That 's the Churches case when shee is at her worst To one that supposed the Emperour would with all his Forces fall upon the Duke of Saxony who was the chiefe protector of Protestants and demanded saying Where will Luther be then That man of God returned this quick answer Aut in Coelo aut sub Coelo either in heaven or under heaven because he expected protection from heaven so long as he lived and knew he should have possession of heaven when ever he died 2 Of Terror to the Churches enemies Know ye if any such be here that the league betwixt God and his people is both defensive and offensive they have the same common friends and foes If any shall set themselves against God his people strike in to help the Lord against the mighty if against them God strikes in and appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks When salvation it selfe can be destroyed then may you that are opposers of Christ and his ways hope to finde a succesfull issue of your undertakings But if these walls be too high for your scaling ladders these Bulwarks too strong for your batteries then Malignants goe and get you some other trade for beleeve it you will never thrive upon this You may for a time like Samsons foxes carry firebrands sufficient to burn the corn in Gods field but remember how it fared with those foxes Were not they themselves burned together with the come which they set on fire The course you take will certainly tend to your own ruine for when you shall have endeavoured all you can to undoe the people of God the God and helper of that people will be sure to finde out a way of undoing you according to Zephan 3. 19. Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee 3 Of Advice to this Honorable Auditorie in two particulars If the Churches help be from the Lord Then 1 Let the Lord be acknowledged in all the help that wee of this Nation have received The holy Ghost speaking of Victories is wont to ascribe them wholy to God and though mention be made of the instruments to carry the praise of all to him Thus Iudg. 4. 15 23. it is not said that Barak and Israel defeated Iabin and his host before the Lord but the Lord disconfited Sisra all his charets and all his host with the edge of the sword before Barak And God subdued on that day Jabin the King of Canaan before the children of Israel Also in Iudg. 7. 18. where we read of the sword of the Lord and of Gideon the sword of the Lord is set before the sword of Gideon as that which both gave the commission to Gideons sword and enabled it for execution Vaine men may imagine themselves able by their prowesse and pollicy to help and save a sinking State but what saith Iob. Chap. 9. 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers doe stoop under him Remarkable is that reproofe which was fastned upon Pope Adrian the sixth He having built a fair Colledg at Lovain caused this inscription to be written upon the gates thereof in letters of gold Trajectum plantavit Lovanium rigavit Caesar dedit incrementum i.e. Vtrecht planted me there he was born Lovain watered me there he was bred up in learning Caesar gave the increase for the Emperour had preferred him One to meete with his folly and forgetfulnesse wrote underneath Hîc Deus nihil fecit Here God did nothing because all three planting watering and giving increase were ascribed to creatures Beloved in the Lord take we heed of saying in such succesfull seasons as this is the Parliament hath planted by their Counsels the City watered by their supplies the Armies given encrease by their valour lest we also be charged with an Hîc Deus nihil fecit God hath done nothing in all this because indeed beside what he acts of himselfe alone whatsoever is well performed is his work though creatures have a hand in it Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us Isa. 26. 12. 2 Let the Lord our God be depended upon and sought to in his own way for the further help we have need of Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercie and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. last Here I shall endeavour to shew you three things 1 That we of this Nation have need great need of further help It appears thus There would not be so much strugling as there is in the womb of this Kingdom so much roughnes both of the sword and of the pen if there were not Esaus in it as well as Iacobs As when the Jewes were employed in building the second Temple the glory whereof was to be greater then the glory of the former though the structure were not so magnificent because of the personall presence of Christ who appeared and taught in it there was a Sanball at a Tobiah and other adversaries to the work So now at the raysing of this second reformation which is like to have more of Christ in it though lesse of outward pomp and state many thousands are found to oppose it by force of Armes beside the swarms of pernicious Sects that like great heaps of rubbish lie in the way and hinder the setting up of that building which in likelyhood would have prevented them had it been erected sooner 2 That the help we need is much more then the best of men are able to afford us Well may England cry to God as David doth Psal. 68. 11. Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man The Parliament hath already done what lay in them for the making up of breaches by the faithfull endeavours of their Commissioners in the late Treaty The Assembly doth what they are able towards healing the saddest of all divisions I mean those that the servants of Christ are engaged in one against another Yet may it be said at this day as in Ier. 8. 15. We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of help but behold trouble Trouble not like to be removed by humane power and diligence because all the forces Satan can raise are resolved to continue it if they can Luther preaching upon that in Ephes. 6. 12. Wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against powers c. hath a passage to this purpose Were we to deal onely with men though they were all Kings and Emperours we should quickly overcome them by the Ministry of the Gospel and be able to convert an whole world in the compasse of one year Divine truth would soon captiuate humane reason were it not for those obstructions made in mens understandings and wils by the workings of Satan who hath more craft and subtlety in one of his fingers then the world hath in its whole body 3 That we are to seeke help
