Theodosius came thither and both suppressed by his religious care the one was the putting downe of filthy houses nests of uncleannesse the other was about preventing of murder and other misdemeanors frequently acted in their common baking houses though both these evills had the countenence of Law before hee suppressed them by enacting Lawes to the contrary here were evill Lawes piously by his care repealed so doe you and God shall fill you with holy courage to enable you for your worke Thirdly labour to maintaine that which by the pietie and holy zeale of your Ancestors before you hath beene warrantably enacted for Religion and the Common-wealth Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri herein failed the Princes and Governours in Jeboash time who continued not what was well setled by Jehojada whilst hee lived 2 Chro. 24. but left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served groves and Idols and wrath came upon Judah because of their trespasse you see where they failed and how they were rewarded What a bane was it to this Nation when the States of the Kingdom in Parliament agreed to revoke the wholesome Lawes enacted in the raigne of that pious Prince Edward the sixth against the Idolatry and superstition of Rome was it not the cause of the effusion of the precious blood of so many Martyrs afterwards whereof I feare the nation is not cleansed to this day and whence came the flood of the late innovations which defaced the Church famous among other Churches before but onely from hence for not maintaining the vigour of former Lawes then a foote but carelesly past over or perversly wrested by such as should have kept them up in their strength If the Lord in former ages hath directed them that went before you in this place to strengthen Religion and support the Common-wealth doe you in your times keepe up those Lawes then will the Lord afford you courage to defend them and your selves and us by them When Theodosius the Great set forth a Law among the Egyptians against the sacrificing to the River Nilus it so fell out that the River that yeare did not rise to the usuall height in overflowing of the land this the heathen ascribed to their not sacrificing to it and so begun to blame the imperiall edict the governour fearing some insurrection or tumult would ensue gave timely information to the Emperour hereof withall implying that hee could have beene content to have had the Emperour connived at them for that time but the holy Emperour answered resolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that it was better to remaine faithfull to the Lord then to preferre the overflowing of Nilus and the expectation of fruitfulnesse thereby to pietie yea hee would rather it should never overflow againe c. Here was a Law seasonably declared and an heroicall resolution that would not upon any pretence whatsoever give way to repeale that Law that was conformable to Gods Word with the like courage ought faithfull Magistrates to maintaine warrantable Lawes for Gods honour in defence of that which is good in Gods sight and by no meanes bee induced to sinne against God either under hope of gaine or feare of approching danger to let those Lawes sinke whereby religion and the Commonwealth have beene upheld Fourthly to improve what hath been well begun by your Ancestors for the Lord and his cause and the rather because no reformation can rise to its perfection at the first How long was the Temple in building after the people returned from their captivitie yet was the worke perfected in the end it was Nehemiahs honour to carry it on to that degree hee that shall duely weigh with himselfe either the first planting of a Church where it was not or the reforming of it when once it was planted and afterwards defiled hee that shall seriously weigh either of these workes will easily grant it is not the worke of one time to bring a Church to perfection and must conclude that many oppositions must attend upon both these before a great building can bee reared up or a goodly decaying structure reedified is there not much adoe are there not great stones to bee digged out of the earth which must bee smoothed ere they can be coupled together in the building so what adoe had the blessed Apostles the master builders of the Church to lay the foundations of particular Churches whilst the devill and the world and all their united forces laboured to withstand it and when particular Churches were planted how soone came they to be corrupted and pestered with tares in one kind or another I neede not give you instances to make out this truth every one to whom the story of the Scripture is knowne will subscribe unto it is there not then courage required of them that are engaged in the great worke of reformation of a Church and have they not need to observe how farre such as have gone before have carried on the worke and studie to improve it Thus have I adventured to bring forth before you some generalls proper to your legislative station I dare not descend to the particular Lawes necessary to bee enacted repealed upheld or improved that being above my reach and without my sphere onely I crave freedome to quicken you in improving what hath been enacted by your Noble Ancestors for the due observation of two of Gods sacred ordinances for which some lawes have beene declared but provision for the faithfull keeping of them hath not beene made I meane against the horrible abuse of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the irreligious profanation of the Lords day both which in the Scriptures have the honour of the Lords name put unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.20 which no other ordinance in all the new Testament hath some Lawes I confesse have beene enacted in this State against both these disorders but God knowes they have not beene followed with that powerfull vigor with which they should have beene quickned It was once by Law provided if any repairing to the holy Communion were an open and notorious evill liver so that the congregation by him is offended the Curate having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords Table untill hee hath openly declared himselfe to have truely repented and amended his former naughtie life that the Congregation might thereby bee satisfied which afore were offended c. Here was provision against the pollution of the sacred Eucharist but alas the poore Minister of the Gospell was not strengthned to doe it whereupon it came to passe that such as tooke upon them the sole administration of all ecclesiasticall discipline and yet lived on the sinnes of the people our Courts stripping the Ministers and Guardians of the Church of that power engrost it to themselves whereby a door was ever kept open to profane
