A SERMON PREACHED AT ALDERMANBERRY-CHURCH Dec. 28. 1662. In the Fore-noon By Mr. Edm. Calamy Late Pastor of the same Congregation OXFORD Printed in the Year 1663. A SERMON PREACHED At Aldermanberry-Church Dec. 28. 1662. 1 Sam. 4. 13. And when he came Lo Ely sate upon a seat by the way side waiting for his heart trembled for the Ark of God THat you may the better understand these words you must know that whatsoever God threatn'd against old Ely in the second and third Chapters because he did not restraine his wicked Sonnes from their lewd Courses is here Executed in this Chapter therefore we read there were four thousand Israelites slain by the Philistines And the Elders of Israel met together to consult how to repair this great loss they confess it was the Lord that had smitten them for say they Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistins And they conclude the way to repair this their loss it was to fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh and carry it into the Battel whereupon they apoint Hophny and Phinehas to fetch it whereby they imagined that the presence of the Ark would save them from ruin but herein they were miserably mistaken for this Judgement befel them not because the Ark was not in the Camp but because their sin was in the Camp The Ark of the Covenant would not preserve those that had broken Covenant with God And therefore there was a great slaughter of the Israelites and were slain thirty thousand men and Hophny and Phinehas were slain and the Ark it self was taken prisoner But what was old Ely doing He was ninety and eight years old and was not able to go to the Battel but sits upon a seat by the way side near the Battel and there he sits thinking what shall become of the Ark And loe Ely sate upon a Seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God for fear lest the Ark should be taken He was not troubled what should become of his two Sons or what should become of the people of Israel but what should become of the Ark of God In the words are three parts 1. Old Elies solicitousness for the Ark. 2. Old Elies heart-trembling for fear of the Ark. 3. Old Elies preferring the safety of the Ark before the safety of his two Sons Wife and Children He sate upon a Seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God But what was the Ark of God why should old Elies heart tremble for fear of the Ark I Answer This Ark was the holiest of all the things of God it was so holy that it made every place holy where it came 2 Chron. 8. 11. And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharoah out of the City of David into the house that he had built for her for he said My wife shall not dwell in the House of David King of Israel because the places are holy whereunto the Ark of the Lord hath come This Ark was the dwelling place of God it was the habitation of God Psal. 99. 1. The Lord Reigneth he sitteth between the Cherubims Now these Cherubims were placed over the Ark it was the speaking place of God he met his people there and there he gave an answer to them Exod. 25. 21 22. And thou shalt put the Mercy-seat above upon the Ark and in the Ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee And there will I meet with thee and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-seat from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony of all things I shall give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel This Ark was Gods Foot-stool and all the people of God worship before the Footstool of God Psal. 99. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy The Ark it was the glory and the strength of Israel Psal. 78. 61. And he delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into his enemies hand And it was the terror of the enemies of God And therefore when the Ark came into the Battel the Philistines were afraid and said Wo unto us for God is come down into the Camp And indeed this Ark was called Jehovah Numb 10. 35. And it came to pass when the Ark set forward that Moses said Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered And when it rested he said Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel In a word the Ark was a pledge and a visible symptom of Gods gracious presence with his people as long as the Ark was saved they were saved and when the Ark was with them Gods presence was with them but when the Ark was gone God was gone his comforting presence his protecting presence and his preserving presence And therefore no wonder that this good old man sate watching here for fear of the Ark. I call him good old man many are of opinion that he was not good because he suffered his Sons to be so wicked and indeed his fault was great but surely he was a good man and I have two Reasons to prove it First in that he took the punishment of his iniquity so patiently It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And secondly he was a good man as appears by the Text his solicitousness for the Ark He sate trembling for fear of the Ark. Now this Ark was a Type of three things First It was a Type of Jesus Christ for God spake from the Ark so God speaks to us by Christ. Secondly It was a Type of the Church of Christ for as the Ark was the preserver of the two Tables of the Law so the Church of Christ is the preservative of the Scriptures Thirdly The Ark was a Type of the Ordinances of Christ for as God did communicate himself by the Ark so God by his Ordinances communicates his Councels Comforts and Grace unto his people The Ordinances of Christ they are the Oraculum by which he conveys himself unto his people Thus I have shewed you what the Ark was I shall gather two Observations from the words 1. That when the Ark of God is in danger of being lost the people of God have thoughtful heads and trembling hearts 2. That a true child of God is more troubled and more solicitous what shall become of the Ark then what shall become of Wife and Children or Estate I shall begin with the first Doct. That when the Ark of God is in danger of being lost the people of God have thoughtful heads and trembling hearts Or if I may put this Doctrine into a Gospel dress take it thus That when the Gospel is in danger of losing when Gospel-Ordinances are in danger of being lost and Gospel Ministers in danger of losing that then the people of God have trembling heads and careful and solicitous hearts about it Mark
