let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that He maintain the cause of his Servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require IN the beginning of this Chapter we read of a General Assembly of the Representative body of the people of Israel thus in verse 1. Then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel and all the heads of the Tribes the chiefe of the Fathers of the children of Israel and verse 2 3. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves and all the Elders of Israel came The special end of this great Assembly is shewed in verse 6. they brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord into his place in the house of the Lord. Upon this occasion Solomon makes a large Prayer for the welfare and prosperity of the people of Israel which begins at the 22 and continues to the 54. verse wherin he mentions all the common Cases which might in changes of time befall the people of Israel and he commends their condition to the Lord for special mercy help in such cases as are expressed in the 37. verse If neâ—â— be famine or pestilence or warrs or captivity if there be these or such like cases and thy people Israel do repent and confess thy Name and praâ—â— then hear thou in heaven and forgive and do for them and hearken to them in all that they call upon â—hee for This is the SuÌ„me of his prayer At the Conclusion of which he pronounceth a solemn blessing upon the Congregation verse 55 He stood and blessed all the Congregation of Isâ—â—â— This blessing of Solomon consists in three things 1 A thankfull acknowledgment of present and former mercy that hitherto the Lord had given them rest verse 56 Blessed be the Lord that 〈◊〉 given â—â—st 〈◊〉 people Israel 2. A renewed Prayer for a threefold blessing to be farther granted boâ—â—at the present and for future times 1 And that he prayes for the gracious presence of God even such a gracious presence of God with them as their fathers had enjoyed verse 57 the Lord our God be with us 〈…〉 with our Father and because his heart was much in this therefore he repeats it againe let him not leave us nor forsake us 2. He payes so Divine assistance verse 58. That he may encline our hearts unto him to walk in his wayes and to keep his Commandements which he Commanded our Fathers 3. His third request is for Divine protection verse 59. Let these my Prayers be high to the Lord our God that his 〈◊〉 the cause of his People Israel which is amplyfied by the end of it that all the People of the 〈◊〉 may know that the Lord is God and that there is none elâ—â—â— verse 60. 3. And thâ—n the last particular wherein he blesseth the People is by Exhorting them to upright waking with God Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God â—o walk in his Statutes and to keep his Commandements as at this aâ—y verse 61. The Text as you see falls within the compass of Solomons blessing upon the representatative body of the People of Israel From the whole you may please to take notice of this Observation in the generall which I shall but briefly touch upon Doct. The Lords gracious presence with his people inclining their hearts to keep his Commandements and maintaining their cause is a Sufficient means to Establish the welfare of such a people even at their own hearts can wish For thus did Solomon bless the heads of the Tribes of Israel and he had the hearts of the whole Congregation going along with him that if the Lord would but grant his presence with them his assistance of them and his protection over them they had enough they could have no more they could be no better in this world And if we our selves now might have our wish if the Lord should say to us as Ahasâ—â—rus to Esther what is thy Petition or as he said sometime to Solomon ask what I shall give thee what could any of us or all of us desire more then this that the Lord our God would be with us as he hath been with our Fathers that he would incline our hearts to keep his Commandements which be Commanded our Fathers and that he would maintaine his own and his Peoples cause amongst us what can be desired and enjoyed by us more then this For doth not Immanuel God with us comprehend our whole good and the keeping of Gods Commandements containe our whole dutyâ— and is not the Lords maintaining the cause of his People enough to keep off whatever might interrupt or hinder us in the performing this duty and enjoying that good wherein the utmost happyness of a People on this side Heaven doth consist Let these requests therefore dwell upon the hearts of all the Lords People let us bear them continually upon our hearts before the Lord that as hitherto so still he may graunt unto all his Servants both Magistrates Ministers and People his Gracious presence divine assistance and divine protection in the times that are come upon us This is the Summe of all that we need or can receive or can desire whilest we are here tossed in the troublesome sea of this World passing to the Haven of eternall rest But I shall not further insist upon this It is another Doctrine which I mainly intend from the latter part of the 59 verse That he maintaine the cause of his People at all times as the matter shall