world and teacheth the Church how to beare them so as wee may bee blessed in the end If we would doe so first wee must lay aside false feares such as men ordinarily are troubled withall Let not saith the blessed Apostle your hearts bee troubled with their feares for they become not you that wait upon God Secondly the heart with confidence must bee raised up to waite on God by this confidence God is sanctified and that feare removed by which place it may appeare that feare is to bee shaken off and confidence in God is the way to doe it therefore the Lord requires that his people should bee raised up in courage and not fearefull whilest they waite upon him Secondly as God requires it so when men grow strong in waiting upon him 2. God cōmends courage in his people the Lord doth highly commend it how are those worthies renowned for their confident waiting upon the Lord Heb. 11.33 34 35 c. they waxed valiant of weake were made strong c. therefore are their names honored to this day by the Lord did not their waiting on God so raise their spirits that they became valiant was not Sampson so valiant by his waiting on God that with the jaw-bone of an Asse be slew a thousand Philistims did not David by his waiting on God slay Goliah with a stone out of his sling and how are both of them ennobled by their valour unto this day 3. God is angry where courage is wanting Thirdly where God finds that such as waite on him wax not stout-hearted or are not filled with courage hee checks that want of valour in them whilst they are not filled with courage for the worke about which hee sends see it in Gods dealing with Moses Num. 20.8 hee is commanded to speake to the rocke and the Lord tells him it shall give him water neverthelesse hee smote the rocke and spake unto the people but hee is not said to speake to the rocke as hee was commanded it seemes hee beleeved not that his speaking to the rocke could bring forth water out of it therefore the Lord tells him hee should not bring that Congregation into Canaan Num. 20.12 in a word God was angry with him that hee waxed not strong in waiting upon the Lord. 4. Gods people have been full of courage Fourthly the holy practise of Gods people recorded in the Scriptures holds forth the same truth unto us in which hee that runnes may reade that by their waiting upon God they grew exceeding strong How valiant waxed the three children before Nebuchadnezzar and whence came it was it not from their waiting upon God they dare tell him wee are not carefull to answer thee in this matter Dan 6.16 17. and why our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us from the fiery Furnace you heare of their courage which could not bee allayed by all the threatnings breathed out by that potent King their patient waiting on the Lord was a strong preservative against them all Jebosaphat his stoutnesse and the strength of his courage was testified in his speech to his subjects 2 Chron 20.20 saying Heare mee O Judah and yee inhabitants of Jerusalem put your trust in the Lord your God and yee shall bee assured beleeve yee his Prophets and yee shall prosper God had given them by a Prophet a speciall promise of victory and you see how valiant that pious Prince waxed upon the receit of it and how hee laboured to draw others to depend upon the same To the same purpose speaketh Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.6 7 8. Hee speakes comfortably to them saith the Text and it well appeares by the many phrases he there useth to raise up their drooping hearts hee forbids them to feare hee doubles it againe and would not have them afraid and all upon this ground because they waited upon the Lord who was stronger then all that could come forth against them the enemies what had they to assist them an arme of flesh that is such power as man could afford but with them was the Lord their God to helpe them I might also tell you of the worth of Nehemiah his valour Nehem. 6.7 8. who gave no place to the policies and subtle craft of the enemies seeking to weaken his hands from the worke but with undaunted courage pleaded the falsehood of their accusations and would you know from whence it came even from his waiting upon God which imboldned him with great courage Nehem 6.9 hee can goe to God and say incourage thou mee or strengthen thou my hand Here likewise I might adde the example of David and others all which I now forbeare having cleered to you that such as wait upon God should be filled with courage seeing God requires it where hee finds it hee commends it hee blames the want of it in his people Lastly this is that whereunto by his Spirit hee guides all such as wait upon him Thirdly let mee intreat you to go one step further with mee and dive into the reasons of the point thus cleared to you The reason of it assuredly there is great reason for it should not such as waite on God bee strengthned in their hearts even for this cause because they have the Lord to settle their trust upon Such as patiently waite on God have God for their God and are in Covenant with him that makes them grow to bee magnanimous or to a holy kind of greatnes wel beseeming such as wait upon the Lord the Psalmist saith Commit thy way to God trust in him hee shall bring it to passe you see to whom hee speakes Psal 37.5 even to them that trust in God and you see likewise what hee desires them to doe to commit or put over all their care to the Lord which they cannot doe if they be not raised up with courage the ground of that courage is they trust in God let them know Hee can bring their wayes to passe though they see not how this was the onely ground of the courage in those three children mentioned before Dan. 3 Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us it was not the power of that enraged Prince nor the dreadfull heate of his fiery Furnace that could quench or allay their courage whose confidence was setled on God! Chrysistome expounding those words of the Psalme Great is the Lord and worthy to bee praised his greatnesse is incomprehensible speaketh thus because thou hast the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God to rely upon bee thou also of a high courage whereby hee would perswade men to a holy kind of greatnesse in their courage because they are grounded upon the great God hee would not have such to bee of a proud or haughtie disposition as a frerward hee expounds himselfe but as David chargeth Solomon to bee strong without dread 1 Chron. 22.23 and not dismaid such an heroicall disposition should be in all
