unctiores and provide for their owne panch Questionlesse such a worship as breakes no bones extracts no sweat from the people that costs little paines and brings in much profit and secular advancement to the chiefe actours and upholders of it shall have stiffe fautours and abettours every where But heare what the Lord saith of such mixtures to the Prophet Ezek. 43.7 8 9. Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of my people shall not be defiled by their whoredomes and their carcasses in their setting their threshold by my threshold and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them 'T is as the filthinesse of whoredome as the stink of a carcasse to the Lord to have humane inventions erected or interposed as parts or props of his worship Pompey once in an audacious humour would would needs enter into the most holy place and seeing nothing but a cloud there in derision he termed the Jewes Nubicolas cloud-worshippers before the Romans thought that Apis or Iupiter Hamon or some such soule idoll had been inclosed there how doe men seek after and rest upon the garnished outside the specious paint of worship without which they contemne its spirituall simplicitie as a vaporous or crude conceit whereas the excellencie the vigour the soule of it lies in its internall truth its primitive and native purity 3. The Lord puts glory and beauty upon a people by setting up godlinesse and godly men amongst them by increasing the number inlarging the graces advancing the persons of his Saints and Servants When the vilest men are exalted the wicked ruffle and riot at pleasure all things are tumultuous and squalid Psal 12.8 but when the righteous are up there 's change of cheere things are in a joyous and faire state Prov. 29.2 Godly men are the choisest things upon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CleÌ„ Alex. the honour the beauty the blessing of the places that hold them such ornaments yea and more glorious are they to the earth then the Luminaries are to the Heavens and when they are fitly placed in the Horoscope of a Church or State in Houses of Dominion oh what an happy aspect what a flourishing influence doe they afford Why then should men of parts and place perhaps well affected to the publike good stand aloofe from Religion for feare of contracting disgrace from it Euseb Eccles Hist li. 6. c. 18. Perhaps the devill tels them as Perphâ—cy did Origen that it will turne their learning into barbarisme their acutenesse into sottishnesse that it will spoile all their gifts and sufficiencies Or else he frights them as Cajetan did the Electour of Saxony wishing him to beware that he did not blemish his noble house by giving credit and countenance to Luther Caveret nemaculam illusâ—â—is 〈…〉 aspergat Mâ—len Adam in vitâ Luther Profectò indeâ—â—ta venit praepropere afâ—ectatur periculosè captatur Bâ—za 2 Chro. 9.21 Satan buzzes it into their eares that if they favour those frantique fellowes adhere to those strict truths and wayes they will staine their bloud emasculate their spirits and lose the garbe and repute of gallants But harken rather to the Counsels of God to the Words of truth and sobernesse To you great ones I speake Think sadly how poore vain false the glory is that is without God and godlinesse truly if you have it t is more then is doe to you you seek it sinfully and buy it dearely Summe up all your sumptuous store your birth breeding bravery possessions titles and best t is but like Salomons freight gold and silver and Ivory and apes and peacocks strong mixtures of pride and vanity enough to poyson your excellencies to sinke your ship to damne your souls Whereas if you sincerely affect and honour Religion it will honour you yea it will make you the glory of your God the dignity and beauty of your country otherwise the greater you are the more unworthy burdens and blemishes you prove to the earth that bears you To bring that which hath been said home to our selves Vse I will lay before you only two things by way of information 1. The necessitie 2. The blessing of a present Reformation The necessitie grounded on the dishonourable and odious degenerations whereinto we were fallen the blessing commended and amplified from the glorious and beautifull excellencies to which it would advance us 1. The former the foulnesse of our decayes and distempers I have already touched and so generall they were that they might take up an age of complaining yea and so apparant that you that have your senses about you cannot but see and feele them though I should say nothing of them Methinks we were even come to that passe wherein the ten Tribes lay after their defection For a long season they were without the true God without teaching Priests and without Law 2 Chro. 15.3 Popery atheisme prophanenesse were shouldering out our God our faithfull teachers were crushed silenced or discouraged and Idoll sheepheards promoted that starved soules or edified them to damnation the justice and power of our Lawes nullified force and will carrying all before them We may gather what should generally have been done by considering what is done where the mischiefe prevailes Many dark places of the Land are still the habitations of such cruelties I speake it in the griefe of my soule the parts to which I stand most neerely related are overwhelmed with all the branches and extremities of the misery and I mention it not to informe you of what you know not but now in the day of your humiliation seeing the Lord hath made me your remembrancer to inkindle pitty in you and move you to speedy and thorough helpefullnesse to them If any misinformed or partiall or angry fellowes aske us what ailes us when we lift up our eyes and put forth our endeavours for remedy Let 's answer them thus they would take away our God and what have we more they would bereave us of our teaching Ministers and it would be worse to want them then to feede upon the bread of adversitie and the water of affliction Isa 30.20 they would spoile us of our Lawes divine and civill and t were better the Sun should droppe out of Heaven Act. 11.28 that our hearts should be torne out of our bodies then we loose them Honourable and beloved The Iewes when they conceived their Law and place and Temple indangered by Pauls preaching with a joynt and vehement vociferation they cryed out Men of Israel helpe Let me with a better spirit and upon better grounds bespeake you in the name of the Lord Men of Israel ye that are Israel Israelites indeed helpe helpe every one of you you by your advise and authority you that can doe nothing else by your supplications humiliations reformations we by our instructions intercessions actions passions others by their estates and lives every one
