Nabal refused to send him and his men provision and compare him with David humbled under the hand of God when Absolom rebelled and Shimei cursed him and then judge how easie an hard duty is to a prepared heart and how hard an easie thing is to a froward heart 3. We may not betake our selves to carnal shifts for avoiding any danger which assaults us in doing duty If the Lord set us on work he is able without our sinne to deliver us Gods alsufficiency is an invincible argument to sincerity Gen. 17. 1. Why should I make my selfe beholding to a sinful shift when I have an alsufficient God There were some Christians in the Apostles time who out of confidence in their own knowledge and strength to stand would venture to eat meat at the Idols table thereby keeping in with their Idolatrous friends for fear of persecution To these the Apostle giveth 1. A sharp Exhortation to take heed of falling when they think they stand 1 Cor. 10. 12. 2. An answer to their fears that God will not suffer them to be tempted beyond the strength which he will supply them withal verse 13. 4. We may not therefore shrink from duty upon any discouragement but follow the call of God and be upright before him When it is our duty to obey it is his promise to protect Say not with Solomons sluggard There is a Lion in the way Prov. 22. 13. but remember there are Angels with us to bear us in our way Psal. 91. 11. Jonah was afraid to go to Niniveh a great and a wicked City one man to threaten so many thousands with speedy destruction it was the next way to be swallowed up and destroy'd himself He thinks there was no means to flie this danger but by declining duty And now he that feared the raging of the people met with the tempest of the sea he that feared to be swallowed up of danger was swallowed up of present death into the belly of the Whale and the Lord by delivering him from that death taught him to trust on his power who could as well have delivered him from any other The Lord hath called you Right Honourable unto arduous and weighty services A very difficult work it is to cure complicated diseases to extricate and unravel the intangled interests of divided minds to allay animosities to calme jealousies to moderate rigours of judgement to close distant opinions to separate the gold from the drosse the precious truths and worship of God from those many prodigies of error and madnesse which had so long assaulted it to settle the house of God and the hearts of men upon firme foundations of truth peace and righteousnesse to joyn together the sticks of Ephraim and Judah and to make whole the broken staves of beauty and bands If you shall now say as David did make thy way strait before our face as Iehosaphat did we know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee as Paul did Lord what wilt thou have me to do Thou hast done great things for us whereof we are glad thou hath delivered our eyes from teares our â—ee from falling what is it that we now shall render to the Lord for all his benefits truly Lord we are thy servants and would willingly act in our places for thy name and for the Interests of thy Christ and of his Church we have no higher design then this That the God who hath wrought wonders for us may be alone magnified and advanced by us in Orthodox doctrine in pure Ordinances in spiritual worship in united affections that no unnecessary thing may remain as a ground of offence and fomes of division and separation but that all healing and closing counsels may be used to make us all of one heart and of one soul If you thus in singleness and uprightness of heart do bespeak the Lord I can confidently say from him to you that he will be with you and uphold you that his Spirit will level all mountains before you and break in pieces any gates of brasse and cut in sunder any bars of iron which stand in your way the service he requires of you he will work for you he will not only command you by his Authority but assist you by his Grace When our interests and Gods are folded up together when we make his Will our will and his End our end we are sure never to fail in our designs because he can never miscarry in his We have seen how the Lord encourageth his servants against all difficulties which might dismay them in his service Now the means by which he doth it is by a Word This is the VVord of the Lord unto Zerubbabel Nothing can so effectually uphold the spirits of men above difficulties and discouragements which they meet with in the duties whereunto they are called as a seasonable word spoken unto them from God The VVord of the Lord to Zerubbabel is confirmation enough against all the oppositions of most potent adversaries So it was to Josua I will not fail thee nor forsake thee c. Jos. 1. 5 8. So to Asa when he heard the words of the Prophet he took courage 2 Chron. 15. 8. The righteous are bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. And their confidence is founded on a word And well it may if we consider 1. The Truth of it confirmed by signes and wonders by the solemne Oath of God Now it is impossible for God to lie every word of his is founded on his own immutable being and these are grounds of strong consolation Heb. 6. 17 18. 2. The Authority of it which is sufficient to animate any man unto obedience A man that hath an ample commission from a supream power acteth with courage as knowing the power he hath to back him No commission so full of power as that which God gives This made Moses and Aaron venture on Pharaoh and all his Sorcerers Amos an herdsman upon the Court of Ieroboam a King Peter and Iohn illiterate men to speak boldly notwithstanding the inhibition of the chief Priest and his Council Acts 4. 19 20. Acts 5. 29. 3. The Efficacy of it Nothing more operative then the Word of God It was a Word only which made the world He said let there be light and there was light By the VVord of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psalme 33. 6. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Euseb. calleth it And it is a word only which upholds the world Heb. 1. 3. and the word is able still to give being to every promise and subsistence to every purpose of of his towards his people It is a commanding and a creating word Psal. 44. 4. Isa. 57. 19. Gods purposes and promises are ever seconded by his power He will not leave till he have done what he hath spoken Gen. 28. 15. I have spoken I will bring it to pass I have purposed I will
