dysaster or for any present weaknesse or miserie we are in the Lord carrieth on the worke of restitution and salvation of his Church and people in a mysterie when we are at the top of misery the Lord will be seene Iehovah iireth the Lord will be seene or will see even in the Mount his footsteps are hardly knowne the Sunne ariseth and shineth upon Sodome then the Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven Gods people lie as buried or burnt up in Babylon then the Lord sends from heaven and saveth them from those that would swallow them up This is the season not for shrinking but for zeale 1 Chron. 14. the Lord hath gone out before you and broke in upon the enemies as the breaking in of many waters therefore now bestirre you Those of Issachar are commended because they had knowledge and understanding of the Times 1 Chro. 12.32 and knew what Israel ought to doe This will be your wisdome to take notice that to hazard that Christs kingdome is in by Enemies abroad and Schismes and Divisions among our selves in this season requires all your diligence skill and power to bring present healing and aide And so now when Babylons rage crueltie is at the height it is the time it is the time to render to her double as she hath done to you In this season we are in straits as when the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Is it not time for us then to stirre in these straits strive and extend your selves to get Gods children and the Lords worke drawne out of the wombe let not that be your spot which was the spot of Ephraim in the like case the sorrowes of a travelling woman are upon him He is an unwise sonne for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children Hos 13.13 Now we are in the fire let your zeale hence be enkindled take fire from this fire Every man especially Reformers Repairers Deliverers must be salted with fire as every sacrifice was seasoned with salt Mar. 9. be ye therefore thus seasoned with this heavenly fire of zeale without which all will be unsavorie that you may goe on in promoting the great workes you have in hand Further to provoke you I adde some further incentives First Observe that the builders and reformers had as many discouragements as are now they had a great worke before them many enemies about them and the Kings Authoritie and expresse command against them Eâ—â—a â— 2 yet they went on and prospered there were Mountains before them Zach. 4.7 8 9. but God made all plaine in a strange way of providence Not by Army nor Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord He will doe the like for you Onely as it is said to Ioshua Be of good courage The Lord can rebuke the Devil and all his Instruments with a word and make them as still as a stone Secondly If ye faint and grow cold ye lose all that hath gone before ye Worthies ye have done much in pulling downe Poperie a Tyrannous Hierarchie and the strength of Babylons Armies ye have begun a glorious Reformation and your Zeale hath set you upon high undertakings and effected such things as we through our basenesse of spirit neither looked not hoped for you suffered as much as did ever any Parliament hazarding your Persons Estates and Families indured much contradiction of sinners and many reproaches ye have had many acknowledgements and thankesgivings from Citie and Countrey O then lose not all that hath gone before let your last be more then the first Will ye do will ye suffer so many things in vaine Thirdly Ye worke with God and the Lord will work with you It is an honour to the noblest to put their necks to this worke The Sonne of God appeareth upon a Red Horse going out in a fiery appearance against the enemie He is among the Myrtle trees that is in the midst of his people who are his delight and with him there are Red Horses also Michael hath his Angels to take vengeance on the Dragon and his angels also there are speckled Horses usefull every way both for defence and offence Fourthly The great oppositions you have should stirre up zeale the god of the world is against you Antichrist and all that have the marke of the Beast upon them are against you You are ingaged in the greatest worke that ever lay upon the children of men therefore there is required strong endeavours O be strong ye Zerubbabels he for the Lord of Hosts who hath beene zealous for you and withall take notice that your opposition is from devilish and malignant spirits Satan and his Instruments who stand at your right hands to resist Then up and be doing goe on your cause cannot but be good Firfthly Take courage and goe on else ye open the mouth of iniquitie you will be tried with cruel mockings by those that looke and gape to see your spirits flat and cold Oh how will they of Gath and Askelon insult this will pierce as a sword Saul chose rather to fall on his owne sword and die then to be mocked by the uncircumcised Philistines and Zedekiah would not yeeld but let come on him whatsoever it was because he feared to be scorned and mocked And consider I