at the Altar with Prayers in our mouthes Have not many Souldiers who are out of this life departed fighting and dying in their owne blood cryed aloud in the ears of God and shall we be silent who are left as yet alive after them Shall not we Pray for the Churches Peace who living in the bosome of the Church have had our lives given us for a Prey in this time of War Can we be so senselesse carelesse both of our own and others present calamitou Condition That would not only be laid to our charge as a Sinne but also redound to our great Shame in succeeding Ages even from all posterity Loe this is a duty which we owe unto the Church our Mother and she may justly claime it at our hands The word here Pray in our Text is rendred by some orate and by others rogate but the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which being translated is postulate The Hebrew Radix is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Rogavit Quaesivit precibus impetravit impetrare est quod petitur obtinere in petione effectum habere That is to importune God uncessantly and never to give him over by our Prayers untill he be intreated of us that the Church enjoyeth her Peace Behold our gracious God willingly accepteth uncessant Suters and also dearly loveth importunate Petitioners Yea the more earnestly he is desired of us the more sweetly he is delighted in us And therefore men of Israel helpe helpe with your Prayers Psal 121.2 for our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth So that it is He and onely He that can preserve the Churches Peace from disturbers Oh then let us flye and that speedily to the Lord of Hosts and importunately implore his assistance Let us be earnest suters to heaven and desire the Almighty to command his Angell to pitch his tents about his Church And for the preservation of her Peace Zecha 2.5 that his providence may be as a wall of fire round about her to surround and incircle her from the insurrection of wicked doers And thus whilst others digge out of the bowels of the earth powder and shot for our destruction let us fetch our Ammunition from Heaven let us looke up to the hils above and to the heavens above them from whence commeth our help Yea let us all resolve with holy David Psal 44.6.7 O Lord we will not trust in our bow it is not our sword that can helpe us but it is thou that savest us from our enemies and puttest them to confusion that rise up against us Vnto thee therefore do we lift up our eyes Psal 123.1 O thou that dwellest in the heavens O Pray for the Peace c. And now by the way of a necessary digression we are to pray not onely for the Church in generall but also for our selves in particular Art thou fallen into any sinne Then pray that thou maist recover thy foote out of the snarne of the Devil Doest thou stand upright in thine integrity Then Pray that thou maiest not be led into Temptation And thus upon every occasion we should repaire unto the Throne of grace to finde grace and helpe in the time of need that so we may have a speedy supply of assistance from heaven against all our infirmities At which Throne of grace our faithfull and fervent prayers will find acceptance and will be so prevalent both for our selves and others that we shall grow in the strength thereof from one degree of grace unto another untill we become perfect members in Jesus Christ And therefore let us not cease to pray particularly for our Selves and generally for the Peace of the Church O Pray for the Peace c. Reprehension Vse 3 TO reprove all those persons that doe not pray for the Peace of the Church My Charitable censure of this Congregation is that there are no such persons present here But if there be any then to them I say Oh Ungratious Children what are ye utterly void of all humanity Are ye stupified and become altogether senselesse of your Mother the Churches callamity Are ye wholly deprived of all naturall affection Is your Mother in misery and can ye not mourne for her Is Shee in adversity and can ye not pitty her Is she in distresse and can ye not pray for her Unto whom shall I compare you but unto that Widdow of whom S. Paul speaketh to Timothy who living in pleasure 1 Tim. 5.6 is dead whilst she liveth Or to the Angel of the Church of Sardis of whom the blessed Spirit of God saith Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead Loe thus such persons are frozen in the dregges of their owne impieties and will not suffer the heat of Gods blessed Spirit to enter into their hearts to dissolve them Whereby their hearts might relent and their bowels of Compassion yerne within them towards the distressed Church which they professe to be their Mother Oh how justly are those unnaturall Children to be reprehended Let therefore all such persons be ashamed for their neglect herein for the time that is past and make it their practice to pray for the Churches Peace for the time to come O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Consolation Vse 4 TO Comfort the hearts of all those persons that have conscionably performed this Christian duty of praying for the Peace of the Church for their reward is with God The God of the true Church for whose Peace thou hast prayed and whom thou hast greatly pittied when she was like a Lily amongst the Thornes will one day imbrace thee in the armes of his mercy And thou shalt see the Church in her perfect beauty and shalt with her from God receive a Crowne of immortall glory And therefore comfort thy selfe for having done the worke thou shalt be sure to have thy wages not as deserving any thing that is good at the hand of God but onely proceeding from Him ex merâ gratiâ having laboured faithfully by fervent prayer to procure the peace of the Church militant here upon earth Thou shalt be sure to reigne with her when she shall be gloriously Tryumphant in heaven Where all tears shall be wiped from her eyes and she shall sing Hallelujah Praise Rev. 5.13 and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for evermore And thus much for the exhortary Christian Religious Duty set downe in this word Pray O Pray for the Peace c. From which word you may remember the Doctrine Prayer to God is the onely salve to cure calamity and to continue the favour of God unto his people And now let us come to the next considerable in our Text viz. the Subject of this Duty set downe in the word Peace From which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing
The LORD is a man of Warre his name is Jehovah c. Deborah Iudg. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Barak the sonne of Abinoam sang a song of Praise for the peoples Victory Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 praised God for her sonne Samuell It was S. Phil. 4.6 Pauls Exhortation to his Philippians that they should be Thankfull unto God And also to his Colossians Col. 2.6 7 that they should abound with Thanksgiving Thus Raguell praised God for the preservation of Tobias life Tob. 8.15 O God said he thou art worthy to be praised with all pure and holy praise therefore let thy Saints praise thee with all thy Creatures and let all thine Angels and thine Elect praise thee for ever It was the desire of wicked Balaam to have the Righteous mans Death Num. 23.10 But he would not live the Righteous mans life If therefore we desire to be happy with the Saints at our Death Let us endeavour to imitate them in our Life And one way whereof must be by being thankfull to God for his Blessings received Holy Davids thankfull heart unto God makes it his Quaerie Quid retribuam Domino What shall I give unto the Lord Psal 116.11 12. for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Yea the serious consideration of Gods Blessings caused David to stir up his owne soule to be thankefull unto God when he said Praise the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 and forget not all his benefits And the same Princely Prophet foure times in one Psalme heartily wisheth that the people would praise the Lord and set forth his loving kindnesse to the world Psal 107.8 15 21 31. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men Our Thankfulnesse to God ought to be testified as far as Mortals may in a threefold duty In Corde In Affectione In Lingua In Professione In Vita In Actione In Affection Profession and in Action Cordially Verbally and Visibly 1. Thankefulnesse in Affection is when willingly we accept the Benefit and heartily think our selves indebted for it 2. Thankfulnesse in Profession is when we make publication of a benefit received to the praise of the Giver 3. Thankfulnesse in Action is when the party receiving a gift doth expresse a reality of gratitude gratifying thereby the Donor to the uttermost of his power So that our reall thankfulnesse must be by a constant cordiall and universall obedience to Gods commandements It should therefore be the care of every one who would be truly Thankefull to be the same all these three wayes viz. In Heart in Mouth and in Life Let us therefore call to mind my beloved Brethren how many Bonds of Thankfulnesse the Lord hath bound us in And also consider with our selves it was onely his free mercy towards us that we had not beene those children that were ripped out of their Mothers bellies 2 King 8.12 Or those young men that perished in the Battell Judg. 9. Or those women that ate their Babes to preserve their lives 2 King 6.29 Or that we were not Infidels Pagans Papists Atheists or Hereticks So that we may comfortably say with the Prophet David He hath not dealt so with every Nation Psal 147. ult Let therefore evermore the Praises of God be in our Hearts the Word of God in our Mouthes and the Gospel of Christ in our Lives And by how much the more we have tasted of the Lords Goodnesse above others so much the more let him tast of our Thankfulnesse above others And let us all in Gods feare pray continually for the Peace of England and the flourishing estate of this Church and Common-wealth wherein we live Use the meanes to keep it refuse the way to lose it and long yea for ever may they prosper that love it O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Thus much for the Subject of this Duty being the Third Considerable in our Text set downe in this word Peace From whence you may remember the Doctrine Doct. Peace is a pretious blessing of God well deserving the prayers of his faithfull servants And now let us come to the last Considerable in our Text viz. the Object of this Subject set down in the last word of our Text Jerusalem By which is meant the Church of God From the which word you may remember the Doctrine Doct. It is required as a due debt from the Children of God that they should pray for the peace of the Church their Mother O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And here I am not to speak of the invisible Church triumphant in Heaven but of the visible Church Militant here upon Earth and of that as briefly and orderly as I may The word used for Church in the Originall language of the New Testament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to call for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called of the Graecians an Assembly of the Citizens called from home by the voice of a Cryer to heare the Judgement of the Senate But the Jewes called their place of publique meeting for the reading of the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue that is a gathering together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather together to bring together and to assemble together But the Christians that by the very name of publique meetings they might distinguish betweene their Christian meetings and the Jewish assemblies have used and kept the word Church for the Congregation of them that professe Christ So that the Church of God is the company of selected Saints being effectually called from the world by the Preaching of the Gospell and chosen before all Worlds to the Worship of God being also Justified and Sanctified in Christ Jesus through the Operation of the Holy Ghost who heartily desire to serve and earnestly endeavour to please their Creator in all things whilst they live here in this world and shall have the full fruition of Eternall happinesse hereafter in the world to come And from being Members of this Church none that are true Believers are excepted whether they be high or low rich or poore old or young noble or ignoble learned or unlearned simple or politique of what estate degree or condition soever they be For there is neither Jew nor Grecian Gal. 3.28 there is neither bond or free there is neither male or female but they are all one in Christ Jesus The Sapient Solomon describeth the Church as though it were a Stately Court Cant. 6.7 in which there are none but those that are of the Blood Royall viz. Kings Queenes and those that are Heires apparent to the Kingdome of Heaven So that the true essentiall Members of the Church being faithfull Believers in Christ Jesus are the most precious and Noble Persons that live upon the earth even
such as are descended of the Blood of Christ in which regard they are the dearest of men and nearest unto God Yea they are a people distinct from all others by Gods Grace of Election and stand before him in their new Birth and Second Creation in which the Lord lookes joyfully upon them and delights to behold them because they sprang from Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Eph. 3.15 And this Church Metaphorically and by way of similitude is called Mater Fidelium the Mother of the Faithfull because she brings forth Sonnes unto God unites them to Christ and nourisheth them by the Preaching of the Word and by the Examples of good Workes And hence is that expression Non posse quemquam habere Deum Patrem qui non habet Ecclesiam Matrem No man can have God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother alluding to that of S. Paul Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell So that if we would have God for our Father we must account the Church for our Mother and procure her Peace with our best endeavours and there is no more prevalent way for us to helpe her then by praying heartily to God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Jerusalem was the Metropolis of Judea And she was also a Tipe of the Church of Christ and that in diverse respects viz. 1. Jerusalem was a Citty compact in it selfe by reason of the bond of love and Order that was amongst the Citizens themselves as in this Psalme verse the 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City that is at unity in it selfe So in like manner the Members of Christs Church are linked together by the bond of one Spirit Ephes 4.3 And they joyntly endeavour to keepe the unity of that Spirit in the bond of Peace 2. In Jerusalem was the Sanctuary a place of Gods Presence and Worship