that cloud of bloud which fell in our Marian dayes had besmeared our land when whosoever would keep conscience and get Heaven at last must looke to be transported thither in a fiery convoy Why then run thorough all ages inquire of the former and latter dayes and you will find that in the saddest and most sinfull times the Lord provides most certainly and gloriously for the security and honour of his people And indeed what fitter opportunities can be found out Reas or thought upon wherein the Lord should magnifie himselfe in doing great things for his servants For when is his hand so visible and his helpe so glorious as in extremities It is time for thee Lord to work saith David for they have made voide thy law Psal 119.126 when men have violated all bonds both sacred and civill cut in two the sinewes of the lawes authoritie and let themselves loose to all exorbitancies high time then for the Lord to take the matter into his owne hand to stirre up himselfe for the vindication of his honour A remedie applyed rebus confuses perditis Calvin in loc when things seeme desperate and past cure how wonderfull and welcome must it needs be Then doth the glory of a deliverance appeare when the Almighty hand hath broken those knots and difficulties laid open those streights which otherwise were altogether inextricable and then doth the beauty of a Church shine most conspicuously when she hath recovered her purity and escaped pestilentiall contagion in bad times when she is quitted from those blemishes that threatned to over-spread her by a seasonable and thorough Reformation But I have promised brevity in this point Let us see a little only how the truth will sute with our times That perillous dayes were upon us before the flames of publique wrath and misery brake forth none will deny except such as are stupid under any mischiefes or are actours or abettours of ours I will not so much as mention in what case our Lawes and Liberties Lives and Liberties stood I desire to limit my selfe within mine own verge and I beleeve men are sensible and querulous enough of the evils that touch their skins James 2.19 Devils tremble at the sense of misery Christians should search out the cause and take that to heart And if the sins of men corrupt the times and make them dangerous and troublesome think sadly then upon what a generation we are fallen oh that I might say what dismall dayes we have escaped For Religion which is the main how hath the power of it been denied and cryed down in a despightfull and furious way of opposition the purity sophisticated and defaced by base mixtures rotten formalities Oh 't was enough to cause any tender and truly affected soul to feel pangs of spirit to hold his loynes to fall into travell and bring forth an Ichabod an issue of consternation or doubtfull astonishment to see those uncircumcised Philistines Popery and prophaneness irreligion and will-worship seizing on the Arke and driving away the glory of the Lord. For truth how hath it been silenced perverted mangled the day would faile me almost to reckon up the exploded monstrous licentious errours that have been raked up out of hell published and patronized among us For manners I thinke the Sunne never looked upon a people nor measured an age more conspurcate or corrupt then ours 't were easier and fitter to bewaile with teares then expresse in words the excessive height of our pride and oppression injustice and bloud luxury and sensuality And as sinne hold possession so did judgement lie at the doore which hath since fallen upon us as a devouring beast how could it be but that so much filth must send up vapours to darken the face of Heaven with indignation against us Oh the dreadfull cloud that still hangs over us showring downe an horrible tempest of wrath a viall is poured out that turnes all into bloud Now if at this point the Lord be pleased to turne againe the captivitie of our Zion to cleare up all and shine upon us with favour what will this be lesse then a Resurrection from death how will our glory and beauty as that rare bird revive from the very ashes of a ruinous decay But if as yet we are not brought low enough for such an exaltation if the times are not yet at the worst if sharper seasons must be expected if our present hopes should be strangled in the birth or nipped in the bud which the Lord avert here 's the comfort that in such a day when the wickednesse of the enemies is fully ripe and Christs Spouse hath sate long enough in the dust when things are brought to such a passe that the Lord may be most magnified in the confusion of insolent adversaries and the advancement of his dejected depressed people even then will he certainly be for a crown of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto them which is the second particular the high and honourable advantages here promised to the Church Glory is the lustre or splendour that results from dignity and a crown is the highest ensigne of honour the principall token of Majesty Beauty is the impression of sweetnesse or lovelinesse and a diademe is the most stately ornament to set forth beauty and make it more amiable And a composure of glory and beauty makes up a piece of most absolute and exact symmetry consisting of all the parts and lineaments of perfection To such compleat excellencie doth the Lord raise his covenant people In the verses preceding my Text we find mention of a crown but 't is the crowne of pride of glorious beauty but 't is fading like a flower by which the Prophet expresses the usurped domineering of the wicked which shall be troden in the dirt or as some think he alludes to their festivall garlands the impudent badges of luxurie and lasciviousnesse to which he threatens a terrible blast a shamefull withering And continuing the Allegorie by the same termes used in a different sense he sets forth the true honour and excellencie of the Godly The Lord of hosts himselfe undertakes to be their glory by interessing them in all sublime and saving Priviledges He is their beauty by impressing on them the sweet and comely Properties of grace and in both crownes and diadems are gifts well befitting the bounty of the highest Majestie to his beloved Ones Indeed The presence or the favour of God is the only glorious advancement and ornament of a people or person Doct. What is it else that makes the Church an eternall excellencie Isai 60 15-19 a joy of generations Isai 60.15 then doth she sucke the milke of nations and the brests of Kings when found and eminent members are added to her her brasse becomes gold her iron silver when she is stored with pretious graces edified with pure ordinances her wals are salvation and her gates praise when she is guarded externally by good Government internally by the
THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION SET FORTH In a SERMON preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the Publique Fast Iune 26. 1644. BY GASPAR HICKES Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall a Member of the Assembly of DIVINES LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. Die Mercurii 26º Iunii 1644. IT is this day ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Master Rous Master Salwey and Master Nicoll doe from this House give thanks unto Master Hardwick and Master Hickes for the great paines they tooke in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at St Margarets Westminster it being the day of publike Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons but whom they shall licence under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Christopher Meredith to print my Sermon Gasp Hickes TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now assembled in Parliament IT is the commendation and glory of great works to be carried through difficulties to be borne up and brought to passe in despight of oppositions The street wall of Ierusalem were built in troublous times The Church comonly passeth thorough fire and water to her highest advancements inlargements So it comes to passe partly thorough the malice of adversaries who straine their rage higher according to the Churches risings if we could empty hell and the world of enmity we might perhaps steale quietly to Heaven and injoy spirituall priviledges with outward ease principally thorough the wisdome of God in the dispensation of mercies he raises the value of them by putting them off upon hard termes We should be apt to surfet of priviledges to kick against him that feeds us and lightly to esteeme the rock of our Salvation if the Lord did not diet and physick us if he did not acute our appetites by some sharp mixtures some bitter ingredients in our sweetest and fullest cup if he did not keep our souls in a longing temper by holding forth blessings to us after which we must reach and straine and presse even thorow a piece of hell through a world of dangers and hardships before we attain them And if good things dearly come by are to be highly prized I do not see how we can over-rate those we are now pursuing All our gold in full weight cannot satisfie our enemies their sword is cast into the ballance they hunt after our pretious souls Yea the Lord cals upon us to expend not only teares and cries but bloud and life and all Rich mercies they are which he holds at such a rate indeed more worth then our all The insuing discourse shewes forth a little glimpse of their excellency which in all humility I present to your view It is your high preferment in Gods favour Honourable Patriots that he conveyes our blessings to us through your hands that you are made the chieftaines the leaders among and above your brethren And although the heat the brunt lie mainly upon you yet are your protections strong your reward sure I need not tell you that the eyes of men and Angels are upon you that the Christian world is at agaze filled with expectation of the glorious results of your high and difficult indeavours We all rise or fall in all probability as you stand faithfull united in the work you have in hand Your imployments are eminent your interesses deep the concernment is publike reaching all that have a share in Zions prosperity The Lord fasten you as nailes in a sure place that we may be an habitation of justice and a mountain of holinesse and the blessings of the Lord may be upon us So prayeth Your humble Servant in Soul-affaires GASPAR HICKES THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION ISAI 28.5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement and for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate THere is an evill among all things that are done under the Sunne saith Salomon that in respect of outward occurrences Eccles 9.2 3. there is one event to all to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to the pious and to the prophane whence the hearts of the sonnes of men are filled with evill and madnesse possesses their mindes till it bring them to destruction That which makes desperate ones runne mad in sinning is their presumption of Gods connivence at their courses their damned inference of his approbation of their evils from their present impunity and prospering in them because they have no changes Psal 55.19 therefore they feare not God And that which drives the sager and better tempered sort of Naturalists out of their wits is their conceit of carelesnesse or confusion in the dispensations of providence or of unequall compensations of meedes or punishments to men according to deservings Hence Brutus that wonder of magnanimity and constancie that stour stickler for the libertie of his countrey a great admirer and practitioner of vertue and an able assertour of the divine providence such as he knew when he was finally vanquished by Antonius and saw such bad successe in his cause which he tooke to be so good he disclaimes all his vertues as trifles and derides endeavours to live well as vain and bootlesse But though reason be puzled yea confounded at that which is above its reach yet faith can fathome these depths and so farre satisfie its selfe in them as to see the Lords hand and to justifie his proceedings And that which beares up the beleeving heart from faintings or fluctuations amidst the various and strange vicissitudes of things below is the consideration and assurance of an over-ruling and unerring concurrence discerning directing disposing all in a most free wise and equall course even in those passages and exigents which seeme to be most disordered or uncertaine Then when bad men are crown'd with pride fatted with luxury mounted on horse backe in unworthy advancements whence they over-look with disdaine and trample upon with insolencie Gods humble holy innocent ones or then when the Lord ariseth to shake the earth terribly and to worke dreadfull desolations in the middest thereof he hath alwayes a selected parcell which is his deare charge to whose safety and honour he beares tender and unalterable respects in the most doubtfull or dangerous times In that day whether it be the short day of the wickeds prosperitie or the determined day of vengeance upon them shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty for truest advancement and ornament to the residue of his people to that pretious portion which is his owne according to the election of grace He shall be for a
