THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION SET FORTH In a SERMON preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the Publique Fast Iune 26. 1644. BY GASPAR HICKES Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall a Member of the Assembly of DIVINES LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. Die Mercurii 26º Iunii 1644. IT is this day ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Master Rous Master Salwey and Master Nicoll doe from this House give thanks unto Master Hardwick and Master Hickes for the great paines they tooke in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at St Margarets Westminster it being the day of publike Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons but whom they shall licence under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Christopher Meredith to print my Sermon Gasp Hickes TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now assembled in Parliament IT is the commendation and glory of great works to be carried through difficulties to be borne up and brought to passe in despight of oppositions The street wall of Ierusalem were built in troublous times The Church comonly passeth thorough fire and water to her highest advancements inlargements So it comes to passe partly thorough the malice of adversaries who straine their rage higher according to the Churches risings if we could empty hell and the world of enmity we might perhaps steale quietly to Heaven and injoy spirituall priviledges with outward ease principally thorough the wisdome of God in the dispensation of mercies he raises the value of them by putting them off upon hard termes We should be apt to surfet of priviledges to kick against him that feeds us and lightly to esteeme the rock of our Salvation if the Lord did not diet and physick us if he did not acute our appetites by some sharp mixtures some bitter ingredients in our sweetest and fullest cup if he did not keep our souls in a longing temper by holding forth blessings to us after which we must reach and straine and presse even thorow a piece of hell through a world of dangers and hardships before we attain them And if good things dearly come by are to be highly prized I do not see how we can over-rate those we are now pursuing All our gold in full weight cannot satisfie our enemies their sword is cast into the ballance they hunt after our pretious souls Yea the Lord cals upon us to expend not only teares and cries but bloud and life and all Rich mercies they are which he holds at such a rate indeed more worth then our all The insuing discourse shewes forth a little glimpse of their excellency which in all humility I present to your view It is your high preferment in Gods favour Honourable Patriots that he conveyes our blessings to us through your hands that you are made the chieftaines the leaders among and above your brethren And although the heat the brunt lie mainly upon you yet are your protections strong your reward sure I need not tell you that the eyes of men and Angels are upon you that the Christian world is at agaze filled with expectation of the glorious results of your high and difficult indeavours We all rise or fall in all probability as you stand faithfull united in the work you have in hand Your imployments are eminent your interesses deep the concernment is publike reaching all that have a share in Zions prosperity The Lord fasten you as nailes in a sure place that we may be an habitation of justice and a mountain of holinesse and the blessings of the Lord may be upon us So prayeth Your humble Servant in Soul-affaires GASPAR HICKES THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION ISAI 28.5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement and for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate THere is an evill among all things that are done under the Sunne saith Salomon that in respect of outward occurrences Eccles 9.2 3. there is one event to all to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to the pious and to the prophane whence the hearts of the sonnes of men are filled with evill and madnesse possesses their mindes till it bring them to destruction That which makes desperate ones runne mad in sinning is their presumption of Gods connivence at their courses their damned inference of his approbation of their evils from their present impunity and prospering in them because they have no changes Psal 55.19 therefore they feare not God And that which drives the sager and better tempered sort of Naturalists out of their wits is their conceit of carelesnesse or confusion in the dispensations of providence or of unequall compensations of meedes or punishments to men according to deservings Hence Brutus that wonder of magnanimity and constancie that stour stickler for the libertie of his countrey a great admirer and practitioner of vertue and an able assertour of the divine providence such as he knew when he was finally vanquished by Antonius and saw such bad successe in his cause which he tooke to be