2. Israels Cure 3. Israels Physitian Israels Disease Ruptures Breaches the Breaches thereof Israels Cure the making up or healing of those Breaches Heale the Breaches thereof Israels Physitian from whom it is that David here seeks for this Cure viz. God himselfe To him it is that he maketh this his Request as the first word in the Psalme informes us O God heale thou the Breaches thereof Insist wee upon these three particulars severally beginning first with Israels Disease the Breaches thereof What David hereby means I have in part explained already viz. Those Distractions Divisions Politicall Breaches and Ruptures in the body of his Kingdome Shevariah saith the Hebrew Contrit iones Rupturas Fragmenta the Ruptures Breaches Shivers a word which answers the Originall both in sound and sence possibly fetcht from this Hebrew root Shibber to breake or sbiver a Breach this was Israels Disease A Disease in what bodie soever wee meet with it Be it first in the Nature all body whether Inwardly a Rupture or Outwardly salutio continui a cut or Wound whereby the flesh is broken and divided Every such a Breach or Fraction in what part soever it be it is a Maladie a Disease calling for the help of the Physitian or Chirurgion These are Corporall Breaches Or be it Secondly In the Oeconemical Body or Family Breaches whether in the Head betwixt the Governours those unhappy jars betwixt man and wife dividing those whom God hath made One or betwixt the Members Dissensions of Brethren too frequent or the disagreements of Servants all hurtfull and prejudiciall to the familie Domesticall Breaches Or be it Thirdly in the Politicall body the Common-wealth Breaches made upon it by open hostilitie from foraigne enemies or else in it by homebred divisions and dissentions whether betwixt the Prince and Subiects or betwixt Subiects themselves all endangering the state of a Kingdome Politicall Breaches Or be it Fourthly In the Ecclesiasticall Body the Church Breaches in or about matters of Religion Sects Schismes Heresies rending and rearing the Seamelesse Coate of Christ the Church Ecclesiasticall Breaches Of all and every of these I may truly say that they are Diseases and that dangerous ones How dangerous I shall forbeare to shew you for the present reserving that for the latter part of the Text to which properly it belongeth This is the disease which David here speaketh of and complaineth of And this was Israels disease That is the mark which my eve is upon at the present Heale the Breaches thereof viz. Of the Land the Land of Israel Even Israel is subiect to Breaches that is the conclusion which from hence I take up Even Israel is subiect to Breaches So it was with the Literall typicall Israel Davids Kingdome so it may be with spirituall Mysticall Israel the Kingdome of Christ the church of God upon Earth Hereof was Israel a type Davids Kingdome a type of Christs Kingdome the Church upon Earth resembling it both in the King of it and Subiects of it and State of it 1. For the King and Head of it David a type of Christ and a lively type thence is it that Christ is sometimes called by the name of David They shall seeke the Lord their God saith the Prophet Hosea speaking of the Israelites the Iewes and David their King i. e. Christ who as he was of the seed of David the sonne of David so he was most clearely and lively represented and resembled by David To touch upon the particular Resemblances betwixt them as it is besides the Text so it would swallow up more time then for the present I have to spare Secondly For the subiects of it they were Israelites a people that were in covenant with God carrying the seale of that covenant the signe of circumcision in their flesh an holy people professing sanctitie and holinesse And such are the subiects of Christs Kingdome the true members of the Church visible they are Israelites Behold an Israelite such by profession a people in covenant with God partaking of the feals of the covenant a holy people called to holinesse Saints by calling professing sanctitie and holinesse Thirdly for the state of it Davids Kingdome was still in a militant condition for the most part and so is the Kingdome of Christ his Church upon Earth a militant Church where Christ ruleth and raigneth in the midst of his Enemies Thus was Israel a Type of the Church the one literall the other Mysticall Israel And both these shall we finde subject unto Breaches Typicall Israel was Mysticall Israel the Church may be the Text makes good the former let me shew you the latter and for the demonstrating of it cleare unto you these two things 1. What Breaches they are which Israel the church is so subiect to Secondly Now it cometh to passe that it should be so subiect to these Breaches For the former What Breaches they are that the church of God upon earth is so subiect to For answer hereunto give me leave to reflect upon the type and enquire what were Israels Breaches which David here complaineth of In making this enquirie I will not go out of this Psalme wherof the Text is part in the latter part whereof David doth tacitly insinuate unto us what were those Breaches whereof he complayneth in the former They were of two sorts Homebred Foraigne Homebred intestine and civill Breaches made and caused by some of the Israelites themselves Foraigne made by those who were open and professed enemies to their Kingdome and Religion 1. For the former There was as yet a strong partie in Israel which after the death of Ishbosheth cleaved to the house of Saul not acknowledging David for their King but were ready upon all occasions to raise new tumults and commotions thereby seeking to shake off the yoake of Davids government The chiefe and principall places wher this seditious party had their residence and abode were those which the Psalmist mentioneth in the sixth and seventh verses of the Psalme viz. Shechem Succoth Gilead Manasseh Shechem a Citie in the tribe of Ephraim Succoth a Citie in the tribe of Gad. Gilead and Manasseh the utmost borders of the Land of Canaan beyond Iorden These were some of the chiefe places which sided with Ishbosheth whilest he lived as you may see 2. Sam. 2. and as it seemeth they still cleaved to the house of Saul after he was dead not acknowledging David for their King So much David himselfe here insinuates I shall divide Shechem c. i. e. have a full possession of it and the rest which as yet he had not These were intestine and Homebred Breaches made by some of the Israelites themselves Secondly Besides these in the second place David and his Kingdom had many foraigne enemies open and professed enemies not onely to David his House but to the whole Kingdome of Israel Such were the Moabites Edomites Philistines
to cast at our adversaries of Rome who amongst their fifteen notes or markes of the true visible Church lay down these for two Vnitie Prosperity Vnitie or Vnion of the members under one visible head and amongst themselves Prosperity outward and temporall felicitie which if so what shall we say to the Church of Israel at this present when David complained of so many Breaches in it Where was then the union of the Church under one visible head when that Kingdom to which the Church was then confined was so divided betwixt two some cleaving to the house of David others to the house of Saul yet both making up one visible Church Where was the outward felicitie and temporall Prosperity of the Church when the foundations of that Kingdome and consequently of the Church the whole Church were so shaken both by foraigne invasions and home-bred seditions But I passe by this leaving them to talke of that which is not nor ever yet was to be found amongst themselves What ever may be said for the latter Temporall Prosperitie sure we are as for the former Vnitie it is a thing which they have no cause to boast of The use I intend to make of it shall be onely to take off the triumph scandall or discouragement which any may happilie either make or take at the present Breaches which are to be found amongst us in this and the neighbour Kingdom In the behalf of both these we are this day and at this time assembled together viz. to seek God for them as David doth here for Israel that He would heal the Breaches thereof That there are Breaches in both and those very considerable ones but for number and nature many and great shaking the very foundations of them it cannot be denied And in these Breaches some happily will be ready to triumph So did both the Edomites and Philistines here spoken of over Israels Breaches Israels Breaches were their Triumph so were they to the Philistines O Philistia triumph thou because of me or over me saith the Psalmist here verse 8. speaking by way of Ironie and mockage bidding them go on in their rejoycing and triumphing over the Church of God insulting over her Breaches and ruines as they did The like did the Edomites So we may hear the Prophet Obadiah charging it upon them ver. 12. of his prophecie Edom looked upon the day of his brother Jacob the day of Israels affliction the day wherein he became a stranger was carried away captaive This day the Edomites looked upon in a rejoycing way insulting over the miserie of the Church so it followeth Edom rejoyced over the children of Juda in the day of their destruction and spake proudly insultingly in the day of their distresse c. with such an eye no question do the enemies of God and his Church at this day looke upon the distressed distracted state and condition of this and the neighbour nation Romish Edomites those children of Edom which say of our Hierusalem our reformed Religion Race it race it even to the foundations thereof uncircumcised Philistines such as have gone about to set up the Ark of God by their Dagon as the Philistines once did to make Rome and England meet together I doubt not but they are ready to triumph and insult over these Breaches which themselves