spirit of judgement to him that sits in judgement He will raise up instruments and fit them with faithfulnesse and activitie for the administration of Justice He shall be for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate He will infuse courage and adde wonderfull successe to their attempts that fight his battels and jeopard their lives for his cause The words read unto you are a propheticall Promise let it not seeme unsutable to the day for me to handle a Promise It is our worke to day to humble our soules and poure them out in prayer and what so proper and prevailing to melt a gracious soule as the goodnesse of a Promise and where but in the Promises shall we look for grounds and matter of our requests and what one single Promise in Scripture can more directly and fully answer our desires than this we groane after Reformation this Promise holds it forth to us in the honourable and amiable notions of glory and beauty Our supreme Councell our Kingdomes Worthies are this day on their knees before the Lord and what blessing would they beg of God or we for them rather then the spirit of judgement here promised Our Armies are in the field and if we were put to the option to find out and beseech an advantage to them we cannot bethinke a better than is here expressed that the Lord would be their strength If I had a spirit and a tongue to set forth and you hearts rightly disposed to aske what is here contained I might impart and you obtaine the fulnesse of the blessing of God That we all may doe our duties the better I beseech you looke over the Promise againe wherein you may finde remarkable 1. The seasonablenesse of it intimated in the circumstance of time when it shall be accomplished In that day 2. The pretiousnesse expressed in the substance of good things assured the Lord himselfe undertakes to be for a crown of glory and for a diademe of beauty rich and sure and honourable advantages these 3. The peculiaritie of the Priviledges appropriated they are to Gods residue or remnant the persons with whom alone he stipulates 4. The specification of two choice excellencies wherewith he honours and beautifies his covenant people 1. The spirit of judgement for Civill Government 2. Holy valour and strength for military exploits In that day c. The parts I shall handle in the same order as they lie disposed in the Text beginning with the seasonable accomplishment of this pretious Promise set downe in the circumstance of time of which a word only because I may not spend much of the little time allotted me about a circumstance In that day If you considerately calculate the time here noted by a view of the context you will find it to be a time of foule degeneration when the greatest part was swollen in pride slimed with sensualitie growne to an height of insolency and universality in sinning and therefore ripe for a judgement yea indeed it was the very day of wrath when destruction like a violent storme a deluge of mighty waters did dash and overwhelme the flower of their beauty when like a greedy devourer it consumed most of their visible strength and excellencie In such a day t is much if the Lord affords shelter to his deare ones an hiding place till the indignation be overpast yet more it is which he here undertakes for them even then to keepe them up in their honour to raise them higher in happinesse when his severity is most sharpe and his judgements are most heavie round about them 'T is a cleare truth Doct. That in the worst and most dangerous times the Lord doth certainly provide for the glory and the beauty the advancement and the ornament of his chosen people If you looke for the literall or historicall accomplishment of this truth you will find it in the blessed reignes of Hezekiah and Iosiah 2 Chron. 29. 34. wherein after the Lord had removed the ten tribes out of his sight and cut short Judah for their high provocations yet some glorious respites he affords to his remnant wherein Religion and Justice recovered their flourish and the ruined honour of that Church and state revived and got strength But if you consider the Promise in its generall drift in its extent or amplitude as it reaches and belongs to all the faithfull then might I by a plaine and plentifull induction shew how from time to time it hath beene performed but I shall not multiply instances rather I shall single out some few that are most eminent and remarkable And where should I begin but at the most glorious advantage that ever befell the Church the summe of saving Priviledges so much desired so long looked for to which its probable this Promise mainly points I meane the exhibition of Christ in the flesh upon what times fell that even upon the most degenerate and deplorable that might be when the glory of the Scepter was departed and the beauty of truth and worship fouly blemished and razed when the Church was even at the lowest ebbe Afterwards when Christ had gathered a people for himselfe and suffered Sathan to vent his malice against them in bloudy opposition when the rage of persecutours was at the achme Euseb Eâ—cles Histor 1â— 8 c. 4. at the height When Dioclesian and Maximianus had vowed the extirpation of the Christian Name when their savage crueltie had more exhausted the world then ever any warres had done as the Historian observes even then on the sudden doth the Lord chaine up the grand enemie Suâ—pâ—â—ius checke and over-turne his fell agents in their fiercest careere and introduce glorious liberty a flourishing calme on his heritage In succeeding ages when the weedes of heresie sprang apace in the fat and well manured soile of the Church and at last grew together into popery as into one stemme all errours and villanies falling into that as into a common confluence or sinke when that man of sinne was swollen up to such monstrous insolencie Melchior Adam in vitâ Lutheri that he set his feet upon the neck of all authority when he was waxen impudent in blasphemies insomuch that Tecelius the foule-mouthed publisher of his indulgences blushed not to affirme that by the Popes power interventu pecuniae mony he must have too he could pardon him that had defiled the blessed Virgin the mother of Christ even then did the glorious Sun of truth breake forth in the preaching of the Gospel many Nations threw off the yoke of Antichrist and subjected themselves to a beautifull Reformation But whether doe we wander from our selves what neede we looke for forreigne or farre fetcht instances never was this truth more evidently exemplified in any Nation or Church under Heaven then in ours When did the Lord advance us to the dignity of his people and establish his truth and worship amongst us in a peaceable and beautifull manner even immediately after