HOPES INCOVRAGEMENT pointed at IN A SERMON PREACHED In St. Margarets Westminster before the Honorable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT At the Last Solemn Fast February 28. 1643. BY THO. YOUNG Hebr. 6.19 Which Hope wee have as an anker of the Soule both sure and stedfast and it entreth into that which is within the vaile Published by Order of the House of Commons Printed at London for Ralph Smith at the signe of the Bible in Cornhill neere the Royall Exchange 1644. Die Mercurii 28. Febr. 1643. IT is this day ordered by the Commons House of Parliament That Sr. John Trever M. Rous do from this House give thankes unto Mr. Young for the great paines hee tooke in the Sermon hee preached this day at the intreaty of the said Commons at St. Margarets Westminster it being the day of publike Humiliation and to desire him to print his Sermon And he is to have the like priviledge in Printing of his Sermon as others in the like kinde usually have had H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Ralph Smith to print my Sermon Tho. Young NOBILISSIMIS EQVITIBVS AVRATIS aliisque Viris prudentissimis EX Singulis totius REGNI Comitatibus selectis PARL DOM. COM. Senatoribus honorandis IN Quorum Solenni conventu inelaborata haec Concio in divae Margaretae Templo apud WESTMONASTERIUM Solenni jejunioruÌ„ die Februarii penultimo fuit habita eam in Perpetuum demissae observantiae testimonium L. M. D. D. D. Tho. Young S. Evangelii in Comitatu Suffolciensi Minister HOPES-ENCOVRAGEMENT pointed at IN A SERMON PREACHED before the Honorable House of COMMONS GOD having given to his afflicted Church in this distracted Nation so long cause of sad mourning and heavy lamentation in which according to the warrant of the word and laudable custome of the Church in all ages he hath beene sought unto by prayer and fasting Deum quasi manu facta preâ—anonibus ambiamus orantes Tert. with which the Church hath ever plyed the Lord in the day of their distresse as it were beleaguering heaven with the Army of their prayers This course having beene so long by authority continued in this place I conceive it is too late for me after the revolution of so many solemne fasts now to goe about to open to you what is required of Gods People in the day of their solemne humiliation and fasting I am confident that you who have spent so many dayes in that Christian duty have been fully instructed therein from sundry learned discourses heretofore presented to you Neither will I stand to pleade before you for the necessary conjunction of prayer to your fasting trusting you have not so learned Christ as to divide the duties which he in his word hath coupled together That which remaines for me the meanest of Gods Labourers to aime at for the present I take to be this that whereas you have fasted and prayed and in both continued so long to endeavour now to raise up your hearts and quicken your spirits in the continuance of this duty of seeking God by earnest prayer and the rather because assuredly the Lord on whom we waite in these holy duties in the end will be exalted that be may have compassion on them that patiently waite and pray for his mercy would you be assured of it take his word that if you waite and be strong in your dependance upon our God be will at length arise for your comfort So much desire I to cleare unto you this day and for that cause I humbly pray you with all reverence to hearken to what you shall finde written for that purpose PSAL. 31.24 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the LORD THE man whom God in this life hath singled out by faith to depend upon him is sure to meet with troubles of all sorts and in all places which will not faile to attend upon that dependance Yet hee whose heart is ingaged in all these stormes to cleave unto the Lord must still sue to him for deliverance which having once obtained hee must then with all thankfulnesse acknowledge it For a gratefull acknowledgement of received favours is the great tribute due to the Lord for all the favours which hee bestows upon his people Yea certainely hee who is blessed with the favour of deliverance and truely or throughly affected with the free mercy therein will not onely himselfe bee thankfull but study to draw on others to praise the Lord in way of thankfulnesse for the favours whereof hee tastes See all this in this Psalme David dangerously pursued by his enemies sues to God for deliverance his Petition together with the severall arguments wherewith hee backes it are set down from the beginning of the Psalme to the 20. ver from whence to ver 24. hee thankfully acknowledges the received mercy vouchsafed to him and all such as trust in God which favour hee amplifies sundry wayes Then hee desires all Gods people to love the Lord. Lastly upon all these severall branches hee infers what is the duty of Gods people in all their troubles even this to encourage themselves in strengthning their hearts and waiting upon the Lord this hee layes down in the words of my Text which may bee termed a comfortable direction to strengthen the beleeving soule against all heart-breaking or soule-rending feares or distractions whatsoever In which words our Prophet prescribes the best and most soveraign cordiall that can bee given in such a condition when Gods people are overwhelmed with feares and I beseech you when can it bee judged more seasonable to bee discoursed of then in these dayes wherein for no short space of time though now and then of late God hath come unto us with sweet refreshing beames of mercy it hath falne out with most men as of old with Ahaz and his people Esa 7.2 Whose hearts were moved with feare as the trees of the Forest are moved with the wind and hath not this been generally our condition a long time in which whose heart is not ready to bee surprized with feares unlesse it bee some sonne of Belial who being besotted with his lusts passeth his time without feare of God or his judgements But to you to whom the day seemeth gloomy and the light of your comfort hath been long eclipsed 1 King 18 44. to whom trouble hath risen up as the cloud did to Elijah his servant which though at the first it was but little like a mans hand yet speedily caused it the face of heaven to looke blacke so hath the cloudy storm of our unnaturall troubles spred it self to the darkning of all our comforts Now to such as notwithstanding all this yet wait for comfort from the Lord my Text is a sure guide to lead them unto comfort hearken therfore to what the Lord speaks in the same that you may not bee to seek for comfort when heavy storms of troubles shall swallow up others that