what I say I say not when the Ark is lost for that was death to old Ely that broke his neck and it cost the life of Ely's daughter in-Law when the Ark of God was taken she took no comfort in her child though a man-child she regarded For the glory is departed from Israel the Ark of God is taken I say not when the Ark of God is lost but I say when it is in danger of losing when the Gospel is in danger the Ministers of the Gospel in danger and the Ordinances in danger to be lost then the people of God have trembling hearts and careful heads When God threatned the Israelites that he would not go with them they were troubled for the loss of Gods presence and would not put on their ornaments Exod. 33. 3 4. I will not go up in the midst of thee for thou art a stiffnecked people lest I consume thee in the way And when the people heard these evil tydings they mourned and no man did put on his ornaments 1 Sam. 7. 2. And it came to pass while the Ark abode in Kiriath-jearim that the time was long for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord That is after the presence of God speaking from the Ark 2 Sam. 11. 10 11. David would have had Uriah to have gone down to his house and made merry And Uriah said unto David the Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to lye with my Wife as thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 1 King 19. 10. And Elijah said I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away Thus you see when the Ark is in danger the people of God mourn and are sorrowfull And there be four Reasons why the people of God are so much troubled when the Ark of God is in danger Reas. 1. Because of the great love they bear to the Ark of God As God loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob Psal. 87. 2. so the people of God love the Ordinances of God and the faithful Ministers of Christ Psal. 26. 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple Now love stirreth up the affections as young Cresus though he were dumb yet seeing his Father like to be killed cryed out Do not kill my Father Such is the love of the Saints of God to the Ark that they cannot be silent they cannot but tremble when they see the Ark in danger and for Sions sake they cannot hold their peace and they cannot be silent until the Lord make the Righteousness thereof go out like brightness and the Salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth 2. The people of God are troubled at this because of the Interest they have in the Ark of God Now interest stirreth up affections as when another mans house is on fire as you had a lamentable and sad providence this last week and it is not to be forgotten how suddenly in all our Feastings may God dash all our mirth Now consider how were they affected that had an interest in those that were burned so the people of God have an interest in the Ark God is the Haven of a Child of God the Portion and Inheritance of a Child of God and when God begins to forsake them they cannot but be afflicted and troubled The Ordinances of God are the Jewels of a Christian and the Treasure of a Christian and the loss of them cannot but trouble them And Jesus Christ is the Joy of a Christian and therefore when Christ is departing they cannot but be much afflicted at it 3. The people of God are much troubled when the Ark is in danger because of the mischeifs that comes upon a Nation when the Ark of God is lost woe be to that Nation when the Ark is gone The Heathens had the Image of Apollo and they conceived that as long as that Image was preserved amongst them they could never be worsted but be preserved and the Romans had a Buckler upon which they had a Tradition that as long as that Buckler was preserved Rome could not be taken But sure I am that where God is in a Nation and where the Gospel is preserved in purity in a Nation that Nation cannot but stand but when God is gone and the Gospel gone then comes the misery of a Nation and the Tongue of man is not able to express the misery of that Nation where the Ark of God is taken Shall I give a hint and set it out a little in five particulars 1. When the Ark of God is taken then the wayes of Sion mourn and none come to the Sollemn Assemblies It was the complaint of the Church Lament 1. 4. That is matter of sadness 2. When the Ark of God is taken then the Ministers of Christ are driven into Corners And that is matter of heart-trembling 3. When the Ark of God is taken then the Souls of many are in danger when the Gospel is gone your Souls are in hazard There is cause of sadness 4. Then do the Enemies of God Blaspheme and are ready to say Where is your God then do the enemies of God Triumph Psal. 42. 10. As with a Sword in my Bones mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me Where is thy God 5. Then is Iesus Christ trampled under foot and the Ordinances of God defiled and trampled on and then Blasphemy and Atheism comes in like an Armed man 4. The people of God must needs tremble when the Ark is in danger because of their accessariness to the losing of the Ark and this was that which made old Ely so much troubled because he knew it was for his sin that God suffered the Ark to be taken He knew that his not punishing his two Sons was one great cause of that great slaughter the people of Israel met withal and that made him tremble There is no person here in this Congregation but his heart will tell him he hath contributed something towards the loss of the Ark. None of us so holy but our Consciences must accuse us we have done something that might cause God to take the Ark from us And therefore Mr. Bradford that blessed Martyr said in his Prayer Lord it was my unthankfulness for the Gospel that brought in Popery in Queen