in Gods way every one in his own way help to gaine to hold these things so absolutely necessary In the day that we let go our holdfast we loose our God and our good our safety and our subsistence our glory and our beauty 2. Take a view of the blessing of Gods returne to a Church or people This my Text expresses in fullest termes 't is glory heightened to a crowne beauty decked with a diadem We have heard loud bragges of a glorious state a flourishing Church in our Land and that from the mouthes of them who did what they could to ruine both Indeed we have had multitudes of eminent Saints brought forth nourished perfected amongst us but no thankes to them who would not willingly have afforded them a being on the face of the earth these blessed Palmes sprang and spread in despight of their pressures Of late God hath offered in a gracious way to wipe away the staines from our glory the blemishes from our beauty which were many and foule But how is this mercy entertained doe men looke upon the wellcome and admire Reformation as the rising sun dispelling our hellish darknesse rather they startle and storme at it as a formidable thing one solicitous for his ill gotten goods another for ill administred office a third for his undue promotion some for their selfe opinions which they will hold to the hazzard of all most for their beloved lusts which they preferre to the glory of God the safety of the State yea and their own soules to most would withdraw their shoulder and stiffen their necks against Christ yoke as intollerably rigorous nothing so much frights them as the erection and exercise of an exact discipline Doe men thirst after the pure fountaine of truth the cleere and spirituall wayes of worship or rather content themselves with the broken cisternes of humane inventions and delight to wallow in the puddles of profanenesse and formality Is it the joy of mens hearts that the righteous are in authority Whence then that grating of spirit that gnashing of teeth at their advancement and good successe in Gods worke Men of honour are so tender of their reputation that they will not beare a word of disgrace without a quarrell a revenge and how wary of their beauty are the fondlings of our age or if they want that which is genuine and proper they adde paints and spots and attires too often such as are monstrous and meretricious yet how wilfully doe men degrade themselves of the glory to which God would exalt them how madly doe they teare off the ornaments which he would put upon them Well though base spirited narrow hearted creatures are unsuteable and uncapeable of honour though sordid clownes neglect and besmeare their comelinesse they care not how yet let us whose hearts the Lord hath touched whose eyes he hath opened prize and pursue these blessings according to their worth And if we were but provident wise for our selves we should not account them dearely gained at any rate no thought it were an age of fasting and prayer an eternity of angelicall obedience the expence of our largest livelihoods our heart blood Ob. But alas say many when shall we see the accomplishment of this promise such glory and beauty should be more conspicuous Sol. 1. And doe you not see the every dayes wonders the Lord is working 't is for want of illightned eyes and thankfull hearts then could we rightly cast up our receipts we might find glorious advantages already upon accompt 2. Are you offended at the seeming slownesse and difficulty of the progresse 't is because you mistake the nature of the worke One way whereby the Lord commends the worth of his best blessing to us is sometimes our hard comming by them The Iewes have a tradition that God sucked Moses soule out of his mouth with a kisse that so his dissolution might be without all paine such an easie lazie good-cheape way of reformation doe most men affect they would have all the fatnesse and sweetnesse of Heaven droppe into their mouthes sleeping on take heed wake not the men fright them not with difficulties for then they will fling off in discontent or give up all as lost 'T is remarkeable what Luther writes to Spalatinus touching Melancthon In Epist â—d Spalat Melancthon was a man of excellent parts very serviceable for Christs cause but of a timorous disposition apt to be overmuch dejected in difficulties and at that time extremely pensive he was for feare of some sad issues of the great meeting at Auspurge Whereupon Luther wishes his friend to exhort and charge him in his name Ne fiat Deus that he make not himselfe a god he might seeme to be farre enough from aspiring to be a god who was cast downe below the common pitch of a man But here was his fault his projects must be like the counsells of God unerringly and unchangeably stand and be effected both in respect of time and manner or the cause he thinks was lost and his spirit utterly sunke So it is with many amongst us they must have their own mind and their own will in all things which is Gods peculiar or they are undone If they have not all that they have promised or fancied to themselves they have nothing at all If the simple gourde of their projects of conceits be smitten and wither they think they doe well to be angry to be disconsolate even to the death But 't is no disparagement nor diminution to the worth or comfort of faithfull and blessed instruments that the Lord over works them brings to passe something yea the maine in the most glorious undertakings by himselfe Have we not seene rich blessings eminent atchievements effected by the bare and immediate hand of God when councels have beene crossed endeavours tired yea hope it selfe worne out and ready to give up the ghost can we but acknowledge it to be the Lords doing to bring downe insolent adversaries to truth and peace and holinesse when they have been trapped and confounded by snares of their own setting mischiefes of their own hatching who were impregnable by all humane attempts like to the Nemean Lion which when Hercules had slaine he knew not how to get off his skinne that was so hard that nothing could pierce it neither wood nor stone nor steele only the Lions own nailes where sharpe enough to doe it So hath the Lord turned the pride and madnesse of wicked men upon their own heads to their ruine that otherwise were too tough or strong to be dealt with In great works God will be eminently seene and acknowledged yea and he carries them thorough insuperable difficulties and impossibilities to us that we may set him up and trust in him only 3. Why will you dislike the work for its hardship or tho instruments for their slacknesse and not consider rather and stand amazed at the opposition that is made against them I think the devill never played the devill more
your own ruine Should not the Lord of hosts leave his remnant among you ye would soone be turned into a Sodome Isai 1.9 Their presence and prayers are the pillars of a Kingdomes safety the procurers of its happinesse And if malice hath not utterly blinded men let them rub their eyes and see two choice excellencies amongst many here annexed to them and those most profitable for humane societie even the spirit of judgement for Civill Administration and holy valour and strength for militarie exploits for so it followes The Lord will be for a spirit of judgement to him that c. First of the first the spirit of judgement which is the gift of governing well faithfulness ability in executing justice Doct. The Lord doth highly dignifie and blesse a people by setting over them religious and righteous Magistrates and Rulers 'T is a good argument of Gods favour to Israel which Huram deduces from the choice and qualification of Solomon because the Lord loved his people he hath placed such a King over them 2 Chron. 