so good he disclaimes all his vertues as trifles and derides endeavours to live well as vain and bootlesse But though reason be puzled yea confounded at that which is above its reach yet faith can fathome these depths and so farre satisfie its selfe in them as to see the Lords hand and to justifie his proceedings And that which beares up the beleeving heart from faintings or fluctuations amidst the various and strange vicissitudes of things below is the consideration and assurance of an over-ruling and unerring concurrence discerning directing disposing all in a most free wise and equall course even in those passages and exigents which seeme to be most disordered or uncertaine Then when bad men are crown'd with pride fatted with luxury mounted on horse backe in unworthy advancements whence they over-look with disdaine and trample upon with insolencie Gods humble holy innocent ones or then when the Lord ariseth to shake the earth terribly and to worke dreadfull desolations in the middest thereof he hath alwayes a selected parcell which is his deare charge to whose safety and honour he beares tender and unalterable respects in the most doubtfull or dangerous times In that day whether it be the short day of the wickeds prosperitie or the determined day of vengeance upon them shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty for truest advancement and ornament to the residue of his people to that pretious portion which is his owne according to the election of grace He shall be for a
spirit of judgement to him that sits in judgement He will raise up instruments and fit them with faithfulnesse and activitie for the administration of Justice He shall be for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate He will infuse courage and adde wonderfull successe to their attempts that fight his battels and jeopard their lives for his cause The words read unto you are a propheticall Promise let it not seeme unsutable to the day for me to handle a Promise It is our worke to day to humble our soules and poure them out in prayer and what so proper and prevailing to melt a gracious soule as the goodnesse of a Promise and where but in the Promises shall we look for grounds and matter of our requests and what one single Promise in Scripture can more directly and fully answer our desires than this we groane after Reformation this Promise holds it forth to us in the honourable and amiable notions of glory and beauty Our supreme Councell our Kingdomes Worthies are this day on their knees before the Lord and what blessing would they beg of God or we for them rather then the spirit of judgement here promised Our Armies are in the field and if we were put to the option to find out and beseech an advantage to them we cannot bethinke a better than is here expressed that the Lord would be their strength If I had a spirit and a tongue to set forth and you hearts rightly disposed to aske what is here contained I might impart and you obtaine the fulnesse of the blessing of God That we all may doe our duties the better I beseech you looke over the Promise againe wherein you may finde remarkable 1. The seasonablenesse of it intimated in the circumstance of time when it shall be accomplished In that day 2. The pretiousnesse expressed in the substance of good things assured the Lord himselfe undertakes to be for a crown of glory and for a diademe of beauty rich and sure and honourable advantages these 3. The peculiaritie of the Priviledges appropriated they are to Gods residue or remnant the persons with whom alone he stipulates 4. The specification of two choice excellencies wherewith he honours and beautifies his covenant people 1. The spirit of judgement for Civill Government 2. Holy valour and strength for military exploits In that day c. The parts I shall handle in the same order as they lie disposed in the Text beginning with the seasonable accomplishment of this pretious Promise set downe in the circumstance of time of which a word only because I may not spend much of the little time allotted me about a circumstance In that day If you considerately calculate the time here noted by a view of the context you will find it to be a time of foule degeneration when the greatest part was swollen in pride slimed with sensualitie growne to an height of insolency and universality in sinning and therefore ripe for a judgement yea indeed it was the very day of wrath when destruction like a violent storme a deluge of mighty waters did dash and overwhelme the flower of their beauty when like a greedy devourer it consumed most of their visible strength and excellencie In such a day t is much if the Lord affords shelter to his deare ones an hiding place till the indignation be overpast yet more it is which he here undertakes for them even then to keepe them up in their honour to raise them higher in happinesse when his severity is most sharpe and his judgements are most heavie round about them 'T is a cleare truth Doct. That in the worst and most dangerous times the Lord doth certainly provide for the glory and the beauty the advancement and the ornament of his chosen people If you looke for the literall or historicall accomplishment of this truth you will find it in the blessed reignes of Hezekiah and Iosiah 2 Chron. 