neither the Ability of devising what is fit and proper nor yet of uttering what he so finds devised till he hath received it from God nor are such precious Talents entrusted with all Persons indifferently Eccles 2.26 God giveth to a Man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledg We are taught James 1.17 that every good and perfect Gift cometh from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights who if he sees fit to suspend his Light the sharpest Wits the most acute Judgments grope but in the dark That God should be the Fountain of Wisdom and Knowledg is a Principle all have assented to for even the very Heathen in all their Distress did usually apply unto their Gods for Direction and Help Nor are we left without sufficient Precedents of this nature Judg. 18.5 five Persons of the Tribe of Dan Men of Valour were sent out as Spies they confided not in their own Policy or Strength but like wise Persons desirous to discharge their Trust effectually they ask Counsel of the Lord whether the way they had design'd to go should prosper it was their Belief that God only knew and it was their Resolution to follow his Direction Again Jugd 20.18 Israel being to engage with the Tribe of Benjamin relied not upon their Numbers for they had often seen that the Battel was not to the Strong but trusted in the Counsel they should receive from God and therefore before the Battel was begun went up to the House of God and asked Counsel of God Let others therefore look to their Achitophel Machiavel Anaxagoras Panaetius or Polybius or to the Conclave of Babylon yet let your Eyes look up unto the Lord and beg hard for the Wisdom which is pure and peaceable and then shall your Enemies by their sitting hatch but a Cockatrice Egg or spin a Spiders Web God will frustrate their Devices and make their craftiest Projects of none effect while your own Counsellors shall be guided in the ways of Peace and Happiness Pray to God for he hath assur'd you Prov. 8.14 that Counsel sound Wisdom Understanding and Strength are his vain and fruitless Devices the Devil may furnish his Instruments with but sound Counsel and Wisdom is only from the Lord. 3. Pray to God heartily that he would give the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding to the Honourable Houses of Parliament for God hath promised upon our praying to bestow this Blessing Hear how our Saviour reasons with the Jews Luke 11.11 they had been poison'd by entertaining some false Notions of God and were jealous of him in respect of his Love and Bounty to them our Saviour faith if you that are rash fiery and inconsiderate Creatures subject to sundry Passions and Humours have notwithstanding that Affection for your Children that you gratify them in what they ask provided it be useful and good to them why then should not your heavenly Father the God of Love and Mercy who is not subject to those Distractions and Changes which are incident to Flesh and Blood most freely give you the best things even the Spirit of Wisdom provided you ask as you ought if therefore we ask they shall receive For our farther Encouragement St. James from God hath told us James 1.17 that if any Man lacketh Wisdom he should ask it of God who giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth not Fear no Reproach for asking your Petition shall not be thrown out provided it be delivered with Faith Humility and Fervency you shall not be brow-beaten for thus addressing but you may believe that he who hath told us he loveth a cheerful Giver is himself a liberal Benefactor Solomon being called to the Throne wisely considered the Weight of a Scepter and the Cares of a Crown and therefore in his first Petition that he made to God 1 Kings 3.9 he beg'd an understanding Heart Counsel and Direction from God to go in and out before so great a People that he might exert his Power to the right ends viz. God's Glory and his Subjects Good And if you read 1 Kings 4.29 30. God both heard and was well pleased with this Prayer he denied him not the Request of his Lips but gave him such a measure of Knowledg such a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding that he thereby surpassed even to a wonder all his Contemporaries whether Friends or Foes Daniel and his three Companions made their Supplication before God for Wisdom they were in a difficult Post living in the midst of their Enemies and therefore needed Direction lest unhappily they gave occasion that the Name of God should be blasphemed their Prayer was answered Dan. 1.17 and notwithstanding they were but as Children for Years they became wiser than the Aged Thirdly To what ends we should thus Pray The great ends why we should pray for Counsel and Wisdom for these our Representatives we may find in the Prayer that the Church hath set out upon this particular occasion namely that by their Consultations Good may accrue to the Church of God Safety Honour and Welfare may be Established to the King and His Kingdoms and that all things may be so ordered and settled by their Endeavours upon the Best and Surest Foundations that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be Established among us for all Generations And what can any Man desire more than that the Church of God may flourish by means of true Religion and Piety that the King's Honour and Safety and His Kingdoms Welfare may be preserved by the upholding Truth and executing of Justice and these things thus happily Atchieved by God's