beseech you that we have made out boast of God and gloried in such instruments let not our confident boasting make us ashamed Sixthly Thus if you goe on you and we may leave happinesse to our posteritie if through our slacknesse and pusillanimitie the enemie prevaile we shall have nothing left to bequeath but Slavery and Popery Sevently Antichrists end is neere Babylon is and that shortly to be destroyed therefore faint not you have given her a deadly wound follow on your stroke let that wound never be healed the Beast roares and struggles and bestirres her selfe she recollects spirits but it is but as in a dying man naturea ultimus conatus which we call a lightening before death then now is the time to extend your selves to make a full end of the Whore to dispatch her with swords as the Prophet speakes and to burne her houses with fire Then keepe your spirits up fall not to an indifferencie or base neutrality They that be not with Christ are against him They that come not out to the help of the Lord suppose they be inoffensive moderate men are cursed with a double bitter curse Judg. 5. The history of the men of Iabesh Gilead may be for our learning on whom these sad times are come They assisted not the Beniamites in protecting those Delinquents sonnes of Belial nor associated with the Tribes of Israel in their just Warre which was as this Warre now to bring such wretches to judgement and punishment Vpon inquiry these being found Neuters were dealt withall as utter enemies they were all smitten with the sword both
divisions of Gods people there should be great thoughts of heart as for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts and great seachings of heart It is to be lamented with the teares of us all to see brethren agreeing in all substantials serving one God having one Father and Hope c. yet for some circumstances in matters of Discipline their contentions are as the barres of a Castle and the heat is increased as betweene Guelphs and Gibellines Honourable Senators here your Wisdome yea a Divine Wisdome from above must be obtained for you would shine if you could repaire all these breaches and compose things so that brethren might with peace of conscience dwell together in unitie then we should see that the Lord would delight over us to goe on to doe great things for us and the graces of God would then shine in his servants when they would in the spirit of meeknesse yeeld one to another so that the unitie of the spirit might be kept in the bond of peace This onely I adde If ye bite and devoure one another Gal. 5. take heed that ye be not consumed one of another Fourthly when we have had mercies showring down from heaven we have slackt our hands in prayer when Moses hands fell downe Amalek prevailed and so through our slacknes coldnesse in this dutie and others more then through the slacknesse of our Armies the enemies who were not long since even prayed downe have strengthened themselves to our reproach and danger Fifthly Selfe-love which sets us upon selfe-seeking and selfe-ends is so predominant that the publique concernments are not so promoted If we had publique concernments are not so promoted If we had publique spirits our endevours would have had a further influence into the publique good then yet they have had And many provocations there are amongst us to bewaile many Achans amongst us many cursed things not onely hid in the tents but brought forth in the sight of the Sunne they declare their sinne as Sodome and hide it not much cause of humiliation these are unto us all this day and we must not looke to see Gods work-perfected till we All mourne and repent for the many evils in the midst of us How long shall I see the Standard and heare the sound of the Trumpet Jer. 4.21 It is answered in the next words by the Prophet My people is foolish c. Junius reads it So long as my people is foolish and sottish and wise to doe evill And Honoured Worthies I beseech you to admit of me that I may use boldnesse This burden concerns all and cals upon all it is for admonition to all but especially You When Israel had provoked the Lord by their spell and bodily uncleanesse the people were plagued in a fearefull manner there fell in one day foure and twenty thousand Moses was not blamed Num. 25. but the Heads of the people Hang up the heads of the people that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel Why the Heads of the people They should have lookt better to the people in governing so to prevent sin or they should have beene more swift to execute judgement when they fell into sinne It is not enough that you are not grosse sinners that you are reformed so long as there are in the midst of Citie and Kingdome even where your Power also reacheth many abominations there are as Ezekiel speakes Ezek. 22. in thee in thee much excess many profanations horrible uncleannesse I speake what I know even abominable incest not onely acted once or twice but continued in to the just provocation of Gods anger against you and