in urable ruptures in the Church which is one of the greatest and saddest mischiefs and miseries can fall upon the Church or the Church fall under That God who makes men to be of one minde in a house as the greek reads that of the 68. Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God I say can make men of one mind in a Church in a Nation in Ierusalem and hath promised that he will doe it Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and Zeph. 3.6 I will turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent O happy happy we if God would fulfill these promises in us happy we if we could obtain this at the hands of God by our prayers yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest till he establish his Church in this peace Thirdly Spirituall or Celestiall Thirdly there is spirituall or celestiall peace peace between God and his Church wee must pray that God would establish his Church in that also that God would so watch over and work in his Church that no sin may take hold and spread upon it which might cause a quarrell between his Church and him or cause the Lord to say Mine heritage is to me as a speckled bird Ier. 12.9 That God would so order all the wayes of his Church before him and towards him that he may never know her by any other then those precious and lovefull names of Ammi and Ruhamah Hephzibah and Beulah Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest till he establish Ierusalem his Church in this peace also Thus you see the first thing we are to pray for that God would establish his Church upon the two pillars of truth and peace as Solomon did the proch of the Temple upon those two brazen pillars Iachin and Boaz. The second thing we must pray for That God would make his Church a praise Yet there is one thing more that this Text commands us to pray for that is that God would make Ierusalem a praise Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest til hee establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth In the former we pray that God would fortifie his Church in this that God would beautify his Church make it cleare as the morning faire as the moon glorious as the sun terrible as an army with banners lovely as Tirzah comely as Ierusalem the praise of all the earth This God doth by five things Now God makes his Church a praise in the earth specially by these five things First by furnishing his Church with fulnesse of ordinances Secondly by ruling his Church according to his own orders Thirdly by filling his Church with abundance of light and knowledge Fourthly by improving this knowledge to the working of holinesse Fifthly by enlarging and encreasing his Church by these meanes First by furnishing it with ordinances First God makes his Church a praise in the earth by furnishing it with fulnesse of ordinances this was that which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls it Rom. 3. the preheminency of the Church of the Iewes above all other Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first of all and chiefly it was this that to them were committed the oracles of God this is that which God himself tells his people should make them glorious and praise-worthy in the eyes of all the Nations of the world Deut. 4.6 7 8. This is your wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these statutes and say Surely this Nation is a wise understanding people for what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for And what Nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this law that I set before you this day Now when God bestowes his oracles and ordinances upon a people first his word and then appending ordinances seales Sabbaths censures administred in purity and in power then he makes them a praise Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest til he thus make his Church a praise Secondly 2. By ruling it according to his own orders God makes his Church a praise by ruling it according to his own order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the two great destroyers of the Church of God it is equally prejudiciall to the Church not to be ordered at all as to be ordered after the lusts wils of men God who is the God of order not the author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 would have all things in all Churches be done decently and in order v. 40. now when all ordinances and offices are administred in the Church according as God hath ordered then is that Church a praise in heaven and earth with God and Saints 1 Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the ordinances as I delivered them unto you And on the other side disorder or deflection from the rule of Christ though but in one administration is a blemish and doth detract from the Churches praise as appears in the same chepter v. 17. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse and v. 22. What have you not houses to eat and to drink in or despise you the Church of God and shame them that have not what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I praise you not one aberration from the rule of Christ in the administration of this one ordinance of the supper of the Lord casts a cloud upon this Churches glory and causes a great diminution of their praise therefore we must pray that God would help his Church in all things to keep the ordinances as they are delivered unto us Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest til he make his Church thus a praise Thirdly 3. By filling it with abundance of light and knowledge God makes his Church a praise when he fills it with abundance of light and knowledge when after a night of ignorance or error that had swallowed up and buried the Church of God the Church hath a resurrection and looks forth as the morning Cant. 6.10 cleare as the sun faire as the moon it ravisheth all eyes and fixeth them upon it selfe in admiration that men say Who is this that locketh forth as the morning Cant. 6.10 Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest til he make Ierusalem thus a praise remember him of that which he hath promised Isaiah 11.9 All the earth shall be filled