29. 34. wherein after the Lord had removed the ten tribes out of his sight and cut short Judah for their high provocations yet some glorious respites he affords to his remnant wherein Religion and Justice recovered their flourish and the ruined honour of that Church and state revived and got strength But if you consider the Promise in its generall drift in its extent or amplitude as it reaches and belongs to all the faithfull then might I by a plaine and plentifull induction shew how from time to time it hath beene performed but I shall not multiply instances rather I shall single out some few that are most eminent and remarkable And where should I begin but at the most glorious advantage that ever befell the Church the summe of saving Priviledges so much desired so long looked for to which its probable this Promise mainly points I meane the exhibition of Christ in the flesh upon what times fell that even upon the most degenerate and deplorable that might be when the glory of the Scepter was departed and the beauty of truth and worship fouly blemished and razed when the Church was even at the lowest ebbe Afterwards when Christ had gathered a people for himselfe and suffered Sathan to vent his malice against them in bloudy opposition when the rage of persecutours was at the achme Euseb Eâ—cles Histor 1â— 8 c. 4. at the height When Dioclesian and Maximianus had vowed the extirpation of the Christian Name when their savage crueltie had more exhausted the world then ever any warres had done as the Historian observes even then on the sudden doth the Lord chaine up the grand enemie Suâ—pâ—â—ius checke and over-turne his fell agents in their fiercest careere and introduce glorious liberty a flourishing calme on his heritage In succeeding ages when the weedes of heresie sprang apace in the fat and well manured soile of the Church and at last grew together into popery as into one stemme all errours and villanies falling into that as into a common confluence or sinke when that man of sinne was swollen up to such monstrous insolencie Melchior Adam in vitâ Lutheri that he set his feet upon the neck of all authority when he was waxen impudent in blasphemies insomuch that Tecelius the foule-mouthed publisher of his indulgences blushed not to affirme that by the Popes power interventu pecuniae mony he must have too he could pardon him that had defiled the blessed Virgin the mother of Christ even then did the glorious Sun of truth breake forth in the preaching of the Gospel many Nations threw off the yoke of Antichrist and subjected themselves to a beautifull Reformation But whether doe we wander from our selves what neede we looke for forreigne or farre fetcht instances never was this truth more evidently exemplified in any Nation or Church under Heaven then in ours When did the Lord advance us to the dignity of his people and establish his truth and worship amongst us in a peaceable and beautifull manner even immediately after
that cloud of bloud which fell in our Marian dayes had besmeared our land when whosoever would keep conscience and get Heaven at last must looke to be transported thither in a fiery convoy Why then run thorough all ages inquire of the former and latter dayes and you will find that in the saddest and most sinfull times the Lord provides most certainly and gloriously for the security and honour of his people And indeed what fitter opportunities can be found out Reas or thought upon wherein the Lord should magnifie himselfe in doing great things for his servants For when is his hand so visible and his helpe so glorious as in extremities It is time for thee Lord to work saith David for they have made voide thy law Psal 119.126 when men have violated all bonds both sacred and civill cut in two the sinewes of the lawes authoritie and let themselves loose to all exorbitancies high time then for the Lord to take the matter into his owne hand to stirre up himselfe for the vindication of his honour A remedie applyed rebus confuses perditis Calvin in loc when things seeme desperate and past cure how wonderfull and welcome must it needs be Then doth the glory of a deliverance appeare when the Almighty hand hath broken those knots and difficulties laid open those streights which otherwise were altogether inextricable and then doth the beauty of a Church shine most conspicuously when she hath recovered her purity and escaped pestilentiall contagion in bad times when she is quitted from those blemishes that threatned to over-spread her by a seasonable and thorough Reformation But I have promised brevity in this point Let us see a little only how the truth will sute with our times That perillous dayes were upon us before the flames of publique wrath and misery brake forth none will deny except such as are stupid under any mischiefes or are actours or