honour of the Kingdome and of this service In the text 1 Preface to the speech 2 matter of the speech The preface in this word Take heed It s an item both strong or spiritous and pregnant or comprehensive Now take heed i.e. if ever thou didst attend heare now and if ever thou didst seriously minde and intend any thing take what I am saying into thy most ponderous thoughts and most vigorous resolution as a businesse of greatest concernment and importance which ever did or can come under thy hand The matter of the speech is 1 A commission 2 A charge The commission The Lord hath chosen thee to build c. This is the enforcement of Solomon to this work warrant of Solomon to this work encouragement of Solomon to this work He may hee must doe it because commanded and hath This to encourage 1 Hee is chosen to it it s a choyce favour 2 By God Here is the highest coÌ„missioÌ„ best security 3 To build him an house it was the most honourable service that could be My purpose is to speake chiefely of the charge In which two things are required of Solomon 1 resolution Be strong 2 execution Doe it The first is Resolution The word expressing it importeth a vigorous and magnanimous will a will intensely and couragiously bent to the businesse so set to it that no disswasions slowth feare policie covetousnesse ficklenesse nor any other thing might cause either diversion or cessation or interruption So wee have Davids owne comment upon his owne words Be strong and of good courage dread not nor be dismayed 1 Chron. 22.13 and verse 20. of this 28. Chapter Be strong and of good courage and do it feare not nor be dismayed for the Lord God will be with thee hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee untill thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. David in his zeale and wisedome endeavours to beget a fixed resolution in his sonnes heart For 1 Resolution is the life of action 2 We are apt above all works to be slack in Gods 3 The nature of the work required resolution 1 Gods work This requires our best strength 2 Great work 1 Chr. 29.1 carefull painefull chargeable 3 A new work And new works are often entertained either with ficklenesse fearfulnesse The second part of the charge is execution Doe it Which hath in it a tye to 3 things Do it 1 presently 2 fully the word is perfice 3 regularly The house must not be built after his fancie but Gods modell David gave to Solomon his sonne the patterne of c. ver 11. the patterne which he had by the spirit ver 12. Matters of worship are never left to mans liberty God onely appoints the matter manner and meanes of his worship And these are like a connex proposition wherof the denial of one part is the denial of the whole Though wee offer true worship for the matter if yet according to mans will or reason God doth not owne it Es 1.12 13 14. Esay 58. If a man order his Taylor to make him a sute though he bring the garment for kind according to order but for fashion and size otherwise it s not allowed That which I commend out of these words is that they that are chosen of God to do great things for him should resolve and doe them First of the resolution This must be when any thing is committed of God to us to be done for him Reasons Iosh 1.6.7.9.18 Deut. 31.6 1 Sam. 4.9 1 Chro 22. â—9 2 Chro 15.7 Hag 2.4 1 Where no resolution is raised upon a matter proposed there is either reluctance which clearely ought to be farre from us when God commandeth or pendulousnesse of heart This also hath no just place in this case For the heart is never rationally pendulous and wavering but in things dubious Now all doubts which give a stop or barre to the will are either from Conscience or Prudence If the question be in the conscience it must be concerning either the lawfulnesse of the thing in respect of the substance or circumstances in which case its impossible but that the heart by how much the better it is should be in a wavering and trembling state being dubious qâ—ad duas vias as a man at two wayes not knowing which to choose But in things committed of God to us here can be no such quaeres because he is supreame the Lord Judge and rule of all Or else the question is whether the thing be necessarie And indeed often things come with warrant without command In which case men have a latitude and may and doe act or not act sometimes out of meere liberty sometimes upon intercurrent reason But when God appoints here is no roome left for such agitations but the case is cleare all things commanded are necessary Gods command is the rule and spring of necessity Sometimes the question may be in prudence humane prudence is an intruding medler in Gods matters and it is of use when it followeth the rule and so leades the action But there be two evills which usuall fee carnall wisedom to be of their counsell 1 Earthly affections and respects 2 Unbeliefe 1 So far as any thing in this world is a mans end he is apt in every businesse to ask what wil it profit what advantage doth it bring to me great men say if the Churches be so or so ordered what compliance will it have with our honour power wealth Unprofitablenesse is a strong plea with