JERVSALEMS VVATCH-MEN THE LORDS REMEMBRANCERS A SERMON PREACHED at the Abbie at VVESTMINSTER before both Houses of Parliament AND The Assembly of DIVINES upon their Solemn Fast Iuly 7. 1643. BY MATTH NEVV COMEN M. A. and Minister of the Gospell at Dedham in Essex As for me I have not hastned from being a Pastour to follow thee neither have I desired the wofull day thou knowest that which came out of my lips was right before thee Be not a Terrour to me thou art my hope in the day of evill Jer. 17.16 17. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them Jerem. 18.20 Yee that have escaped the sword goe away stand not still Remember the Lord afar off and let Jerusalem come into your minds Jer. 51.50 Published by Order of both Houses of Parliament LONDON Printed by M. F. for CHRISTOPHER MEREDITH at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1643. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE LORDS The worthy Members of the HONOURABLE House of COMMONS AND The Learned and Religious DIVINES now assembled to consult about matters of RELIGION THis Sermon might have been entertained from the Pulpit and now from the Presse as Pharez was from the womb Gen. 38.29 with a Quà m erupisti how hast thou broken forth were it not knowne to this Assembly that the Parliament had designed another both in yeares and all Intellectuall and spirituall abilities far more fit for the solemn work of so solemne a day in so solemne and Reverend an a Consisting of both Houses of Parliament the Divines all joyning in humiliation and prayer Assembly But bodily infirmities compelling him with Zarah to draw back his hand the work was I know not by what providence devolved on me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was to that quire of Mourners and Intercessours but as the grashopper was to b Hujus meminit Strabol 6. Clem. Al. in Protreptico al gentes Phot. in Ep. ad Joen Patricium Eunomius his harp quae Citharae jugo insidens ruptae chordae sonum expleret The same Authority which I am resolved to obey usque ad Aras that commanded mee to preach then commands me now to make publique to the eyes of all what then was committed to the ears of not many when the same Authority shall command other things that have since been spoken and transacted in your Assembly to see the Light I doubt not but all sober-minded men that have not been made drunk with the cup of Romes fornication will acknowledge you have with a single eye sought Truth with peace and union with Reformation It is Men Brethren and Fathers a great work that God hath called you to set your heads and hearts and hands unto to rescue truth from the jaws of those monstrous errours that had almost devoured it to disburthen the worship of God of those corruptions that have so long clogged and defiled it to advise of and propound such a Government in the Church as may be most agreeable to Gods word most conformed to the pattern in the Mount and to the practises of the best Reformed Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Had our God cast you upon this work in the most pacate times and among a People the most prepared for Reformation that ever any were yet in it selfe considered such is the infinite weight of your employment as might even swallow up all your thoughts But then to consider how unprepared the hearts of people are for that which is the work of this age and this Assembly Reformation which hath been represented to Prince and People under the odious notion of Brownisme Anabaptisme Church Anarchy Confusion in so much that with many endeavours and assays of Reformation will find no better entertainment then Hezekiahs messengers of Reformation did 2 Chron. 30.10 when the people laughed them to scorn and mocked them Nay with some worse for so enragedly doe some burn after their Idolatrous wayes and so mad are they upon their own inventions Jer. 50.38 that deny them these and it is to be feared you shall finde them in the temper the Abezrites were scarce any thing will pacify them but the bloud of those that have cast down the altar of Baal and cut down the grove that was by it Iudg. 6.30 Doe not Multitudes cry already upon the disuse of some Ceremonies and the displacing of some Superstitious Priests do they not cry with Micah Judg. 18.24 Yee have taken away our Gods and our Priests and what have we more This makes the times so calamitous as we may say of them with the Learned Rivet In multis certè infoelicissima sunt nostra Tempora in quibus in pessum omnia ruunt quasi transversum ire videntur Concutiuntur Regna Respublicae tumultibus omnia perstrepunt seditionibus caedibus terra polluitur quod malum omnium malorum fons est clamant peccata et coelum provocant profligatis ferè moribus honestis vitiis latè quasi apertâ portâ erumpentibus Pruriunt ingenia multorum in rebus Divinis ita se gerunt adeò licenter ut quod olim in populo Ebraeo quibus temporibus non erat Rex in Israele quisque quod rectum videbatur in oculis suis faciebant Iud. 17.6 Sic multi sunt qui nullis