have made these divisions distractions seditions rebellions whereof themselves are the Authours and fomenters hoping that at these Breaches themselves shall re-enter setting up their standards again upon the Churches battlements raising themselves upon the Churches ruines which they hope these distractions do presage Others there are to whom these Breaches may happily be a matter either of scandall or discouragement To some of scandall unsetled and unstable Christians reeds shaken with the winde carried about with every blast Upon this ground happily they may be brought to scruple and question the truth of our Religion and so to entertain thoughts of relinquishing it flying from it as some have done because of some divisions amongst the Professors of it To others of discouragement Weak and faint-hearted Christians who because they cannot at the present see how these Breaches should be repaired and made up therefore they are ready to yeeld up the City to give the Church and cause of Christ in it for lost as if the condition thereof were forelorne and desperate Not so No just groâ—nd for any of these whether for triumph scandall or discouragement Breaches there are amongst us it cannot be denied and those such Breaches as deserve to be lamented with tears of blood but yet are they any other then what the Church of God upon earth is subject to Surely no It is Saint Pauls consolation to his Corinthians touching their temptations There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man And the like may I say of these temptations distractions divisions wherewith the Church of God in these parts at this day is exercised they are no other then what are common to the Church may befall the Church the true Church of God To make this good paralell and compare we the state of the Church in these two Kingdoms with that of Israel in Davids time and see what greater Breaches shall we finde in the one then in the other In the neighbour nation the Trumpet of rebellion is sounded the Kingdome divided put into blood ingaged in a civill war by the means of a seditious party of Romish confederates who under a pretence of vindicating the liberty of their own seek and indeavour the extirpating and rooting out the true Religion of God of late through the mercy of God begun to be planted amongst them together with all the professours of it But what is here more to be seen or heard then was in Israel at that time when she bad the son of Bichri a man of Belial blew a trumpet and said we have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel whereupon the whole 10. tribes made a present revolt following after him the tribe of Judah onely cleaving to their King Amongst our selves however blessed be God and blessed be his Anointed and blessed be the multitude of his wise faithfull Councellours this fire hath not yet broken forth into such open flames yet how hath it smoaked how doth it smoak To let passe here that late Breach so happily healed and made up betwixt the two Nations at least so some would have had it which threatned us with the dreadfull judgement of a civill war of wars the worst To let that passe which yet we must not let passe without a thankfull acknowledgement of the power wisdome goodnesse of God manifested in making up of that Breach not onely healing it without a skar but bringing a more firme union out of it As also to forbear the mention of those late Breaches made both upon
dealings with us specially of this Kingdom of late as that we may say that they are at least seem to be sweet intimations of a gracious purpose and intention towards us Onely in this will the Lord be sought And for this let every of us seek him that it may not repent him of the good which he hath seemed to intend towards us but that he would returne and come unto us with healing in his wings coming unto us as the Spouse desireth that her Beloved might come unto her Like a Roe or a yong Hart upon the mountains of Bether the mountains of division as the word signifieth In his own time which let not us prescribe healing and making up all our breaches This is Davids Prayer for Israel in the text And for this Let us pray ISRAELS CURE The second SERMON March 2o PSAL. 60. Vers 2. Heale the Breaches thereof for it is shaken UPon this Text I made an entrance the last day being then led unto it by that Solemn occasion We brake it into two parts Davids Request Reason In the former of these we tooke notice of three particulars Israels Disease Cure Phisitian Upon the first of these we then insisted Come we now to the second viz. Israels Cure which is the healing of her Breaches Heale the Breaches thereof To Heale properly you know what it is viz. do a Cure upon the Body in healing the sicknesses or sores thereof whether in an ordinary way by naturall means Medicines or Salves as the Phisitian or Chirurgion doth or in an extraordinary and miraculous way without means as our Saviour and his Apostles did who cured all manner of diseases only by their a word b touch c garments d shadow From the naturall body it is transferred to the Politicall or Ecclesiasticall Bodie in a Kingdome the Common-wealth the Church The remedying of the evills whereof is sometime in phrase of Scripture called an Healing If my people shall humble themselves and pray saith the Lord I will heale their Land i. e. Redresse and remedy the evills which lye upon it Heale the breaches thereof saith the Text i. e. Repaire them make them up This it is that David here prayeth for and This should every true Israelite desire and seek after The healing repayring making up of Israels breaches It was the first work that Nehemiah and the rest of the Jewes did after their returne from Captivity they set upon the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem which they began as you may see in the 3. chap. of Nehem. and finished chap. 6. not giving over till there was no breach found therein as you have it vers 1. of that 6. chap. What they did for the Typicall this ought all true Israelites do for the Spiritual Mysticall Jerusalem the Church of God upon earth viz. seeke and endeavour what they can the building up the Walls the repairing the breaches thereof This is Davids prayer elsewhere Lord build up the walls of Jerusalem Jerusalem the Metropolis both Civill and Ecclesiasticall of that Kingdome the Head Citie of Israel a Type of the Church visible For this David prayeth that God would build up the walls thereof repayre the breaches thereof restoring to it and establishing in it Peace and Prosperitie And what himselfe doth he stirreth up others to do the like Pray for the peace of Jerusalem i. e. for the publicke tranquility and happinesse of the Church for the continuance of it if enjoyed for the restoring of it if wanted that it may not be troubled whether without by persecuting Tyrants putting it into bloud or within by Schismes and Heresies rending and tearing of it These are the breaches of the Church as I have shewed you in the former Point and both these every true Israelite should defire to have healed repaired made up that so there may be Peace within her Walls and Prosperity or quietnesse within her Pallaces as it followeth vers. 7. of that 122. Psalm And great reason for it why Christians should thus desire and endeavour the healing of Israels breaches they being all members of that mystical body ye are the body of Christ and members in particular saith the Apostle to his Corinthians The Church the body all true Christians Members of that Bodie and being so they should have a simpathie with the whole So is it in the naturall body If the body be wounded or hurt in any part of it there is never a part but is sensible of it If the foot be wounded the eye seeth it the heart feeleth it the tongue complains of it the hand is ready to apply salves and Plaisters to it for the healing of it So should it be in the Mysticall bodie and so it will be If the Church be wounded rent torn the eye of a true Israelite being a living member of that body seeing it his heart cannot but be affected with it his tongue will be ready to complain of it unto God his hand will be readie to apply such healing remedies as God shall put into it Christian affection in the hearts of Christians it both should and will encline them to seek the Cure of Israels breaches Take a second Reason and that fetcht from the Nature of these breaches which are 1. Vnseemly 2. Dangerous 1. Vnseemly not unlike a rent or breach in a Garment which because uncomely we will therefore get drawn sowne up Or like a Harelip in a good face which though it be not a sore yet because it is an eye-sore a blemish we will therfore if possible get healed Upon this ground should Christians seek the healing of Israels breaches They are an eye-sore a blemish in this mysticall body It was the outward Beauty of the Typicall Jerusalem that the buildings thereof were contiguous and uniforme Jerusalem is builded as a Citie that is compact together Juâ—cta sibi simul as Montanus renders the Originall the Houses not scattered but joyning together Even as it was with the Curtains of the Tabernacle which were of one measure saith the Text and coupled together Surely it is a peece of the visible Churches visible beautie her unitie her breaches her divisions make the least of them make the best of them they are a blemish an eye-sore I such an eye-sore as friends cannot behold without grief enemies with triumph Neuters with scandall And being so were there no other reason Christians should seek the Healing of them But besides this 2. In the second place these Breaches are dangerous Dangerous to the Church and that two wayes being 1. Disadvantagious to her 2. Advantagious to her enemies 1. To her disadvantagious In that like Domesticall Breaches in a Family which are great hinderances to all the businesse in it whether Civill or Religious for the most part hindring the groweth both of Grace and Estate So prejudiciall and detrimentall are these Breaches to the State of the Church
