and some amongst us are concenâ—red in this to call all other Hereticks and Schismaticks who may be found perhaps to differ but as the stronger and weaker Christians who though one eat herbs and another regard a day do it both to the Lord CONSIDERATIONS in REFORMATION COnsider that the Controversies of our times amongst some take up the application of them so wholly as a few particular truths are made their only businesse and the positive work of salvation little advanced These ought we to have done and not to leave the other undone Consider that the measure of grace is not equal in all nor the degrees of light the same and this hath ever brought forth in the practice of the godly according to the examples in Scriptures an indulgency and godly prudence towards one another and this would be a seasonable consideration in these times of Reformation where all cannot bear the truths revealed to some and in the establishment of Reformation to come where if all the truths be not setled that many desire yet so much may bee setled as ought rather to bee the object of godly indulgency praise then scandall and murmuring and to blesse God for our very removes from Popery Prelacy into the Reformation to come yet so as this be no caution against the peaceable testimony of those for the greater advancements in the worship or government of God whom God shall stir up Consider that the warres in the severall States of Christendome as Germany Denmark Italy Ireland England c. are but pieces of the great work and preparatories and fall in their severall degrees and orders into the designe of God for his Church and the ruine of Antichrist and are not to be lookt upon as pieces and splinters that brake out from confused troubles therefore when you hear of wars and rumours of wars be not troubled for the end is not yet Consider that unlesse we be a people more sanctified by the successe and meanes wee have our enemies shall not fall through any divine favour to us but through the provocation of their own sinnes and then their ruine will scarcely be our salvation but they shall only have the precedency to be first in the judgement yet here we may look up at the prerogative of Gods mercy working sometimes above sins and provocations He went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seene his wayes and will heale him And there is to this too a supplement in the holinesse of the Representative of our State or Parliament though the body or people of the Kingdome be not so disposed as we could wish and this saved a Kingdome in Iosiahs and Ezekiahs times and may save ours Consider that our dayes of Fasts c. as they ought to be exceedingly advanced we having experienced much by them so they may be possibly made to take up the reall and substantiall Reformation that ought to be if our Ministers looke more to their own designe then Gods in them and so the dayes and duties may almost devour the power of godlinesse in the practise for the reformation of a day is the easier duty then that of a whole life and sooner done and it would be well observed whether we rise up equally in this that they bee not mistaken as it were for the occasional Antidotes of our weekly sinning and then if people once think an extraordinary day the only remedy provided they will soone grow remisse in their constant practice This I speak that we keep not up a standing sinne with a standing remedy that it may be considered that God lose not any thing through mans additionall of circumstance in worship and because I see the very formality of the duty is as much lookt upon by some as the duty and the duty as him to whom it refers and carries almost the glory of our successe from Christ himself at least is made by some indistinctly a competitor in our deliverances these things would bee rightly and clearly stated to the people God and duties must have their right places and that may not only keep many right but save some from going wrong in this point let us be as much in these extraordinaries of humiliation as we can so we hold up God and Christ in their glorious preheminencies in them and the people be taught to be as constant in the power of godliness as occasionall to know Christ for the only power both of the duty and deliverance Consider whether our provocations under so many Protestations and Covenants be not equivalent to that excellent duty of our first Obligations and whether the humiliation for this ought not to be as solemne as the League and Covenant and as Nationall Consider that our debates and disputes about worship and government have not been assisted with any publick or particular acknowledgement of former and present superstitious inclinations both in Ministery and people and with any publick or particular seeking God for revealing his will in this present Reformation to us thiâ— may make us so long in seeking Consider whether all of Prelacy be removed as well as their vitiousnesse and superstitions and that none of their pride superciliousnesse and self-seeking be left behinde in us and any of our own Ministers especially any that stand above others in place of Reformation and if so let us endeavour the extirpation of it by vertue of our Covenant Dawnings of Light Wherein the true Interest of REFORMATION is opened The Interest stated BEing to treat of the interest of the creature only I shall not speak of the interest of the Creator of GOD himself which is so deeply and unsearchably laid in his own Essence each person in the Godhead subsisting in the same infiinite onenesse or being and so acting abroad adessentially and intrinsecally upon the creature There is not any thing created but it hath an interest there is a naturall or physicall interest that which consists in such a being or cause or in severall causes which are in consociation to the producing and improving such and such effects and this interest is strengthened and improved by the putting forth the effects and causations 2. There is a political or civil interest and that is the strength of every State as Sampson had his locks wherein his might lay so there is no Kingdome or State but they have their locks some complication where their power is twisted and takes root and like vines cast out themselves in severall veins and sinews of negotiation and so acquire improvements But there is a Supernaturall interest and that is it which I aim at in this place or an intorest of Reformation this interest is considerable either towards God or towards men The interest towards God is increated divine more immediate more immanent more pure and primary The interest towards man is more incorporated more complicated more circumstantiated more secondary These two parts if
