Die Jovis 26. February 1645. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that this House give thanks to Mr IENKYN for his great pains taken in the Sermon he Preached yesterday in the Abbey Church Westminster before the Lords of Parliament it being the day of the publike Fast And he is hereby desired to Print and publish the same which is not to be Printed by any but by authority under his own hand J. Brown Cler. Parl. I Appoint Christopher Meredith to Print my Sermon William Jenkyn REFORMATION'S REMORA OR TEMPORIZING the stop of building the Temple A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the House of PEERS in the abbey-Abbey-Church at Westminster upon the 25th of February 1645. being the day appointed for their solemne and publike Humiliation BY WILLIAM JENKYN Master of Arts and Minister of Gods Word at christ-Christ-Church London Text. HAG. 1.2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying This people saith the time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built Calv in loc Hinc videmus quà m bene consuluerit Dominus Ecclesiae suae dum voluit ext rehanc objurgaâ—ionem no hodie nos soliciter metum vel pudorem incuâ—iat LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1646. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE the HOVSE of PEERS assembled in PARLIAMENT My Lords I If this ensuing Sermon present you with ought worthy your esteem 't is the jewel of plain-dealing T was preach't to a Noble audience and I confese with the liberty of much plainnes Ezek. 2.6 Tit. 2.11 Vt post â—ulgura pluvis ita post prae dicatoris verba auditorum lacbiymoe subsequamur Illivs dectoris libenter vecem audio non qui sibi plausuâ—â— sed qui mihi plactum mover Si persuadere vis gemendo id magis quà m declamando fludeas Bern. Ser. 59. in Cant. Vxod 15.11 but he that made you Noble enjoined me to be faithfull I dare not flatter attentions into smiles no not upon a day of Thanksgiving So poor are our improvements of rich mercies and so fearfull yea in praises is the God of our victories that even upon a festivall the stage should keep it's distance from the Pulpit And if Sermons deserve to be suspected which on a day of rejoicing walk in the attire of flattery should they goe in that garb on a night of mourning surely they deserve to be apprehended My Lords mine was a Fast-Sermon Soothing which is alway bad would have been this day abominable The faithfullest messengers that ever God employed Duplici sub specie divinus spiritus se mundo ostendit columbinâ igneâ quia omnes quos implet columbre fimplicitate mansuetos igne zeli ardentes exhibet Greg. 2. part past c. 11. Moses sic amavit ent quibus praesuit ut pro eis nec sibi parceret tamen delinquentes sic persecutus est quos a mavit ut eos etiam Domino parcente prosterâ—eret Causam populi apud Zeum precibus causam Dei apud populum gladijs allegavit Intus amans irâ—e divinae supplicando obsistit foris saeviens culpam feriendo consumpsit Gregor Mitis Stephanus cum lapidaretur sed seviebat cum non audiretur Aug. in Ps 32. have set us a copy of freenes in reproving they are known examples of Moses his deportment towards Pharoah and after toward his own people of Elijah towards Ahab of Nathans toward David of Jeremiah John Baptist Steven Paul All which were as full of zeal for God as pity to people and as holily impatient against others sins as holily patient under their own sufferings against those they had tongues of fire though under these they had the temper of a dove They who when they were with God mourn'd and prai'd for the people when they came among the people expressed their zeal in pleading for God My Lords Clem. Alex. paed lib. 1. cap 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id Ibid. Charitas piè solet saevire sine dolo muleere patienter novit irasâ—i huâ—tliter indiguarâ— Bern. ep 2. ad Fule Inesse rectoribus debet justè consoâ—ans misericordia pie saeviens disclplina Greg. 2. p. past Remissa tenitaâ— amputanda severa integritas albibenda Sit amor sed non emolliens pietaâ— sed non plusquam expediat parcens Greg cap. 6. Molestus est medicus surenti phrenetico pater indisciplinato fuio ille ligando iste coelendo sed ambo diligendo Aug. ep 1. ad Bonif. Host is redemptor is est qui per rect a opera quae sacit ejus vice ab ecclesiâ amari concupiscit Adulterinae coâ—itationis est reus si placere puer sponsae oculis appetit per quem sponsus dona transmifit Greg. cur past par sec cap. 8. In your commanding me to preach there was at least an implicit forbidding of me to flatter Sermons must shew a right way not a smooth way the way of duty not of delight the way which you ought not which haply you love to go in The work of a Preacher is not to prepare you sauce but physick not so much to take away pain especially on a day of afflicting the soul out of your wounds as to prevent festering And so for our selves we get not up into the Pulpit to be safe but to be serviceable not for our own pleasure but our masters employment to win and woe you to Christ not to our selves Your Lordships never deserved the least hurt at my hands sure I am Censura intermissa aliquando proficit â—unquam remissa Bern. ep 24. ad Hug. not that which being a sinne can never be a debt should never be payment Plus persequitur lingua adulatoris quam maâ—us