So in like manner the Church of Christ is the roome of the Sanctuary in which we must seeke the presence of God and the word of Life 1 Tim. 3.15 Therefore the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pillar and ground of Truth 3. The Lord mercifully promised the people of Jerusalem that if they would call upon his Name they should have Deliverance Joell the 2. ult the which hath resemblance to the Church of Christ amongst the Gentiles alluding to that of S. Paul There is no difference betweene the Jew and the Grecian Rom. 10.12 13. for he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved 4. In Jerusalem the Citizens yeelded obedience to their Kings So in like manner the Members of Christs Church being true Believers Eph. 2.19 are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And they yeeld obedience unto Christ their King Esa 2.5 5. In Jerusalem was the Throne of David as in this Psalme verse the 5. So in like manner in the Church of Christ is the Throne or Scepter of Christ Rev. 3.7 figured by the Kingdome of David 6. Zach. 2.8 The Lord chose Jerusalem above all other places in the world and tendered the people therein even as the apple of his owne eye So in like manner the true Members of Christs Church are a Chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a Peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light Lastly in Jerusalem the names of the Citizens were inrolled in a Book So in like manner all the true Members of the Church of Christ Rev. 20.12 have their names written in the booke of Life S. John had a Revelation of the last Judgement And he saith I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Whereupon we may orthodoxally resolve and infallibly infer that whosoever have not their names written in that Book of Life must have their portion with the Devil and his Angels for evermore as plainely appeareth in the last verse of the same Chapter And whosoever was not found written in the Booke of Life was cast into the lake of fire Loe thus Beloved you have heard the neere Resemblance and Typicall Representation betweene the City of Jerusalem and the Church of Christ Now let us come to the Reasons of the Observation Reas 1 Because the Church is in a continuall warfare in this world and therefore she is called the Church Militant because she is daily fighting against the Flesh the World and the Devill yea she hath many enemies that come from Satans Campe very fiercely against her Who like Tyrants by violence and force of strength like Sophisters by subtilty and corruption of doctrine like Hypocrites by dissembling and superstition and like Epicures by leudnesse of life and filthinesse of conversation doe daily assault and sight against the Church of Christ Loe these like cunning Fowlers strive daily and hourely for to intrap her the Flesh would infect her the World would deceive her and the Devill would destroy her And therefore it behoveth us with our best endeavours even heartily to pray unto God for her O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 2 Because whosoever desires to have his Habitation in Gods Tabernacle must love make much of the members of Gods Church Psal 15.4 And how can we better manifest our love untothem then by praying for them when they are in distresse And this duty of Love to the Members of Gods Church is both Commanded Commended Approved and Rewarded in the holy Scriptures It is 1. Commanded 1 John 3.23 This is his Commandement that we should believe in the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement 2. Commended 1 Cor. 13. ult Now abideth Faith Hope and Love even these three but the chiefest of these is Love 3. Approved Apoc. 2.19 The Blessed Spirit of God spake to S. John to say to the Angell of the Church of Thyatira I know thy Workes and thy Love meaning towards the Members of Gods Church 4. Rewarded Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love which ye shewed toward his name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister Yea beloved and were it so that the love to the Members of Gods Church were neither Commanded Commended Approved nor Rewarded Yet notwithstanding if thou hast received an Influence of Grace from Heaven the sparkes of Grace will so kindle in thy soule that thy praying for
lockt then against Theeves and Robbers S. Paul is peremptory in this particular Be not deceived saith He neither Theeves 1 Cor. 6.10 nor Covetous nor any of that cursed rabble he speakes of there shall have any inheritance in the Kingdome of God and of Christ But no sooner comes the penitent Thiefe with this Key of Prayer Domine memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome but presently the doore is open unto him with an Hodie mecum eris in paradiso This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise A Key did we call Prayer It seemes rather to be a Pick-lock that did not onely open heaven gate but also even let in a Thiefe He that formerly had rob'd passengers on the way and walked in the way of errour and shaddow of death Now bids Stand to the Way it selfe And sets onely upon him who is the Way Ioh. 14.6 the Truth and the Life and by his prayers unto him as it were by a new kinde of theft steales Heaven And as the Thiefe by his prayers opened the doores of heaven so Elijah the Prophet by his prayers made them fast He prayed that it might not raine Iam 5.17 and it rained not by the space of three years and six monethes 1 King 18. When he fled from the presence of Ahab He tyed up the influences of heaven and carryed away the Clouds in his Mantle It seemes God who is the Father of the drops of dew saith Job Ioh. 36.28 Mat. 5.45 and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust saith our blessed Saviour had granted unto Elijah a Patent or Monopoly of the raine and his prayers were the onely Rent he paid for it Eusebius reporteth Lib. 5. That in the Primitive Church Anno Dom. 175. The Army of Christians was called the Thundering-Legion because upon their prayers God scattered their Enemies with Thunder and refreshed themselves with comfortable showers from Heaven But not to loose our selves and protract the time in this Panegyrick of Prayer It is our Christian Sacrifice the calves of our lips which after all the abolished Sacrifices of the Law doth yet answer them all It is our morning and evening Sacrifice our incense offering which we put into the hand of our high-priest Christ Jesus to offer for us Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight like the incense saith David and the lifting up of my hands be an evening Sacrifice Psal 141.2 Like incense it vapors up in a sweet perfume in the nostrils of God It is our Juge Sacrificium our daily Sacrifice pray continually saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.17 pray without ceasing Prayer is our sinne-offering our clensing-offering Oratio sonat pestes mentis saith the Father It cures the plague-sores of the Soule And God accepts of the fruit of the lips proceeding from a penitent heart for the faults of the whole body Lastly Prayer is our Elevatum or heave-Offering even the lifting up of our hands in his sight And blessed are they that can lift up pure hands in his Sanctuary they shall be sure to have the Victory and to triumph over all their Necessities When Moses hands were lifted up Exod. 17.11 then Israel prevailed but when they hung downe then Amaleck