require There are two things need a little opening here 1. What is meant by the cause of his People Israel 2. What is meant by the Lords maintaining the cause of his People at all times as the matter shall require 1. By because of his People â—râ—â— I understand the same which in other Scriptures is called the cause of Gâ—â— Pâ—â—l 74. â—2 Arise O God and plead thy own Cause So that there is a cause of God in the World mark I beseech you there is a cause which is God own cause Aâ—â—se O Lord and plead hâ—â— own â—use And if you please but to castâ—y urâ—ey upon two or three passages of that Psalm we need go no further to understand clearly what is the cause of God 〈◊〉 20. have respect unto the Covenant the cause of God is the cause of his Covenant it is also the cause of his Temple the dwelling place of his name verse 7. and further it is the cause of his Church verse 2. Remember thy Congregation which thou hast purchased of old thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed this mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelâ— i. e. his Church and so in the 8 verse you read of the Synagogues of God in the Land Now the very same was the cause of his People Israel for the speciall end of the great assembly mentioned in this Chapter it was to
THE CAUSE OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE IN NEW-ENGLAND as it was STATED and DISCUSSED IN A Sermon Preached before the Honourable GENERAL COVRT of the MASSACHVSETS COLONY on the 27 day of May 1663. Being the Day OF ELECTION at BOSTON By JOHN HIGGINSON Pastor of the Church of Christ at SALEM Mat. 22.21 And Jesus said unto them render unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto GOD the things that are Gods 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God Honour the King 1 Chron. 12.32 And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding in the times to know what Israel ought to do CAMBRIDG Printed by Samuel Green 1663. Christian Reader THe Curse of God and his people which is the subject of this following Pious and Elabourate discourse never 〈◊〉 more â—â—lp from Heaven nor more servant prayers from earth to be put up to the God of heaven for then aâ—â—aming of it tâ—â—◠〈◊〉 this time For some there are and not a sin that are so engaged to their own interests that leâ— the cause of God and his people sink or swim they care not so their own â—nds be compassed and their own designe projects may find sure fooâ—â—ng and these are your self-loving worldly politiciâ—ns that are of this world as Christ speaks and savour nothing but the things of the world and seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ Others there are so dissolute and prophane are risen up to such as height of impiety that they do no more regard this Cause than the airâ— under then â—â—et they are so around in drink other sensual deliâ—hts his and are so heightned in their Oaths blaspheâ—â—â— and other abominations thaâ— God and his peoples câ—â—se are not in their thoughts 〈◊〉 if at any time this câ—â—se come into them 〈◊〉 as it is only to cast the foulest persâ—â—â—â— they can upon it and to be spatter 〈◊〉 with the baâ—â—st obliquies and 〈◊〉 speeches that the Devil their own cursed hearts can invent and to persecute it wiâ—â— tongue 〈◊〉 and heart hand to the highest degree of persecution even unto bloud and slâ—ughter though when they have done all that ever they 〈◊〉 they shall not be able to 〈◊〉 the cause nor the faithfull servants of Christ that â—â—â—ck 〈◊〉 but as the Primitive believers said of persecuting Nero Nero may kill us but he cannot hurt us so may we say now Others there are that seem to own this cause and adventure much this way and may not only be willing to lose their liberty estates the favour of great freinds but go further also yet afterward turn away draw back and these are hypocrites which are either taken with the eye-lids of the aluring harlot the world in the profits pleasures honours of it or else are afraid of her frownes discouragements after all their former sufferings they have ventured so far but dare go no further and so lise all they have wrought and suffer in vain these are not true to the caâ—se of God and his people and by their puting away a good conscience and wanâ— of self-denial make shipwrack of the faith and cause we speak of Only there is a very few sincere ones that hold their own and in the worst times deale pâ—â—â—ently and discern both time and judgment and are valiant for this câ—â—se All which duty weighed and seriously considered no wonder that this holy man of God being guided by his Spirit made choise of this subject to preach upon in that great Assembly at the Court of Election now in these dayes wherin so many turne their backs of God and set themselves so desparately against Hâ—â— his peoples cause I was to starâ— us all up to besiege beleagâ—â— the â—â—râ—e of Grace now in thâ—se last and peâ—ilâ—us dayes and times to awake stand to maintaine this cause to shew forth his Almighty power in crushing all the designes and out-plotting all the plots of Sathan his instruments that undermine this cause and the Lord help us all to attend what God by his Spirit speaks to us and now