interfectoris Aug. in Ps 70. I mean the soothing of your souls into destruction nay the danger of flattering you is extensive beyond your selves Flattery bound up in a Sermon and thrown into a Parliament Naturali ducimur malo adulatoribus libenter favemus quanquam nos respondeamus indignos calidus rubor ora persundat taemen ad laudem suam intrinsecus anima letatur Hieron ep 22. ad Eustoch is no better then a bag of poyson cast into a common conduit serving for the use of a whole City May we that are Ministers ever tremble to hold our esteem by so crazy a title as holding our peace Every one must be accountable for his idle words Non solum ille transgressor est qui palam denegat veritatem sed qui propter timorem tacet veritatem Auth. op imperf Mat 10 33. Iure ist am vitam quaÌ„do divinitus afflâ—untur amaram seutiunt cujus amando dulcedinem peccantibus amari esse nolunt Aug. and a Minister for his idle silence 100. The greatest enemy to reproofs is unable to put in security to save either himself or the flattering Minister harmles another day nay even in this
nothing for ought we know Shall the tools of our abilities and endowments be blunted in the service of lust and world and shall God have our after blunt and flat performances shall the flour be sifted out for our selves and the bran only left for God shall God have Satans leavings and refuse The glory of our God should not be like the lees at the bottom but should swim on the top of our lives and souls in this respect his name should be as oyl poured out First God must be served then our selves else order is inverted and 't is preposterous The enemies of the Church delay not in pulling down of Gods house They never said 5. Consideration The time is not come that it should be destroyd why we then that it should not be set up quanta damnatio a damnatis damnari how great will our condemnation be if we should have such to condemn us shall they go swifter hell-ward then we heaven-ward serve we not a better master expect we not a better reward what would they not do had they our opportunities If Demosthenes were once asham'd that a black-smith were sooner up at his anvill then he at his book should not Christians be so that Malignants arise sooner to beat their brains for Satan then they to contrive for God learn even of the worst in this case Thus of the second note in their poor pretext the time is not come it notes procrastination I note in this their pretext their carnall policie 3. The third particular in the fourth part their eyeing of their own conveniences and steering their course of reformation accordingly This time wherein now they were was a time of fears of opposition poverty and wants in a word 't was a time that crossed their interest and outward expediencies of profit ease building their own houses and therefore say they this is not a fit time another will do better A carnall heart makes the house of God his reformation to lacquey to his own private interest so far as that gives way hee 's for God but if that permit not hee 'l crave pardon Thus 't was in Jeroboams reformation and Jehu's though there was much done for God so far as it made for themselves yet when their interest crossed their reformation there they make a stand A carnall heart makes his own designe to steer his reformation in four respects 1 King 12.28 2 King 10.28.29 1. In point of specifying of his reformation in putting him upon such a kinde of reformation not as the word will warrant but his designe will wrest let the text say what it will his own designe shall make the Comment he never brings his heart to the word but the word he endeavours to bring to his heart Jeroboams interest permits not a worshipping at Jerusalem though the word enjoyn'd it because destructive to his own ends A carnall mans designe gives the stamp and impression to his Religion and effigiates and mouldeth it he will never make choice of such an one as shall be destructive to his ends 2. His designe and conveniencie shall sweeten or embitter his reformation If his interest be helpt forward then 't is a happy a joyfull reformation though never so lame and corrupt If his interest be prejudiced 't is an uncomfortable reformation though never so scripturall and approved 'T is the gay in the lesson that makes the childe delight to learn The worshippers of Diana would never have regarded their dumb deity had it not been for the toothsom gainfullnesse of a silver shrine there was dolus in Idolo The Israelites loved like a heifer to tread out the corn so to reform and to be for God as they might now and then take a lick on the floor they cared not for plowing but treading gain sweetned their Religion Religion to a carnall politician is never sweet for it self plain and unfringed reformations that are not attended with the carnall conveniencies of honour wealth ease exemptions c. are poor dry dull things to such hence let Religion go on never so prosperously he receives no comfort from God God leaves that to comfort him that set him on worke 3. His design and interest subordinate his reformation to them Religion is a meer stirrup to get up into and to attain some further good meerly as scaffolds to the building 'T is used only in order to interest and in a way of subserviencie to the main when the designe is attained