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lord_n	work_n	work_v	zeal_n	158	3	8.0163	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81254	A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons at Westminster, August 22. 1645. Being the day appointed for their solemn thanksgiving unto God for his several mercies to the forces of the Parliament in divers parts of the kingdome, in the gaining of the towns of Bath and Bridgewater, and of Scarborough-Castle, and Sherborn-Castle, and for the dispersing of the Clubmen, and the good successe in Pembroke-shire. By Thomas Case, preacher at Milkstreet, and one of the Assembly of Divines.	Case, Thomas, 1598-1682.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1645 (1645)	Wing C842; Thomason E297_15; ESTC R200227	27,937	38

6. The encouragement of your friends and discouragement of your enemies at home and abroad Your friends shall hear of the successe God hath given to your Forces and their hands shall be strong their hearts shall be comforted and their spirits raised concerning England Enemies shall hear of it and their hearts shall fail them and their knees shall smite one against another and none of the men of might shall finde their hands yea thousands of them that were seduced and deceived by the lyes and flatteries of the enemies shall come in and fall down at your feet and confesse that God is with you of a truth 7. The Enlargement of thousands of our dear and precious Brethren out of bonds and imprisonment whose feet have been hurt in the Stocks and the Irons have entred into their souls 8. The hopes and beginnings of the reducing of Wales four Counties already come in 9. A door of Hope opened for gasping Ireland 10. And lastly which is all A fair and hopefull possibility yea probability if our murmure and unbelief do not wheel us back again into the wildernesse of putting an end this Summer to the bleeding distractions of this poor languishing Kingdom and of making a Peace upon your own terms Surely methinks God seems to tell you You may be delilivered if you will I am willing if you be willing God hath given you gracious demonstrations that when men go faithfully and cordially about their businesse what a world of work may be done in a little time And now if you would know for whose sake God hath done all this my Text will tell you For your sakes have I sent to Babylon It is for his Church and peoples sake God hath a people in England for whose sake he hath sent to Babylon and brought down the cry of the Nobles c. Who they be or how you may know whether you be of the number of them for whose sakes God hath done these things I shall give an hint in the close of the Work In the mean time suffer I beseech you the words of Exhortation And it is this If God do such great things for your sake thou be you exhorted to do great things for the Lords sake The Church and people of God have been of such a disposition that they have thought they could never do or suffer enough for the Lords sake Psal 44.22 For thy sake we are killed all the day long 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake And again Acts 21.13 I am not onely ready to be bound but to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus O let the same minde be in you that was in David in Paul and in the rest of the Saints Be ready to do be readie to suffer Be willing to live be willing to die and think nothing too much for his sake who hath done such great things for your sakes I must crave leave to branch out this Exhortation to two sorts 1. To you Honourable and highly-honoured Senators of the Land 2. To you the people of God that stand here this day and the rest of your brethren thorowout the Kingdom First to you the Worthies of Englands Parliament For your sakes God hath sent to Edge-hill and to the North and to the West and hath brought down the cry of their Nobles c. God hath honoured you more then ever he honoured any Parliament since the foundations of this Kingdom were laid and hath done as great things for you as ever he did for any Assembly of men I think since the foundations of the world were laid And now Honoured Senatours studie your Renders What shall I render to the Lord c. Studie what you should do for the Lords sake who hath done so much for yours Will you give me leave to by your Remembrancer I will do it with all Humility Fidelity and Plainnesse being encouraged thereto by former experience of your candid and Christian entertainment of the faithfulnesse and facenesse of those whom you have called to this Service Omme bonum quod superbus sibi arrogat supp●diaculum diabolo facit Guil. Paris First therefore for the Lords sake studie Humility You cannot exalt God if you lift up your selves And truely there be two things that do easily swell the heart with pride if it be not well watcht sc Greatnesse and Good successe Both these have been your portion God hath lifted you up and set you upon the highest Throne in the Kingdom The Throne of Legislative power Every one of you resemble the person of a Prince you are so many little kings And God hath given you admirable Successes ever since he call'd you together to the astonishment of all that see or hear of the Lords goings forth with you and for you O now take heed I beseech you that these do not become temptations and snares to you Deut. 17.20 whereby your hearts