sufficient ground to assure our selves of the fulfilling of those Promises to have our Enemies subdued and the hand of God turned against our adversaries Psal 81.13 14. If we Sanctifie the holy Sabbath and keepe it from Prophanation the Lord under one especiall duty of the Law includes all the rest we may warrant as assured by the word of God the fulfilling of all those gracious Promises recorded Jer. 17.24 25 26. For the things written afore-time were written for us that we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Not to hold you long look well upon your Covenant by which you have in as solemne a manner as may be obliged your selves by lifting up your hands to the most high God in the presence of men and Angels which if you break God will certainly recompence it on your heads as he threatens to doe in a like case Ezech. 17.19 consider it well and make good your solemne engagements both for Publique and private Reformation and you may boldly challenge God to make good unto you any Promise which he hath made vnto his Church in his Word in any age past Labour for Zerubbabels spirit in carrying on the Lords work and you may assure your selves of Zerubbabels successe and the great Mountaines that stand in your way shall become plaines before you Zech. 4.7 I adde further that if any thing may be concluded out of the course that God hath held with us hitherto he hath so strangely interposed himself and constantly stept in betweene us and our utter ruine at Keinton at Brainford at Newbery at York at Cheriton at Naseby when we may truly say with David 1 Sam. 20.3 There was but a step betweene us and death or utter destruction hath so compassionately looked upon us in our low estate as the Psalmist termes it Psal 136.23 and raised us up to a condition beyond our hopes and expectation that we have great reason to hope that he which hath begun will make an end as himself speakes in another case 1 Sam. 3.12 Indeed both Moses Exod. 32.12 and Ioshua cap. 7.7.9 presse God with respect to his owne honour which would have been much blemished if God who had so strangely brought his children out of Egypt and over Ierdan should have suffered them to perish either in the Wildernesse or in the Land of Canaan It is true I grant that when God hath called us to a work of thorough Reformation if we mixe our carnall policies with his Counsels and drive on our owne ends with more zeale then his As God may and will call them to accompt that doe his worke Negligently or unfaithfully so he justly may not onely deny them the honour of performing and accomplishing this service to him and to his Church but may put off the perfecting of this glorious work of thorough Reformation for the present and mix the accomplishing thereof and the restoring of our peace with more bitternesse then we have yet tasted And particularly I boldly affirm that every one whose Conscience witnesseth unto him that in singlenesse of heart he hath put to his hand for the furthering and carrying on this worke of Reformation out of true zeale to Gods honour and the good of his Church may assure himself that though Israel be not gathered yet he shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and his God shall be his strength as Christ speakes of himself Isa 49.5 As he dealt with David whom though the Lord thought not fit to employ in the building of his Temple yet his desire and purpose to have done it was abundantly rewarded 2 Sam. 7.11.12 Let us therefore up and be doing and set forward for the raysing on of this great work with resolution as being assured both of the successe and perfecting thereof at the last and of the acceptance of our labours therein and of our reward hereafter what troubles soever we meet with in the way of which I am to speak in the next place This great Worke which in the promise which we have before us God engageth himselfe to performe for his Church he casteth into the unfittest and in mans Iudgement the most unlikely of all Times into Times of trouble the reason whereof we shall consider by and by In the meane while we may take notice that it is usuall with God to intermixe some bitternesse with his sweetest mercies The Passeover it self must be eaten with bitter herbes Exod. 12.8 More particularly God usually mixeth troubles and afflictions with the Churches Reformation so that we may lay this before us as a general rule It is usuall with God to carry on the worke of raysing and restoring his Church in times of Trouble The building of the Temple was indeed put off from Davids troublesome Reigne to the dayes of Solomon a man of Peace as his name imports or of Rest as God termes him 1 Chron. 