well studied might be exalted into a transcendent science and it is pitty that now when severall Ages of Reformation draws on few or none that I know elder or more modern that have much enquired into the mystery sublimity whereas every variety here below is drawn up into systemes and aphorismes only this wanders incompleatly under the shadow of the science Theologie which is so universall that there is not that perfection attained in it as there might be if like other Sciences it were taken in or inclosed and so studied for then some whose spirituall ingeny might be of a complexion fitter for such or such a part in Divinity would apply thither when as now they wander up and down in the unbounded wastes of Theologie and like the Philosopher who laying himself out to nature at large sits down with a narrow satisfaction whereas the â—stronomer or any other single scienced person knows every star and circle and variation and hath a more exact and particular knowledge then such an universall contemplation can give him The increated Interest FIrst then for the Interest of Reformation as it relates to God I mean the supernaturall interest or the increated interest and we must know it lies radically in the counsels of God and subsists in his power and infinity and takes not degrees and improvements here below as other interests naturall and politicall do and therefore it is that the Interest of Reformation rayes out in some ages gloriously at its very first rise then when it seems to have the least ingagement or complication below but seemes rather to flow from new created springs and originals so as that scripture holds forth Things which are seen are not made of things which do appeare and though sometimes other contraries may seem to have anticipated all the interest and taken up the advantages beforehand yet on a sudden God lets out an effusion of light and spirit and in a moment disinteresses and dispossesses all the former and this appeares in that when the people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of darknesse light is sprung up for as the appearance of Christ to judgement is implied to be momentary As the lightning that lightneth out of the one part of heaven shineth unto the other part so shall also the Son of man be in his day now the Son of man is thus in his day of Reformation as well as Condemnation and as in light there is not that graduall alteration and propagation and working for interest in the aire but a transfusion and illumination in such an interminate subject or body because there is not in it any quality contrary or obstructive that can put any impediment to so immateriall a thing as light So it is in the spirituall transfusions of grace and reformation when the power and will of God carries it and applies it irresistibly efficaciously to such and such a season or State or people for God being as it were more immediate and indistant and intrinsecal in this work he will not sometimes admit of any such grosse or inferiour artifice and preparings and consociations which argues an impotencie in the agent and work but as he is infinite and the Creator so he commands the creature to make room and the creature in an obedientiall and passive capacity opens and entertains his dispensations this is then when he would make bare as it were his glory and shew himself to his people and put off the creature and as it were devest himself of his interests here below act more immediately upon the world and then his light and dispensation is carried on without reluctancy or disputings in the creature there is a melting at his presence this divine work is sweetly insinuated in that Scripture his lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled the hills melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord the earth trembles the earth or the most grosse and opace impedimentâ— the hils or high obstructions flow down and are powred out when God powres out himselfe in any strong activity upon them The work of Reformation being of this nature in part and such an immediate efflux of God in Christ we should rise into higher conceptions and contemplations concerning it and find out the interest on which it turns in the most spirituall motions and beginnings The more spirituall effluxes of the Interest with a Caution ANd these are the very same which God brought his Dispensations into the world by at first and carried on his truths on a naked power witnesse all his miraculous actings for his Law and Church then under Moses Joshua God carrying them on by a mighty hand and after under several Judges by such sudden lightnings of mercy when all their own interest was lost overflowed by the enemies as the Scriptures intimate Then the Lord raised them up a Deliverer The sudden restoring of the worship under Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah And so the raising of the Temple under Cyrus and Darius the expressions all hold out the most high and divine