should be lifted up above your brethren that they should become cheap and vile in your eyes O let not that which should lift up your heart in Thankfulnesse lift up your heart in pride and haughtinesse You know how it fared with Hezekiah though a very gracious King and what the sad consequences of it was But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32.25 for his heart was lifted up namely upon his miraculous recovery and the honour that was done him thereupon by the King of Babylon Observe I beseech you Hezekiah rendred not c. why For his heart was lifted up A proud man doth nothing for Gods sake though he thinks God doth all for his sake And what follows Therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem O Sirs if ye have found your hearts thus lifted up with Hezekiah upon the honour and good successes God hath cast upon you humble your selves in the presence of God for the pride of your heart as it is said of Hezekiah in the next verse Why should there be wrath upon you and upon the whole Kingdom for your sakes The lower you lie the higher you lift up God and the higher God will lift up you Humilitas semper volat licet repere videatur instar avis volitantis alas ad solem habentis rostreque pendentis Guil. Paris Perit omne judicium ubi res transit in affectum 2. For the Lords sake take heed of self-interests and by-ends Where these prevail there can be nothing done for the Lords sake Either the Lords work is not done or not done to his minde or not for his sake which is all one with not doing of it at all and will bring a curse with it Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Hence it was that Jehu's zeal in doing execution upon the house of Ahab when God comes to reckon is set upon the score

of Murder Hos 1. Jehu writes service God writes murder Jehu sets down zeal God sets down blood and all because he did the Lords work in the pursuit of his own base and sinfull ends and interests O that you would shake off these Vipers from your hands and hearts If you will not shake them off God will shake you off If you will not shake these out of your bosoms God will shake you out of his 3. If you will do any thing for the Lords sake do this Set up his Son upon his Throne you cannot do any thing which the Lord will take more kindly at your hands For the Father hath committed all Judgement i. e. all Gov rnment unto the Son that men may honour the Son as they honour the Father I am perswaded had this been done sooner England had not now been to have been delivered Jer. 10.7 Revel 15.3 He is King of Nations and King of Saints As King of Nations he hath a Temporall Kingdom and Government over the world now he is in heaven though he exercised not such a Kingdom while he was on earth Matth. 28.18 1 Cor. 15.25,27 the Father having now given to him all power both in heaven and earth and the Rule and Regiment of this Kingdom he hath committed to Monarchies Aristocracies or Democracies as the severall combinations and associations of the people shall between themselves think good to elect and erect God leaves people to their own liberty in this case Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake for the Lords sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Schol. Civilis gubernationis dispositio Beza The Greek reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every humane Creation Civill Government in the kindes or species of it is as it were but the creature of man because men may chuse what kinde of Government they shall finde most advantagious to publike peace and welfare But Christ is also the King of Saints As he hath an inward and Spirituall Government in the Conscience which is onely his Throne so he hath an outward Kingdom which he doth visibly exercise in his Church Which doth consist of these Particulars 1. In that he conquers and subdues a people to himself who are visible subjects of this Kingdom 2. In that he gives Laws and Statutes to this people distinct from all the Laws and Statutes of all the Kingdoms and Republiques in the world as the Church acknowledgeth Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King c. 3. In that he appoints and constitutes speciall Officers in this Church not onely to promulge these Laws but to govern his people according to them ●… Matth. 28.19 Acts 20.28 Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyterorum ordinem declarat qui disciplinae Politiae Ecclesiastica custodes erant Go teach all Nations Feed the flock whereof the holy Ghost hath made you overseers He that ruleth with diligence And God hath set in his Church Governments The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 4. In that he hath commanded all the people and subjects of this Kingdom to be obedient in the Lord unto these Officers Heb. 13.7 Remember them that have the rule over you c. and Vers 17. Obey them that have the rule over you Who doth he mean here the Civill Magistrate No for it is added Which have spoken to you the Word of God and They watch for your souls c. 5. In that Christ hath appointed penalties to be inflicted upon the stubborn and disobedient proper to this Government Matth. 