22.9 in whose time God promiseth to give his people Peace and Quietnesse But that is an unparalleled example as it may be easily made good by instances of all times ancient and modern The time of delivering Israel out of Egypt was not only a time of heavie bondage but as Moses hastened on that work that yoke was made heavier upon them in so much that for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage they had no mind to hearken to Gods message by Moses of their delivery Exod. 6.9 When God had by strong hand brought them out of the Land of Egypt besides their forty yeeres troublesome travaile in the Wildernesse what troublesome and dangerous warres they were encumbered withal in the Land of Canaan in their setting and planting there is at large recorded in the booke of Ioshua In the planting of the Church under the Gospel both the history of the Apostles Acts and the records of the state of the Church for the first three hundred yeeres after CHRIST testify to the World what bitter Persecutions it indured to the effusion of the blood of many hundreds of thousands of Men Women and Children in all places where the Gospel was planted Yea the master-builders themselves drunk as deep or deeper of that bitter cup of Afflictions as any of the rest as St. Paul testifies of himselfe at large 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25. and is as fully witnessed of the rest in Histories of undoubted verity To come neerer to the times of the Waldenses who neere 500 yeeres past held out the light of the Gospel in those dayes of palpable darkenesse which had overspread almost the face of the whole earth when they began once to encrease to a considerable number as indeed in the space of a few yeeres there were reckoned neere Eight hundred thousand that embraced their Doctrine the Records of those times howsoever much corrupted by the adversaries testify what bloody Wars were raised up against them by the Pope continuing neere one hundred yeeres and ending almost in the utter extirpation of that holy seed To speak nothing of those long
exercise not only in times of temptation but in times of peace as souldiers exercise their Armes before they come to encounter their enemies It is recorded of that great Commander Philopaemon that as he walked either alone or with his friends he used to view and consider the ground through which he passed what advantages or disadvantages it might minister to him or his enemies if he should be there sodainly assailed so that having considered before how he might best either free himself or annoy the assailants he was easily able to avoyd the danger when it came Let us learne in this point wisdome of the children of this world our enemies are more subtile more powerfull more vigilant their surprises more sodaine and more dangerous Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walks about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8.9 The meanes which the Apostle prescribeth against this powerfull and dangerous enemy is the stedfastnesse of our Faith which we must not only have but have alwayes about us laying up the Promises alwaies in our hearts and by meditation supposing dangers and temptations before they come to consider how they may be applyed and made use of as the severall emergent occasions shall require The want of this providence in St. Peter left him naked so that he was sodainly surprised and shamefully foiled by Sathan before he could prepare himself for the encounter as is recorded Luk. 22.57 58 60. which he might have prevented if he had not been so securely and carelesly confident ver 33. but taken our Saviours warning before-hand ver 31.34 Faith thus grounded and exercised must be held out as a shield against Sathans fiery darts in times of tryall David being sorely shaken by the observation of wicked mens prosperous estate and his owne afflictions hath recourse to the Sanctuary where the word of God was layd up and see how quietly he settles his heart thereby Psal 73.12.14.17.25.28 And Psal 77. the Psalmist being tempted to question not only Gods mercies but his Promises too vers 7 8. is forced to have recourse to Gods workes ver 11 12. the supporters as I may terme them of that Faith which is founded upon the Word for the quieting of his distempered thoughts This is or should be the practise of all the godly in all our wrestlings with Sathan and his instruments lest Faith take hold on the word if yet it seeme to waver adde unto it experiments eyther in our selves as David doth of his deliverance from the Lyon and the Beare 1 Sam. 17.37 when he was to sight with Goliah or others as David comforted himselfe by remembring Gods judgements of old Psal 119.52 This use of Faith the condition of the times wherein we live so full of trouble and confusion calls for at present whether we looke upon the state of the Church in generall or our owne in Particular In generall we see the Prediction Rev. 12.17 that the Dragon should make warre with the Woman that is the Church and the remnant of her seed which keepe the Commandements of God made good and fulfilled before our eyes as not onely the long continued warres in Germanie but the troubles over most parts of Europe evidence it to the world By which that man of Sinne the Incendiary thereof hath so farre prevailed against the poore flock of CHRIST that some of the most famous and eminent States who had set up the Kingdome of CHRIST amongst them have hardly left unto them at this day the forme or face of a Church In the beholding of such sad spectacles let us lay before us that Propheticall Promise Dan. 2.44 That the Kingdome which God shall set up shall never be destroyed nor left to other people and that faithfull and full assurance out of our Saviours owne mouth that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Math. 16.18 That rather then faile the Woman the Church he meanes shall have wings to cary her out of the Dragons reach Revel 12.13 14. That the Wildernesse shall nourish her for a time and times and halfe a time that if the