies communion with the Saints of God though in a suffering condition then in all the joviall society in the universe It 's storyed of Godfrey of Bullen that he refus'd to be crownd at Jerusalem with a crowne of Gold where Hist of God frey of Bullen in Fullers Holy Warr. Christ was crown'd with a crown of thorns A modest act that would not admit such a vast disproportion between him and Christ and shall we crown our selves with rose buds abate nothing of our former delights amidst all these dangers and perplexities When one ask't Plato how he came to such a perfection of wisdome he returnes this answer plus olei consumpsi in lampade quâm vini in calice that he spent more oyle in the lampe then wine in the cup. May the same be verified of us all And may not the complaint of the Prophet Isaiah Is 22. 12. find us guilty and in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sack-cloth and behold joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drinke Magnificè tibi prospectum vis in omnibus procellis c. Junius in locum for to morrow we shall die Blessed be God we have fasting daies enjoyn'd by publick authority but have not we just cause to fast for our fasting and mourne and be heartily sorrowfull that we have mourn'd and sorrow'd no more what a fearfull woe is there pronounc'd against those that are at ease in Zion Magnificè tibi prospectum vis in omnibus procellis ac tempestatibus tanquam è portu naufragium publicum prospectare So Junius upon my text tells us wilt thou sit at the haven and see others in a ship-wrack and not beare a share in their sufferings My brethren we sit here in peace our profession is a profession of peace We are Ministers of the Gospell and the Gospell is a Gospell of peace How should we with united hearts pray for the peace of Jerusalem our weapons should be preces lachrymae prayers and teares are the best armour of proofe most sutable to men of our coats The Apostles advise must be put in practise study to be quiet and to doe your own businesse 1 Thes 4. 11. Our eyes must be bedew'd with teares Our soules must be afflicted with sorrow and with our indefatigable supplications never give the Lord any rest untill he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isay 62. 6 7. O then give not liberty to thy nor satisfie thy selfe to the utmost though in a lawfull pleasure
we injoy without him all is bitter with him every thing is sweet JERUSALEMS REMEMBRANCERS UNFOLDED ON A SOLEMNE FAST DAY Upon Isaiah 62. vers 6 7. Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth UPON perusall of the 1. vers We shall find that Sermon 4. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Jan. 7. 1658. selfe same thing put into practice which is earnestly charged upon us as our grand duty in the Text for Zions sake c. Which words some learned expositors understand to be spoken of the Prophet Isaiah whose prayers were incessant in the behalfe of Jerusalem But I rather concurre with Scultetus Scultet Muscul Musculus c. Who understand them spoken of God promising and not of the Prophet praying For the words are a prophecy of Israels deliverance out of Babylon and of the glory and happinesse that shall be put upon the Church of God And Zion and Jerusalem are a Type of the Christian Church So that God will neither let the world nor the Potentates therein rest untill there be a full cleare and conspicuous deliverance offered for the Church of God Hence the Gentiles shall take notice of such wonderfull works of God Vers 2. The Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse Vers 2 and all Kings thy glory c. The Church that was so much afflicted Vers 3 and distressed shall be called by a new name vers 3. No more termed desolate but Hephtzibah and Beulah vers 4. And the moving cause of all this is Amor complacentiae For the Lord delighteth in Vers 4 them Which delight is amplified by a similitude Vers 5. For as Vers 5 a young man marryeth a Virgin so shall thy Sonnes marry thee And as the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride So shall thy God rejoyce over thee For the accomplishment of this great work to make the Church a glorious Church the Lord raiseth up eminent Instruments Vers 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem Vers 6 Hieronym which shall never hold their peace day nor night c. Jerome understands Angells Prophets Princes Teachers And some conceive that faithfull Governours and faithfull Ministers are here meant by the watchmen of the walls even all such as are in publick place and authority who are diligent in their watch and importunate sollicitors such as will have no nay and will never cease begging but are constant day and night as well in bad as good times in pouring out their hearts in prayer in the behalfe of Jerusalem These things premised I resume the words of the Text wherein there 's offered to our consideration a charge of greatest concernment unto the watchmen For the Lord having promised such eminently usefull Instruments for the effecting these great things promised to Jerusalem and the Lord having given a Character of their fidelity that they shall never hold their peace but shall be busied in praying for or instructing of the people of God in their duty Now the Lord by an Apostrophe directs his speech to those watchmen and chargeth them with the maine duty of the Text Ye that make mention c. 1 Wherein are three things to be observed 1. The perrsons described by a note of distinction to whom Divis the charge is given yee that c. 2. The substance of their charge set down Negatively in two expressions 1. Keep not silence 2. Give him no rest 3. The main end and designe intended that Jerusalem should be made a praise in the earth 4. The duration and continuance of this charge or employment of these persons that make mention of the Lord keep not silence till Jerusalem be establisht i. e. Their prayer must so long continue and they may not cease till Jerusalem be establisht and the gracious promises accomplisht in behalfe of the glorious condition of Jerusalem Before I give you the Doctrines I shall for explication of the words resolve a few Queries 1. What is meant by those that make mention of the Lord Q. 1 Ans Calvin understands them of the Ministers that Preach the Word of God The 70. renders the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the vulgar edition renders it verbatim Qui reminiscimini domini Qui ad memoriam revacatis Dominum Tigâ—r Tran. So Jerome Vatablus Osiander And our Marginall note in our English translation is Ye that are the Lords remembrancers some conceive this speech to be an Allusion to that standing office in Kings Courts of Remembrancers Corn. A. Lapide upon the place tells us Corn A. Lap in Loc. that the Kings of Judah had Maskirim Admonitores whose office was to put the King in mind of weighty affaires Junius renders the words Qui commemoratis Jehovam Rememorantes Dominum So Vatablus and he gives a marginall note Qui reminisci facitis Domini I shall not peremptorily determine which is the best of these translations Neither shall I confine the duty of the Text only to Ministers They in an eminent manner are the Peoples mouth unto God and Gods mouth unto the people And this duty of being the Lords Remembrancers belongs to them not that God needs any putting in mind or remembrance but that he would have us do our duty by assiduous supplications Yet we may not exclude any of Gods children from practising the duty of the Text in presenting prayers making diligent addresses unto the Throne of grace Though it belong unto all godly men yet in a more speciall manner to Ministers So * Quamvis haec sententià ad pios omnes pertineat tamen praecipue Sacerdotes attingit Cal. Calvin on the place 2. What 's meant by not keeping silence giving God no rest Q 2 Ans These two come to one and the same effect implying that they ought to speak and continue importunate in speaking They should speak aloud and never give over speaking The words are Metaphoricall took from those who are indefatigable sollicitors and will take no deniall Here 's a Character of fervent prayer which gives the Lord no rest i. e. earnestly and incessantly plyeth the Throne of grace and will take no repulse Of this more anon 3. What is meant by Jerusalem Q 3 Ans For Answer Jerusalem is either taken litterally for the place and Metropolis of Judea or rather by a Metonâ—mia continentis as it signifies the whole body of the Inhabitants there or else Mistically for that Jerusalem which cometh down from above And this is either universall or particular The universall Church is the whole body of believers dispersed through the whole world The particular Church is that wherein we live And this according to judicious Carthwrights division is of one Nation or of a narrrower compasse And the same Learned Author gives distinct definitions of them both A Church saith he of one Nation is that which is gathered under one politick civill government A V.
after a manner enquire yet not in truth and faith his enquiring was after a slight manner after an hypocriticall formall way like that of Balaam Numb 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his and like unto Israels howling Hos 7. 14. And they have not cryed to me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds they assembled themselves for corne and wine c. Wherefore then should we give God a slight service He requireth the Male the best of the flocks and there 's a dreadfull Curse Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing But in the second place here is a word of exhortation that we Vse 2. For Exhortation would all unite our forces for the Church in generall even the whole body of Christ however dispersed and distressed throughout the world How many of Christs body suffer hard things Some are imprisoned we must pray for the prisoners enlargement Some are under Antichristian Tyranny and Christ hath a Church even where Satan dwells we must pray that they may hold fast their profession without wavering Great things God hath granted to a praying people and he is the same God still as good and as gracious as ever The Army called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayed and raine was poured down in abundance to refresh the Pagan Army of the Emperour Insomuch ex ore adversariorum it was confest great was the God of the Christians Constantine that excellent Eccl. Hist Euseb Prince and Patron of Christians would not after the example of his Predecessours suffer his picture to be drawn standing in a stately posture but kneeling for he ascribed his victories to the answer of prayers Let us remember likewise all the distressed Churches beyond the Seas such as are in misery where their enemies are the chiefe we should give them the Charity of our prayers counsells compassions purses our Bowells should be opened wide towards their release Polonia other places cry out in the language of Job to his friends Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me To such as are afflicted pitty Job 19. 21. should be shewed We should all imitate the Apostle being alike affected with our Brethren rejoycing with them that rejoyce c. We should make their cases our own of this excellent temper was the Apostle Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I 2 Cor. 11. 29 burn not as if all the burthens of the Saints were laid upon his shoulders he was willing to beare them all Jerome writing a commentary upon Ezekiel and hearing of the sacking of Rome a place where he formerly lived was so affected that a long time he could think of nothing else He laid to heart so much the suffering of Gods people there as he imagined himselfe to be in their stead Furthermore in a more particular manner let us remember in our prayers the Land of our Nativity the Church of England Scotland and Ireland We expect shortly a Parliament and we hope in the multitude of Councellours there may be safety Formerly we have been frustrated of our expectations High-raised hopes have been disappointed That of the Prophet may truely be applyed to this purpose Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy Jer. 14. 19. soule loathed Zion why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble We have been justly crost in our hopes because we have Idolized men and relyed too much upon an arme of flesh We are to call upon the great counsell as the man of Macedonia did Come and help us and they likewise call upon us help us with your prayers We may hope to speed the better if we pray the more Let us pray as one man that the Lord would instruct the Counselllours after his own will and teach the Senators wisdome What farther I shall speak in this use shall come under these two heads 1. What speciall things we must pray for that our Jerusalem our Church of England may be established a praise in the earth 2. What moving inducements may be assign'd to incourage us in the duty of prayer For the first Above all we must pray for the advancement of Religion for the establishing the power of Godlinesse It is Religion that beautifies and adorns a Nation the Kings daughter Gods Church and People are glorious within their decking is of pure gold Grace ennobles and puts a glorious lustre upon a people To name a few particulars 1. Let us in an especiall manner pray for the encrease of Godly 1. Pray for Magistâ—ates Magistrates Reprovers in the gate such as will do judgment and justice There is a great promise made in those Gospell daies Isaiah 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Qâ—eens thy nursing Mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth and lick the dust of thy feet c. Our duty is to pray for them so runs the Apostles command 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made For all men for Kings c. Godly Rulers are a blessing to a Nation Jer. 5. 1. Run ye to and fro thorough the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if yee can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it So Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill and love the good and establish judgment in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hoasts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph Where such Magistrates are we must pray for their continuance and for a supply of their mortality that the Lord would send continually such as may dispence justice impartially and may be a terror unto evill doers and a praise to them that do well 2. Pray for faithfull soul-saving Ministers Many such in mercy 2. Pray for Ministers the Lord hath given us We must pray that the Lord would increase the number of them But the Prophets live not for ever wherefore we must pray for a Godly succession of Ministers that such may be incouraged who are workmen that needeth not to be ashamed and such may be removed as unsavory salt who make the sacrifice of God to be abhorred There are yet left a faithfull remnant sound in the faith and holy in life who are as farre from Antichristianisme as their false accusers are from Charity who labour in season and out of season and are willing to spend and be spent for the salvation of soules These in an especiall manner must be incouraged by our prayers that the Lord would give them The
seale of their Apostleship and make their Ministry instrumentall to convert and build up soules unto Jesus Christ And we must likewise be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advocates and Patrons of their maintenance It was the saying of an eminent Gentleman in Sr. Benjamin Rudiard the long Parliament that a scandalous maintenance would cause a scandalous Ministry It 's to be observed that Dioclesian did not do so much mischiefe to the Ministry it selfe as Julian did Dioclesian put many to death which was an horrid wickednesse But the Devill put another designe into Julians head to take away all the maintenance of Ministers and put downe Schooles of Learning and Ecclesiasticall Histories will informe us that by consequent Julian did the greater mischiefe For though some particular persons were took out of the way through Dioclesian's persecution yet there arose up others in their stead But the taking away of all their lands and revenues did hinder a succession of Ministers And the robbing of Schooles of learning discouraged many from the study of learned Arts and Sciences 3. Let us all pray for the continuance of Gospell Ordinances 3. Pray for the Continuance of the Gospell in their Liberty and purity This is that which made Israel praise-worthy in the eyes of the Nations Deut. 46. 7. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall heare all these statutes and say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people For what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for â—he Gospell of Christ the Word and Sacraments administred in their purity the Sabbath kept strictly all these will be the praise and glory of our Nation 4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem both for Civill and Ecclesiasticall peace Pray for Civill peace It 's to me a great wonder that 4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem amidst all the concussions and revolutions of these times we in joy peace that we â—it under our own Vines and Fig-trees that meum tuum are in some measure preserved that publick Courts of Justice are opened and that the sword is not put to the decision of all controversies We should pray that peace may be continued that all our Officers may be peace and exactors righteousnesse I know none that hath his eyes in his head or grace in his heart that is willing to imbroyl Isai 60. 17. the Nation in another civill war We know by sad experiâ—nâ—e the Calamities of War how thankfull ought we to be for the peace we yet in joy and how ought we to pray for the continuance of it that Peace may be extended as a river and righteousnesse like a mighty streame For Ecclesiasticall peace we must pray there are two great Prophecies Zeph. 3. 9. Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent And Zach. 13. 9. I will bring the third part through the fire Isai 66. 12. and will râ—fâ—ne them as Sylver is refined and trye them as Gold is tryed they shall call upon my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God There is an Unity of the spirit which we must endeavour to keep and there are seaven Ones mentioned Eph. 4. 4 5 6. One body one spirit one hope one God one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all c. I remember a patheticall speech which Luther useth to the Pastors of the Church of Strusburg Vobis oro perswadeatis c. i. e. I pray you sath he be perswaded that I shall alwaies be as desirous to embrace unity and concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus to be propitious to me Martin Bucer writes to a Godly Minister Quis non vitâ etiam sua redimat submorum isthuc infinitum dissidii scandalum Bucer very high expressions Who would not saith he purchase with his life the removing of that infinite scandall that comes by dissention Wherefore let us study the things that make for peace and edification Let dividing names be laid aside amongst sound Christian Quirites once named Cesars souldiers were pacified O that Christian being named union and reconciliation might be obtained Let us all labour to approve our selves members of the Church of Jesus Christ as living stones in that building The Apostle blames the Corinthians for siding and making partyes 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. It hath been declared to me of you my brethren by them which are of the House of Cloe that there are contentions among you Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I am of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ The name of Christian should swallow up names of division Now for Motives the second thing propounded here I shall 1 Motive God will make Jerusalem a praise adde two only 1. That God will make Jerusalem a praise in the earth For first Believe it God will not faile one tittle of his word All the promises made unto Jerusalem shall every one be fulfilled 1. Because he promiseth in their season Psal 48. 1 2. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the mountain of his Holynesse beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the North the City of the great King And Psal 50. 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined For Instance Greater shall be the light of knowledge of the Church in the Gospell Isai 11. 9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isai 60. 1 19. Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Vers 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory These great Promises referre unto the Gospell 2. The Church shall be enlarged Isai 51. 1 2 3. Hearken unto me ye that follow after righteousnesse ye that seek the Lord look to the rockes whence ye are hewen c. Look unto Abraham your Father and Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and blessed and increased him For the Lord will comfort Zion he will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desert like the garden of God c. 3. Holynesse shall be improved Deut. 26. 18 19. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people c. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise in name and in honour that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