18.17 Let him be to thee as an Heathen c. and put away from among your selves that wicked person c. Now therefore since the Lord Jesus is King of Nations and King of Saints set him up as both in both his Kingdoms and Governments and do it thorowly and do it specdily 1. Do it thorowly Would you have a thorow Deliverance studie a thorow Reformation of Church and State Think not renowned Nobles and Patriots of doing the work of Reformation by degrees and piecemeal It will be Christs Honour and your Advantage to let your Reformation come forth as full and honourable at first as may be O it will strike the more fear and awe into the hearts of people it will be your honour in the eyes of your own people and strangers abroad who will certainly say O what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for surely Reformation is the great thing which the Saints this day in England and in the three Kingdoms have prayed for And what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all that Law of Reformation is which Englands Parliament have set up But now let your Reformation be poor and mean and low at first such as wicked men may sit securely under you discourage kill the hearts of the godly that have been praying for you and expecting a Reformation from you encourage the common people to trample upon your Reformation and the Ministery and render your selves cheap and contemptible to all the reformed Churches who do certainly stand at a gaze upon Englands Parliament and Assembly expecting not onely that you should follow them but that you should hold forth to all the Christian world the most full purest and glorious Reformation that hath been since the Churches have begun to shake off the yoke of Antichristian Bondage You have done admirably in the destructive and purging part of Reformation with Hezekiah 2 Chron. 24.15,26 You have brought out the uncleannesse that was found in the Temple of the Lord. You have pulled up every plant which by our heavenly Father hath not planted and taken out of his Kingdom whatsoever did offend and the Lord blesse you for it Now therefore that your work and your blessing may be compleat studie to be answerable in the positive and erective part of Reformation that as you have left nothing that Jesus Christ would have removed so there may want nothing that Jesus Christ would have set up in this New Model of Church-Government Heb. 8.5 See that ye do all things according to the patern so shall it be your honour as it was Moses Heb. 3.2 To be faithfull to him that appointed him in all his House Do thorowly that Christ may not be an underling in his own House 2. Do it speedily Tell me I beseech you what have you got by Delays Who hath been a gainer by them Not Jesus Christ not you not the work of Reformation I know none that have gained by these unhappie Obstructions but Heresie profanenesse division and in all these the devil You cannot but know how it is in the Citie and it would make

your souls bleed to look into the Countrey even those that are under the Parliaments command not to speak of those that lie under the Villanies and Violences of the enemy I say it would make your bowels ake and your hearts grieve to see what a face of things there is in the Countrey not so much truely as the face of a Church a Garden of God but the face of a Wildernesse not a faithfull Minister perhaps in twenty Congregations and where there is they know not what to do with their Congregations for want of a Government So that in the mean time the greatest part turn profane and if one or two here and there peep out of the dungeons of Ignorance and Atheism to enquire after the ways of God presently they are snapt up and seduced into some way or other of Heresie or Schism because there is neither hand nor instrument to take these Foxes Cant. 2.15 the little Foxes that spoil the Vines that now begin to have tender Grapes If you mean that England shall be turned into a wildernesse and be over-run with Atheism and Heresie and Prophanenesse and Blasphemy you may hold your hands and you need not do it long But better it were that England should be over-run with fire and sword better it should be devoured by plague and pestilence the Arrows whereof flie so thick abroad that they darken the very Heavens over our heads till man and beast were destroyed off the face of this good Land rather then this should come to passe Better judgement should turn us into a Wildernesse then sin should do it better welter in our blood then wallow in our lusts Therefore for the Lords sake for the Lords sake and again I say for the Lords sake make haste be through be speedy in your Reformation Would you not stay long for a Deliverance let not Christ stay long for a Reformation In both respects hear what an Heathen Emperour could advise and command Ezra 7 2●… Whatsoever is commanded by 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 Realm of the King and his sons I should come to the fourth particular but that there is one thing as a branch of this third which I desire leav cumbly to commend unto you and that is Concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O if you would expresse your love and zeal and thankfulnesse to God in any thing If there be any thing wherein you would expresse your kindnesse and fidelity to the Lord Jesus do it in this There is not a neerer concernment wherein you can gratifie God if I may so say then this What hath God dearer to him then his Son And what hath his Son dearer to him then his Body and Blood Oh look to it I beseech you that that be not prophaned