feare nothing till it seise upon them To you then whose hope in all troubles rests on the Lord the Lord speakes in my Text saying All you that wait on the Lord bee strong and hee shall establish your heart Wherein see first to whom the Prophet doth addresse his speech to such as patiently wait upon the Lord Secondly what it is that hee requires of them to strengthen themselves to waxe strong or bee valiant Thirdly in the last place consider what hee promiseth to them that their hearts shall bee raised up in strength You see the parts the summe of all is a lesson full of comfort to all such as patiently hope in the Lord and from these parts I shall draw forth three propositions to insist upon by Gods assistance and your patience at this time The first is that Gods people are taught by the Lord in all their troubles to waite patiently upo him The second is that such as waite patiently upon the Lord must rouse up themselves with strength and courage to wait further upon him The third followeth that when Gods people with courage and patience waite upon him he will encrease their courage To these three Propositions shall I limit my speech onely my desire is as they find so they may leave you attentive The first of them ariseth from the first considerable branch of the words the persons to whom they are directed he directs his speech to such as patiently waite upon the Lord. The word in the originall here rendered in our language to waite signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be carried out after any thing with a wonderfull desire to enjoy it Secondly to be sorry we are so long without the fruition of that we thus desire Thirdly patiently to waite for it all these are elegantly hinted in the use of the word by Job Job 29 21.23 whilest he sets forth what was the opinion which once men had of his wisedome and counsell when he spake in the publike before others he sayes they eagerly desired to heare him that appeared in their silence when he spake they rested in it as the best and choifest counsell that could be prescribed to them as the raine is welcome to the dry and parched ground it sucks it in so was his counsell to such as heard it and waited for it Thus the godly here are described from their waiting upon God which implies First their desire after God Secondly their griefe that yet they enjoy not the Lord according to their desire Thirdly their patient attending upon God for that which they desire and from hence ariseth our first proposition that Gods people are taught by God in all their afflictions and under all their troubles patiently to waite upon the Lord. Doctr. 1 This is their practise and therefore in my text they are described by that propertie They waite upon the Lord they are a generation of waiters being carried on with earnestnesse of desires to see what God will doe for them in their troubles they long for the Lord and yet patiently waite upon him To cleare this truth unto you first I will prove the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make it good that it should bee so secondly point forth unto you the true grounds from whence this waiting in Gods children doth arise which being laid open I doubt not but the truth of the Doctrine with case will bee manifested to all that heare it As for the first that Gods people must waite upon him 1. God requires it know first that this is the thing which God requires of all his children that in all their afflictions they should waite upon him for his helpe Psal 55.22 cast your burthen upon the Lord saith the Prophet and he shall nourish thee The words in the originall are significant and runne thus Cast your carefull burden on the Lord and hee will sustaine thee q. d. looke whatsoever it is thou art carefull may bee afforded to thee in all thy wants and necessities cast thy care for that thing upon the Lord and waite on him to receive it from his bountifull hands for hee is sure to sustaine and nourish thee with the same To the same purpose speakes our blessed Saviour Luke 21.19 By your patience saith hee possesse your soules that speech followes upon a sad relation of heavie troubles that were to ensue hee tells them Nation shall rise against nation there shall bee great Warres Earthquakes and persecutions the Parents shall betray their Children and one friend another and to imbitter all he addes they shall bee hated of all men for his sake Now what might his poore unarmed children thinke should become of them in all these troubles might they not conclude in the eye of reason there was no safetie for them in such a condition what shall they doe our blessed Saviour answers possesse your soules in Patience as if he had said unto them although you be compassed about with troubles on every hand yet do you continue waiting quietly upon the Lord there shall not a haire of your heads perish therefore wait you upon the Lord. Thus God requires it of his people Secondly the Lord goes farther and pronounces them all blessed that doe so Esa 30.18 Blessed are all they that waite for him 2. God accounts them blessed their waiting in that place is opposed to the preposterous course followed by them and mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter when God threatned to bring an enemy upon them they following their owne counsells are not long in resolving what to doe they 'l downe to Aegypt and strengthen themselves in their confederacie with them to boe aided by their assistance and they make haste to doe this but therein they consulted not with God therefore hee tells them the strength of Pharaoh should bee their shame and their trust in Aegypt their confusion i. e. not able to profit them After this hee comes to prescribe a better and more sure way of deliverance unto them then that could bring forth and what is that He sets it down in the 15. Verse In rest and quietnesse shall you be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall bee your strength here was a sweet and wholesome counsell could they have followed it but that they would not doe the meaning of it was this that they should depend upon the Lord and on his strength but they would not yet some amongst them did so and hee saith such are blessed by which place it appeares that God would have his people waite upon him in their extremities which if they doe they are sure to bee blessed of him Now then if God require his people in all their troubles to waite upon him if hee pronounce them blessed that doe so then wee may surely conclude that it is their dutie in all their troubles patiently to waite upon the Lord. Hope floweth from Faith To cleare this truth yet further unto you in as much as Gods people are here