prevailed Moses is the History and every man that is a meeke and faithfull man as Moses was is the Morall When we lift up our hands and hearts to God in faithfull and fervent Prayer then our sinnes and enemies doe both retire but when we let them hang downe neglecting that necessary Duty then they charge us with double Forces Which teacheth us how dangerous a thing it is to faint in Prayer And therefore cease not to Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the Dignite of Prayer unto the Reasons of the Observation viz. Wherefore Prayer to God is the onely salve to cure calamity and to continue the favour of God unto his people Reas 1 Because it is the Lords expresse Injunction together with a gratious promise to grant our requests Call upon me in the time of trouble Psal 50.15 so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me Reas 2 Because there is a blessing pronounced by our blessed Saviour unto those persons that labour for the Peace of others Blessed are the Peace-makers Mat. 5.9 for they shall be called the Children of God Reas 3 Because we being Children of the Church our Mother we have a Portion in our Mothers Peace For the Church our Mother and we her Children are relata and mutually sympathize the distresses of each other And as we should condole the Church our Mothers adversity so in like manner we ought to congratulate her prosperity our Portion being in her Peace Reas 4 Because of the happy Effect that Prayer produceth If saith God I shut the heaven that there be no raine 2 Chron. 7.13 14. or if I command the Grashopper to devoure the Land or if I send Pestilence among my people If my people among whom my name is called upon doe humble themselves and Pray and seeke my presence and turne from their wicked wayes then will I hear in heaven and be mercifull unto their sinne and will heale their Land Unto which also S. James alludeth where he saith Pray one for another that ye may be healed Iam. 5.16 for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent And therefore Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the grounds of the Observation unto the Application The Uses of this point are briefely foure viz. 1. Vse of Examination 2. Vse of Exhortation 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation Examination Vse 1 TO Examine thy selfe whether thou Prayest for the Peace of the Church or no if thou doest then it is an Argument of thy Regeneration But if thou doest not then it is an Argument that as yet thou art without the pale of the Church and art still in thy Naturall cursed condition And one of the bastard-brood of Sathan and consequently a firebrand of hell rather then a faithfull Son of God and Heire of Heaven Exhortation Vse 2 TO exhort us all in Gods feare to pray for Jerusalems Peace And this ought to be done secretly privately and publiquely secretly by our selves privately with our families and publiquely in the Assembly Beloved if thou art so aged or otherwise possessed with infirmities as that thou canst not fight for the Church when she is in distresse yet if thou cast Pray thou art for the Churches turne and that thou maiest doe for Prayer is a Spirituall quality of the Soule which may be performed by a weake and infirmed body and therefore as occasion is offered neglect not the same But admit the Lord hath decreed as I hope he hath not that we should perish in a generall Calamity yet notwithstanding let us all endeavour for to die
the Church here upon earth will be inevitable So that I may say of such a one as the Prophet Ieremy once spake of himselfe in another case when Pashur had put him into Prison for denouncing Gods Judgements against Jerusalem Jer. 20.9 Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speake any more in his name But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay So in like manner if thou hast grace in thy heart the Church of God being in distresse thou wilt be weary with forbearing to pray for the Peace of the Church O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 3 Because the Church is invironed with many Enemies yea sometimes David-like inclosed with fat Bulles of Bashan on every side even Cruell Tyrants who seeke her Subversion Yea She is like a Lillie amongst the Thornes Cant. 2.2 She is often beset with dangerous and troublesome Thrones viz. hurtfull gracelesse and pestilent Spirited persons who prick and wound the Lillies in their goods names liberties yea and lives also And thus it hath beene even from the beginning for when there were but two men borne into the World the one was a Lillie and the other a Thorne but the Thorne suppressed and perished the Lillie viz. Gen. 4.8 Caine destroyed his Brother Abel Yea the most beautifull Lillie that ever saw the light of the sunne Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour was so fiercely and violently beset with Thornes as that all his love and purity meeknesse and innocency could not keepe them from him but they violently thrust at him pricked him to the heart and wounded him to the death And loe thus will it be with the poore Members of his Church untill the last Judgement day when as both Lillies and Thornes must appeare before Christ in the Cloudes to receive according to their deeds Mat. 25. And then shall the persecuted Lillies be received into Heaven and the pernitious Thornes be cast as Fuell into the fire of Hell So that this persecuted condition of the Church pathetically implores us to pray for her Peace O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Reas 4 Because the Church is Seated in Bochim being a place of Weeping she now lives in a Vale of misery and Vallie of teares and must be Contented so long as she liveth upon the face of the Earth to sit downe like a desolate widdow Psal 137.2 and hang her harpes upon the Willowes and make her Expressions in mournfull Elegies and Dolefull Ditties untill her Husband returnes unto her Alas woe and alas may we of this English Nation at this day deploringly complaine that the little Barke of Christ is now almost sunke under Water She is tossed up and downe to and fro hither and thither in the troublesome Seas of this turbulent Age Rabshakeh raileth Haman plotteth Balack bribeth Balaam curseth the Enemy rageth and the Devill roareth and all against the innocent Doves in the little Barke of Christ as they are sailing hopefully towards their resting Haven of happinesse in the Kingdome of Heaven So that Peter-like in the eye of humane sense and reason they are in the way of perishing did not the hand of Gods Providence preservingly support them She was prefigured in Noahs Arke floating upon the Waters and doth now resemble a little Ship in the vast Ocean which sometimes is carryed along quietly with a calme prosperous Gale but suddenly the boysterous windes arising and the unresistible Surges Billowes and Waves swelling the Seas become rough and troublesome and she is in Danger and necessarily standeth in neede of our Prayers And therefore let us not cease to Pray for her Peace O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem And thus doe I passe from the Reasons of the Observation unto the Application The Uses whereof are briefely Five viz. 1. Vse of Terrour 2. Vse of Instruction 3. Vse of Reprehension 4. Vse of Consolation 5. Vse of Exhortation Terrour Vse 1 TO terrifie the hearts of all those that have persecuted the Church of Christ Listen a while I pray you to those heavy though just Judgements of God that have befallen the bloody Persecutors of his Church Pharaoh Oppressed the poore People of Israell in the Land of Aegypt and when they had leave to depart the Land Exod. 14.28 yet he pursued them with a purpose to destroy them But in the end his intention was frustrate and both himselfe and all his Hoaste perished in the Sea Haman Hest 3.9 upon the promise of Ten thousand talents of Silver procured a Decree from King Ahashuerosh to kill and destroy all the Jewes both old and young men women and children that were in all the Kings Provinces in one day But his Designe was blasted Hest 7.10 and in the end himselfe hanged upon the gallowes he had prepared for Mordecai Senacherib the King of Ashur sent Rabshakey to raile upon the living God and to discourage his Army but the Birth of his Project proved abortive insomuch that the Angell of the Lord in one night slew in the Campe of Ashur Esa 37.36 an hundred fourscore and five thousand and in the morning behold they were all dead corpses Yea and after that Senacherib himselfe was slaine by two of his owne Sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer as he was worshiping his Idoll God Nisroch in the Temple Antiochus the sonne of Demetrius after he had chased Tryphon from the Kingdome of Asia and broken the league which he had made with the Jewes gave himselfe wholly to worke mischiefe against them Then violently he set upon Jerusalem and tooke it by force Commanding his Souldiers to destroy those that were therein insomuch that within the space of three whole dayes there was such a bloody massacre both of old and young men women and children that there were destroyed fourescore thousand of the Jewes 2 Mac. 5. After this was done this bloody Tyrant was put to flight by the Inhabitants of Persepolis a City of Persia going about to rob their Temple of their Treasures Then furiously he threatned the people of the Jewes saying I will make Jerusalem a common burying place of the Jewes when I come thither But the Lord Almighty the God of Israel smote him with an incurable and invisible plague for assoone as he had spoken these words a paine of the bowels that was remedilesse came upon him and sore torments of the inner parts So that the wormes came out of his body in abundance and whiles he was alive his flesh fell off for paine and torment and all his Army was grieved at his smell Loe thus the Murtherer and Blasphemer suffered most grievously and as he had entreated other men so he dyed a most miserable death in a strange Country among the Mountains 2 Mac. 9. Nero that bloody Tyrant being the first Emperour that persecuted the Church of Christ exposed the poore Christians to the fury of rude
tedious and burthensome yet notwithstanding to the faithfull Members of Christs Church they making a right use thereof it will be helpfull and profitable As for example Holy David was so greatly oppressed with troubles as that he complained in the anxiety of his soule The snares of death compassed me round about Psal 116.3 and the paines of Hell gate hold upon me What Adversaries are more horrible and Enemies can be more terrible then Death and Hell And yet notwithstanding he making a snactified use thereof they wrought in him most blessed and happy Effects the which he found experimentally in himselfe and therefore freely confesseth Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep thy word Psal 119.67 And Verse the 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes And the Lord saith of the Israelites by his Prophet Hosea Hos 5.15 In their affliction they will seeke me diligently And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Faithfull in affliction saith Lord in trouble have they visited thee Esa 26.16 they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them So that Afflictions being Gods Rods are his Childrens Remembrancers yea Troubles make many Returners and Seekers to God who formerly have been Revolters and Straglers from him as were the Israelites Manasseh the Prodigall Sonne and diverse others Yea beloved and to be continually without Crosses Troubles and Afflictions men may justly suspect themselves to be rather Members of the Devils Church Malignant than of Christs Church Militant St. Ambrose that godly devout and religious Bishop travelling with some others towards Rome went to a Rich-mans house resolving to lodge and remaine there till the next morning And after some short discourse he demanded of the man of the house how it went with him and in what case he stood concerning his present condition for the things of this Life Unto which the Rich-man replyed Sir my condition hath ever beene happy and fortunate I never tasted any kinde of Adversity I never had any sicknesse or losse of goods all things have hitherto beene with me even according to my hearts desire When Saint Ambrose heard this he said unto them that were with him Eamus hinc nam Deus non est hic Let us goe from hence for God is not in this place And immediately after they were departed from the Rich-mans house the Earth suddenly opened her mouth and swallowed up the Man together with his house and all that he had Intimating thereby to the World that God is not there in mercy present where the Crosse is continually absent Hence then Let all the Faithfull Members of Christs Church account it as an indubitable Aphorisme of infallible Truth believe it as an Orthodoxall Article of their Christian Faith and hold it as an undeniable Maxime in Divinity that as the Children of Israel went through many Troubles before they could come to the Earthly Canaan which was a Type of the Faithfuls Passage from Earth to Heaven So in like manner the Children of God must passe through many Afflictions before they can come to the Heavenly Jerusalem St. Paul desired to know nothing amongst his Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.2 and him Crucified And he also rejoyced in nothing so much as in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World was crucified to himselfe and himselfe unto the World Gal. 6.14 He also expresseth to the World that no man is Crowned except he fight lawfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.5 And also confesseth of himselfe I bear in my body the markes of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 The lawfull and valiant fighting of earthly Souldiers for their King Country and Religion greatly reflecteth upon them with Credit and exceedingly redounded to their Honour they also account those Wounds that are given to their Bodies in Skirmish as Markes of their Magnanimity Cognizances of their Courage and Characters of their Valour intimating thereby to the World for whom they have fought how they have suffered and who they are Now for Application of this to our selves Heaven is appointed for none but onely Spirituall Conquerours viz. the valiant fighting Members of the Church of Christ against their Soules Adversaries surprizing subduing and conquering all their spirituall Enemies For they wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities Eph. 6.12 against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this World against spirituall wickednesse in high Places So that of necessitie they must be Fighters for without a Fight there can be no Conquest and without a Conquest there will be no Crowne And therefore