DIVINE EFFICACY WITHOUT HUMANE POWER Opened in a SERMON Preached at St. Margarets Church in Westminster before the Right Honourable the House of COMMONS June 28. 1660. Being the day of solemne Thanksgiving for the happy Return of the Kings Majesty By EDWARD REYNOLDS D. D. And Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for George Thomason at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard 1660. Friday 29th June 1660. Ordered THat the thanks of this House be given to Dr. Reynolds for his great paines in preaching and carrying on the work of publick Thansgiving before the House at Saint Margarets Church Westminster yesterday and he is desired to Print his Sermon then preached and is to enjoy like Priviledges in Printing as hath been allowed to others in like Cases And Mr. Pryn is desired to acquaint him herewith and to give him the thanks of this House accordingly W. Jessop Cl. of the Commons House of Parliament TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND IN PARLIAMENT Assembled Right Honourable IT may justly seem strange unto you That when Joy is one of the swiftest affections of the soule and of all other most impatient of suppression This Sermon preached before you on one the greatest solemnities of Joy that this Nation hath seen should have yielded such slow and lingring obedience unto your commands and like Cushi should come last with the tyings of a Restored King for which I have no other Apology to make but this That the joy of one Service did retard the hast of another For having together with some other of my Reverend Brethren received a command from his Sacred Majesty whose heart is zealously set upon healing the breaches and divisions which are in the Church of God amongst us to draw up some materials towards so happy a work and finding That in papers of such a nature brought under the view of different judgments wherein every clause yea many times single words and particular expressions prove the subject of long debates it is impossible to make such dispatch as otherwise the urgency of the design doth passionately call for the necessary and constant attendance upon that service did put for a time a suspension upon the obedience which I was ready much sooner to have yielded unto your Commands for publishing this Sermon It is now at last by Gods assistance come forth and sheweth how easily the Spirit and providence of God can erect his Temple and provide for the Interests of his Truth and Worship though the instruments of it be utterly destitute of humane power It is indeed an happy thing when they who have power will exert it for God and lay it out upon the service of his House But though they should want hands or hearts to build the Church God hath ever a residue of Spirit to advance his own work by and knows how to infatuate all Counsels and to dissipate all enterprizes and machinations which are framed against it Our eyes have seen how easie it is with God to dissolve and demolish the most cunningly erected structure which either policy could contrive or power support and that with a still voice and in a silent way without so much as drawing a Sword or striking a blow to effect it How he can do things which we looked not for by rebuking seas and levelling mountaines and melting Armes and scattering the beasts of the reeds and making a plain and sudden way through insuperable difficulties to bring home our DREAD SOVERAIGN to his Throne and Native Dominions again And he who hath wrought wonders for us in these our Civil concernments can do the like for his Church the Interests whereof are of all things on the Earth dearest unto him and the welfare and happinesse whereof all the Earthquakes and Concussions which have beene amongst us do call aloud unto you to looke after aad to be tender of When the Lord shakes heaven and Earth Churches and States it is to make way for him who is the Desire of all Nations If Christ and the Glory of his holy Ordinances and spiritual worship be not more exalted If the sonnes of Levi be not purified that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse if the House of God be not purged of corruptions if pompe and splendor and terrene interests be the things most passionately prosecuted and the vitals and essentials of Religion the great things of the Law purity of Doctrine spiritualnesse of Worship power of Godliness but in the second place regarded If we be zealous for mint and cummin and philacteries and precepts of men and have not a proportionable fervour of zeale for the Magnalia Dei Certainly God will yet reckon with us and call us to an account for all the blood which hath been shed for all the Treasure which hath been exhausted for all the Judgements and mercies for all the providences and wonders which have been expended upon us I speak not this to accuse but onely to awaken not to charge but onely to beseech you to consider whether the Lord do not expect That after such vicissitudes of wonders as we have seen especially having inclined the heart of our GRACIOUS SOVERAIGN unto moderate healing and Reforming Resolutions you should together with him take up the same purposes to make the Church of Christ amongst us more holy and happy then ever it was before For certainly never any Parliament had greater advantages to promote Religion than you have I shall conclude this Dedication and addresse unto you with the words of Azariah the Prophet unto Asa The Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you The Lord shine upon all your Counsels From my Study July 24. 1660. Your Honours most humbly and devoted in all duty and obedience EDW. REYNOLDS DIVINE EFFICACY WITHOUT HVMANE POWER Opened in a Sermon Preached at St. Margarets Church in Westminster before the Right Honourable the House of COMMONS June 28. 1660. ZACH. 4. 6. Then he answered and spake unto me saying This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts IN the former part of the Chapter we have a Vision of a golden Candlestick with a Bowle and seven Lamps and Pipes and two Olive Trees on either side of the Bowle out of which the Candlestick was supplied with Oyle The Prophet being prepared by an humble sense and confession of his own ignorance to receive fuller instruction concerning it is by the Angel in these words acquainted with the minde of God therein Teaching us by the way not to despond or be discouraged by the difficulty of the Scriptures from the studying of them but to be humbled under the sense of our own blindness and