till the happy revolution of the time come about which God hath set out to the performance of his promise God promised faithfull Abraham that in Isaac his seed should be called Gen. 21.12 yet holy Isaac did not presently see that promise performed for he was marryed as may bee collected from the History twenty yeers and had no childe yet hee waited for it the evidence of his waiting was Hee prayed and God heard him Gen. 25.21 Luk. 2.25 and his wife conceived It is said of old Simeon Hee waited for the consolation of Israel i. e. for the revealing of Christ in the flesh God having promised to him Hee should not see death Vers 26. till hee had seene the Lords Christ hee knew not when that would bee yet hee beleeved and waited for it upon this very ground it is that God requires waiting in his people Habak 2.3 The viston is for an appointed time but at last it shall speak and not lie though it tarry waite for it shall surely come and not stay The vision hee speaks of contained both the destruction of the enemy and comfort of his Church there was a time determined by the Lord wherein both these should take place yet though the issue were certain the hasty affections of men thought the time long now because they knew not when it should bee God requires of them to waite therefore the not knowing of the time when Gods promise shall take place draws such as beleeve the promise to waite upon the Lord. Thus have I cleered the first proposition That Gods people waite upon him I shall forbeare the use till I have proved the other two and then give you a joynt application of them all tother In the next place see and consider what is the thing which hee calls for from these waiters Bee strong yee that wait upon the Lord or bee confirmed that word here rendred bee yee strong or of good courage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly import to waxe strong and prevaile so is it used 2 Chron. 28.20 when Tilgath-pilneser came to the assistance of Ahaz it is said hee troubled him and did not strengthen him or hee grew not stronger by his help as hee expected the word therefore imports a corroboration of that strength which a man hath so the Lord here requires that all such as waite upon him should waxe strong and take heart by their relying upon him from whence ariseth our second proposition that such as patiently wait upon God must rouse up themselves with strength and courage to wait further upon him The heart that hath chosen the Lord for his God and patiently doth wait upon him must grow to a holy kind of greatnesse and magnanimity because it is set upon the great God To evidence this truth I will indevour first to open the way how this may bee done whereby you may see wherein this heroicall valour stands by which hee that waits on God is confirmed in his strength Secondly that such as wait upon God must gather strength and courage to themselves in their dependance upon him which being done then in the third place wee will shew the reasons of it the opening of all which will sufficiently cleare the Doctrine the first will lay forth the way how to attain it The second will manifest the necessity of it and the third shall cleare the reasons of it For the first let us inquire wherein this courage stands that so you may the better see how a Soule that waits upon the Lord may waxe strong A point needfull to bee discussed and searched into by every one who desires with strength to wait upon the Lord and the rather because many seem to bee raised up with stoutnesse when indeed their stoutnesse is not true courage but meere rashnesse or inconfideratenesse Neither is the valour or courage mentioned in my Text that confident courage or holy boldnesse whereby the beleeving soule doth rest on God for salvation by faith in Jesus Christ nor is it the assurance of hope it selfe by which the soule waits on God for the accomplishment of his promise indeed the considence or courage here spoken of is required in all such as beleeve and wait for the promise Faith and Hope bring forth this courage and it is an effect of hope rather than hope it selfe But in a word this courage is that confidence which is wrought in man by the power of faith and strength of hope in God which maketh him goe on cheerfully in the particular worke to which God hath called him it is especially discovered in these things First When a man is undaunted stout and resolute to do the speciall thing which God requireth of him This courage is seene Act. 4. therefore that which here is phrased waxing strong elsewhere is called boldnesse as Peter being examined before the Rulers Elders Scribes and High-priests by whose authority hee had done that miracle hee doth freely and cleerly confesse it to bee done in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ this free confession of the truth there is called boldnesse and why Vers 13. because hee waxed strong and would not shrink a whit from that to which hee was called this was the very thing which they craved of God by prayer saying Grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with boldnesse Act. 4.29 You see then what is meant by waxing strong even this to raise up the spirit to a holy boldnesse to doe that which God cals a man to do It is not courage but presumption for a man to adventure upon that work to which hee is not called of God and though hee bee resolute in pursuance of it yet his resolute adventure is not the boldnesse that comes from faith or hope a man his holy boldnesse must bee seen in doing that to which hee is called Peter sayes Let them that suffer according to the will of God 2 Pet. 4.19 commit their soules to him in wel-doing as to a faithfull Creator Where hee would have Gods children to arme themselves with courage against all troubles and tentations that may befall them but how shall they doe this they must so order things that if they doe suffer they may suffer according to Gods will which they shall doe if they suffer in doing that which God commands them to doe God commands Jeremiah that hee goe forth with courage to speak to the people O but how shall hee attain to this courage hee must do what God commands him and speake what the Lord will have him to speake Jer. 1.7 8. then hee needes not bee afraid of their faces Secondly as this holy courage in a man arising from faith and hope ever ey 's the worke to which he was called of God so it makes him adventure upon that worke not in the confidence of his owne strength but to rest on God for his strength to inable him to goe through the worke David was