abettours of ours I will not so much as mention in what case our Lawes and Liberties Lives and Liberties stood I desire to limit my selfe within mine own verge and I beleeve men are sensible and querulous enough of the evils that touch their skins James 2.19 Devils tremble at the sense of misery Christians should search out the cause and take that to heart And if the sins of men corrupt the times and make them dangerous and troublesome think sadly then upon what a generation we are fallen oh that I might say what dismall dayes we have escaped For Religion which is the main how hath the power of it been denied and cryed down in a despightfull and furious way of opposition the purity sophisticated and defaced by base mixtures rotten formalities Oh 't was enough to cause any tender and truly affected soul to feel pangs of spirit to hold his loynes to fall into travell and bring forth an Ichabod an issue of consternation or doubtfull astonishment to see those uncircumcised Philistines Popery and prophaneness irreligion and will-worship seizing on the Arke and driving away the glory of the Lord. For truth how hath it been silenced perverted mangled the day would faile me almost to reckon up the exploded monstrous licentious errours that have been raked up out of hell published and patronized among us For manners I thinke the Sunne never looked upon a people nor measured an age more conspurcate or corrupt then ours 't were easier and fitter to bewaile with teares then expresse in words the excessive height of our pride and oppression injustice and bloud luxury and sensuality And as sinne hold possession so did judgement lie at the doore which hath since fallen upon us as a devouring beast how could it be but that so much filth must send up vapours to darken the face of Heaven with indignation against us Oh the dreadfull cloud that still hangs over us showring downe an horrible tempest of wrath a viall is poured out that turnes all into bloud Now if at this point the Lord be pleased to turne againe the captivitie of our Zion to cleare up all and shine upon us with favour what will this be lesse then a Resurrection from death how will our glory and beauty as that rare bird revive from the very ashes of a ruinous decay But if as yet we are not brought low enough for such an exaltation if the times are not yet at the worst if sharper seasons must be expected if our present hopes should be strangled in the birth or nipped in the bud which the Lord avert here 's the comfort that in such a day when the wickednesse of the enemies is fully ripe and Christs Spouse hath sate long enough in the dust when things are brought to such a passe that the Lord may be most magnified in the confusion of insolent adversaries and the advancement of his dejected depressed people even then will he certainly be for a crown of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto them which is the second particular the high and honourable advantages here promised to the Church Glory is the lustre or splendour that results from dignity and a crown is the highest ensigne of honour the principall token of Majesty Beauty is the impression of sweetnesse or lovelinesse and a diademe is the most stately ornament to set forth beauty and make it more amiable And a composure of glory and beauty makes up a piece of most absolute and exact symmetry consisting of all the parts and lineaments of perfection To such compleat excellencie doth the Lord raise his covenant people In the verses preceding my Text we find mention of a crown but 't is the crowne of pride of glorious beauty but 't is fading like a flower by which the Prophet expresses the usurped domineering of the wicked which shall be troden in the dirt or as some think he alludes to their festivall garlands the impudent badges of luxurie and lasciviousnesse to which he threatens a terrible blast a shamefull withering And continuing the Allegorie by the same termes used in a different sense he sets forth the true honour and excellencie of the Godly The Lord of hosts himselfe undertakes to be their glory by interessing them in all sublime and saving Priviledges He is their beauty by impressing on them the sweet and comely Properties of grace and in both crownes and diadems are gifts well befitting the bounty of the highest Majestie to his beloved Ones Indeed The presence or the favour of God is the only glorious advancement and ornament of a people or person Doct. What is it else that makes the Church an eternall excellencie Isai 60 15-19 a joy of generations Isai 60.15 then doth she sucke the milke of nations and the brests of Kings when found and eminent members are added to her her brasse becomes gold her iron silver when she is stored with pretious graces edified with pure ordinances her wals are salvation and her gates praise when she is guarded externally by good Government internally by the