if ever to pray give God no rest â—ll this cause be maintained against the faces forces of all its enemies The Sermon when preached was acceptable to all and found general approbation among all the wise-hearted and godly so far as we have heard Reader thou hast iâ— to peruse read it understand thy time according to it let the cause of God and his people lie neerer to thine heart then ever and let thy soâ—l awake more to be a Prince with God to prevaile that this cause may be main aâ—ed upheld against all the powers of darkness and all the conspiracies of men on earth and devills in hell that it may be victorious ride in triumph till Christ come who will own is before the whole world and them that have stood for it though it have cost them dear from those that have been the dâ—spisers of it We have no more to say but to desire from our hearts that the blessing of heaven may go along with the labour of his Servant in this work and that be we and whosoever read it may find this fruit that we may tread in this wise Kings steps who prayed so fervently that God would maintain his cause his peoples alwayes as the matter shall require Prayer of Faith opens all dores prevailes for all blessings hath such power with God that it never comes away empty but as that renowned Emperour said that he never sent any suâ—er â—â—d wâ—â— from his presence so we may be sure that the Lord will do to them that sue to him giving them all that they seek to him for especially in maintaining his own and his peoples cause which he cannot sâ—e forsaken and will not send his suiters and suppliants sad away from him they are bidden to come with boldnesse to â—he Throne of Grace One word more we have done Jesus Christ that great Favourite by whom both our persons and prayers are accepted and this cause comes to be maintained for the much Incense that he offers up with the prayers of all Saints prevailes ever for us this cause when it and we the honour of both are laid most in the dust To this Lord Jesus with the blessed Father and Eternal Spirit be Glory and Power everlasting Amen Thine in Him who is â—oâ— Love and Life John Wilson Senior Samuel Whitâ—ng THE CAUSE OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE IN NEW-ENGLAND Stated and Discussed 1 King 8.57 58 59. The Lord our GOD be with us as He was with our Fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us That be may encline our hearts unto him to walke in all his wayes and to keep his Commandements his Statutes and his Judgments which he Commanded our Fathers And
the cause of God and his People amongst uâ— be not seasonable I leave to the consideration of â—his â—wful and 〈◊〉 Aâ—sâ—h And I hope â—n the Lord I shall say nothing about it but what might be more abundantly made out by Scripture light and what the generallity of all the People of God not engaged unto parties will readily subscribe unto First then in the general the cause of God and his people amongst us is the Cause of Religion I say the cause of Religion 〈◊〉 the profession and practize of the one true Religion to be in all thing according to Gods Word This was the cause of God and Israel then the same is the cause of God and his people now To keep and seek for all the Commandements of God To walk in his waies and to keep his Commandements which he Commanded our Fathers as it is in the text that every thing in Doctrine Worship and Discipline be conformed unto and regulated by the rule of the word This is the Cause of God and his People in New-England in the Generall But that it may be more clearly understood let me propound it more particularly both in the Negative what this cause is not and in the Affirmative what it is And first Negatively It is 1. Not the getting of this Worlds good 2. Not Separation from other Churches 3. Not a toleration of all Religions 1. Not the getting of this Worlds good The cause we are speaking of it never was it is not now the getting increasing of this worlds good Our Saviour Christ hath commanded seek first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness therof and all other things shall be added Mat. 6 33. Accordingly when the Lord stirred up the spirits of so many of his people to come over into this wilderness it was not for worldly wealth or a better livelyhood here for the outward man the generallity of the people that came over professed the contrary nor had we any rationall grounds to expect such a thing in such a wilderness as this And though God hath blessed his poor people here with an addition of many earthly comforts and there are that have encreased here from small beginnings to great estates that the Lord may call this whole generation to witness and say O generation see the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto you Jer. 2.32 O generation see look upon your towne fields look upon your habitations shops and ships and behold your numerous posterity and great encrease in the blessings of the Land Sea have I been a wilderness unto you we must needs answer No Lord thou hast been a gracious God and exceeding good unto thy Servants ever since we came into this wilderness even in these earthly blessing we live in a more plentifull comfortable manner