that professe their hearts are raised up in waiting upon the great God Secondly such grow couragious 2 Gods Spirit fills them with courage Act. 6.10 because Gods Spirit strengthens all such as waite upon the Lord that blessed Martyr Steven waxed stout in resisting his adversaries but whence came it was it not from the wisedome and Spirit by which hee spake that strengthned him that they were not able to resist him Act. 4. So Peter spake freely to the Rulers Elders and Scribes and reproved them but hee was then full of the holy Ghost v. 8. which freedome v. 13. is called boldnesse in him it is the same spirit which cleares up the truth to their understandings that makes their hearts bold in defence of the truth it is therefore the powerfull working of Gods Spirit that corroborates their hearts with holy boldnesse and makes them set their faces like a flint Esa 50.7 and make their foreheads as the Adamant Ezek. 3.9 then are they Lion-like hearted 2 Sam. 17.10 3. God by the promise works courage in them Thirdly this courage in Gods people ariseth from the strength which they sucke from Gods promises for faith and hope which teacheth them to waite on God considers not onely that God gives his promises to them that lay hold on them by faith but such a one goes further and verily beleeves that God will convey that strength of grace into his heart which is set downe in the promise this this is that which makes them full of courage in waiting upon the Lord for it is not with the promises of the Gospell as it is with the Gommandements of the Law which are distinct from the promises the things commanded to bee done by the Law are not promised in the Law there God requires obedience but power to yeeld it is not promised in the commandement which requires it but in the Gospell it is otherwise where that which is commanded is also promised therefore as faith with one hand laies hold on the Evangelicall commands which binds the soule in all extremitie to waite on God so with the other hand it laies hold on the promise to receive the vertue strength and power whereby it may by the promise bee brought to waite upon the Lord this makes it full of courage to waite upon him having taken hold upon the promises by which God conveighs grace into the heart to stand in such extremities that makes it valiant in waiting upon God upon whose strength it waits in the promise Doct. 3 Now to the last proposition considerable in the gracious promise made to such as with undaunted valour waite upon the Lord Hee saith my Text shall fortifie or strengthen your hearts there is some varietie in reading of the words some reade them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your hearts be comforted or strengthned other Hee will strengthen your hearts So doth our last translation and as I conceive this sense will best agree to the words for if we reade them in the first sense Let your hearts bee strengthned then were they onely a bare repetition of the former words in another phrase as if hee said Bee valorous let your heart hee strengthned you that waite upon the Lord but I rather reade them with our translation bee valorous and hee will fortifie or strengthen your hearts who is it that should strengthen them but the Lord upon whom they waite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to fortifie or raise up any thing in its strength which implies that God will raise up the troubled heart in its strength whence wee gather God increaseth courage in them that have it that when Gods people with courage and patience waite upon him in their troubles he will increase their courage the Lord by his Prophet promiseth to adde courage to their courage and follow such with farther degrees of valour bee yee stout and he will strengthen your hearts saith my Text I will but name this truth know therefore that is true in a Christians courage which is seene in all other graces the ready way to have them to encrease and multiply is faithfully to employ them for grace when it is well imployed and wisely husbanded ever thrives and prospers God ever adding new measures or degrees to such as faithfully lay out what they have received This is evidently set forth to us in the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.21 hee that improved his five talents to the gaining of five more receives this answer Well done good servant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler over much so to him that gained two the same answer is made you see thereby that their faithfull husbanding and improving what they had made way for them to receive more from God such a joyfull Audite had these faithfull Stewards when they came to give up their accounts so here the more valorous they were for God the Lord promises to strengthen them by a new addition of courage to what they had Esa 40.31 Esay tels them they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall lift up their wings as the Eagle they shall run and not bee wearie they shall walke and not faint a sweet and comfortable promise wherein the Lord binds himselfe by his Word that changes not to afford new measures of strength to such as use their strength in walking in his wayes that they may goe on and advance more cheerefully in the same such as gather strength to waite upon him shall bee enabled at length to flie as the Eagle flieth which of all fowles soareth highest in her flight thus will God strengthen them more and more even when to their owne apprehension they wax weary and faint Grace imployed prospers If any man desires to know the reason of it why strength is added to the strong and courage well imployed is seconded with a fresh supply Let him know as as I said this is Gods dealing with men in all their graces which hee bestowes upon them a continuall supply of grace is afforded to them that faithfully lay out for the Lord what they have received It is said of our blessed Saviour bee was filled with wisedome Luck 2.40.51 yet followes afterwards he increased in wisedome the spirit was strong in Christ and still hee put forth wisedome bey ond the condition of his yeers the more hee put it forth the more hee increased in it Act. 9.20.22 so when Paul was called to the ministery of the Gospell it is said of him hee straightwayes preached Christ in their Synagogues then followes hee encreased more in strength his strength and courage in his worke was seconded with fresh supplies from God who abundantly addes to such as improve grace This I take to bee one maine ground why my Text tells us hee will fortifie such as are strong in waiting on the Lord but I cease further to enlarge the proofe of