his praying thrice aday Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud But as on purpose to put his soule in tune here that in heaven it might make the better musick he multiplies prayses even to seven times in a day Psal. 119 164. Seven times a day doe I praise thee becanse of thy righteous judgements The Application hereof followeth What now remains O ye principall men Lords Commons and Citizens but that you be exhorted to have a principall hand in this duty of praysing God for his help and called upon to doe what ye ought both for the substance of the work and manner of performing it 1 For the substance of the work Know and remember that God must be praysed with your hearts your parts your lips your lives and your estates 1 With your hearts Psal. 103. 1. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name The deepest springs are wont to yeeld the sweetest waters they are the sweetest thanks that proceed from a depth within For as Seneca well the value of thanks resolves it selfe wholly into the frame and disposition of the heart 2 With your parts You are men of great and vast abilities ô consecrate them all to God The Spirit of man Solomon saith is the candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. Suffer not your bright candles to burn downwards imploy not your parts in the things of this world altogether not at all in the things of hell left they sweal quite away without doing any considerable service to God or man Great parts are like great Ordnance if the Fort wherein they are planted bee yeelded up to Jesus Christ they 'r of excellent use against the Serpent and his seed But so long as Satan holds the Fort no men more mischevous to the Church than those that have the best naturall and acquired abilities yea none in so dangerous a condition in reference to their own soules I must be bold to tell such as abuse their wits and other endowments in the service of Satan against the truth that their lightsome candles will but serve to light them to hell and their large parts to enlarge their condemnation there 3 With your lips Psal. 51. 15. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise The tongue is called a mans glory partly because speech is a thing wherein men excell beasts and partly because it is given him to glorifie God withall Prayse and thanks should be offered up when ever we draw neere to him in any duty particularly when ever we pray Phil. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God with thanksgiving Expect no acceptance of those prayers wherein there is not some spice of that Prayer without prayse is a censer without burning coals from which there can no sweet savour ascend 4 With your lives for therein lies the life of thankfulnesse He is the most thankfull that is the most fruitfull Christian There must be Gratiarum actio a doing of thanks Else if our thanks be not accompanied with obedience we doe but play Jews-play with Christ saying Haile King of the Jews and smiting him Physitians iudge of the heart by the arme feele the pulse that they may know the state of the vitals How beats the pulse of thy conversation according to that will God judge of the soundness or sickliness of thy constitution Would you render reall thanks Remember what you have lately sworn namely to goe before each other in the example of a reall reformation The Lord had caused the Land to passe under a rod a rod that fetch'd bloud at every lash before we would be brought into the bond of that Covenant Beleeve it he that whipt us to it will whip us for it if it be not kept The curses ingrost in that flying roll Zech. 5. will be sure to over-take us for swearing falsely by the name of the Lord 5 With your estates Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3. 9. Christ will never trust Judas more The Saints are now his purse-bearers and from them it is expected that they should willingly disburse when ever the Lord hath need in his members This is the duty of every day especially solemne days of thanksgiving Eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord neither be ye sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8. 10. That joy which enlargeth the heart at such a time should take away straitnesse of hand Thanksgiving dayes should be giving dayes Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him saith Saint Paul prescribing an order concerning the collection for the Saints 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Why upon the first day of the weeke Chrysostome hints to this reason because then in the use of those Ordinances that were dispensed on the Lords day the spirits of Christians resenting the goodnesse of God more then at other times would be more ready to give the Saints a taste of theirs You that have this worlds good shut not up your bowels now from those of Melcomb Weymouth and Plymouth that need so much and deserve so well Let the consideration of those late mercies we have received be a means to open all obstructions of heart and purse and to procure mercie from you for those persons by whom and places where we have received them 2 For the manner This great worke of praysing God must be performed unanimously and cheerfully 1 Unanimously We should all glorifie God with one minde and with one mouth Rom. 15. 6. which is utterly impossible so long as through difference in opinion and affection that event is looked at as a crosse by one which appears a rich blessing to another There will hardly be one mouth where there is not one mind God will hardly be glorified where there is not a sweet conjunction of both Cleopatra dissolved an union of great price and dranke it in an health to Marcus Antonius Divisions are Satans Drinke-offerings No such drinkers of health to hell as dissolvers of union If my soule might have its wish I should not desire what Austin did to see either Paul in the pulpit or Rome in its pomp but the thing I would beg should be Union Next to a full and clear sight of its own union to Jesus Christ my soule should long for nothing more in all the world than union of the King to his Parliament of the godly throughout the Kingdom among themselves Who ever lives to see these things may sing his Nunc dimittis with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 2 Cheerfully Psal. 149. 5 6. Let the