have seen this duty tracked by the foot-steps of Gods people let us goe and doe likewise In the third place to give in the demonstration of the Point I shall 3. The Doctrine demonstrated draw a threefold Argument from the necessity equity and utility of the duty 1. From the necessity of the duty Ye have need of patience that Arg. 1. Drawn from the necessity of this duty after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise And that is necessary Necessitate praecepti medii For Precepts the Psalmist exhorts Râ—st in the Lord and wait patiently for him freâ— not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked dâ—vices to pass For evil deers shall be cut off but thâ—se that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth And the Prophet Zephaniah exhorts Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until Zeph. 3. 8. thâ— day that I rise up unto the prey for my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pâ—ur upon them mine indignatiâ—n even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Wait on the Lord be of good courage and Psal 27. 14. he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Solomon counsels Say not thou I will recompence evil but wait on the Lord and he Prov. 20. 22. shall save thee David layeth a strict charge upon himself My soul Psal 62. 5. wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him David could have taken opportunity to have revenged himself on Saul he had him as we say at his mercy but he waited Gods time The Lord 1 Sam. 24. 23. 1 Sam. 26. 23. saith he render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulnesse for the Lord delivered thee into my hand to day but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lords anointed David though he had an opportunity yet considered Saul was Gods anointed therefore he would not embrue his hands in his blood 2. Necessitate mâ—dii For waiting is an instrumental means Gods way of obtaining a grant of the thing desired Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel And behold there was a man in Jerusalem Luke 2. 25. whose name was Simeon and the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghâ—st was upon him The sons of God waited for their adoption And not onely they but our selves Rom. 8. 23. also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body And they wait for the coming of Christ So that ye come behinde I Cor. 1. 7. in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Waiting prepareth us for the receiving of a mercy whereas murmuring querulous speeches do indispose us for a mercy Whineing strugling and quarrelling provoke God to lash us more but a quiet composed behaviour an humble submission to the will of God is a ready way to obtain the thing desired even a comfortable fruition of our expectation God is most ready to help his people when their hearts most long after him for so runs the Promise I will pour Isa 44. 3. water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-sppring After the Church was in pain and travel and endured many throws and hard labor in expectation of deliverance read the gracious answer Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that awell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of hearbs Isa 26. 19. and the earth shall cast out the dead So that waiting works two things 1. It prepares us for a mercy it seasoneth our hearts and disposeth them for the entertainment thereof so that we are as Vessels throughly season'd 2. It sets a higher price and estimate on the mercy when it comes A mercy beg'd by Prayer waited for with Patience will of all others be the sweetest to us in the fruition Hannah had more children after Samuel but none so valued as Samuel the childe of her Prayers Now if deliverance and settlement to the Kingdom come as an answer of our Prayers O how welcome will the deliverance be It 's a comfortable experience recorded of the Church And it shall Isa 25. 9. be said in that day lo this is our God we have waited for him and he shall save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation 2. The second Argument shall be drawn from the equity of the Argu. 2 Drawn from the equity of the duty duty It 's all the equity and reason of the World that we should wait upon God we are Creatures and is it not equal that the Creature should wait upon the Creator we are Servants and should not Servants wait upon their Masters Behold as the eyes of servants Psalm 123. 2 look unto the hands of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us We are children and should not children wait upon their Father These relations intimate the equity of the duty we say that Relations though they be of least entity yet they are of greatest efficacy Doth not the Husband-man wait for the Harvest Doth not the Mother wait for the time of her deliverance Doth not the Patient wait upon the working of the Physick Now God is giving the Kingdom strong Physick a Purge to some a Vomit to others nay have we not just cause to fear that by reason of our Laodicean luke-warmness God will vomit us out of his mouth Let 's wait and see what God will do though we know not yet he knows the reason of his own proceedings God made Nebuchadnezzar a scourage to the Jews and God calls him his servant but because Nebuchadnezzar acted his own malice and revenge God will turn the wheel upon him Jehu was made an Instrument to root out Ahabs Family but because his heart was naught he aimed at the Kingdom for himself God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreâ—l upon the house Hos 1. 4. of Jehu God may raise up one to punish another and when they have done God may find out a scourge to punish the punishers themselves These are Gods Acts his strange Acts for so are his judgements Isaiah 7. 20. God will have a razor for that purpose In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razour that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the king of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet and it shall also consume the beard And notwithstanding greatness of
strength and power in the hands of men if they mis-imploy it God can give strength to wounded men to do great exploits For though ye had smitten the Jer. 37. 10. whole army of the Caldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn this city with fire And God can cause the lame to take the prey Thy tacklings are loosed they could not well strengthen their Isa 33. 23. mast they could not spread the sail then is the prey of a great spoil divided the lame take the prey Let us leave off murmuring and repining and wait to see what God will do with us and for us His time is next He will bring to pass his own work his own way to his own glory The third and last Argument I shall name shall be drawn from Arg. 3. Drawn from the benefit of waiting Isa 40. 31. the singular benefit and utility of the duty Art thou weak wait and thou shalt receive strength They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up on wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Art thou afraid of shame and disgrace lest contempt and ignominy be cast upon the Church of God see what the Prophet Isaiah saith It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers Isa 40. 22 23. that stretcheth out the heaven as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in that bringeth the Princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity Dost thou desire Gods blessing wait and thou shalt have it And therefore doth the Lord wait that he Isa 30. 18. may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you For the Lord is a God of judgement Blessed are all they that wait for him God knows when and how to help his Cum duplicaÌ„tur lateres venit Deus Isa 3â— 9 10 people In the mount God will be seen When the Bricks were doubled then came God and delivered the Israelites from their Aegyptian bondage The earth mourneth languisheth Lebanâ—n is ashamed and hewed down Sharon is like a wilderness and Bashan and Carmâ—l shake off their fruits Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self When helps from earth have been cut off then help came from Heaven When Abraham was stretching forth his hand to kill Isaac then the Angel said Stay thy hand When David was hemm'd in on every side then a way was made for his escape by the Philistines Invasion When Paul was a killing and they were beating of him to beat out his life then came news of an Insurrection in Jerusalem and by that diversion Paul was repreived God hath a way of escape for his people in Fire and Water When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Isa 43. 2 3. rivers they shall not over-flâ—w thee when thou walkâ—st thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Sometimes they have their lives for a prey other times they are made a prey and suffer in a common calamity Yet though the Saints suffer they have an hiding-place And a man shall be as an hiding-place from Isa 32. 2. the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shaddow of a great rock in a weary land They have a Pella a Zoar sometimes where they may securely escape with their lives yet they have always a refuge and shelter in the Divine Promises They have a rock higher then themselves from the end of the earth saith the Psalmist will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed Psalm 61. 2. lead me to the rock that is higher then I. It 's an obliged duty to wait upon the Counsels of God By waiting we may look for good successe because we goe Gods way by murmuring or reviling we cannot look for comfort because we goe the way of flesh and blood By patience the pain and anguish of our fore is mitigated by impatience it corrodes and is inrag'd Thus far of the Doctrinal part I shall improve all unto four Use 1. For Terror Uses viz. For Reprehension Exhortation Direction and Consolation It breathes forth terror and severe reproof unto the murmuring spirits of these present times Never more complaining in our Streets Oh! we would have peace upon any tearms when will the Sword be put into the sheath when shall the Kingdom be setled That complaint is frequently taken up Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and Jer. 14. 1â— there is no healing for us we looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing but behold trouble For Answer I expostulate with Jehu What Peace What Peace with Rome What Peace with Benhadad What Peace with falshood Peace upon such tearms will prove but a Body massacring a Soul-murdering Peace What Peace with our lusts and corruptions Till they be slaughtered what peace can we expect Can we expect a cessation of punishing before there be a cessation of sinning Can we expect peace with men as long as we continue at War with God For all those Monethly Fasts and days of Humiliation where 's a serious Reformation of our hearts and lives You know how hasty Saul was he forced himself to sacrifice and would not stay till Samuel came it cost him his Kingdom The Israelites would not wait Gods time but were hasty for an encounter with the Amalekites and you may see what they got by it they fell before them and were discomfited unto Hormah Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites that dwelt in the hill and smote Numb 14. 45. them and discomfited them even unto Hormah And what 's the ground of this hastiness of spirit It 's infidelity because we believe not God upon his Word we are such hot spurres we out-run Providence and antidate Deliverance We go devised ways untract pathes according to secret impulses quite contrary to the rode of the Word did we believe the faithfulness of God That he is faithful that hath promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church we should possess our selves with patience and wait quietly for deliverance We usually say that hasty men never want woe Rash preproperous and preposterous practices are the ruine of practitioners An impatient man is a gate without an hinge Janua sine cardine What shame is it for a Christian to be like Hercules furens or like the Demoniack mentioned in the Gospel rending and tearing himself An impatient male-contented person is Felo de se his own Executioner What a weakness was it in
and pray Isa 26. 16 20. wrestling of tugging hard at the Ore This God looks for and his people have practiced Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them Come my people enter thou into thy â—hambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past We are in an afflicted condition and the counsel of the Apostle is Is any among you afflicted let him pray We are sick and wounded The same James 5. 13. Apostle prescribes Confess your faults one unto another and pray one James 5. 16. for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much There 's a dreadful tempest the ship is a sinking we had need be awakened and cry unto God we had need pray Lord save us or else we perish This God expects Thus saith Ezek. 36. 37. the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock This duty of Prayer hath a commanding vertue The expression is very high Thus Isa 45. 11. saith the Lord the holy One of Israel and his Maker ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the works of my hands command ye me This is Solomons Pharmachum Catholicum even a Medicine for all diseases O pray pray rowl your selves in the dust you deal for a Kingdom you deal for the Church the Gospel and its Ordinances for the lives of millions pray then in good earnest and joyn fasting with waiting Antichrist is a strong Devil this kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer 2. Wait and study the Scriptures Affliction saith Luther makes us Means 2. Wait and study the Scriptures understand Scripture we understand now what is meant by confusion and desolation Compare the times of Habakkuk with our times and they come very near they answer one another as face answereth to face Such a dark vision is now as was then Let us study and search whether the Witnesses be slain or no If they be slain then we may expect glorious times if not worse are to be looked for As far as I can apprehend by comparing Scripture with Scripture though it 's difficult to determine by the Witnesses are meant the Magistracy and Ministry Compare Rev. 11. 4. with Zech. 4. 3. and 14. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth So in the Revelations And in Zechary we read And two olive trees by it one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon the left side thereof Then said he these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth I determine nothing in this doubtful case but the great contempt cast upon both Magistracy and Ministry and greater yet is to be feared even throughout all Kingdoms makes it probable that the time of their slaughter draweth nigh We may not be over-curious in fixing particular times lest we incur the same check for our curiosity as they did It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put Acts 1. 7. in his own power 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Yet you have them and Means 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Isa 30. 20. blessed be God vve yet have a nail left us in the publick Assembly That Prophecy is made good That though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Yet we have a publick Vision The voice of the Turtle is yet heard in our Land Let 's wait at these Bethesdah's at the Posts of Wisdoms Gate we should mourn for the great contempt that is cast upon Ordinances and because others slight them we our selves should learn to esteem them highly frequent them diligently and pray that God would teach us to profit by them The Word Sacraments Sabbaths Meditations Conference are advantagious Ordinances even the food of our souls Take away meat and drink and you starve the Body Take away Ordinances and you slarve the Soul Wait and treasure up your experiences Review and call to Means 4. Wait and treasure up your experiences minde the mercies of old what God hath done for you in former times Thou hast known a Famine God hath provided for thee then Thou hast been in great straits and dangers and God hath delivered thee at that time Thou hast been at the Graves mouth and a sentence of death seemed to pass against thee God hath restored thee to tell his Praises and to bless his Name Thou hast known Troubles Tumults and Commotions in the Kingdom and God hath quieted and composed them Thus then argue God is the same God he is in Heaven still and doth whatsoever he pleaseth he is as willing as able as merciful as ever He sets bounds to the Seas and stills the raging of the people He is not changed with the change of time Christ is the same yesterday to day and the same for ever Though we are out of order yet his Covenant Heb. 13. 8. 2 Sam. 2â— 5. is ordered Though we are transient yet his Covenant is everlasting Wait in the right season Now is the season perilous and a time Means 5. Wait in the right season of waiting Times of afflictions are waiting times When all seem against thee and thou canst not tell how to conclude from such premises as were unheard of before Now wait and be silent Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised out of his holy Zech. 2. 13. habitation Be far from murmurings and responsations against God Thou must wait upon God in the way of his Judgements yea in Isa 26. 8. the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for thee The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Sixthly and lastly Joyn reformation with waiting I press not Means 6. Joyn reformatâ—on with watching all this while a lazy idle waiting a folding thy hands in thy bosom but a working waiting Wait and purge thy conscience Trim up thy soul for the entertainment of Jesus Christ God will not come into a Cage of unclean Birds The soul must be purified Mercy follows Reformation at the heels Deliverance followeth Reformation Many days of Humiliation we have had and when one is done we had need have another to bewail the failings of the former So that many harvests are past and many Summers ended and we are not saved But if there was one day of through Reformation the business would be done God would be intreated for the Land We may justly fear that the Commission given to the Sword is not yet called back