call drops of these Viols but the Viols are intended for Anti-christ and shall end in the ruine of Anti-christ and whatsoever becomes of us yet our children and our childrens children shall see the Issue of the Viols poured out upon the Whore of Babylon This I speak for your comfort Fifthly I am to exhort you That you would all of you contribute your utmost endeavour to keep the Ark of God from being taken And here I shall shew you 1. What the Magistrate should do 2. What the Ministers should do 3. What the people should do First What the Magistrate should do I shall say but little of them because I am not now to speak to them they are to use their Authority for the settling of the Ark for the Ark of the Covenant will be like the Ark of Noah alwayes floating upon the waters until the Magistrates settle it Thus David 2 Sam. 6. 1 2. he gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand to fetch home the Ark So Solomon he assembled the Elders of Israel and the heads of the Tribes the Nobles the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel unto Ierusalem with a great deal of pomp to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord into its place O that God would encourage our Nobles and Magistrates that they might be solicitous to settle the Ark Magistrates must not do as the Philistines they had the Ark but what did they do with it they set it up in the house of Dagon but Dagon and the Ark could never agree where false Religion comes in at one door the true Religion goes out at the other you must not put the Ark and Dagon together Secondly What must the Ministers do to keep the Ark from losing They must endeavour after holiness the Ark will never stand steddy nor prosper upon the shoulders of Hophny and Phinehas A wicked prophane drunken Ministry will never settle the Ark it must be the sober pious godly Ministers that must do it How holy must they be that draw nigh to the God of holiness Thirdly What must the people of God do that the Ark may not be lost There be five things I shall commend you unto and then commend you to God 1. You must not Idolize the Ark. 2. You must not undervalue the Ark. 3. You must not pry into the Ark. 4. You must not meddle with the Ark without a lawful Call 5. You must keep the Covenant of the Ark. First You must not Idolize the Ark that was the sin of the people in the Text they thought the very presenceof the Ark would excuse them and keep them safe and therefore they carried the Ark into the Camp though they reformed not and repented not yet they thought the Ark would save them So many there be that think the Ark will save them though never so wicked but nothing will secure a Nation but Repentance and Reformation Secondly Do not undervalue the Ark this was Michals 2 Sam. 6. 14 15 16. When David danced before the Ark and Michal mocked him and despised him in her heart but saith he it was before the Lord and if this be vile I will be more vile Some men begin to say what need we any Preaching will not Prayers serve Others say what needs so much Preaching will not once a day serve Now this is to undervalue the Ark therefore let us say as David if to preach the Word if to fast and pray for the Nation If this be vile then I will be more vile Thirdly We must not pry into the Ark this was the sin of the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. 19. They looked into the Ark and God smote them and cut off fifty thousand and threescore men Be not too curious in searching where God hath not discovered or revealed For example there be great thoughts of heart when God will deliver his people and set his Churches at liberty And many men talk much of the year 1666. that shall be the year wherein Antichrist shall be destroyed And there are strange impressions upon the hearts of many learned men as to this year some go to the year 1669. and others pitch upon other times but truly if you will have my judgement and I am glad of this opportunity to tell you This is to pry too much into the Ark Remember that Text Acts 1. 17. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power And thus to conclude upon any particular time if you find you are deceived it is the way to make you Atheists and that afterwards you should believe nothing And those Ministers do no service or rather ill service to the Church of God that conclude of times and sea sons A Popish Author saith That in the year one thousand there was a general belief over the Christian world that the day of Judgement should be that year but when they saw it happened not they fell to their old sinning again and were worse then before and believed nothing Well Gods time is the best therefore let not us pry too much into the Ark. Fourthly You must not meddle with the Ark unless you have a lawfull Call to meddle with it This was the sin of Uza 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. the Ark was in danger of falling and he good man meaning no hurt to keep up the Ark took hold of it but he destroyed himself and made a breach and hindred the carrying home of the Ark. We had a great disorder heretofore abundance of well-meaning people usurped upon the Ministerial Office they were afraid the Ark was falling and therefore they touched the Ark they laid hold on the Ark but their touching the Ark hath undone the Ark and themselves too O take heed of touching the Ark. Fifthly If ever you would preserve the Ark then keep the Covenant of the Ark keep the Law which the Ark preserves The Ark was a place wherein the Law was kept the two Tables keep the Law and God will keep the Ark but if you break the Law you will forfeit the Ark The Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant keep Covenant with God and God will preserve the Ark but if you break the Covenant of the Ark the Covenant made in Baptism and that Covenant often renewed in the Sacrament if you break Covenant God will take away the Ark. FINIS