farewell then Religion that is obtained which was sought for and therefore enquiry may well be at an end the building 's set up let the scaffolds be pulld down Religion thou hast done his worke go now and serve another when he wants thee he will send for thee again 4. His designe shall commensurate his reformation gives it leave to go to such a degree and no further Religion is model'd and proportion'd by this interest goeth no higher then this when reforming calls him to go thorow and consummate a begun service for God when it commands him to leave a smooth soft green way and to go in a rugged and stony he makes an halt till he hath consulted with his conveniencies He limits himself and makes designe a boundary to his reformation he dare not launch out too far for fear his interest meet with a storm hee 'l go on no further then he may come off with safety of designe whereas a sincere heart like a word whose emphasis cannot be reacht is still more for God then it can expresse It saith Oh that this performance be it never so dangerous costly were better Lord for thy sake it only sheweth what I would not what I should do Lord thou deservest and thy glory something better then my very self My Noble Lords Flattery becomes not my calling Vse nor to be sure this dayes service Plain dealing is the best decking for a Pulpit especially upon a fasting day let me speak freely was it carnall interest and eying of the time that steered and regulated the reformation in Haggai's time and may it not be usefull to enquire whether our temporizing and regarding of carnall interest doth not regulate and shape our reformation that so the sin being found out it may be dealt with accordingly sure I am there is cause to apprehend it upon suspition for though I say not that our motions in reforming have proceeded from interest yet many observe that they are according to it not ulike to the wheels in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 1.19 20 21. mentioned Ezek. 1.21 which are said to move according to the spirit of the living creatures in those wheels Hath not the wheel of reformation among us gone on or made a stop according to the motion or cessation of the living creature of designe and interest 1. The wheel of our solemn Nationall Covenant sometimes went forward very swiftly it was imposed very impartially they that did not take it were look't upon as
life as Augustine excellently God makes the world bitter to Ministers by sufferings because they make it so sweet to wicked mgn by flatteries Beside flattery is no other then Court-idolatry and why should this piece of it be longer lived then the rest especially among those that professe a detestation of it in every part My Lords Your only worke that now remains for God hath done the rest to your hand is the setting up the Temple and the only stop is the serving of the time My text is a harp tuned by the finger of God himself and 't is to drive away this evil spirit of temporizing in a time of Temple building I confesse he that of late used that harp wanted the hand of David and therefore 't was his fear he should not do the worke of David but I and sure he hath not wanted the spear of Saul and therefore 't is his hope that he hath endeavoured to do it My Lords I desire to rejoyce in any suffering for the service of your souls I consess my ruins would be very unworthy to set up the least peece of abuilding of glory to Jesus Christ or to make the smallest addition to the structure of his Temple but may they in the least conduce to such an end my enemies though against their wills endeavour my happines The Lord give you a discerning eye 'twixt friends and flatreries 'twixt the Mephibosheths and the Zibahs of these times Dishearten not your plain-hearred friends who dare not wear it to save their souls much lesse to thwart an opposite way or to lay rubs in the way of Reformation dare not I say break their Covenant or be false to their own principles That God would increase the numbers of such as for him serve you and your resolutions to serve him and love them is the prayer My Lords of him who is your servant for the good of your souls WILLIAM JENKYN A SERMON Before the Right Honourable HOVSE OF PEERS at their Solemn Fast Feb. 25. 1645. HAGGAI 1.1 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying This people saith the time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built GOD had restored to the Jews their own land Reversi ad patriam redierant ad ingenium Calv. yet they were regardlesse of restoring to God his worship in their land They had indeed laid the foundation of the Temple Ezra 3.10 but they meeting with discouragements by reason of Artaxerxes his prohibition ceased the further prosecution of that work till the second year of Darius Ezra 4.24 Ezra 6.13 14. Haggai opposeth this cessation and sloth of theirs and laboureth the reformation of it in this Prophesie it being indeed the main errand of this Prophet to stir them up to re-ingage themselves in that work This neglect of theirs he opposeth remarkeably in the eleven first verses of this first chapter and that two wayes First by a description of Secondly by a disswasion from this their sinfull flothfullnes 1. The description of this sinne is set down in my text 2. The disswasion from it in the 