doth in such a way as he not onely leaves no fear behinde but maketh the Church a gainer by them In both these is God glorified and to these ends doth he permit these breaches which if he would he could hinder even as our Saviour suffered Lazarus to be sicke to dye both which he could have hindred that the Sonne of man might be glorified in his Resurrection This sicknes is not unto death but for the glory of God So may we say of these diseases in the Church her Breaches are not mortal not unto death the Church being a Body like unto the Head of it immertall but for the glory of God that the sonne of man the Head of the Church may be glorified in preserving in Healing it 2. God doth it in the second place with an eye to his Church giving way to these Breaches that For 1. Exercising 2. Trying 3. Purging of it 1. For the exercising of the Church Therefore doth he expose it sometimes to open persecution suffering Enemies to breake in upon it and to break it even as the Husbandman opens and breakes the clods of his ground rending and tearing it with ploughes and harrowes as the Prophet Jsai alludeth This he doth for the exercise of his Church which if it lay fallow would be ready to run wilde and prove unfruitfull 2. For probation and triall of it To make triall of the Faith and Obedience of his people To this end the Lord left the Cananites and some other nations to be as thornes and pricks in the eyes and sides of the Israelites not driving them out before Joshuah as he had done the rest that through them he might prove Israel whether they would keepe the way of the Lord to walke therein as you have it 2 Judg. And to this end amongst other he suffers his Church to be pierced rent and torne as by persecutions so by schismes and heresies viz. for the trying and manifesting of those which are approved There must be heresies or sects saith Paul to his Corinthians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} oportet There must be Why That they which are approved may be made manifest Of such use were those civill dissentions in the Kingdome of Israel betwixt David and Ishbosheth thereby it was manifested who they were which cleared to the house of Saul and who to the House of David And such use God maketh of the Breaches and Divisions in his Church hereby he discovers who they are which will cleave unto him to his Truth and who they are which for by and sinister respects will be drawen aside to follow after errour Hereby God maketh a Discoverie discovering men to others I and sometimes discovering them to themselves making them hereby to know the rottennesse or sinceritie of their own hearts whether they have followed Christ for Loaves or no Thirdly for the purging of the Church Even as by those Commotions in the upper region of the Ayre thunderings and lightnings rending and tearing the clouds with those in the lower Region stormes and tempests the ayre it self is purged and cleansed from many noxious vapours which otherwise would anoy the inhabitants Even so by these commotions and combustions in the Church God purgeth a great deal of corruption out of it This is one of the fans in the hand of Christ whereby he dresseth his corne and purgeth his floore his Church freeing his truth from a great deal of chaffe and drosse which is oftimes mingled with it Thus this is Gods doing and In the second place it is Satans doing who hath ever an hand in those Breaches which God permits and orders So had he in the great Breach which was made upon Israel through Davids sin in numbring the people This happened not without a divine permission and ordination whence it is said that God moved David against Israel yet Satan had an hand in it being the immediate instigator of David unto that sin which made the Breach whereat that judgement brake in and thence we finde it else where attributed to Satan Satan stood up against Israel c. Which latter text explaynes the former There is not a Breach that is made in or upon the Church whether it be by open Persecution or home-bred Dissension but Satan hath an hand in it So had he in all those Breaches which were made in and upon the Primitive Churches Those persecutions were from him The great red Dragon in the Revelation he persecuted the woman Those persecutions wherewith the Church was broken under those heathenish Emperouts untill the time of Constantine the great that man-childe there spoken of as some expositours conceive it that masculine deliverer they were of Satans raysing And we may say the same of those schismes heresies errours superstitions wherewith the Church in those Primitive and after ages was infested and troubled they were all but the spawne and seed of the same Serpent The Serpent cast out of his mouth a flood of water after the woman so you have it verse fifteen A flood of water even that flood of errours and heresies as that of Arrianisme and some other which like a flood a land flood had overflowen almost the whole world This flood came out of the mouth of that Serpent And so hath that deluge of Antichristian errours in which the world for many ages together lay steeped and drowned And we may say the same of all those lesser streames of errours heresies schismes which have or do infest any part of the Church they are but as so many smaller brookes or rivolets flowing and streaming from the same head divisions discensions in the Church they are some of the tares sowen by this envious man in Gods field which he doth to a clean contrary end then that which God intendeth them for viz. for the ruine and destruction of the Church To this end the Dragon cast out that flood of warers after the woman that the woman might be carried away of the food To this end doth Satan set abroach all these pernicious errours in the Church that if possible the very Elect might be deceived and so the whole Church carried away either by seduction or destruction To this end doth he sowe these tares of differences and dissentions that they may hinder the groweth of the good corne the groweth of Religion as for the most part they do That hereby the Kingdome of Christ may be weakned his own strengthened which as it was at the first founded in and raysed by divisions his dividing betwixt God and man so it is exceedingly promored and built up by the same meanes by dividing betwixt men and men You see the truth of the point that it is so you see the grounds of it why it is so What use shall we now make hereof unto our selves Here to let fall a stone which the text putteth into my hand
Church and state among our selves Breaches made upon the estates of men upon the liberties of subjects the bodies nay the souls and consciences of Christians which through the goodnesse of God inclining the heart of his Anointed to hearken to his great Councell of state are in part already repaired and made up Besides these other Breaches there are which yet lye upon us Breaches in the Church Breaches in the state both in measure still rent and torne distracted and divided I shall not need to name particulars which are too obvious to every vulgar eye But in all these what is here more then was to be found in Israel at that time when the whole land was shaken that Kingdome divided betwixt the two Houses of Saul and David some siding with the one others with the other taking of parts to the great indangering of the state of the Church therein True it is the enemies of our peace are many Besides a dangerous party at home of such as do in their hearts and affections at least cleave to the House of Saul the old House as they falsly call it Papists and others popishly affected together with a Malignant party of malecontents persons ill affected to Church and state besides these it cannot be thought but that we have enemies abroad enemies to our Religion we are sure many of them vassals to that Man of sinne that Antichrist of Rome who as they at the present insult over our breaches so if occasion were offered we cannot thinke but that they would be ready to breake in at them But herein againe what is our condition other then Israels was at this time when David penned this Psalme when besides that seditious party amongst themselves they had also many foraigne enemies enemies both to their Kingdome and Religion and that almost on every side Moabites Edomites Philistines Moabites and Edomites on the East Philistines on the West Thus paralelling our condition with Israels we finde no great oddes of breaches betwixt them not more in the one then was in the other And therefore to draw towards a conclusion of this point and exercise In the first place let not our adversaries triumph over our breaches Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy Or if they will let them triumph Triumph thou O Philistia because of me or over me Let our adversaries of Rome and their adherents the sedicious and ill affected party amongst our selves triumph and lift up their heads insulting over our breaches in the meane time we could tell them of their owne breaches and enquire of them where their Vnitie was when their Church was divided betwixt two visible Heads at once two Popes I meane both set up and both ruling at the same time the one in Italie the other in France the one at Rome the other at Avignion a considerable number of Cardinals and Prelates siding and taking part with either of them Then was the state of their Church like that of Israel when after the death of Saul some sided with David others with Ishbosheth We could minde them of their own present divisions which long have and still do distract that Church of theirs which howsoever they having more of the Serpent and being wiser in their generations then the children of Light carry more closely with lesse noise wherein I wish we could imitate them