they must not onely be Fighting Souldiers but also Conquerours upon Earth before they can be Inheritors of Heaven For a Man to be a Christian and not a spirituall Souldier is to falsify his promise at the Font of Baptisme For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and not to fight under Christs Banner both manfully and faithfully for Christ is the Cognizance of a pusilanimous spirited Souldier and Badge of an Hypocrite For a Man to be a Christian and a spirituall Souldier and to fight for Christ and not to Conquer is to lose the Reward promised to Conquerours But to be a Christian a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and a Conquerour of all his owne spirituall Enemies Loe that Man and onely he shall be a Partaker of the rich Reward promised even the full fruition of the heavenly Inheritance And therefore whosoever thou art that desirest to be a true Member of Christs Militant Church thou must resolve with thy selfe to live the life of a Christian to a be a spirituall Souldier a Fighter for Christ and also a Conquerour Hence then we may infallibly collect that none shall be crowned hereafter in Heaven but onely those that in some measure first endure a spirituall Fight here upon Earth that so they may become crucified Christians and thereby made conformable to Christ their Head Phil. 3 10. The which Conformity is the greatest Honour that this World can afford to the Sonnes of Mortals And to such spirituall Conquerours Christ Jesus himselfe hath made a large promise even of no lesse Reward then Eternall Life He that overcommeth shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life Apoc. 3.5 And ver 21. To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne And Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crowne of life Apoc. 2.10 and Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him And what Fight is it that we should not willingly undergoe for to inherit Eternall Life And herein let Christ Jesus himselfe be
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Loe this truth Paul and Barnabas preached at Lystra Iconium and Antiochia and S. Luke reports it with an Oportet signifying the necessity of suffering Act. 14.22 We must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God Shall we hope to live with Christ in the Church Triumphant and not be content to die with him in the Church Militant Would we gladly reigne with Christ there and not willingly first suffer with him here Let us not deceive our selves None shall have teares wiped from their eyes in Heaven but those that have first shed them upon the Earth So that no perplexity no felicity no misery no glory no Crosse no Crowne For our happinesse is Conditionall Si sustinemus conregnabimus If we suffer with Christ meaning in Affliction we shall also reigne with him that is in glory 2 Tim. 2. Therefore let all the true Members of Christs Church arme themselves for Troubles so long as they live upon the face of the Earth Amos 6.6 and never forget the afflictions of Joseph but mutually pray one for another O pray for the Peace of Ierusalem Reprehension Vse 3 TO reprove all those Persons that are Disturbers of the Churches Peace And for brevitie sake I will but onely Hint at them and they are of two sorts 1. Those that help her not 2. Those that hurt her So that the Church hath both Omissive and Commissive Enemies Omissive neglecting to help her and Commissive endeavouring to hurt her 1. Those that help her not Whosoever is not for her is against her and whosoever gathereth not with her Mat. 12.30 scattereth abroad And they are of two sorts 1. Ministers 2. Lay-persons 1. Ministers who have Pastorall Charges in the Church of Christ and doe not feede those flocks that are committed to their Charge And they are of two sorts 1. Those that are Ignorant and cannot feede them 2. Those that are Idle and will not feede them The Ignorant that cannot are called reproachfully dumbe dogs Isay 56.10 and the Idle that will not must be accountable for the blood of that part of their flock that perish through their defect Ezech. 33.6 2. Lay-persons and they are of three sorts 1. Those that pray not at all either for themselves or for the Church Such stupified persons being both senslesse and carelesse of their owne and others conditions though they dwell amongst Christians yet to their shame be it spoken they live like Heathens Their foolish hearts are full of darknesse Rom. 1.21 They live as strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts Ephes 4.18 and are as without God in the world Ephes 2.12 2. Those that if they pray at all pray but onely for themselves utterly neglecting the Church never laying to heart the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 3. Those that if they pray for the Churches Peace they performe that great and weighty duty but lightly and perfunctorily as not being earnest and zealous in the performance thereof Yea give me leave I humbly pray you to demand of you all here present assembled before me who is there amongst you that in the sincerity of his heart can stand forth and say when once he did humble himselfe upon the bended knees of his soule unto God and sigh and groane and pray and shed teares flowing from a penitent heart on the Churches behalfe Oh how few there are that can truly say when once they did heartily humble themselves unto God for the good of the Church I will not censure so uncharitably of that number as if there be any to say of that party he is a Phenix But I feare I may too truly say of them they are black Swans even rare Birds amongst us Beloved if they be true Members of her it cannot be but they must Sympathizingly suffer with her and consequently pray unto God for her And therefore they come justly under the lash of Reprehension that are defective herein 2. Those that hurt her And they are also of three sorts 1. Open prophane persons who revile her by casting obloquies and reproaches against her as Potiphars wife to Joseph Shimei to David and Rabshakeh to Hezekiah Let all such know that whosoever revileth or reproacheth the true Members of Christs Church Christ taketh it as done unto himselfe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 2. Those that live in the bosome of the Church and make a profession of Religion and yet are vicious in their Conversations Those are cruell Enemies to the Church of Christ they make the Enemies of God to blaspheme cause the way of Truth to be evill spoken of scandalize the Gospell of Christ and are unto the Church as the Canaanites were to the Israelites even thornes in their eyes and pricks in their sides I shall referre all such Hypocrites to that learned Father who reprehensively saith Oh Hypocrite if it be a good thing to be good indeed why wilt thou not be that which thou seemest to be And if it be an evill thing to be evill indeed why wilt thou be that which thou wouldest not seeme for to be My counsell in this case to all such persons shall be I pray them in the bowells of Jesus Christ to consider that God is Omnipresent and that all things are naked before him and they cannot blinde the All-seeing Eye of the Omniscient God whose eyes are Ten thousand times brighter then the sunne beholding all the wayes of men and considering the most secret parts Ecclus. 23.19 The Lord beholdeth the ends of the world and seeth all that is under heaven Job 28.24 He seeth all the imaginations of the thoughts of mens hearts Gen. 6.5 He beholdeth our wayes and telleth all our steps Job 31.4 And pondereth all our paths Prov. 5.21 And there is no thought hid from him Job 42.2 The Hebrewes say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of thoughts And he is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Searcher of the heart Loe this truth is acknowledged by holy David where he saith O Lord thou hast searched me out and knowne me thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts long before Psal 139.1 Yea he knew right well Jezabels Fast 1 King 21.9 Absaloms Vow 2 Sam. 15.7 and Judas kisse Mat. 26.49 although their bloody intents and mischievous purposes were never so secret for He beholdeth and tryeth the very hearts and reines 1 Sam. 16.7 Psal 7.10 So that he perfectly knowes both the true-hearted Nathaniel John 1.47 and the false-minded Simon Magus Act. 8.20 Yea the Everlasting Searcher of the hearts hath written the sinne of Hypocrisie being double iniquity with a pen of iron and the point of a Diamond Jer. 17.1 So that