Blessing upon their Counsels How Peaceful how Happy shall we and our Posterity be 1. One great end is for the good of the Church that by means of their Godly Wisdom Religion and Piety may flourish among us Religion and Piety that is Soundness of Doctrine and Holiness of Conversation As to the First that of Doctrine the un-erring Rule thereof is the Scriptures which if duly observed Heresies and Schisms would vanish from among us not but that either of these pretend Scripture in their Justification yet both are not sound in the Exposition of them and the distinction were easily made if Men would depart from their Pride and Conceitedness and with Modesty compare Scripture with Scripture and where after such comparison the Truth doth not so fully appear as might be wishd they would then ask Judgment of those Reverend Fathers of the Church whose Piety and Learning have passed without just contradiction for many Ages Chrysippus doating on his own Learning and Subtilty in Dispute boasted that he oftner wanted new Opinions than Arguments to defend them we have of late days heard of some of his Scholars It was the Opinion of some exemplary for Knowledge as well as Piety that Religion had but Three Grand Enemies Luke-warmness Prophaneness and Novelty with the first we have been a long time pester'd by the second never so much as of
together with their Posterity and Country before them should not desire and beg the Divine Assistance to their Consultations In short whoever is against our Praying this day and upon this Occasion are no well wishers to Prosperity any day We are this day called together to pray for Gods Blessing upon the Consultations of the present Parliament and I know not the minds of others but according to the best of my judgment from this action these following thoughts must necessarily offer themselves to your minds First The Prevalency and Advantage of a good and Pious Example is herein very apparent Theodorick King of the Goths inform'd the Roman Senate Facilius esse eerrare naturam quam dissimilem sui Principem Rem Publicam formare that Subjects did commonly comport themselves suitably to the Copy their Sovereign set before them so that the Prince who desired successfully to commend Piety to his People must do it by virtue of his own practice In the Spring our King Solicited the Prayers of his People as knowing that God was the Lord of Hosts and now in Fall the Parliament request your Prayers as knowing that bur God is the God and giver of Wisdom Secondly From this days Fasting and Praying we may collect and be satisfied in the Wisdom of the Parliament If Solomon's Rule be true That the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom How wise are they who will not begin their weighty Affairs till they have Invocated his Blessing and Assistance It were unreasonable to expect the Blessing they fought not and as weak to believe their Consultations should be effectual if they were unblest They are not like the Jews for sending an Embassy to Egypt but for sending one to Heaven and therefore have ordred the concurrence of your Prayers with their own that thus joyntly wrestling with the God of Mercy you may obtain a blessing Our Saviour while in the flesh undertook no extraordinary work without Prayer and accordingly by Practice as well as Precept he commended this great duty to his Followers while others therefore question let us gratefully acknowledge their Wisdom who in this act of Devotion not only Imitate their Lord and Master but also look up unto him as the Author and Finisher of their Salvation as well Temporal as Spiritual Thirdly That we are this day met in the house of God by Prayer and Fasting to Supplicate a blessing upon the Consultations of the present Parliament this being the effett of their Address demonstrates their Humility no Impartial person can think otherwise than that the flower of the nation for Learning Wisdom and Experience are now in conjunction yet are they persons of that exemplary and admirable Modesty as they will not tolerate Self-confidence and I may say such is their Piety that they have learnt from the Spirit of God not to lean on their own understanding Prov. 3. 5,6 They desire to acknowledge God in all their ways and therefore invocate him and no doubt will Prosper the better for it The greater submission the more Grace God resisteth the Proud he opposeth the strength and infatuates the wit in which they confide but ever giveth grace to the humble They neither presume nor Glory in their own Abilities nor do they defie their Enemies upon the Imagination of what themselves can do though their power be truly great but you see their intentions are to meet them and their dark designs in the Name of the God of Israel they will like Hezekiah Isa 37.41 15. First repair to God and by Prayer and Humiliation endeavour the Appeasing his Wrath and then Provid against the threatnings of the Enemy they will take care to humble themselves before him who they believe will in due time exalt them If they defie their Enemies it is not because the Judgments of God are far above out of their sight but because in this act of Devotion God is in their sight his Goodness and Love his Wisdom and Power his Truth and Mercy are before their Eyes The God of Truth hath said it That he dwelleth with him that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Isa 57.15 To revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the Heart of the Contrite one if