yet are they both for nature and number so considerable as that it should make them ashamed either to boast of Vnity amongst themselves or to insult over the Breaches of others One of their own modestly tels us of 20. severall schismes amongst them Another their great Cardinall Bellarmin by name to the everlasting glory of their Churches unity ingenuously acknowledgeth no lesse then 237. differences or contrarieties in Doctrine amongst their own Divines But these we passe by contenting our selves with this this was Israels condition and it may be the condition of the true Church of God to be divided distracted no matter of triumph to them Nor yet in the second and third place of scandall or discouragement to others Not of scandall What though the naturall body of Christ be pierced rent torne with thornes nailes the spear of the souldier yet let none be offended at it Blessed is he saith our Saviour whosoever shall not be offended in me What though the misticall body of Christ the Church be pierced rent and torne pierced with the spear of persecution rent and torne with the thornes and nailes of home-bred divisions and dissentions let none be offended at it Nor yet Discouraged by it The naturall Body of Christ for all it was so pierced rent and torne yet it rose again the third day They are not all the rents breaches divisions distractions in the misticall body of Christ the Church that shall hinder the resurrection of it The Church in Hosea complains that the Lord had torne her and smitten her Yet mark what followeth After two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight God hath at the present done the like by this and the neighbour Nation smitten the one torne the other Smitten the one with the sword of a Civill but Barbarous and Savage enemy Torne the other with unhappy differences and distractions yet let not either of these discourage He that hath torne us he can heal us He that hath smitten us he can binde us up and this we trust in mercy he will yet do It is the speech I remember of the wife of Manoah to her huâ—band If the Lord had had a purpose to destroy us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things And let us in an holy considence say the like touching the Church of God in this and the neighbour Kingdoms Had God had a purpose to haue cast us off from being a Church from being a people to have unchurch'd us to have taken his Gospel from us surely he would never have accepted our offerings our prayers and the prayers of his people amongst us which we are assured he hath dore having given us most gracious comfortable returnes of them assured evidences of their acceptation Neither would he ever have shewed us all these things Discovered and consounded so many plots so many trecheries and conspiracies of our adversaries still turning their councels upon their own heads carrying the great councell of the Kingdom through so many to flesh and blood insuperable difficulties Nor yet would he have begun to repair and make up our Breaches so as in part already he hath done and we hope is doing Do we see one bestowing cost upon an old garment in darning up the holes drawing up the rents making up the Breaches in it we thereupon conjecture surely it is not his intent as yet to cast it off and to lay it aside Surely beloved such have been Gods
hindering the groweth of it the increase of it This Mysticall bodie being joyned compacted and knit together it increaseth with the increase of God saith Saint Paul to his Colossians It maketh increase to the edifying of it selfe in love saith the same Apostle to his Ephesians On the other hand being divided rent and torne it withereth wanzeth it groweth not Not but that God can and sometimes doth bring good out of this evill light our of this darkenesse making the truth which is but one a gainer by division improving distractions to the Churches benefit But this is by accident no thanks to these divisions distractions for this gain which being enemies to Vnitie they are in their own nature no friends to the Truth no friends to the Church but enemies to it Enemies hindering the growth of it nay threatning the ruine of it Our Saviour hath sayd it of a Kingdome an House if divided against themselves they cannotstand These Breaches in the Church are like wounds in the bodie though not all mortall yet in their own nature destructive as I shall shew you God willing in the latter part of the Text shaking the Church as well as hindering it And in this respect Christians who bear good will to Israel wish well to the Church should seeke the Cure the Healing of them they are disadvantagious to the Church And Secondly Advantagious to her enemies In this like Breaches made in the walls of a Citie which are an In-let to the Enemie giving him the advantage of entring and taking possession if they be not either repaired or looked to Of such dangerous consequence are these Breaches in the Church they are In-lets to the Adversary In-lets in the first place to Sathan that comon Adversarie who by these breaches breaks in upon the Church as by domesticall breaches he breaks in upon a Family hindering the affaires of it In-lets in the second place to the Instruments of Sathan False-Teachers Seducers who make great advantage of these Breaches to let in their owne pernicious errors by them Even as by the Graecian Horse that fatall Engine was let and drawn in by that Breach which the Trojans themselves had made in their owne Walls to the overthrow of their Citie So dangerous are these breaches disadvantagious to the Church advatagious to her Enemies Great cause why Christians should desire and endeavour our the Cure the Healing of them Dwell we no longer upon Confirmation or Illustration It is a truth I suppose which in Thesi in the generall will easily be granted and yeelded at all hands That which I principally ayme at is the practicall part the bringing it home the setting it on by way of Application which I shall direct these two ways By way of Reprehension Exhortation By way Reprehension is this The duty and practise of every true Israelite to seeke the Healing of Israels breaches What then In the first place shall we say to them who instead of Healing make them Breach-makers whether in the Church or State To let passe the latter of these State-Incendiaries such as have troubled and distracted the Politicke State of this Kingdome for their own private ends and advantages that they might have the better fishing in these troubled waters Them I referre together with the Cure of those breaches by them made to that wise and venerable Colledge of State Phisitians at the present assembled to that purpose The Breaches which my eye is principally upon are Israels breaches Breaches in the Church specially those wherewith the Church in this Kingdome is distracted and torne And here give me leave briefly to tax and censure those which have been or are either the makers or maintainers of them whether Principalls or Accessaries Q But who are they A. For Answer I shall have recourse to the Type who were they which made these breaches in Israel which the Psalmist here complains of I have showen you it already They were either strangers or Israelites Strangers Enemies to their Kingdom and Religion Moabites Edomites Philistines or else Israelites that factious seditious party which cleaved to the House of Saul and so were enemies to the House of David Paralell hereunto behold we also in our Israel two forts of Breach-makers Strangers Israelites First Begin with the former Strangers I mean strangers and Enemies to our Religion Such as though they be amongst us yet they are not of us Papists and persons Popishly affected Amongst whom how ever I cannot think but that there are some blindly zealous poor misguided souls who follow after their Ishhosheth Or Adonijah with simplicity of heart and so are both more quiet and innocent Yet others amongst them there are and that many very active and practicall in this worst piece of Arithmatick which they study more than anvother Division Dividing of Houses Cities Parliaments Kingdoms States Churches Setting Subjects against Subjects In this Hellish Art how many famous I should say infamous Practitioners have there been amongst them in all Ages Witnesse the Histories of the late and frequent Irish Rebellions Some of them Masters in that Science Prosessours in it Those devoted and professed Incendiaries the Jesuites and their schollers Hellish Engineers who make it their work to be continually laying of Trains and springing of Mines for the blowing up the gates and wals of our Jerusalem endeavouring to make Breaches therin that themselves and their party may re-enter and take possession It was the speech of the Syrians and others their Confederates Let us go up against Judah and vex it and let us make a breach therein for us What they determined against Judah that do these Romish Consederates practise against our Israel continually vexing us by their wiles as the Midianites did Israel seeking to make a Breach amongst us for themselves their hopes being founded upon our divisions Upon them in the first place do we charge these our Breaches both in this and the neighbour Kingdomes but charging them we cannot discharge our selves 2. A second sort of these Breach-makers are to be found amongst our selves Israelites men professing the same Religion Protestants by name who to approve themselves such can readily pronounce the Protestants Shibboleth willingly submitting to the late Protestation wherin amongst other things they have vowed and promised to praeserve and maintaine the union and peace of the three Kingdoms and yet they either are or have been Breach-makers breaking the peace of the Church Of these we may take notice of two sorts Pardon my plain and home-dealing in prosecuting of this charge The designe which I aym at is the Healing of Israels Breaches Now a wound you know that it may be Cured it must first be searched This I shall do with as tender and gentle and hand as possible I can that whilest I go about to make up Breaches I may not make any Two sorts of persons there are amongst our selves upon whom
