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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85370	The discoverie of a publique spirit: presented in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons at Margarets Westminster, at their publique fast, March 26. 1645. / By William Goode B.D. pastor of Denton in Norfolk, on of the Assembly of Divines.	Goode, William, b. 1599 or 1600.	1645 (1645)	Wing G1093; Thomason E279_4; ESTC R200027	24,847	37

the curtaines and removed the vaile from our deceitfull hearts I now desire that you all especially such as have the highest employments for the Publike may now take a serious view of your own hearts and truly consider what spirits you are of Let me intreat you for your owne comfort to apply these few rules to your own lives and try your publique actions by this touch-stone of sincerity and then aske your consciences that question which Luther commended to the Christians of Argentina to be the first and last question in their Disputations which was this Whether have I that by which I may know that I am a Christian or no A second use we may make of this point is of exhortation and first in generall to all If it be every godly mans duty to serve his generation then let me exhort you every one to be forward and zealous in this work at this time when the Common-wealth is in so sad so bleeding a condition by reason of a Kingdom-sincking civill warre and the Church so out of order by those wide divisions and distractions that are among us Chrysostome to move compassion and to quicken up our dead hearts to works of mercy adviseth this as a good way Namely to goe to the Lazar-houses or Hospitalls where some are lame some blind some maimed some wounded these sad spectacles of humane misery if any thing will put our hearts into a melting frame The most places of this Kingdome are now such Hospitalls where wee may see war and desolation poverty and palenes and garments rolled in blood where we may hear the wofull groanes of dying men and the bitter lamentations of children for their parents and parents for their children because they are not And who then would not bee a Samaritan to help on the cure of such a wounded Kingdome that hath any bowels in the world But perhaps some will say What should we doe we are in no such places of authoritie as have a calling to make up publique breaches I answer there is no member in Church or Common-wealth so mean but hath some talent to serve his generation withall Some have wealth some wisdome some authority but all have parts or grace or strength or time or prayers to serve the publique with If thou beest of the meanest forme of Christians and hast small worldy endowments yet there be two wayes to make thy services very usefull to the Publique and comfortable to thy selfe First the lesse power thou hast with men labor to have the more power with God and then make use of that David did more with his sling then Goliah could do with his spear because he went against his enemy in the Name of the Lord Israel were as much beholden for their safety to Aaron and Hur that held up Moses hands as the men of war that fought their battells Secondly thou mayest make thy Little Much with much Love which will be much Comfort to thy Soul God accepts not onely the will and the deed but the will for the deed and they that have much will to do though little doers are of great account with God The rich men in the gospell of their aboundance no doubt cast in abundance into the treasury of God and yet our Saviour saith of the poor Widow that cast in but two mites she cast in more then all Vincentius Ferrer reports a story of one Sophia a gracious woman in Constantinople who when there was a Church in building there a cart laden with stones and drawn with oxen for the building of it came by this womans house the cattell by reason of the heat of the weather began to faint and stayed at this womans door which she perceiving went and fetched some hay to refresh the oxen which she did with so much affection to the work in hand that after the Church was built there was found written over one of the doors in golden letters Sophia built this Church The truth of this sto - I leave to the author but this is unquestionably true Though wee cannot do much service to Sion yet much love to Sion will do much good unto our selves Psal. 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that love thee It is further observable out of these words of David that he puts prayer for the Church love of the Church both together and not without cause The best argument to prove we bear much love to the Church of God is to be much in prayer for it Of all the meanes we have to serve the Publique with there is none so effectuall as this of prayer Luthers own experience made him think there was a kinde of Omnipotency in it Ask and it shall be given you Matth. 7. This promise receives no other limitation but this what and when it shall be good for you to receive Prayer charms the wrath of God opens and shuts his hands extorts mercies removes judgements and never will away without its errand As David said of Goliahs sword when Ahimelech told him there was none but that Give me that there is none like unto it So say I of prayer whosoever is to deal with an enemy can finde no such conquering weapon as prayer is Alexander the bishop of Constantinople had many disputes with Arrius the heretique but never could silence him at length he spent an whole night in prayer to God beseeching him to vindicate his owne truth the next day after as Arrius was coming to the conference a pain tooke him by the way and going aside to ease himselfe he voided his bowels together with his excrements and so died Marcus Aurelius having had experience of the power of the Christians prayers that were in his army wrote to the Senate of Rome to permit the Christians to have their liberty gave this reason for it He would have no such weapons a● the Christians prayers to be used against him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Before I passe from this duty and pretious priviledge of prayer I desire to engage both my self and you to the more frequent and zealous exercise of it by shewing some of the excellencies of prayer that may remaine as indeleble Characters upon our hearts of the benefit thereof First we can undertake nothing either of publique or private concernment with comfort without prayer The blessing of all our actions depends on this we are commanded to endeavour the supply of all our wants by prayer Gal. 4. 9. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests be made knowne unto God Secondly there is no blessing that is good for us to enjoy but in Gods time prayer will obtaine it 1 Iohn 5. 14. If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us this is that golden Key that can open the locks of all the treasuries of Gods mercies and remove all the impediments in heaven and in earth that stand