of Christ are cast off as disgracefull burdens and new fashioned ornaments forged and worne with much bravery high titles rich revenues popular adoration after these they gape greedily stretch largely climbe ambitiously let soules sinke or swimme they care not so they may lift up their heads and build their nests on high and he concludes that herein the spirit of Antichrist was discovered even as a noon-day-devill Serm. 33. For those amongst us that will not follow the sonne of lesse except they may be sure of Vineyards and olive-yards and may be made captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreds that can shape their designes to no lower a pitch then a lordly dignity or a fat plurality that mind the University and the Ministery onely as a stirrop to ambition or a stale to covetousnesse 't were well if their aimes were frustrated by plucking the prey out of their teeth that they were discouraged yea rated off from the holy function wherein there is no hope they should demeane themselves conscionably seeing they enter upon it with such impure intentions And doubt not but when these offae Cerberi these bewitching baites be removed the Lord will stirre up and qualifie better spirits for his owne worke See this in one instance only Those blessed Reformers of Germany did not only drive the Popes doctrine out of their countrey but his tyrannicall Prelacie his whole rabble of full bellied Clergy whose large incomes were all put into the hands of Princes and States whom I cannot commend for dispensing them to right uses perhaps their unfaithfulnesse therein hath been one provocation to plucke downe the judgements which have since ruined them yet then were their Schooles and Academies most frequent and flourishing and I dare challenge any age within the like compasse of time and ground reserving alwayes due honour to Christs Worthies that have since abounded to paralell that in number and eminency of learned men who did not only vindicate the truth from Antichristianisme but all humane literature from blind barbarisme wherein it had long lien buried Let me not be mistaken here as if I thought there were too much dignity and maintenance for Ministers amongst us if it were duly conferred and distributed We need not imploy our own help so to betray our honour there are two sorts of engineeres that are now plotting against us Some in a prophane policy would keep us in a slavish inferiority to themselves and therefore they like Ieroboams way best they would choose Priests of the lowest of the people or make them so these hold a base condition a poore pittance fittest for us Others againe are for an eleemâ—sunary salary that Ministers being ingaged to their benevolence they may by the same bond be tied to their conceits and errours But I speake to wise Physitians who know how to purge peccant-luxuriant humours without impairing those that are vitall and benigne And I beseech you the searcher of hearts knowes I plead not for my owne belly but for your honour yea the honour of Christ whose work you have in hand I beseech you let it appeare by some speedy and cleare course that you intend not the diminution or unsettlement of the double honour of Christs servants but the establishment and enlargement thereof Isai 46.6 Idolaters lavish gold out of the bag superstition casts excesse upon its instruments let not Religion starve nor pinch them that wait upon her let exorbitancies be pared away but let Christs due be preserved and then I will not doubt to resume what I had in hand that his royalty is not advanced by the worldly height and state of his nearest attendants his throne is not supported by such painted props his Kingdome is spirituall and his Government most full of glory 2 Cor. 10.4 5. when thoughts are captivated and consciences awed by the mighty weapons of his own Ordinances and Discipline when they have free course 2 Thes 3.1 due honour and kindly workings in the hearts of men 2. Truth Worship Ordinances are glorious and beautifull when they hold their simplicity and purity Mixtures to these are not only superfluous but poysonous histrionicall and gaudy dresses of mens putting on are to these as a whorish paint to a good complexion or like that unnaturall burden of haire worne in pretence of ornament wheras there is nothing to sober judgements that can render men more uncomely or ugly Yet how doe men dote upon mixtures how have we seene the pure streames of truth mudded with humane placites and traditions Mat. 15.9 Gal. 1.8 the Commandements of men cryed up and obtruded upon the conscience for doctrines another Gospel preached and entertained though vented by persons of lesse credit beyond comparison then an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven accursed persons for their labour Wanton wits have been lavish in broaching and silly soules have been greedy in snatching up any errours Well the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the furnace purified seven times Psal 12.6 as t is hellish chymestry for sublimated wits to extractor cast out the least scruple hereof as refuse so 't is damnable imposture for any cheating compounders to put tinne among this silver drosse among this pure