to stir up in our selves a serious desire after fuller knowledge of God in them and to betake our selves unto Christ to reveale the counsel of God unto us and then to rest assured that the Lord will help our infirmities and give us an understanding to know him so far as shall be necessary for our condition and salvation According unto those gracious promises The meek he will teach his way and shew them that fear him his Covenant Psal. 25. 9 14. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God John 7. 17. Unto him that ordereth his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God Psal. 50. 23. 1. We are here to enquire why this word is sent unto Zerubbabel We finde that the Lord stirred up Josuah and Zerubbabel as principal Instruments whom he would use in building the Temple and restoring his worship which accordingly we finde them setting about Ezra 2. 68 69. Ezra 3. 2 8. The work by the power and malice of the Samaritans was obstructed from the dayes of Cyrus to Darius The Lord by the Prophet Haggai and Zachariah raised up the hearts of Zerubbabel and Josua to revive the work Ezra 5. 2. And as we finde Josua and Zerubbabel the two chief Builders so we finde two chief Enemies resisting these two in that service Satan a spiritual enemy resisting the spiritual office of the Priest Tatnai and others as States-men opposing this enterprize in civil respects as injurious to the King In the former Chapter the Lord in a Vision comforted Josua and rebuked Satan In this Vision he comforteth Zerubbabel and rebuketh that mountain of opposition which was raised against him very fit and necessary it was that both Instruments should be encouraged that both Adversaries should be rebuked 2. We are to enquire how these words are an Answer to the Prophets Question and an Exposition of the Vision which he saw The Resemblance between the Vision and the Word stands thus As the Candlestick was set up without mans hands and fed with oile dropping into it immediately from the Olive trees without any humane help thereunto concurring so the Lord alone notwithstanding the opposition of men and weaknesse of his people would by his Spirit alone bring this work to a consummation and magnifie his power in the weaknesse of his Instruments Zerubbabel must not be dismayed because mountaines of opposition are in his way the Lord being able to level and remove them all Matth. 17. 20. As he said by Haggai The silver is mine and the gold is mine Hag. 2. 8. If I would that way have made this Temple glorious I could as easily do it now as I did before but I have another glory and a greater to fill this House withal So here if I would erect this House by power I could easily have done it being the Lord of Hosts But I have another way to do it by even by my Spirit It shall appear to be the work of mine alone Grace and thereunto shall my people with all thankful acclamations ascribe it crying Grace grace unto it My Spirit is here opposed to an Arme of flesh as Isa. 31. 3. to signifie that the Lord alone would bring this work to pass without the help of humane power as he said by the Prophet Hosea I will save them by the Lord their God and will not save them by Bowe nor by Sword nor by Battel by Horses nor by Horsemen Hos. 1. 7. As Christ was conceived not by humane Generation but by the power of the most high Luke 1. 35. So the Temple a type of Christ was to be raised by the power of the Spirit guiding various intercurrent providences unto that end 1. The Spirit did powerfully stir up the hearts of Zerubbabel Josua and the people to the work Hag. 1. 14. 1. By pressing upon their hearts the judgements which they had suffered for their neglect of this great work ver. 6 9 10 11. 2. By comforting them with the assurance of his presence and assistance ver. 13. 3. By minding them of their coming out of Egypt which was the alone work of the Spirit of God which Spirit did still remaine amongst them Hag. 2. 5. 4. By giving them assurance of a signal blessing from the day that they should set about this work chap. 2. 19. 5. By promising them the Messiah who was to come and to fill that Temple with his glory thereby comforting them against their want of silver and gold wherewith they might suppose that House ought to be beautified as well as the former had been chap. 2. 7 8 9 21. 6. By assuring him that no power should stand in his way to hinder or obstruct the accomplishment of this work v. 22 23. 2. The spirit ordered the Letter of the enemies for hindring the work unto the promoting of it against their wills Ezra 5. 6. 3. The Spirit put it into the minde of Darius to confirme the decree of Cyrus and to adde enlargements thereunto that they might offer sacrifices and might pray for the life of the King and his sons Ez 6. 6-12 In the words observe 1. The general scope and intent of them an encouragement to build the Temple though they then wanted power to effect it 2. The meanes of this encouragement A Word of the Lord 3. The Vehicula whereby this word is conveyed by the Angel to the Prophet by the Prophet to the Prince then HE answered and spake unto ME 4. The subject of this encouragement Zerubbabel 5. The matter of the comfort set forth 1. Negatively Not by might nor by power 2. Positively but by my Spirit saith the Lord From the words thus opened we may 1. Observe the great care of the Lord to heale and remove the discouragements of his servants whereby they might be weakened in any work unto which he calleth them If Satan resist he shall be rebuked if mountains stand in the way they shall be levelled If royal Edicts hinder they shall be revoked if sad and desponding thoughts disquiet they shall be removed God never sets his servants on work and then leaveth them to their own fears but ever proportioneth assistance and comfort to the difficulties of the service whereunto he calls Though his Authority alone be argument enough unto his servants to do what he requireth yet he dealeth not only in a way of Soveraignty to shew his dominion over us but in a way of condescension to shew his compassion unto us He remembreth that we are but dust and accordingly attempereth his dealings to our condition If he chastise it is with the Rod of a man 2 Sam. 7. 14. If he tempt it is with the temptation of a man 1 Cor. 10. 13. If he draw it is with the cords of a man Hosea 11. 4. So he deales here with Zerubbabel and Josua It might seeme to humane Reason an impossible enterprize for a few poor men newly crept out of their Graves