Die Lunae 31. Martii 1645. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled That Mr Cheynell who Preached before the Lords in Parliament on the 26. of this instant March is hereby desired to Print and Publish his said Sermon which is not to be Printed or Reprinted but by Authoritie under his own hand Joh. Brown Cler. Parl. THE DISCOVERIE OF A PVBLIQVE SPIRIT Presented in A SERMON BEFORE THE Honourable House of COMMONS at Margarets Westminster at their Publique Fast March 26. 1645. By William Goode B. D. Pastor of Denton in Norfolk one of the Assembly of DIVINES Gal. 5. 13. Serve one another in love Gal. 6. 10. While we have opportunitie let us do good unto all Nemini dubium est quod ea quae Dei dono accepimus ad Dei cultum referre d●bea●●● et in eius opere consumere quae eiusdem sumpsimus largitate Salvi●n lib. contra Avatitiam 1 LONDON Printed by I. L. for Christopher Meredith at the sign of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1645. Die Mercurii 26 Martii 1645. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Sir Roger North and Mr Cage doe give thankes to Mr Goode and Mr Ward for the great paines they took in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreaty of the House of Commons at St Margaretts Westminster it being the day of Publique Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons It is also Ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons without Licence under their hands writing H. Els Cler. Parl. D. Com. I Doe appoint Christopher Meredith to Print this Sermon and no man else WILL GOODE TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS in Parliament Assembled at WESTMINSTER I Could have drawne many strong arguments from mine owne weakenes against the publishing of this Sermon had not your desire deprived mee of my freedome It is enough to me and I hope it will be so to others that what I doe herein is an act of obedience to your Commands The doctrine I have herein pressed upon others is that they ought to be serviceable to the Publique which I durst not confute by concealing my poore and weake labours after they received the stamp of your iudgement upon them to bee in the least measure usefull for the Publique good In this Discourse I now present you with I have laboured chiefly to discover those Rockes of self-shipwrack which lie hidden in the waves of Publique employments that in your steering of the Publique Ship you might not dash your soules against them and so sinke the comforts that out of all your worthy labours might eternally redound unto your soules If you seeke Gods honour God hath secured your honour by his owne promise You must not exspect alwayes to be paid in good coyne by men who reap the benefit of your hazards for their security Many will deale with you as beasts do with trees they get under their shadow in time of a storme and when that is over browse and crop the boughes thereof But in reference to God you may safely conclude as Marcus Antonius did Hoc habeo quodcunque dedi You know what Christ will say to his Church-Samaritans Matth. 21. 40. In as much as yee have done it to the least of these yee have done it unto me I have often sadly wondred what was the meaning of that Ballancing providence of our most wise God who hath often made the scales even betwixt us and our enemies in this civill War nor can I finde it out unlesse it be this because the wheels of our Reformation drive so heavily It is Gods Great mercy and your great honour that so many unprofitable Thornes are already stubbed up which choaked the libertie of the Gospel yet if now the Churches field should lye halfe tilled wee must expect abundance of weeds The sooner you can accomplish the planting of a good Ministery and the giving of iust encouragement to those that labour in the Vineyard and that a Government with Scripture warrant may be fully executed the sooner you may expect to bring the Ship of the Common-wealth into the harbour of a happy Peace That you may so manage all your employments in the Publique service as may be most for Gods glory the speedy redresse of our present miseries and the comfort of your own soules is and shall be the earnest and constant prayer of Your most unworthy servant in the worke of Christ WILL GOODE A SERMON PREACHED before the Honorable House of Commons at their late solemne monethly Fast March 26. 1645. Act. 13. 36. For David after he had served his owne generation by the will of God fell on sleepe THe children of God who in their lives have had a speciall care to honour God God hath had a speciall care to honour their memories in future times according to that promise 1 Sam. 2. 39. And hence it is that Moses many times in Scripture for honours sake is called the servant of God Abraham is thrice called the friend of God a Daniel is stiled a man greatly beloved b And Iob is recorded to be a perfect man and upright and none like him in the earth Iob 1. 8. And so David here being often spoken of in this Chapter before the mention of him is dismist the Holy Ghost leaves this Character of honour upon his name in the words of my Text David served his owne generation There is some difference in the reading of the words of my Text amongst Interpreters Some affixe these words by the will of God to the former clause and read them thus David in his owne generation having served the will of God Others leave them to the latter words and read them thus c David by the will of God fell on sleep I shall follow the latter reading in the handling of them as being most agreeable to the context which appeareth thus This verse is part of Saint Pauls Sermon which he preached at Antioch to prove that Iesus Christ was the true Saviour of the world And having proved Christ to be risen againe and to be alive by that prophecie of David Thou shalt not suffer thy holy One to see corruption vers. 35. Lest any one should take this to be understood in a full sense of David he preventeth that by saying That David by the will of God died and saw corruption as the words following in this verse declare David may be said to have died and to have seene corruption by the will and determinate counsell of God for two reasons First because this is the statute Law of God for all men once to die Heb. 9. 27. Secondly because his death and corruption leaves this Prophecie an evident proofe of Christs resurrection My purpose is not to speake of the latter words of the Text at all but of these onely David after he had served or having served his owne generation Two words here require some explication we must inquire what

