Mountain and bring wood and build the House and I will take pleasure in it and I will bee glorified saith the Lord IN reading the Holy Scripture that you may gain a more comprehensive knowledge thereof you shall doe wisely as to observe the originall Language in which the Holy men of God spake and to borrow what light you can from the neighbouring words in the context so withall very seriously to inquire into the Method of the severall bookes among themselves Hereby might you often find the understanding of one booke to bee as a key to unlocke another to which it hath a peculiar reference In the generall were you well acquainted with the five Books of Moses they being the Basisoâ—ll the Iâ—st It were a good preparation for your more intimate knowledge of the whole frame of Scripture Then for the particulars if you would clearly understand the Psalmes read the Books of Samuel much especially the Second many of the Psalmes being penned occasionally upon some passage of Story there mentioned they will thence receive much light And if you desire to bee well versed in the Prophâ—â—e read over and over the two Bookes of the Kingâ— and the Second Booke of Chronicles where you have the History of the Kings of Israel and Judab in whose dayes the severall Prophets did prophecy as doubtlesse in the New Testament dâ—stinct knowledge of the Story of the Acts of the Apostles would make many of their Epistles much more familiar to you You must not conceive as too many doe that the Res gestae the things contained in the Scripture were acted in the same order wherein the Bookes are ordinarily ranked up in your Bibles Let none thinke that Isaiah was the first of the Prophets in order of prophecying because hee is now placed first Learned men conclude out of 2 Kings 13. 25. that Jonâ—h prophecyed first of all the sixteen Prophets Nor that Pauls Epistles to the Romans and to the Corinthians were the first hee wrote because now so placed amongst the Bookes of the New Testament They who mind the story of the Acts of the Apostles affirm the Epistles to the Thessalonians to have the precedence Who ever ranked the Bookes of the Prophets and the Epistles of the Apostle Paul did rather consider the quantity of the volume then the order of the Contents in them It 's true whereas the Prophets are ordinariâ—y cast into three rankes some who prophecyed before the captivity of Babylon as Isaiah Jeremiah and others giving the people warning of it some who were appointed to bring them cordials in the captivity as Ezekiel and Daniel some to quicken and direct them after their return from the captivity as Haggai Zechariah Malachi These three you shall find in their proper place which is to bee last in order In reading them it is good to joyn the History with the Prophecy one will Illustrate the other There are little Historicall Books which have some contemporaneity with these as containing the story of Gods providence about his people and their carriage towards him after their returne from the captivity If you please to cast your eye upon Ezra 5. ver. 1. there you shall finde upon the cessation of the building of the Temple mentioned Ezra 4. 23 24. God stirred up Haggai and Zechariah to prophecy to the â—ews as here Hag. 1. 1. The word of the Lord came by Haggai the Prophet unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel Governour of Judah and to Joshuah the sonne of Josedech the High Priest whom hee finds readily willing to bee ingaged in Gods work This you may observe in all stories When the Lord hath any glorious designe to carry on hee prepares some active Instruments to concurre with him therein Here Haggai was raised by God ro stirre up Zerubbabel Joshuah and the people they were fitted to entertain the Prophets counsell and to concurre with God in his great worke as appeares most clearely Ezra 5. 2. and Hag. 1. 14. where you have a most proper Echo to Haggai his Sermon a joynt contribution of their indevours The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the spirit of Joshuah and the spirit of all the remnâ—nt of the people and they came and did worke in the House of the Lord of Hoasts their God And when the Lord intended to imploy Luther for the discovering and confounding the Abominations and usurpations of the Pope what a Traine was there laid for that work in the unexpected concurrence of others with him at that very time Then were there some great persons stirred up by God to appeare for him and protect him from the fury of his Adversaries as the Duke of Saxony c. About that time there were some Learned men furnished with ability and courage to second him as Zivinglius c. yea and then some Cities prepared to receive his Doctrine which so many others persecuted As it was in Judah in Hâ—zekiahs dayes The hand of God was upon them to give them one heâ— 2 Chron. 30. 12. So in Germany in Luthers time The same happy experience have wee found amongst our selves when the Lord was pleased to arise to have mercy upon his Sion first in Scotland and now in England what a constellation of providences hath appeared in awakening the spirits of so many to bee vigorously active for the blessed worke of Reformation According to that in Psal. 110. 