Whereupon Tamar wondring at it and enquiring after the cause or reason of this strange and extraordinary birth She breaketh forth into a passionate expostulation with her son saying unto him How hast thou broken forth This breach be upon thee from thence giving him his name Pharez i. e. a breach And is it not the case my brethren of some amongst us who waiting or rather not waiting thinking long for the Churches delivery they will not tarry their time Gods time but they will be breaking forth in a preposterous and inordinate way I notwithstanding that God hath brought deliverance to the birth so as they see an hand put forth already an hand with a scarlet thred about it the Nobles and Senatours of the Kingdom to whom that colour most properly agreeth reaching forth their hands being at work for the reforming of what is amisse and the suppying of what is wanting yet they will anticipate them out of a rash and preposterous zeal stepping forth before them To such let me say and if there be any here present as happily there may be I shall say it unto them speaking in the language of Tamar to her son how have you broken forth This breach also be upon you We cannot but charge you amongst others as accessaries to these breaches if not to the making yet to the increasing of them of them And being thus charged see you to it how you can discharge your selves either before God or man I have done with the first Ranke of those who come within the compasse of this just reprehension such as are so far from seeking and endeavouring the healing of Israels breaches that they make them or else in the second place keep them open keep them from healing being means or occasions to hinder the making up of these breaches which they do either purposely or unadvisedly Purposely fome So do the enemies of God and his truth the Malignant party amongst us who cannot indure that the Breaches amongst us should be made up In that like Sanballat and Tobiah and their confederates who when they heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopt they were very wroth saith the text and so conspired altogether to come fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it or to make an errour in it as the Margin in our new Translation readeth it according to the Originall Such back friends to the peace of our Jerusalem there are many amongst us at this day who cannot endure that the breaches amongst us should begin to be stopped And therefore they do what they can to hinder the work still casting in new jealosies and new obstacles thinking thereby either to hinder the work or to make an errour in it That so our breaches either may not be healed or else slightly healed as the Lord complaines against the false Prophets Jer. 6. They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly So healed as that they may soon break forth again which they do for their own advantage In this like water-foule in a frost which by their continuall padling keep open a weake in a river not suffering it to freeze over that so themselves may have roome to swim and fish in Or like some wretched Surgeons who keep open a wound for their own gaine Others do the like but unadvisedly besides their intention I spare them and hasten to A third sort who come under Reprehension here Such who as they have no hand as they think in the making of these Breaches so they will have none in the Healing of them It is that which the Lord saith of the Jewes in that great confusion which should befall them every man should refuse to be an Healer When a man shall take hold of his Brother c. In that day he shall sweare I will not be an Healer And is it not so with some amongst us at this day They are not they cannot be ignorant of the breaches which are made amongst us in this and the neighbour Nation Breaches shaking and endangering both Church and State and vet they decline this Christian office They will be no Healers No their resolution is for a wise and wary Neutrality they will be standers by and lookers on to see what will become of things Like men standing upon the shoar and looking upon others in a stresse at Sea to see what will become of them whether they shall sinke or swim In the mean time they will not put forth an hand a finger to the making up the healing of these breaches Truth is they are not at all affected with them so themselves may but keep their own heads whole and sleep in a whole skin as we say they care not what breaches there be in the Church whether at home or abroad In this not unlike some simple man at Sea who so his own Cabin be but tight he cares not what leaks there be in the Ship he sayles in Surely such there are some amongst us and I wish the evidence were not too strong too clean against them Whence is it that some amongst us are so loth so backward in parting with any thing for the making up of any of these breaches not willing to part with a little earth to fill them up It is a case which Divine Providence at present putteth into my hand let me not over-looke or neglect it I suppose there are none of you here present but take notice what a great and fearfull breach is made upon the neighbour Nation our Brethren in the Kingdome of Ireland where through the open Rebellion of a Romish Confederacie rending and taring of that Kingdome the State therein tottereth and the Church lyeth a bleeding For the repairing and making up of this breach It hath pleased Authoritie that Authoritie which may Command it the King and his Parliament to request and desire from you either by way of gift or Loane a little of your earth your Gold is no other no better Red-earth thick-clay as the Prophet Habakkuk phraseth it This they desire for the filling and making up of this Breach by succouring your Brethren which are driven from thence and relieving those which do stand in the breach But alas how unwillingly how cravingly how sparingly doth it come from some aamongst us Surely my Brethren thus it would not be if the Towne wherein we now are were besieged and a Breach made in the Wals of it In this case I suppose there is none of us but would be ready both to carry baskets of earth and to lend our Wool-packs or Featherbeds if we have them for the stopping the making up of that Breach And shall we not do a little for the Church of God in that Kingdome the welfare whereof is of so great and neere concernment to our selves Insomuch as some wise Starists have thought these two Kingdoms to be like Hypocrates his Twins
the one whereof could not subsist at least not well without the other Surely my Brethren such Parsimonius spirits may be conceived to be far from the resolution of that noble Roman Marcus Curtius whom the Histories of those and after Ages have rendered famous to the World for his unparaleld affection to his Country and in speciall to the Citie of Rome whereof he was a Member Wherein when by reason of an Earthquake their happened a prodigious Chasma a great Gulpb or opening of the earth in the midst of the Market-place and the Oracle had signified to them that there was no way to fill up that breach but by casting the best thing in their Citie into it He thereupon presently mounting his Horse in compleat Arms which was then the chiefe glory of that Citie and Nation cast himself into the Breach for the making it up so yeelding up his life saith my Authour to and for his Countrey from which he had received it This did he with a Roman resolution And the like should Christians be ready to do in a Christian way for the Church of God in case that God shall be pleased to call them to it even cast themselves into the breaches thereof for the filling making them up not thinking their naturall lives too dear for her to whom under God they owe their spirituall How far then do they fall beneath themselves beneath Christians who will not so much as part with a little of their superfluities in such a case It is no more that is desired from you not the Widowes two Mites her whole livelihood all that she had but a little {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of your abundance your superfluitie And hereof he that will not spare a little to so good a work must pardon me if I leave him where I finde him within the verge and compasse of this just Reprehension charging him to be in the number of those that will not be an healer of Israels breaches I have done with the first of these Vses which maketh way to the latter An Use of Exhortation wherein I should excite and exhort you and all true Israelites even all the Lords people amongst us that they would first desire secondly endeavour the healing of Israels breaches But this I must defer till another occasion ISRAELS CURE The third SERMON March 16. PSAL. 60. Vers 2. Heale the Breaches thereof for it shaketh THe healing of Israels breaches is a thing which every true Israelite should desire and endeavour This was the Conclusion which I insisted upon the last time I spake in this place prosecuting it both by way of Doctrine and Application The former of these I then dispatched the latter I entred upon but left imperfect Then insisting upon an Vse of Reprehension which I intended only as a needle to make way for and draw in a thred after it If that needle seemed then sharp to any pricking and smarting as it went let not them blame either it or me A Chrugion in searching a wound if he put his Patient to paine it is besides his intention who intends his Cure and not his smart but he cannot helpe it it will be so and being so it maketh the Cure the more hopefull because the part is sensible In which regard the chirurgion is not discouraged by it nor yet sorry