9 verses following And that two wayes First ab inhonesto injusto the sinfull unseemlines and unfitnes of it vers 4. Is it time for you to dwell in your ceiled houses and this house lye waste Secondly The Prophet disswades from this sin à pernicioso from the hurtfullnes of it to themselves My text contains the description of the peoples sin in this their sinfull cessation from the work of the Temple Wherein you may observe four parts First The accuser or who it is that chargeth them with this fault viz. The Lord of hosts speaking by the Prophet thus speaketh the Lord of hosts Secondly The parties accused this people Thirdly The evidence or testimony that God produceth to prove the accusation that is their own saying this people say Fourthly The crime or the fault it self of which they are accused the time is not come that the Lords house c. Wherein there are two things considerable First The greatnes of the fault their not building the Lords house Secondly The smallnes and slightnes of their excuse or pretext why they did not build the Lord house viz because in their opinion the time is not yet come The three first parts I shall handle so far as they make way to the fourth which is that I intend mainly to prosecute First The accuser from whom this accusation issued wherein take notice of two things first Who he was the Lord of hosts Secondly how he expresseth his will and that was by speaking thus speaketh c. The first contains the describing of his name The second contains the discovering of his minde From the first Observ viz. the description of his name the Lord of hosts observe In reproving of sin we must fetch our commission from the Lord. None of the Prophets undertook this task without a speaking from the Lord hereby reproofs will be administred with more confidence and comfore confidence that they may be successfull and comfort though they should not be successfull in benefiting the party reproved And hence the reprovers of sin in others Vse may be instructed with what weapon to fight against mens lusts Not with the leaden dagger of their own humours and pleasures and passions but with the two edged sword of the word of the Lord. And secondly for the reproved Vse they must look beyond man in the most unwelcome reprehensions that are administred unto them they must not be wroth with the seer but say with Hezekiah good is the word of the Lord. If David saw God in Shemyes cursing which was by Gods permission how much more should the greatest of you see God in the Prophets reprehensions which are by Gods commission you must not blame the medicine but your own distemper My words saith God are good and do good to him that walketh uprightly Mich. 2.7 Secondly from the party accusing in the description of his name take notice he is called the Lord of hosts which title the Prophet may here put upon God for a double reason Either first to afright them from this sin of slothfullnesse in setting up the Temple he being able with his hosts to avenge himself upon their profane negligence Or secondly The Prophet may use this title the Lord of hosts to convince them of their sin in neglecting for any discouragements which they met withall the setting up of the Temple of that God who is the Lord of all the hosts of the world and therefore able abundantly to assist them in his own work and to keep the greatest adversaries from hurting them when they were imployed about it If we take the first to be the Prophets reason then we may observe Observ That in reproving of wilfull neglectings of God in his worship we must hold God forth as a Lord of hosts armies strengths one that is able to destroy any that shall neglect temple-building Thus the
was in Davids Rejoyce in this your integrity though you can do nothing every tear and sigh shall pierce the Heavens and wrest mercies out of the hands of God if not for an unworthy Nation yet for your own precious souls Be not discouraged rowe though it be against the tide do your work let God do as seems him best God never required successe from any creature though the heart the endeavour alwaies You shall not be rewarded according to your successe but according to your labour Wash a polluted Kingdom and God shall reward you though it prove the blacker when you have done Thus of the third part the evidence of the crime say Now followeth the fourth the fault it self Fourth part where observe two particulars 1. The nature of the sinne the building the Lords house was neglected a great fault 2. The excuse or pretext they use for the not building thereof viz. the time is not come A small excuse and an unworthy 1. The nature of the sin or wherein it stood The nature of their sin containing two things 1. Observ their not building the Lords house Wherein observe two things First It was a sin of â—â—â—ssion and neglect only They did not pull down the Lords house that was not their sin but their sin was that they did not build it up 'T is as true a fault not to set up the house of God when we have opportunity as to pull it down Sinfull omissions are not to be lookt upon as bare negations and privations but as breaches of a positive Law which commands the contrary Flatter not your selves in your negative Reformation Vse that your sins are not of an Oxonian tincture because haply many of you never took