but God will send it again to avenge the Jer. 6. 8. quarrel of a broken Covenant My advice from God to you is Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thâ—e Amos 4. 12. desolate and a land not inhabited Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not Zeph. 2. 1 2. 3. desired before the Decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon yoú before the day of the Lords anger come upon you Seek ye the Lord all the meek of the earth which have wrought his judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger And for a close of all The last Use is a Word of comfort to a waiting use 4. For Consolation people Mercy will be the portion of a waiting believing people And when it comes it will be good measure full press'd and running over It will abundantly make amends for all thy waiting for it Oh then confirm the weak hands and strengthen the feeble knees Learn to live by Faith in dying times Whatever thou loosest whether voluntarily or compulsorily let not go thy Faith Wait patiently and silently under dark Visions at the end the Vision shall speak and not lie God is a God of Infallibility and Eternall truth and will not falsifie his promises Though it tarry and thou hast waited long yet wait a little longer it shall come and will not tarry And it will be an exceeding comfort to the Saints when after long waiting for a mercy they can say by happy experience Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Isa 25. 9. Establishment of Justice Vnfolded in an Assise Sermon Preacht at St. Mary's OXON Upon Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish Judgement in the gate It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph AS in Water face answereth face So the Text suits Serm. 7. At St. Mary's Oxon. March 1. 1649. with the solemnity of the day It is a word in due season which I am resolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fear or flattery to apply particularly to your consciences as a word both seasonably to be Preacht and profitably to be learnt The Lord make it as profitable to you as it is seasonable for you My Prophet Amos was one of those Prophets which we call the lesser Prophets not of less esteem for his person or matter which he Prophesied then the others but less in quantity and bulk having reduced a great deal of choice matter into a narrower compass He Prophesied before Israels transportation into Babylâ—n He was an Herdsman of Tekoah chap. 1. ver 1. furnished with a Prophetical Spirit and commissionated by God for so high an employment v. 3. He Prophesied in a time of monstrous Impieties and severe Judgements He lived in the days of Vzziah and you may read of his horrid attempt in invading the Priests Office and the Judgement written in legible Characters in his Leprous â—orehead And they withstood Vzziah the King and said unto him It pâ—rtaineth not unto 2 Chro. 26. 18 19. thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but unto the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Goe our of the sancluary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God Then Vzziah was wroth and had a Conser in his hand to burn incense and while he was wrath with the Priests the leprosie even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from besides the incense altar Some particular impieties and reigning abominacions were 1. Idolatry 1. Idolatry Idolatry was so continually practiced as by way of Irony the Lord seems to invite them to heap up the full measure of their sins Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgressions Amos 4. 4. Hoc est cumulare sâ—elera sceleribus Calv. in Loc 2. Vnmercifulness Amos 1. 9. and bring your sacrifices every morning and your tithes after three years A second sin was unmercisulness want of bowels of compassion Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for fâ—ur I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and remembred not the brothâ—rly Covenant A third sin was Oppression Hear this word ye kine of Bashan that 3. Oppression Amos. 4. 1. are in the mountain of Samaria which oppress the poor which crush the needy which say to their masters Bring and let us drink And violence is another sin of the same litter Ye that put far the Amos 6. 3. evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near A fourth sin is Injustice and Bribery I couple them together like 4. Iujustice and Bribery Amos 5. 7 12. to like Ye that turn Judgement to wormwood and leave off righteousness in the earth For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins They afflict the just they take a bribe and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right A fifth sin is Luxury and Jovialty That chaunt to the sound of the Violl and invent to themselves Instruments of Musick like David 5. Luxury Amos 6. 5 6. That drinke Wine in Bowlls and anoint themselves with the chief Oyntments But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph A sixth is Pride Now Judgements are the unhappy issue which 6. Pride sin brings forth Each word is a Thunder-bolt Amos 9. 8 9. Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull kingdom and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among the nations like as corn is fifted in a sieve yâ—t shall not the least grain fall upon the earth And particular Judgements are threatned suitable to their sinnes As 1. Famine I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your 1. Amos 4. 6. cities and want of bread in all your places yet have you not returned unto me saith the Lord. There 's the punishment of Luxury 2. Mildew and Blasting I have smitten you with blasting and mildew 2. Amos 4. 9. when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees increased the palmer-worm devoured them yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord There 's another punishment of Luxury and Intemperance A third punishment is Pestilence I have sent among you the
Scripture proofes I need not range in any other fâ—elds In the second place I le give in some Scripture Reasons for confirmation of the point 2. Reas 1. From the excellency of justice The sirst reason shall be drawn from the excellencie of Iustice And this will appeare in these particular respects It derives its Originall from God Iustice is a communicable Attribute flowing from the fountaine to the streams and government which is that master-wheel to set the motions of Iustice in due order receives prime honour and excellencie from divine Institution By me Kings raigne and princes decree justice by me Princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 1. 15. 16. There 's a jus divinum to warrant your honourable calling Iustice is excellent in respect of that incomparable superexcellent price paid to make satisfaction to it and that was the blood of Iesus Christ It 's true that mercy is God's delight It 's above all his workes mercy is swift pac'd Iustice is slow pac'd its chariot wheels drive heavilie God was walking in the garden when he went to passe sentence on Adam But he ranne to meet the Prodigall here 's a walking in point of judgment but a running in point of mercy Yet notwithstanding Iustice will be no looser Mercy Iustice power goodnesse obiquitie c. are diversly according to our capacities apprehended by us yet they are all one in God As God is mercifull so he is just Iustice must be satisfied per se aut per alium Per se no man can it must be done per alium by a suretie See Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shephard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shephâ—ard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones No lesse price was paid to satisfie Divine justice then the effusion of the precious blood of the sonne of God one drop whereof is of infinite dignitie price and value The excellencie of Iustice appeares in respect of its excellent effects and operations Iustice is the basis and supporter of the state Leâ—est corporis Politici nervus The great body of states would be paralitick and in a paroxisme and there would be a dissolution of the continuum if the sinewes of Justice should faile To justice under God we owe our lives liberties lively-hoods We could not sleep quietly in our beds for feare of massacres and robberies if lawes were not in force and the current of Iustice should be damnd up Iustice may be compared to the stakes of a strong hedge to keepe it from falling And a Iudg is a quick-set-hedg to keep off incursions into anothers Peculiar Iustice is the preserver of meum tuum It 's the life of our societie the bulwarke and buttresse of our safetie the fort-royall and strength of our Garrisons Should justice cease and there should be no reprover in the gate we should be resolved into an Anarchy a Chaos a confusion and destruction We should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo homini lupus nay homo homini Daemon By the execution of Iustice Government Magistracie Iudicatures those strong walls of a Kingdome remaine impregnable Religion learning trades traffiques lawes arts and scienâ—ss thrive and shelter themselves under the wings of government executing Judgment and justice Reas 2. From the Necessity of establishing justice The second reason shall be drawn from the apparent necessitie of establishing judgment and justice The necessitie is indispensible whether there be considered Necessitas Paecepti vel Medii For the first â— how frequently doth the Lord call for execution of Iustice It 's that which must be sought after Isay 1. 17. Learne to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherlesse plead for the widdow It must be kept Isay 56. 1. Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgment and dot justice for my salvation is neere to come and my righteousnesse to be revealed It must not be executed as a malefactour that 's a persecution not execution Iustice is executed upon delinquents not upon it selfe Zech. 7. 9. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying execute true judgment and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother So Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour executo the judgment of truth and peace in your gates It s promised as a mercy Isay 28. 6. And for a spirit of Judgment to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turne the battell to 〈…〉 gâ—te It s an argument of Gods love to a people I Kings 10. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to doe judgment and justice It 's that which hath God's approbation Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and love mercy and to walke humbly with thy God It s that which God loveth Psal 33. 5. He loveth righteousnesse and judgment the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. It 's that which in an especiall manner God commands Deut. 16. 18. Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee thorowout thy tribes and they shall judge the people with just Judgment There 's another jus divirum for your authoritie And Justice is that which God rewards Isai 33. 15. 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his water shall be sure So Jer. 22. 15. shalt thou raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Câ—dar did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Justice is necessary necessitate medii A godly Magistrate dispensing justice and judgment reconciles meum tuum those two wrangling pronounes which are those Phaetons and grand incendiaries that set the whole world in a combustion Terminus was so much set by among the Romans that they paid homage to it tanquam Numini tutolari Without any tang of or compliance with their Idolatry we may safely say that the law is the Boundary of a common-wealth It s a good sence or mound to keep off beasts of prâ—y from making inrodes into my Severall It 's a good screne to keep off the scorchings of firy spirits who Salamander like live in the fire of contention It 's a strong bulwarke to desend a mans right from surprizall by violent enemies who lay seige and make batteries against it The law is Terminus
shee highly deserved it as being one of the worst of Haereticks An ingenuous spirit relents with teares Ille dolet quâ—ties cogitur esse ferox Iudgment must bee given with abundance of humanitie and commiseration And now Right Honorable and the rest beloved in the Lord Iesus give me leave for a close of the whole to apply all in a word of exhortation Let mee divide to every one his portion You that sit in Iudgment remember the text Establish judgment Vse for exhortation c. Consider your Authority in what an eminent place you are set lay out your dignity to doe God and your Countrey good service You are a Beacon set upon a Hill the whole country gazeth upon you There are many eyes upon you and if you swerve from the rule of Iustice the people will serve you as the Levite served his Concubine they will quarter your faults and send them up and down the Kingdome with a was it ever thus I commend Jehoshaphats counsell to your serious consideration 2 Chron 19. 6. 7. Hee said to the Judges Take heed what you doe for yee judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment wherefore let the feare of the Lord bee upon you take heed and doe it for there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts You are summoned and have a charge given you by the spirit of God Psal 2 10. Bee wise now therefore yee Kinges and bee instructed yee Judges of the earth You have the name Elohim Psal 82. 6. I have said yee are Gods and all of you are children of the most high Doe you as God would doe Hee would relieve the oppressed acquit the innocent condemne the nocent stand for the poore man in a righteous cause Hee would have Achans Zimriâ—s Cosbies Blasphemers Murderers Idolaters Adulterers punished Remember I humbly entreat you that Iustice is God's Legacy and you are Executours and Administratours thereof be carefull to have the will of God performed I beseech your patience in a few humble requests which I shall make unto you before I conclude I intreat you for poore Prisoners for their soules and bodies For To the Judges their soules that they may have some to teach them the Knowledge of God And for their bodies that they may not bee starved in prison lye in a pit wherein is no water Prisons are oft times Nurseries of all wickedness and that which is a place of restraint is imployed in all manner of licentious outrage so that none are more vile and wicked than Iaylours and their Prisoners 2. I intreat you to incourage the faithfull ministry of the Kingdome As for Baals or Bacchus Priests that make God's sacrifice to be abhorred I wish an Ostracisme to them a tumbling out of their places if they evidence not signall Repentance I plead only for men pious orthodox learned help them to bread help them to bookes If the nurse bee starved the child will bee starved Help them to encounter with the mighty who refuse to pay them their dues because they dare not give the Sacrament to them that are Scandalous when as many times such as they refuse are fitter to go a grazing with Nebucadnezzar amongst the beasts of the field Because some Conscientious ministers have refused to give the Sacrament to drunkards swearers and adulterers some have detained their maintenance from them 3. I have a word to speake in behalfe of this University I speak to a Person of learning my argument is maintaine that my Lord which maintaines you Wee desire no Prelaticall Pompe or domination but only our just rights and priviledges that Religion and learning may be countenanced by your Authority 4. I have a word to speak for the Town I beseech you subdue the Ale-houses the Nurseries of the Divell Ther 's a good expedient and a pious worke begun very lately a work-house and some poore are set to worke in it I humbly crave your incouragement and counsell that it may not be crusht in the Bud nor sinke for want of your assistance And you the honourable Bench the Iustices of the County I beseech To the â—onoâ—â—ble bench you to lay forth all your Interests to promote the Kingdome of Iesus Christ Labour to bee as so many instrumentall Saviours for your Countrey punish swearing and blasphemies There is an Act in the beginning of Q. Eliz that such as maintained Heresies condemned by the foure Generall Counsels should be burnt to ashes You have a late Ordinance of Parliament for your warrant nay rather the Ordinance of God Levit. 24. 16. Hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord hâ—e shall surely bee put to death and all the congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger as hee that is borne in the land when hee blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall bee put to death Try your skill and put forth your skill to subdue the lewd Ale-houses Mr Bolton said in an Assise sermon that it was easier to take Dunkirke than put down an Ale-house Dunkirke was not long since taken would the Ale-houses were put downe You must seare these Hydras else new heads will spring up Give not any just cause to any to complaine that the Justice sweares himselfe and will not punish swearing that the Justice is a good fellow himselfe and will not punish drunkenness I hope better things of you Purge your families keep no swearers drunkards adulterers sabath-breakers within your roofe Give them not harbour for secular Interest but resolve that if they will not serve God let them not serve you according to Joshuas practice chap. 24. 15. If it seeme evill unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the God's which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the Gods of the Amorites in whose land yee dwell but as for mee and my house wee will serve the Lord. Set the 101 Ps as a just standard rule to go by TheMaxime of Constantius was He cannot be faithfull unto mee that is unfaithfull unto God Remember the National Covenant taken in a day of distress for which there will bee a day of account to goe before each other in a reall example of reformation That Covenant is not an Almanack out of date but obligeth us as the Tenour runs all the dayes of our life You the learned Lawyers I have a word to say to you To the Lawyers Doe not patronize unrighteous causes Set not your tongues to sale to bolster a bad cause See Isai 5. 20. Woe unto them that call evill good and good evill and put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Doe not wire-draw Clients suites Doe not snarle and intangle a cause with needless perplexities to tire out the poore Client with tedious attendances Take heed likewise of base mercenarie silence
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life This fountaine was opened for Manasseh a bloody sinner 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. And when he was in affliction he befought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him againe unto Jerusalem into his Kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God This fountain was opened for Saul a cruel persecutor Act. 9. 3 4. And as he journyed he came neere Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from Heaven And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This fountaine was opened for the poore woman a grievous sinner Luk. 7. 47. Wherefore I say un to thee Her sins which are many are forgiven for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little The woman with the bloody issue believed it and shee will make triall Mat. 9. 20 21. And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood 12 yeares came behinde him and touched the hem of his garment For she said within her selfe if I may touch his garment I shall be whole The woman when she had spent all upon Physitians which were of no value was cured by Christ both in body and soul Luke 8. 48. And he said unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace And what 's the reason why is there such a fountaine opened No other but free love and bowels opened Sinne endeavours to lock up this fountaine free grace love mercy opens this fountaine But how comes such vertue in this fountaine A. This is the fountaine and originall of all vertue Q. But who are to wash in this fountaine A. All are invited none excluded but such as exclude themselves such as are not sensible of their sins who apprehend not their pollutions will never take the paines to come hither and wash My text is free grace exalted bowels opened mercy heightned gospell enlarged Here 's the Gospel Exchequer full of riches and pretious thinges Here 's the brazen serpent erected the golden scepter held forth If we come not to this exchequer look not up to this serpent take not hold of this scepter the fault is our own O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thine help Hos 13. 9. Q. But who are washt and cleansed A. The house of David and Ierusalem the children of God that are sensible of their misery mourners for sin such as apprehend themselves stunge looke to the brazen serpent Such as are humbled for sin are in a capacity of receiving Christ such as are mourners in Zion shall have beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning And those that have thus mourned as for an only son shall have the benefit of this fountaine The invitation is large Luke 14. 17. And he sent his servant at supper time to say unto them that were bidden Come for now all things are ready But read their shifting excuse in the verse following They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought a peice of ground and I must go and see it have me excused Jesus Christ is freely tendred and offered sermon after sermon and frequently in these gospell dispensations but how few embrace him Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him The fountaine is full enough large enough O come hither wash and be cleane But you cannot come unlesse you be drawne by the father neither will you come unless you be sensible of your owne vilenesse pollutions impurities and of the wondersull vertue Caâ— 1. 4. John 6. 44. that is in this fountaine to wash and cleanse you Of this more anon You heare my text is pure gospell It holds forth the pearle of the Gospell Jesus Christ My message from God to you is to perswade you to imitate the wise Merchant To fell all for the purchase of the Pearle of great price It s a fountaine and there 's no fcarcity at Math. 13. 46. the fountaine It s a fountaine opened and there 's riches of mercy My invitation from God this day is to humble sinners such as are sensible of their lost condition to come and wash in this fountaine Be thou never so much polluted yet this fountaine can cleanse thee Let not thy sins hinder and discourage thy comming but come quicklier and hasten thy pace This Exchequer will pay all thy debts This Fountaine will make thee cleane I doe not I dare not open a gap to Licentiousnesse But I enlarge the riches of free grace and mercy Dost thou thirst Here 's an invitation Art thou a godly mourner this day Here 's a fountaine opened Be thy sinnes crimson sinnes double dyed O now come in to Jesus Christ Here 's a plaister every way as broad as the sore Be they as scarlet Christ's blood will make them as white as wooll This fountaine doth miracles which none other can doe For it washeth the Aethiopian cleanseth the Leopard Will you then perish for want of water and there 's a fountaine Will you lie and die in your sinnes notwithstanding salvation is tendred and thewater of life offered freely O! desperate sottish sinners though God would heale them yet they wil not be healed though God would enrich them yet they looke not after his riches nor value them at all Though he would cleanse them yet they will not come to the fountaine It 's said Gen. 21. 19. God opened Hagars eyes to see a well It is God alone that can open thine eyes to see this fountaine The fountaine may be hard by us Christ may be tendered and yet we may not see nor heare him Let God be true and every man a Liar More I shall speak in this Kind when I come to the Application Methâ—d propounded For a more full and profitable handling of this precious Doctrine I shall propound this Method 1. I shall discover the Analogie and Resemblance between Christ and a Fountaine 2. How Christ may be said to be a Fountaine opened 3. For whom this fountaine is opened 4. The wonderfull benefits that flow from this fountaine to the Children of God Fiftly and Lastly I shall set all home unto your Consciences by particular application 1. What Analogy there is betweene Christ and a fountainâ— First What Analogie and resemblance there is between Christ and a fountaine The Analogie holds good in these ensuing particular respects 1. There 's fullnesse of water in a fountaine No want at the well spring the well