3. The people are willing in the day of his power Some of our Zerubbabels of our Joshuahs and of the remnant of our people have been more willing then formerly to bee ingaged in Temple-worke God will either finde or make Instruments to serve his purpose in advancing his owne great designe But bee the worke never so good there will bee some obstructions and though some Instruments bee prepared for action yet there are too many ready to retard the best and most plausible things Hereupon this man of God the Prophet Haggai being sent with a Message to quicken the building of the Temple First begins with complaints to their negligent intermission in the Lords Worke discovering the carnall principle which did mis-lead them ver. 2. This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should bee built The Babylonish furnace had not burnt up all their drosse they had been seventy yeeres at the Schoole of affliction and yet many of them very poore proficients They made good Solomons Proverbe chap. 27. 22. Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestell yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him Indeed they doe not here bluntly and peremptorily refuse to joyne in building the Temple but indevour cunuingly to put it off Sloathfull spirits will study pretences and excuses to palliate their negligence in the Lords worke And where ever it light they care not so they may but shelter and justifie themselves in their own omissions
humour would have taken up Armes to fight for the Prelacy and the Service-Book have been so hammered and hewed by the continuance of Gods Judgements upon us that now they are come to this Let the Parliament and Assembly doe what they will with Prelacy and Liturgie so the sword may bee sheathed now Truth shall bee welcome so they may have Peace O then why should not you hold up your courage and confidence in the midst of all obstructions and difficulties God walkes towards you in his ordinary pace You have already reaped such good fruits as will helpe to beare the charges of our long delayes The Lord hath hereby facilitated the rebuilding of his own house There are wise men who think our Reformation would have been very low had not God raised the spirits of our Reformers by the length of these multiplyed Troubles It hath been more then once observed by such as looke on that when our Parliament Spirits have begunne to faile and sinke then some Plot or other of the undermining adversaries hath been discovered whereby they have been quickned to the Lords work and when they have begunne to clash and divide amongst themselves then hath appeared some common danger wherein they were all involved and so have been happily reunited for the publick welfare of Church and State God knows how to make all events subservient to his own purposes You read in Isa. 1. 25. 27. Before Zion shall be redeemed with Judgement hee will purely purge away her drosse and take away all her Tinne Here was much drosse in England both of persons and things Wonder not if they bee not suddainly or easily removed Many drossie persons and things have been taken away by the length of these troubles which otherwise in all probability would still have clogged us As in matters of State the civill Sword being so indulgent would not take off Delinquents therefore the Lord still renues the Commission of the Militarie Sword to doe Justice till his Counsell bee fulfilled So in the Affaires of the Church many poore deluded people in England were fond of their needlesse Ceremonies and ready to dote on some Babylonish trinkets who probably would not have been weaned from them had not God whipped them off by the continuance of these troubles You have the greater reason to bee satisfyed under his hand who hereby makes us more willing heartily to return from Babylon to Hierusalem that wee may goe up to the Mountaine and build the Lords House And so I hasten to the last observation out of the eighth verse Goe up to the Mountain and bring wood and build the house It is doubtful to some Expositors what Mountain is here meant whether mount Moriah where the former Temple was built that it might there bee raised againe Or whether it bee Libâ—nus and that they should goe up thither to cut trees and so carry them to Hierusalem to build the Temple In reference to the main purpose both will come to the same the Lord cals upon them with expedition to build his House Go up to the Mountain You must saith Hierom Ascend from the Vallies to the Hill call off your mind from earthly things if you would build the Temple of God Ambrose glosses upon it Ascendite in montem Scripturarum caelestium c. Goe into the Mountain of the Heavenly Scriptures cut there the Tree of wisedome and life c. Let us leave these Allegories and with Junius imbrace that which the whole series of the words most cleerly holds forth The Lord here puts them upon a course how to recover themselves from under those evils which lye upon them hee bids them shake off their sluggishnesse breake through opposition goe up to Sion and build the Temple Hence observe To set seriously and readily about building the Temple is a most compendious way to obtain favour from the Lord of Hosts when his hand is lifted up against a people The Lords great designe here on earth is to prepare a Temple to raise a glorious Throme for his Sonne in his Church This is the tenour of his promises I will make thee an eternall excellency a joy of many Generations Isa. 60. 