Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A43819
|
The season for Englands selfe-reflection and advancing temple-vvork discovered in a sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament at Margarets Westminster, Aug. 13, 1644, being an extraordinary day of humiliation / by Thomas Hill ...
|
Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.
|
1644
(1644)
|
Wing H2027; ESTC R2603
|
33,390
|
45
|
ten hornes that is ten Kingdomes into which the Empire in the time of the last head is rent This Dragon continually watched how to crush the Church of Christ like Pharaoh and Herod in the birth and infancy of it Hee well knows that the advancing of Christs Kingdome in the building of the Temple is the ruining of his usurped Dominion which exasperates him so much that hee will muster up all his Forces to hinder the progresse of it The Adversaries of Temple-work are very subtile and industrious to raise such prejudices against it as may cloud the glory of Reformation This is often whispered though most unjustly as if the Reformers would make not a Renovation but an Innovation and as if they would erect a frame of Church-Government opposite to Civill Authority What the Devill what the Jesuites with all the seed of the Serpent can devise shall bee throwne in as blocks in the builders way they will still do their utmost to cast mountaines of difficulty to keep off Zerubbabel from adding the top stone The cordiall Instruments to carry on Temple-worke are but â—ew in comparison of adversaries and some of them too often either grow weary and sloathfull if not treacherous or being swayed by earnall policy degenerate into selfe-seekings and selfe-servings and others from whom much is expected so miserably divided amongst themselves that in stead of combining against the common Enemy to advance the building of Gods House they fall into sharpe contestations one with another whereby Temple-work is most unhappily obstructed England is like to find the sad experience of this as well as Germany Power and Authority which have the great influence are seldom so happy as to bee imployed and improved readily for God which occasions many delays in Temple-work 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many mighty men not many noble are called either to injoy Salvation in Heaven or to do great Services on Earth Cunning adversaries know how to flatter Princes to abuse their Greatnesse to hinder Goodnesse Diverse of the Persian Governours acted successively in an opposing or hindering the re-building the Temple before a Darius could be found who would resolutely promote the finishing of it There were many Generations of bloody persecuting Nerves amongst the Roman Emperours before one Constantine who would imploy his power to advance the building of the Christian Church God will be All in all and especially acknowledged in Temple-worke and therefore suffer it to bee carryed on through such delayes and difficulties that wee shall have evident reason to cry Grace Grace to the Lord of Hosts as in Zach. 4. 7. In the beginning of this Parliament the Counsels of Reformation did move very vigorously as if the work would have been suddainly done People began to eye the Creature too much and to set up some second causes too high advancing them even into Gods Throne The Lord hath since taken from us by death divers zealous and worthy Instruments and suffered so many intervening rubs to hinder our dispatch of Temple-work that we are taught to eye God more and now to speak this Language The zeale of the Lord of hosts will perform this Isai. 9. 7. If Temple-worke bee not easily not suddenly accomplished Then why should any bee offended with delayes and difficulties in the present work of Reformation Gods glorious works have ordinarily small beginnings are carryed on without externall pompe and for the most part make very slow progresse this possibly may offend carnall spectators but our Saviour pronounces all them Blessed who shall not bee offended in him Matth. 11. 6. How mean so ever hee appeare in his word or in his workes God hath laid the Foundation of a glorious Temple for himselfe in England The work indeed hangs long in our Zerubbabels and Joshuahs hands many are herewith much offended and discouraged Bee pleased to read over the Story of Gods Providences about the building and reforming of his Church from time to time you shall then finde the motion in Temple-work is seldome quick Great works as well as great bodies move but slowly By the good hand of our God upon us there is a beautifull Fabrick of his House as neere as wee can according to the Apostolicall pattern preparing amongst us and some such things are already done towards it as will bee of singular concernment both in reference to the Honour of the Lord himselfe and also to the comfort of the Inhabitants In stead of the High Commission which was a sore scourge to many godly and faithfull Ministers wee have an Honourable Committee that turns the wheele upon such as are scandalous and unworthy In the roome of Jeroboams Priests burning and shining Lights are multiplyed in some dark places of the Land which were full of the habitations of cruelty In the place of a long Liturgie wee are in hope of a pithy Directory In stead of Prelaticall Railes about the Table wee have the Scripture Railes of Church Discipline in good forwardnesse Where Popish Altars and Crucifixes did abound wee begin to see more of Christ crucifyed in the simplicity and purity of his Ordinances In stead of the Prelates Oath to establish their owne exorbitant power with the appurtenances wee have a Solemne Covenant with God ingaging us to indevour Reformation according to his Word yea and the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy it selfe Who could expect that such great matters should bee easily and suddenly effected Yet still you must make account the Devil will bestiâ—re himselfe to ralise all the Forces hee can from Hell or on the Earth to hinder the progresse in this Blessed work and admit your hopes should yet hee deferred however suffer not your Spirits to sinke with discouragement In these delayes the Adversaries may have one designe hoping hereby to undermine the building before it bee finished but the wise God hath another designe herein hee knows how to take the wise in their own craftinesse and through their retardings to carry on Temple-work with great advantage All our delayes and difficulties may prove the Lords method to fetch off peoples Spirits to close more fully with his own work The businesse of Church-Reformation stuck here most of all even in the reluctancy of the peoples minds against it and their indisposednesse to comply with it as in good Jehosophats dayes The high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers 2 Chron. 20. 33. Our Temple-work was no more forward because the hearts of the most of England have been so backward to it Behold here the admirable providence of God how hee hath improved the lengthening of our Troubles Hereby hee hath by little and little moulded peoples spirits to a more plyable disposition and made many much more ready to concurre in the building of the Temple in the Advancing of Reformation When the warres began thousands in England who in a