subjiciuntur Contra ingenium naturae suae agnoscamus naturam Dei quae cogit illa nostris usibus inservire Pet. Mart. Poenitentia Dei est MutaÌ„dorum immutabilis ratio August Hunc adulterinum degenerum pro meo jam agnoscere dedignor Calv. in Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Inter. Sedes vitae sedes animae principium intellectus vo luntatis affectnum moâ—um to vanity and destruction through Mans iniquity Rom. 8. 20 22. But this sharp Sentence God pronounceth with a great deal of reluctancy he is said to repent in this verse and v. 6. both to repent and be grieved at his heart This is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance cannot in a proper sense be attributed to God Repentance in God is the unchangeable disposition of changeable things as Augustine observes God may will a change where he doth not change his will There 's no change in the Creator the change is in the Creature and here we may see how God takes upon him our affections and so condescends to our capacity As we repent and are grieved when any thing displeaseth us so God here speaking after the manner of men is said to repent and grieve Hence we may observe what an hainous and abominable thing sin is that causeth God to grieve Calvin on the place supposeth God pleading on this wise This is not my work this is not the man created after mine Image endowed with such noble faculties this adulterous and degenerate world I scorn to own for mine But wherein consists the greatness of the sins of the old World against whom the Lord threatens destruction You have a general charge given in by God himself v. 5. compared with Gen. 8. 21. It 's said there The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth They were habituated in wickedness generally both heart and life stark nâ—ught they were gray hair'd in wickedness and now arrived at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest point and degree of impiety and the heart which the Philosophers say is the seat of life and Scripture saith It is the seat of the soul and principle of the understanding will affections and motions this is depraved and become the forge of all abominations It 's said Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were onely evil continually Of this change in general the Lord gives a clear proof by particulars v. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair c. By sons of God some understand Angels This was the conjecture of Tertullian Justin Martyr Clemens Alexardrinus and others But Chrysostome urgeth that Scripture which to me seems a full confutation of their opinion Matth. 22. 30. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven Others understand by sons of God the sons of Princes and those great Personages that liv'd in those days I shall rather wave these â—xpositions and concur with Calvin Luther Musculus Ainsworth and other solid Commentators who unanimously by Sons of God understand the Posterity of Seth such as were the sons of God by external Profession the men of the Church of God and these took the daughters of men i. e. The Posterity of Cain The holy Seed mingled themselves with the prophane Seed they looked at naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Interp. else besides Beauty and satisfaction of â—usts Beauty was the * object of their Love This desire of Beauty was the Harbinger of their ruine It seems they took any Women whatsoever having no regard to goodness no regard to God none to their Parents advice they made their own choice Beauty Lust Violence their own will was the rule they went by and might prevail'd above right Violence and power carryed all before them v. 4. some derive the word quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of the Earth This Etymology savors of a Poetical Figment therefore I discard it altogether The word in the Original is Nephilim it comes from Naphal to fall they were Apoâ—ates and fell from God and by reason of their tyranny and cruelty caused many to fall before them It 's said Haggibburim they were mighty men The Caldee calls them Gibbaraja mighty men So Nimrod was Gibbor mighty Gen. 10. 8. He hunted souls he was a monstrous Tyrant and Persecutor of the Church of God These men were famous they had a great name but they were famous onely for oppression and cruelty their Will was their Lâ—w and their strength and might bore down all before them They got power and a name by the Injuries and Persecutions which they exercised upon the Church of God Calvin gives a remarkable observation That it was the Haec prima fuit mundi nobilitas nequis longa famosa imaginum serie nimium sibi placeat Calv. in Loc. first Nobility of the world That no one should too much please himself with a long and famous series of Images of Ancestors And Luther gives another note writing of the fame of these wicked Gyants and the renown they got by their Villanies he compares them to the Popes Cardinals and Bishops who would not be called by those names they deserved they would not be called Tyrants Impious Qui salutantur principes regna tenerent non Tyranni c. sed clementissimi sanctissimi reverendissimi appellantur Luth. Sacrilegious but Merciful Holy Reverend So the renown of these Gyants is mentioned for their Villanies They were famous Oppressors cruel Blood-suckers wicked Tyrants And thus you have a draught of the old World set before your view Their crying sins were prophaneness of heart and life promiscuous Marriages Polygamies contempt of God and Parents Oppressions Cruelty and Persecution They had many warnings from God many reproofs and admonitions by the Ministry of the Patriarchs and all in vain wherefore the Lord threatens in the Text My spirit shall not always strive c. Which words are a Sermon Preach'd by the great God of Heaven and Earth to the old wicked World which Sermon is a Patern and the Archetipam for Ministers to Preach by and consists of Judgement and Mercy 1. Here 's a dreadful Judgement or a sad Commination of Divis 1. A Judgement and the reason thereof the heaviest punishment that can befall a people on this side Hell My spirit c. 2. Here 's a strong reason to enforce For that he also is flesh In the Mercy contained in the Text. 1. You have something implyed It s said Not always implying that it hath striven some time and a long time too In Justice God might cut sinners asunder in the midst of their rebellions and send them to Hell But O the infinite mercy and patience of God thus to strive at all and to strive so long with rebellious sinners 2. Here 's a mercy
for Terrour Exhortation Examination Direction and Consolation 1. This Doctrine breathes forth terrour and dreadful Judgement Use 1. For Terrour unto all unholy persons If the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall all unholy persons appear If onely holy persons are blessed surely then unholy persons are cursed If holy persons shall be admitted into Gods presence and enjoy communion with God and see God the Father reconciled God the Son their Redeemer God the Holy Ghost their Comforter where shall unholy persons appear They shall stand without they are the dogs whipt out of Gods presence they shall see God no otherwise then the Malefactor a Judge condemning of him Then all the Attributes of God shall plead against prophane persons My mercy saith God my patience my loving kindness my goodness have been despised All the Sermons they have heard shall plead against them so many Sermons of Repentance so many Sermons of Reconciliation of Holyness bring in black Bills of Indictment against them All the Messengers of God plead We have spent our breath and strength in vain We have labored all night and caught nothing We have tendred Christ offered to these prophane Wretches terms of peace and reconciliation but they have scorned them all and undervalued the glorious excellencies of the Lord Jesus All the passages of Providence will come in against unholy persons Providence will plead I have cloath'd and fed thee I gave thee the dew of Heaven and fatness of the Earth I sustain'd preserv'd thee but thou hast abused all the Creatures not eating for health but for gluttony not drinking for strength but drunkenness All thy friends will plead against thee such as have been real friends to thy soul as have spent their spirits in Exhortations Counsels Admonitions all these are upon Record and will cry out for vengeance against thee O that God would smite the hearts of all unholy persons and loosen the joynts of their loyns as Belshazzars were and make their knees smite one against another that now in this time of life this short day they might be effectually wrought upon to a holy conversation This Use in an especial manner reproves those that scoff at holyness Use 1 I would there were none such in the Walls of Athens That which is the true Believers honour to be a Saint is cast by some prophane persons into the teeth of Professors as if it were a Character of infamy These are your Saints In the Act and Monuments v Fox Acts Mon in Q. Maries dayes a Martyr reproved a proud Prelate for Swearing He answered prophanely I am no Saint What was he then surely an incarnate Devil If you be no Saints here in the Militant Church you shall never be Saints in the Triumphant Church What shall we say to such as deride holyness and exercise their wits to cast a flam or a jeer upon Religion and make a mock at praying by the Spirit Let them read that dreadful Sentence each word is a thunder-bolt Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his whose are they then the Devil 's questionless either Christs or the Devils If none of Christs Sheep then surely of the Devils Goats Of all others a Scoffer is hardest to cure seldom are such brought home if they are it costs them dear If any such be present though I hope better things of you let me tell you when you come to die holyness will be holyness indeed then holy persons will be holy persons Then when conscience is awakened you will wish you were in their stead whom you so much contemned you wil wish your tongues had fallen out of your heads when you spake against holy persons You that make Gods children even real Saints your subject of obloquy What will you say at the day of Judgement when they shall be at the right hand and the Judge shall say Come ye blessed and you shall be on the left hand and the Judge shall say Goe ye cursed when you shall Luke 14. 28. see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints in the kingdom of Heaven and you your selves shut out of doors Are any such present are any young wanton wits that will rather loose a friend then a jest rather loose the friendship of a good conscience then the frothy issue of a scurrilous wit To such let me speak with abundance of love to their souls Non est tutum ludere cum sanctis It 's not safe to make a jest of holy persons or holy things If ever Qui ludit in Cathedra lugebit in Gehenna they belong to God they will with Austin make Confessions and Retractations University sins abuse of wit and parts contempt of holyness neglect of seasons of Grace will cry loud and make such a gash in the conscience as may be a long time clawing off 2. This Doctrine reproves Hypocrites These seem better then they are and put on a Vizard of sanctity these are painted Sepulchres rotten at the core gilded rotten Nut-megs and by how much they pretend to Religion they are so much the worse because they satisfie themselves in a bare pretence There shall be a day of Judgement and that will be a day of terror and vengeance unto them Seldom as a Reverend Divine saith an Hypocrite dies undiscovered It pleaseth God to unmask him and discover his Tor shell of Hypocrisie counterfeit profession before he dieth so that usually in this world a â—ypocrite is discovered However in the world to come all shall be laid open his glozing formalities outside glorious shews all his painted dresses shall be made known to men and Angels And what 's the portion of Hypocrites If there be one place in Hell lower then another any torment greater that 's his portion Matth. 14. 15. 3. This Doctrine reproves all secret sinners who by reason of their secret cunning conveyance hope for impunity They little think of the all-seeing eye of God Could a Homer say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall not Christians believe that the God of Heaven knows all things All thy Reservations Equivocations subtile Distinctions and Evasions are obvious and naked to the All-seeing eye of God The Adulterer waits for the twy-light he would fain escape the sight of men but he cannot escape the sight of God Speculative as well as practical defilements are all known to God Thy Curtain Closet-sins thy Imageries in the dark the sins that no man living knows of are made manifest unto God The Trades-mans Sophisticated Wares his false Lights scant Measures all his mysteries of Cousenings in the Trade are apparent unto God the Lyars obstinate standing in a lie cannot escape Gods knowledge all his tricks of wit and collusions to baffle his conscience will not serve his turn at the day of Judgement The Popish distinctions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not acquit them at Gods Triâ—â—nal The cheating
1 Joh 3 3. Jam. 14 8 thy self to cleanse thy hands and purifie thy heart this is a needfull study its time well imployed in searching our hearts in washing and purifying of the inward man 3. Be much exercised in divine meditation Meditate frequently Rule 3. Be exercised the divine in art of meditation of the four last things Death Judgement Hell and Heaven Entertain frequent and serious thoughts of â—ternity It 's a poynt of understanding and wisdome to consider our latter end Meditate what a holy place heaven is what holy company and what holy employments aret here Nothing that defileth shall ever come there Get up into the Mount with Moses let thy affections soare aloft being carried aloft with the wings of heavenly meditation This was Isaacs practise Davids and Pauls Were you acquainted with the singular benefit of Meditation you would not lye groveling here below your words thoughts whole conversations would bee in heaven 4. Consider the omnipresence and omniscience of God whither Rule 4. Consider Gods omnipresence canst thou goe from his presence how canst thou escape his knowledge If I sinne saith Job he marketh me Job 10. 14 15. God seeth thy secret sinnes hee knoweth all thy reservations and cunning conveyances All things are naked unto him with whom thou hast to deale and without holynesse thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort The serious consideration of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God through the grace of God may prevaile with us to a circumspect and holy conversation 5. Set an high estimate upon and frequent diligently the holy Rule 5 Consider Gods Ordinances Ordinances of God They are called The beauties of Holynesse Psal 110. 3. There is a cleansing virtue in the Word of God Psal 119. 9. Gods face is beautifull his holynesse is his beauty Now by the face of God Calvin understands the Ordinances of God Psal 27. 8. Wait then O Christian at the posts of Wisdoms gate lye in the way where Christ comes by tarry at these Bethesdaes The Ordinances are the golden Pipes to conveigh the golden Oyle take heed of sitting loose from them Blesse God that your eyes behold your Teachers and that your Gospel is not driven into corners Improve these prices and spiritual advantages for the good of your precious souls 6. And lastly associate your selves with holy company Love Rule 6. Associaâ—e your selves with holy company where God loves now the Lord loveth his Saints It was Davids profession that his delight was in the Saints Psal 16. 2 3. Bee a companion to those that fear God If a dead coale be neare a live coâ—le it may be inkindled by it but if two live coales be together what abundance of heate will they give We read Mal. 3. 16. That they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Let not Christians be strange and shie of one anothers company But let 's unite as one man to conserre all our interests to give each other a lift to heaven Make them thy companions on earth whom thou hopest to enjoy in heaven to all eternity The last Use and so in a few words to conclude is a word of Use 5. For Consolation Consolation unto holy persons true beleevers the adopted sonnes and daughters of God when the day of Judgement comes and the whole world is in a flame they shall bee of good comfort That day which will be a day of terrour and revenge to the wicked shall be a day of refreshing and restitution unto them The Saints that sleep in the grave shall be awakned at the sound of the Trumpet and their bodies and soules shall bee reunited and they shâ—ll receive the consummation of their happynesse The Saints that are alive shall be caught up together with those that are dead in Christ in the cloudes to meet the â—ord in the air and so shall be ever with the Lord. The inference the Apostle makes should be ours wherefore 1 Thes 4. 18. comfort one another with these words O but I cannot see this in me I would be holy yet I cannot find this growth of holynesse in me Is this thy case goe thy way to God challenge him with his promise put his bond in suit Hee commands make you a clean heart but doth he not promise to give it Ezek. 36. 25. Comfort thy self with Christs praier to the Father He prayes Father sanctifie them through thy truth And know there may be grace where feeling may be wanting It s an excellent Joh. 17. 17. Eph. 1. 13. saying of Mr. Greenham We hold Christ by faith and not by feeling Feeling is an after thing After ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise Is it the desire and endeavour of thy soule to be holy Notwithstanding infirmities yet is thy heart single and without guile be of good comfort thou shalt hold up thy head with comfort at that great day of accompt when the wicked shall wish that the mountains might fall upon them and the hills cover them from the face of the Lamb thou shalt behold Christ in the face with comfort when all these visible things shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat thou shalt be glad and rejoice at that day and enjoy eternall felloship with the blessed Trinity in whose presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Did we but seriously consider of Psal 16. 11. these things wee should desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ we should cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly we should have the Moon under our feet we should negotiate for the great things of eternity May all things that have been said make deep impression upon our spirits and prevaile with us to the love and practise of holynesse looking for and hasting unto the comming of God Though at that day the world be on fire we shall be safe though there shall be a general Assize wee shall be acquitted and that day of Judgement will be the Saints refreshing day Christ is their Redeemer and Intercessour VVho would not now be in love with holyness holyness will be holyness indeed at that day Only holy persons shall hold up their heads with comfort they only shall be able to stand in judgement God onely that made the heart can cleanse it Christ doth love and wash his people Le ts therefore pray for holynesse follow after holynesse Thus our fruit being unto holynesse our end will be happynesse The Necessity of the Knowledge of Regeneration Discovered from Joh. 3. v. 10. Jesus answered and said unto him Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things THE report of Christs Miracles being famous every where Serm. 5. at St. Maries Oxon. Aug. 14. 1654. v. 1. insomuch that multitudes followed him at last one of an eminent Rank comes to visit and conferre with Christ v. 1. By degree he