from God in his own way Be intreated right Honorable to consider the nature of the work you have in hand and to remember that the grapes of Reformation can never bee kindly and throughly ripened but by beames of the Sun of righteousnesse the moon-shine of created abilities is too weak for such a production Seek we therefore to God for help and see we doe it in that way which Israel in this Chapter took and whereby they obtained the help in the Text which I shall not wander from so long as I fetch all my directions out of the bowels of this Story Doe it 1 In away of reall amendment Samuel here vers. 3. exhorts them to that as they hoped for deliverance they accordingly put it in practise ver. 4. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth and served the Lord onely By Baalim Sanctius understands their He-Gods by Ashtaroth their She-Deities Be they hees or be they shee s Gods or Goddesses which had formerly beene worshiped all are now put away Israel gives them a bill of divorce saith Get ye hence what have I to doe any more with Idols We also have had our Baalim and Ashtaroth our prelaticall innovations popish corruptions Arminian subtleties Socinian blasphemies It concerns us so to put them away as to serve the Lord onely for time to come which how any Nation can doe that gives an universall liberty to all kinds of worship is not easie to conceive though one of late have made his addresse to both Houses of Parliament in behalfe of such a liberty I must professe for my own part that this proposition laid down by him viz. It is the will and command of God that since the comming of his Son the Lord Jesus a permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Antichristian consciences and worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countreys was to me one of the greatest scandals I ever yet met with in print O bloody Tenent O speedy way of embroyling states of massacring Churches of erecting a Pantheon in every City That of Omnium Deorum among the Romans of Omnium Sanctorum among the Papists offended me lesse than this of Omnium Sectarum from the pen of a Protestant Sure I am One God one mediator one faith was Catholike Doctrine in Pauls time and that Religion is so dainty as not to admit of such mixtures Be you also well assured Beloved Christians that in this case every variation from unity is a step to nullity that if ever England which God forbid came from one Religion to all shee will quickly run from all to none 2. Of solemne humiliation Such was theirs Vers 6. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted that day and said there wee have sinned against the Lord These actions of drawing and pouring out water are by some thought to be hieroglyphicall Emptie a vessell of any other kind of liquor it leaves some rellish or colour or smell behinde it as when honey wine or oile is poured out Not so upon the effusion of water which is therefore fit to signifie the pouring out of mens hearts in such a manner as to leave none of their sinnes unconfest unrepented of To make it more solemne fasting is added to their humiliation as that which helps devotion to wings Chrysostome saith that Prayer without fasting is a souldier without a sword able to do but little service And yet of the two fasting may be the better spared I shall not be affraid to assert that fasting ing without prayer is a sword without a souldier able to do no service at all With Israel here we should confess as well as fast A Nation or person become speechlesse is neer unto death If we desire to have the Lord cover our sins by his pardoning grace wee must discover them in humble acknowledgments 3 Of earnest supplication I will pray for you unto the Lord saith Samuel to the people ver. 5. and they to him ver. 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistims {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is the phrase that is used concerning Elias Jam 5. 17. He prayed in his prayer we translate it hee prayed earnestly as if that which is not earnest were no prayer They in Jonah 3. 8. are directed to cry mightily unto God A whispering devotion is seldome answered with a loud echoe from heaven Ask saith Christ and it shall be given seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Ask seek knock there will be need of all three Doe you want ablessing aske it of God have you asked yet still continue to want â— seeke it out have you sought yet cannot finde knock and the treasury where it lies shall be opened to you Was there evermore need hath not peace taken her leave doth not truth look towards the threshold It would be most strange and ominous if the Church should not be found upon her knees now when Rome and hellare conspiring against her if when three Kingdoms are beleagur'd by Popish confederates they should not be garrison'd with praying Saints 4 Of lively faith in Christ without which all the former are invalid Samuel here vers. 9. took a sucking lamb offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord thereby turning both his own and the peoples eys upon the Lambe of God which was to come and to take away the sin of the world Whensoever you approach the throne of grace let it be your principall care to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus out of whom all our learning is but duncery all our duties but drudgery all our devotion but formality yea idolatry if Luther may be believed Incense of old was a type of his intercession bloud a type of his satisfaction one of these was to cover the mercie seat the other to be sprinkled upon it Levit. 16. 13 14. He shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercie-seat And hee shall take of the bloud of the bullock and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercie-seat c. to intimate that from God no mercie is to be expected but through the satisfaction and intercession of Jesus Christ no help to be sought at any time without eying of these The second observation which I am now to undertake runs thus The Churches duty is to commemorate help received See it both required and practised 1 Required Exod. 17. 13 14. Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword and the Lord said unto Moses write this for a memoriall in a book Psal. 102. 16 18. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall
be created shall praise the Lord Should Scripture be silent nature it self would read a lecture to this purpose Heare one of her high priests He is an unthankfull man that denies a benifit received so is he that dissembles it together with him that requites it not but of all the rest he is most unthankfull that hath forgotten it 2 Practised Behold Saint Paul recording his deliverance from the teeth of that roaring lion Nero in 2 Tim. 4. 17. The Lord stood with me and strengthened me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion David his preservations Psal. 31. 21. Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse in a strong City It will be needlesse to multiply instances out of the Psalmes seeing Hosanna and Hallelujah Benedic and Benedicatur God blesse and blessed be God prayer and praise epitomize that whole book I shall rather choose to hint you to some of those courses which the Saints of old took for the registring of merâ—ies They had 1 Their festivall dayes Such were the Purim viz. the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the fifteenth day of the same kept yearly as the dayes whereon the Jews rested from their enemies and the moneth which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a good day These were made by them dayes of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Hest. 9. 21 22 26. in memory of what the Lord had done for them in breaking that snare which the malice pride and power of Haman had twisted for the whole Nation 2 Their Eucharisticall Songs As in Exod. 15. for the overthrow of Pharoah in Jud. 5. for the defeat of Jabin and Sisera in 1 Sam. 18. for the slaughter of Goliah Out of all which instances if it be noted that women were wont to beare a part in such songs for we read of Miriam in the first of Deborah in the second in the third of women out of all the Cities of Israel that observation will lead us to the right understanding of a place in Psal. 68. 11. mistaken by some as if it allowed women to preach because the word there rendred Preachers according to the old translation God gave the word and great was the company of Preachers is a word of the feminine gender Whereas the true meaning of Gods giving the word is his affording matter of joy and glad tydings in the course of his providence and the Preachers spoken of are nothing else but the company of women that published the same in their songs as may be further cleered by a passage in the same Psalme ver. 25. The singers went before the players on instruments followed after amongst them were the damosels playing with timbrels 3 Their significant names Which were sometimes imposed upon persons This course Joseph took to perpetuate the memory of mercies received by him in Egypt Gen. 41. 51 52. He called the name of his first-born Manasseh for God said he hath made me forget all my toil and all my fathers house And the name of the second called he Ephraim for God hath caused me to be fruitfull in the Land of my affliction The like was afterwards done by Moses in reference to what befell him in Midian Ex 18. 3 4. He had two sons by Zipporah the name of the one was Gershom for he said I have been an alien in a strange Land And the name of the other Eliezer for the God of my father said he was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharoah Sometimes upon places Thus Abraham when his Isaac had escaped and a ram been accepted instead of his sonne called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh as it is said to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen Gen. 22. 13 14. And Jacob when he saw the Angels of God that met him said This is Gods host and he called the name of that place Mahanaim i. e. two hosts either because the Angels appeared in two companies one on each side of him for his better security or because there was now an host of Angels added to that former host of men women and children which he carried along with him Sometimes upon peculiar monuments erected on purpose Such was Jacobs El-Elohe-Israel Gen. 33. 20. Such Moses his Jehovah-Nissi Exod. 17 15. Such also Samuels Eben-Ezer in my Text Enough hath been said to convincemen of this duty as also to inform them about it The most proper way as I conceive to enforce the practise of it at present will be to parallel the mercies of this story and Text with those of this age and day The first mercie we meet with here is the conventing of Israel at Mizpeh in a Nationall assembly ver. 5 6. Samuel said Gather all Israel to Mizpeh and they gathered together Interpreters are of opinion that the Philistims whom they were subject to had so tyrannized over them as to hinder all such conventions least being ouce gathered together they should consult how to free themselves that Samuel notwithstanding had now called a Parliament and got them to meet What devices have been used in former times one while to keep off another while to breake off Parliaments here in England hee 's a stranger in our Israel that doth not know I had almost said hee 's an enemy to it that is not affected with deep sense of the goodnes of God in calling and confirming this which you all have the happines to behold and I the honour to speak unto this blessed Parliament fastned by a late Act and made as a nail in a sure place for the Kingdome to hang all her vessels upon from the vessels of cups even unto all the vessels of flagons as the Prophet Isaiah speaks Wherefore here before we go further let us set up one Eben-Ezer saying Hitherto hath the Lord helped us A second mercie which this story acquaints us with is The Lords hearing the prayers that were then put up for Israel ver. 9. Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him Hath he not done the like for us was he ever a God hearing prayers more then of late Our devotion hath not had a miscarrying wombe but been fruitfull in deliverances neither have her breasts been dry for three Kingdoms all this while have been nursed up in the bosome of prayer The Jews were wont to stand when they prayed and from thence men learned to say Sine Stationibus non subsisteret mundus The world could not stand but for this standing in prayer But for it Ireland perhaps by this time had not been at all Scotland had been all in bloud and England giving up the ghost Each of these Nations may say for it selfe as the Psalmist doth Verily God hath heard he hath attended to the voice of my prayer Blessed be God that hath not turned away my