15. His providentiall dispensations runne this way Isa. 62. 6 7. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Hierusalem which shall never hold their peace till hee make Hierusalem a praise in the earth In the materiall and spirituall Temple this was his great worke what was typified in the one shall bee gloriously accomplished in the other Hag. 2. 7. 9. there hee doth ingage his favourable presence In this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts Hence by his Prophets the Lord did so much incite the Jews to expedite this worke Hereby he trayned them up to the expectation of Christ and to faith and hope in him who was represented by this Temple hereby they might be led Heaven-ward in the exercise of the duties of piety whilest they are imployed in Temple worke yea indeed the neglect of the building of this House would argue much prophanenesse of spirit it being the place which God himselfe appointed for his solemn publick worship But I need not look further then the Text it selfe which hath native strength in it to confirme the observation Behold here a double Reason to quicken you all as you desire favour and rest in these troublous times to bee diligent in building Gods House The first reason speakes to their selfe-love And I will take pleasure in it Ero propitius in ea as Calvin reads it with others There you shall meet my blessing there you shall have the priviledge to seeke mee and the happinesse to find mee There the Lord had by his promise engaged his owne gracious presence with his people and his acceptance of their prayers and services Compare 1 Kings 8. 29. with Deut. 12. 11. My name shall bee there and there should bee his eye his eare and his hand according to their exigents The second reason suits as much with his owne glory And I will bee glorified saith the Lord Gods people have three glorious and gracious aspects of their heavenly Father in Christ in the Church and in Heaven Hee first looked upon them in Christ from eternity and they may behold him in Christ then they meet him in his Church in his house here upon earth and afterwards shall come to enjoy him everlastingly in Heâ—ven And indeed for the present wee never see so much of Gods glorious goodnesse in Christ wee never see so much of the glorious hopes of Heaven as when wee converse with God in his owne house There hee doth shew to his people most of his glory manifestative hee is glorified and then also his people do active objective glorifie him both in the building of his house and worshipping him therein according to his will Psalm 102. 16. When the Lord shall build up Sion hee shall
down his hand Amalek prevailed This listing up of his hands was partly to hold forth the Red as an Ensigne to strengthen the Faith of the Souldiers and also to expresse the lifting up of his hands together with his heart in Prayer Here you may see a different successe of the Israelites accompanying the different gesture of Moses body by the wise providence of God appointed to bee a reall expression both how forcible Moses prayers were and also how weake the Israelites were in themselves if God of whose assistance the Rod was a signe should not stand on their sides Who would not then night and day lift up their hearts and hands making use of their interest in the Lord of Hosts in the behalfe of his conflicting people How did Jacob overcome inraged Esau but by overcomming with his Prayers the Great God of heaven who hath a Throne in all mens spirits God was pleased as appeares in Gen. 32. 24. to conâ—iescend to wrastle with Jacob both for his instruction and his consolation hee would teach him hereby that hee must be content to bee a wrastler and that therein hee should bee victorious Jacob had power with him and prevailed when hee wept and made supplications into him Hos. 12. 4. who in ver. 7. is the Lord of Hosts Hee wrastled with him by his importunity in prayer Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee Let us now when wee are humbling our selves before the Lord of Hosts deale like wrastlers They will first spy out their advantage and there lay fast hold Secondly they pursue it with diligence Set faith on work to spy out Gods Attributes his Promises or anything in him whereon you may lay hold and resolve to take no denyall say every one I will not let the Lord of Hâ—sts goe till hee blesse us with hopes of a gracious deliverance from our desolating troubles Admit your Army bee in great straits so was Asa and his Army 2 Chron. 14. you may read ver. 9. A mighty Host of a thousand thousand came out against him Hee made first his approaches to the great God by fervent prayer ver. 11. And Asa cryed unto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe whether with many or with them that have no power Helpe us O Lord our God for wee rest in thee and in thy name wee go against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not Man prevaile against thee Hee doth not say against us but against Thee Hee did wisely interest God in his Cause and thereby was triumphantly victorious ver. 12 13 14 15. So the Lord smote the Aethiopiâ—ns before Asa c. The Parliament hath Asaes advantage they appeare in the Cause of God they may with the more boldnesse presse the Lord of Hosts to ingage himselfe for them and though you cannot find a particular promise of good successe expressely made unto you herein yet the Lord of Hosts hath a particular over-spreading providence on which you may depend in all your undertakings The same successefull Method did Jehosaphat use when hee was in feare of numerous and potent adversaries 2 Chron. 