walk in sincerity before the Lord these shall be happy unto all Eternity these having been faithfull unto the death shall receive a Crowne of Life * ⎠* The End of the Second Decad. A THIRD DECAD OF SERMONS PREACHED TO THE VNIVERSITY AT St MARIES IN OXFORD By HENRY WILKINSON D. D. and Principall of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the forme of Sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus OXFORD Printed by W. H. for THOMAS ROBINSON Anno Domini M.DC.LX TO THE READER I HERE present unto thee Christian Reader A third Decad of Sermons of the same complexion with the rest answering those two immediatly preceding as face in water answers face By them the Author may be knowne to be one and the same man not varying a whit from his Principles by reason of vicissitude of times The first of these Sermons was preacht at the Publick Act and was formerly printed which notwithstanding the derision of some through the Incouragement and approbation of others whose Judgment I preferre many degrees before my owne is now againe presented to publick View in this second Edition None of the other sermons of this Decad and none of the two other Decads were ever yet printed before neither had now if some both Godly and Learned who are better able to judge had not thought farre better of them then I ever durst of any thing of my own notwithstanding what paines soever it cost me It 's farre from my Intention to justify my selfe but I shall alwaies with Jacob acknowledge my selfe not worthy of the least of all the mercyes and of all the Gen. 32. 10. truth c which the Lord through riches of mercy hath shewed unto me It cannot be denyed but ought to be acknowledged with renewed thankfulnesse that now adaies we have more helps on all hands if we had our eyes in our Heads and greater advantages then our Predecessors ever enjoyed since Printing came up And since the Gospell in it's Purity and Liberty was restored unto England as Reverend Latimer used to pray that God would restore the Gospell unto England once againe once againe We have variety of Prices both by printing and preaching put into our hands to get divine wisdome withall Oh! that we had this great mercy of mercyes vouchsafed to us that the Lord would bestow upon us such good hearts as to Husband and improove all those spirituall Talents for the best advantage of our immortall soules That saying of a Learned Author hath often come into my deliberate thoughts Ideo scribuntur omnes Libri ut unus emendetur conscientiae Now if by any thing that I have wrote the of Christians may thrive the better and be built up in their faith I have my desire accomplisht Not unto me not to the best of my paines and endeavours but unto the name of Jesus Christ be all the praise and glory It 's not my purpose to detaine thee Reader in a longer Epistle Only thus much I thought good to premise to assure thee that this last Decad is of the same stamp and breaths forth the same spirit and pursues the same plaine stile with those two which according to order went before The designe I only drive at as farre as I apprehend is the eternall good of mine and thine immortall soule so that our profitting may appeare unto all that some addition may be made unto our spirituall stature Be pleased therefore to read deliberately and to joyne prayer and meditation with reading Lay aside all prejudicate opinions and through the meannesse of the Instrument look with the eye of faith unto Jesus Christ the great Counsellour and Prophet who directs and instructs his people and guides them unto all truth And what ever good thou receivest give Christ the praise of all and set the Crowne upon his head alone And in thy serious addressesse unto the throne of grace remember him which in love to thy soule hath made these sermons publick Do not despise the day of small things undervalue not the Reare of the Christian Army Do not entertaine a slight opinion of any of the meanest yet faithfull Labourers in Gods Vine-yard who desires and endeavours to approove himselfe faithfull such a one I desire to be and remaine Thy servant and Brother in Christ Jesus HENRY WILKINSON The Contents of the Third Decad. SERM. I. 2 COr 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Chriâ—t as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled to God The Context expounded p. 2 3 4. The Text divided and expounded p. 5 6 7. The Doctrine handled by prooving and improoving all by particular Application p. 9. The Doctrine prooved first by Scripture p. 10 11. Then by three Reasons 1. From foure Properties of Ambassadors p. 12 13 14 15. 2. From the Benefit of a reconciled estate p. 16. 3. From the misery of an unreconciled estate p. 17. Vse for Exhortation 1. To Ministers p. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. 2. To people p. 25. 3. Characters of a reconciled estate p. 27 28 29 30. Five Motives p. 31 32 33 34 35 36. SERM. II. HEb 1. 14. Are they not all Ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for these who shall be heires of salvation Text divided p. 38. Doct. It pleaseth God to make use of the Ministery of Angels for the good of his Children p. 38. Q. 1. What Angels are p. 39 40 41. Q. 2. How many sorts of Angel sthere p. 42 43. Q. 3. What are the offices of Angels p. 43 44 45 46. Q. 4. Whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell keeper p. 46 47. Q. 5. What is the knowledge of Angels p. 47 48. Vse 1. For Information in 2 particulars p. 49 50. Vse 2. For Instruction in 3 particulars p. 50. Vse 3. For Consolation in 3 particulars p. 51. SERM. III. 2. CHron 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of those whose heart is perfect towards him p. 52. Text divided p. 53. Doct. 1. That there is a Providence of God which extends it selfe to the ordering and governing of all the creatures throughout the whole world p. 55. The Doctrine prooved by Scripture p. 55 56. And by 6 Reasons p. 57 58 59. Of the nature of Providence p. 59 60. Vse 1. For Confutation of Epicures c. p. 61. Vse 2. For Reproofe ib. Vse 3. For Instruction in 6 Duties p. 61 62. Doct. 2. As there is a generall providence towards all so there is a speciall distinguishing Providence towards all Gods children p. 62. Doctrine prooved by Scripture example p. 62 63. By 6 Reasons p. 64 65. Vse 1. For Reproofe p. 65. Vse 2. For Instruction p. 66. Vse 3. For Consolation six Duties prest pag. 66. 67. SERM. IV. I Sai 66. 6 7. Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not
silence and give him not rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a prayse in the earth The Text divided and expounded p. 69 70 71. Doct. That its the obliged duty of all the Children of God to be earnest and assiduous suitors at the Throne of Grace in the behalfe of the Church of God p. 72. Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By propounding parallell Examples p. 72 73 74. 2. By Scripture Precepts p. 74. 3. By 3 Reasons R. 1. In respect of God p. 75. R. 2. In respect of prayer p. 76 77 78 79. R. 3. In respect of the Church p. 79 80. Vse for Reprehension p. 80. 81. Vse 2. for Exhortation p. 83. 4. Things especially to be prayed for p. 83 84 85. 2. Motives p. 86 87. Vse 3. for Direction 1. We must pray in faith p. 87. 2. With fervency ib. 3. With perseverance p. 88. Vse 4. for Consolation ib. SERM. V. GAl. 5. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts p. 89. Doct. 1. That there are a peculiar people that are Christs and have speciall Interest in him p. 89. Doctrine prooved from Scripture Testimony p. 90. What it is to have Interest in Christ ib. 4. Reasons drawne 1. From the Promises 2. From the Fathers Donation 3. Christs Redemption And 4. From the sanctification of the spirit p. 91. What are the Benefits of those that are in Christ Ans In five particulars p. 91 92. Vse 1. for Consolation p. 92. Vse 2. for Exhortation ib. Vse 3. of Examination five Notes of Triall ib. Doct. 2. Those that have Interest in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts p. 93. Method propounded 1. What 's meant by flesh p. 93. 2. What 's meant by affections and lusts ib. 3. What 's meant by crucifying the flesh p. 94. 4. The Doctrine prooved by three Reasons p. 95. Vse 1. for Information p. 96. Vse 2. for Reproofe of three sorts p. 96 97. Vse 3. for Exhortation pressed by three Motives p. 97. Vse 4. for Examination foure Properties of a Crucified person p. 98 99. Vse 5. for Direction 1. What we are to Crucify p. 99. 2. What duties are to be put in practise Ans in 7 Duties p. 100 101. Vse 6. for Consolation An Objection â— answered in six particulars p. 101 102. SERM. VI. ROm. 5. 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that whil'st we were yet sinners Christ died for us p. 103. The Context opened p. 103 104. Doct. That the death oâ— Christ for sâ—nners is an Evident Demonstration of the Love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Chriâ—t p. 104. Method propounded 1. By â—xplication Q. 1. Wherein consists the love of God the Father Ans p. 105. Q. 2. Wherein consists this love of Chriâ—t ib. and p. 116. Q. 3. Did not Heathens dye where lyeth the difference Ans p. 109. six Propâ—sitions p. 109 110 111 112 113. Three Objections answered p. 113 114 115. Vse 1. for Information in five Particulars p. 115 116. Vse 2. for Examination six fignes given oâ— those that have Interest in this distinguishing love 116 117 118. Vse 3. for Exhortation branched into six particular Duties p. 118 119. Vse 4. for Comfort foure Benefits of this speciall lâ—ve p. 119 120. SERM. VII 2 TIm 2. 19. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity p. 120. The Context opened p. 121 122. The Text divided and expounded p. 123 124. Doct. That wheresoever there is the Profession of Christianity there ought to be a Godly life and Conversation every way sutable and correspondent therewith p. 124. The Doctrine handled 1. By Scripture Testimony p. 125. 2. Confirmed by foure Reasons 125 126. 3. Applied in foure Vses 1. for Information p. 127 128. Vse 2. for Examination foure Characters p. 129 130 131. Vse 3. for Exhortation in three Motives p. 131 132. Vse 4. for Direction 1. How we must depart from Iniquity Ans foure waies p. 132. 2. What meanes must be used Ans 6 Meanes directed p. 133. 134. SERM. VIII JOh. 8. 24. For if yee believe not that I am he yee shall dye in your sinnes p. 135. Context opened p. 135 136. Doct. That of all sinnes Insidelity especially is a grand-damning sinne againâ—t the Gospell Method propounded 1. What Infidelity is Ans in five particulars p. 137 138 139 140 2. The Aggravations of unbeleefe in 6 particulars p. 141 142. 3. By 5. Arguments the Doctrine is confirmed p. 142 143. 4. The Doctrine is applied in 6 Vses 1. For Reproofe p. 145. 2. For Caution in 4 particulars p. 146 147. 3. For Exhortation in 2 Motives 1. Drawne from the Benefit of faith p. 147. 2. From the mischiefe of unbeleefe p. 147 148. 4. For Examination 5 signes of faith p. 148 149. Three signes of unbeleefe p. 149. 5. For Direction 4 directions p. 150. 6. For Consolation in 5 particulars p. 150. Objections of unbelievers answered p. 151 152 153. Objections of Misbelievers answered p. 153 154. Objections of Weak-believers answered p. 154 155 156. SERM. IX HAb 3. 18. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation The Context opened p. 157 158. The Text divided p. 160. Doct. Amidst all sorrowes lossesse and crossesse joyes supplies and comforts are to be found in the Lord our God p. 161. 4. Arguments in the Text explained p. 163 164 165. 5. Demonstrations added for Confirmation p. 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175. Three Vses 1. For Consolation p. 176 177. 2. For Exhortation 1. To make God our joy p. 178. 2. To make God our Treasure p. 179. 3. To make God our Refuge p. 179 180. Vse 3. For Direction 4. Impediments to be remooved p. 181 182. 3. Duties to be practiced p. 182 183. SERM. X. ROm. 12. 2. But be yee transformed by the renewing of the mind Doct. Every Person who is really Converted is transformed and changed in the renovation of his mind p. 184 Method propounded 1. What 's understood by transformation Ans p. 185 186. 2. What 's meant by the renewing of the mind p. 187. 3. The Doctrine by Scripture prooved p. 188 189. 3. Cautions premised p. 189 190. 4. The Doctrine applied in 4 Vses 1. For Information p. 190. 2. For Examination wherein are 6 False glasses discovered p. 191 192 193 194 195. Three signes of Reall Conversion viz. Vniversality Sincerity and Perpetuity p. 196 197. Vse 3. For Exhortation 3 Motives pressed p. 197. Vse 4. For Consolation 3 Priviledges of such as are really converted p. 198. ERRATA Pag. 4. Marg. r Calvin In the same margent r delect i. p. 124. Marg. r. nominet credens verum discedat p. 125. l. 14. r. implied p. 127. l. 20. r. Angell p. 185. l. 7. r. then p. 186. l. 10. r. soever p. 186. l. 16. r. which is Other Errataes the Reader is entreated to amend DECAD III. OF
SERMONS PREACH'D AT St MARIES OXON 2 Cor. 5. vers 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did Sermon 1. at S. Maries Oxon July 11th 1658. being Act Sab bath day morning beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God WIthout controversie great is the mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. The word * Omnium confessione magnum Ambros Ad verbum declarat paribus verbis loqui ut iis solent qui petentibus assentiuntur Beza in Luc 22. 6. Ezek. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries an Emphasis with it in the determination of the Apostle And what he asserts he as strenuously proves by an induction of particular instances in the place forecited viz. God was manifest in the flesh justifyed in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up to Glory Every one of these taken severally is a transcendent mystery as we read in Ezekiel There was a wheel in the middle of a wheel So here is one mystery involved in another Now forasmuch as we find the Well deep and have not wherewith to draw since we are not able to fathom the depths of such mysterious things let 's all as one man stand astonish'd with an holy admiration of the wonderfull counsels of God lay aside all curious disputations and learn to believe However so far forth as we can meet with a Scripture Clue we may not be wanting in our best endeavoures to wind our selves out of all the Labyrinths whatsoever Now to the business that lyes before me even the great mystery of Reconciliation which I have selected for the Argument of my ensuing meditations that I may the better cleer a passage to my Text I 'le review what the Apostle principally instanceth in as one of the greatest mysteries 1 Tim. 3. 16. of Godliness viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the stupendious unparallel'd mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God and this leads the Van to all the rest as having priority of dignity and order both This is one of those mysteries which the Angels desired to peep into 1 Pet. 1. 12. They stoop down and with all diligence sift and enquire into these mysteries And if a comparison Prono capite propenso collo accurate introspiciunt Beza Omnia summa diligentia explorant ac contuentur diligenter Areâ— Zach. 13. 7. may be admitted with mysteries amongst themselves questionless this mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the mystery of mysteries Eternity it selfe will be little enough for us fully to comprehend it That the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternall Son of God equal with the Father fellow and fellow-like with God as great and as good as himself should assume humane nature and unite a clod of earth unto his Divine person and become Immanuel God with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man in one person by an hypostaticall union the tongue of men and Angels can never enough inhance the singularity of this mystery That this may be shaddowed forth according to our capacity Q. A. my endeavour shall be to solve one grand question viz. What was the great designe and end of Christs incarnation I answer with the Apostle Paul * Hinc non est cur miremur tam sero Christum venisse in carnem venire enim debuit non cittus quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coelestis Patris exacta esset Pareus in Loc. Gal. 4. 4 5. But when the fullness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Further the Apostle gives an attestation unto this truth 1 Joh. 3. 8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Wherefore to accomplish this great work of Redemption and destroy the works of Satan through hearkning to whose temptations man fell from God Jesus Christ the middle person in the Trinity the beloved Son came down from the bosome of the Father to make up the breach and reconcile man the party offending to God the party offended And this is that ministry of Reconciliation given and intrusted to the Ministers of the Gospell to declare proclaim and publish v. 19. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This sets forth * Emphasin habet quod dicit Deum fuisse in Christo Neque enim Deus in Christo fuit quemadmodum in omnibus aliis rebus est sed in ipso De it as Corporaliter habitavit Zuingl in Loc. the Deity of Christ and further this plainly evinceth that this reconciliation was not of yesterday but that there were transactions and negotiaions between God the Father and God the Son concerning this admirable contrivance even from all Eternity Each syllalâ—le breaths forth love bowels and wisdom raised to the very highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and highest pitch Here is singular matter for meditation That when the Angels were past by and left without a Mediatour yet notwithstanding there should be Treaties of Peace before the foundation of the World was laid to reconcile so vile a thing as the World sinfull man unto the most holy God by Jesus Christ Here 's met altogether in one a concurrence of Wisdom Mercy Goodnesse Graciousness and Loving kindness Yet though they were all put together they come infinitely short in the representation of that superabundant love of God in Jesus Christ which transcends all degrees of Comparison But the next Question will be How is this Reconciliation Q. A. wought The answer is given in the subsequent words Not imputing their trespasses unto them God doth not reckon accompt so the word * Significat tum generatim aestimare sive apud se statuâ—ere tum specia tim imputare sive reputare Vorstius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports nor lay the sins of his people to their own charge but charge them all upon Christ their Surety And most just it is that an innocent person should pay the debt when he becomes engaged as a Surety notwithstanding those Rotten cavils of the blasphemous Socinians against the truth in this particular Luther hath a strange passage to this purpose that Christ was peccatorum maximus Such speeches though I much honour Luther and conceive him to be a man of an excellent spirit I confesse as are not safe to use and I would many now a dayes were more cautelous than to adventure their fancies too far as it 's too apparent they commonly do through self admiration lest they outrun their judgement But as there are some that rather will lose their friend than their jest so there are some that will rather lose their Religion than a wild new coyned opinion Yet with submission to better judgments I conceive