do it Isa. 46. 11. The Lord hath ordered all duty to have some difficulty in it And the same word which is the Rule of the duty is also the comfort against the difficulty We have therein the comfort of his Authority requiring it of us It is the work which he hath given us to do we have not rushed upon it presumptuously our selves We have the comfort of his promises quickning us unto it for every word of command hath a word of promise with it 2 Cor. 7. 1. Heb. 10. 36. We have the comfort of his grace working together with the Word facilitating the duties required and proportioning the soul to the service giving an heart to do the word Ezek. 11. 19 20. And therefore by faith and hope we may improve every word unto comfort and courage in duty Faith giving a kinde of Being unto the things promised Heb. 11. 1. and hope waiting with joy for the accomplishment of them do powerfully work the heart above difficulties unto cheerful obedience Faith quencheth temptation overcometh the world purifieth the heart worketh by love removeth fear the discourager and obstructer of duty 1 Iohn 4. 18. Hope causeth us to purifie our selves 1 Iohn 3. 3. To serve the Lord instantly day and night Acts 26. 7. To deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12 13. To wait on the Lord and to keep his Way Psal. 37. 34. To renew our strength to run and not be weary to walk and not faint Isa. 40. 31. When the soul of a man is in such straights and perplexities that all the world is not able to comfort him one sentence out of the word wisely managed by the hand of faith is able to bear up the heart and to make it victorious above all the powers of darkness Wit wealth power policy youth strength security sensuality worldly imployments will peradventure serve a while to fence against fear and discouragement but these are but like a bush in a storme which shelters a while and after annoys with its own dropping Nothing will minister durable and final comfort against all doubts and fears but a word from God seasonably brought unto the conscience this alone can hold up the heart against the roarings of Satan and all the powers of darkness You may haply have before you many knotty and difficult debates and be at a stand which way to steere your judgement and to dispose your suffrage men may like Carneades dispute plausibly probably on either side and the substantial merits of a question may lie hidden under the Oratory which hath pro con been spent upon upon it In such cases attend not only to what you have heard spoken but with David make the word of God your Counsellers Psal. 119. 24. Let not frowns dismay you let not interests biass you let not paralogismes dazle you but seriously weigh what is most consonant to the Will of God what is most likely to promote the great Ends which that calls for the Glory of God the Salvation of men the Cause of Religion the Simplicity of the Gospel the Spirituality of worship the peace unity and integrity of the Church the healing and setting in joynt the dislocated and divided affections of men the impartial setling of judgement and righteousnesse in the Land And when you hear a word behinde you saying this is the way then walk in it turn not to the right hand or to the left Isa. 30. 21. We have seen how the Lord encourageth his servants in difficulties and by what means he doth it by the Word of his own mouth now this word is brought by the Prophet to Zerubbabel and by the Angel 1. By Christ unto the Prophet The Angel in the former Chapter spake immediately to Iosua here mediately by the Prophet Zachariah unto Zerubbabel 1. The first Revealer of the counsel of God unto the Church is the Angel of the Covenant It was his Spirit which spake in the Prophet 1 Pet. 1. 11. He by his Spirit preached in the dayes of Noah to the spirits which are now in prison 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. for so Andradius a learned Pontifician as well as Beza and other Protestants have expounded that place No man hath seen the Father but by the revelation of the Sonne Joh. 1. 18. Mat. 11. 27. He was the Angel that spake unto Moses Act. 7. 30. 38. and unto Isaiah John 12. 40 41. He instructed his Apostles in things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1. 3. They must deliver nothing to the Church but what they had first received from him 1 Cor. 11. 23. Greatly do the profane the Ministry of the Word and betray the Trust which Christ hath put upon them as his Ambassadours who preach the vision of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord and a woful curse they incurre by so high a presumption Deut. 18. 20. The lesse there is of Christ in a Sermon and of the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit how full soever it may otherwise be of Exotick learning of heaped allegations of strains of wit or luxuriancies of fancy and language it hath so much the lesse of the power of God to the salvation of the souls of men For we are not to preach our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4. 