men Haman knew the force of this Engine when hee to oppose the Jewes said There is a certaine people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of thy Kingdome and their lawes are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings laws therfore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them if it please the King let it be written that they may be destroyed Hest 3.8.9 The like arrow did they sharpen and discharge against his people Ezr. 4. from 11. to 16. The people also have the like spirit weighing all by this rule of gaine and earthly advantage Job 21.15 What profit should wee have if we pray unto him and the Prophet accuseth them of his time Yee have said it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that wee have kept his ordinances Mal. 3.14 And certainly the argument is good when well applied for nothing is good but what is profitable and every way or order of Churches which is indeed unprofitable is worthy to be refused God useth arguments of like importance against their devised worship What profiteth the graven image Hab. 2.18 But now none can plead unprofitablenes in the things of God For what ever is of him is profitable to all and doth not include any hurtfull quality or power of it self to any sorts or ranks of men in the world godlines is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 The
word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth right worship This is profitable to all things to the honour strength wealth and peace of all men but I urge not much the etymologie Let no man think hee shall lose when Christ gaines yet I heare men complaine if this be the way which some ayme at and if the old Fabrick stand not I shall lose much of mine honour another cryeth I shall lose my power another I shall lose my revenewes But let men distinguish betwixt losses reall and imaginary it 's not alwayes losse to part with what we have enjoyed 1. When we had no propriety or just title 2. When the things did us good in shew but hurt in truth 3. When the thing is changed and made better 4. The supposed losse is recompensed by a greater good I will not apply these now What if things goe on thus or thus must needs learning die for want of reliefe Shall contempt and poverty indeed cloath the Ministry and cannot Gods house and the Kings stand together Did not the Temple and the Palace agree well in Hierusalem certainly Religion is the greatest gaine and strongest pillar of the State For this puts all into their due order and order gives beauty and strength and makes things most vigorous and lasting Therefore here is no just cause for carnall prudence to complaine or the truly prudent to demur but when God commands resolve and doe it 2 Unbeliefe comes in and will be heard and this crieth it's impossible and indeed if it can be made good that a thing is indeed impossible the attempt of it is unreasonable This was Sauls plea to David to take him off from encountring with Goliah Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a youth and hee a man of warre from his youth 1 Sam. 17.33 And it 's Christs counsell to compare our power and our work Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not downe first and counteth the cost whether hee have sufficient to finish it lest happily after hee hath layd the foundation and is not able to finish all that behold it begin to mock him Luk. 14.28 29. It 's good when men goe to build an house for God to see both their strength and their weaknesse you will thus finde the work possible and you may finde it difficult But difficulties should add heat height to Christian spirits Gods work is not to be sold for ease If you think it impossible you cannot move with quietnesse and vigor of intentions and endeavours Num. 14.1.2 We find the people in their travels weeping crying murmuring But for what Wee have the cause Cap. 13.32 the spies cast the block of impossibility in their way for they said Wee are not able to goe up against the people for they are stronger then wee Let it be considered how impertinent and unreasonable it is to object impossibilities to Gods command 2 Reason Consider what resolution is It 's a firme efficatious will to prosecute some thing as worthy and necessary For where worth and necessity doe not enforce the will is not bent Hence I inferre 1 That where men resolve not on Gods work the vote of their minde and thoughts is that it is needlesse and worthlesse And hee cannot be good that commands not good so it amounts to a rejecting of God 2 As resolution is from reason so non-resolution and reluctance therefore when God prevailes not in his demands something is at that time of more weight with us then God 3 When men purpose not they want root to give life to their endeavours For resolution is the efficatious spring of action A worke undertaken without resolution will want a two-fold excellencie 1 It will not be compleat an arrow weakly shot will fall short of the mark 2 Nor constant weak things are short liv'd 3 Reason God looketh more at the will then the work For so much wil so much strength so much truth What is obedience but an act of the will