reconciliation to beseech people to be reconciled unto God And having endeavour'd this great work principally in the next place I conjure you and earnestly entreat you as you are Ministers of the Gospell of peace that you would conferre your best endeavours to cement sodâ—r and unite dissâ—nting Brethren that they may what in you lies be prevail'd withall to agree together in Unity on Earth who shall agree in Unity in the highest Heavens I plead not in the least for any persons how much soever admired by some who are either unsound in the saith or unholy in life No reconciliation can be expected nor ought to be attempted with * Gal. 5. 20. 21. Idolatries Drunkenesse Heresies and other such like deeds of the flesh I plead only for such as truly fear God who are not only nominall but reall saints Here lyeth the labour and here the work to be reconcilers amongst them and such peace-makers are blessed That I may speak my mind freely for I love plain dealing as for such Reconcilers as Cassander of old and Sancta Clara of late who would joyn together the Ark and Dagon the Ephod and Teraphim I mean Protestantisme and Popery these are to be detested and sent back again to Rome from whence they came †V. Bishop Hall's Treatise No peace with Rome No peace with Rome no quarter ought to be given to Benhadad I may say of them as Jehu said to Ahaziah * 2 King 9. 22. what peace so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so many daies without number As for Ignatius Loyola Father of the Jesuites John of Leyden Ring-leader of the Anabaptists and the rest of their Complices of whose franctick practices we have ample Relations in Print †V. Sleyd Comment Baylyes disswasive they are so farre from any reall endeavours after reconciliation with us as rather like Samsons Foxes they run abroad with firebrands in their tails and so set all the standing corn a fire These are the grand Incendiaries flabella seditionum From Jesuitisme and Anabaptisme all heresies and damnable errors receive their originall At Rome and Munster this counterfeit coine receives it's stamp and impression Hence as out of a Trojan Horse is let out an Ambuscado to destroy the Protestant Religion Therefore ther 's no ground of hopefull successe if we should attempt any reconciliation with them Let them come to us and make serious Confessions and retractations but let not us go to them Let them first abjure their principles and practises though I know not why we should trust a Papist upon his oath till then there can be no possibility of embraceing peace with such who either are of Babylon or for Babylon But what is chiefly in mine eye and aime amounts to this brief issue to perswade all those to unite amongst themselves who are sound in the faith and holy in life Amongst them there are some who come so farre up to us and we hope they may yet come farther if selfe interests make no obstructions as to acknowledge us true Ministers the Church of England a true Church Much is granted to this effect by some * V. Apolog. of the five dissenting Brethren Reverend dissenting Brethren in Print When carnall Interests secular policies and mentall reservations are laid aside and men declare plainly what they would have and when we know once where to finde them and where they will fix then Attempts of Accommodation may attain a happy and comfortable successe That which much concerns us all is to lay to heart and be deeply affected with the divisions of Reuben and to use our utmost endeavour to comprimise differences and make up breaches and animosities lest otherwise we gratify the Jesuit who is the common Enemy who loves to fish in troubled waters or is like an Adder which seeks for shelter in broken walls Let 's leave off contention prius quam sese immisceat so Junius renders the words of Solomon †Prov. 17. 14. Prov. 17. 14. i. e. Let not contention mixe with our affairs For once it being mixed and joyned it 's not easy to unmixe and separate afterwards Wherefore let it be our care and wisdome not to give advantage by our domestick breaches to the wild Boar of Babylon or the subtle Foxes of Munster and Racovia who when they see us a quarrelling one with another they make a prey of us both I well remember about this time 24. yeares ago in the Vespers of our publicke Act there was a Question discuss'd which the * Dr. Wingham of St Johns Respondent held Affirmative An Calviniani quos vocant Lutherani possint in unam Ecclesiam coalescere And in the like solemne Convention another Question 7. yeares ago was affirmed homogeneous to the former by a †Dr. Wilkinson of Christ-Church learned Professor of our University An intersit pacis salutis Ecclesiae vere Evangelicos pium colere syncretismum But especially let 's have recourse unto Scripture What saith the Psalmist * Psal 133. 1. Psal 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity I have often fetch 't a ground of hope against many fears from 2. Prophesies The one is †Zeph. 3. 9. Zeph. 3. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure Language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The other is * Zach. 14. 9. Zach. 14. 9. And the Lord shall be King over all the Earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name be one †Non satis est si homines agnoscerent unum Deum nisi consentiuâ—t in reâ—ta simplici aliquâ— fide ita ut celebretur in terrâ nomen unius Dei Calv. in Zeph. 3. 9. Though there be but one Lord yet his name is called on diversly but here is Prophesied an unity of worshipping God And as for unity amongst Brethren this is accounted a fruit of our effectuall calling * Eph. 4. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And for the better setting home of this exhortation the Apostle mentions 7. Ones in the following verses viz. One body one Spirit one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all How pathetically doth the Apostle presse unanimity †Phil. 2. 1 2. If saith he there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowells of mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the fame love being of one accord and one mind * Numerus binarius eo magis infamis quia primus ausus est discedere ab unitate Pythag Pythagoras used to put a brand of infamy upon the number of two because it first departed from unity But the Apostle propounds the Question
his Angells with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes from one end of heaven to the other The fourth question is whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to be his keeper and Protectour That every Saint hath a peculiar Angell to keep him is the opinion of Fathers School-men and many Protestants but although I am farre from a hasty censure yet I cannot assent unto their opinion because here in the text it 's laid down universally All. There are two Scriptures specially urged in behalfe of this opinion The one is Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that yee despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angells do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven The other is Act. 12. 15. They said unto her thou art mad but she constantly Act. 12. 15. affirmed that it was even so then said they it is his Angell To the former place I answer the meaning is that men ought Ans not to contemne poore believers seeing God hath so farre honoured them as to give them his own Angells to be their Guardians and Ministers And though they are called their Angells it followes not hence that each Saint hath a peculiar Angell appropriated to himselfe but their Angells are appointed over aâ—l Gods children and are as serviceable unto them as if every one Angell had charge over one particular Saint Individuum So that one Angell may protect many as The Angell of Psal 34. 7. the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them One Angell may protect many and many Angells may protect one The meaning of this Scripture Calvin makes to be this That they are not to be contemned whose Angells are neere and ready Non impunè contemni eos quorum Angeli propinqui sunt familiares ut vindictam exigant Calv. to take revenge The Angells will take revenge upon those who afflict the children of God But there is more matter of doubt from Act. 12. 15. Then said Quest they it is his Angell For answâ—r 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred a Messenger Ans and so some rather render it It 's his Messenger 2. It 's spoken according to a vulgar opinion There is an antient opinion that there is a good and a bad Genius Empedocles the Philosopher taught that every man had two Angells one good another bad And Grecians used to say that every man hath his own Angell to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all his life And Plutarch records when Brutus was â—laine the night before one appeared unto him and said I am thine evill Angell oh Brutus But among the Jewes themselves there were frequent apparitions of dead persons and phantasmes which questionlesse were diabolicall and they were thought by the vulgar sort to be the spirits of the persons whom they represented and they had a conjecture that there was some good or some bad according to the diversitie of the persons and their forepassed life Now it should seem that these people amazed as it were at an unlooked for chance followed the popular opinion and would thereby inferre that Peters death was inevitable seeing his spirit did already begin to appeare 3. This may be understood It is his Angell that is some Angell that God had sent for his deliverance which was fully effected For the Angell of the Lord took away Peters chayne and delivered Acts. 12. 17. him out of Prison The fifth question is what is the knowledge of Angells Q. 5. What is the knowledg of Angells 1. We must premise that they are not omniscient Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells of Heaven but my Father Mat. 24. 14. only They increase in knowledge saith the Apostle Paul Mat. 13. 32. Eph. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And likewise the Apostle Peter concurres Vnto whom it was 1 Pet. 1. 12. revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did Minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospell unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angells desire to look into 2. The knowledge Angells have is by intuition and not discourse as men have 3. Their wisdome and knowledge is excellent So said the woman of Tekoah My Lord is wise according to the wisdome of an Angell 2 Sam. 14. 20. of God to know all things that are in earth 4. They are Creatures of great experience Even bad Angells have great knowledge They have had long experience and have made many observations of the Actions of men 5. God oftimes communicates unto good Angells the affaires of men I cannot neither will I say that the Angells know mens thoughts for That 's Gods sole Prerogative Neither can I say that the Angells know all our actions But they know very much because God communicates them unto them and they rejoyce in Luk. 15. 7 10 the conversion of a sinner and bad Angells know much of a mans waies The Devill observes and takes notice of our failings and though he knows not our thoughts yet he 'l guesse neer the matter and by circumstances and carriages put together he will easily find out which is the bosome and constitution sinne and so forme his temptation accordingly Q. 6. Whether Christ died for Angells Ans 1. Heb. 2. 16. The sixt and last question is whether Christ died for Angells I answer Negatively For first he took not upon him their Nature Verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angells but the seed of Abraham 2. God left the Apostate Angells without recovery What their sinne was whether pride or any other sinne though most are of opinion that pride was the chiefest sinne of them we will not curiously inquire But that they were Apostates from God and so became eternally miserable is evident from Scripture And Jude 6. the Angells which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day They it seems fell from their primitive condition once and irrecoverably 3. We affirme that Christs death is of great benefit unto the elect Angells For thereby they are confirmed in their happy estate Christs death established the holy Angells in their state of blessednesse The Apostle plainly proves our Assertion That in the dispensation Eph. 1. 10. of the fulnesse of times he might gather together into one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth even in him Far above all Principality Power Might and Dominion vers 21. and every name that is named not only in this world but that which is to come And hath put all things
under his feet and gave him to be vers 22. the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse vers 23. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 20. of him that filleth all in all To the intent that now the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I Col. 2. 10. say whether they be things in heaven or things on earth And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all Principality and Power I purposely wave many curious questions wherein Popish writers abound Wherefore in the last place I shall make a practicall improvement of the whole and apply only three inferences for Information Instruction and Consolation For Information 1. For Information 1. What excellent knowing glorious creatures the holy Angells are and if they be so excellent how much more is Jesus Christ their Lord Great is the knowledge of these glorious creatures but what they have is derivative from their Creatour 2. Be informed that it is unlawfull to worship them See thou do Col. 2. 18. it not saith the Angell to John for I am thy fellow-servant And in the place fore cited Let no man beguile you of your reward and in voluntary humility and worshiping of Angells intruding into those things he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind 3. Be informed of the singular benefit of the Angells ministry The Angell of the Lord encampeth about them that feare him and delivereth Psal 34. 11. Josh 5. 14 15 them The Angell stood for Joshua It came to passe when Joshua was by Jerico that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hands and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our Adversaries And he said nay but as a captaine of the hoâ—t of the Lord am I now come And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And he said loose thy shooe from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy This was the Lord Jesus the Angell of the Covenant for a Created Angell would have refused adoration An Angell preserved the three Children from the flame and burning of the fiery furnace and shut the Lyons mouth An Angell praised for the Church in Zechary that Angell was Christ Then the Angell Zech. 1. 12. of the Lord answered and said O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had Indignation these threescore and ten yeares An Angell delivered Hezekiah and smote Senacherib An Angell delivered Peter An Angell brought the good newes of Christs incarnation The Angells of God preserve us in our beds in our houses in our journyes in our undertakings The Angells will carry our soules to Heaven By way of Instruction Vse 2. of Instruction Psal 91. 11. 1. Labour to walk in Gods waies For he shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies Whilest we are in our lawfull waies not in our wanderings we have a promise of Protection 2. Pray to God for the Protection of Angells We may not pray to Angells we may not worship them but we may pray to God to vouchsafe their ministry to us to make our waies prosperous to send us an Angell as Abraham believed and cause his Angells to pitcht their Tents about us as Gods messengers to defend Gen. 24. 7. and rescue us out of dangers 3. We should so live as remembring we are in the presence of God and Angells that Gods eyes are over us that the Angells observe oâ—r carriage and what decorum we keep in the duties we performe For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angells Though men as Diodati observes 1 Cor. 11. 10. would give consent and connive at this disorder yet the Angells who are continuall Guardians in their Assemblies would be offended at it For I think saith the Apostle that God hath set forth us the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 9. 16. last as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angells and to men Wherefore I beseech you be yee followers of me For Consolation Vse 3. for Consolation This serves for comfort to Gods children that the Angells are their Ministers 1. In their lives they have them under God their protectors the Lord bids them protect preserve succour comfort relieve such a one he is in distresse he is my servant The very Angells 1 King 19. 7 8. were purveyers unto Eliah The Angells ministred unto Christ they strengthened him when he was in the garden when he suffered in his humane Nature So the children of God find it to their comfort that the Angells refresh comfort support and protect them in their greatest extremities 2. When they die the Angells carry their soules into Heaven 3. At the day of judgment they gather the elect unto Christ Mar. 13. 27. He will send his Angells to gather his elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of Heaven By all that hath been said we are to understand the happinesse of all the Saints who are here in the text called heires of salvation God gives them his Son and that 's the height of mercy God gives them his Angells for their Guardians so those two Scriptures are abundantly fulfilled Psal 34. 9. O feare the Lord ye his Saints Psal 34. 9. Rom. 8. 32. for there is no want to them that feare him And Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not but with him freely give us all things And these Scriptures bring a full measure of comfort unto the children of God Having Christ the Saints have all he protects and defends them he is Lord over all and commands all creatures services for the good of his people This Doctrine of the Ministry of Angells is too much Idolized by some which fall to the worshiping of them This is flat Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is abhominable And this Doctrine is too much slighted by others who are not thankfull to God for the Protection of Angells Both these extreames are to be avoided and our duty is to look upon Angells as fellow servants and begge of God their Ministry And for all deliverances we should returne unto God the praise and glory of all in the language of the Psalmist Psal 115. vers 1. which shall be my conclusion Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Psal 115. 1. for thy mercy and truths sake
GODS PROVIDENCE COMMON AND SPECIALL SET FORTH From 2 Chron. 16. vers 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of those whose heart is perfect towards him THE best of men in the Church Militant have Sermon 3. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Oct. 12. 1658. Deut. 32. 5. 2 Chr. 15. 12. vers 16. their failings There 's no gold but hath some ore and drosse in it no wheate without some chaffe none of Gods children but have some spots We need go no further then the Instance of my Text. Asa King of Juda a zealous Reformer one that entred into a solemne Covenant with the Lord one so full of courage as to depose his Mother Maachah for her Idolatry and cut down her Idoll aâ—d of this King the Holy Ghost gives vers 17. this finall judgment Neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his daies Yet notwithstanding here are upon Record severall 2 Chr. 16. 10. faults of King Asa viz. putting the Seer into Prison unjustly for pronouncing a full and seasonable reproofe from the mouth of the Lord for oppressing some of the People and in his disease not seeking the Lord but the Physitians Hence the Apostles assertion Jam. 3. 2. is evidently proved That in many things we offend all The Apostles exhortation should be to every one of us instead of a particular Application Be not high minded but feare Let him that Rom. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 12. thinks he standeth take heed least he fall The sinnes of Saints should be our warning peece and hence we should learne caution vigilancy and heart-Inquisition We are men of the like passions and therefore ought to commiserate our Brethren and likewise entertain a holy jealousy over our own hearts considering that we also may be tempted To come to the Text These words were spoken by Hanani the Seer to Asa King of Judah And although they met with no better entertainment then a Prison yet are no whit lesse to be valued Plain faithfull dealing is highly to be prised notwithstanding it meets with course usage almost every where It was Asaes great fault to rely on the King of Syria and not on God vers 7. Likewise he sinnes against the experience of a signall deliverance from the Ethiopians and Lubims vers 8. But what are the best of men if left to themselves Hezekiah a rare King fail'd in the businesse of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon We read God left him to try 2 Chr. 32. 31. him that he might know all that was in his heart This plain-dealing Prophet having charged home and thoroughly aggravated the Kings faulâ—s layes downe in my Text a strong Reason or Ingagement for him to relye on the Lord For the eyes c. Wherein are observeable a description of Providence of Gods Divis Omni-presence and the speciall manifestation exhibition thereof 1. Here is a descriâ—tion of Providence by the eyes of the Lord. 1. A description of Provâ—dence The eye of the Lord is cleare and ten thousand times brighter then the Sun The eye of God searcheth and penetrates the most secret things It seeth any thing observes discovers pierceth converts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. revengeth All things are naked Diaphanous unto God With him the very inside is outside secret or open dark or light night or day are all one with the great All-seeing God God at once perfiâ—ly seeth knowes all things by one cleare act of Intuition unico actu simplicis Intelligentiae as Schoolmen say he universally suddenly knowes every thing Creatures know successively per prius posterius But the Creator knowes all at once Yet we must interpose a Caution that whâ—n we read of Gods eyes hands feet c. We must not understand them littâ—rally and properly but figuratively and improperly or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herein God condescends to our capaciâ—y and apprehension and speaks after the manner of men And the Rule in Divinity is to be especially observed Qâ—ae dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligenda sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like passage we have in Zechary They are the eyes of the Lord i. e. his Providence Zech. 4. 10. which observes all that is done every where 2. Here is a description of Gods Omni-presence from these 2. A description of Gods Omni presence Deus est sphaera cujus centrum est ubique circumferentiâ— nusquam words Run to and fro throughout the whole earth Angells are said to be definitive in loco Bodies circumscriptivè but God is in loco repletive His Center is every where and his Circumference no where * Chrysost in Col. 2. Homil. 5. Deus totus in coelo est totus in terra non alternis temporibus sed utrumque simul Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 29. Chrysostome observes that God is every where i. e. because he fills all places and yet no where i. e. confind to no place Augustine goeth further and saith That God is wholly in Heaven and wholly in earth not by vicissitudes but all at once This is most fully confest by David Psal 139. 7 8 c. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into heaven thou art there c. The scope of the Psalmist is to shew as judicious †Non est aliquis locus uspium in quo possim à faciè tuâ abscondi Musculus Musculus observes There is not any place any where in which I may be hidden from thy sight 3. Here 's a Manifestation of speciall Providence to the children 3. Gods speciall Providence is toward the upright of God thus described Whos 's heart is perfect toward him i. e. sincere A perfection of parts may and must be attained in this life A perfection of degrees is reserved for another world Now as the generall and common Providence of God extends it selfe towards all the creatures so there is a speciall distinguishing Providence which exerts it selfe and acts vigorously for the Provision Protection and Consolation of those that feare God and walke uprightly before him God puts forth his power to help them so ‖ Vt firmum se exhibeat verto ut robustum se exhibeat erga illos ut robustam potentiam suam exerat in opitulando ipsos Piscat in loc Piscator translates the words So then the sense of the words I conceive to amount to this effect that all things come to passe by Providence nothing by chance in respect of God For he seeth all things and knowes all things All the affaires and transaction in the Universe are manifest to Gods all seeing eye the hidden deeds of darknesse the secretest reservations of the mind and thoughts of the heart are all known to him Further there is no creature whether vegetive sensitive or rationall