mettall The compleat body of faith was once delivered to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul semel Jude 3. fully and wholly intrusted with them they that wilfully or remissely loose the least minute thereof hazzard thereby the eternall losse of their pretious foules and they that make or admit the least addition to it shall have added to them all the plagues written in Gods Book Rev. 22.18 19. no lesse dangerous are mixtures in point of worship yet doe multitudes run a madding after them That good old fashion of worship in Spirit and in truth is censured and hissed at as a jejune raw humour or as a fanaticall rash undertaking nothing pleaseth without a pompous outside a visible bravery though never so fond and new-fangled Yea have we not some who think themselves as much injured by paring their nailes and polling their haire as if their hands and heads were cut off that hold themselves spoiled of the very heart and braine of Religion if any of their burdensome and excrementitious superfluities the blemish and bane of Religion be purged out or lopped off And no wonder that men are in love with such trifles they affect a way of worship which pleases the eye fils the belly arrides the sensuality Those Adiaphorists or middle-men of Germany appointed by Charles the fifth to compose the Interim that monstrous miscellany wherewith he thought to please all parties did together with some shreds of truth some patches of Reformation mingle almost the whole lumber or garbage of popish rites and superstitions amongst the rest they would retaine extreme Vnction and it was wittily objected to them that they did it that they might sleeke their owne skinne Vt ipsi procederâ—nt
unctiores and provide for their owne panch Questionlesse such a worship as breakes no bones extracts no sweat from the people that costs little paines and brings in much profit and secular advancement to the chiefe actours and upholders of it shall have stiffe fautours and abettours every where But heare what the Lord saith of such mixtures to the Prophet Ezek. 43.7 8 9. Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of my people shall not be defiled by their whoredomes and their carcasses in their setting their threshold by my threshold and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them 'T is as the filthinesse of whoredome as the stink of a carcasse to the Lord to have humane inventions erected or interposed as parts or props of his worship Pompey once in an audacious humour would would needs enter into the most holy place and seeing nothing but a cloud there in derision he termed the Jewes Nubicolas cloud-worshippers before the Romans thought that Apis or Iupiter Hamon or some such soule idoll had been inclosed there how doe men seek after and rest upon the garnished outside the specious paint of worship without which they contemne its spirituall simplicitie as a vaporous or crude conceit whereas the excellencie the vigour the soule of it lies in its internall truth its primitive and native purity 3. The Lord puts glory and beauty upon a people by setting up godlinesse and godly men amongst them by increasing the number inlarging the graces advancing the persons of his Saints and Servants When the vilest men are exalted the wicked ruffle and riot at pleasure all things are tumultuous and squalid Psal 12.8 but when the righteous are up there 's change of cheere things are in a joyous and faire state Prov. 29.2 Godly men are the choisest things upon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CleÌ„ Alex. the honour the beauty the blessing of the places that hold them such ornaments yea and more glorious are they to the earth then the Luminaries are to the Heavens and when they are fitly placed in the Horoscope of a Church or State in Houses of Dominion oh what an happy aspect what a flourishing influence doe they afford Why then should men of parts and place perhaps well affected to the publike good stand aloofe from Religion for feare of contracting disgrace from it Euseb Eccles Hist li. 6. c. 18. Perhaps the devill tels them as Perphâ—cy did Origen that it will turne their learning into barbarisme their acutenesse into sottishnesse that it will spoile all their gifts and sufficiencies Or else he frights them as Cajetan did the Electour of Saxony wishing him to beware that he did not blemish his noble house by giving credit and countenance to Luther Caveret nemaculam illusâ—â—is 〈…〉 aspergat Mâ—len Adam in vitâ Luther Profectò indeâ—â—ta venit praepropere afâ—ectatur periculosè captatur Bâ—za 2 Chro. 9.21 Satan buzzes it into their eares that if they favour those frantique fellowes adhere to those strict truths and wayes they will staine their bloud emasculate their spirits and lose the garbe and repute of gallants But harken rather to the Counsels of God to the Words of truth and sobernesse To you great ones I speake Think sadly how poore vain false the glory is that is without God and godlinesse truly if you have it t is more then is doe to you you seek it sinfully