Maries dayes and my unfruitfulness under the Gospel that was the cause of the untimely death of King Edward the Sixth and those that fled in Queen Maries days sadly complained that they were the cause of Gods taking away the Gospel from England O Beloved it is for thy sin and my sin that the Ark of God is in danger and therefore the Lord give us trembling solicitous hearts what shall become of the Ark. I come now to Application Use 1. If this be the property of a true child of God to be solicitous when the Ark of God is in danger and to have such a trembling heart for fear of the Ark then this is a certain sign there are but few that are the children of God in truth O where is the man and where is the woman that like old Ely sits watching and trembling for fear of the Ark I suppose you all believe and have cause to believe that my comming here this Morning was not by way of design but the meer Providence of God and therefore what I say should be premeditated but this I may say and it must not be denied but that the Ark of God is in danger of being lost and that will appear by these Reasons First In reference to the many sinnes in this Nation for let me tell you there is not one sin for which God ever took away the Ark from any people but it is to be found in England Did the Church of Ephesus lose the Candlestick because they had lost their first love And have not we lost our first love to the Gospel and to the Ordinances And did the Church of Laodicea lose the Candlestick because of lukewarmness and are not we lukewarm Did the people of Israel as here in the Text lose the Ark because they abhorred the offerings of God and do not you do so are not the sins of Israel amongst us the sins of Germany and the sins of all other Nations about us And can any man here before God this day in this Congregation that considers the great unthankfulness of this Nation and the great prophaneness and wickedness of this Nation but they may conclude the Ark is in danger and God may justly take the Ark from us I might tell you of the drunkenness adultery covetousness injustice and uncharitableness c. that doth abound amongst us and I might tell you of Sanctuary sins prophanation of Sabbaths and Sacraments our unthankfulness and unfruitfulness and unworthy walking under the Gospel And you of this place God may very well take the Ark even from you and indeed it was the great interest I had in you the which while I live I shall ever own and that great affection and respect I had to you that I would not send you home this day without a Sermon and let you go without a blessing Now can any of you in this Parish and this Congregation can any of you say God may not justly take the Gosspel from you You have had three famous Successors Doctor Taylor for seven years and Doctor Stoughton for seven years and my Self I have been with you almost four and twenty years and may not God now unchurch you by suffering you to want a faithful Minister to go in and out before you This is one Reason upon which account I may safely say the Ark of God is in danger and Aldermanberry may truly fear the loss of the Ark. Secondly another Reason is the abundance of Priests and Jesuits that are in the midst of us and the preaching of Popery amongst us and the proneness of people to run headlong to the garlick and onyons of Egypt again This is argument sufficient to make us believe the Ark of God is in danger And shall I add the discontents and divisions in the Nation as Christ saith A Nation divided against it self cannot stand but I leave these things to your considerations I do believe there is none here but will confess the Ark of God is in danger to be lost But now where are our old Elys to sit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark Where is Phinehas his Wife that would not be comforted because the Ark of God was taken Where are our Moses's Our Elijah's Our Uriah's Where are they that lay to heart the dangers of the Ark You complain of Taxes and decay of Trading of this civil burden and that civil burden but where is the man or the woman that complains of this misery the loss of the Ark Most of you are like Galio he cared not for these things if it had been a civil matter then he would have medled with it but for Religion he cared not for that every man is troubled about meum and tuum about civil concernments but who layes to heart who regards what shall become of Religion There is a strange kind of indifferency and lukewarmness upon most peoples spirits so they may have their Trading go on and their civil burdens removed they care not what becomes of the Ark. There is a Text of Scripture I shall not spend much time in opening it but I would have you well consider it Hos. 7. 9. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray-hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth not Shall I say gray-hairs are upon the Gospel I come not hither to prophecy I say not the Gospel is dying but I say it hath gray-hairs for you have had the Gospel a hundred years and above and therefore it is in its old age and I dare challenge any Schollar to shew me an example of any Nation that hath enjoyed the Gospel for a hundred years together Now that gray-hairs is to a hundred years is no wonder Well gray-hairs are here and there and yet no man layeth it to heart Now shall I spend time to shew you what a great sin it is not to be affected with the danger that the Ark of God is in consider but three particulars First it is a sign you do not love the Gospel if you had any love to it you would be troubled more for the danger of the Ark then for any outward danger whatsoever I read that among the Romans when any man was accused for his life all his relations put on mourning Apparel and they followed him to his Tryal in mourning thereby to shew their love to the party in danger Now did you love the Gospel the Ministers of the Gospel and the Ordinances of Christ you would all put on mourning and lament for the Gospel the Ark of God that is in danger and because you do not it is a sign you have no love to the Gospel Secondly It is a sign you have no interest in the Gospel for interest will stir up your affections it is a sign you are not concerned in the Gospel for if you were concerned in it you would be affected with it as those that were interested in those persons that were in that