2.11 And when the Lord undertakes the glorious and happy reparation of that state after an wofull decay he promiseth to restore their Iudges as at the first and their Counsellours as at the beginning to reduce them to primitive purity and integrity Isai 1.26 This blessing will shine the more by setting against it the misery and mischiefe of its opposite injustice As a roaring lion and a ranging beare such an one is a wicked ruler over a poore people Prov. 28.15 Cedren In the dayes of Phocas that bloudy usurper he was the first sworn slave to Antichrist that wore a crown a holy Monk was so bold as to expostulate or enter dispute with God he asked him why he had set such an impious wretch over Christians and he was answered by a voice from Heaven if you will beleeve the story 't is related by Cedrenus because a worse could not be found and the sins of men deserved such a mischiefe Magistrates are either the common good or the common evill of them to whom they have relation In Epist ad Spalat That passage of Luther is memorable he was in great danger of death and he wishes that the Pope and his crew might be the only instruments of it he would not have Caesar involved in the cause he would not have his royall hands stained with his bloud for saith he I know how it fared with Sigismund after the burning of Huss nothing prospered with him besides his domestique infamies and calamities the weale-publique suffered exceedingly with him and under him The most exemplary judgements are upon the most eminent persons yea and they fall not alone the poore sheep smart for their dotages and delinquencies whereas the Magistrates vertues are the peoples blessings Eccles 10.17 and their vertues are comprized under this expression The spirit of judgement Quest. But what is this spirit of judgement Resp 1. It is a renewed sanctified faculty saith David with some of his last words that savour most strongly of Heaven He that ruleth ever men must be just ruling in the feare of God 2. Sam. 23.3 'T is true there are functionall abilities inlarged to men which are profitable to others though not saving to themselves You may be deep Statists learned Lawyers exact in the disquisition of truth the deciding causes c. yet all this doth not amount to the blessed property in my Text. Industry experience ingenuity morall honesty noblenesse of mind may make men dexterous in the art of judging the Lord infuses the spirit and that seasons all with supernaturall excellency Plainly he is a good Ruler indeed that is a gracious Christian to 2. The spirit of judgement is regular as it is framed by Gods finger so t is guided by Gods rule We explode the Popes Canon law Luther Ridiculum planè est Constantium Imperatorem aeternum nominare c. Sâ—â—om Eccles Histor lib. 4. cap. 16. Vâ—s Itali vultis ha here Deum in â—ane 〈◊〉 non creditu esse Deum in calis and that justly the summe whereof is this The Pope is god on earth above all things heavenly earthly spirituall secular he hath the propriety of all things and no man must dare to say to him what dost thou This we dislike not only because 't is the Popes but because 't is most lavishly irregular making up a modell of government fitter for old Persians or moderne Iurks then for Christs freed men Strange then it is that men of learning that would be called Divines should so much cry up the Law of the will Athanasius held it absurd and ridiculous in the Arrians at the Councell of Ariwinum to prefixe this title to their forme of Faith Praesente Constantio â—â—â—crno magno c. to give the stile of eternall to the Emperour and yet to deny the eternity of the Son of God And very acute is that of Melancton disputing about the Eucharistâ— You Italians will needs have God to be in the bread when you doe not beleeve that there is a God in Heaven And are not they worthier of derision then confutation who make men omnipotent and absolute and yet spoil God of his freedome in decreeing and working raze or abrogate his perpetuall commands yea and live as if there were no God in Heaven Let mortals tremble to imitate the thunder of the Almightie by the stormes of their exorbitant lusts and passions to take absolutenesse upon them which is the incommunicable prerogative of him whose throne is in the Heavens 3. The spirit of judgement is active The spirit we know is the vigorous principle of motion and action contrary hereunto is that distemper mentioned Hab. 1.4 The Law is slacked defluit lex 't is fallen into a swoune The Metaphor is taken from the slow yea imperceptible motion of the pulse in the failing of spirits And alas for us for want of activity we have expected desired magnified blessed fasted and prayed for a Parliament and we know how much time substance parts spirits bloud our Worthies have expended for the publike good what dangers and difficulties they have incountred heretofore and now they have framed for us the best Lawes humane under Heaven Would it not be a sad thing if this wonderfull power when it comes to execution should be put into paralyticall hands either quite benummed or so shaking that they can doe nothing evenly or steddily that it should be like a gunne in the keeping of an Indian a rare and forcible Engine in its selfe but made uselesse for want of good managing Oh that ever there should be any advanced to place and armed with authority who thorough the vile timorousnesse of his own spirit or the treacherous compliancy of his owne evill heart with sin or the times should not dare to act that good for which he is sure to have assistance and acceptation with the most High without the conscionable performance whereof he can never
stand acquitted before the supreme Tribunall Upon whomsoever the spirit of judgement which is the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen let them goe in this their might let them put forth their strength and exercise their facultie the Lord cals and sends them and will do great things by them 4. The spirit of judgement is impartiall As the soule in the body it diffuses it self in a just proportion thorough the whole into each part according to its severall need and capability Who so small or inconsiderable who so high or uncontroleable as to be without it influence or reach by it rulers must governe by it the governed must be ruled The Lord gives a charge and prescribes a method to the executioners of his justice Ezek. 9.5 6. he commands them to strike home and to spare none that bore not his owne caracter or marke and to begin at his Sanctuary at the ancient men before the house T was the Popes old trick to exempt his Clergy from the Civill which detractingly he cals the Secular power but the Popes patronage now I hope will nothing help our bad Ministers Oh that they might feele the most speedy and heavy hand of justice as they have had the deepest hand in occasioning our decay and misery Charles the fifth was wont to say wittily If the shavelings had been good Si Sacrificuli frugi essent non indigeâ—ent Luthere there had been no need of Luther Let the guilty hang the