all of us and there is no course for redresse none to punish or put them to shame there is in the midst of us oppression and crueltie there are in the midst of us many Innocents whose faces are ground and their bones crusht and broken most injuriously they cry for reliefe they stretch out their hands to you for helpe O releeve the oppressed and judge the cause of the helplesse lest the Lord heare their cry and it be sinne unto you Delay not make speed to seeke judgement to bring the wheele upon the wicked put not off such things the delaying of which delayes all your hopefull proceedings delay not one day to trouble those that trouble Israel but as Ioshua said so doe ye God shall trouble thee this day These and many such things lye upon you therefore provoke your spirits to zeale and courage feare not faint not if Christ had fainted in the worke of our Redemption what had become of us he fainted not not was discouraged till he set judgement in the Earth do ye likewise Observe how the Lord describeth the Horse Iob 39. His neck is cloathed with thunder he paweth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth out to meet the armed man the quiver rattleth at him the glittering speare and the shield he saith among the Trumpets aha and doth God care for horses glorifie God in the creature and learne courage from him break through all like lightning as in naturall motion so the neerer you come to your haven where you would be let your motion be swifter The Lords beginnings engage him to finish ye are Gods as Psalme 82. Follow God the Lord hath beene very zealous for you and us take heed of coldnesse in this heat labour to hasten Reformation in the Church that it may be the gladnesse of Gods people to goe to the beautie of holinesse that the Tribes may goe up to the Testimony of Israel and for the better governing the Common-wealth let there be set thrones of judgement in all places as Psal 122. And to conclude Let us all put to our helping hands armes purses counsell encouragement for the helpe of the Lord against the mightie let the Ministers of Christ be carefull to maintaine unitie to provoke Christians to peace to unite against the common Enemie on some have compassion making a difference and others save with terrour pulling them out of the fire O let all be humbled before our God this day and put our mouthes in the dust and then our prayers will be very prevalent with God our legions would be thundering legions as Christian armies of old dreadfull to the enemie let us all helpe with our constant prayers be the Lords remembrancers give him no rest till he refine his Church and pull it out of the fire he that hath neither purse nor weapon nor hands nor counsell to helpe hath a heart O poure it out in prayer give not over till the Lord hath made Ierusalem a praise in the earth It is usuall to put words into a Delinquents mouth whereby he is delivered from death The Lord deales thus with us he bids us take words and he also suggests words whereby we may be delivered from iniquity received graciously Hos 14.2 So Ier. 3.19 He deviseth a way for us how we should obtaine the lengthening of our tranquillitie It is the Lord that asketh the question How shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land even a goodly heritage of the hostes of nations And I said thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turne away from me This then is the Lords way that he would have us take to cry Father Abba Father to pray to devote our selves to God and never to turne from him No people ever had more encouragements and more needs then we have to wrastle with God O wrastle with God leave him not till he blesse us give him not over till we prevaile when we are Princes and prevailers with God then shall we see Mercy and Truth meeting Righteousnesse and Peace kissing then would the Lord be with us in these fires or pull us as brands out of the fire and then and not till then we shall be prevailers over men FINIS
A FIREBRAND PLUCKT OUT OF THE BVRNING A SERMON PREACHED AT Margarets Westminster before the Honourable House of Commons at their late solemn Fast Novemb. 27. 1644. By Benjamin Pikering Minister of Gods Word at Buckstead in Sussex and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Order of the said House Jer. 50.33 34. Thus saith the Lord of hostes 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 hostes is his Name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon LONDON Printed by I. L. for Philemon Stephens and Samuel Gellibrand in Pauls Church-yard 1645. Die Mercurii 27. Novem. 1644. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament That Master Sallowey and Master Knightley doe from this House give thanks to Master Pikering and Master Gipps for the great paines they took in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at S. Margarets Westminster It being the day of Publique Humiliation and to desire them to Print their Sermons And it is Ordered that none shall presume to Print their or either of their Sermons without leave under their or either of their Hand-writing H. Elsying Cler. Parl. D. Com. I Appoint Philemon Stephens and Samuel Gellibrand to print this Sermon BEN. PIKERING TO THE HONOVRABLE House of Commons Assembled in Parliament HOnourable Senators Your patient attention unto and thankefull acceptance of my undeserving paines in this Sermon now according to your Order printed and in all humility presented unto you emboldens me againe to reinforce my exhortation that you would be of good courage and goe on zealously to work with God untill he be pleased to make you and all Gods people happy and blessed in ordaining peace perfecting Reformation and working all your workes for you Nothing is so preiudiciall to your proceedings nothing so much hinders good things from us as many grievous provoking sinnes in the midst of us Hence is it that when peace and freedome with Truth in purity have beene flowing in toward us as a River the Lord hath caused them as Iordan to be driven backwards the night seemed to be past and the day of the glorious Gospel with peace on earth seemed to spread it selfe over us but now the shadowes are againe stretched out black clouds hang over our heads still threatening a day of darkenesse and gloominesse The profanenesse and incorrigiblenesse of the multitude declare that we are ripe for iudgement indisposed and unfit for such mercies as have beene ever since the happy beginning of your sitting tendering themselves unto us The vitals of this Kingdome are fearefully distempered the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint Our sinfull distempers threaten the dissolution of the whole body Therefore through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the Land darkened and the people are as fuel for fire and their carkasses lye torne in the midst of the streets for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Certainly it will be acceptable to God available to the healing of the Land and reducing us to a fitnesse for Reformation if you could as you have begun set up a faithfull Ministery and establish iudgement and iustice in the Gates If iudgement had its free course in Citie and Countrey the course of Gods iudgements would determine Let your zeale for the Lord burne and this burning which the Lord hath kindled would be quenched Phinehas stood up and executed iudgement and the plague ceased Let not the sonnes of Belial say There is no law now Let them not be as when there was no King in Israel every man doing that which was right in his owne eyes let them know that the Kingly power resides in his High Court of Parliament Let your terrour be on all the wicked bring the wheele upon them or make them flee into desolate places to cut up the mallowes by the bushes Job 30. and Juniper roots for their meate If iniquitie were purged and the wicked tooke away God would leave off melting Jer. 6. Satan would be rebuked the enemies unarmed no weapon formed against you should prosper Every knowne sinne suffered amongst us if not prevented nor punished by you will be as yours and will give the enemie advantages Greg. Moral 10. â— 20 Therefore some thinke that Satan is said to stand at Ioshua's right hand and so of his fellow reformers as having iust accusation and therefore too hard for Ioshua and his fellowes Nam dextra fortius aliquid majus significat to this purpose they bring that in the 109. Psalme Let Satan stand at his right hand and thus expound it fac ut Satan in judicio superiores habeat partes The reason why they thus thought was because Ioshua did not carefully oversee and instruct the people in Babylon he was not zealous in exciting to the building of Gods Temple And although we read not that he was faulty in marrying a strange woman as some say but without Scripture he did yet this was accounted his sinne that his brethren and somes by his neglect or sufferance had done so Rabb Hieron As Sanctius hath it Ezra 10. Thus farre this is usefull to excite you to prevent sinne in others and to take away occasion from all that seeke occasion either to asperse or hinder your pious proceedings in building the Lords House and setting up his Worship and Ordinances in puritie O be carefull lest the Adversary get advantage for you are not ignorant of his devices Iustice also requires that you should make speed to heare and to releeve the innocent that cry to heaven that cry to you as Gods on earth let not their eyes faile with waiting Be zealous for Christs cause delay not to establish his government and discipline with vigour proceed so on in your reforming and treating that glory may dwell in our Land that mercy and truth righteousnesse and peace may meete together and kisse each other Let your wisdome find out a way so that for circumstantiall differences there be no rent made by those who are one body The wisdome which is from above which is pure and peaceable so direct you that you may take away all pretences of separation or schisme that every mouth may be stopt that brethren may dwell together in unitie serving the Lord with one shoulder that the God of love and peace may be amongst us Your religious approbation and expediting of the Directory for Gods worship is no small refreshing to the spirits of all the godly you have gone farre but forget the things that are behind and presse on toward the marke So long as the Iewish builders and reformers minded more themselves and their owne houses then the House of God Satan prevailed by the Kings wicked Counsellours