and buy it dearely Summe up all your sumptuous store your birth breeding bravery possessions titles and best t is but like Salomons freight gold and silver and Ivory and apes and peacocks strong mixtures of pride and vanity enough to poyson your excellencies to sinke your ship to damne your souls Whereas if you sincerely affect and honour Religion it will honour you yea it will make you the glory of your God the dignity and beauty of your country otherwise the greater you are the more unworthy burdens and blemishes you prove to the earth that bears you To bring that which hath been said home to our selves Vse I will lay before you only two things by way of information 1. The necessitie 2. The blessing of a present Reformation The necessitie grounded on the dishonourable and odious degenerations whereinto we were fallen the blessing commended and amplified from the glorious and beautifull excellencies to which it would advance us 1. The former the foulnesse of our decayes and distempers I have already touched and so generall they were that they might take up an age of complaining yea and so apparant that you that have your senses about you cannot but see and feele them though I should say nothing of them Methinks we were even come to that passe wherein the ten Tribes lay after their defection For a long season they were without the true God without teaching Priests and without Law 2 Chro. 15.3 Popery atheisme prophanenesse were shouldering out our God our faithfull teachers were crushed silenced or discouraged and Idoll sheepheards promoted that starved soules or edified them to damnation the justice and power of our Lawes nullified force and will carrying all before them We may gather what should generally have been done by considering what is done where the mischiefe prevailes Many dark places of the Land are still the habitations of such cruelties I speake it in the griefe of my soule the parts to which I stand most neerely related are overwhelmed with all the branches and extremities of the misery and I mention it not to informe you of what you know not but now in the day of your humiliation seeing the Lord hath made me your remembrancer to inkindle pitty in you and move you to speedy and thorough helpefullnesse to them If any misinformed or partiall or angry fellowes aske us what ailes us when we lift up our eyes and put forth our endeavours for remedy Let 's answer them thus they would take away our God and what have we more they would bereave us of our teaching Ministers and it would be worse to want them then to feede upon the bread of adversitie and the water of affliction Isa 30.20 they would spoile us of our Lawes divine and civill and t were better the Sun should droppe out of Heaven Act. 11.28 that our hearts should be torne out of our bodies then we loose them Honourable and beloved The Iewes when they conceived their Law and place and Temple indangered by Pauls preaching with a joynt and vehement vociferation they cryed out Men of Israel helpe Let me with a better spirit and upon better grounds bespeake you in the name of the Lord Men of Israel ye that are Israel Israelites indeed helpe helpe every one of you you by your advise and authority you that can doe nothing else by your supplications humiliations reformations we by our instructions intercessions actions passions others by their estates and lives every one
in Gods way every one in his own way help to gaine to hold these things so absolutely necessary In the day that we let go our holdfast we loose our God and our good our safety and our subsistence our glory and our beauty 2. Take a view of the blessing of Gods returne to a Church or people This my Text expresses in fullest termes 't is glory heightened to a crowne beauty decked with a diadem We have heard loud bragges of a glorious state a flourishing Church in our Land and that from the mouthes of them who did what they could to ruine both Indeed we have had multitudes of eminent Saints brought forth nourished perfected amongst us but no thankes to them who would not willingly have afforded them a being on the face of the earth these blessed Palmes sprang and spread in despight of their pressures Of late God hath offered in a gracious way to wipe away the staines from our glory the blemishes from our beauty which were many and foule But how is this mercy entertained doe men looke upon the wellcome and admire Reformation as the rising sun dispelling our hellish darknesse rather they startle and storme at it as a formidable thing one solicitous for his ill gotten goods another for ill administred office a third for his undue promotion some for their selfe opinions which they will hold to the hazzard of all most for their beloved lusts which they preferre to the glory of God the safety of the State yea and their own soules to most would withdraw their shoulder and stiffen their necks against Christ yoke as intollerably rigorous nothing so much frights them as the erection and exercise of an exact discipline Doe men thirst after the pure fountaine