for it though his Patient be And in this regard I must confesse and say as the blessed Apostle sometime to his Corinthians Though I made you sorry with a Letter saith he with a Sermon say I I do not repent This sorrow I trust shall prove unto you as theirs to them but temporarie {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for a season and shall in the end produce the like effects so as you shall have cause to acknowledge what they found That you have received damage by us in nothing In the hopes hereof I now come to that which I pincipally intended when I first took this Text in hand A word of Exhortation which I shall direct generally indefinitely to all true Israelites even all the Lords people exciting and exhorting them that they would 1. Desire 2. Endeavour this Cure the Healing of Israels breaches the repairing and making up of these breaches which are amongst us at the present in this and the neighbour Kingdome whether Politicall Breaches or Ecclesiasticall Breaches Breaches in the State or Breaches in the Church how ever made or by whomsoever whether by strangers or Israelites seek we the healing of them This desire we this endeavour we First Desire it This doth David here for that Kingdom that State that Church whereof he was the Head and this do we for this Kingdom this State this Church whereof we are members And that we may do it Labour to be affected with it That we may seriously desire the Cure labour to be throughly affected with the Disease So was David with Israels Breaches very sensible of them and deeply affected with the apprehension of them And so have others of the Saints of God been in like cases First with Breaches made amongst themselves in or upon the Church or State where they lived It is the word which Jeremie must say unto the Jews Jer. 24. Thou shalt say this word unto them Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day and let them not cease for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a very great Breach What ever the false prophets said unto them making light of that Breach that judgement threatned promising them that either it should not be or if it were yet it should be healed and made up well enough yet Jerimie for his part he layeth it to his own eyes and heart mourning over it being deeply affected with it and willeth all the rest of the Jews to doe the like Secondly with Breaches made upon others their brethren in other parts The divisions of Ruben were great thoughts of heart to all the rest of the Tribes The whole congregation of Israel even all the other Tribes they were sorry and repented for Benjamin because of that great Breach made upon that tribe And thus let us all of us be affected with the breaches at present made upon this and the neighbour Kingdom God hath broken in upon both breaking the one and rending the other O let these breaches be to all of us great thoughts of heart Take we notice of them and be we deeply affected with them which it is to be feared the greatest part amongst us as yet are nor Histories tell us of Archimedes the great Mathematicion that when the City Syracuse was sacked and plundred by the Romans the souldiers some of them breaking into the house and studie where he then was they found him so intent in drawing of lines and figures in the dust as that he took no notice either of the Cities losse or his own danger untill on of
it in the Symptomes of it Those we shall finde very dreadfull and terrible Not unlike the the Symptomes of an Earth-quake where the earth trembles and shakes and breaks being riuen or split with prodigious ruptures and openings yawning and gaping even threatning to swallow up the inhabitants as once it did Korah and his Confederacie Thus was it with Israel at this time when David made this complaint of the Breaches thereof Thou hast made the earth to tremble thou hast broken it ver. 2. And is it not so in this and the neighbour Kingdom at present doth not the earth even seeme to tremble under us Hath not the Lord even made us a Cup of trembling not unto others as he saith he would make Jerusalem Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about Time was when it was so with us we were a cup of trembling to all the Nations round about but to our selves Having begun to drink of that cup which Jerusalem was once made to drink of I to drink off even the cup of the Lords fury the cup of trembling Insomuch that we may say in the words of the Psalmist that Horrour I and Rigor or shaking too two symptomes of a violent Ague hath taken hold upon us the earth under us seeming to tremble as the bed doth sometimes in the Paroxisme of a cold fit under him that lyeth upon it And how should it be otherwise when as the foundations thereof are moved or out of course as the Psalmist hath it Sure we are what ever it is athome so it is in the neighbour Kingdom where by reason of that civill combuâ—â—ion all things are out of order many of the chief rulers also upon whom the Common-wealth there should rest as a house doth upon the foundations bearing a part in that tragicall commotion And amongst our selves how is the earth riven and broken both church and common-wealth rent and torne by home-bred divisions and distractions Sad symptimes but sadder Prognosticks Which if we look upon in the third place what can we conjecture and look for unlesse God be pleased speedily to step in unâ—o us frustrating our fears and our enemies hopes by healing and making up our breaches but Confusion desolation It shaketh saith the Psalmist here of Israel It shaketh it shaketh may we say both of Church and State in this and the neighbour Kingdome These unhappie breaches being in themselves and oft-times proving ominous presages prodigious fore-runners of Ruine and Destruction But of this it may be I shall have occasion to speak more fully hereafter in handling the second part of the Text Davids Reason Israels Danger And are these the Causes these the Symptomes these the Prognosticks of the disease Oh what cause then have every of us to be affected deeply affected with it laying to heart the breaches both of Church and State in this and the neighbour Kingdom so laying them to heart as that our hearts may work towards the healing of them and not our hearts only but our hands also Desiring this Cure let us in the second place Indeavour it Indeavour we the healing of Israels breaches the repairing and making up the Breaches which are amongst us whether in Church or State And what arguments should I use to whet your endeavours this way to put you forwards upon this I had almost said so meritorious a work Those considerations which I named before as Reasons may also serve again for Motives and that forcible ones First Ye are all members of this Mysticall this Politicall this Ecclesiasticall body and being so seek the Healing of the breaches therof Which breaches 2. In the second place are unseemly in the Church And 3. Dangerous both to Church and State being disadvantagious to both great obstructions exceedingly hindering the affairs and proceedings of both as by wofull experience we finde it true VVhat is it that hinders the businesse both of Church and State at present that it sticketh in the birth and commeth off so slowly Surely next to our sins our divisions Not more disadvantagious to them then advantagious to their enemies being an In-let to enemies both Forraign and Domestick to break in upon both To these three let me briefely adde three other and I will not straggle far to seeke these sticks to make this fire withall You shall finde them all lying close together in a little compasse in the two last verses of that 122. Psal. where David exciting both himselfe and others to pray for the peace seek the happines of Jerusalem that Peace might be within her wals and prosperitie within her Palaces He setteth downe a threefold Motive or inducement putting him on to that duty This he did for his own sake this he did for his Brethrens sake this he did for Religions sake The two former of these you have v. 8. the one of them expressed the other insinuated and implied For my brethren and Companions sake I will now say Peace be within thee i. e. not only for my own sake so some happily would have been readie to construe it that David in being so zealous for the good and happinesse of Jerusalem had an eye only to himselfe for the establishing of his Kingdome and setling the Crown upon his own head and the head of his Posterity To clear himselfe from this imputation and take off this suspition David here by a Prolepsis by way of anticipation or prevention he sets downe the cause which moved him to it It was not only his owne Cause though he might herein have and had an eye to himselfe also but the cause of his brethren and Companions i. e. of all the people of God discended from the same stock of Israel professing the same Religion of God The peace and happinesse of them all being as it were bound up in the peace and happinesse of Jerusalem If it went well with it it should go the better with them none of them but having a share in Jerusalems peace and happinesse He did it for his own sake he did it for their sake And thirdly for Religions sake that you have verse last Because of the House of the Lord our God i. e. for the Religion of God the true and pure worship and service of God whereof God had then made Jerusalem as it were the Staple putting his Name there In this threefold respect doth David seeke the peace and well-fare of Jerusalem and willeth others to seek it viz. that it might be continued and increased if enjoyed repaired and restored if impaired decaied And upon this threefold ground let every of us be excited to seeke the publique peace and wel-fare of this our Israel the restoring and setling of Peace by healing the breaches thereof This do we in the first place for our own sakes It is the Reason which the Lord giveth why he would have the Jews in their Captivity to