in Babylon and the Samaritancs about Iudea to hinder their counsels and endeavours you have given good proofe that you exalt God and preferre his glory with the hazard of the depressing of your selves and yours The Lord is faithfull who will not forget your unparallel'd zeale and labour of love Continue in your integritie and the Lord will continue a Sunne and shield to you Psal 105.14 he will for your sakes rebuke Princes he will rebuke Satan and all his malignant Instruments that they shall be as still as a stone Although Satan be at your right hand feare not so long as our Mediatour sits at the right hand of God feare not if you with Ioshua stand before the Angel of the Covenant continue to stand before him as your Master whose worke you are about expecting what he will prescribe or enioyne Continue in his worke that you may be found so doing so acquit your selves that he may say Well done good and faithfull servants you have beene faithfull in all my house enter into your Masters ioy Stand before this Angels as your Iudge to whom in all your iust proceedings you may appeale and have reliefe Stand before him as your Advocate who hath undertaken the Patronage of your righteous cause and the promoting of your pious undertakings in heaven with his Father there he speakes good there he pleads for you and the Lord will answer him with good words and comfortable words concerning you and concerning his Ierusalem To his powerfull Patronage constant care and gracious guidance you and all your weightie Affaires are commended in the daily prayers of Your most unworthy but faithfull and humble servant BEN. PIKERING A SERMON PREACHED AT Margarets Westminster before the Honourable House of COMMONS at their late Solemn Fast Novemb. 27. 1644. Zach. 3. latter part vers 2. Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire IT is the Lords pleasure that the condition of his Church many times should be such as the Prophet expresseth I beheld the earth and lo it was without forme and void Jer. 4.23 and the heavens had no light Thus it was with Gods people in the Babylonish captivitie Heaven and Earth Church and Common-wealth were in a confusion It is the Lords goodnesse to have respect to his people in such extreamities and when all is in a Chaos to stirre up helps and wayes to a new Creation of this heaven and earth The God of the spirits of all flesh for this end stirs up the spirit of Cyrus to give way and of Zerubbabel Ioshua Ezra and Nehemiah to revive the stones out of the rubbish to build the Citie and Temple and to set up the true worship and pure ordinances of God It is observable that the best undertakings meet with greatest discouragements As these Builders and Reformers did both from the Kings Courtiers and Malignant neighbours stirred up by the Devill Therefore lest they should faint and be weary lest their spirits should faile the Lord sends encouragements by his Prophets Haggai and Zachary Ezra 5.1 The like oppositions much Honoured you have had and such encouragements the Lord hath not been wanting in to you This Prophet Zachary First to fit and dispose the people for mercy exhorteth to repentance Thus is a people prepared for the Lord. Secondly by sevetall visions the Lord first sheweth how he had dealt with them that is with moderation not according to their deserts but in measure and much mercy Chap. 1. 2. Secondly for their comfort he declareth how he would deale with them Chap. 3. 7. that is he would deale graciously with them if they would turne to him and build his Temple and set up his worship and ordinances in their puritie In this third Chapter is set down the fourth vision which the Lord manifested to this Prophet that is Ioshua the high Priest and Satan standing at his right hand In Ioshua the high Priest a type of Christ is set out the restauration of the Church and Priesthood and true worship He stood before the Angel of the Lord that is the second person of the Trinitie called the Angel of the Covenant and vers 2. of this Chapter Iehovah attending his commands expecting his ayde he was in vile raiment not as the high Priest of old though the Priesthood and Church be in a vile despicable condition you see it is in Christs eye he hath care of it Satan an adversary stands at his right hand to resist The devill will still be hindering the acting hand in the things of God Our Saviour found it so when first he entred upon the worke of a Mediatour and Saint Paul in his pious intentions Matth. 4. 