the Diabolicall sinne of Hypocrisie must at the last breake forth be detected And therefore let them not be deceived for God cannot be mocked as they sow so shall they reape their seed-time wherein they sow nothing but the seedes of wickednesse is in this life and their harvest shall be in the end of this life in the land of everlasting darknesse for the Hypocrites portion shall be in utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24. ult 3. Those that are Schismaticks who separate themselves from the Church of Christ Against all such persons of that dangerous Brood S. Paul gave in one verse a Three-fold Caveat to his Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.2 The first the Apostle termeth Dogs The Second Evill-Workers And the Third the Concision 1. By Dogs is meant those who barke against the truth of Christ for lucre sake And hence it is that there is such a Deluge of Errours at this day flowing in the Church viz. the splendor glittering shew of Balaks gold which hath not onely dimmed but also blinded the avaricious eyes of the bastard brood of corrupt-hearted Balaams and against the light of their knowledge turned their Consciences into covetousnesse answerable to that true saying of Virgil the Heathen Poet O sacra auri fames quid non mortalia pectora cogis O cursed desire of gold what mischiefe is it but for the love of thee thou forcest man to attempt it Whereby they are not onely fitted to worke their owne sinfull ends by sinister meanes but also eagerly exercised as every opportunity is offered in speaking both privately and publiquely those things though never so pernicious to the soules of their Auditors that shall conduce to their worldly Advantage and helpe to their expected and greedy-wished-for wages for the satisfying of their unlimited and avaricious desires Who serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne bellies whose glory will turne to their shame minding as they doe nothing but earthly things Phil. 3.19 The approach of which Medusa's head being Demas-like avariciously affected in this declining Age of the World 2 Tim. 4.10 wherein the people are as desirous of Novelty as subject to Discontent the world hath suffered a fearfull and fatall Metamorphosis and justly may wonder to finde her selfe so great and grosse a Changeling but politique Hypocrisie accounting Gaine to be Godlinesse is a building which hath but a lubricall sandie and slippery foundation and therefore with terrour to her co-operating Agents and comfort to her over-oppressed Patients she cannot promise to her selfe and her viperous Brood any certainty of long continuance although her deceitfull and pestilent Agents are never so Active The which pernicious practice of those pragmaticall and pestilent Impostors may not unfitly allude to those late upstart factious pedanticall Novelists who pretend to the world they are sufficiently gifted to be Teachers of others and that they also are the onely able Orthodox and powerfull Preachers of these latter Times and yet they are not able to read the Texts of the Old and New Testaments in those Languages wherein God by his Prophets and Apostles Originally spake to his Church wherein is contained the infallible Demonstration of the holy Scriptures Such ignorant Pedants not knowing what they speak or whereof they affirme must of necessity build their Christian Faith if they have any upon the judgements and opinions of other men as not being able themselves for to discerne betweene Truth and Error 1 Cor. 2.14 And yet notwithstanding they often speake swelling words being vainely puft up with their fleshly minds Who partly out of their Pride or Malice or Covetousnesse or Ignorance or some other as great or greater sins moving them teach desperately erroneous Doctrines to corrupt the minds of their itching-ear'd-hearers and divulge the brain-sick devices of male-contented factious persons which onely tickle their all-hearing Auditors itching eares but worke no saving grace in their hearts mixing with the limpid and pure waters of Life the putrified dregs and polluted schismaticall and foule corruptions of their owne filthy and deceitfull factions turning the heavenly sweetnesse of Truths infallible and plaine direction into the hellish bitternesse of hereticall expressions and erroneous Confusion Thereby causing their seduced Proselites to wander from the direct and true paths of Gods Commandements leading to Heaven and Salvation into the devious and by-paths of cursed sinne and infectious wickednesse walking blindly in the broad way leading to the wide gate going downe to the darke and uncomfortable lodgings of Death Isa 30. ult and terrible Tophet of Perdition 2. By Evill-workers those that make their whole life a trade of sinning whose sole practice is to doe nothing but evill and are also ever plotting mischiefe against the Church of Christ As was the practice of Cain against Abel Gen. 4. Esau against Jacob. Gen. 27. Pharaoh against the Israelites Exod. 14. Saul against David 1 Sam. 23. Benhâ—dad against Jehoshaphat 1 King 22. Senacherib against Hezekiah 2 King 19. Haman against the Jewes Esther 3. The Jewes against our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus Mat. 26. Also Nero Domitian Trajan Adrian Anthony Dioclesian divers other malignant Emperours against the zealous and religious Christians in the tender Ages of the Christian Church Loe thus there hath been even from the beginning inveterate hatred in the Church Malignant against the Church Militant the which Malignity even as a Gangrene or Leprosie hath pernitiously spread it selfe so far abroad into the world as that we of this English Nation may experimentally at this day with sadnesse of spirit and great griefe of heart justly complaine of the bitter fruits thereof the which hath unhappily produced by the violence of the enraged Sword the late great destruction that hath been in our Land and the present afflicting Distractions that still remaine amongst us Such persons are as opposite to the true Members of Christs Church as Light is to Darknesse Heaven to Hell and God to Satan Yea that cursed Brood of venomous Vipers having their hearts set on fire of Hell are both maliciously minded and bloodily affected whose wisdome is earthly sensuall and devilish Lam. 3.15 exercising their power to the uttermost against the true Members of the Church of Christ nothing regarding to contemne the approved Truth and Peace of the Church 3. By Concision those that make Rents and Divisions in the Church of Christ those Separatists that pluck up the pales and teare up the hedges thereof giving liberty thereby to the subtile Foxes to pluck off her grapes whereby to strip and speedily starve her and the wilde Boare of the Forrest to root her up and utterly destroy her Such as were those over-selfe-conceited arrogant and contemptuous Jewes of whom the Prophet maketh expression Isa 65.5 who said Stand apart come not neere to me for I am holier then thou But Agur the sonne of Jakeh describeth the condition of such insolent spirits Pro. 30.12