repagulis continentur fidem in dies mutans quam dum multiplicant amittunt Alios vetustâ socordiâ detentos dum nullam mutationem admittunt in bonum ita dementat superstitio ut in monitores insurgant ne dum ut eos patienter audiant All this proclaims the work of Reformation the more necessary but withall the more difficult Against these difficulties what have you to encourage you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were yee encompassed as sometimes Elisha was with an hoast of armed men yet might yee say as he did there They that be with us are more then they that be against us For first Revel 19 14. with you are all the Armies in heaven All the Saints and Churches of Christ are with you striving with you by their prayers not only in reference to your persons but to your employments for protection guidance blessing The appearing of Christ in the beauty of Reformation among us may be said to be the desire of all Christian Nations Secondly not only so but yee have the prayers of those that have been before us For verily many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see Favour me the use of this expression by way of allusion have not seen them viz. a Parliament resolved upon a more thorough Reformation an Assembly called to debate advise about the establishing of Doctrine and worship and the Government of the Church in a more pure regular manner with how many tears and prayers did our Forefathers seek this at the hands of God The first fruits of which prayers we who are entred upon
their labours have already tasted and shall reap in full answers in due time if we faint not Thirdly you have the promise of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the middest of them To be met together in the Name of Christ implies 3. things 1o. Convenire ex vocatione Camero in Myrothe◠2o. Convenire animo sequendi praescriptum Dei 3o. Ita ut unusquisque diffidat sibi soli Deo fidat And if ever any in all these particulars were met together in the Name of Christ then are you and therefore may with a holy humble confidence challenge this promise of our Lord Iesus to be in the midst among you Christ being in the midst of you implies not only his adesse but his praeesse too as Psalm 82.1 And if God be thus with us who can be against us Rom. 8. Fourthly some sweet encouraging engaging experiences we have had of the accomplishment of this promise He must have a heart more ignorant and unbeleeving then the Apostles Idiot that should come in and be an eare-witnesse of your proceedings and not worship God and report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God is in you of a truth Verily I have often from my heart wished that your greatest Adversaries and Traducers might be witnesses of your Learned grave pious debates which were able to silence if not convert Malignity it selfe Goe on in this your might Judges 6.14 hath not the Lord sent you is not the Lord with you goe on in this your might Pergite quo coepistis pede In that Spirit of wisdome and Love and zeal for Truth wherein you have proceeded hitherto goe on still to Love the Truth and Peace Peace is precious and so is every grain and selvage of Gods truth It was a saying of Basil Mag. and it well resembles him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. qui sacris literis innutriti sunt ne unicam quidem syllabam Divinorum Dogmatum prodere sustinent sed pro his omnia si opus sit genera mortis libenter subeunt The Lord strengthen your hands and hearts unto the great work that lies before you raise you above all discouragements and oppositions fill you more and more with a Spirit of Wisdome discerning Resolution Courage Zeale faithfulnesse make you in this work of Reforming his Church as Zachariah and Haggai were inre-building the Temple ut Ecclesiam hanc quam invenistis minus quam Lateritiam reddatis plusquam Marmoream Suet. in vitâ Aug. which is the sincere desire and prayer of him who is Lesse then the least of all Gods mercies and Employments MATTH NEVVCOMEN A SERMON PREACHED BEfore the Assembly of Lords Commons and Divines upon their Fast July 7. 1643. Isaiah 62. the latter part of the 6. and 7. ver Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not silence And give him no rest till he establish and till hee make Ierusalem a Praise in the earth BEholding the face of the Church in this Chapter The Chapt. analysed into 4. parts it appears to me as the Garden of God made glad with four precious gracious promises like the four Rivers that watered the Eden of the Lord. Gen. 2. In the first the Lord promiseth to raise his Church out of a low afflicted estate into an illustrious glorious condition v. 1. For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I wil not rest for so with a Learned Expositor I take the words to be the words of God promising a Soultetus ad loc not of the Prophet praying For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. untill the righteousness therof go forth as brightnesse and the salvation of it as a Lampe that burneth which righteousnesse shall be so glorious that all the Kings and Nations of the earth shall behold and admire it v. 2. It shall be as a crown of glory and a Royall Diademe in the hand of God v. 3. And a new Name breathing nothing but delight and pleasure will God put upon his Church because the Lord God delighteth in her v. 4 5. In the second place the Lord promiseth to raise up unto his Church Instruments fit for himselfe to use in this great work of Restoring his Church and making it glorious v. 6 7. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Ierusalem which shall not hold their peace night nor day yee that are the Lords Remembrancers c. In the third the Lord promiseth to continue this his Churches felicity and confirmes this promise with an Oath The Lord hath sworn by his Right hand and by the arm of his strength Surely c. v. 8 9. In the fourth the Lord promiseth an encrease and dilatation of his Church by meanes of this prosperity and glory Goe thorough goe thorough the gates prepare yee the way of the people c. Lift up a Standard for the people c. v. 10 11 12. Our Text lies in the second part of this Chapter wherein the Lord having 1 promised unto his Church Instruments and means fit for himselfe to use in the effecting of the great things before promised I have set for I will set an usuall Hebraisme thereby to shew the certainty of the thing promised I have set watchmen upon thy wals O Jerusalem And having 2 undertaken for the Fidelity and sedulity of these watchmen which shall never hold their peace night nor day Presently by an Apostrophe turnes to these watchmen and gives them a charge to see they make good what he had undertaken Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not silence give him no rest till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth In the words you may please to consider these three things The text divided First the Persons called upon disciphered thus yee that make mention of the Lord. Secondly the service or employment they are called unto described Negatively keep no silence and give him no rest Thirdly the Duration or extent of this employment till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth For the first of these the persons called upon Explained they are thus characterised yee that make mention of the Lord the margent reads it yee that are the Lords Remembrancers the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar qui Reminiscimini Domini Pagninus qui Reminiscimini Iehovae Arias Montanus Rememorantes Dominum Jun. Trem. qui Commemoratis Iehovam All which unlesse it be our marginall reading imply no other then what is the common duty and disposition of all the people of God to remember the Lord and make mention of the Lord only that The Lords Remembrancers seems to have something in it peculiar to some ranke and order of men yee that are the Lords Remembrancers yee to whom it doth ex officio belong to put the Lord in mind of his people and
of his promises In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 C. à Lapide upon the place saith that the Kings of Iuda Persia had suos a So 2 Sam. 8.16 Jehosaphat the son of Ahilud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 20.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Recorder in the margent it is Remembrancer qui negotia gerenda commemorat supplices porâ—â—git libellos Maskirim admonitores qui singula gesta gerenda Regi in mentem revocarent such as we are wont to say are Regi à Commentariis It seems this was some standing office in the Court to be the Kings Remembrancer to this the prophet here alludes Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers yee to whose office it belongs to put the Lord in mind of his Churches necessities and his promises which can be no other then the watchmen spoken of in the foregoing words I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem therefore the Greek Translation joyns these watchmen and this remembring the Lord in construction together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And upon thy walls ô Ierusalem I have set watchmen all the day and all the night which shall not hold their peace for ever remembring the Lord so that the Lords Remembrancers here are the same with Ierusalems watchmen before and they no other but the Priests and Prophets and Ministers of the Lord. The second thing considerable in the text is the employment they are called to and that is described Negatively keep no silence give him no rest which implies that their employment here is vocall and that can be but either in preaching or in praying Some think the Ministers of the Lord are here called upon for diligence in both these but in this place I conceive the Lord calls them to attendance upon prayer because of the following words give him no rest The pronoun there having reference to God and not to Jerusalem keep no silence give him that is the Lord no rest pray cry importunately uncessantly God here by his Prophet calls his Ministers to pray as elsewhere he doth by his Apostle to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season and out of season Night and day I have set watchmen upon thy walls ô Ierusalem which shall not hold their peace night nor day yee that are the Lords remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest The third and last thing considerable in the words is the Duration or Extent of this employment how farre their prayer must extend it selfe or how long they must continue praying even till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise till God have not only laid the foundations but set up the Pinacles of a glorious Church Not only brought forth the Corner stone but the Top stone of Ierusalem and all the earth with shouting cry Grace Zach. 4.7 grace to it I might out of the words present unto you severall Doctrines Severall Doctrines out of the text as many in number as the parts of the text as First that God will certainly establish Ierusalem make it a praise in the earth This is clear for certainly God would never call his servants to pray for that which he never intended to do were there never