of truth the cleere and spirituall wayes of worship or rather content themselves with the broken cisternes of humane inventions and delight to wallow in the puddles of profanenesse and formality Is it the joy of mens hearts that the righteous are in authority Whence then that grating of spirit that gnashing of teeth at their advancement and good successe in Gods worke Men of honour are so tender of their reputation that they will not beare a word of disgrace without a quarrell a revenge and how wary of their beauty are the fondlings of our age or if they want that which is genuine and proper they adde paints and spots and attires too often such as are monstrous and meretricious yet how wilfully doe men degrade themselves of the glory to which God would exalt them how madly doe they teare off the ornaments which he would put upon them Well though base spirited narrow hearted creatures are unsuteable and uncapeable of honour though sordid clownes neglect and besmeare their comelinesse they care not how yet let us whose hearts the Lord hath touched whose eyes he hath opened prize and pursue these blessings according to their worth And if we were but provident wise for our selves we should not account them dearely gained at any rate no thought it were an age of fasting and prayer an eternity of angelicall obedience the expence of our largest livelihoods our heart blood Ob. But alas say many when shall we see the accomplishment of this promise such glory and beauty should be more conspicuous Sol. 1. And doe you not see the every dayes wonders the Lord is working 't is for want of illightned eyes and thankfull hearts then could we rightly cast up our receipts we might find glorious advantages already upon accompt 2. Are you offended at the seeming slownesse and difficulty of the progresse 't is because you mistake the nature of the worke One way whereby the Lord commends the worth of his best blessing to us is sometimes our hard comming by them The Iewes have a tradition that God sucked Moses soule out of his mouth with a kisse that so his dissolution might be without all paine such an easie lazie good-cheape way of reformation doe most men affect they would have all the fatnesse and sweetnesse of Heaven droppe into their mouthes sleeping on take heed wake not the men fright them not with difficulties for then they will fling off in discontent or give up all as lost 'T is remarkeable what Luther writes to Spalatinus touching Melancthon In Epist â—d Spalat Melancthon was a man of excellent parts very serviceable for Christs cause but of a timorous disposition apt to be overmuch dejected in difficulties and at that time extremely pensive he was for feare of some sad issues of the great meeting at Auspurge Whereupon Luther wishes his friend to exhort and charge him in his name Ne fiat Deus that he make not himselfe a god he might seeme to be farre enough from aspiring to be a god who was cast downe below the common pitch of a man But here was his fault his projects must be like the counsells of God unerringly and unchangeably stand and be effected both in respect of time and manner or the cause he thinks was lost and his spirit utterly sunke So it is with many amongst us they must have their own mind and their own will in all things which is Gods peculiar or they are undone If they have not all that they have promised or fancied to themselves they have nothing at all If the simple gourde of their projects of conceits be smitten and wither they think they doe well to be angry to be disconsolate even to the death But 't is no disparagement nor diminution to the worth or comfort of faithfull and blessed instruments that the Lord over works them brings to passe something yea the maine in the most glorious undertakings by himselfe Have we not seene rich blessings eminent atchievements effected by the bare and immediate hand of God when councels have beene crossed endeavours tired yea hope it selfe worne out and ready to give up the ghost can we but acknowledge it to be the Lords doing to bring downe insolent adversaries to truth and peace and holinesse when they have been trapped and confounded by snares of their own setting mischiefes of their own hatching who were impregnable by all humane attempts like to the Nemean Lion which when Hercules had slaine he knew not how to get off his skinne that was so hard that nothing could pierce it neither wood nor stone nor steele only the Lions own nailes where sharpe enough to doe it So hath the Lord turned the pride and madnesse of wicked men upon their own heads to their ruine that otherwise were too tough or strong to be dealt with In great works God will be eminently seene and acknowledged yea and he carries them thorough insuperable difficulties and impossibilities to us that we may set him up and trust in him only 3. Why will you dislike the work for its hardship or tho instruments for their slacknesse and not consider rather and stand amazed at the opposition that is made against them I think the devill never played the devill more