20. 3. Hee 〈◊〉 and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast Some men would onely have complained in discontent against their enemies others in policy would onely make warlike preparations but good Jehosaphat would in the first place try what hee could doe with God by Fasting and Prayer that is a good feare which drives us to God and begets Prayers unto him In his prayer as prudent men use to doe in their Petitions to Princes hee gathers together many strong Arguments Hee well knew that much of the strength of our Prayers lyes in the strength of the Arguments wee therein use first hee draws an Argument from God himselfe and his Covenant whereby they had interest in him ver. 6. from his powerfull providence and from their former experience from Gods promise from the Enemies and their cruell opposition ver. 6 7 8 9 10 11. And lastly hee appeales to God himselfe with much Rhetorick ver. 12. O our God wilt not thou judge them for wee have no night against this great company that commeth against us neither know wee what to doe but our eyes are upon thee Why should not wee take this course Wee have been for many moneths and for some yeeres ingaged in a bloody warre wee have in severall Battailes appealed to the sword for justice upon the Sonnes of violence the Campe is the supreame Judicatory let us now goe one step higher As John Husse when bee was condemned by his Popish Judges appealed to Jesus Christ the most high Judge So let us appeale from enemies yea and look above Instruments let us put our cause and all our affaires of greatest concernment into the hands of the Lord of Hosts desiring him to judge betwixt us and our adversaries Hang confidently upon that branch of his own word Jer. 50. 33 34. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together and all that took them captives held them fast they refused to let them goe Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his Name hee shall throughly plead their cause that hee may give rest to the Land But with all when you have prayed Remember that you act your Prayers All your worke is not done when Prayer is ended As you waite eâ—pecting that the Lord should make good your Petitions so you should worke and do good according unto them by your prayers you ingage your selves as well as God This were an excellent temper of Spirit in these conflicting times To pray with so much fervency as if you were to carrie on things only by the power of your Prayers and yet also to act with so much diligence as if you were to worke out Englands welfare by the strength of your owne indeavours You have good Jehosaphat in the same place 2 Chron. 20. for your happy pattern herein ver. 20. c. hee did very industriously act consult as well as pray Hee first prayed that hee might blesse his actions then he acted that hee might backe his prayers by both he became very victorious over his enemies The Lord of Hosts so wonderfully appeared for him against his adversaries that rather then they should prevaile they should help to conquer and destroy one another ver. 23. Come we now to the second observation In that the Prophet presseth upon them with ingeminations in the name of the Lord of Hosts verse 5 7. Now therefore to consider their wayes being their endeavors did not prosper verse 6. Yee have sownâ— much and bring in little yee eate and have not enough yee drink c. in divers kinds Gods disfavour was manifested whereupon he calls on them ver. 7. to consider their ways Hence learn When the hand of God is stretched out against a
of Gods Judgements no man repented of his wickedâ—esse saying What have I done The Lord expected that when hee spoke to them by his judgments they should speake to them selves of their sinnes saying What have I done what have J done And if you will be awakened to consider your wayes by any judgements then me thinkes by the Sword and most of all by such a devouring Sword as is now drawne in England it being so great signe of Gods high displeasure against us Scarce ever any war managed with a greater Antipathy As in the naturall body Physitians account those Diseases most dangerous which are morbi complbiâ—â—â—â— where there is a concurrence of divers diseases so in the body politick we may call Warre plag compliâ—catissima War for the most part especially if it continue long brings with it cruelty and oppression breeds prophanenesse and Atheisme Germany hath had sad experience hereof God grant England may not find and seele the same Therfore some Expositors observe upon those word Lev. 26. 6. Neither shall the Sword goe through your Land there is not onely a promise that they shall live in peace and not be destroyed by the sword of their enemies but that hee will keep the Sword from so much as going through the Land because Armies of souldiers doe too often destroy Countries not onely by fighting against them but even by going through them It were a seasonable study for us all and an excellent point of wisdom for the greatest Counsellors to find out the proper cause and remedy of these great evils which lie upon ENGLAND wee may well say with the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 9. 