5. And as they are the best Ministers who so preach so they are the best hearers who savour and relish nothing so well in a Sermon as the gracious and powerful manifestations of Christ to the conscience and evidences of the commission which the preacher hath received from him 2. When the Prophet brings no other then the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel It is his duty to heare it Princes and Magistrates men of highest place and authority must receive Gods counsel from the mouth of his Messengers and be contented to be directed comforted encouraged by their Ministry David though himself a Prophet was not without his Seers Gad Heman Asaph Jeduthan Nathan to admonish reprove comfort him as his condition required So we finde Shemaiah a Prophet sent to reprove Rehoboam Oded and Azariab to encourge Asa Jehu and Jahaziel to threaten and comfort Jehoshaphat We read of the writing of Eliah to Jehoram of the threatning of Zachariah to Joash of the Prophet Isaiah counselling and rebuking Ahaz comforting and encouraging Hezezekiah Jeremy and Ezekiel denouncing judgements against Zedekiah Hosea and Amos against Jeroboam Jonah sent to the King of Nineveh and John Baptist to Herod And though great difference is to be used in the manner of our application to great and to ordinary persons yet the same fidelity is due unto all Cum eadem omnibus debeatur Charitas non eadem omnibus adhibenda medicina as Saint Austin speaks If a Minister must shew all meeknesse to all men much more must he deliver his message with all Reverence and humility with all awe and tenderness with all honour and prudence unto those
great persons whose dignities do as well call for our veneration as their consciences for our fidelity we must be so true to their souls as that we be not rude and uncivil to their persons Meek and humble preaching in this case especially is like a fall of snow unto which Homer compares the eloquence of Ulysses which soaks and sinks more kindly then a hasty shower And the Lord doth hereby greatly commend the power of his Word and the secret impresse and Character of his divine Majesty stamp'd upon it when from the mouth of mean Instruments he giveth it an Efficacy on the hearts of the greatest men and causeth Princes themselves with meekness to receive his counsel from the lips of poor and inconsiderable persons who have no other authority then the evidence of the Spirit of God and the Ministry wherein they stand related unto him to bear them up and encourage them in his service Thus great ships are turned about with a vere small helme and as some say stopped in their course with a very little Remora We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the power might be of God who did not choose the earthquake or the strong winde but the still small voice to manifest his presence by 1 Reg. 19. 11 12. We have seen the encouragement in building Gods House the meanes of it a Divine Word the Vehicula of that word Christ the great Angel of the Covenant delivers it to the Prophet and the Prophet as his messenger to Zerubbabel So then Zerubbabel is the subject animated by this word and the work whereunto he is animated is the Building of the Temple 1. Then Princes and Magistrates are to build the House of God and to take care of the Interests of Religion and to see that his truth and worship be advanced in their territories And although we have no examples hereof in the New Testament when the Empire and the Church were divided from one another yet in the state of the Jews where they were conjoyned together we have examples in most of the good Kings David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah how careful they were to purge Gods house of pollution to abolish false worship to pull down high places to send Priests and Levites to teach the people to establish true Religion to cause the people to enter into Covenant with God to build his House and order the courses and services thereof And in like manner the Christian Princes Constantine Thoedosius Valentinian and many others called Synods and made Laws to condemne and suppresse Heretical Doctrines and comforted and encouraged the Orthodox Bishops and Pastors of the Church 1. They are fathers of the people and therefore must take care of the souls of those to whom they have so neer a Relation 2. They are Gods Ministers for our Good Rom. 13. 4. Therefore certainly they must not be careless of our chief good 3. We are to pray for them that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. therefore certainly there lies a care upon them as well of the godliness as of the peace of their people 4. He is to have the book of the Law before him continually Deut. 17. 18 19. not only that he may keep it himself but that he may be careful to make others keep it 5. He is to be a nursing Father to the Church Isa. 49. 23. Gods people are promised that they shall suck the breasts of Kings Isa. 60. 16. Therefore certainly it belongs to their care to see that the people be provided with the sincere milk of the Word Where Religion and the meanes thereof are wanting to set it up where it is to preserve it where it is corrupted to reforme and to restore it It is one thing saith Saint Austin for a Prince to serve God in his private capacity as a man this he doth by living faithfully another thing to serve him in his publick capacity as a Prince this he doth by a vigorous sanction of Laws requiring righteous things and forbidding the contrary There is a twofold building of the Church The one doctrinal and perswasive by the Ministry of Pastors and preaching of the Word The other legal and coercive by the sanction and constitution and command of Princes for so they are said to build up the Churches walls Isa 60. 