then ever we did â—xâ—â—ct But these are but additions they are but additionall mercies it was another thing and a better thing that we followed the Lord into the wilderness for My Fathers and Brethren this is never to be forgotten that New-England is originally plantation of Religion not a plantation of Trade Let Merchants and such as are increasing Cent per Cent remember this Let others that have come over since at several times understand this that worldly gain was not the end and designe of the people of New-England but Religion And if any man amongst us make Religion as twelve and the world as thirteen let such an one know he hath neither the spirit of a true New-England man nor yet of a sincere Christian 2. Not Separation from other Churches either in our own or other countries I say not separation from any thing good in other Churches whether truth of Church estate or any Doctrine professed or any Ordinance administred so far as it was or is agreeable to the word of God We deny not the being of Churches where many things are wanting to their well-being We distinguish between the corruptions and disorders of Churches and the Churches themselves We profess communion with not separation from the Churches of Christ in lawfull things They are the European Churches in which that numerous company of 144000. are said to stand with the â—amb upon mount Sion Rev. 14.1 and these are said to â—â—â—p the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus verse 12. It is the doctrine and worship of the Reformed Churches comming out of Popery which are said to be as a Sea of glass man led with 〈◊〉 Râ—â— 15.2 if gâ—â—â— then they are not clear as Cristall as those in the Primitive times Chap. 4 6 and yet not as the blood of a dead man as those under Popery Châ—â— 16.3 it 〈◊〉 a Sea of glâ—ss mingled with â—â—r the fire of persecution withâ—ut and of contention within and yet they that stand upon this Sea have gotten the victory over the Beast and have the Harpes of God in their hands and are accepted of the Lord. The end of our comming hither was a reformation only of what was amiss or defective in the churches we came from from which we made no separation but a locall secession only into this wilderness with true desires and endeavours after a more full Reformation according to Gods word 1. Not a toleration of all Religions or of the Heresies Idolatries of the age we live in I say not a toleration of these so farr as wee have liberty and power for to help it How inconsistent would such a toleration be with the love of the one true Religion revealed in the word of God would not such a state be guilty of having other Gods where such a toleration is is it not the end of Civill Authority that men may live a quiet peaceable life in godliness as well as honesty but not in the wayes of ungodliness no more then in the wayes of dishonesty in a word the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath a right paramount all rights in the world it hath a Divine Supream right to be received in every Nation and the knee of Magistracie is to bow at the name of Jesus This right carryes liberty along with it for all such as profess the Gospel to walk according to the Faith Order of the Gospell That which is contrary to the Gospel hath no right and therefore should have no liberty But the Lawes which have been made by the Civill Government here with respect unto Religion whereby you have declared your professed subjection to the Gospel and your non-toleration of that which is contrary thereunto this will be a name and a glory to New-England so long as the Sun and Moon endure And so much for the Negative what the cause of God and his People amongst us is not viz not this Worlds good not separation not a toleration 2. Now in the second place for the Affirmative if my weakness was able to shew you what the Cause of God and his People in New-England is according to its divine
the Corinthians to mind Vnion 1 Cor. 1.11 I beseech you Brethren by the name of the Lord Jesus that there be no divisions amongst you but that you be perfectly Joyned together in the same Judgment and the same mind and that you speak the same thing To the same purpose he hath a most passionate Exhortation to the Philippians in Chap 2 1 2. if there be any Consolation in Christ if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill you my joy that you be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minâ— and sometimes when he saw little hopes of it upon Earth he looks up to the Lord in heaven beseeches him to grant this mercy to his Churches and People as in Rom. 15.5 Nâ—w the God of patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one to another according to Christ Jesus that with one mind and one mouth ye may Glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ All which may leave a strong conviction upon us that this belongs to the Cause of God and his People that there be a spirit of Vnion and Communion amongst us in the things of Christ and though it be the priviledg of some times when the Lord shall fulfill those prophecies in an eminent way that his People shall serve him with one consent and that the Lord shall be one and his