make up their own Breaches by getting their owne sins taken away The sins of Publik persons they have often a dangerous influence upon the Publick State both of Church and Common-wealth Not unlike a prodigious Comet or Blazing-star which hath for the most part a maligne and dangerous aspect and influence upon the Kingdoms and Countries over which it is It is a good note of Scultetus his upon that passage in the 51. Psal. where David maketh this his suit that God would build up the Wals of Jerusalem Build them saith he why what breach was there in those Wals that David should put up such a request Yes faith he David himself had made a Breach in them and that by his sinnes those sins which he there confesseth his Adultry Murder Two murdering Peeces which had made a Batterie upon and a breach in those Wals the Wals of Gods gracious Protection And hereof David was sensible Sensit se quasi denudasse Jerusalem He apprehended that he had even layed flat the Wals of Jerusalem and layed the Citie naked exposing it as much as in him lay to ruine and desolation Of such dangerous consequence are the sins of Publick persons of Rulers specially of chief Rulers Principes peccantes denudant muros Jerusalem so my Author goeth on Princes and we may say the same of the Priests too if they transgresse by their sins they make a Batterie upon the Wals of Jerusalem lay the Church and State where they live naked This did Aaron to the Israelites by consenting and giving way to that Idolatrie of theirs he made them naked saith the Text in the midst of their enemies i. e. he stript them naked of the gracious Protection of God which was their best covering and so exposed them to the incursions of their enemies Such a dangerous influence have the sins of Publick persons upon the States Churches Kingdomes wherein they live oft-times making dreadful breaches in them as Davids sin in numbring the people made that great breach upon Israel at which the Destroying-Angel brake in smiting no lesse then seventy thousand men in lesse then three dayes space And as making so maintaining them And therfore let all such that they may be in truth what they are by Office healers labour first to get their own breaches healed their own sins taken away and that as I said by Repentance and Reformation Reforming themselves their Families and Charges as much as may be that so the Breaches being made up at home they may with more successe undertake this great Cure the healing of Israels breaches Take a fourth and a last for I shall not give you many particulars under any one head That we may further the healing and making up of these breaches let every of us cast in something into them This you know is the readiest way to make up a Breach in a wall by casting earth and Rubish into it every one his Basket And like course take we to make up the Breaches in the wals of our Jerusalem every of us cast something into them So did they into the Churches Treasurie Luke 22. Every one cast in something according to abilitie Do we the like into the Churches Breaches Every one cast in something But what shall we cast in I might answer Cast in our Prayers cast in our sins in the wayes already prescribed To these I might adde Be readie to cast in our Estates at least a proportionable part of them if God shall call for it But these I have touched upon already Besides these there is yet one thing more which every of us have most of us too much of it And could we be but perswaded to cast it in I should make no question but it would undoubtedly fill up all these Breaches at least in the Church And what is that Why Every man cast in himselfe So did that noble Roman whom I mentioned before Marcus Curtius for his Countrey for the making up of that Breach in the Market-place at Rome he cast in himselfe Oh that every of us and all others professing the same Religion with us would but be contented to do the like for the Church of God every one to cast himselfe into the breaches of it I mean that which is most properly called himselfe viz. His own will A thing which multitudes are so wedded to and make so much of as if it were indeed their own selfe Whence it is sometimes so called If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe i. e. his owne will And this selfe let every of us who desire the Healing and filling up of these Breaches cast into them and that by learning and taking out this great lesson of selfe-deniall What is it that hath made these Breaches and having made them maintaines them Why surely even that which is the greatest breach-maker in the world selfe This it is that maketh Breaches in Families Breaches in Societies in Townes Cities States Churches Kingdomes in all the great Breach-maker is selfe That men are selfe-willed and selfe-conceited Presumptuous are they and selfe-willed saith Saint Peter speaking of the false Teachers and their followers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} standing in their owne conceits as the Geneva renders it Certainly my Brethren there neither is nor ever yet was Breach in the Church but this selfe had an hand in it And therefore for the Churches peace let every of us be content to sacrifice this universall breach-maker Even as the men of Abel following the counsell of that wise woman dealt with that rebellious Arch-breach-maker Sheba the sonne of Bichri who sounding the trumpet of rebellion made a great breach and rent thein kingdom of Israel they cast his head over the wals and so made up the breach Thus deale we with this breach-maker selfe our owne wils our owne conceits be not so much wedded to them as that we will rather hazard the Churches peace and being then part with them but labour for humble hearts and yeelding spirits that we may be contented as to do much and suffer much so to part with much for Peace Peace is a Pearle the Latin word Vnio signifieth both Let not any of us trample this Pearle under-foot so far undervaluing it as to thinke every little too much to give for it preferring every seeming truth before it It is a mistake I said it the last day and I say it again if any shall thinke that some truths may not be over-bought viz. when they are bought with the losse of Peace Of these ill bargaines the Church of God in all ages hath had too great experience And in other cases we wil not spare to censure and condemn this folly We will not buy gold too deare we say And we would account him but a very simple man saith a late reverend Divine of our owne who would set his house on fire to roste his egge Such and no better
would by no meanes feed their weaknesse by confirming them in their Iudaisme Therefore was it that he who in other cases Chameleon like became as himself saith All things to all To the Iewes a Iew to the Gentiles a Gentile to the weak weak that so By all meanes he might gain some yet when Peter was fallen into that unwarrantable Separation withdrawing and separating himself from the Gentiles breaking off open and visible communion with them and that because of the Iews with whom he desired to comply more then was fitting this Paul could not would not beare with or connive at but thereupon breaks forth into an open Reprehension When he saw that they did not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that Peter and the rest which were by his example drawn into the like Dissimulation they Halted and did not walk with an upright foot according to the Truth of the Gospel he reproves him openly This did he And this I take will be warrant sufficient to beare me out as in my practise in some other * particulars so in what I have lately done in speaking openly against the new separation of those whom I taxed by the name of Brownists A Terme too well known to the Church of God so well that for my part I cannot but wonder that it should now seeme to need any explanation Yet for satisfaction to those who otherwise happily might either take offence at it or advantage by it both which I desire equally to decline I shall actum agere doe that againe which I then did When I named the word I explained whom I meant by it viz. Such as renounce all Communion with us and with the Churches of God in this Kingdome I now adde such as doe this upon this ground because our Churches as they conceive and doome them are Antichristian Churches our Ministers Antichristian Ministers our Worship Antichristian worship neither true Churches nor true Ministers nor true worship all Antichristian A charge both harsh and heavy In imposing whereof little doe they think what service they doe to that Antichrist whom they pretend to fly from It is a charge laid upon them by a late reverend Godly-learned Divine and let them see how they can discharge it for my part I cannot That They though they doe not in words maintaine Antichrist yet really they doe him more credit then his chiefe upholders A charge as heavy as the former But how shall it be made good against them Why even out of this Charge of theirs wherein they charge our Churches and Ministers and worship to bee Antichristian For herein what doe they but confesse and acknowledge which they cannot I think will not deny That in Antichristian Churches I will use the words of my Author the entire Faith may be purely professed the Doctrine of salvation plentifully preached the seales of the Covenant for substance rightly administred and by the blossing of God upon his owne meanes Christian soules ordinarily converted and nourished up unto life eternal which is much more then all the factors for Antichrist shall ever be able to make good And if true nothing could be said more to the praise of Antichristianisme Thus far he This was the error I then glaunced at and I think not without either cause or warrant It being an error of very great dangerous consequence tending most directly to the making of a Breach and therefore