10. for the safety of the State being greatly concerned in the welfare and peace of the Church the care of this must needs belong unto them whose office and duty it is to preserve the other since without this the other cannot be preserved And therefore Aristotle an Heathen Philosopher reckoneth divine worship as a principall thing without which a City or Civil Politie cannot be And thus we finde Constantine by his Laws prohibiting Heathen sacrifices and idolatry And when Julian restored them and Valens allowed the liberty of them Jovinian and Theodosius did root them out and remove them again We finde the same Constantine setling Christian Religion in his Empire by his royal authority judging in the causes of Athanasius and Caecilianus The Emperour Gratian granting a commission to eject Arians Aurelian casting out Paulus Samosatenus out of the Church Justinian making special Laws in matters of Religion I conclude this with that memorable saying of Saint Austin In hoc Reges Deo serviunt in quantum Reges si in suo Regno bona jubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae pertinent ad Humanam societatem verum etiam quae ad divinam Religionem That Princes then serve God as Princes when they command good things and forbid evil things not onely appertaing unto humane society but also unto divine Religion The Church of God amongst us hath in our late miserable and licentious confusions suffered great dilapidations in the holy truths and in the unity and peace thereof I shall not pollute the solemnity of this days joy with giving you in which is hardly possible a Catalogue of them Unto you Right Honourable and the other orders of the Kingdome it belongeth to be the repairers of our breaches and the restorers of paths to dwell in Do this as it ought to be done and certainly there will be nothing more conducent to the setling of our tranquility to the establishing of Government to the re-uniting of the shattered and divided hearts of the people and to the edification of the Church which it infinitely more concerneth all wise and good men to look after then any single domestical or separated interest Nor are you without direction in the Text for this weighty imployment For 2. Zerubbabel must not be without the Word of the Lord In the building of Gods House Magistrates must waite upon the mouth of God for direction and counsel It is no lesse then eight times observed in one chapter Exod. 40. that in the setting up of the Tabernacle and
worship of God Moses did every thing as the Lord commanded Moses for so he had received his instructions Exod. 25. 9. And in like manner David gave unto Solomon his son the pattern of all that he had by the spirit 1 Chron. 28. 11 12. So runs the Apostles commission from Christ teaching them to observe al things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28. 20. Non ex Arbitrio Deo serviendum sed ex Imperio saith Tertullian Even Heathens would have their superstitious services done by rule Semper Agatne Rogat nec nisi jussus agit If men who may erre and mistake in their commands are offended with such as disobey them though thereby they do them better service judging it a corrupting and despising of commands when they be not obeyed though they be mended How much more must the most wise God be offended with us when we do his work not according unto his will but our own thereby presuming to see what is meet and convenient better then God himself thereby taking upon us to be controlers of his wisdome as learned Hooker speaks It was a very pious proposal which Sigismond the Emperour made to the Councel of Trent as we read in the learned review of that Counsel That they would conforme their constitutions to the obligation of the Law of God Certainly the more Religion and the Church of God is setled by the Rule of the VVord the lesse matter of meere dispute and discrimination is admitted the less of divided ends and meere humane interest and partial designe is attended the more men seek the Glory of God the Salvation of men the Peace of the Church the more they do in simplicity and godly sincerity consider what is intrinsecally and in natura rei necessary what hic nunc expedient for edification what course will be most healing most uniting most likely to establish truth peace and holinesse in the Church to close up the divided mindes of men and cement them in that wherein they may all agree or draw as neer as may be to an agreement the more certainly will God be pleased and honoured and the more will the Churches of God abroad be joyed and comforted with whom it is doubtlesse our Religious Interest to procure as firm an union as we can We have seen the encouragement the means of it a Word the Vehicula of that word Christ and the Prophet the subject to be incouraged Zerubbabel the Magistrate who is to build the Church by the help of the Word and Prophet There onely remaineth the matter of the comfort set forth 1. Negatively Not by Might nor by Power 2. Positively But by my Spirit saith the Lord Might and Power is here denyed not generally and in Thesi as if God did prohibite humane power from looking after the interest of the Church for the Magistrate is the Churches Guardian The same Lord did by the victories and spoiles of David make provisions for Solomons Temple who would use no such helps for the glory of Zerubbabels But it is excluded Hypothetically in this particular case and condition Though they had potent enemies though they were destitute of Might and Power in themselves yet God will not have them desert their station or despond of successe Because 1. He can blast every Sword that is formed against them Isa. 54. 17. 2. He can convert to the good of the Church that very power which doth oppose it and make Hamans tongue the Petitioner for Mordecai's honour Esther 6. 6 7. 3. He can build the Church upon the sufferings of his servants as seed in the ground first dles and then multiplies the more the adversaries of Paul the wider the door of his Ministry 1 Cor. 16. 9. It matters not how weak the Instrument when God is the Agent The Church and worship of God is reared and restored by the vertue of Gods Spirit alone In the present case the Lord by his immediate providence ordered various intercurrent means unto the finishing of the Temple which of themselves had no natural influence or tendency thereunto It was the spirit of the Lord that by the Ministry of Moses and Aaron brought Israel out of an Egyptian bondage It was the Spirit of the Lord that in the wildernesse preserved them by miracles with bread from heaven and water out of the rock It was the Spirit of the Lord that over-ruled the heart and tongue of Balaam to blesse when he was hired to curse them It was the Spirit of the Lord that divided the waters of Jordan and demolished the wall of Jerico by the sound of Rams-horns It was the Spirit of the Lord that stirred up Saviours for his oppressed people and by them wrought deliverance for them It was the Spirit of the Lord that brought the Ark from the Philistines into its place by the conduct of kine contrary to their nature It was the Spirit of the Lord that rescued the Jews from the malice of Haman by a chain of events which had no cognation one with another nor any natural suitableness to such an end It was the Spirit of the Lord that when they were as fast in Babylon as dry bones in a grave stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus to give them a resurrection This divine power may be observed both in the Head and in the mystical body of the Church For Christ the Head 1. His Incarnation spiritual A stone cut without hands a Tabernacle pitched by the Lord and not by man fashioned in the Virgins womb by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost 2. His Oeconomie in the work of Redemption wholly spiritual borrowing nothing of humane power by the eternal spirit he offered himself to God Heb. 9. 