prayer nor his mercie from me Psal. 66. 19 20. We may in reference to them all erect a second Eben-Ezer for herein also the Lord hath helped us both helpt us to pray and helpt us to speed A third mercie is the Lords defeating their enemies and that so as to make Israel instrumentall for its own preservation in the 10. and 11. verses The Philistims drew neere to battail against Israel but the Lord thundred with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistims and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh and pursued the Philistims and smote them c. We are assembled this day to praise God for shewing the like favour to us in more then one or two places It may be observed out of Scripture that the Lord hath still been delighted in taking to himselfe a denomination from some fresh and recent mercie In one of the first ages of the world he is styled the possessor of heaven and earth as having not long before made the one for his throne and the other for his footstool After he had revealed himselfe by many promises to the Fathers he is frequently called the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob When he had newly broken the yoke which Pharoah had put on his peoples neck then I am the Lord saith he that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Having at another time delivered the same people from Babylon he renews in his stile the memoriall thereof Jer. 16. 14 15. The dayes come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North After the Word was made flesh the amiable Title which the New Testament gives him is this The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ It is not long since he was pleased to crown the endeavours of our men of war with a triple victory that so with a threefold cord of love he might draw us to thankfulnesse Let him therefore be styled at least for this day The God of our Parliament and of their forces at Scarborough at Shrewsbury and at Weymouth I am not able to parallel our success with theirs in all things The chapter tels us of a defeat occasioned by miraculous thunder here was none such onely an artificiall thundering on both sides and that on ours blest to the discomfiting of our enemies Yea our three Commanders in chief in those three fore-mentioned places what were they else but to use the Poets expression Tria fulmina belli yet in two particulars they may be compared 1 Israels victory which the Text relates to was unexpected They were met together at this time to consult and not to combate not to fight and kill but to fast and pray to reforme and not to embattail themselves Yet now doth God give up their enemies into their hands Tell me was not the gaining of Shrewsbury unexpected by all men here the regayning of Weymouth a thing which but few of us had in our hopes Hath not the Lord in both these yea and at Scarborough done terrible things which we looked not for Have we not received Weymouth especially as Abraham did Isaack even from the dead may we not say upon this occasion mutatis mutandis as the man in the parable did of his son Luk. 15. 32. It is meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again was lost and is found 2 Israel got the victory though the Philistims had the advantage It seemeth by the tenour of the story that full men set upon such as were fasting armed men upon such as were naked Israel for ought we read being furnished with no other weapons but their prayers and tears and sacrifices Onely when the Philistims were discomfited by the thunder they 't is thought took up the weapons that fell from their amazed enemies and with them did execution in the pursuit 'T is easily found which side the advantage was on at Weymouth Were not our numbers inconsiderable were not the few men we had well-nigh spent and worne out with watching and other military duties yet did they prove more then conquerors by getting not onely victory but booty recovering what they had lost before and withall possessing themselves of what the enemy had laid in Let us therefore bestow another Eben-ezer upon this and say once more Hitherto the Lord hath helped us I hasten to the third and last observation viz. That principall men are to have a principall hand in the duty of praysing God for his help Climbe we up to the full explication of this truth by certain steps which are these Every creature is made to praise God in its kind Men are more bound to this duty then other creatures Christians more then other men Professors eminent for their places in Church or State more than other Christians 1 Every creature is made to prayse God in its kinde Prayse ye him Sun moon prayse him all ye stars of light prayse him ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that be above the heavens Prayse the Lord from the earth ye dragons and all deeps Fire and haile snow and vapour stormie winds fulfilling his word mountains and all hils fruitfull trees and all Cedars beasts and all cattell creeping things and flying fowls Psal. 148. 3 4 7 8 9 10. They doe it accordingly Psal. 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work 2 Men are bound to this duty more then other creatures O that men would prayse the Lord for his goodnesse for his wonderfull works to the children of men Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people prayse him in the assembly of the Elders Psal. 107. 31 32. The whole world is a musicall instrument every string is so tuned as to be fitted for resounding the great Creators prayse But man of all visible creatures is the onely musician that knows how to play upon this instrument The rest can prayse God but Objective by being the objects of mans meditation They doe all bring as it were their severall sacrifices unto him and lay them down at his feet he is the Priest that must offer them up for the whole Creation 3 Christians more then other men That place in Psal. 65. 1. deserves more then ordinary consideration Prayse wayteth for thee ô God in Sion The Saints poure out their hearts to day in thanksgiving to God the next day yea it may be the next houre there comes a shoale of new mercies hee must be acknowledged also in them and therefore prayse is said to wait till the blessing arrive as being at hand ready to be tendred upon all
Die Jovis 13. Martii 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled that this House doth give thanks to Master Arrowsmith for his great pains taken in the Sermon hee preached on the 12 of this instant March in Christ-Church London before the Members of both Houses of Parliament and giving thanks to Almighty God for his blessing to the Parliament for their late good success at Shrewsbury and Weymouth And that the said Master Arrowsmith is hereby desired to print and publish his Sermon which is not to be printed or reprinted by any but by authority under his hand John Brown Cler. Parl. Die Jovis 13. Martii 1644. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament that Master Solicitor and Master Nicholas doe from this House return thanks to Master Arrowsmith and Master Vines for the great pains they tooke in the Sermons they preached at the intreaty of both Houses at Christ-Church yesterday being a day appointed for publike thanksgiving and that they doe intreat them to print their Sermons And it is Ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons but whom they shall license under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Samuel Man to print my Sermon John Arrowsmith ENGLANDS EBEN-EZER OR STONE of HELP Set up in thankfull acknowledgment of the LORDS having helped us hitherto More especially For a memoriall of that help which the PARLIAMENTS Forces lately received at Shrewsbury Weymouth and elsewhere IN A SERMON Preached to both the Honorable Houses of PARLIAMENT the Lord Major and Aldermen of the Citie of LONDON being present at Christ-Church LONDON upon the late solemne day of Thanksgiving March 12. By JOHN ARROWSMITH B. D. Published by Order of both Houses Hos. 13. 11. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine help 2 Chron. 14. 11. Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy name goe we out against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee LONDON Printed by ROBERT LEYBURN for SAMUEL MAN dwelling in PAULS Church-yard at the signe of the SWAN 1645. To the right HONORABLE the LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT THe Glorious Temple had a beautifull gate Such is a Gratulatory Epistle to a Sermon of Thanksgiving Our Estates and Liberties blesse your Honours Religion and Learning do no lesse I shall therefore here mention a few of the many good offices done for them Whereas the publike worship of God was much embased you have been carefull to take away the glittering tin of specious Ceremonies together with the ugly drosse of known Superstition Let popish Spirus bewaile the want of making a fair shew in the flesh which so many desire let them cry out and say There is not so much State and bravery in the service of God as heretofore I dare be bold to tell the World that much more holinesse will be found in your brasen Serpent then ever was in their golden Calf It is not long since Christians of the greatest zeale were iniured by certain Sons of Levi even as of old the sons of Eli with their flesh-hock of three teeth offered violence to the people when they came to offer sacrifice You have wrested from them their flesh-book and broken the three teeth thereof which were illegall Canons ensnaring Oaths and rigorous High Commission-censures Not long since Professors in England Amnon-like were lean from day to day by reason of the love they bare to Romish fopperies as he to Tamar many affecting the garbe of Rome in their most solemne worship as Amnon pretended to lorg for meat of Tamars dressing Others proceeding as he did with her to a carnall knowledge of that Whore But after your happy assembling the hand of God wrought an happy change in their hearts and made them generally hate this Tamar as much and more then ever they loved her You have now not onely turned her out but boulted the doore by an holy Covenant to endeavour the extirpation of Popery and Superstition Not long since there were many pens and tongues fully employed in decrying the Lords day and disputing against the morality of the fourth Commandement An employment to be for ever abhord because as Noah tooke to himselfe clean beasts by sevens six for propagation the seventh for sacrifice which was accordingly offered up at his comming out of the Ark So the Lord who allows us six daâ—es for civill affaires would have the seventh sacrificed to himselfe as an whole burnt offering Yet as Antiochus took away the daily sacrifice these men had almost taken from us the Sacrifice of days but you have restored it by a most pious and wholsome Ordinance according to the good hand of God upon you And whereas one of the breasts of our common Mother hath been dried up of late or rather yielded much bloud instead of milke you have already made some and we hope are about to make further provision for the other lest the coal which is left us be quenched as the woman of Tekoah said to David lest Cambridge become as a cottage in a vineyard as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers After such high and holy services be it far exceeding far from you all to dishonour him who hath said ye are Gods by an ungodly conversation If it be not if any root of bitternesse do spring up hereafter in either House I shall crave leave to represent the danger thereof as in a parable A certain Priest having to doe with a great men that was resolute in sin yet desirous of absolution and perceiving be did not understand the latine tongue instead of absolving him said as followeth Dominus Noster Jesus Christus teabsolvat si vult remittat tibi peccata tua quod ego non credo perducat te ad vitam aeternam quod est impossibile My Lords and Gentlemen the parable be to them that hate you and the interpretation thereof to the sworn enemies of Jesus Christ That not so much as one of you who continue members at this day will at anytime prove a stone of offence by the errors of his iudgement or irregularities of his life that every one will become an Eben-Ezer a stone of help in that sense wherein Joseph is called the sheepherd the stone of Israel is the hope and shall be the prayer of A worthlesse but willing servant of Christ his Church and your Honours John Arrowsmith A SERMON Preached to both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT at Christ-Church London upon the late solemne day of Thanksgiving Mar. 12. 1644. 1 SAM. 7. 12. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen and called the name of it Eben-ezer saying Hitherto hath the Lord helped us GReat conjunctions of heavenly bodies are
occasions According to the Originall Prayse is silent for thee ô God perhaps to imply that when the Saints set themselves to pay this tribute they are struck into a silent admiratiō of that rich bounty and grace which supplyes all their wants wondering that the Sun of righteousnesse should vouchsafe to shine upon dunghils and wanting words to expresse the goodnesse of their Master to such unprofitable servants Praysewayts silently wayts and that in Sion 'T is due from all Quarters of the World but it waits for God onely in Sion None have it in a readinesse for him but the members of that Church whereof Sion was a type All thy works shall prayse thee ô Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee Psal. 145. 10. Unto him be glory but where in the Church by Christ Jesus Ephes. 3. 21. Great reason there is why it should be so For the Church is more indebted to God than all the societies in the world They receive but drops of blessing to her showers Ezek. 34. 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill meaning his holy hill of Sion a blessing and I will cause the shower to come downe in season there shall be showers of blessing No wonder then if the Spouse have doves eyes Cant. 1. 