up arms against the truth nor ever employed your hands or heads against it 't is your fault and you shall hereafter feel the punishment of it if you have not been employed for it 't is not enough not to contend against the truth you must contend for it Perhaps you never stript Reformation of its clothes but did you ever cloath it when it was naked These nauseous neuters who though because their interest gives not leave they never took up a sword against God yet have taken up their rest that they will never do any thing for him these I say who for fear reward stipends and I know not what base ends desert and grow cold in Religion God will spew them out of his mouth Secondly In the nature of this fault their not building of Gods house we may note not only a neglect and a sinfull omission but a neglective regardlessenes of such a mercy as of late when they were in Babylon would have been accounted a most admirable and desireable blessing viz. the enjoyment of the Temple again their return home to Zion was so unexpected and glorious a deliverance that when God was performing of it for them Psal 126.1 they thought they were in a dream 't was too good to be true they wept in Babylon when they remembred Zion Psal 137. Jerusalem was prefer'd above their chief joy how much did they make of a poore harp which they kept as a remaining remembrance of their first Temple and their worship therein yet now when Temple-worship and ordinances are plentifully offered how do they sleight and contemne them Great mercies Observ and such as before they come are most highly esteemed are commonly litle set by when we once enjoy them Psal 78.11 Psal 106.13 Thus 't was now with these Israelites and thus formerly they soon forgat his works mercies in Egypt read-sea mercies wildernes provisions food from the clouds showres of bread the cleaving of the rocks into cupps c. great and astonishing mercies when they wanted them but when once God bestowed them soon were they forgotten They loved the mercies of God only as men love flowers when they were fresh but they soon withered in their hands and then they threw them away Here we are instructed of the true reason why God either defers to give mercies pray'd for Vse or denies to give them in that plenty and continuance we could wish we commonly think of God least when he thinks of us most When we stand upon our own leggs commonly with the swan we look downward seldom upwards but when we lye upon our backs and are in misery God seeth 't is better for his people to be hungry and humble then full and unthankefull God gives mercy as we are able to bear and take it Sheep thrive best in short pasture 'T is far more easie to surfet with then to be thankfull for abundance blame not God therefore for bringing thee into wants we stand in greater want of our wants commonly then of our supplies It should admonish us to be warned of this unworthy disposition Vse Endeavour to be as fruitfull in improving mercies as importunate in craving them 1. Labour with the receiving of every new mercy to obtain a heart fit to enjoy it 1. Ideo deest amicus quia uihil deest 't is better to want gifts then not to know how to use them A new mercy bestowed upon an old heart is both an incongruity and inconveniencie before people receive a blessing they thinke they want nothing but that one thing when as they have it they want nothing but a heart to use it as they ought Oh that England in her begging of victories and deliverances had as truly desired and fasted for hearts sutable to its mercies as for mercies sutable to its desires we see now God hath abundantly given us the one that the other is by far the most precious part of the mercy viz. that which we little desired from God a heart to improve our happines whence is else the wantonnes unfruitfulnesse contention breach of Covenant that our hearts expres in the enjoyment of their golden seasons of grace but from hence that though God hath bestowed the things we wished yet we want such a heart as I fear but few thought worth the asking 2. Entertain frequent thoughts of former lownes and dejectednes of estate this will cause the present comforts to set off with the more beauty Was there not a time and that lately too when the proudest contemner of a strict reformation was like a sheep going to the slaughter though now more like an untamed heifer Our Bristol our Glocester our Leceister lownes together with our then willingnes to be or do any thing for God may be usefully remembred If the high God remembred us in the time when we were low should not we though now high remember that once we were low This will make us the more to love him that rais'd us up when others would not and to fear him who is able to pull us down again when others cannot 3. Ponder present enjoyments and those more then wants dwell upon the thoughts of a mercy the sweetnesse whereof cannot be drawn forth without
contemplation Omnis festinatio coeca swift passengers cannot be serious observers A transient thought becomes not a standing and a permanent mercy ponder it in the authour seasonablenes unexpectednesse undeservednes manner of bestowing it the end and use of it especially and then ponder mercies more then wants One mercy even the least deserves more thoughts of thankefullnesse then a million of miseries do of discontentednesse What we have of good we may thanke a God for what we have of bad we may thanke our selves for Wonder not that we have so litle of good but that we have any thing wonder not that we have so much of evil but that we have not all mervail more at the miseries kept off then at those inflicted more at mercies bestowed then those withheld Thus of the first particular in the fourth part the nature of their fault 2. The smallnes of 〈◊〉 excuse and this notes three things the second followeth the smallnes and inconsiderablenes of the pretext to cloak this sin the time is not come In which I take three things to be comprehended The first and the more generall is a note of excuse they put God off when he sent to them to build his house but 't was not a bare put off without an excuse a cloak to hide the unworthines of their so doing the excuse is taken from the times unfitnes which was full of many difficulties fears dangers imployments when God sends better dayes and better leisure they will give him better work but this is not a convenient time 'T is possible there may be frowns from the King we are not acquainted with his temper 't is but his second year as yet his predecessor was our bitter enemy to be sure there is barrennesse and poverty at home we being newly returned from captivity the time therefore is not come Calvin therefore calls their slothfullnes in setting up Gods house pigritiem fucatam painted cloaked Calv. in sec excused dulnes and neglect 'T is very rare to finde sinners especially non-reformers Observ Homeres ingeniosi in delictis regendis without an excuse for their fault some way or other must be found out to put off their sin either the work is too heavy or their occasions too many or the times too difficult some thing 't is could they tell what the fault is not theirs Here 't is the times If you will beleeve Laban Gen. 29.16 't was not his fault that his daughter was not given to Jacob according to agreement no it must be laid upon the custome of the place If Aaron may be his own judge Exod. 32.22 he shall be found clear from any fault in setting up the golden calf no saith he the people I what have I done Are a people set on wickednesse Saul will rather cast the blame upon God himself and the expensivenes of his worship if it be such a great sin to spare Agag and the fat of the cattell 1 Sam. 15.15.20.21 't is not for out selves that we use this moderation in forbearing to kill them 't is for a sacrifice to the Lord. The people in Malachies time when they were reproved for their thin and unworthy and lean sacrifices Mal. 1.13 they desired that this might be imputed to the wearisomnes and burthensomenes of the service not to them as things then went with them If God require of Jeroboam a stricter reformation then would stand with his interest to give him there shall be the excuse of inconveniencie 1 King 12.27 't is too far for the people to go up to Jerusalem and the excuse of danger to his life his crown and dignity they will kill me and the Kingdom will return to Rehoboam Carnall will ever hath carnall wit attending upon it Carnall lusts have carnall reasonings Love to sin will easily refine the invention for the defending of sin Affection causeth excuse love will interpose the shield of an excuse between a lust and a reproof Excuses as they are caused by love to sin so Satan knows they are the causers of love to sin therefore Satan puts people upon putting these excuses upon sin Rotten stuffs will not be vendible without watering nor rotten courses without excuses No sin hath beauty enough to win the affection of the fondest person without this varnishment of a pretext these cloaths of sin are more worth then all the body the foulest offences therefore require the fairest excuses The chimney-peece is commonly the fairest part of the room and it covereth the foulest and blackest place If Satan cannot paint sin with a likenes to a grace which nevertheles often he doth he will paint it very gaudy and beautifull either with gain pleasure honour c. Sinners have a false conceipt of God they thinke that he cannot see thorow these pretexts and excuses Who seeth us say they they thinke that God can be mocked especially in things concerning his worship and service they shew their thoughts of this kinde if they shut their own eyes they thinke they are in the darke to all others The thorow-pae'd Politician borrows this of the Atheist he thinks that deceiving of God is as easie as advantagious as if all things were not open and did not lie with their faces upward Heb. 4. â—â— were not ript up anatomized and ransackt in his presence by one beam of his eye Beware of these carnall pretents Vse when used either to put us upon any false or put us off from any right way when used either to make the wayes of sin beautifull or the wayes of God deformed particularly beware of these pretexts in the entertaining of any thing for a part of Gods worship service government look beyond the speciousnes of any pretext that may be put upon it from man take notice what body it hath from the Scripture not what cloaths it hath from Politicians if it have not Scripture features let not humane varnishments and pretexts draw forth thy love to it There was never ceremony will-worship Prelacie in the Church