14. 3. His Resurrection spiritual made the chief corner-stone after he had been rejected by men Thus the foundation of the building was laid not by Might nor by Power but by the Spirit of God Psal. 118. 22 23. 2. The Church or Mystical Body of Christ hath nothing either in its original or propagation from the power of man but all from the Spirit of God 1. The original alone heavenly and from the Spirit born not of the will of man but of God John 1. 13. 3. 5 6. A Kingdom not of this world Joh. 18. 36. Made by an heavenly Calling Heb. 3. 1. As dew which doth not stay for man Psal. 110. 3. Mic. 5. 7. 2. The propagation wholly from the Spirit when mountains of opposition and persecution the gates of Hell and powers of darknesse combin'd against it Now for a doctrine which taught men to deny themselves to renounce the world to take up a Cross to suffer Afflictions and follow Christ without the camp bearing his reproach for such a doctrine to prevaile over the world by twelve weak and naked men upon the promise of things not seen and the hopes of reward in another world cannot be ascribed to the wisdom of man but onely to the
Spirit of God by whom alone the weapons of our warfare are mighty It is a spiritual Building and therefore not reared by humane power a Kingdom un-attended with worldly splendor and therefore cometh not with observation Luke 17. 20. The Enemies of it for the most part spiritual and therefore not vanquish'd but by a spiritual power Eph. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. No humane power able to encounter no humane wisdom to disappoint the gates of Hell None but he who is the power and wisdome of God hath power enough to overcome or wisdome enough to defeat the Kingdome of darkness The special end which God had in erecting the Church was to glorifie his power wisdom and grace in the nothingnesse of the matter out of which he framed it The visible world as it doth by the beauty order and greatnesse thereof set forth the glory of God so in nothing more then this that al this great being is made out of nothing Now Gods glory is more magnified in the Church then in the world The Church is the Jewel the world but the Ring wherein it is set The World an House or Farme for Creatures and Tenants to dwell in The Church Gods own Palace wherein he dwells himself Psal. 132. 13. And the Excellency of this glory is That it is a Creation out of nothing no material aptnesse no Active concurrence of the subject unto the heavenly being which by Gods spirit alone is wrought in it We contribute no more to our own conversion of or from our selves then water doth to its own heating which naturally resisteth the fire that heats it We have no good in us either formally or potentially so as to be educed out of us all is to be superinduced by the Spirit of God upon us No flesh must glory but in free Grace which alone could raise a corrupted masse into so stately a Palace And therefore we must not despair when things seeme to Humane view helplesse and hopeless but look up to the Spirit of God who can beyond all our thoughts make those that dwell in the dust to awake and sing Whereas if we build our hopes on humane might or power we shall find them vain every man a liar sometimes weak and cannot help us sometimes false and will not help us alwayes mutable and may not help us The more we attribute to Persons the more we derogate from God Let us not therefore be troubled at mountains of opposition or any difficulties which we conflict with in the work of God It is his promise to bring all Christs Enemies under his feet Let us believe it and he will do it though we see not how And now to conclude bring all home to the mercies of this day There is no Nation hath had more experience of the truth of these words then we in this Land have had When the Lord had commanded the sword of a civil war back into the scabberd and things seemed to draw towards a comfortable close by the Kings gracious concessions in the last Treaty divine providence was pleased to carry us back into doleful confusions into the surges of the Sea again by the subtle counsels of a divided party who having possession of the sword and intending to use it to the altering of the fundamental constitution of government in order thereunto debarred the Peers of their right plucked out all such worthy persons from the other House who would 〈◊〉 their work laid the foundation of their Utopia in the Blood of their natural Prince and in the Exile of his children and family and concluded by Might and Power to carry all before them And now comes in the Spirit of the Lord to stop this career of domination And first he stirred up an Abimelech against these men of Shechem who liked not that threescore and ten Persons should raigne but rather to raigne himself By this hand a stop was put to their domination till by the strange conduct of the same providence his family was pulled down by the hands of his own Allies And so the threescore and ten get into the Throne again These confusions in State seconded with desperate confusion in Religion Ministry and Universities and all supports of truth and learning endangered and by a miscellany of all Religions way made unto none at all The Spirit of the Lord then works again mingleth a perverse spirit between them and their military Officers and divideth their Counsels and maketh use of another violence to thrust them out again The same divine providence awakeneth