and it is also true that in their passage they met with foule weather at sea whereby they were in danger of suffering shipwrack but what of all this did not the Lord arise for their comfort still the stormy tempest and gave them safe deliverance Gods children in all the tempestuous stormes they meet with in fulfilling Gods commands had recourse for comfort to the Lord even upon this ground because God sent them on the errand wherein they meet with trouble Amos was crost in his Ministery and complained of by that wicked Priest unto the King hee was in a great strait yet he beares up his courage upon the Lords command See it Amos 7.14 15 God is with all them that execute what hee commands Such may well say as Elijah to his servant Feare not there are more with us than bee with them that are against us To the last sort I meane such as despaire of the successe of businesse undertaken by the warrand of Gods Word thoughts of that nature must not abate their courage nor hinder their valour from prosecuting that whereunto they are called but must remember it is their dutie to fulfill what they are called to and leave the successe to the Lord so did the three Children as we heard It is a maine sleight of Satan to draw a man to vex and torment himselfe about the successe of his just undertakings and therein hee doth disable a man from going on with courage all these justly from hence to bee reproved The third proposition reproves them that labour not to improve the graces they have received not considering how with the unfaithfull servant lapping up his Talent in a Napkin they not onely prevent themselves of receiving more but make way to bee stript of all they have I can but onely name these things unto you Vse 2 Our second use is for exhortation here will I joyne the first and second proposition together that is bee exhorted to bee valourous for the Lord that you may bee blessed of the Lord with a further degree of spirituall and undaunted courage in managing of Gods work And to the end you may grow valourous for the Lord I desire every man to consider First his owne weakenesse and insufficiency to any worke that is pleasing to the Lord assuredly hee that goeth on in the confidence of his owne strength when hee comes to bee opposed hee shall by wofull experience finde his valour to faile him and his courage to bee gone who was more strengthned in his courage to prosecute the cause of God then that holy Apostle Paul was or who could adventure more to advance it then hee did and would you know from whence did his courage arise take it in his owne words not saith hee 2 Cor. 3.5 that wee are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God there was the first step from whence hee ascended to that valour the due and serious consideration of his owne insufficiency made him sticke close to the Lord for helpe Secondly let a man weigh with himselfe that God hath called him to the worke thereby shall his heart bee fortified also thus did David encourage Solomon saying The Lord hath chosen thee to build the house of the Sanctuary 1 Chron. 28.10 bee strong therefore and doe it Thirdly let such consider that God will ever bee with such as hee calls to any work you know how the Priests were to animate the people when they were to goe forth to warre against their enemies they were thus to speake unto them You are come this day unto battell against your enemies let not your hearts faint neither feare nor bee amazed Deut. 20.1 3 4. nor adread of them O but the people might have replyed their Horses and Chariots are in our eyes our adversaries goe beyond us in number yet for all this they must not bee dejected with feare and why For the Lord your God goeth with you the consideration of Gods presence going along with them whom hee hath called to any hard undertaking must raise up their hearts to carry on that work Fourthly suppose that such meet with dysasters in following of Gods work yet if they would bee fortifyed against them behold God hath promised that all things shall work together for the best unto them that love him Therefore if thou beest crost in prosecuting of Gods worke for the present yet that hinderance shall be as a vantage-ground to take thy rise to advance it further hereafter Lastly consider there is an ample reward laid up for all them who are stedfast unmoveable 1 Cor. 15.58 and abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord their labour shall not bee in vain in the Lord. Now by all these motives bee exhorted to stirre up the grace that is given unto you that will make you faithfull to God in laying out what you have received approving your selves to him in your stewardship that will make you usefull to the Church of God where you live and that will open a way of comfort unto you when you shall come to give up the accounts of your stewardship in the great day of the Lord. Vse 3 My last use should have been a word of comfort with which I desired to have dismissed you and in it I would have spoken to such as wait upon the Lord whose hearts I desire may bee raised up with strength to wait further on him but I dare not presume upon your patience too farre therefore I say no more in it then what the Lord hath said in my Text All you that trust in the Lord bee strong and know for certain that God will strengthen your hearts You have heard the particulars considerable in the Text Applic. to the Parliament and in generall how they meet with many by way of just reproofe as also how they may serve for the quickning of some and raising up of others with comfort Now give mee leave with Your patience to bring home all by a more particular application to all you that stand here this day before the Lord In the first place Honorable and dearely beloved in the Lord my desire is with all due respect to your great and weighty imployments and your personall worth to point forth unto You in a word or two the way to the true valour mentioned in my Text well beseeming such as are ingaged in the cause of the Lord that God may strengthen your hearts and comfortably crowne your great employments with a happy and desired issue in the end for this cause consider I beseech you First what God hath called you unto Secondly what he now requires to be done by you whilest you are strugling to advance that worke both which being closely followed you may expect of the Lord both present comfort and a happy closure of your just undertakings First cast your eyes upon your present employment which I crave may be weighed by