appeare in his glory Is building Gods house the ready way to obtaine Gods blessings Then as you desire to approve your selves friends to Englands tranquillity take heed you bee not found either Retarders or Vnderminers of the building in these times of Reformation The first Item shall be against Retarders of Temple-work who are of two sorts First prophane Atheists who cannot endure to thinke of any such Reformation as will confine and straiten them in making provision for their lusts There are too many of all rankes who combine in this confederacy They are not onely poore Peasants the prafanum vulgus who quarrell against the strictnesse of Reformation I wish none of our great ones were to bee found in this Catalogue I feare many of our Ministers will help to fill it up When Christ was to come into his Temple there needed a John Baptist to prepare the way to make the mountaines lâ—w and the rough places plaine and all little enough Mal. 3. 2. But who may abide the day of his â—omming and who shall stand when bee appeareth For hee is like a Refiners fire and the Fullers sope In such a posture Christ appeares in England in these Reforming times which makes profane ones who are not willing to be refined retard what they can Secondly Carnall Selfe-Seekers are deeply guilty of retarding Temple-worke you shall find in 2 Tim. 3. 2. 4. there is a wicked Regiment a wretched conspiracy of such men as make the last times perilous In the very front comes selfe-love ver. 2. Men shall bee lovers of their own selves and withall ver. 4. Such as are lovers of pleasures more then of God They who value their carnall-selfe at so high a rate that they will preferre their owne ends their ease their pleasures any thing of themselves before God and his Honour will bee ready upon every occasion to hinder Reformation and will rather imploy their wit and influence to keep down Gods House then that the building of Gods House should occasion the pulling down of their beloved carnall-self The second Item is for underminers of Templework of whom there are likewise two sorts swayed by two different undermining principles First Such who would have nothing jure divino nothing stand by divine right in Church affaires but resolve all wholly into State power and civill policy Gods House will never bee built but by the Line of his own word Moses had the pattern of the Tabernacle Solomon of the Temple and the Apostles of the Christian Church as the Lord directed Doubtlesse there may bee an extreame on both hands some would winde up jure divino too high and seek an expresse institution for those things which are dictated by the very light of reason common to all or wrapped up in the generall Rules of Scripture Others are so much afraid of jure divino that they would turne it out of the Church and bring all to jure humano and so farre subordinate the Church to the State that Jesus Christ the Lord of the house shall not bee allowed either to build or rule his own house according to his 〈◊〉 I confesse it is good to bee wise herein not to put the stampe of Jus divinum upon any thing without cleare warrant from the word of God And withall as you are to bee carefull that you doe not 〈◊〉 prudentials into the Throne of Divine institution so you should beware that you seek not to bring down divine Institutions into meere State prudentials lest you bee found underminers of the Lords Temple Bee not shie of Jus divinum where you have verbum divinum for it The Kingdome of Christ is not inconsistent with any Civill policy which tends to the publick good it never hurts any States but such as do oppose it them indeed it will break all to peeces witnesse the foure Monarchies one after another Secondly Such who would have a toleration of all wayes of Religion in this Church These would lamentably undermine the building of Gods house amongst us as being so contrary to the indevouring of a Scripure reformation unto which wee have so solemnly ingaged our selves Doubtlesse the word of God holds forth one true way of Religion in the Christian Church Let there bee a most exact inquiry what Latitude the Scripture doth allow for different opinions and practises in that one true way But to set the doore so wide open as to tolerate all Religions to make London an Amsterdam which yet some contend for and would now bee content to tolerate Popery it selfe so they might enjoy their own way though not many yeeres since their spirits would have risen at the mention of such a thing in England is such an undermining of the Temple that this would soon pull down Gods house here but never build it up God forbid that any of you should bee sound either retarders or underminers of such a worke If the advancing of Temple-work bee the most compendious way to obtain the blessing of the Lord of Hosts Then Right Honourable and Worthy Senators as you desire to contribute towards England welware quicken your selves and one another to diligence in building the Lords Temple The more you desire to see your own decayed houses and estates repaired and setled bee the more zealous and faithfull in re-building Gods house It may bee the wise God will not suffer you to injoy your Palaces till you have finished the work of Reformation that hee may injoy his Temple I desire you may remember all Gods diverting providences working for your good that your active prudence may bee ingaged for his service Had not the Lord of Hosts diverted the Kings Army from comming up towards London when they had gotten Bristoll and the Earle of New-Castles Forces from comming up to the then Associating Counties when hee set down before Hull yea had not the Lords mighty hand kept Prince Ruperts formidable Army from comming Southward when hee had got so great an advantage by raising the Siege at Yorke how much more sad might Englands condition have been before this time And I hope you will upon this day of humiliation so wisely observe his humbling providences in our present straites and troubles that you may bee awakened to a more serious consideration of your own wayes and in an holy revenge of your former negligence set your selves upon the building of the Lord Christs house O that there were amongst our Nobles and Gentry many more of Davids spirit who made great preparations for the building of the Temple 1 Chron. 22. 5. Yea in his trouble hee prepared for the house of the Lord ver. 14. They have had a large share in these devouring troubles Much of the blood of our Nobles and Gentry hath been spilt and many of their houses and estates ruined in this unnaturall Warre as if the Lord had a speciall quarrell against them intending to staine the pride of