an Honourable instrument in the North to give a check to this new designe And on a sudden by the secret power of the Spirit of God the military Officers who had so long been the terror of the Nation became no man can tell why like women their hearts dismayed their Counsels confounded their Souldiers scattered and by that divine providence whereby they had so often justified their irregular actions were they in one day without Might or Power but meerly by impressions from the hand of God as it were annihilated and made utterly to disappear By the same divine impression are the hearts of the people of the land in all places strangely excited as one man to call for the Restoring of the secluded Patriots by them to make way for a free Parliament and by them to bring back from exile in the Chariots of Aminadab a willing people and upon the wings of Love our Dear and Dread Soveraigne not only to the Throne of his Father but to the hearts of his people They who had long known what it was to fear where they did not love were now ambitious to love where they need not so to feare And now that the Lord hath brought these Kingdoms upon the Basis of their ancient and fundamental constitution and hath restored into your bosoms a Prince of the greatest suavity and meeknesse of Spirit one of the best tempers in the world for Government that ever swayed these Scepters whom he hath trained up like David in a School of affliction to sit upon a Throne and fitted by a Crown of Thrones to weare a Royal Diadem and by the bitter cup of his own sufferings to provide against the sufferings and to heale the wounds of his poore exhausted people what remaineth but these two things 1. To fill our hearts and mouths with the praises of God for these so divinely contrived mercies without the effusion of one drop of blood beyond the view of humane counsel to have effected to ascribe all to the Spirit and Grace of God Not unto us not unto us but unto thy name give the glory To blesse him for this first fundamental step to settlement without which we should ever have beene in danger of flames and blood To blesse the Lord for inclining the heart of his Majesty to dedicate his Government with so Religious a publick Testimony against profaneness then which there is nothing which doth more loudly
call upon you to second the zeale of his Majesty in To blesse the Lord for that Christian meeknesse of his Majesty in anticipating and preventing the very Petitions of his people for pardon and hastning the means of their security therein To blesse the Lord for his Majesties firmness in and zealous care of the Protestant Religion and withstanding all temptations which would have drawn him from it To blesse the Lord for his tender indulgence towards men of sober peaceable and pious affections who cannot in every thing come up to the judgement or practice of other of their brethren To blesse the Lord for his Christian prudence and healing moderation in endeavouring such a fraternal condescension amongst brethen as may bury all past animosities prevent all further distempers and reduce things unto an equal and amicable temperament 2. To consider how to use these mercies unto the glory of God that gave them and to the good of the whole Body and not the particular divided interest of any one Party alone It is a distinct virtue as the Historian tells us to get Victories and to use them And so likewise it is to receive mercies and to improve them Consider I beseech you what it is which the Lord calls for at your hands in such a time as this Whether after such Earthquakes and concussions such Afflictions and Temptations such little lesse then miraculous vicissitudes of divine providence which we have seen after the effusion of so many thousand mens blood after the expence of so many millions of Treasure whether he doth not justly expect that now you should be more zealous for his Glory more tender of his Church and the souls of men therein more severe against all impiety and profanenss more careful of the power of godlinesse and the powerful preachers and preaching thereof and purity of Divine Ordinances more active and solicitous to close up breaches to remove offences and by the most satisfactory provisions that may be to prevent the danger of any further distempers then ever any Parliaments have done before you That it may be recorded amongst the memorials of this Nation as once of Josiah like unto this King and this Parliament who have been so obiged with such a Series of mercies and of wonders that there was no King nor Parliament before them that turned to the Lord with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their might according to all the Law of God This shall be written for the generation to come and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord FINIS Non se capit exundantis Laetitiae magnitudo sed dedignata pectorum latebras ita multa candida foris prominet ut intelligatur non ingentior esse quám verior Nazar Paneg. In eundem hominem non puto 〈◊〉 Gaudâ—â—m Sâ—lâ—ntiam Pacat. Mal. 2. 15. 2 Sam. 15. 31. Isa. 19. 3. 11. Job 5. 12 13 14. 12. 17. Isa. 54 17. 1 Reg. 19. 12. Isa. 64. 3. Mat. 8. 26. Zach. 4. 7. Psal. 46. 9. Psal. 68. 30. Isa. 49. 11. Isa. 43. 4. Hag. 2. 6 7. Mal. 3. 3. Luke 11. 42. Mat. 23. 5. Mat. 15. 9. Acts 2. 11. 2 Chron. 〈◊〉 1. Aug. â—om 4. lib. de patientia cap. 18. Greg. Naz. Orat. 1. Tâ—rtul de corona militis c. 1. Primus impâ—tus eis major quam virorum est sâ—quens minor quam seminaruÌ„ L. Florus l. 2. cap. 4. Fortissimus in ipso discrimine exercitus est qui ante discrimen quietissimus Tac. Hist. l. 1. Psal. 119. 49. Defensio fidei Trident. l. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iliad {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Plin. Hist. Nat. l 32. c. 1. Aug. ep. 50. Aristot Polit. lib. 7. c. 8. Theodoret. l. 5. cap. 20. Niceph. l. 12. c. 25. Euseb. de vit. Constant l. 2. Aug. epist. 166. Sozom. l. 2. c. 27 Theod. l. 7. c. 2. Euseb. l. 7. c. 24. Cod. lib. 1. Tit. 1 11. Aug. contr. Crescon. Grammat l. 3. c. 51. Tertul. de Praescript cap. 6. Vid. Brisson de formulis l. 1. p. 12. A. Gel. l. 1. c. 13 Pereunte obsequio etiam imperium intercidit Tacit. Hist. l. 1. Hooker l. 2. sect. 6. Lib. 6. c. 6.