but is ordered and disposed by this Omnipotent and overruling Providence The Providence in generall ad rerum usque minima perting it Every creature how mean so ever is under a Providence But in a more especiall and peculiar manner the sonnes and daughters of God by grace and Adoption the Family of the first born which as in the Text are described to be those Whose hearts are uprigh before God these I say are under a choice distinguishing Providence From the wordâ— thus divided and expounded I collect two points of Doctrine the first whereof I propound thus That there is a Providence of God which extends it selfe to the Doct. 1 ordering and governing of all the creatures throughout the whole world The other Doctrine which chiefly I shall insist on is this That there is a speciall distinguishing Providence which in a Doct. 2 peculiar manner manifests it selfe for the benefit of the upright even all the children of God I resume the Inlargement of the first Doctrine and will dispose of my method of handling it on this wise Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By proving the truth of the point 2. By making inquiry into the Nature of Providence what it is and how it discovers it selfe in it's various operations In the 3. place I shall make some profitable improvement of the Doctrine of Providence as reducible unto poynt of practice Now first I am to prove that there is a Providence I purposely 1. That there is a Providence wave all Heathenish names of Fortune Fatall necessity Augurium Lucky starres Lucky Birds c. Which are so far to be detested as not once to be named amongst Christians * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer doubtlesse implyed a Providence by a golden chaine hanging down from heaven †Quicquid patimur morâ—ale geniâ—â— Quicquid faâ—â—mus venit ex alto Sen. Trag. Oâ—dip 1. Proved by Scripture Seneca acknowledgeth more plainely a Providence in that he saith What ever we do or suffer comes from above But I know no Necessity of going to the Philistines to whet my sword or speare I shall according to Naomies counsell to Ruth though in another case not be found gleaning in another field but that of Scripture and Reason by help whereof I shall endeavour the proofe of what I have asserted from the Text. 1. I repaire unto Scripture Testimony and that is instar omnium And because the heape is so great I shall gather sparingly some only amongst many which are the most pregnant and apposite Proofes viz. From the testimony of Job David Solomon Christ and the Apostle Paul and in the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth will be established Le ts consider the Testimony of Joh His eyes saith he are Job 24. 21. Job 10. 12. upon the waies of man and he seeth all his goings Thy visitation saith he hath preserved my Spirit And to the Testimony of Job wee 'l adde David who plainly sets forth Divine Providence when he saith that the Lord Covereth the heavens with clouds who prepareth raine for the earth which Psal 147. 8 9. maketh grasse to grow upon the mountaines He giveth to the Beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry To the same purpose he speaks in another Psalme wherein he extolls the righteousnesse of God Thy righteousnesse saith he is like the great Mountaines Psal 36. 6. thy Judgments are a great depth O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast Which scripture compared with * Discamus hoc exemplo recumbere in Dei providentiam c. Cal. in Gen. 8. 1. Gen. 8. 1. it will appeare how the mercy of God was extended to Man and Beast and likewise Jonah 4. 11. The multitude of Cattle were objects of Gods compassion towards Niniveh Further le ts take notice what attestation Solomon gives to the truth delivered The wise man assures us that the waies of man are before the eyes Prov. 5. 21. of the Lord and he ponâ—ereth all his goings And more fully he speaks Prov. 15. 3. of Providence both towards good and bad that the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good This plainly declares that nothing can escape Gods Providence as an Excellent †Summa est nihil esse omnium quae in mundo fiant quod Providentiae divinae ambitu non comprehendatur Carthw in Locum Commentator observes Above all Testimonies Christ the truth and the life fully declares the government of Divine Providence He instanceth in Lillies the grasse of the field Mat. 6. 28. vers 30. In the Sparrowes the heires of our head Mat. 10. 29 30. And Christ drawes an Argument à minore ad majus wherefore if God so cloath the grasse of the field which to daie is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more cloath you O yee of little faith And the Apostles of Christ confirme the truth of him their Master For Paul preaching at Athens plainly prooves that God gives Mat. 6. 30. to all liâ—e and breath and all things And he quotes Aratus the Poet Act. 17. 22. For in him we live and moove and have our being Follow the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans For of him and through him vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aratus Rom. 11. 36. Eph. 4. 11. Heb. 1. 3. 1. Cor. 12. 6 and to him are all things Likewise in the Ephesians we read that God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will and to the Hebrewes he declares that all things were upheld by the word of hiâ— power i. e. the power of Christ It is God that moâ—eth all in all Having thus by severall Scripture Testimonies given abundant proofe of the Doctrine I now come to the Confirmation of the Doctrine by evidence of Reason Amongst many that might be alleadged I l'e fix upon six Reasons which are as so many Demonstrative Arguments drawn à fortiori for the further clearing the truth of our assertion delivered 2. Confirmed by evidence of Reason 1. The first reason shall be drawn from the order and harmony R. 1. Drawn from the Order and Harmony amongst creatures amongst creatures In the Nature of things there 's an order disposition succession conservation and propagation of each species Fire and water would consume each other if they were not hindred by Providence God is a God of order and preserves all things in order He made all things in order number and measure He sets bounds to the Sea Hitherto shalt thou go and no further Were it not for a supreame overruling Providence the Sea would break out and drown the whole world Now this order must proceed from an ordaining cause which ordereth and disposeth of all things and this is God He telleth the number of the starres c. Psal 147. 4. 2. We proove a Providence from the Provision
the families of the earth be blessed and that in Isaac his seed should be called and yet he forgetfull of the promise betook himselfe to a broken refuge of lying and equivocation It was likewise another peice of Infidelity which caused Rebeccah and Jacob to use such indirect meanes to get the blessing God was faithfull that hath promised and he needed not their lyes to bring his work to passe yet Rebeccah gave Jacob Counsell and he fained himselfe to be his brother Esau but Jacob smarted full sore by his Exile and through Labans rigorous dealing It was Infidâ—lity in David to say in his heart that he should one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. Wherefore he betook himself to Achish King of Gath and there he met with difficulties upon difficulties as one wave of the Sea following another and varieties of dangers verifying our common English proverb leaping out of the frying pan into the fire Infidelity was in Zechary and therefore Luk. 1. 20. he was smitten with dumbnesse Thomas he must see before he believe This sinne is incident to the generation of the just but for this sinne Gods dearest children scape not unpunished But what shall we say of all speculative Atheists such as in their Judgments and opinions deny God Christ the Holy Ghost providence and Gods government in the world And what shall we say of those practicall Atheists who live without God in the world running into all sinnes and all manner of wickednesse these believe not the truth of the Word of God against swearers Zech. 5. 3. Nor do they believe that a flying Roll is against them to cut them off nor against drunkards Isa 28. 1. Read what Judgments the Scriptures pronounceth against them that believe not Joh. 3. 18. 2 Thes 2. 12. Heb. 3. 18. Jud. 5. I proceed to a second Use which is for Caution O beware of Vse 2. For Caution unbeliefe it s a grievous grand-damning sin other sinnes damne as well as this yet this throwes away the remedy and bolts the dore barres accesse stops the current of mercy Now multitudes flatter themselves with a false faith and so cheate themselves unto all eternity therefore there is great need to lay downe some previous Cautions which are these following 1. Beware of a fond vaine perswasion and presumptuous confidence Caution 1. Beware of a fond vaine perswasion many say all 's well with them and they believe as their Ancestors did before them and thus they flatter themselves into a fooles Paradise these vaine confident men never want woe to be confident upon Gospell promises is a sure bottome to stay upon but multitudes are confiddent by reason of outward riches honours pleasures prosperity c. because they have abundance of outward blessings hence they conclude that all shall be well with them unto eternity But this is a false consequence a plaine Non sequitur I am happy in this world therefore I shall be happy unto all eternity For a man may be eternally miserable though he enjoy abundance of outward things and he may be eternally happy though he may want them all By outward things no man can passe a certaine Judgment you read how the Idolatrous Jewes blest themselves in their condition Jer. 44. 17. That they had plenty of victualls when they burnt incense unto the Qeen of heaven But see their doome Vers 23. Thus many think all 's well with them though they runne their owne courses and follow the devises of their own heart by reason of the affluence of outward things but they deceive themselves 2. Beware of a Temporary faith Temporary believers may be Caution 2. Beware of a Tomporary faith Mr Bolton compared to the seed sowne on stony ground Matth. 13. 5 6. Which for want of root withered It s an instance of a Reverend Divine suppose saith â—he there be a Serving man following two Gentlemen when they part it will be knowne to whom that Servant belongs and whose Master he serves So when it comes to parting and loosing lossesse afflictions persecutions it will soon be known whose servants we are whether we serve God or Mammon whether we serve our selves or our lusts A Temporary Believer will pretend much in Halcyon times of peace and tranquility but when it comes to triall of suffering bearing slaunder ignominies or losse of riches for Christ then he is scandalized he will relinquish his profession and will not embrace Christ to his worldly disadvantages 3. Beware of distrusting Gods Word though it may seem long 3. Beware of diâ—trusting Gods Word in fulfilling what it promiseth Hab. 2. 3 4. Though the vision tarry wait for it Believers must wait Gods leasure And he that believeth maketh not hast The Lord promised that in Abrahams seed all the earth should be blessed this promise was long in fulfilling and Sarah according to the course of nature was unlikely to beare a child yet God accomplished what he promised to a tittle Gods workes seemes to runne crosse to his word as you may see by comparing Gen. 17. 19. with Gen. 22. 1 2. But our duty is to stay upon Gods Word though his workes may seeme 4. Weake Chriâ—tians must beware of curious Questions strange and unlikely to bring his word to passe 4. Let weake Christians especially beware of too high or curious Questions nice and doubtfull disputationâ— some loose themselves and dispute themselves into Atheisme and infidelity As for instance concerning themisteries of the Trinity Christs incarnation the procession of the Holy Ghost these are matters of our faith and not of our reasoning and disputing we must believe where sense and reason failes and because God saith it we must believe and obey not dispute his words and his commands These foure Cautions premised now in the third place I shall Vse 3. For Exhortation proceed to an Use of Exhortation Is unbeliefe such a speciall damning sinne O labour for faith There is no pleasing God without faith O! do not sleepe in a state of unbeliefe The best of Gods servants have unbeliefe in them but they complaine against it Bradford a rare mortified man complained much of his unbeliefe so we must complaine of our Infidelity we must search narrowly make hue and cry after our unbeliefe and labour to finde it out and having found it arraigne condemne and crucify it Two Motives I shall urge First I 'le draw some from the benefit of Faith Secondly From the mischiefe of unbeliefe 1. Le ts consider the benefit of Faith First It gives title and interest Motive 1. From the benefit of Faith to the promises all the promises are made unto believers Joh. 3. 16 36. Temporall promises are the portion of believers their basket and store is blessed Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Spirituall promises are the portion of believers and those promises of giving a new heart circumcising the heart c. are their portion Eternall promises are their
excuses which their carnall hearts plead and reason against God Christ offered to gather them they will not Christs offers to be their King they will not be his subjects they will not have him to reigne over them unbeliefe and disobedience are mens owne faults questionlesse In the next place concerning Misbelievers there are many objections made by Jewes and Mahumetans they would be accounted Believers because they believe one God Creator and Governour but these reject Jesus Christ they believe not in him The Mahumetans preferre Mahomet before Christ The Jewes believe him not to be come now questionlesse there is no true faith but that which hath Christ for its object as we read Joh. 17. 3. The Papists go further they believe in God the Father and they professe they believe in Christ but they joyne their owne workes with Christs Merits for they joyne with Christ Mediation the Mediation of Saints and Angells and so they in a high degree derogate from Christs intercession For he is an Al-sufficient Saviour and the only Mediator Heb. 7. 25. 1 Tim. 2. 5. But whatever Jewes Turkes and Papists may object they will one day find all their devised worships and misbeliefe to be abominable in the sight of God Likewise there are multitudes of loose Protestants and formall professors they aske what need all this adoe what need so much faith We perswade our selves to be in a good condition already because we believe the Scriptures thus many perswade themselves to be in a good condition and think their condtion to be happy and yet follow those very waies that lead down unto the Chambers of death If all those that have a good perswasion of themselves had been true believers then the foolish virgins Matt. 25. 10. had not been excluded Many say Lord Lord and Christ will say he knowes them not Many will glory and say that they have heard Christ preach in their streets that they have been in his presence when he was upon earth and yet Christ will not owne them Farther yet multitudes rest contented with a temporary faith an Historicall and Dogmaticall faith and yet all this while they arrive not beyond the faith of Devills and Reprobates In the last place there are weak believers and these make many objections and because their Consciences are tender they ought to be dealt more tenderly with all First They object that they have no faith at all because it is Obj. 1 very weake and little We must know 1. That faith admits degrees There are some Ans weaker and some stronger believers the strongest believer must labour for more faith and though he have a stronger faith he may not conclude that he hath too much and he that hath a weake faith may not conclude that he hath none at all There is faith as little as a graine of mustard seed and yet it is accepted Mat. 12. 20. A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory There are Christians of the highest of the middle and of the lowest forme The man in the Gospell had faith and doubting togeather Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbeliefe The disciples had a little faith and yet this was true and accepted 2. A weake faith if true is like precious 2 Pet. 1. 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us grace and peace be multiplyed unto you 3. It hath the like pretious object Jesus Cdrist and he hath lambes as well as sheep in his fold Isai 40. 11. He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall gently leade those that are with young 4. Weak believers have Interest â—in the like precious promises Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out And Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger c. Obj. 2 2. Weake believers object that they have no faith because they want feeling But we must know that faith may be where feeling may be Ans wanting so the Apostle declares Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that yee heard the word the Gospell of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise Who knowes how the bones of a child grow in the wombe shall we conclude that they grow not because they are not discerned But for avoiding mistakes it will be needfull to interpret a few Cautions 1. We must not measure faith by our sense and apprehension Caut. 1. We may not measure faith by sense Psal 88. 14. David complaines of God's hiding his face and so he doth frequently complaine else where and yet a believer Lord why castest thou off my Soul why hidest thou thy face from me And Gods hiding his face was a trouble unto him Psal 30. 7. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Caut. 2. A weake Christian may not content himselfe with a weak faith 2. A weake Christian may not content himselfe with a weake faith but he must labour for a strong faith There are many things lacking in their faith 1 Thes 3. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith 3. A weake believer must not neglect the Application of the Caut. 3. A weake Believer may not neglect the Application of Promises promises but search them and bring them home unto their own soules Thou hast a weake faith but the word is a strengthening and establishing word Wait believingly on God and thou shalt have renewed strength so runs the Tenor of that choice word of Promise Isai 40. 29 30 31. He giveth power unto the saint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly faile but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walke and not faint 4. Neglect not observation of experiences of former dealings Caut. 4. Neglect not experiences of God towards thee how he hath delivered thee out of six and seven troubles He hath counselled and comforted thee and he is as wise and able as ever to help and relieve his people Lastly Some object against themselves and conclude their faith Obj. 2 to be none because they come so short of others For Answer hereunto and to conclude This is not a safe way Ans to argue I have not the saith of Abraham therefore I have no faith at all Should Zacheus because he was not so high as Saul conclude that he was no man at all Look chiefly to the Quality that this faith may be of a right kind a genuine faith such as purifieth the