1 Cor. 10. 31. Do all to the glory of God No actions please God wherein our chiefe aimes are not at his glory and he that acts not thus acts not as a Christian Actions may be Morally good such as the vertuous actions of the Heathen were good for the matter of them as the acts of Fortitude Magnanimity Compassion or actions about Religion as meditation reading hearing of the word and prayer but none are Theologically good warranted by Gods word or pleasing to God but such as proceed out of love to God and intend especially his glory Such actions onely are the true fruits of Gospel grace and Christian obedience according to that rule of our Saviour Iohn 7. 18. He is true that seekes the glory of him that sent him Though our publique actions be never so specious and beautifull yet God lookes at them as painted flowers that have no sweetnes and empty shadowes if this bee not their end if we do but make the publique a stalking horse to our own advancement and use it but as the Creeples did the poole of Bethesda to cure their owne sores we are but like Israel Hosea 10. 1. Israel is an emptie vine and bringeth forth fruit unto himself Secondly we must serve the Publique thorowly faithfully or zealously that is with all our abilities according to our places and callings As David set himselfe with all his might to build the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 2. God requires that our All should be sacrificed for the managing of his Cause and promoting of his Glory Mat. 10. 37. If Christ call for our time our strength our estates our parts our labours our graces our prayers our lives for the maintaining of his Gospell Cause and Honour wee ought to yeeld them Two Arguments there be that make this plea of God for our All to be imployed in his service unanswerable First Dominus dedit The Lord hath given us all we have What hast thou that thou hast not received at his hand and then it is all the reason in the world that God should be served of his owne Secondly Dominus auferet the Lord will take away his blessings if he cannot be served with them This Argument is used by God himselfe Hosea 2. 9. Ye have bestowed them upon your lovers Therefore I will take away my Corne and my Wine my Oyle and my Flax which I have given you If any blessings thou hast are thought too good to be employed in the Publique service for the honour of God certainly they are too good to be enjoyed by thee to be spent upon thy lusts It is a soul-destroying sinne to be all for wealth or all for honour or all for pride but to be all for God that 's our duty to improve our All for the publique good of Church and Common-wealth according to Gods command This is the service we ought to do unto our own generation Thus I have cleared the point of doctrine and shewed you both that and why and how we ought to serve our own generation I come now to make Application hereof unto our selves And first We may from hence take an estimate of our Spirituall condition what it is Godly men are serviceable sincerely thorowly faithfully zealously serviceable to their generation we may then judge by this whether we be godly men or no This is a question fit to be discussed at all times betwixt God and our soules but especially in these times when almost every mans godlines what ever his profession or actions be is put to the question by others and that upon this very point whether he be truely faithfull truely serviceable to the publique good or no Three sorts of persons may here be discovered to be ungodly men First such as are enemies to the publique good such as by secret plots or open violence subvert the happines of that Church and Common-wealth in which they live Valerius said of Varus that he came poore into the rich Province of Syria but at his going out he went away rich and left the Countrey poore Such as this Varus they are the Mothes and Cankers of the publique prosperity and their reward shall be answerable Their feet shall rot their eyes shall consume in their holes and their tongues shall consume in their mouthes Zach. 14. 12. Secondly such are ungodly men as be no friends to the publique Some there be that are like the Star Mercury of which Astronomers say that it is either well-affected or malignant as it stands in Conjunction with other starres Some on purpose will not know or own Christs cause like rich men that will not know their poor kindred for this reason because they shall cost them nothing Neutrality in reference to the cause of Christ is certain enmity to Christ himself The Logick of the Scripture makes but two divisions of all the men in the World Mat. 12. 30. our Saviour tells us he that is not with me is against me There be some that so minde earthly things that what condition soever the Church and people of God are in like Gallio they care for none of these things some are so intent upon their private profit as they will take no time to consider of the publique weal and as these take no care of Gods cause so God doth usually leave them without his protection and it fares with them as it did with Archimedes in Syracusa Syracusa was besieged by the enemie but Archimedes being a Mathematician continued making of figures and drawing of lines and would contribute nothing to the publique defence and when the enemy brake in a souldier knockt him in the head as he was making figures in the dust Thirdly such are ungodly men as are friends but not thorow nor sincere friends unto the publique such are wishers and woulders that would blesse the publique exceedingly if it would be done with good words they would serve God willingly if he would be content with such service as costs them nothing But when the cause of God or the Common-wealth calls for payments adventures such as hazzard the emptying of their private fulnesse then they murmure and repine and wish for their old Religion like those Jere. 44. 17. then they would gladly make a Captain and go back again into Egypt These are no godly men And further It is possible that men may bestow both pay and paines and be great agents in promoting the affairs of Church and Common-wealth and yet for want of right aimes in their undertakings if they be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary may want some grains of the weight a godly man must have It is possible to be very diligent in a publique office as Jacob was in keeping Labans sheep the drought t consumed him by day and the frost by night and yet this was not for Labans sake there were certain ringstraked among the flocks and there was a beautifull Rachel that were his chief Loadstones in that hard servitude There