and by how much our actions exceed our wills by so much the more we are hypocrites in the things which we doe Therefore I conclude this first branch of the point that resolutions are necessary to such whom God chooseth to doe his work The second branch is execution This also is necessary when God calls to work it 's not enough to resolve but we must doe it Reason 1. Else resolution is not onely vaine but hurtfull encreasing our sin 1. Because here sin is against much light the command must needs come with much evidence when it wrappeth the will into such an height 2 Against much engagement For a resolution upon a command hath the force of a covenant The covenant of eternall life is made by the tacit and inward working of the will which is the answer of a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 2.21 By internall acts we speak to God those silent motions are the language by which we converse with God as by words with men men may pray when they say nothing And so they may promise to God when they onely purpose the yeelding of the heart to the command is speaking in effect that in 1 Kings 5.5 I purpose to build an house is in the Hebrew and in the margin I say So that not to fulfill our purposes is to falsifie our word with God Purposes are expressed by cleaving Acts 11.23 Resolution in the things of God is the wedding and betroathing of the heart to them therefore after to desert them is to be guilty of an unjust and violent divorce Reason 2. Not purposes but actions are recompenced Indeed where we have after our purposes for God either a discharge or a prohibition from God either by 1 Word or 2 Providence Leaving the thing clogged with impossibilities there good purposes are accepted though they be not acted so it was in Davids case 2 Sam. 7. But where we can there except we obey the command even to execution of it God will not recompence our purposes Yea we cannot make up our losse by resolution which we sustaine by not acting Therefore we when we resolve must performe the doing of it that as there is a ready minde to will so there may be a performance also 2 Cor. 8.11 Reason 3. God purposeth and doth performe to us Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which hee promised by the hand of Moses his servant 1 Kings 8.56 See how constant and punctuall God is and what a perfect harmony betwixt his word and work what he purposeth he compleatly performeth Joshua expresseth it yet more fully Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed Chap. 23.14 Therefore wee also should
us all to put your hands to this great and desired vvork take heed vvhat you doe because you are in stead of the nation so that vvhat you doe is nationall I shall speak to you in the vvords vvhich Jehosophat spake to the Judges Take heed what you doe for you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be upon you take heed and doe it 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Take heed that no modell be commended or commanded by you but vvhat you have from the Lord. It vvas a gracious commission and licence vvhich Artaxerxes gave the Jewes What shall seeme good to thee and to thy brethren that doe after the will of your God Ezr. 7.18 Whatsoever is commanded of the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven for why should there be wrath against the Realme of the King and his sonnes ver 23. You see your vvork resolve therefore and doe it But let me tell you vvhat kinde of resolutions you must have 1 Firme I have great boldnesse to presse this for vvee have rich and joyfull experience of your courage patience and long suffering And you have shewed more zeale for God then ever yet appeared in al your predecessors And we cannot but say with Ezra Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing as this into your hearts to beautifie his house Cap. 7.27 Wee are free from feares of you that it should be with Christs servants as it is said of some that they are men in the on-set and women in the mayn fight as rash spirits use to be like some creatures which quickly lose their sting and grow dull Maintain your resolutions You have cause for 1 The work is great It is for God and for the erecting of the house and throne of Christ and for the redeeming of captivated truths captivated ordinances and captivated Saints Men venture hard for great things You cannot have greater things to cause you to quit your selves like men Vlysses went back to the Cyclops den to fetch his cap and girdle put on courage to redeem from the Cyclopean power that which is the glory of Christ the blessing of the Land the crowne of Majestie and the joy of the Saints The Heathen were very zealous for their Country and their Gods Aeneas left his goods yea his father to carry out his gods in a time of danger and for this had the name of Pius Aeneas When once the Capitoll was in danger by a siege because their bowes wanted strings the women to preserve their gods cut off their hair to make strings Is not our God better then these Shall we not be as stout for Christ as they for idols The peace welfare of many thousands depends upon your resolute prosecution of this matter And not onely wee that now live but succeeding ages shall blesse you your names shall be as a precious ointment to the children yea the childrens children yet unborne According to that in Psal 102.18 This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. 