Serpent cast out floods of water after her to cary her away the earth shall swallow up the flood vers 15.16 In brief that God will arme and raise all the Creatures in heaven and earth for the defence of his Church Adde unto these the Decree pronounced against the Beast and the false Prophet that deceived them that received the marke of the Beast they shall be taken and be cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone Revel 19.20 A thing not only decreed but done with God though not yet executed in the sight of men for the Angell cryes mightily with a strong voyce Babylon the great is fallen is fallen Revel 18.2 The word is doubled like Pharaohs dreame because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to passe as Ioseph speakes to Pharaoh Gen. 41.32 yea I dare boldly say that these present Troubles of the Church which yet are but to purge out the Iniquity of Iacob and take away the sinne Isa 27.9 are but preparations to that great worke And these are no vaine Dreames but the true sayings of God as the Angell tels Iohn Rev. 19.9 Yea but you will say what Promise have we concerning this Nation and the Church of God therein what may we beleeve the issue of our troubles shall be at last To this I answer in generall two things First whatsoever our condition shall be suppose it to the worst that we feare yet if wee have any zeale for Gods honour or any true love unto his Church as members of that body we should put on St. Pauls resolution None of these move me sayth he neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so that I may finish my course with joy c. Act. 20.24 It was resolutely answered by the Roman Consuls when they stood stifly against the Law called Agraria which caused so many commotions at sundry times in the Roman state for the opposing wherof their Predecessors the Consuls of the former yeare after the extirpation of their office had been most unjustly Fined by the people Se quoque damnari posse ipsos legem per ferre non posse not regarding what became of themselves so they might secure the State I am sure the Prophets think it a sufficient ground of comfort to support the hearts of Gods children under the heavy burthen of the Babylonish captivity that it should be well with the Church in time to come although few of them lived to see that happie day Secondly although particular Persons and States be not named yet they are included in those Promises made unto the Church in generall or to the Iewes in particular considered as a Church if we answer the Conditions under which the Promise is made If we hearken to God and walke in his wayes we have
that men may see and know and understand together that the Lord hath done this Isa 41.18 19 20. So when men by whose councels and endeavours ordinarily things are effected intend any thing and the event falls out contrary to what they purposed it must be concluded that when the heart of man deviseth his way yet it is God that directeth his steps Prov. 16.9 Thus that it may appeare the restoring of the Church is Gods own Work he suffers Satan and his wicked instruments to oppose and hinder it what they can that the effecting of that Worke without and against mens intentions may be ascribed to God alone 2. ly As the carrying on of the Churches Reformation in Troublous times discovers it to be Gods Worke so it manifests it to be the Work of his Almighty power when his enemies having armed themselves against him with all their strength are overmastered by him Now I know saith Iethro that the Lord is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Exod. 18.11 When Nebuchadnezar saw that with all his power and with the help of his fiery furnace he was not able to hurt so much as an heire of the heads of the three children it moved him not only to Astonishment at the present but withall to passe a decree for the honouring of that Almighty God whom those menserved Neither doth this way of Gods in restoring his Church in Troublous times more manifest his power then it doth his goodnesse in drawing Good out of Evil and his wisdome in serving himselfe of the Councels and endeavours of his Enemies and turning all their crosse wayes to meet in the furthering of his owne ends as he did Satans practice in crucifying our Saviour to the accomplishing of the Worke of mans Salvation which Satan laboured to overthrow Thirdly God is highly honoured by the Churches troubles when his children thereby discover their sincere love to Christ and his truth when they choose him in the middest of all outward discouragements When Moses chose afflictions with the people of God rather then the honour to be accompted the Son of Pharaohs daughter he testified that he esteemed the Reproach of Christ greater then the Treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.24 25 26. And when Iobs sincerity being questioned by Satan God delivered him over to be exorcised by the Divel under so many bitter afflictions in the middest whereof his heart still rested on God in whom he resolved to trust I though he should slay him Iob 13.15 Those afflictions of his were but as so many windowes as an ancient Father calls them through which the World might look into the uprightnesse of his heart and true love unto God from which no afflictions could move him It was an honourable testimony given of Christ by Iohn Lambert that holy