15. Behold thou art faire my love thou hast doves eyes lifting up themselves to heaven when ever shee either eats a grain or drinks a drop while the rest of the world have hogs eyes devouring the acorns that fall from the tree without so much as looking up or ever considering whence they come 4 Professors eminent for their place in Church or State more than other Christians I gave them the name of principall men in reference to Micah 5. 5. where wee read of Gods raising up against the Assyrian seven shepheards and eight principall men i. e. a competent number of Office-bearers to withstand the fury of the enemy under Christ who was their peace Such are to have a principall hand in this duty 1 In regard of the depth of their interests They as being more concerned in the publique wel-fare than Christians of a more private station are bound to observe the wheelings of providence more than others and to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in every turn Hence are Church-officers called upon so expresly with so much importunity both in the beginning and in the end of the 135. Psalme Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the Court of the house of our God prayse ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing prayses to his name for it is pleasant ver 2 and 3. And again in the 19 and 20. verses Blesse the Lord ô house of Aaron blesse the Lord ô house of Levi Beza gives a good reason why that clause for his mercie endures for ever is so often repeated no lesse then six and twenty times in one Psalme 'T is done saith he to make it appear that we may not content our selves with acknowledging mercie in the lump but should take a distinct view of each single favour as the Psalmist there begins with the goodnesse of God in generall O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good Psal. 136. 1. but afterwards descends to particulars and to every one of them annexeth the fore-mentioned clause For example it well becomes us at this time not onely to say in the language of that Psalme O give thanks to the Lord of Lords to him who alone doth great wonders who remembred us in our low estate and hath redeemed us from our enemies ver. 3 4 23 24. but more distinctly To him that blest our forces at Plimouth for his mercie endures for ever and prospered them at Scarborough for his mercie endures for ever Who delivered Shrewsbury into our hands for his mercie endures for ever and gave us our lost Weymouth again for his mercie endures for ever This if men of the deepest interests shall neglect who then will be found to doe it will not God be a looser by this omission yea will not they be loosers themselvs whose engagements to the Common wealth or to the Church are such as that they must needs stand or fall with it whatever becomes of other men The Jewes have a saying that the world stands upon three things The Law holy worship and retribution Now wee can make retribution to God no other way but by thankfull acknowledgements which we therefore have cause to be punctuall in What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation Psal. 116. 12 13. he alludes to the cup of blessing used in their peace offerings which were always accompanied with solemne thanks to the most High for his saving health Have you a minde to take the shortest cut to ruine bee unthankfull Expect showers of blessings from heaven no longer then wee continue to send up vapours of prayse for as trumpeters delight to sound where they may be answered with an ecchoe so doth God delight to give where he is answered with thanksgiving 2 In regard of the height of their relations Who was the sweet singer of Israel but David the man that was raised up on high 1 Sam. 23. 1. The higher he was raised the more sweetly did he sing and warble out the prayses of God insomuch as if the penmen of Scripture should come to be differenced by their characters Solomon haply would be styled The Preacher of wisdome Jeremiah the Prophet of lamentation Saint John the Disciple of love and Saint Paul the Apostle of grace but the style of the sweet singer of prayses must be reserved asdue to David more than to any of them all 'T is a maxime in divinity Beneficium postulat officium Those whom God calls to the highest places he calls withall to the highest services and such is this of thanksgiving Prayer is an high and holy duty but if it be lawfull to compare them praysing will be found to excell it in some respects As the martyr said when she was at the stake Now farewell hope and welcome love because she was then going to heaven where hope being swallowed up in fruition was to have no longer being For hope that is seen is not hope Rom. 8. 24. so may a dying Christian say Now farewell prayer and welcome praise for in heaven there will be no use of prayer because all wants shall be supplyed without asking or rather because there shall be no want of any thing the soule can wish but of prayse there will be use to all eternity Saluation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe shall be the song even of those that have obtained salvation to the utmost by the Lamb with him that sits upon the throne David accordingly seemes to have plyed this somewhat more then the other duty though hee was abundant in both He tels us in Psal. 55. 17. of
Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high prayses of God be in their mouthes The birds chirp most in the fairest weather succesfull seasons are joyfull seasons to thankfull Saints Yet because as poyson conveyed in flowers is most dangerous in that it presently takes the brain so there is nothing more deadly than poysoned joyes to the end your chearfulness may be kept within Scripture bounds your rejoycing be such and none but such as becomes the Gospel I shall here present you before I conclude with a short character of Christian joy 'T is a spirituall affection that hath the Holy Ghost for its Father Faith for its Mother Prayer for its Midwife the Word for its Nurse Sincerity for its Keeper and trembling for its Handmaid 1 The Holy Ghost for its Father we finde it called joy of the Holy Ghost 1 Thes. 1. 6. They in Nehemiah kept the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem with gladnesse and thanksgivings they offered great sacrifices and rejoyced for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy Cap. 12. ver. 27. 43. Light is sown for the righteous Ps. 97. 11. Spirituall joy is a light shed from heaven it springs not out of ones own bowels as the carnall joy of worldings doth but is as seed cast in from without and the Seeds-man is the Holy Ghost 2 Faith for its Mother Joy of Faith so 't is called Phil. 3. 