risings and actings as those concerning Cyrus The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus and then rose up the fathers of Benjamin and Judah with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up and as these concerning Artaxerxes And the King granted me sayes Nehemiah according to the good hand of God upon me and then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me And in the time of Mordecai And in that very day that the eâ—â—mies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them it was turned to the contrary and the Jews had rule over them And thus the Reformation under the Gospel was carried on by a pure heavenly work and immediate concurrence The Lord saith the Scripture working with them and confirming the Word With signes following and many of them which heard the Word beleeven and the number of the men was about five thousand all on sudden Thus the Interest of Reformation or the Gospel lay then most in the naked and immediate power of God subsisting in his very omnipotencie and so in divers ages to this though in a particular account from Ecclesiasticall Story we may soon be led into some false experiments of this interest for it was a luxuriancie in some of them to put down some miraculous passages or stories which indeed are very questionable for the mysterie of iniquity working higher every age then other the learning of after times partly in an easie and corrupt piety and partly in a policie to preserve the reputation of so divine an interest kept up many Legends to this day But for later Centuries in France and Gormanie Scotland and our own kingdom God hath brought in himself according to the former Scriptures with an high hand with signes and wonders with raising
Reformation hath in this age of ours even that visible interest which is undeniable and apparant but yet with this caution that I do not lay these open as affirming any unquestionable necessary successe but as probable und deducible a successe as ever age had because I know there may be withdrawings and retirings in God respectively to a particular State and Church and yet his Church have a fair and eminent interest both there and elswhere in other States and Kingdoms for as a Nation is not dead in the funerals of a few persons nor an house ruined in the falling of a pillar or tyle no more is the Church which is a catholike invisible spirituall body by any particular declination in such a City or State or Nation though I must affirm this That there is a most clear visible powerfull and mighty interest which Reformation hath in the Christian world and this Kingdom at this time and if it succeed not here I can accuse no want of supernaturall naturall or political interest for we are able enough in these but I must accuse some speciall sinnes that have done it which have separâ—ted betwixt us and our God and have withheld good things from us and made our God refuse to shew us the pattern and his will for here are conditionals implied If the hâ—â—â—se of Israel shâ—â—â— be ashamed of their iniquities I will shew them the form of the â—â—â—â—e and agâ—â—â— If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Severall secrets in the Interest 1. The Interest in Christ THis Interest is laid up in Christ from all eternity and here we may rise into most spirituall apprehensions concerning it for though God causes the Interest to beam forth into the things below yet it is in Christ like light in the body of the Sun God doth so dispence himself into Christ that there is not any thing of God stowes beside him but all in him and through him All things that the Father hath are mine for Christ as he was the Word was With God in the beginning and was God without him was not any thing made that was made in him was life in these expressions the Spirit lets us see how God made himselfe over to Christ And further He was the image of the invisible God he is before all things and by him all things consist and he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning being also the bâ—â—ghtnesse of his glory And the Scripture opens this mysterie further yet God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and in him the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels bodily and when Christ that eternal Word came to apply the Interest neerer the creature He grew up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground yet the Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way before his Works of old he Was by him as one brought up with him The holy Spirit holds out the mysterie of laying up the Interest in Christ yet more and writes to the Church to comfort her in the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of â—hrist in whom are hid all the treasures But if we would see a further glimpse of this interest sweetly opened by Christ himselfe let us heighten our meditations upon these Scriptures where Christ discourses with his Father implying the spirituall interest all the way All mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in theâ— and as thou Father art in me I in thee that they also may be one in us and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them I in them and thou in me that they may be made pâ—rfect in one So as now God being thus in Christ and the Church adopted so near to that infinite Unity of God in Christ the Interest is unchangeably and eternally preserved and to tâ—e all fast with the heavenly cordage of love God holds our himself in â—ovenaâ—t in an everlâ—sting Câ—venant And thus it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fâ—lnesse dwell and all our Interest should be treasured in him even to that of grace and glory that our life should be hid with Christ in God II. The Spiritual Interest in Allegory THat we may discern the Interest more nearly it is conveyed to