head they that are faithfull and conscionable need not feare nor decline the decisions of a Parliament the censures of righteous Magistrates If any say that I seek the ruine and publish the shame of men of mine own calling I answer no they are the proud the persecuting the prophane the popish the temporizing the insufficient the lazy the drunken the scandalous Prelates and Ministers that disgrace the holy function and make us asham'd of them as Gentlemen are of their beggarly kinred or rather as an honest man is to see his brother goe to the gallowes And as they have troubled our Israel so let the Lord trouble them Let their owne dung be spread upon their own faces but let Gods Sanctuary be purged of them Moreover why should the spirit of judgement shrinke or be abashed at the stout looks of any overgrowne great one Criminosior cuâ—pa est ubi honestior status Salvian li. q. de Guber Dei any blustring Belialist let such feele the force the omnipotency of justice 'T is a true saying The higher the condition of the sinner the baser alwayes is the sin What! will men steale murther oppresse commit adultery sweare falsely or blasphemously drinke drunke live dissolutely and debauchedly and thinke they are delivered to doe these abominations Jer. 7.9 10. because they are great in the world Methinks noble spirits should hold it more base to deserve then to suffer sharpe and shamefull penalties of just lawes which they breake If you improve your greatnesse to quit your selves from them your priviledge is no other then theirs who run mad unchained and post to perdition without controll 5. The spirit of judgement is uniforme It casts mens minds and aimes and actions into one mould or fashion Jam. 4.5 The spirit that is in the world lusteth to envie a distorting distracting evil Corrupt men differ as much in minds as faces or if they accord they meet only in evill Great spirits are lyable to great impulsions violent concussions when they are whirled by excentrique passions or wheeled by byassed and selfe respects their motions must needs be disordered and turbulent But when this blessed principle in my text is the Primum mobile the first mover then all the spheares whether superior or inferior in place swifter or slower in motion hold on their owne course evenly and constantly and accord with others in an exact correspondence and the harmony is really by farre more sweet then the imaginary musique of the heavens was fained to be There are diversities of gifts 1 Cor. 12.4 5 7. and differences of administrations but one and the same spirit and the manifestation of that spirit is given to every man to profit withall all tends to mutuall helpfulnesse to the common good of all and every one that partake of that Spirit hence all gifts become serviceable and contributary each to other and 't is a most blessed and beneficiall intercourse or trade that passes betweene sanctified abilities It hath ever been a rich blessing to good Magistrates to be instructed and abetted in their most glorious acts by faithfull Ministers David had his Seers so had Salomon Asa his Azariah 2 Chrâ— 15.1 19.2 2 Ki. 19.2 â—2 14 Iehoshaphat his Iehu besides a number of teaching Priests and Levites whose Catalogue we find registred 2 Chron. 17.7 8. Hezekiah had his Isaiah Iosiah his Huldah Zorobabel his Ioshua the Elders of the Jewes brought out of captivitie to reedifie the City and Temple built and prospered thorough the prophecying of Haggai and Zachariah the sonne of Iddo Temple-work Church-work never goes up without such hands I should be sorry that any here present should judge the Prophets uselesse or burdensome or intermedling without their verge in weighty holy affaires A Reformation pretended without the Councell and Consociation of men of God would be like Adonijahs feast 1 King 1. â— â— 9 10. to which Abiathar the temporizing Priest and bloudy Ioab and other such like were called Courtiers perhaps and Souldiers and Politicians enough but faithfull Zadok and Nathan the Prophet and Salomon the Kings son and true-hearted Benaiah being left out the meeting proved both sinfull and sad it began in conspiracie and ended-in confusion But oh happy meetings-where all sorts of gifts are met together and joyntly improved to mutuall and publique good 'T is the good Spirit of God that joynes and keeps men unanimous in and for that with good and whatsoever tends to the setting of good men or good gifts at oddes though it be never so covertly or speciously carried suspect it as proceeding from the envious one the evill spirit of confusion I need not adde any thing for application of this point 'T is the spirit of judgement which hath been described that fits every man for the weighty affaires of Civill Administration that is intrusted and imployed in the same You see hence Noble Patriots what it is that you should mainly strive for and cherish in your selves and we find what we should most importunately beg for you of Heaven The work before you is glorious the power in your hands ordinate the way of dispensing it the best in the world most sutable to equity and to our spirits wherein as just Soveraignty is not bounded unworthily so community hath some stroke according to its ranke in matters of highest publique concernment Oh then let this spirit of judgement animate and sway all your consultations and proceedings let it season them with sanctitie
order them with regularity manage them with activity carry them thorough with impartiality corroborate and crowne them with unanimity and the issue will be if it be not cut off by sinfulnesse and ingratitude a heape of blessings upon us and upon many generations So much of the spirit of judgement the first excellency here specified The second followes which is strength to order the battell in the gate valour and abilities for the warre This is a choice gift or blessing of God Doct. the honour and ornament of a State or people A usefull seasonable subject had I time to prosecute it I shall now handle it very briefly The Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.3 and he makes some of his servants brave warriours he girds them with strength teacheth them the use of their armes covers them with the shield of Salvation gives them undauntednesse to encounter and swiftnesse to pursuit their enemies Psal 18 32-40 till they have their necks under their feet Such were the Israelites under Ioshua's command nothing could stand before them Such were the Judges men wonderfully inspired and inabled to rescue Gods people from oppression 2 Sam. 23.8 such Worthies had David who was called and qualified to cut short the enemies of God and to erect his Worship in purity and peaceablenesse and with this blessing hath the Lord honoured pious Princes and States whom he hath set up and established in all ages This holy valour will appeare a choice honourable blessing if we consider it 1. In the habite Reas There is naturall