1 Thess 1. Satan hindered us The Devill hateth all Divine Order and pure Ordinances therefore he resists Ioshua in whom the Priesthood and Divine worship were restored Hence vers 3. the Lord is pleased to grant a threefold encouragement to Ioshua and the rest which is also a threefold discouragement to the adversary First The Lord hath chosen Ierusalem and the Ministery appointed to gather and build up his people and the Lord by deliverance of his people hath manifested his election therefore he will not forsake those whom hee hath chosen Gods choosing is loving Iacob have I loved Whom God loves he loves to the end therefore feare not Secondly The Sonne of God undertakes the Patronage of his Church he prayeth for them he makes intercession to Iehovah God the Father Iehovah said Iehovah rebuke thee and observing the reduplication the Lord rebuke thee even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee we may see vehemency of affection in our Mediatour toward his Church and chosen he was heard alway whilest he was upon earth Joh. 11. Father I know thou hearest me alwayes Therefore now he is at the right hand of God he is heard The Lord will rebuke the adversary and answer this angel with good and comfortable words concerning Ierusalem This was to Ioshua and the rest and is to you another singular encouragement The third is in the words of the Text read unto you that is present rescue This manifests what Gods purpose is toward his people he hath delivered them out of a wofull captivitie likely to consume them as a brand out of the fire therefore the Lord will save them to the uttermost hath he begun and shall he not finish what worke he begins he will perfect it the Lord will perfect that which concerneth his chosen Psal 138.8 Thus may the Lords chosen instruments and servants be encouraged and thus the malignant enemy tooke off Vpon this third let us stay our soules I shall not trouble you with varietie of interpretations nor with multitude of observations which might very aptly be drawn out but shall labour to present the summe in this generall instruction Gods people may be in the burning but they shall certainly be rescued and perfectly delivered Doctrine This I shall
Cant. 8. many waters cannot quench this love c. In wrath he remembers mercy and will not contend for ever lest the spirit should faile before him Isa 57.16 and the soules that he hath made The Lord will repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Deuteronomie 32.36 The tender mercies of the wicked are cruell their malice is endlesse but the Lord in wrath remembers mercy When his people are humbled his repentings are kindled his bowels are troubled and acknowledgeth that Jerusalem hath received double at his hands for all their sinnes Isa 40.2 Duplum in Christo Junius And so one addes an Argument besides those I have set downe out of these words which may silence the Devill and all implacable enemies Thus This people is sufficiently punisht therefore God is not to be urged to adde to their punishment Sanctius Fourthly the enemy shall not alwaies blaspheme the Lord will stop the mouth of iniquitie he will still the enemy and avenger Deut. 32.26 27. the Lord would have scattered the Israelites into corners and caused the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that he feared the wrath of the enemy Fifthly thus the Lord takes course for his own Name although not for our sakes yet for his owne Names sake he will worke for us that his Name be not polluted And so Ioshua pleads Josh 7. Chap. 7. that for this reason the Lord would not leave his people in the enemies hand for then What saith he wilt thou doe unto thy glorious Name Fourthly here is implied that if the Lord beginne in mercy he will finish Psal 102. Psal 138.8 when the time to favour Sion the set time is come then the Lord will perfect his worke concerning us he will doe it in despight of all Devils and Antichristians though there be mountaines before his Zerubbabels God will make them plaines and bring forth the head-stone of his worke with shouting He can make the hardest resistance as Clay or Wax to the Signet the greatest impediment shall give place as Euphrates did to Cyrus that he might take the old Babylon He saith to the deepe Isa 44. Be drie and so will the Lord doe that he may be avenged on Rome Revel 16.11 Yea things adverse shall not onely yeeld but concurre The Lord will make away in the wildernesse and rivers in the desert the beasts of the field shall honour him the Dragon Isa 43.19 20 21. and the Owles c. As the beginnings of the ruine of the wicked evidenceth their certaine totall ruine If Haman begin to fall he shall not faile but fall so the beginnings of deliverance from our Romish enemies are pledges of compleat deliverance the beginnings of the repairing of Gods Temple evidence the certaine finishing of it beginnings of woe were signes to the Iews of the extremitie of woe and beginnings of blessednesse and puritie are like signes of perfect blessednesse and puritie