and troden under feet by any unworthy person so far as it is in your power to prevent it Herein you may do well to imitate the Bishops in building a Rail or if that word like you not change it a letter or two and make a Rule about the Lords Table But be sure make it so thick and so high that not a Dog may creep through or leap over to eat the Childrens Bread De occultis non judicat ecclesia not one I mean that appears to be so for secret things we must leave to the Lord to judge Let me humbly ask you one Question Are there any kinde of sinners think you that Jesus Christ would have excluded from that holy Mystery If any then all of the same Nature and Influence for what if you should keep out seventy yea seven thousand sins and sinners from the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.27 and let but one scandalous sinner come would not he be found a Crucifier of the Son of God yea and let me speak freely you too if he come under your protection But if Jesus Christ would have all come promiscuously to his Board it is not in the power of Elderships nor Classes nor Assemblies or Parliaments nor any body in the World to suspend any one kinde of sin or sinner from that Holy Feast Honourable and Beloved Your blood and the blood of your sons and daughters hath been precious in Gods eyes O let the blood of the Son of God be precious in your eyes God hath not prostituted your flesh and your blood to any of your wicked enemies O suffer not the flesh and blood of the Lord Jesus to be prostituted to any of his wicked enemies For suppose God should say The Irish shall not spill your blood Prince Ruperts Army shall not drink your blood Hoptons Army shall not Gorings Army shall not Greenvils shall not the Clubmen shall not and so name seven yea seven times seven Armies and Nations and yet give Commission or leave but for one Army one Nation in all the world to eat your flesh and drink your blood what would it avail you that the rest were suspended and restrained O give not the Lord Jesus occasion to say of you 1 Sam. 25.21 as sometime David said of Nabal Surely In vain have I kept all that these men have I have been sparing of their blood and they have been prodigall of mine Now therefore go blasphemers go drunkards go Sabbath-breakers go ye worst of men and eat their flesh and drink their blood and the blood of their sons and daughters O deal not so unkindly with the Lord Jesus to provoke him to jealousie Purge the Sacrament and purge it throughly And then hasten the setting up of that Ordinance in all Congregations where there be a competent number fit for it Behold the children cry for this bread and there is none to give it unto them Behold The Spouse of Christ is sick of love and hunger and therefore hasten to stay her with this bread and comfort her with these flagons that she may eat and drink and her soul may blesse you before she die Fourthly For the Lords sake do execution upon all the professed and implacable enemies of the Lord Jesus who have said and sworn Luke 19.14 This man shall not reign over us Behold Christ commands you saying Verse 27. Bring them hither and slay them before me For your sake God hath sent to Babylon and brought down your enemies great and small and laid them dead at your feet What can you do more answerably by way of return for the Lords sake then to bring down his enemies and slay them before his face Behold shall God for your sake not suffer Parliament-Traitors and Parliament-Revilers to live and shall Christs Traitors and Trinity-blasphemers escape your just and severest vengeance God forbid You had need to do somewhat as in vindictam so interrorem For I tell you Blasphemy begins to be very bold and impudent Eccles 8. ●… Because sentence against evill doers is not speedily executed

therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do and utter evill O draw out your sword to execute judgement against such enemies of Jesus Christ That others may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Fifthly For the Lords sake Look to his poor Members that suffer O hear the complaints of your poor Brethren that are opprest by inferiour Committees in any part of the Kingdom that none that sit under your shadow may have just cause to say You have pull'd down one Star-Chamber and set up hundreds Look to your wounded Souldiers to the poor women that have been made widows and children that have been made fatherlesse in the Parliaments Service Their cry is gone up to Heaven O let their cry enter into your ears Look to these Families many whereof have been of good estates that by this unnaturall War and for owning you and your work have been driven from their habitations destitute and naked and have fled to this City of Refuge so God hath made London to seek for shelter and relief Or O that you would give us leave to look to them and provide for them by making some other provisions for your wounded Souldiers that the Collections in the City might be imployed for the relief of such as are ready to give up the ghost at our doors or lie languishing at home chusing rather almost to die then to discover their wants and necessities Know ye not that thousands are ready to perish for want of bread among us and we have not wherewith to relieve their souls This is a work that much concerns Jesus Christ for he hath said it Matth. 