us on the scene of Allegories for God being invisible in himself and more immediate approaches makes himself appeare through such expressions as theâ—e Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion I sate down under his shadow with great delight The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run unto it and are safe under the shadow of his wings will I make my refuge Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment Walk about Sion go round about her tell the thereof mark ye well her bulwarks consider her palaces My beloved hath a vineyard c. he fenced it and built a tower in the midst And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place O my Dove thou art in the clifts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs Thus God hides his interest in these Allegories Clefts in Rocks and secret places and chambers and wings and shadowes and bulwarks and palaces and towers and fences and pavilions and the secrets of his presence for God is so indistant and present with his that they are safe in the midst of dangers and he holds these invisible Sanctuaries over them Lo he goeth by me and I see him not he passeth on also but I perâ—eive him not Thus said Job when his sight was dim with affliction that he could not see into the Interest beyond the creature III. The Recipients of the Spirituall Interests THose things which are of neerest capacity to the receiving of the Interest are first the Covenant or eternall Paction and ingagement wherby God stands bound of his meer free grace to his Church or people and by this interceding act he and his people are brought together The next is the Scriptures of God or the Word whereby the interest is propagated being the power of God unto salvation The other is the Church of God which is the Fountain sealed the garden enclosed wherein all the sweets fragrancies of grace breath forth IV. The Recipients of the Interest THe Prophetical truths in the Prophets and the Revelation of John are
our selves meerly one against another and go out only in vapours of heat and opposition which too many do Trials of God amongst us THat which is an argument of trouble and distraction to carnall judgements ought to be the only confirmation and strengthening to Gods people who live in a higher region and stand on the vantage ground above the men of the world and see how the designes of Heaven are managed and are able to discern that in the creature which others are not even a providence work which shines sorth in the contexture of things and affairs like the Sun beams on the wall and first let it be no wonder that God is in the midst of troubles and tumults I will shake all Nations sayes God and then it follows the desire of all Nations or Christ shall come before me and when he was with Israel he was in a cloud and fire at one time in lightning and thunder at another and when with his Prophet there went a whirlewinde and fire before kim and the Spirit of God which knowes Gods manner of presence best sets him forth thus Our God shall come a fire shall devoure him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him when he was with Gideon and his people it was so as he could see little of him If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us when with his people in captivity it was so as the Prophet could say Can these dry bones live When with his Disciples it was so as there was no comelinesse in him he was not desirable when with his Apostles he strook the room with a whirlewinde and enlightned it with fire See Gods method and goings before amongst his people and you shall trace him now in the same spirituall and providentiall impressions First in our Parliamentary Divine Assembly and the rising of people to build the Temple of God so it was before when the Temple in type was raised and the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the sonne of Shelathiel Governour of Judah and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech the high Priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and did work in the house of the Lord In the beginnings of the war when a few Delinquents drew in so great a party to the Kings party when so many revolted from the work so it was before in that of Gibeâ—â— which got in the Tribe of Benjamin to their quarrell against all Israel And in that of Abijah and Jeroboam when Jeroboam was four hundred thousand men more then Judah but there were gathered to them vain men the children of Relial who thought to withstand the kingdom of the Lord with whom was a great multitude and golden Calves who cast out the Priests of the Lord But with Abijah was the Lord God and the Priests which minister unto the Lord and they which burn sacrifice morning and evening and which sounded trumpets to cry alarm against ye O children of Israel In the Contributions brought into the work of the Lord as the Plate Money Jewels Levies Loanes So it was before when some of the chiefe of the Fathers gave unto the work and the rest of the people twenty thousand drams of gold and silver In the divers successe the enemies had in the proceding of this War So it was before when the Sons of Belial in Gibeah involved a whole Tribe into their quarrel and got the better of it in divers battels In the battels and victories we had in many places as Edge kill York where our multitude did not deliver us So it was before in Gideons when God took off his Army to three hundred and then gave him the successe against his enemies In other particular deliverances of besieged places as Bradford Hul Lime Glocester So it was in Ziph. in Keilah in Jerusalem when God caused Saul and Senacheâ—ib to hear a rumour of war to divert them from the siege In our divisions about some â—cripture truths in our murmurings and disputings and our wayes of conciliation by an Assembly So it was