amongst the Children of God is like the agreement and harmony in Musique yea it is well pleasing to God and acceptable to all good men God is the God of Peace 1 Thes 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout And he is also the Authour of Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Authour of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints And his Children are the Children of peace Isay 11.9 None shall hurt or destroy in all the mountaine of mine holinesse And Christ in his Sermon upon the Mount pronounceth a blessing unto them that labour for Peace Blessed are the Peace makers Mat. 5.9 for they shall be called the children of God When as King Salomon who had his name from Peace built that most glorious and stately materiall Temple for the Worship of God it is very remarkeable that in the making thereof no Noise was heard by strikeing or beating upon any of the materialls whereof it was made the which Temple was also a Type of Christ Esay 53.7 who was mute like a sheepe before the Shearers and with Patience did beare silently many injuries and indignities not onely offered unto him but also laide upon him In imitation whereof all true Beleevers in Christ who are the Spirituall Temple of the living God 1 Cor. 3.17 ought both silently to suffer and also patiently to endure the troubles and miseries of this their militarie Warfare according to that rule of our blessed Saviour learne of me Mat. 11.29 for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your soules And S. Paul when he was to leave his Corinthians he exhorted them to Peace that after his departure from them they might have the comfortable presence of the God of Peace with them Leaving them this memorable Valediction at his ultimum vale Finally brethren fare ye well be perfect 2 Cor. 13.11 be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you So that to live peaceably towards others is a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 2. Holinesse The Apostle S. Peter speaking to the faithfull who should be heires of everlasting glory exhorts them to be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 Heaven is an holy place and none must inhabit there but holy persons viz. Saints those that are made holy by the blood of Christ those whose soules are washed in the blood of the Lambe Whosoever is not thus qualified must for ever from heaven be excluded Apoc. 22.15 Without shall be dogs and Enchanters and whoremongers and mutherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies Yea the Apostle is peremptory herein Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall see the Lord. Therefore labour to finde this Grace of Holinesse in thy selfe for it is an infallible Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 3. Love Spirituall Love is the most excellent effect of the Soule and also a fruit of Gods blessed Spirit Gal. 5.22 Yea and our blessed Saviour to distinguish his Disciples from the prophane persons of the world expresseth Love as the cognizance of distinction By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if ye have love one to another So that spirituall Love is also a Marke of the true Members of the Church of Christ 4. Regeneration Art thou sensible of thy new Spirituall birth Dost thou finde in thy selfe experimentally Mortification and Vivification a killing of the Old man and a quickning of the New dost thou feele the power of Christs Death in thee more and more to mortify and kill thy sinnes his Blood to sanctify and purge thy heart and the Vertue of his Resurrection to quicken thy soule unto newnesse of life and to make thee stand manfully and with an undaunted courage and magnanimous Resolution valiantly to fight against Sinne and Satan If these things be in thee they are certain Evidences unto thee that thou art a true Member of the Church of Christ 5. Obedience This is a satisfactory Duty well-pleasing and acceptable both to God and Man The time was and that of late yeares that England had a plentifull Peace and a peaceable Plenty throughout this Kingdome and also lived in filiall Feare of the righteous God and dutifull Obedience to Her lawfull Soveraigne at which time the Lord even loaded Her with plentifull Store both of Spirituall and Temporall Blessings She being then for satisfactory Accommodation to Her Inhabitants Gen. 47.6 farre transcending Goshen to the Israelites in the Land of Aegypt insomuch as that She was comfortable to Her Friends terrible to Her Enemies and the glory of all Her neighbour Nations round about Her so that they all must beare Her witnesse that as once the Dew of Heaven fell downe onely upon Gideon's Fleece when as all the Earth beside was drie about it So in like manner the Dew of Gods Blessings hath onely fallen upon this our English Kingdome when all our neighbour Countries have been destitute of it lying drie and unfruitfull and being also utterly untilled by the Plough of the Farmer but yet every where harrowed by the Hand of the Souldier and almost rent in sunder with all those great Calamities which the fierce Fire and cruell Sword could bring upon them all which while untill of late yeares our English Nation lived in Peace dwelt without Feare sate in Safety and slept Secure But when flourishing England waxed wickedly wanton supine and carelesse and fell from the Light of Grace into the Darknesse of Sinne wilfully walking in corrupt waies according to the carnall Lusts of Her owne sinfull Heart being very dishonourable to God distastfull to all good Men and disgracefull to the Protestant Religion and also grew both Vnthankefull and Vnfruitfull and like an untamed Heifer Ier. 31.18 cast off the yoake of Her dutifull Obedience both towards God and Her lawfull Soveraigne Loe then the Lord in Judgement against Her being wrathfully displeased with Her turned Her Peace into Warre Her Plenty into Penury Her Strength into Weaknesse and Her Glory into Shame since which time of Alteration She hath liberally pluck't the Grapes of gall and plentifully dranke the gall of Bitternesse Yea and so deeply hath She dranke of the bitter and poysonous Dregges thereof as that those deadly Draughts which lately have beene forcingly given Her have turned the Lives of many thousands into Death And yet woe and alas She still remaineth incorrigible under Gods afflicting hand by the sharpe stroakes of his Rods of Remembrance and will not yeild Obedience to God and Man as in the sacred Scripture She is commanded Obedience is two-fold in respect of the Persons to whom we owe it 1. Unto God 2. Unto the King 1. Unto God for himselfe as being our Celestiall Soveraigne 2. Unto the King in God and for