a text but this in all the book of God that told us of this beauty and glory wherewith God in the latter dayes will clothe his Church even upon earth were there nothing said of it elsewhere in this Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah nor any mention of it in that Propheticall Evangelist St. Iohn if in his whole book of Revelation he had not uttered one word of this the Churches glory yet in this one text there is enough to support the faith of Gods people in the patient and comfortable expectation of it God hath commanded prayer for it therefore God will doe it for He never saith to the sons of Iacob Seek yee mee in vaine Isaiah 45.19 Secondly we might observe that though the Lord will certainly make his Church glorious a praise upon earth yet he will not doe this till it be obtained of him by earnest and uncessant prayer Therefore in order to his owne holy and blessed ends he here commands his servants prayers Thirdly we may observe this that it is in speciall manner the duty of Gods Ministers to pray earnestly and uncessantly to God that he would establish and make Ierusalem a praise in the earth The Doctrine to be insisted upon This third I will embrace as adequately answering this Auditory and Day To an Assembly of Gods Ministers met together in a solemne Day of Prayer to seeke God for the good of Ierusalem what can be more apposite then such a Doctrine as this that tels them It is in a speciall manner their Duty to pray opportunè importunè uncessantly importunately that God would establish and make Ierusalem a praise in the earth The God of wisdome and grace who directed the thoughts of his Servant unto this word enlarge his own gratious hand and the heart and mouth of his poore and most unworthy instrument that helped by his Spirit and your Prayers I may utter right things and such as may advance Gods glory and further all our hearts not onely in the worke of this day but in that great employment whereunto wee desire this day to sanctifie our selves It is in a speciall manner the duty of Gods Ministers to pray that God would establish Ierusalem and make it a praise in the earth I will not say it is needfull in such an Auditory it cannot be but it may be convenient and I must pro more a little open the termes of this proposition Not to speake of the persons upon whom this duty is imposed Gods Ministers nor of the duty imposed upon them Prayer I shall onely speake of the subject of the duty here propounded to us which is two-fold Subjectum cui or cujus and Subjectum quod opened in two things The first shewing whom wee must pray for the second what we must pray for First for whoÌ„ we must pray For the first of these the subjectum cui or cujus whom we must pray for the Text and Doctrine tells us Jerusalem Ierusalem Ierusalem may be taken two wayes either literally or mystically Literally 1 For the place and City so denominated or 2 For the people sometime inhabiting that place For the place or city that was sometime so famous among the Nations the City where God dwelt the habitation of his holinesse the place neere unto which Christ was borne in which he conversed manifested the truth of his godhead in his Actions the truth of his manhood in his passions was betrayed scourged reviled condemned in it John 19.41 crucified buried neer unto it this is literall Ierusalem but this is not that Ierusalem we must pray for our devotions must not with the Papists dote upon the ruines and rubbish of that bloudy citie the City of Gods curse Secondly Ierusalem
with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Fourthly 4. By improving this light to the working of holinesse God makes his Church a praise by improving sanctifying this knowledge to the working of holinesse in the hearts and lives of his people this was the praise of Ierusalem it was a holy City this is the praise of the Church they are a holy people Deut. 26.18 19. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements and to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made and that thou maiest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken Abundance of light unsanctifyed would make the Church if it were possible rather hell then heaven and make men but like the devills who know much but are the more desperately wicked therefore we must pray that God would sanctify that knowledge wherewith he filleth his Church that so the beauty thereof may be perfect Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him norest till he make Ierusalem thus a praise Fifthly God makes his Church a praise 5. By encreasing his Church by encreasing his Church by enlarging the tents and extending the cords of it this is a blessing God calls his Church to rejoyce in Esay 51.1 2 3. Sing O barren c. break forth into singing c. enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations spare not lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seed shall inherite the Gentiles and make the desolate Cities to be inhabited We are to pray that God would make his Church a praise thus also Thus you have Right Honourable Honourable Reverent and beloved in our Lord Iesus the sense of this doctrine as fully as my weak thoughts in the little time I had to bestow upon this work were able to comprehend it yee see for whom we are to pray Ierusalem the Church of God in generall our own in particular yee see what it is we are to desire for the one for the other truth peace and praise such a trinity of blessings as the blessed Trinity hath none better to bestow upon the dearly beloved of his soul while she sojourns