12. Who is the wise man that may understand this and who is hee to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken that hee may decalare it for what the Land perisheth and is burnt up like a wildernesse that none passeth through England hath a great stocke of prayers going in Scotland in Germany amongst the Protestants in France and that gasping remnant in Ireland Wee have had many solemne praying dayes at home that this bloody Sword might be sheathed we have often spoke that language Jer. 47. 6. O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it bee ere thou be quiet Put up thy selfe into the Scabberd rest and bee still The Sword hath hither to answered us negatively as in vers. 7. How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it acharge against Askelon If God will charge the Sword in England to ride circuit from North to West and so all over the Land who can discharge it In the end of vers 7. there hath hee appointed it It moves by commission from God and doth execution where and as long as he pleases Doubtlesse we may conclude being the Warres are still protracted there is something yet undone by us which God expects from us It was one of Solomons prayers to God 1 Kings 8. 37 38. If there were a pestilence if there were a Caterpillar or if their enemies besiege them in the Land what prayer and supplication soever bee made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man 〈◊〉 plague of his owne heart then â—eare thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive You have had many Parliament Fasts but all this while it may bee you have not seriously considered your owne evill wayes you have not yet knowne every man the plague of his one heart and therefore God hath not yet answered your former prayers You are againe met upon a Solemne day to humble your selves in your present straits and to seeke Gods Face As you desire the Lord should bee found of you labour first to search and find out your owne bosome Achan Wee feele by lamentable experience the Lord still maintaines a controversie with the Land Moâ—h and Ammon Papists and Atheists or any adversarics though never so much enraged could not fight against us unlesse our sins put Swords into their hands This is the worke of the time when Gods hand is stretched out against us this is the duty of the day when we professe selfe-humbling then to be very inquisitive into our selves that wee may â—ix our hearts upon our own wayes Many of you are Great Senators who may looke upon your selves in a double capacity as private and publike Men and so have just occasion to consider both your personall and publique wayes When you begin to fasten your thoughts upon your own personall wayes that you may truly understand your selves and have a right apprehension of your own wayes be pleased to take these hints First do not only compare your selves with your selves and your present wayes onely with your owne former wayes That rule is too short A hard-hearted Pharaoh a wicked Herod may have some fits of goodnesse some fleshly purposes and promises for God and yet still the bent of the heart bee ingaged in evill wayes Secondly doe not compare your owne wayes with other mens wayes That rule will prove crooked You may be much better then some others and not good in Gods account not sound at the heart witnesse the Scribes and Pharisees Thirdly wisely compare your own wayes with the unpartiall Rule of Gods Word inquiâ—ing whether your wayes bee Gods wayes You have sent abroad an excellent Ordinance for a strict observing the Lords Day reflect and inquire how you keep it your selves And whilst you consult about Church and State Reformation are you selfe-Reformers Do you indevour to walke in wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse before God all your dayes as good first and second-Table men giving both God and Man their due Againe if you look upon your selves in your publick capacities there will bee a great deale of work for consideration of your wayes how you walk therein You are advanced to this Honour either by birth or by choyce to bee the great Counsellors of the Kingdome Hypocrisie in hearers and flattery in Ministers are odious at any time but most abominable upon a day of Humiliation I cannot approve my selfe to God and my own conscience unlesse I should knock at your doores who sit at the stern and beseech you who are such publick Persons in the two Houses of Parliament to consider your own publick wayes To this purpose I will bee bold to propose these following Quaeres Do not some of you walke in wayes of Opposition to a through Scripture Reformation of the Church and are too ready when the government of Christ is propounded to speak their language Luk. 19 14. Wee will not have this man to reign over us After you have had such elbow-roome for your lusts are you not unwilling to take the yoke of Christ upon you fearing the strictnesse of it Insomuch that you cannot heartily say the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer Hallowed bee they Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will bee done in Earth as it is in Heaven What saith Conscience to this
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