before amongst the Brethren till a Councell at Jerusalem reconciled them So amongst the Grecians and the Hebrewes till the Brethren were called together to consider of it In the discoveries of Conspiracies and Plots against Parliament and City and Armies So it was with Israel when Elisha discovered the councels of the Syrians So with Nehemiah when Sanballats and Toâ—iabs plots were revealed So with the Iewes when Hamans was discovered and defeated So with Absolons when Achitophels was tuâ—â—â—d into folly The Lord is known by the judgements that hee executes the wicked is snared in the works of their own hands In stirring up the younger sort into attempts against the Armies and enemies of God So it was before when Ahab said By Whom And he said Even by the young men of the Princes of the Provinces In raising up new Armies after discomfitures and losses as in the generall rout we had throughout the Kingdome not long since when our Southern Western and Northern Armies were scattered So it was before when Israel had losse after losse in their way to Canaan and still recruited by the power of their God In carrying on the cause through windings turnings through losses and victories making us a mutuall scourge to one another dashing us both in pieces and repairing us again and thus keeping up a standing affliction amongst us till his work be finished on Mount â—ion his judgement on his enemies So it was before when Israel and Iudâ—h were engaged against each other â—o it was with Ionahs ship when they rowed hard to shore but they could not for the winde blew and was tempestuous against them God standing in these times THey that would see God in this work must consider the spiritualnesse of the designe and Gods way of mysterious acting and not let themselves down into the creature and think that the breaking of an Army or a Party breaks Gods designe for it remains the same yesterday and today and the same for ever and God takes in miscarriages disadvantages and improbabilities and seeming impossibilities and treacheries and enemies workings and makes them all work into his purpose He took in a treacherie at the compleating of the spirituall designe of our redemption and a Iudas must accidentally though wofully help in the work of our salvation So that if we would but study Gods designe concerning his Church and method and rise up higher then the creature the creatures method in our conceptions and look on the other side of it we should not be at such losses and stands and in such despondencies and discouragements as we are And while we grasp at the creature too fast either at Agents or Armies or Counsels God many times as we experience drawes them either off from us or us from them
Again we must look at Gods standing amongst us He is not now as he appeared to Israel on the Mountain with a clear paved work of a Saphire under his feet but he is now as he was before in the visions he stands in the bottome among the Mirtle trees on a red horse so shaded as none but his own can see him His spirit is in the wheeles and one wheele within another He walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks yet none but a Disciple sees him The work of Church providence is intricate and perplexed so it was when the Iewes were his people and now it is when the Gentiles are his people too so it was in the first part of his work about his Church and so it is in this second pâ—rt of his work too for it is all but one work only in severall complexions and methods to Israel and the Gentiles Maximes of REFORMATION Goâ—s engagement for deliverance WHen the people of God are under any spirituall or civill oppression God will be sure to be mindefull of them designing some course for their deliverance not in the way of his common providence but froÌ„ the engagement that he hath laid upon himself by covenant â—nd in this his season of thoughts towards them their sighes and complainingâ— of soul do move him and put him on and actuate his wisdome into experiments And the childreâ— of Israel sighed by reason of bondage they cried their cry came up unto God and God heard their groaning and remembred his covenant and had respect unto them Eminent workinâ—s When God sets himself to deliver a people he comes towards some of them in some eminent working and engages them to go before the people Come therefore and I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou maist bring forth my people Dispâ—siâ—ioâ—s bâ—fâ—rehand When God intends actually to enlarge a people he layes in dispositions beforehand into the hearts of the Princes and Elders so that all their motions shall fall easily into such conjunctures as tend that way And they shall hearken unto thy voice and thâ—u shalt come thou and the Elders of Israel Gods designe upon obstructions When the Lord is upon the work of enlargement and bringing out his people he often allowes the obstructions which their enemies cast in and yet goes on to make up his glorious designe of their impediments And I am sure the King of Epypt will not let you go nâ— not by a mighty hand Mutuall concurrences The Lord in the great designe of leading forth his people acts both the Elders and Ministers into mutuall concurrences and strengthnings of each other that the failing of each may be made up by the others supply And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the people and he shall be to thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God Some experiments eccentrick to Gods time There are oftentimes certain experiments which the people of God make in their way to deliverances before the fulnesse of time come But still there is such a want of correspondency in the things they look for that they make no proceeding but faile being eccentrick to Gods time of successe He supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them