upon earth I know I speak to an Auditory so rationall as I shal not need confirm this truth by reasons to so cordiall to the Church of God as I shall as little need to stir you up to the practice of this truth by application The point confirmed by examples else I might fill up a large portion of the time remaining in telling you how all the Lords remembranters in all the ages of the Church under the Law under the Gospell have exemplified this truth under the Law before the Captivity Moses Samuel David Isaiah Ieremy which of the Lords Prophets have not made the establishing and beautifying of Ierusalem the burthen of their prayers In the captivity though they had lost their Vrim and Thummim and the fire of the Sanctuary that came from heaven yet they had not lost this holy heavenly disposition of praying for Ierusalem see abundant evidence of it in Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai and after the captivity in Ezra Nehemiah and others And now in the times of the Gospell the same spirit still animates Gods children and enclines their hearts still to seek the good of Ierusalem how doe the Apostles in severall Epistles testify this disposition in them Rom. 1.9 God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you saith that Apostle to the Church of Rome alwayes in my prayers so Ephes 1.16 17. making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you c. Yea so much religion have the Saints of God before us placed in this duty of praying for Ierusalem that they have deprecated the neglect of this as a most abominable sinne 1 Sam. 12.23 As for mee God forbid that I should sinne against you in ceasing to pray for you nay have imprecated a curse upon themselves if ever they should be so wretched Psal 137.5 6. If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning if I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem above my chiefe joy it is one of the greatest judgements that can befall a Prophet to be silenced witnesse Zachary whose unbeleef God punished with this as an only judgement witnesse those amongst our selves that have had their mouths stopped by the violent hand of man who know what it is to have the word of God as a fire in their bones and no vent for it yet even to this doth the Prophet here curse himselfe If I forget thee O Ierusalem if I doe not remember to mourn for thee to pray for thee let me never pray more let mee never speak more if I forget to speak for thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth The good Lord be mercifull to every one of us and pardon all our forgetfulnesse of Ierusalem whom we have as much cause and reason to remember as ever any had Proved by Reasons For 1 is not Ierusalem a Heb. 12.22 the city of God the b 1 Tim. 3.15 house of God the c Psal 135.4 Titus 2.14 peculiar of God the d Isaiah 62.4 delight of God e Isay 62.2 the crown of glory the royall diadem in the hand of God is not f Cant. 5.2 the Love the dove the Spouse the sister g Eph 1.23 the body h Eph 1.23 the fulnesse i 2 Cor. 8.23 the glory of Iesus Christ and in all these respects doth it not deserve our prayers And secondly are not earth and hell up in armes against Ierusalem are not men and devils in league together to confound and destroy Ierusalem Psalm 83.3 4. They have taken crafty counsell against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance Geball and Ammon and Amalek c. And doth not Ierusalem in this respect now need our prayers And thirdly hath not the Lord made promises unto Ierusalem of these things we are to pray for of truth and peace Ierem. 33.6 I will cure them and reveal abundance of truth and peace unto them as also of praise v. 9. It shall be to me a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth and Zeph. 3.20 I will make you a name and a praise among all the people of the earth And is not the Lord able to accomplish
these promises notwithstanding al their counter-machinations of his enemies Isay 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure Yet fourthly It is not the Lords pleasure to accomplish these things unto his Church but in and by his peoples prayers Ierem. 33.3 Call unto mee and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them Doctrine applyed Sed quò feror some use I would gladly make of this point if I knew what I might afford variety of profitable instructions but it is not for me to presume to instruct so Honourable Learned and Religious an Assembly give me leave to apologize for my selfe with Elihu Iob. 32.6 I said I am of few days and yee are old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion I said dayes should speak and multitudes of yeares should teach wisdome The Lord knows glad would I have been to sit at any of your feet to learn rather then to stand hereto teach and to receive rather then to give instruction therefore I decline that work For Reproof In the next place this truth might serve for reproofe and if such an application would not lead me besides my Auditory ô with what vehemency might a man from hence in the name and by the Spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ thunder indignation and wrath upon the heads of those who though they have usurped and possessed the place of such as should be the Lords Remembrancers yet in stead of performing the duty of this text have practised the cleane contrary in stead of praying that God would establish his Church in truth have endevored nothing but to undermine the truth to subvert adulterate the truth their folly as the Apostle speakes 2 Tim. 3.9 is manifest unto all men God hath