Martyr as due unto Christ when in the middest of the flames of fire he lifted up his hands clapping them together over his head and cryed out with a loud voyce None but Christ None but Christ How the troubles which accompany the Churches Reformation serve to the advantages of Gods honour we have seene We shall find them no lesse Beneficiall to his Church and that sundry wayes First therefore by these Troubles which fall in with the first Planting or Reforming of the Church Gods people are prepared to Endure hardnesse as good souldiers of IESVS CHRIST which St. Paul in the person of Timothy exhorts us unto 2 Tim. 2.3 It is true that warnings before-hand are of use to prepare men for sufferings to which purpose our Saviour exhorts his followers to take up the Crosse Math. 16.24 and St. Paul fore-tels his that they must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God Act. 14.22 But this Dreame of an outward glorious and Peaceable estate under Christs government so fills the heads not onely of the Papists who reckon it among the markes of the true Church and of the Iewes who despised Christ because they saw no forme or Beauty that is no outward Pompe or Glory in him Isa 53.2 3. an errour that possessed the very Apostles themselves so farre that both the sonnes of Zebedee sued for places of honourable preferment in CHRIST's Kingdome Math. 20.20 21. And all the rest of them disputed the Point Who amongst them should be greatest Mark 9.34 But generally is so rooted in the hearts of all men that unlesse experience of Troubles in their first entrance under Christs government taught them the contrary admonitions would be of little force to awaken men out of that Dreame Wherein if they should be confirmed by a Peaceable and quiet setling of the Church at the first it would endanger mens Apostasie afterward when they should find the course of a Christian life full of Troubles and Persecution so farre unanswerable to that which their Peaceable entrance in taking up the yoke of CHRIST seemed to promise as appeares both by the falling away of such as are resembled by the Stony ground Math. 13.22 And by Davids danger of condemning his owne wayes upon the same ground Psal 73.13 14. So that troublesome beginnings of the Churches Reformation are a great meanes of preferving men from Apostasie afterwards or at least from great discouragements in the course of a Christian life Secondly the troublesome setling of the Church warning men to expect troubles afterwards makes them by that expectation acquainted with Evils before they come which much abates the feare of them when they happen Iulius Caesar in his warres in France was wont to tell his Souldiers strange things of the great Power wherewith the Enemy came against them whereof they having knowledge beforehand and when they came to the encounter finding their forces no more or usually farre lesse then they expected they despised the danger and fought with incredible resolution Troubles and afflictions are formidable to men a farre off the more wee are acquainted with them the lesse cause we see to feare them So that the acquainting of the Church with Troubles in the beginning armes the godly with resolution against them and by expectation makes them familiar unto them that they beare them with incredible patience when they come St. Paul warned by the Holy Ghost that hee was to expect Bonds and afflictions in every City growes so resolute that he despiseth his owne life Act. 20.23 24. Thirdly such Troubles although they are unpleasant to the flesh are very available to put the Spirit in a right frame moving us to retire neerer to God to hide under the shadow of his wings as in a place of security Psal 91.2 3. Davids afflictions every morning made him find that it was good for him to draw neere unto God Psal 73.28 Againe it makes us to looke more carefully as David professeth hee did to our wayes Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word as well that wee may cut off occasion from those that
have failed hitherto as it appeares wee have too much let our own hearts smite us in secret having in bitternes of spirit bewailed before God our former neglects engage our selves by renewed promises strengthened with firme resolutions after Davids example Psalm 132.3 4. to make this great work which God hath called us unto our first and chiefest care which wee would certainly doe if the zeal of Gods house had eaten us up with David Psal 69.9 That the fencing and ordering of the Church is a work that God will bring to passe I have shewed already And that it is our dutie to joyn with him therein no man will deny lest the curse of Meroz fall upon us Judg. 5.23 Thirdly that the greatest weight of this work lies upon the hands of the Princes and Rulers appears by Gods message sent unto Zerubbabel Hag. 1.2 By Davids charge to his son Solomon and all the Princes of Israel 1 Chron. 22.6 17 18 19. and by the examples of Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.8 9 Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.3 4.5.11 and Josiah 2 Chron. 