you in the ballance of the sanctuary The work you are now called to is a work of great concernment it is the purging of the Lords floore as it hath reference both to the Church and Common-wealth a work sure enough to be encountred with great oppositions yet I must say it is a worke with the managing whereof God hath not so honoured others which have gone before you in your places but hath reserved it to make you the instruments of his glory in advancing it and that doth much adde unto your honour Was it an honour to the Tyrians that they were counted amongst the builders of the Temple Ezek. 28. when Hiram sent to Solomon things necessary for that worke how then hath God honoured you reserving to you the care of re-edifying of his Church the house of the living God and the repairing of the shattered Common-wealth so farre borne downe before he raised you up to support it that succeeding ages may with honour to your names say THIS WAS THE REFORMING PARLIAMENT A worke which God by his blessing upon Your unwearied paines hath much furthered already whilest he by you hath removed the rubbish that might hinder the raising up of that goodly structure appointed and prescribed by the Lord in his word Lastly a worke which God never in any age perfected but through many difficulties to his people This is the worke You are called to then let me say to You in the words of my Text be strong and of good courage the Lord will strengthen your hearts and would You have Your hearts fortified with this soveraigne cordiall then see you follow what the Lord requires of men imployed by him in such a work that you striving to that may attaine unto the other For this cause let me in the name of Jesus Christ in whose name by Your command I stand now before You crave of you to see to your carriage First as you are Christians Secondly as You are publick persons entrusted with the managing of the Lords worke First as You are Christians so have You need of courage and if you would have your hearts strengthened with it then in your thoughts looke backe againe to that which was spoken in our second proposition to wit keepe to the work to which you are called let not your hearts be carried on in the confidence of your own parts but rest upon the Lord for his strength see how God hath carried you through many straights already and learne to depend on him for the future committing the successe of all to his wisdome and goodnesse to all which I humbly pray remember that as you appeare for the truth so you must stick to it First in the profession Secondly in the practise of it Truth should be deare to all that professe it the truth which is brought from heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ the word of his Father which he hath sealed with his bloud the truth the profession whereof hath beene watered with the bloud of your Noble Ancestors that have gone before you for this truth let me spake to you in the words of holy Jude and exhort you to contend earnestly for the same Jude 3. love to the truth and well ordered zeale for the same well beseem's all that professe the truth especially such as are in authority and high places of dignity though the world judge it a thing beneath great places therefore if any question about it should be raised up before you albeit the world would perswade you to be of Galli◠his mind who cared for none of these things Act. 18.17 yet I pray take notice that the God of truth hath led men in authority to higher thoughts of it which hath made them sticke closer to it then with a lukewarme disposition to stand by and see it trodden down was it not commanded by the Imperiall Edict of the Emperour Justinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man should bee suffered so farre as to change one syllable of the Orthodox Doctrine of the Church in the mystery of the sacred Trinity why because the Verity of the Christian Faith was comprehended in the words and syllables Wee know also what stirres Satan raised up in the Church about one Letter in opposing of the Truth whilest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was cryed down by the Arians and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleaded against by the famous Lights of the Church When the Emperours Deputy dealt with Basil the great to enter into communion with Budoxius hee answered with resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That none trained up in holy Scriptures would suffer one syllable of divine truths to bee betrayed but were ready if it were required to suffer any death in the defence thereof here are precedents worthy of your imitation to raise up your hearts to shine before others in the close profession of the truth and the rather because such is the waxy disposition of the people that the example of superiours ever makes a deep impression upon them either in cleaving to the Truth or departing from it for if such as are heads to others bee not well-affected to the Truth what can bee expected of their followers the Books of Kings and Chronicles in Judah and Israel do tell us the people are ever carryed on by the example of their Governours when either they cleaved to the Truth or turned their backs upon the same so went the disposition of the people either for or against it and so fell it out in the Christian Church how was the Easterne Empire polluted with execrable Arianisme whilst yet the Westerne continued in the Truth the Historians give the reason of it Constantine an Arian ruled in the East when at the same time Constans and Constantius Sonnes to Constantine the Great treading in the steps of their pious father adhered to the truth professed by him and so did as farre ennoble the westerne Empire with the truth as the other did defile the easterne with his countenancing of error and heresie I spare to bring forth before you other instances especially speaking to such as are not ignorant of any thing I can produce onely let mee renew my humble motion unto you Set your hearts to stand for the profession of the truth if you would have the God of truth to fill you with courage firmely by your endeavors to settle his truth amongst us In the next place the man that would bee valorous for the truth must looke as well to his practise as to the profession of the truth the truth must bee held out before the world in profession and a holy practise must warrantably evidence the life and power of that profession for seeing God hath coupled these together profession and practise of the truth no man must seek to part them in himselfe bee you then holy men in your practise you professe to all the world this day the Nation rests assured of you that you seeke to advance the