not to be connived or winked at lest by our continued silence we should seeme to betray Gods Truth his Churches Innocency and confirme and strengthen those in their errour whose weaknesse we are willing as much as may bee to beare with And this all the Ministers of Christ ought to have a speciall regard unto and I pray God they may have it that so whilst out of Meekness they bear forbeare which they ought to doe they may not through Imprudence feed and nourish the weaknesse of any which they ought not to doe I have done with what belongs to Publike persons both Magistrates and Ministers What shall Private person doe in this Case How shall they order and demeane themselves towards those which are turned aside To give them their portion in a few words Let them only reflect upon that 3d and last Direction given to Ministers and let them make use of it of both parts of it viz. Let them carry themselves towards all such First with Meeknesse Secondly with Wisedome 1. With Meeknesse It is S. Pauls own direction which he not only propounds to but presseth upon his Ephesians I beseech you saith he that you walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all Lowlinesse and Meeknesse with long-suffering forbearing one another in love Indeavouring to keepe the unitie of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace It were to be wished and it is to bee indeavoured that there might be a Vnitie in Iudgement bet wixt all the Lords people that they might bee all of one minde But this is not to bee looked for upon earth In the meane time let them indeavour to keepe the Vnitie of the spirit that they bee all of one Heart And to that end let them walke with Lowlinesse and Meeknesse bearing for bearing one another in Love ready to performe all Christian offices to their weake brethren so indeavouring to winne and overcome them by love 2. Thus walking in Love and Meeknesse let them also walke in Wisedome It is Pauls direction to his Colossians Walke in wisedome towards them which are without He spake it of Infidels and Heathens Amongst such wee doe not live and yet wee may walke amongst some which are without Such as either are not nor ever were of us or else such as are gone out from us in the way aforesaid of whom I will not I dare not say as S. Iohn doth of those Antichristian Apostates That They went out from us because they were not of us No I hope of many of them if there bee many both have beene of us and are of us true members of the same mysticall Body though severed in respect of outward visible Communion with us Peter was a good and an holy man though for a time hee separated himselfe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Gal. 12. And towards such walke in wisedome that we may neither doe nor receive hurt Neither doe hurt to them nor receive hurt from them Doe hurt to them by so complying with them as that wee should confirme and strengthen them in their errors or else receive hurt by drawing in any unwholsome breath from them as Barnabas and many others did from Peter who by the prevalencie of his example were carried away with the streame of that his unwarrantable separation And thus I have as briefly as I could laid you downe the first sort of Directions Restorative directions tending to the Repayring and Healing of Breaches already made The other sort are
there will be peace upon earth Then give this honour unto him Rest upon him and him alore for the effecting of this great Cure and that in his owne Way and Time Take heed of prescribing unto God in either of these Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast Bee we content to tarry Gods leisure and then In the Fourth and last place If God shall ever be pleased to work this great Cure for us forget not to Give him the Glorie of it and him alone If we may not trust to our Bow neither may we sacrifice to it If the Physitian by his skill worke a Cure upon his patient the honour is his not his Apothecaries who ministers what he prescribes All the instruments of our good they are but as Instruments which must be strung and tuned and touched before they will make any Musick So take and so acknowledge them giving unto them what honour and thanks is their due but in the meane time reserve unto God what is his peculiar the praise and Glory And thus I have at length done with the former part of the Text Davids Request It remains now that I come to the latter Davids Reason Let me borrow of you a little time and but a little and I shall dismisse both you and the Text of which I am desirous to discharge my own thoughts and your attentions at the present Israels Danger It shaketh AN ArgumeÌ„t or Reason as I told you taken up by the Psalmist to presse his request taken as you have heard from the eminency of the Danger wherein that his Kingdome then was It shaketh or it is shaken A metaphoricall expression borrowed from an Earthquake as I have already explained it where the Earth being big and in travell as it were with some windy vapour which it strives to bring forrh and to be delivered of it trembles and shakes So wavering and unsetled was Israels condition at that time by reason of those forraine Invasions and homebred Divisions and Distractions that the very foundations of it seemed to shake threatning Ruine and Destruction Such may the state of the Church of God upon earth sometimes be wavering tottering shaken Even as we read of Mount Sina at the giving of the Law though it stood fast in respect of the foundations of it yet it was shakâ—n it quaked The Church of God in respect of the foundation it standeth sure being built upon a Rock so as the Gates of Hell all the Power and Policie of Satan and his Instruments shall never be able to prevaile against it yet may it be shaken So was the Ark of God at the threshing floore of Nachon or Chidon though it fell not yet it was shaken So may the Church of God and Religion of God be though they shall never be quite overthrowne yet they are subject to shakings So is the Church And that through these Breaches which are both from Without and from Within as I have already shewn you in the case of Breaches From without by persecution and Opposition from Enemies abroad From within by and through homebred Divisions and Distractions which like a windy vapour inclosed in the bowels of the earth cause shaking and trembling This it was that made Israel shake her intestine and civill Combustions Nothing more dangerous to a State a Church moe ominous and pernicious then these Intestine Breaches Such Breaches are shakings dangerous presages in their own nature Destructive presaging downfall and Ruine unlesse they be Healed Both these wayes is the Church subject to shakings And that as I have said heretofore partly through Satans malice who hereby intends the Ruine and downfall of the Church Thence is it that he raiseth and bringeth stormes and tempests in and upon it Even as he did that Tempest which he brought from the wildernesse which smote the foure corners of the house wherein Iohs children were banqueting so as it fell burying them in the ruines of it Partly through Gods effectuall Permission and Ordination who sometimes shakes his Church as he did Mount Sina Thereby intending First Sometimes to manifest his Displeasure against a People a Nation Thus at the Death of our Saviour the Earth shook and trembled as a token of Gods indignation against the Iewes for that horrid Act of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of Life Like construction David maketh of this Earthquake these shakings here in the text he took them as tokens and evidences of Gods wrath and displeasure O God thou hast been displeased Secondly Sometimes God shakes his Church to Purge it as the Husbandman shakes his Come to and fro in the fant to cleanse out the Chaffe and Drosse Thirdly Sometimes God doth it to Humble his people and so to fit and prepare them for some speciall mercy Thus when God descended upon Mount Sina he shook the Earth both the Place and the People putting both into a trembling fit thereby fitting and preparing the people for the receiving of that holy Law of his Thus when God intends to come downe upon his Church in a way of speciall grace and favour he oft-times prepares it by these shakings Even as the Whirlewinde and Earthquake at Mount Horeb made way for the still voyce wherein God was Seldome it is that God worketh any great Changes in his Church without these shakings going before But I must not dwell upon it The use I shall make of it shall be only a double exhortation 1. That we would lay to heart the present state and condition both of this and the neighbour Kingdome which by reason of the Breaches made in them and upon them are shaken So was Israel and so are they Be we affected herewith So wee would be with an Earthquake Did we feele the Earthquake and tremble under us who but would tremble with it This doth the State the Church in these Kingdomes at the present Let every of us be deeply affected with these shakings so laying them to Heart that In the second place we may be excited and stirred up every of us to do that office duty to for the Church of God amongst us that David doth here for Israel viz. to seek the Healing of the Breaches thereof These Breaches how sleight so ever any may make of them they are shakings presages of Ruine and Downfal unlesse they be healed And therefore let both our Hearts work Hands work towards the Healing of these Breaches This it was that made Vzzah so forward in putting forth his hand to touch the Ark he saw that it was shaken and he knew not what the danger might be Stupid is that Heart which apprehends the Ark of God shaken and shall not be ready to put forth an hand to the staying of it This let every of us doe Only taking heed of that Errour into which he through a suddain unadvisednesse fell observing the severall places and stations wherein God