unmasked them and all that will see may see their designe was to let in such an inundation of popery and Socinianisme as should have drowned the truth of God for ever in stead of praying that God would establish his Church in peace they have acted the part of those unclean spirits the frogs spoken of Rev. 16.14 stirring up the kings of the earth to battle against the Church of God first in Scotland who were the Incendiaries what the fuell of the war there And since that in England have not the warres of both kingdomes had the same fuell and fomenters and who are they but the Iesuitizing clergie of England who like the uncleane spirit we reade of Mark 9. fearing they shall now be cast out of their long possession rent and tear the kingdom and lay it wallowing not as he did the child there in its foam but in its bloud What shall I speake of such a clergie who in stead of praying that God would make his Church a praise have endeavoured nothing more then to rob the Church of all that might make it praise-worthy in stead of desiring that the Church might enjoy fulnesse of ordinances endeavouring to strip the Church of them all to abolish Sabbaths to bring the delight of dayes the Queen of dayes under the curse of Iobs birth day Let it not be joyned to the days of the year let it not come into the number of the months to excommunicate preaching and praying and cast them quite out of the Church to turn the sacrament of the Lords supper into a sacrifice of the altar In stead of praying that all ordinances and offices might be administred according to Christs rule and order would have all things in Gods house worship done according to their own fancy will lust humour What shal we say to such a Clergy they dote upon the name still Arist de Hist Anim. l. 8. c. 27. let them enjoy it Aristotle speaks of a little worm called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pestilently noxious destructive to Bee-hives no lesse noxious and destructive hath our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest part of them been to the true Church of God amongst us against whom the Church of God may powre out as sad complaints to her Lord Iesus Christ as sometimes she did Cant. 5. The watchmen the keepers of the wall found me they smote me they took away my vaile let such read their doom 2 Pet. 2 their judgement now of a long time lingreth not their damnation sleepeth not I had not turned aside to this reproofe for I look for none of this generation here this day had it not been to provoke my selfe and you to a more serious and deep humiliation for those abominations of the late times which though many of us have seen and observed even then and some of us have felt and smarted under the violences thereof yet few I fear amongst us have had our hearts so humbled for the iniquity of thē as they should have beene the Lord help us so to take to heart this day our own and other mens sins that he may forgive our iniquities and heal our Land But I return to my Auditory and the only boldnesse I shall assume brethren and fathers is but to do as much as Naamans servant did unto his Lord exhort you to doe that which you know God would have you doe pray for Ierusalem and I am confident I might spare even this it is your work daily but God having called me this day to speak unto you for Zions sake I cannot hold my peace Qui monet ut facias quod facis dum monet laudat The Doctrine applyed for exhortation Is it the duty of Ministers in a speciall manner to pray uncessantly that God would establish Ierusalem and make it a praise in the earth then let every one of us by solemn engagements to God to his Church bind our selves to the performance of this duty and surely brethren if ever there were times that called for this duty if ever there were men called to this duty this is the time we are the Men. First 1. Enforced from the time present for the time if ever there were time that did command the most importune and uncessant prayers of all Gods ministers and people for here I will take in all that they should cry mightily to the Lord night and day in the behalf of Ierusalem keep no silence give him no rest til he establish and make Ierusalem a praise in the earth if ever there were a time that did exact this Now is the time Had I art or grace enough to present before you the lively or rather gastly deadly face of Ierusalem the Churches of Christ Iesus at this time I know it would command tears and prayers from the most flinty heart in this congregation could I let you see Ierusalem like that man in the parable Luke 10.30 that went down from Ierusalem fallen among theeves and by them stripped and wounded and left halfe dead while
many too many with the Priest and Levite passe by on the other side of the way and will not see though they cannot but see the Churches bleeding miseries amongst all her lovers there is none to comfort her Lam. 1.2 Zion spreadeth forth her hands and there is none to comfort her Lament 1.17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands from sea to sea from one Nation to another people and there is none to comfort her there is none to guide her amongst all the sons whom she hath brought forth neither is there any that takes her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up Esay 51.18 O were I able to expresse this to the life unto you you would say if ever there were a time for you to shew your selves as the good Samaritane to bestow as he did your wine your oyle your money nay your teares your prayers your blouds upon the healing of the Churches wounds Now is