but a Politicians varnish put a kinde of beauty upon it The ordinary glosse was wont to be of old that these things were not contrary to the word of God though not in it therefore according to it but I desire one text in all the Scripture to prove that any thing is said to be according to the Scriptures because it is not forbidden in it or rather doth not the word ever say that that is according to the Scripture which at least may be deduced by consequence from it or speaks the same thing for substance with it but this varnish is long since washt off and I hope shall never be clapt on again Let not this pretext of the burdensomenes severity Vse c. put upon any wayes of Christ for Satan is wont ever to present them in their worst dresse make us thinke the worse of them let us not look upon a government of Christ with a
maligning that cause of reformation which we seem'd to stand for But was not the motion of the living creature carnall interest in this running wheel Were we not then in a low condition and did we not want the assistance of our Scotish brethen and was not this the way to secure our selves from those who were suspected at home to discern betwixt our friends and our foes and to assure to us our party against the common enemy But behold when our ends were accomplisht our Brethren come in and ingaged for and with us the enemy discourag'd thereby and brought low in a word when the living creature of carnall interest made a stop what regard is had either that they who take the Covenant observe it or that they who do not enter into it should be discountenanced rather now are not they in some places suspected that are most forward to take and observe it and is' t not now the way of reputation for tendernes of conscience and a new light to refuse it 2. The publike professions to the world were formerly very frequent and fervent for setting up a pious Ministry the maintaining of them and learning the opposing of sinfull liberty the suppressing of errours the not laying the golden rains of discipline upon every mans neck this wheel went on very nimbly also but did it not move according to the motion of carnall interest was not the open adversary at that time growing and was not this the probablest means to answer the objection of our malignant enemies who laboured to infuse into the people that all learning and order would shortly come to nothing if the Parliament prevail'd and had we then any other way to satisfie our friends and to stop the mouths of our enemies but by publike appearing against them in these professions But behold when by the goodnes of God the common adversary is brought low and is weak in his armes as in his arguments he not able to hurt either by tongue or pen in a word when carnall interest maketh a stop how few and small are the encouragements of learning how ordinary a thing is it to see illiterate mechanicks to invade the ministeriall function without controlment what a liberty is taken for sin both in opinions and practices every one professing and performing as they lift 3. How strong was out fraternall union and amiable affection toward our dear Brethren of Scotland at the beginning of this Parliament how did we abhor the throwing in a mite of contribution into the treasury of an unnaturall war against them who groning with us under the same burdensome tasks and task-masters were the first that adventured the easing of both Afterward what Covenanting was there to joyn together as brethren to maintain this brotherly accord and to bring such to punishment who endeavoured to sowe division betwixt the two Nations This wheel went on very evenly and swiftly along time but the living creature of carnall police was in it too we wanted their assistance we could not hurt them but we hurt our selves their appearing for us nay not against could not but exceedingly daunt the common adversary but when carnall policie made a stop and interest went on no further that way what coolings were there in our love what stoppings in our bowels what frequent jealousies and suspitions whispered against them how ordinary to hear every wretched sectary to traduce them and to rumour their self-seeking and advantage as if a notion a trifle in comparison could throw down that love which heretofore such vast offers could not so much as stagger Blame me not though a Minister for mentioning things that seem so secular Know friend I have taken the Covenant and still remember the third article 4. Our reformation in the destructive part of it to Episcopacy and scandalous Ministers was prosecuted with much eagernesse spectatours rejoyced to see our zeal for the Lord in putting down them with their crosses Images and crucifixes but did not this wheel move also according to the spirit of carnall interest were not the men and their usurped power lately very burdensome and prejudiciall to us to our estates and liberties not to say to our honours and rule and was not the ejection of those who knew how to fish for tithes though not for souls a very taking plausible thing interest agreed with it and the breaking down of Images did not bite but when interest makes a stop our reformation stops also We throw down the superstitious Priests and their Altars with their many idolatrous reliques but doth our reformation proceed to