2 Your our adversaries were resolute in their season no relation worth entreaties mediations submissions lawes nor any thing could mollifie their spirits or stop the torrent of their cruelties they went on without feare And now consider had not they a harder pull then you that did work against God and man what is their fruit but shame but the recompence of your faithfull service shall be your eternall glory with God and man 3 It s high time to resolve Are not things bad enough yet Then stand still and see the sad remaines of religion and your brethrens lives utterly consumed before your eyes Cast your eyes upon the house of God among us What darknesse what pollution what tyranny dwels here Look not with a generall but a distinct view on this house Behold 1. The matter of it Is it not an uncomely confused heape of stubble and straw and wood and silver and gold our own houses are built with more judgement and choyce I have feared lest our judgement should have beene that of the outward Court Apoc. 11.2 to be left out and given to the Gentiles to be troden under foot for we have beene like it all sorts have beene received without difference 2. Behold the order of the house shall I speake of this before you Then see 1 the rulers Their conversation is in your eye and hand but take in their Commission also Who sent them see if those arguments which wee use against the papall power turne not as darts into their breasts Certainly their title is best at lowest It s safest for them to claime it from the earth lest by letting that goe to claime it from heaven they prove to be like Icarus who by soaring too high did melt his wings and was drowned in the Deeps Camelus cornua quaerens amisit aures The Camell seeking horns lost his eares And they cannot justly complaine if they fall in the sute because they rely upon a forged title 2 See their government Hath it not beene like the Sive or Bolter which retaines the Branne and works out the flower are not the best things and persons cast forth and the worst retained yea and because wee had not evills enough which yet did grieve and presse the spirits of thousands what superinductions of evill upon evill have we had altars bowings c. Yet all were brought in with colour of order decencie devotion But they were like those Mice and Emeraulds of gold which the Philistines offered with the Ark 2 Sam. 6.4 I assure you I love not invectives nor is any thing more contrary to my spirit nor would I say this but that if we be silent their dead inventions would out-cry us and condemne us They pretended Religion in all and zeale for God obtruded them as if they had had the broad seale of heaven for them As Rabsecah called those idolatrous Altars which Hezekiah took away the Lords altars Es 36.7 The Jewes Groves were called Ashera a name importing happinesse but it s an antiphrasis as the Oestrich is called Chasida Job 39. And as lucus a non lucendo mons a non movendo I should not speak but that I am constrained Dant animum ad libere loquendum ultimae miseriae Liv. Extreame miseries make men not afraid to speake freely Be not alwayes oh ye worthies spectators and partners in these calamities Is it not time to lay it to heart and to keepe it there till the full sence of these evills cause you to be sick and to vomit them up for ever Is the house of God right where oppression is in power superstition in credit luxurie and idlenesse in favour ignorance loved pride fostered prophanenesse allowed negligence harboured covetousnesse cherished How think you will our God longer
abide such an habitation where his servants children ordinances are cast out Me thinks the voyce of our great ones hath been like that of the heathen Exeant Christiani exeant Christiani let the Christians goe out As it 's said of Jeroboam so it 's true of them Hee drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sinne a great sinne 2 Kings 17.21 Avolare fecit Hee made them fly away from the Lord. Oh what sinne hath beene by their counsell example hires feares lawes Others that would not fly from the Lord have fled from their Country to seeke that in a strange land which they could not but ought to have had at home Hagar the bondwoman and her children were in possession but the free woman and her children either in persecution at home or in exile abroad And was that trash which they have brought in a fit price for the peace of our consciences the sweetnesse of our estates friends and Country Will you then in zeale for God and pitty to your brethren and to your selves take up a resolution to vindicate our injuries and their insolencies Be strong and doe it 2 As your resolutions must be firme so they must be spirituall From higher principles then humane prudence Our evills are sore grievances indeed yet more afflictive to our consciences then to our sences Look on them not only as pressures on us but as sinnes against God ease us by righting him lest you be found to worke for your selves and not for him Then men serve Christ indeed when they make him not onely the exemplary cause but the finall Doe what you doe not because you must onely both in prudence and in conscience but doe it for his glory as David Solomon in building the house intended the name of the great God 1 Kings 8.17 2 Chron. 