name shall be one yet this is the duty of the People of God at all times especially at this time in this place to endeavour Vnion that so far as is possible we may be of one judgment of one heart and one way in all the Churches of the Saints Hence there should be no affecting of dividing names and parties amongst us but all should be for this that the Lord may be one and his name but one Hence also it is desireable that one Catechisme one confession of Faith and one Covenant were agreed upon and used in the severall Churches as a meanes of consent And hence again so farr as the Lord gives liberty there should be a frequent use of Councils amongst us to enquire after the mind of God and his word according to the pattern in Acts. 15. and other Scriptures It s true that in times of Popery there was great abuse of Councils yet it is as true that in divers of the first Centuries there was great advantage to the truth by meanes of Councils and in somewhat above the last hundred years the work of Reformation was much promoted by the Godly Councils and conference of Reformers It is a known passage of Melancton Vâ—ximus in Synodis et jam mortemur in illis They were constantly searching the Scripture that they might reform all according to that and before them the Churches of the Waldenses for many hundreds of years walking in the simplicitie of the Gospel they had then frequent Councils and their generall â—ouncils every year nor is there any one point more frequently insisted on in the writings of our Divines of the Congregationall way then this of the right use of Councils Not that the judgment of a Synod bindes any further the 〈◊〉 hath Conformity with the Scriptures but Counsels are a meane which the Lord hath appointed and promised to bless for clearing up of the truth and uniting his People therein It is true the best of Men may erre and there being divers measures of light and grace there cannot but be different apprehensions in some things and therefore where there is not so full an agreement as was to be desired it is our duty to forbear one another in love so farr as we have attained walking by the same rule minding the same thing leaving other things to God time Phil. 3.15.16 that is now when all Gods meanes have been used and yet some lesser things remain controversall amongst pious and sober men who agree in the maine there is the place for Christian forbearance not in order to separation but in order to union for so the Apostle joynes them together Ephe. 4.2 3. in lowlyness and meeknes forbearing one another in love and endeavouring to keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace In one word union is to be endeavoured because the truth is but one and forbearance is to be used because of the weaknes of men which yet is as far from a toleration of a false Religion as the East is from the West Thus I have shewed you as my weaknes was able what the cause of God and his people amongst us is Affirmatively it is Reformation a progress in reformation and the Vnion of Reformers Now I shall add but this one thing more That this cause hath a Divine right and a Divine liberty adjoyned unto it according to the law of liberty the Royall Law of God as it is called James 2.8 12. i. e. Right from God and liberty from God for his people to do their duty to God and Christ in matters of Religion according to Gods word Nor is there any power upon earth that can lawfully hinder this And this is the cheif interest of New England i. e. it is the matter of greatest importance in it self and of greatest concernment unto us The one true Religion according to Scripture being the only meanes to the highest end the glory of God and the salvation of soules and therefore what ever may be said of our interest in other respects yet we may be sure of this that here lyes our predominat interest cause and the great end for which we came into this wilderness and continue in it And so much for the Use of Information Vse 2. It is for Direction if the times be such and the case be such as the maintaining of the Cause of Religion doth need and require more then ordinary help from the Lord himselfe then it serves to teach all that are sincerely affected unto this cause what course we should take for the maintaining of it and that is this to commend this cause unto Iehovah himself beseeching him that he would maintain his own and his people Cause both now at this time even as the matter doth require and hereafter at all times as the matter may require Me thinks I look upon this present Assembly as in its proportion resembling that great assembly of the People of Israel mentioned in the text Here are the heads of our Tribes the Honoured Magistrates and Deputies of this Colonie the Reverend Elders of the Churches and a multitude of other Godly People and I am perswaded you are affected to this Cause as that Assembly was your desire is to see Religion flourish and the Cause of God and his People be maintained amongst us I need not tell you what the times are shaking times and trying times wherein the cause of Religion is endangered on every side I desire onely to discharge the duty of a poor Servant of the Lord and yours by putting you in