the Lord Psal 3. 8. And from hence the Psalmist drawes a practicall inference Psal 9. 4. I will rejoyce in thy Salvation Hereupon the Kingly Prophet in a hard time when God frowned upon him as they say skilfull Chymists can extract oyle out of a flint found Serenity in this meditation Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation Therefore saith the Prophet With joy yee shall draw water out of the wells Isai 12. 3 4. of Salvation In the Prophesy of Obadiah where direfull menaces are threatned against the Edomites and indeed the whole Prophesy may resemble that Scrole of Ezekiel full fraught with mourning Lamentation and woe but the day cleares up and the Catastrophe is most pleasant vers 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords You cannot imagine how welcome redemption is to a Turkish gally slave and in a dangerous skirmish a Rescuer is gratefull Le ts then pawse a while and consider former gratious passages of Gods dealings towards us when we were at our wits end our contrivances were nonplus'd and we knew not which way to turne us and we were ready to perish then the Lord breakes in and discovers wayes and meanes for our preservation Let your particular experiences suggest instances in this particular When there were but a heyre's breadth between us and death then the same God that brought us to the grave raised us up When men and Devills banded themselves in opposition against us when the Pope and his Cardinalls contrived the Spanish invasion and when that miscarried there followed a conspiracy in the Vault a deed of Romish darknesse then appear'd a God of Salvation to blow and scatter their Shipps and afterward to bring deliverance betweene the match and the powder Maugre all the plots and projects of all Achitophells and underminers of Zion blessed be God we are here alive as you see this day to Celebrate the Praises of the God of our Salvation 4. And so I am fallen upon my fourth and last Argument in my 4. My. Text drawne from that propriety My I speak not of a good by heare say in which others have the sole interest but it 's our own The God of my Salvation the pronoune Possessive My reduceth the comfort unto my selfe and intitles me unto it by a particular application The use and vertue of medicines is knowne when they are applied and the most comfortable promises of God and doctrines of Salvation then proove effectuall unto my soule when I make use of them in my life and Conversation How frequently doth David call God the God of our Salvation Moses having a large testimony hereof by the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host breakes forth into this triumphant Song Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is my strength and my song he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him Certainly my brethren Christians would lead more comfortable lifes ever find a heaven upon earth if they could make a profitable Observation of Gods former dealings each one with himselfe in particular Men are apt to sink under the sense of any present evill that presseth them because they reflect not upon Gods former waies of mercies towards them It were an excellent course todraw home such Experimentall Arguments as these I have knowne a famine and felt a pinching season when scarce I could get bread from hand to mouth I out-liv'd that time the divine providence cared for me and carried me through that plunge and distresse I have felt a sore disease and have been in the mouth of the grave and yet I live to praise Gods power I have drunke deepe of the cup of affliction I have been even drencht in my owne sorrowes and yet out of them all the Lord hath delivered me and let his countenance shine upon me I have known feares and troubles dangers and distractions both in Church and state yet the Lord became the Reconciler and brought all to a blessed conclusion and still there 's the same God as full of bowells of compassion to commiserate our calamities as full of power to effect of wisdome to contrive as full of fidelity to performe his owne promises as before and therefore my resolution stands firme and unmoveable that I will wait upon God in the waies of his own mercy and rest in the constancy immutability indeficiency of that God with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Had men such spirituall prudence as to uphold their hearts by their experiences and review often Gods former proceedings they might with more stablisht and quiet affections expect the salvation of the Lord againe I have resum'd these Arguments as you find them layd downe in my Text A Lord and willing A God and able A Saviour and my Saviour each word severally abounds in comfort and now when they are all united how much do they concurre to the complement and perfection of our joy I told you before to this effect that no condition was ever so disconsolate but still some matter of joy and rejoycing was to be found in God Me thinks I could dwell upon this sweet Theme and say as Peter said at Christs transfiguration It 's good being here For the further discovery of this most excellent and necessary truth be pleased to weigh and seriously consider with me these five cleare and evident demonstrations 1. All joy and comforts are treasured up in God 5. Demonstrations 2. There 's no reall solid joy to be found else-where 3. Amidst the greatest crossesse streights and extremities then is Gods opportunity to send comforts causing them to appeare and shew themselves 4. The least of Gods comforts will make a super abundant recompense for all the discomforts in the world 5. And lastly all the waies and proceedings of God are waies and proceedings of joy and comfort For the further Inlargment of these particulars 1. I say all 1. All comforts are treasured up in God comforts are treasured up in God There must needs be water at the well head there must needs be drops in the Ocean God is the Fountaine and Originall of all our Consolations The earth saith the Psalmist is full of thy riches so is this great and wide Psal 104. 24 25. sea where in are things creeping innumerable both small and great beafis What canst thou want if thou hast made God thy portion thou maist say with Jacob I have enough I have all In Christ all fulnesse dwells Col. 1. 19. In Christo est quicquid requiritur ad Davenant in Loc. conâ—tituendum perfectum Redemptorem There 's in Christ fulnesse of wisdome to direct fulnesse of power to defend fulnesse of merit to satisfy and effect mans salvation fulnesse of righteousnesse
so said the unbelieving Prince so we are apt to say Things aregone so farre as a Recovery is desperate To settle affaires in peace and tranquillity upon firme-covenant Foundations is a work impossible what Is any thing impossible with God and all things are possible to the believer O let not go thy faith it is thy life what wilt thou distrust thy God Infidelity is the giving of God the lye remoove then this stumbling block out of the way if thou remoovest not Infidelity thou canst not rejoyce in God 3. Remoove impatience and murmuring Fret not thy selfe because of the ungodly neither be thou envious at the evill doers as the Psalmist exhorts Psal 37. 1. Repining and grudging are the cankers of the soule they eate out all it's peace and tranquillity An impatient man is the worst enemy to himselfe he adds weight to his burthen and makes it insupportable take heed of impatience and murmuring when Gods hand lyes heavy on thee Many there are who with Mary cannot see Christ for teares in their eyes and being overwhel'd with sorrowes they can discerne no comforts approaching 4. Remoove remisnesse and negligence in duties Their condition 4. Imped Remisnesse and negligence in duties is Lamentable who when things suite not with their humors say it is in vaine to serve the Lord Hence they give to themselves the Reynes and slacken the pace of their duties whereas on the contrary had men their eyes in their heads they would see more need of Duties that they ought to adde more oyle to the flame when things go worst with them Job makes it the character of a wicked man not to pray alwaies Remisnesse and negligence in Duty is an Argument of a rotten heart Though there be no appearance of comfort yet we must not slacken our duties Spirituall duties are pabula animae the food and nutriment of the Soule Prayer meditation and divine conference are vehicula animae and elevate the soule and revive thy drooping spirit they adde a miraculous rigour and alacrity amidst all the crossesse and discomforts in the world If then thou wouldst retaine thy joy take heed of remisnesse and negligence in duties Now having remooved these impediments I shall exhort you to set upon some Duties I shall set downe three only which I shall but name them and so conclude 1. You must labour to live by faith Had we more experience Dut. 1. Live by faith of this sweet and pretious life of faith our hearts would be established we should cast our selves upon the divine providence and stay upon his covenant and resolve with holy Job though the Lord should kill us yet we would trust in him What ever crossesse Job 13. 15. came upon us yet we should never let goe our faith We should believe against beliefe and hope against hope and now when sense and reason failes us we must leave of disputing and learne to believe Oh! then support thy spirit upon a promise Believe that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God Faith Rom. 8. 28. made Stephen see Christ even through a shower of stones and faith made Job see a redeemer upon the Dunghill Faith makes any condition comfortable It is the sweetest life in all the world to live by the faith of the Son of God 2. Labour for a sacred communion and intimacy with Jesus Dut. 2. Labour for a sacred communion with Christ Christ One moment of communion with Christ will transport thee with joy unspeakable which a stranger intermeddles not with all None can reveale these joyes but those that feele them These are the white stones the hidden Mannah the new Name which no man can read but him that hath it Oh! what ravishing love tokens are those which Christ vouchsafes unto his children one of these spirituall illapses into the soule is to be preferred before the Empire of the world 3. And lastly be much exercised in meditation and prayer By Dut. 3. Be much exercised in Meditation and Prayer prayer thou confer'st with him that is invisible and meditation is the wing of the soule to carry up its services as a sweet smelling sacrifice into the Almighties nostrills If we would pray more and spend our time as Isaac did in meditation if we would wrestle with God by prayer and supplication if we would imitate Hezekiah and spread the letrer before the Lord and daily poure out our spirits before him Oh! what comfortable lives should we lead even a heaven upon earth And such a heavenly life would be as a Bulwarke of defence to ward of the Batteries of the worst of enemies Could we get such a sacred acquaintance with God and have our Conversation in heaven we would not feare what men and Devills could do against us We should not feare the Combinations of such who are profest Adversaries to the Universities and Ministery For God will say unto these most desperate Adversaries destroy not those Clusters for there is a blessing in them REALL CONVERSION DISCOVERED from Rom. 12. 2. But be yee transformed by the renewing of your mind THE Apostle having dehorted the Romans from Sermon 10. Preached at St. Marye's Oxon. Feb 5. 1659 60. all conformity to and Compliance with the garbes fashions and evill practices of the men of the world presseth home by way of exhortation the maine fundamentall duty To be transformed in the renewing of their mind Which words though few are a full Character and an essentiall definition of a truely Converted Person viz He is one that Divis is transformed in the renovation of his mind More particularly we may observe 1. A duty Be ye transformed 2. The subject the mind 3. The Qualification of that subject By the renewing What 's needfull for explication of these Particulars I shall endeavour to make good by the Inlargement of this fundamentall Doctrine That Doct. Every Person who is really Converted is transformed and changed in the renovation of his mind Method propounded For the Methodicall unfolding of this poynt of Doctrine I shall thus proceed 1. By inquiring what 's to be understood by transformation 2. What by renovation of the mind which premised then 3. I shall endeavour to make good the Proofe of the Assertion 4. And lastly make particular improvement of all by some usefull Application 1. We are to make Inquiry What it is to be transformed For 1. What it is to be transformed a Resolution thereunto we are first to take notice of the Quid nominis i. e. the name them the Quid rei i. e. the thing it selfe First Let 's consider the Notation of the name The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which in a proper sense is to lay aside one forme and assume another The Radix is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to the Judgment of the * Suidas Learned Masters of that language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used as Synonimous
and when Jacob saw them he said this is Gods host and he called the name of that place Mâ—hanaim †Deut. 33. 2. The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them and shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them ‖ Ps 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angells the Lord is among them as in Sinai the holy place * Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgment was set and the bookes were opened †Rev. 5. 11. I beheld and heard the voice of many Angells round about the Throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousands and thousand of thousands They have great celerity and agility They moove with all expedition And though they are not repletivè in loco we cannot ascribe an Ubiquity of presence to them because they are created substances yet Philosophers say they moove in a point and in an instant And this assertion is consonant to Scripture otherwise I should not meddle with it For we read in Daniel Whilest I was speaking in prayer even the man Gabriell whom I had seen in a vision at the beginning being caused to flie swiftly touched me about the evening oblation Hence we read of Cherubims in Scripture that they have winges Hereupon Picture-drawers Exod. 37. 9. paint Angells with their winges displaid which discovers both their ignorance and superstition What are Images but teachers of lies And as the book of Homilies observes no more A Booke of Homilies printed in Q Elizabeths time adorne a Church then Brothel-houses a Common-wealth They have winges ascribed unto them for our apprehension and according unto our capacity not that they have really winges but thereby to set forth their swiftnesse celerity and agility to do what God commands them 7. They are of great strength and power We read of the 7. Angells are of great strength Psal 103. 20. 2 Thes 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength of good Angells Blesse the Lord ye his Angells that excell in strength that do his commandments hearkning unto the voice of his Word They are called the powers of Christ To you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angells And bad Angells are of great strength The Devill is the strong man armed compared to a roaring Lion a Dragon a Leviathan And bad Angells are called powers and principalities spirituall wickednâ—sses in high places Eph. 2. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now Eph. 6. 12. worketh in the children of disobedience We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places The second question is How many sorts of Angells there are Q. 2. How many sorts of Angells are there V. Salkeld of the Nature of Angells I answer there are good and bad Angells of light and Angells of darknesse For good Angells School-men and others make nine distinct orders of them and they ranke them into 3 Hierarchies 1. Cherubims Seraphims and Thrones 2. Dominations Vertues and Powers In the 3. ranke Principalities Archangells and Angells I dare not follow the School-mens steps too close but shall endeavour above all to keep close to Scripture That there are different degrees of Angells some higher in dignity then others seems probable but that there are those nine distinct orders and that some are sent and not others the Angells of the lower rank and not others are imployed is an ungrounded conjecture besides the rule of Scripture and we may not be wise abouâ— what is written We read of Seraphims and Cherubims to cover the mercy seat Isa 6. 6. Eph. 1. 21. We read of Principalities Rules Powers Dominions Thrones The Apostle ventured not to reckon them all up How dare the Schoolmen so peremptorily determine Augustine giveth his judgment Esse sedes dominationes c. August thus I do saith he firmely believe that there be seats powers and principalities yet I hold with undoubted faith that they differ in sort but how they differ I know not neither do I think that by such ignorance I incurre any danger Questionlesse there 's an Angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above them all in degree and dignity to whom all the Angells must pay homage and worship and that is the Archangell for we read not of Archangells in Scripture Michaell the Archangell when contending with the Devill he Jude 9. disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a rayling accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee The 1 Thes 4. 16. Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voyce of an Archangell and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first This is meant of the Lord Jesus Christ All thrones powers dominions must yeild subjection unto him He hath a name above every name He is Soveraign Lord of all Now for the bad Angells We read of the Devill and his Angells and Beelzebub the Prince of the Devills which implyes Order and degree according to a common acceptation though some rather understand it spoken of their power and this is more probable To be over-curiously inquisitive in these things I dare not The well is deep and we have not wherewith to draw I descend to a third question which is more profitable to know Q 3. What are the offices of Angells 1. To behold the face of God Math. 18. 10. Isa 6. 2. And that is what are the offices of the Angells I mean the good Angells for my text only speaks of them They are these 1. To behold the face of God Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that their Angells do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Though sometimes we read they cover their faces Above it stood the Seraphims each one had six winges with twaine he covered his face with twaine he covered his feet and with twaine he did flie They are not able to behold the infinite lustre and splendour of his Majesty but in Scripture account to be as the Angells in heaven sets forth a state of blessednesse In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angells of God heaven Mat. 22. 30. And blessednesse consists in the injoyment of the blessed vision 2. To execute the commands of God Blesse the Lord ye his 2. To execute Gods will Psal 103. 20. Mat. 6. 10. Angells that excell in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the