25. Beleeving ye rejoyce saith Peter with joy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. In the ring of graces faith is the diamond joy the sparkle of the diamond Heare Saint Paul We are the circumcision which worship God in Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus Holy men have their rejoycing onely in Christ they are made partakers of Christ onely by faith Such as desire to have joy as a flower blown in their hearts must be carefull to water the root of faith for from thence it springs 3 Prayer for its Midwife John 16. 24. Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Rejoyce evermore 1 Thess. 5. 16. and presently after pray without ceasing as if hee had said Cease to pray you will cease to rejoyce pray without ceasing so shall yee be able to rejoyce evermore The cheerfullest Christians are usually those that are fullest of Prayer After Hannah had poured out her soule before the Lord her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 15 18. 4 The word of God for its Nurse Prov. 12. 25. Heavinesse in the heart of a man makes it stoop but a good word makes it glad A soul sick of sorrow is directed by the Word of grace to an able Physician Upon Philips preaching Christ there followed great joy in the Citie of Samaria Acts 8. 5 8. Then Philip went down to the Citie of Samaria and preached Christ unto them And there was great joy in that Citie Where the Priests are clothed with salvation there the Saints shout aloud for joy Psal. 132. 16. 5 Sinceritie for its Keeper 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world They are the upright in heart for whom the light of gladnesse is sown Psal. 97. 11. It comes up in no other soile Any kinde of sin may nip joy in the bud hypocrisie kils it at the root True joy can never breathe in an heart obstructed with by-ends In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare such a snare as will be sure to strangle his joy that appeares by the opposition there made but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Proverbs 29. 6. They in 1 Chron. 29. 29. were able to rejoyce in the service then in hand why because with perfect hearts they offered willingly to the Lord 6 Trembling for its Hand-maid Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Do you lend an eare to this who are members of the Honourable Houses for the Psalmist speaks it to such as are Rulers of the earth Verse 10. Your affections should be proportion'd to Gods dispensations His manner is to feed the Church with bitter-sweets her care should be to mingle trembling with her joy Be pleased to reflect upon the war which your selves have managed and consider whether providence have not seemed to delight as it were in checkerwork a white and a black a successe and a blow whether for the most part ye have not had a white in the North for a black in the West or a black in the North as at this day to tremble at when ever you had a white in the West Wherefore rejoyce in the Lord at present and again I say rejoyce but do it with trembling to think of provoking the eyes of his glory whose power is able to confound us in a moment Tremble but with rejoycing to think how many places the Lord of hosts hath appeared for us in of late as glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Now unto him that is able to do and hath done for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end To him that hath helped and doth help in whom we trust that he will still help us more and more to him be prayse and thanks and dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS Hag. 1. 9. Acts 3. 10. Is 1. 25. Gal. 6. â—2 Vitulus aureus occidit Serpenâ— aeneus sanat 1 Sam. 2. 12 13 14. 2 Sam. 13. 4. Ver. 6. 7. 14. Ver. 15. 17 18. Gen 7. 2 with Chap. 8. 20. April 1644. 2 Sam. 14. 7. Is 1. 8. Psal. 82. 6. Gerhard L. C. Ioc. de Poenis 117. Gen. 49. 24. See Doctor Willet upon this place Obs 1. Glass onomat p. 445. Psal. 118. 22. Gratia reparatrix bonam volantatem inspirat ut sit deinde bonâ—e voluntati aspirat ut moveatur primùm operatur eam deinde per eam Hugo de Sanct. Vict. Non intelligit divina beneficia qui se tantummâ—du à Deo iuvariputat Lactant de salsa relig. l. 1. c. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Basil Ios. â—0 11. Iudg. 5. 20 21. Psal. 34 7. Heb. 1. last Mittis unigenitnm immittis Spiritum ne quid vacet in coelâ—stibus ab opere sollicitudi us Angelos mittis in minesterium Bern. Dan. 6. Gen. 19. 2 King 6. Acts 12. Gen. 32. 1 King 19. Acts 27. Luk. 10. 1 Thess 5. 13. Satius est ut Sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus Aude pater â—ecum Trinitatem ipsam â—â—ce Turkish History p. 321. Matth. 16. 18. Iudg. 5. 23. Isa. 26. 1. Pareus in 1 Cor. 3. 6. Hag. 2. 9. Si nobis cum bominibus tantum res esset tametsi non nisi Caesares Reges principes essent nostro Evangelio illes mox vinceremus ac vel intra unius anni spatium totum mundum converteremus cùm tam clara sit veritas c. Hîc autem Diabolus ipse regnit rationem obstruens c. Malus neqvam host is est inque uno digita prudentior astutier quam universus munâ—â—â— Lunae radi is non maturescit botrus Is 30. 22. Hos. 14. 8. Bloudy Tenent propos. 6 Ephes. 4. Delicata res est non patitur alienum Vid. SaneÌ„t Trin. in loc. Quod bomo detegit Deustegit Iohn 1. 29. Quicquid docetur oratur aut vivitur extra Christum idolatria est coram Deo peccatum Obs. 2. Ingratus est qui beneficium accepisse se negat quod accepit ingratus est qui dissimulat ingratus qui non reddit ingratissimus omnium qui oblitus est Senec. de Benefic l. 3. c. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Annunciatâ—icum Abulens Lyranus apud Salianum Indixit Samuel generalia comitia Ibid. Is 22. 23 24. Gen. 14. 19. Gen. 28. 13. Exod. 3 15. alibi passim Exod. 20. 2. 2 Cor. 1. 3. ibid. c. 11. 31. Col 1. 3. and elswhere Is 64. 3. Heb. 11. 19. Salian Annal. Obs. 3 Quasi dicat heri elaudavimus propter besternum be â—esicium hodie expectat te laus propter novum hodiernum Coppen in Ioc. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Tibi silentium Beza in Argumen Ps. 136. Super tribus consistit mundus super lege cultu sacro Retributione beneficiorum Aloys. Novar Schediasm p. 149. n. 99. Revel 7 10. Gratitudinis ad animum tota aestimatio redit Senec. de Benefic l. 4. c. 21. Psal 16 9 with Acts 2. 26. Oratio sine laude est thuribulum sine prunis Luther Iohn 19. 3 Ezek. 20. 37. Ver. 2 3 4. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Matth. 21. 3. 1 Iohn â— 17. Luk. â— 29 30. Phil. 3. 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Philip 4. 4. Is 3. 8. Exod. 15. 11. Eph 3. 20 21.