First for the Lord hath chosen Ierusalem and his beginnings declare what he hath decreed If God hath decreed to deliver to build to beautifie the place of his Foot-stoole and make it glorious who can hinder the Lord God hath purposed and who can disanull it Isa 14.24.27 he hath stretched forth his hand and who can turne it back Secondly It stands God upon for his honour to goe on in mercy when he begins in mercy his Truth his Wisdome and Power are ingaged Moses therefore was much affected when the Lord threatened to destroy Israel as one man after he had puld them out of the Egyptian burnings Exod. 32.12 Lord saith he why doth thy wrath waxe hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mightie hand Wherefore should the Egyptians speake and say for mischiefe did he bring them out to slay them in the mountaines Num. 14.15 16. And now if thou wilt kill all this people as one man then the Nations which have heard the fame of thee will speake saying Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into Canaan he hath slaine them in the wildernesse The Lord would not have us such unwise builders as beginne and cannot finish such builders are exposed to scorne and shame therefore the omnipotent onely wise God will not doe so The Lord also is tender of his servants honour he will still the enemie Psal 8. Sanballat Tobiah and Geshem will laugh Nehemiah and other Worthies to scorne Neh. 2.19 20. What is this thing that ye doe Neh. 4.2 3 4. Will ye rebell against the King What doe these feeble Iewes will they fortifie will they sacrifice Then his fellow Even that which they build if a Foxe goe up he will breake down their stone wall but Nehemiah and such may be confident and say The God of heaven will prosper us therefore we his servants will arise and build and make all knowne to God who careth for your persons your names and honours Heare O our God for we are despised and turne their reproach upon their owne head The reproach of his servants he will wipe away Isa 66.5 The Lord will appeare to your joy when they shall be ashamed Thirdly God is constant so is his love and resolution to doe us good he is not as the sonne of man that he should repent Num. 23.19 Mal. 3.6 1 Sam. 12.22 he is God and changeth not The Lord will not forsake his people for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people Therefore when the Lord beginnes he goeth on as Naomi said of Booz The man will not be in rest untill he finish the things this day Men are mutable discouraged weary but the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not Natura not dilassatur opere as the heavens are never wearie the Sunne after millions of revolutions continueth still rejoycing as a mighty man to runne his race much lesse is the God of Nature and the God of these Heavens weary shall the Lord then begin and not finish Shall I bring to the birth Isa 66.9 and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord The Lords care over his Church is also a constant care his eyes are continually upon it upon one stone that is Christ Iesus the Corner-stone on whom we are built there are seven eyes that is many eyes the Lords eyes are upon Gods House Populi causam Deus semel tucudan suscepit ac proinde qua est constantia â—â—nquam deseret cam Drusius his chosen and so shall be till all be perfected concerning his people They may be in the burning but they shall certainly be rescued and if so perfectly delivered The constant zeale of the Lord of Hosts will performe this First sympathize and pity Ireland almost burnt Vse 1. Levit. 10.6
and England in the fire Let the whole house of Israel bewaile the burning which the Lord hath kindled let your compassions be toward the Palatinate that Vine that had strong rods for the Scepters of them that beare rule but fire is gone out of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit Ezek. 19. ult so that there is no rod for a Scepter to rule This is a lamentation and it shall be for a lamentation let your compassions be kindled so that they may set you on a course to help them out of the fire use means as the Lord hath put into your hands if so be there may be balme for their healing if we shall still look on without contributing to their reliefe looke for the like measure from others in our miseries Who shall pity thee O England or who shall bemoane thee or who will turn aside to aske how thou dost we have beene too much and too long wanting unto Gods distressed Churches feare lest the fire of Gods anger be kindled against us because we have beene a staffe of reed unto the house of Israel Ezek. 29.6 Secondly let the Lord be magnified by us First for giving warning he sets us on fire round about before his wrath kindle upon us It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed let your praise be continually of him for keeping off this fire when the enemy hath been coming in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord hath lift up a Standard against him he hath appointed barres and limits unto