but they understood not Successe through disadvantages When God stirs up a people to go out from bondage he gives the enemy the liberty of obstructing and raging and drawes forth his people through many windings and turnings so as their passage is not even and direct but their successe is made up of disadvantages of contrarieties and improbabilities He brought them out after that he had shewed signes and wonders in the land of Egypt The season of seeking God When tidings of publick calamity are abroad then is the season of seeking God and enquiring after sin and putting God in minde of covenants and engagements that hee stands in to his people And they said unto me the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the Province are in great affliction and reproach the wall of Hierusalem also is broken down and it came to passe when I heard these things that I sate down and wept and prayed and I said I beseech thee O Lord remember now these are thy servants whom thou hast redeemed Relations for advantaging the cause of God We must observe all our relations in publick times and see how we are placed for advantaging the cause of God and we must put forward every engagement still keeping an eye upon him for directing our designes to his own ends Prosper I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man for I was the Kings Cup-bearer When to impart the appearances of Gâ—d That which will exceedingly excite the spirits of people to publick endeavours is a wise imparting the severall preparations that God hath made and the appearances of God to the rises and beginnings that are attempted for men are the easilyer drawn to engage there where they see God ingaging first Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me as also the Kings words that he had spoken unto me and they sayed let us rise up and build so they strengthened their hands for this good work Treating with few and a just survey In the first designing of Reformation it is good treating only with few at first and that in secret and to take as just a survey of the necessity as you can And I arose in the night I and some few men with me neither told I any man what God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem neither was there any beast with me save the beast that I rode upon Let your enemies see your interest When the enemies of God are beginning to plot against the endeavours of Reformation the safest is to let them see the interest you rest on and that your judgement and resolution is seated higher then to bee easily taken downe with contempts or scandals or practices But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant the Ammonite and Geshem the Arabian heard it they laughed us to scorn and despised us and said what is this thing that you do will you rebell against the King Then answered I them and said unto them the God of Heaven he will prosper us therefore we his servants will arise and build but you have no portion nor right nor memoriall in Jerusalem Holy preparations foundations for Reformation In the work of Reformation your beginnings and foundations must be layed in prayer and holy preparations the works of God must be advanced in the wayes of God and Reformation must go up in sanctification Then Eliashib the High Priest rose up with his Brethren the Priests and they built the sheepgate they sanctified it and set up the doors of it even unto the tower of
Meah they sanctified it unto the tower of Hananell Watching with both eyes In the practices of the enemy we must watch with both eyes one towards Heaven the other towards the work we have to doe though God is able to fortifie the weakest proceedings and shade them from violence yet we must not so tempt God for extraordinaries as we take not the ordinaries he provides us Neverthelesse we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them The time of the strongest conspiracies The times of the enemies strongest most effectual conspiracies is then when the work of Reformation appears in some successe and preparation But it came to passe that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the wals of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopped then they were very wroth When Reformation is violent When a people are superstitiously principled and Nationally converted reformation is but violent and formall and they turn only by a power from without and not within And yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but fainedly saith the Lord How people coole When the people are all on a flame in Reformation they coole as soon upon intermissions and obstructions for such heats are but moods and passions O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Iudah what shall I do unto thee For your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away As in the time of Elijah when they killed Baals Priests one day and would have killed Elijah the next Dispensations of right principles That a Reformation which is lasting must bee sure to abound with dispensation of right principles and there must such courses be projected as the light may be dispersed amongst the people and interests must be sought for by laying in good principles to work out the bad And with them he sent Levites and they taught in Iudah c. Carnall reasonings in Reformation Take heed of carnall reasonings in Reformation they will soonest weaken the hands for there is scarce any Reformation but it will hold out some parts which may offend the darker side of judgements or opinions there was so much in Ezekiahs as might have stumbled some because the very Serpent which Moses set up was broken down and so much in Christs because he put down Moses and the Law which God himself had given though he did but indeed fulfill it and so much in the Apostles because they were men without