hardinesse in bruits for which we admire them morall fortitude in meere men which renders them both dreaded and renowned but this is a sanctified sublime gift of the Spirit an admirable adorning grace 2. In the exercise Fit it is to be imployed in great matters high exploits the maintenance of Gods cause and truth the vindication of his honour the reliefe of his Saints It ingages strength and life and all upon such noble designes and services Unholy courage makes men more able to do hurt it degenerates into rage becomes lusts champion and breakes out into injuriousnesse revenge murther c. 3. In the Usefulnesse of it Mans sin filled the world with Antipathies and enmities and God hath armed many of the irrationall creatures to make defence and opposition against their Antipathists And who have so many implacable fierce enemies as the Saints as they have need of patience to beare their injuries so valour is very usefull and advantageous to repell them when they find a warrant or call Vse 1. Miserable then and ruinating to a state is the want of this gift this blessing And would you know what it is that melts the spirits dissolves the nerves enfeebles the manhood and magnanimity of a nation let me present it to your view in a home president even of the generations that have passed over us the people that have formerly possessed our places The Brittaines the ancient inhabitants of this land were a warlike nation the made stout resistance against the Romans bore their yoke with much reluctancie and threw it off upon all occasions English Chronic. yet when their Nobles degenerated into lust luxury and cruelty when falshood and faithlesnesse both towards God and man abounded in all sorts when plenty brought forth the cursed fruits of loose and wanton living when they were generally addicted to hate of truth and love of lying insomuch that if any were gentler and more given to truth then other the rest would worke him all the hurt and spight they could and this did not only the seculars but also the Clergie and the heads thereof giving themselves over to drunkennesse pride contention envie c. casting from them the yoke of Christ they are the very words of our story then they became a spectacle of reproach and misery a prey to barbarous nations Gens Saxonum sera Salvian The Saxons that succeeded them were the Imps of Mars a terrour to this part of the world they lived by their sword and were victorious almost whithersoever they went yet when they grew cold and heartlesse in the Religion which they had zealously professed English Chronic. when treachery injustice shedding innocent bloud impiety sensuality did overspread them they were wofully wasted by intestine broiles and forreigne incursions and at last swallowed up by the Norman Conquest The application of these histories be to the enemies of God and of his people Sins such sins as these weaken mens sinewes emasculate their spirits devoure their excellencie and cause the hearts of the valiant utterly to melt Cowardice and basenesse are the proper and certaine effects of sin And although wicked men may be stout and sturdy and mighty to do mischiefe either for the scourging of Gods people or the breaking each other in pieces yet is this in them but bestiall hellish fury no true valour and the more directly and impetuously it is set against God and goodnesse the sooner and more fatally shall it bring themselves to ruine 2. This gives us great occasion to magnifie the Lord for this choice honourable blessing conferred upon us Our bow hath of late recovered its strength God hath stirred up and fitted courageous spirits excellent instruments for military affaires And although the nature of the warre amongst us be calamitous and many events of it very sad yet the maine comfort is the quarrell is apparently betwixt Christ and Antichrist he that sees not so much now is wilfully maliciously blind Now the prophecies in the Revelation seeme to foreshew that the ruine of Antichrist shall in a good part be brought to passe by the sword Rev 16 6. 1â— 14 15 16,17 They that gave their kingdomes to the beast shall recover them by force they shall hate the whore make her desolate and naked eate her flesh and burne her with fire They that make warre with the Lambe shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets they shall have bloud given them to drinke as they are worthy Methinks the Lord is breeding and apting a generation of men amongst us that shall make the throne of the beast shake If any censure me for cherishing and blowing up the sparkes of valour in mens spirits 1 Cor. 4.3 With me it is a very small thing to be judged of them or of mans judgement LUTHER was called a Trumpet of sedition Tuâ—a Seditionis they said of BEZA when he accompanied the Protestant forces in France fighting for their Religion Evangelium flammeuâ—n 〈◊〉 that he preached a Gospel composed of fire and brimstone But we that are Ministers need not feare nor shame to carry the Trumpets of the Sanctuary before the Lords armies All yee whose hearts the Lord hath touched Goe on in this your might Judg. 6.14 Josh 1.7 Isai 26.4 be strong and of a good courage be not afraid nor dismayed for the Lord your God is with you whithersoever ye goe in his way Iehovah who is everlasting strength is strength in an eminent glorious manner to them that turne the battell in the gate Let me close your thoughts with one briefe consideration from the whole In all that hath been said you see verified that great Position of the Apostle indeed a Paradox to the world That Godlinesse is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 Perhaps you have accounted it needfull and helpfull for the worship of God the ordering of the conversation Peace of Conscience c. Yet further take notice here how it conduces to the flourishing and good government of a state to the managing and blessing of all affaires not Religion only but civill and military to 'T is the feare the favour the gracious presence of God that crown a people with most glorious advantages that adorne them with most precious priviledges that prosper them both in peace and warre As therefore we tender and desire the safety and honour of our state the publike and mutuall welfare of Rulers and Subjects the good and glorious successe of our greatest designes let all of us together and every one of us in our stations with our heartiest intentions and indeavours doe what we may to get and keep the Lord amongst us in the power and purity of Religion Let this be practised promoted prayed for above all by all So will it dignifie and beautifie us with all honourable and amiable excellencies it will burnish the crown and stablish the throne it will enoble our spirits and deck our heads it will strengthen our lawes with authority and justice and sharpen our swords against the faces of our enemies it will make us a blessing and a praise above all the nations under Heaven FINIS