these raging waves of the enemy and said Stay there thy proud waves and goe no further Secondly blesse the Lord for chastising in measure for that he hath not powred out all his anger he might have scattered Brimstone upon our habitations and made us as Sodome and Gomorrah Blesse our God ye people c. For thou O God hast proved us thou hast tried us as silver is tried Psa 66. we went through fire and through water hence we have good hone that the Lord hath not ordained us to wrath for when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Thirdly magnifie the Lords Omnipotencie that hath kept his Church in the midst of flames Numb 21. The bush burneth and is not consumed Israel was preserved among fiery Serpents so are we kept amongst a Malignant company the brood of the Serpent who are set on fire Magnifie the God of Truth who hath spoke with his mouth and with his hand fulfilled it When thou walkest through the fire Isa 43.2 thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Is it not marvellous in your eyes that the religious in France have beene preserved in Massacres and Butcheries and the Protestants in England in the fires in Queene Maries reigne and since from the damnable Powder-Plot and many a time since from the Antichristians set on fire against us and their Adherents brutish men skilfull to destroy Fourthly let the Lord be magnified for making some impressions on the Antichristian party The Lord God of recompences hath begun to give burning for burning Let all give glory to the Lord for stirring up the spirits of our Worthies to hate the Whore to make her desolate to eat her flesh and burne her with fire O glorifie ye the Lord in the midst of the fires Thirdly let us not think our selves exempt the Lord hath brought this fire upon all his people and shall we be free First therefore shake off securitie and bestirre your selves to prevent and keepe our selves out we have been as brands in the fire The burnt child dreads the fire Our neighbours house is on fire we cannot but be concerned in this I will not meddle in Politiques onely advise thus Therefore first kindle not the Lords jealousie by superstitions cast not a favourable eye toward the Whore of Rome leave not an hoofe of the Beast in England Secondly tempt not God complaine not of his wise administration thinke not say not as Israel Can God doe this can he perfect Reformation can he give pure Ordinances can he subdue such a people as we are to his Scepter can he ordaine Peace can he worke all our workes for us When the Lord heard this he was wroth so a fire was kindled against Iacob Psal 78.21 and anger also came up against Israel Thirdly purge out every cursed sinne by repentance let this be manifested in a holy indignation against all remainders of Idolatry and Superstition as you have zealously begun make the stones of the Altars as Chalke-stones beat them to pieces Isa 27. Every sinne makes us as readie to take fire even as Gun-powder let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare for first Our God is a consuming fire and secondly this fire of the Enemy is dreadfull A fire devoureth before them and behinde them a flame burneth all that is desireable will be consumed by them Gods Sanctuary shall be laid waste his Worship his Ordinances polluted we shall lose communion of Saints the excellencie of our strength the desire of our eyes no fire makes such a desolation as this An Idolatrous Army is the abomination of desolation Ezek. 24. And if the Lord have stretched out his hand so that we cannot put it back but that this fire doe kindle upon us I shall prescribe the same course Turn to him that smiteth take away the sting from the fiery Serpents that is our sinnes The sting of death and every deadly evill is sinne sinne is as fuel and bellowes both increasing the flame and the wrath of God as a streame of Brimstone If we could have broken hearts the Lord would binde up our broken State our broken Church If we be not found in our sins the fire can have no power over us Dan. 3. Satan shall not be at our right hand so as to prevaile But if we continue in our neutralitie like warmenesse divisions and heats one toward another in covetousnesse pride injustice unthankfulnesse despising the day of small things and contempt of the Gospel grieving Gods holy Spirit by which he still striveth with us the Lord wil be turned to he our enemie how then can our hearts endure or our hands be strong in the day that the Lord shall deale with us hereunto will be added the burning of an evill conscience Ezek. 22. a terrible devouring fire and thus the fire will be as Nebuchadnezzars furnace Heb. 10. seven times hotter Be instructed lest the Lords soule depart from you let this fire that the Lord hath kindled be a Refiners fire lest the Lord come from his place as a consuming fire and everlasting burnings Our God hath beene trying to purge us a long time he hath smitten us with Pestilence after the manner of Egypt but we have not turned to him he hath now drawne