learning which turned back the Pharisees and Rulers that they could not believe in him and so much in ours now because old customes and old laws and old traditions are broken down The designe of Fixation In times of Reformation there must be an eminent designe amongst many others and that is the designe of fixation which must be advanced by all spirituall and civill meanes This Kingdome hath most need of that for they have still changed Religion with the change of successors and yet this designe of fixation must be so cautionary and provisionall as may let them out to higher degrees of Reformation this was Israels and Iudahs case a recovering and backsliding with the succession of good and bad Princes Oh Iudah what shall I do unto thee for your goodnesse is as the morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Reformation times Reformation times prove often very hard and expensive times and times of murmuring yet that should not make for discouragement but redresse And there was a great cry of the people some there were that said We have morgaged our lands some also that said We have borrowed money Then I consulted with my self In publick engagements particular interests must be laid by and the yoke of oppressions taken off and the cause of God must take up all they that build their own houses and the Temple together are no fit workmen for a spirituall fabrick I rebuked the Nobles and Elders and said unto them You exact usury restore I pray you unto them their lands and their vineyards A sad Preferment They that are called out to the publick ought to let all their designs and endeavours run in such a chanel as may flow thiâ—ther and not to stream back or aside in any other course It is a sad preferment to be enriched wth the calamity of Church or State and to build up your own ship with the broken planks of the Kingdomes vessels or to settle your own inheritance before the publicks But the former Governours were chargeable unto the people and had taken of their bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver but so did not I because of the fear of the Lord I also continued in the work of the Lord I also continued in the work of the Lord neither bought we any land No hearkening to pretences It is no safe hearkening or turning aside to the pretences of those whom you are not assured of to be cordiall in the work Such only make out either to stand in your way or to break the strength of your applicâ—cations to the publick Then Sanballat and Geshem senâ—t to me saying Come let us meet together bug I sent saying I aâ— doing a great work why should the work cease whilst I leave it Imaginary dangers The fears and jealousies and imaginary dangers are usually the contrivances of the enemy nor ought they to be reckoned further into the common work then cautious for strengthening they that account them as other serve not so much the designe of God as the Enemies For they all made us afraid that we might do so and sin and there they might have matter for an evil report Astonishment from God The more that God is sought to the more of astonishment will the successe have in it and the more wonder and fear will it shed upon the hearts of the despisers Now therefore O my God strengthen my hands and O my God think thou on Tobiah So the wall was finished and they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of God Secret workings The greatest hinderances are the secret and inward workings by such who hold correspondency with some without and if the work be Gods there will be many of these therefore relations alliances dependencies ought to be carefully lookt to for the Enemy winds in at these to betray and act by The Nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah and the letters of Tobiah came to them and there were many in Judah sworne unto him because he was the son in law of Shecaniah Heavenly instruments It is the safest and most harmonious in the work of God to imploy such agents as have much of God in them Heavenly work is the best set on by heavenly instruments Then
I gave my brother Hanaeniah the Ruler of the Palace charge over Jerusalem for he was a faithfull man and feared God above many Neh. 7.2 Publick designations In publick designations to place or imployment it is good ordering and disposing men abroad according to their nearest relations and interests And appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem every one in his watch every one to be over against his own house Neh. 7.3 Originations In the proceedings of the business of God he hath his speciall times of working of new beginnings and originations for God is never at such a losse but he knowes where to begin and therefore we fall very short of Gods designe in doubtings and despondencies seeing that he is so immediate and infinite an Agent as he is And my God put into my heart to gather together the Nobles and the Rulers c. Gods Treasurers Gods work is of that nature that drawes out the strength and contribution of all sorts and God only seems to lay up provisions amongst his people for such a time Men are but treasurers for God and must open their coffers when providence puts the key into their hands And some of the câ—iefe of the Fathers gave unto the worke and that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold c. Neh 7.72 73. Also we made ordinances for us to charge our selvs yearly for the service of the house of our God Neh. 10.32 Scriptures openly consulted It is the surest way to consult the Scriptures of God and finde out the minde of him in every part of our way to Reformation and to draw out those principles there which the people are to work by The more light the multitude see from thence the more firmly and faithfully will they walk And Ezra opened the book in the fight of the people day by day from the first day