the time Or could I let you see the Church Ierusalem as Iohn saw her in that Revelation which was given unto him by Christ Iesus chap. 12. in the same condition though not in the same cloathing a woman cloathed not as there with the sun but with a cloud not having the moon under her feet but a globe of flames a field of blood under her feet not as there with a crown of twelve starres upon her head but rather in Tamars dresse and posture 2 Sam. 13.19 who with ashes on her head and her garment of divers colours the ensigne of her Virginity and Royalty rent and torne and with her hands upon her head going forth crying such may we conceive the dresse and posture of the Church of Christ to be she now as there Revel 12. cryeth travelling and pained to be delivered in this pained condition the Church hath been now almost these three years ever since the beginning of this Parliament the Church of God amongst us hath been in travell crying and pained to be delivered and all this while as there the great red dragon stands before the woman to devour the child as soone as it is born O! the sight of the Church in such a sad condition might force a teare from a stone a prayer from a speechlesse heartlesse man but from Ministers from those that are the Lords Remembrancers me thinks it might draw tears enough to rince the earth from bloud and prayers enough to offer violence to heaven But not to speak parabolically but plainly I say again if ever there were a time that did command the most importune and uncessant prayers of all Gods ministers and people now is the time was there ever time wherein the Church of God was more shaken more in danger to have both her pillars of truth and peace broken reduced to dust to nothing then at this time The enemies of the Church have a long time sought to undermine the truth but now they raise Armes against the truth they plant open battery against the truth And for our peace where is it Terras reliquit it hath taken to it self the wings of a dove and forsaking earth is fled to heaven frighted hēce with the sound of the trumpet the alarum of warre and the cryes of bloud We may chronicle of our age that which the Prophet Azariah spake of some ages of Israel 2 Chron. 15.5 6. In those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries And Nation was destroyed of Nation and city of city for God did vex them with all adversity Never was this poor Church people in a more broken distressed condition in regard of peace civill nor scarce ever worse in regard of peace ecclesiasticall now when there are so many swords in England and in Ireland drawn against the Protestants ô that we should be even at daggers drawing one against another O the bitter divisions and digladiations of Protestants amongst themselves in these bleeding times For the divisions of Reuben there are great searchings of heart for the divisions of Reuben there are great searchings of heart Holy Ridley and Hooper though in the times of the peace liberty of the gospell they could never agree about black and white but had many wrathfull bickerings yet in time of persecution for the gospel they could as their own expression is agree in red when God came to put them together in tears and sufferings and bloud they could forget all differences of judgement then and love and live and die together as brethren Doe those know what spirit they are of that at such a time as this when all the true hearted Protestants in England are put in one calamitous suffering bleeding condition are yet quarrelling about their own opinions weakning the Protestant party by sub-divisions which if united is scarce enough to withstand the common adversary should this be if we had not lost our peace with God As the Holy Ghost speaks of the calamities of the Church in Iuda 2 Kings 24.3 so may we say of the calamities upon the Church of England Surely at the commandement of the Lord came this upon England and the Lord grant the Lord grant that the following words be not verified in their time the Lord grant this be not come upon us to remove England out of his sight but however we may take up the Churches lamentation Lam. 3.17 Thou hast removed me far from peace Ey and as far from praise The crown is fallen from our head Lam. 5.16 we are become a reproach to our neighbours a scorn a derision a by-word a shaking of the head those few of us that adhere to the Protestant Religion and cause are represented to the world at home and abroad as Sectaries Anabaptists Rebels that if ever there were a time for us to cry to God to scatter those clouds of bloud confusion contempt that cover the face of the Church to bring forth our judgement as the light and our righteousnesse as the morning now is the time Yee that are the Lords Remembrancers keep no silence give him no rest till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth A second enforcement of this duty from the persons present And if ever Men were called to this work we are called to it 1 as Ministers 2 as Ministers selected from the rest of our brethren to this present service whereunto we desire to sanctifie our selves this day ½ As Ministers it doth ex officio belong unto us to be the Lords Remembrancers to put the Lord in mind of Ierusalem you know what order the Lord took that the Priests the Ministers of the Lord under the Law might continually remember Israel the Church of God unto the Lord the high Priest was to bear the names of the twelve tribes upon his shoulders engraven in two stones and upon his breast engraven upon twelve stones Ex. 28.12.29 that he might bear