34. commended and set before us as patterns for their zeale in establishing and reforming the Church of God And lastly that this is the time wherein you are called upon to bring forth the head stone of this work as your selves cannot deny so God himself makes it evident by the course of his dispensations towards us for the farther we proceed in this work the neerer God drawes unto us in wayes of mercy scattering our enemies and crowning us with such successes as exceed our own hopes and expectations Let me therefore speak unto you in Davids words to his son Solomon 1 Chro. 22.16 Arise Right Honourable and be doing and the Lord be with you or a little more fully in the Nobles words to Ezra chap. 10.4 Arise for this matter appertaineth to you we also will be with you be of good courage and do it Not only the Ministers and people of the Land but of all the reformed Churches abroad assist you with their prayers as Moses Aaron and Hur did Joshua fighting with the Amalekites Exod. 17.10 12. till this work be carried on to perfection Besides the honourable name which you shall leave behind you to all posterity to be called The Repairers of the breaches and Restorers of paths to dwell in Isai 58.12 your labour will not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 and will be found upon your account at the last day To descend to the particulars of the duty required of you in this great work of the Churches reformation Let us I beseech you have the help of that power that God hath entrusted you with to protect us that the Boar out of the wood waste us not nor the wild beast of the field devoure us Psal 80.13 that enjoying abundance of peace under you our souls may be redeemed from deceit and violence Psal 72.7.14 which must be done either by cutting off wicked doers from the city of the Lord Psal 101.8 or by breaking their jaws and plucking the prey out of their mouth Job 29.17 or so discountenancing their wayes that they may be the scorn of the world and men may cry after them as after a thiefe Job 30.5 In the next place let me humbly desire that the building of the inner wall of the Church may be hastened with all possible speed I mean that Ecclesiasticall Discipline may be established First that Dogs and Swine prophane persons may no longer pollute the holy things of God that such as want wedding garments may be kept out from the Lords feasts Mat. 22.11.13 For the removing of that block of offence from such as upon that pretence separate themselves from our Assemblies as polluted by the leaven as the Apostle terms it 1 Cor. 5.6 of such unclean persons who being mixt with us and admitted by us to partake of our holy things leaven the whole lump Something you have assaid to do that way already my prayer is that you may do and I hope the Lord will stir up your spirits to do yet much more Perhaps ye fear to commit too much power to Ministers lest the undiseneet abusing it liberty may thereby suffer prejudice Let me answer with the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.2 If the world shall be judged by you are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters If Christ have committed to the Minister alone the highest power of the keys to bind over some to wrath and judgment and to loose others and acquit them from that dreadfull sentence in the dispensation of the Word as you must needs acknowledge promising to ratifie in heaven what they do on earth Mat. 16.19 Do you think it much to commit unto them assisted with the whole Presbyterie matters of far lesse moment the suspending of men for a while from the use of some outward ordinances But my hope is you purpose to try them in a little first which if they manage well you intend to trust them with more hereafter as the Master dealt with his servants Mat. 25.21.23 Secondly for the preventing or repressing of such as make divisions amongst us Rom. 16.17 speaking and teaching perverse things to draw disciples after them Acts 20.30 That divisions and drawing into parties are the most destructive wayes to Christian societie besides the grounds of reason the constant practice of Satan who both knowes and pursues his own advantages in making use of this dangerous Engine to undermine the Church makes it evident to the world Thus he laboured to trouble the Church in the Apostles own times as both the histories of the Acts and their own Epistles testifie The like practice he used in all succeeding times as is witnessed by all Ecclesiasticall Records And in this last age when Luther began the work of Reformation he raised up first the Anabaptists in great multitudes in Germany to disturb the peace and to hinder the growth of the Church and afterwards by dividing the Lutherans from the Calvinists hath made that wide breach between the Reformists that will hardly be closed up and in the mean time gives daily infinite advantages to that man of Sin to work the Churches utter ruine No marvell then that the Apostle adjures the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.10 by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement And afterwards useth that vehement obtestation Phil. 2.12 If we have any consolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the Spirit any bowels and mercy to be of one accord and of one minde That in all things men should be of one minde we must suppose them to be one man while we are divers men we shall have divers mindes in many things which yet need not hinder us from walking by the same rule and minding the same thing in our aim and scope Gods honour and our salvation by Christ whereunto if we be guided by the same rule the Law and Word