2.1 4. Spirituall ends are most noble and most strong 3 They must be willing it 's true there can be no resolutions simply unwilling But acts of the will are either mixt or mere Mixt are such wherein upon different respects the will hangs both wayes so a man may upon some reason resolve on that which he fully abhorreth as in a gangraene to endure the excision of a limb But to resolve thus for God is rather to be patients then agents for him it s rather to be sick of God then true to him Labour for Davids spirit who set his affection to the building of the house 1 Chron. 29.3 Be not onely subject to God but zealous for him It was Davids temper who was the type The zeale of thine house hath eaten me up Psal 69.9 And Christs temper who is the substance Ioh. 2.17 worke as friends If it be onely in your heads it will vanish but the impressions of love are deepe Say with Moses The Lord is my strength and song and he is become my salvation hee is my God and I will prepare him an habitation Exod. 15.2 Zeale will make you men of might and your counsells and endeavours as an arrow shot from a strong arme which returneth not empty 4 Speedy For 1 It 's the greatest worke you have to doe Therefore give it priority quick dispatch I know you are wise I prescribe not an absolute order Important things are often respectively such A lesse thing in it self may be at some time of greatest importance of right should be first admitted Do what you can Christ will be content to stay till you can doe his businesse But still minde this and ayme at this and do all in order to this I may say to you as David to Ahimelech The Kings businesse requireth haste 1 Sam. 21.8 Doe things in Christs order Seek first the Kingdome of heaven You may mind your owne houses but not too much say with David See now I dwell in an house of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtaines 2 Sam. 7.2 God stands much upon time and expects to be first served Therefore he chides the Jewes and sorely punisheth them for breach of this order Is it time for you oh yee to dwell in your seiled houses and this house lie wast Hag. 1.4 It 's an angry speech Other causes may and must wayt say to them as Nehemiah when hee was building an house for God I am doing a great work so that I cannot come downe why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you chap. 6.3 I confesse that things that are first in intention are last in execution but then they are still moving till they come to perfection 2 Delayes are dangerous For 1 affections may coole the best may and the rest will Some men are hot as fire others as iron rather heated then hot take the season and strike while the iron is hot God sometimes for some oportunity of service gives a fervour of spirit but if the lock of oportunity be cut off you will as Sampson lose your strength and become like other men Judg. 15.5.17 2 Rubs rise by delayes A subtill enemie if hee have but the onely advantage of time will gaine much even in a desperate cause And they say the bitings of dying beasts are most deadly 3 Wee are speedy with God Lord heale her now saith Moses Numb 12.13 And David crieth for haste Oh my strength haste thee to help mee Psal 22.19 And God doth make haste to our good Es 16.5 For love is quick 4 God hath stayed long 5 Unanimous Let there be none adverse slothfull unfaithfull fearefull You have the honour and we the happinesse of a blessed conspiration of your hearts and hands hitherto Be still one and more one That you may meet as many streames in one channell and prove a conquering torrent Sands are small things yet being united they can break the proudest ships Christ is among you and knoweth whose hearts are with him he seeth and heareth all your counsels motions debates and votes Hee will say to the faithfull Well done good faithfull servant but to others had it not been for thee such a cause of mine had prospered such servants of mine relieved my house had been built but thy hand was against it By how much the greater you are by so much the more you owe let it not be said of you others were willing but their nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord. Nehem. 3.5 I draw to an end To quicken you to the work Consider You may doe this thing Christ may have his house built You have power of 1 Ability 2 Authority You cannot think our present discipline is by divine law then you may remove except you think it most convenient But how is that convenient which Ministers good men bad men almost all men have complained of You may by your power make it necessary but it will never be convenient and how ill will the oxen draw when their yoakes gall them You have seene the experience of this discipline these rites and orders for many