deal with Jeroboams calves too to prohibit effectually the divulging and scattering of all those many blasphemous opinions which are not only cried up in 〈◊〉 and Bethel but are scattered up and down from Dan to Beersheba from one end of the Kingdom to the other Are not the second and third persons in Trinity as much dishonoured by blotting them out of our faith as by picturing them in a window 5. Our care and love in encouraging the godly and painfull Ministers of the Gospel was heretofore very common and full out as commendable as common A faithfull Minister that stood out under the time of Episcopall tyranny by opposing himself to the innovations thereof was a man of desires in the beginning of these wars This wheel went or very nimbly too but was not there a living creature of carnall policie that moved with it was not respecting of godly Ministers the way to be honoured before the people and were not they the men that were fittest to move to contributions and improve their power for exhorting to assist in the cause of late so much indangered But when they could do no more and by the goodnes of God other means were found out for releeving of us in a word when interest made a stop our love to Ministers was soon at a stand nay declined witnes not only the ungracefull and reproachfull language which every uncontrolled sectary hath inured his tongue and pen to cast upon them but the deniall of necessary subsistence to themselves and theirs in many places where they who have wept and pray'd and preach down Antichrist are how accounted the only Antichristian burdens My Lords if upon inquiry the serving of our designes shall be found to steer and stop the cause and course of Reformation let it be your noble care to oppose an enemy that for much opposeth God himself Let not Religion wait upon your carnall interests but let them be subservient to Religion Nay have no other designe but the full excelling of Christ Let not the salvation no not of your own souls be your greatest end Rejoyce that God gives you any thing before which you may preferre Iesus Christ Let not so many choice endowments as me thinks I behold in this honourable presence of nobility magnamity valour policy be made vassals to so unworthy an end as carnall interest Set up a building of glory to Christ upon the ruin if such a ruin were possible of all you are and have Learn to perish that the glory of Christ may live walke in the way of Christ though never so rugged delight no further in any thing you are or â—e then that thereby God may be honoured Go not the way of interest which is gone but the way of Christ which should he gone Understand the infinite disproportion betwixt Christ and any thing that may stop your serving of him Study what poor nothings of comfort the sweerest delights are that would allure you Study what poor nothings of misery the forest sufferings are that would affright you from serting up the Lords house Labour for unmixed aims in all holy undertakings let Christ be sweet for himself love his service for its beauty not its clothes in going about it let nothing else be your scope and then nothing will divert you Aim not at profit so gain will not allure you not at pleasure so ease will not corrupt you not at friends so favour will not seduce you Serve not the time but set up the Temple Let the Temple of a Scripture not a politike reformation be erected 't is for such an one we have Covenanted namely for one according to Scripture Consult only with Scripture-politikes for building of God an house demolish that Babel of a confused toleration of all practices 't is true 't will certainly fall of it self in time but if let alone till then 't will undoubtedly crush and bury us under its own ruins Labour that the power of godlines by a powerfull Ministery may be diffused thorow the whole land to this end let learning be encouraged let the Universities enjoy though not pomp yet their priviledges and for their streams of revenues and maintenance let them neither be dried up nor diverted cherish and encourage there a choise number of Divines for controversall Divinity remember the usefullnes of Whitakers Fulk Reinolds not to speak of other threes to the Church of God Let those Prophets be as false as malignant who have foretold the ruin of learning who but Christ deserves the service of excellent parts consider Satan is now putting forth his ultimos conatus improves his utmost endeavours against us You have I hope foyl'd him with the sword let him not overmatch you at the pen forward the ordination of Ministers beleeve it my Lords we spend upon the old stock Ministers die and waste apace and shall not others stand up in their rooms never were there times more prodigall of laying out of Ministers and more penurious in laying out for Ministers let places be supplied with Ministers and Ministers not starved for want of supplies from their places Let the Ordinances of Christ be advanced in power purity and plenty say not the time is not come These people here in the text had small cause to say so but you have lesse You have no enemy that may rationally be conjectured able to stop you in the worke of God the rubs are removed take heed of being wrong byast the stops pretended are purely imaginary and proceed from prejudice not from judgement FINIS