unto the last day he read in the book of the law of God The mixed or Neutralists There ought to be a godly and faithfull care in the times of Reformation to discriminate and separate those that are mixed or Neutralists for they are such as stand in the way and if the businesse flow into their orbe of negotiation there it sticks and is retarded In those dayes saw I also Jewes that had maried wives of Ashdod of Ammon and Moab and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod and could not speak in the Jewes language And I contended with them and smote them Neh. 13.23 24. Prayer beforehand When we expect God down amongst us to do some great thing for his Church then should be the season of our holy assemblings meetings and it is a signe of Gods immediate following when he sends out a spirit of Prayer and Supplication beforehand Then returned they unto Jerusalem and all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication Act. 1.12 14. Publick appointments In publick appointments there is much godly prudence in selecting those that are not experimentally known amongst us Wherefore of those men which have accompanied with us all the time must one be ordained to be a witnes Act. 1.21 Resort and consociate When evident dangers and obstructions are in the way then it is good for the people of God to resort and consociate and to make the maine part of their designe a communicating of the state of their affairs to God for they relate most to him and it is the fittest to impart to him those impediments what he can only remove And being let go they went unto their own company and when they heard that they lift up their voyce to God with one accord c. Acts 4.23 Differences composed Differences amongst the godly are best healed and composed by the godly and meetings or gatherings of the people of God are remedies very agreeable to the distemper There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples together Spirituall providâ—nce When once the Gospel hath been admitted there must be a spirituall providence used not only for propagating but strengthening and establishing Heard that Samaria had received the word they sent uato them Peter and John An eminent Agent If there be any one agent whom God hath eminently engaged and prospered in his work there ought to be an eminent care for his preservation and accommodation least the light fall out if the candlestick be broken And they watched the gates day and night to kill him then the Disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket Gracious seasons When the Lord gives any gracious seasons to his people from troubles or persecutions those times must be only Spirituall else the people of God come not up to his ends in the mercies received and it may be just with God to break off such seasons when they are no better acknowledged Then had the Churches rest and were edified walking in the fear of the Lord Care in communicating Where any thing is acted by any of the people of God by a more then ordinary light there ought to be much care in communicating and clearing up to the mindes of darker Brethren the reasons and grounds of such actings and no such disputings or contendings as may rather ravell out a controversie then guide into any orderly information And when Peter was come up they of the circumcision contended with him And Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it by order unto them The whole counsels of God It is godly prudence to prepare people in their way to reformation with telling them as well of the Crosse as the Crown and to open the true constitution of things below and this iâ— to publish the whole counsels of God and to lay in a principle of patience and premonition before any thing come to passe They returned again and confirmed the soules of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of Heaven FINIS Rom. 11.33.1 Joh. 5.7 Joh. 5.26 Rev. 8.22 Act. 17.28 Jer. 23.23 34. Rom. 1.20 Psal. 8.5 Ps. 13 5.6 Judg. 16.17 1 Chron. 19.2 Act. 12.20 2 Kings 18.39 Heb. 11 2â— Psal. â—7 â—â— Mat. 3 â— Luk. 17.24 Psal. 97.4 5. Jud. 3.15 Ezra 1.1 â— Nâ—h. 28.18 Esth. 9.1 Mark 16.20 Act. 4.4 1 Cor. 2.10 Exo. 8.19 Num. 17. Josh. 3.15 16 17. Josh. 6.20 Judg. 7 2â— 1 Sam. 17.50 Jud. 15.15 Joh. 9.6 7 Act. 19.12 Act. 5 15. Judg. 6.15 1. Cor. 1.27 28. Maâ— 1.16.17 1 Cor. 1.26 1 Cor. 1.21 Acts 8.1 Dan. 4.20 1 King 19 18. Isa. 55.5 Heb. 11.1 Heb. 11.27 Col. 3. 1 Sam. 27.1 Act. 27.10 Act. 27.22 23 24. Cant. 2.12 13. Can. 5.4 Judg. 5. Isa. 59.2 Ez. â— Joh. 7.17 Jer. 18.7 8. Joh. 16.15 Joh. 1.10 Ephes. 1.15.17 18. Heb. 1.3 2 Cor. 5.19 Isa. 53.2 Pro. 8.22 30. Col. 3.2 3. Job 17.10 21 23 Jer. 31.33 Ezech. 36.26 Heâ— 8. Col. 1.19 Ps. 3â— 20 Cant. 2. Prov. Isa. 29.20 Psal. 48.12 13. Isa. 22.23 Cant. 2.14 2 Chron. 15.13.2 Kings 23 2â— Judg. 5.20 Ezra 1.1 Neh. 2.8 Ezra 7. â—eb 12.8 Neh. 4.12 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 3. 15. 16. Rom. 15. Rom. 15.2 Rom. 14.2 3. Luk. 9. Joh. 8.36 Act 6.5 1 Cor. 7.22 23. Epâ— 2.19 1 Joh. 2.27 Jer. 31.43 Acts 15.2.3 Acts 20.17 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Tim. 2.25 Gal. 6.1 Col. 3.12 Acts 4.18 Can. 2.2 Phil. 3.16 Gal. 6.2 Phil. 3.15.16 Bacon 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 Mat. 12.16 Rev. 17 5 1 Thess. 2.7 Râ—v. 17.17 Psal. 29.3 Cant. 2.17 Hag. 2 7. Exo. 19 9. 1 Kin 19.12 Psal. 50.3 Judg. 6.1 Eze. 37. â— Isay 53. â— Hag. â— 2. Chron. Neh. 7. Judg. 20. 1 Sâ—m 23. Isa 36. 1 Kiâ—g 20.34 Exod. 2. â—3 34 25. Exod. 3.1 Exo. 3. â— Exo. 3.19 Exo. 4.16 Acts 7.25 Act. 7.36 Neh. 1.3 4 5 8 10. Neh. 1.11 Neh. 2.18 Neh. 2.12 Neh. 2.19 20. Neh. 3.1 Neh. 4.9 Neh. 4.7 2 Cro. 3â— Jer. 3.10 Hos. 6.4 2 Cro. 17.8 9. Hos. 64. â— Neh. 5. â— 3.4 7. Neh. 5. â— 8. Neh. 5.16 17. Neh. 6.9 â— 5. Neh. 6.9.10 16 17.18 Neh. 6.1.18 â—ct 6.1 2 â—cts 8.14 Acts 19.24 25. Acts 19.31 Acts 11.2 3. Acts 14.22