25.45 In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these ye have done it unto me Sixthly For the Lords sake Stand by your friends and the friends of Christ and his Cause Herein you stand by Jesus Christ himself The enemy have gained much but the God would not suffer them to keep it by their fidelity or policy rather to their friends O come not short of them in point of fidelity nor let the children of this world be alwayes wiser in their generations then the children of light Let none have just cause to say We suffer for our good will to the Parliament if you can help it You have the better Cause stand by it and it will stand by you I come now to speak a word in the last place to all that stand before God this day and the whole people of this Kingdom God hath done great things for your sakes also as you have heard And now what will you do for the Lords sake There be but two or three things that in this strait of time I shall commend to you as proper returns for these great deliverances and victories First Since God hath brought down your enemies abroad do you labour to bring down his enemies at home God hath avenged you in the blood of base and wicked men do you avenge God in the blood of your base and sinfull lusts God hath pulled down the strong holds of your enemies and made them fall before you do you down with these strong holds within every one of you 2 Cor. 10.5,6 whereby Jesus Christ hath been kept out of your hearts Brethren better it is to perish by the lusts of our enemies then by our own lusts and better the enemy had prevailed and blasphemed God with their tongues then we delivered to reproach and blaspheme God by our lives Hear what an angry question God asks Jer. 7.9,10 Will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsely and burn Incense unto Baal and walk after other gods whom we know not and come and stand before me in this house which called by my Name and say We are delivered to do all these abominations O let us not be the reproach of victories let us not sin against much lesse sin upon sin because of our deliverances It is pity fair weather should do any harm Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise O let us put these lusts to flight to death whose cry hath been in Gods ears calling for vengeance so long on us and on the Nation God hath given us the heads of our enemies let us give God the heads of our corruptions Secondly God hath made our enemies a Sacrifice for us and we are as the Scape-Goat as Isaac Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God wichh is your reasonable service This is indeed a reasonable service that he that hath redemeed us should have us 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God with your bodies and souls which are Gods Thirdly Let us still own the Cause which we see God still owns and serve it with our Estates our Counsells our Prayers our persons and if need be our lives and blood Christ hath not deserted us let not us desert Christ And to this purpose Let us all both Parliament and people Remember our Covenant Let us often read over our Covenant and live up with our Covenant and act up with our Covenant and reform up with our Covenant It is a fearfull thing to let a Covenant lie by the walls as worm-eaten Paper it is a fearfull thing to take a Covenant as it were for no other end then to aggravate our sins that as the Light turns sin into rebellion so the Covenant might aggravate rebellion into perjury How may we expect for this That God should strengthen the hand and sharpen the sword of the enemy which for a while he hath in mercy weakned and blunted and let it in upon us with Commission Levit. 26.25 To avenge the quarrell of the Covenant O let us be wise to Salvation and say with David Psal 116.12,14 What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies I will pay my vows unto the Lord And again Psal 56.12 Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee Now therefore holy Bretheren Partakers of the Heavenly Calling let us every one in our stations and callings stir up our selves to be active for God who hath been mighty for us And for your encouragement take this precious and I hope prevailing motive it is the hint and evidence I promised you even now and with which I will conclude Hereby we shall know that we are of the number of those for whose sake God hath done these great things and will do yet greater when we finde our hearts raised and enlarged to do great things for him By this we may know God doth all for us when we do all for him He hears us when we have an heart to hear him If we finde such a frame of heart here is comfort indeed Deliverances and deliverances for our sake Victories and victories not onely by divine leave but with divine love love to our persons and love to our prayers c. These be deliverances indeed Victories worth the having victories of Gods Israel Gen. 32.28 such as of Jacobs wrestlers have become Israels Princes to prevail with God and men O let us study this It is the spirituall and the best part of our mercies a divine impression and argument of the love of God upon our spirits Surely There is not a more glorious sight on this side Heaven then to see a God doing great things for a people and a people doing great things for their God The Lord be such a God to us and make us such a people to him and we are happy for ever Amen FINIS