he therefore dwelleth with one such we may well hope he will not withdraw his comforting and cherishing presence from a whole body of the same gracious temper Fourthly That we are at this time called together to offer up our humble and hearty Prayers that God would be Gracious unto and bless the great Assembly of Parliament argues likewise the Piety and sincerity of them that promoted this days meeting It is on argument they are not gathered together against the Lord nor against his Anointed for then had it been unpardonable Impudence to have Expected the Benediction of the Righteous God who is the great and best preserver of Religious Kings and Princes Jeroboam who had been false with God was driven more out of necessity than love to seek unto God in behalf of his sick Son but being Conscious of his own Hypocrisie observe his manner and way of seeking 1 Kings 14.2 He dispatcht his Wife upon his Errand for privacy and to be yet more private she must go in a disguise And thanks be to God we may well believe they who have this day put us upon seeking unto God have hearts right towards God they love him they love his worship they love the Government they love the People they really affect and desire our good or otherwise it had been no good policy to call a good God to their Council Time has been that Persons have strove hard and spent much to be chosen for the Service of their Countrey in Parliament but what Hearts did many of them come with The same as the Romans of old went to their Governments with Tanquam ad auream nussem as â—o a golden and profitable not a painful and laborious Harvest Too many accounted the house no other than Danae's Tower for if sitting there Jupiter did not dissolve himself and Kingdoms upon them in Golden showers his true service and interest seldom enter'd theâ—â— breasts They came its true upon their Summons but wherefore only in hopes to return like so many Jasons with every one a Golden Fleece but now we hear other things now you are by them desired to pray that God would inspire them from above that they may wisely unanimously and cordially consult what is best for God and their Kings Honour for their own and Countries good and safety Blessed are our Ears that hear ihese things hard our hearts if we believe them not and dull our Souls if we pray not that they may in due time be fulfilled Tho I acknowledg the true Love of God to be the properest and sweerest Inducement unto Prayer yet I also observe that many are Strangers to this Love and that the Spirit of their Devotion is barely Fear or Hope So that their Prayers
properly speaking are owing to their Interest and Advantage they find that God is the God of their Mercies and therefore they resolve that he shall be the God of their Prayers as well as Praises Were not God bountiful and gracious and were not we poor Mortals subject to Want and Necessities Heaven would not be stormed by so many Prayers as it is I therefore undertook to represent the Nation 's hopes â—s reasonable from this Sessions of Parliament as I possibly could that the People might the more generally frequently willingly and fervently mind it in their Supplications Having therefore dispatch'd this and I hope both shown the occasion and reason of praying and likewise stir'd up some Desire and Propensity in your Mind to pray I now proceed to direct you First What to pray for Secondly Why we should pray for these things Thirdly To what end and purpose we should beg these things In the first place in the subject Matter of your Prayer I hold it necessary that we 1. Be instant and urgent with God now in the Church and anon in our Closets to pity this sinful Nation with the Grace of Repentance that we turning from our Sins he may let go his Displeasure Whoso shall tell you this Advice is not seasonable and necessary must speak against his Knowledg and he that perswades you to hope for God's Blessing before you repent encourages you to hope against your Belief Amsterdam is reported to be a Medley of Religion and to speak without Flattery London may properly be termed a Sink of Sin Have we not amongst us the Sensuality of the old World the Lust of Sodom the Cruelty of Egypt the Carelesness and Security of Laish the Drunkenness of Persia the Stallions of Jerusalem the Idolatry of Babylon the Infidelity of Bethsaida and Chorazin the Pride of Capernaum the impertinent Curiosity of Athens the Flattery of Zidon the Lying of Greece and the Lukewarmness of Laodicea Is it not easy to find a bloody Cain an oppressing Nimrod a complying Aaron a revengeful Simeon an over-indulgent Eli a massacring Haman a deceitful and treacherous Joab a blaspheming Rabshekah Have we not David's Liars who as soon as they are born go astray speaking Lies Have we not his Cursers who clothe themselves with Cursing as with a Garment Have we not his false Hearts whose Flatteries are smoother than Oil whose Calumniations are sharper than a two-edged Sword Have we not his Courtiers who eat at his Table are free to his Chappel and yet lift up their heel against him Have we not his Fools who say in their heart there is no God Nay we have greater who in Print declare the Son of God was no Saviour Have we not Ephraim's Drunkards the Scribes false Witnesses St. Paul's Assassines Have we not a Demetrius to roar out for Diana a Demetrius to obstruct the preaching of the Truth Have we not a covetous Simon and an Apostatizing Demas How many amongst us neither fear God nor regard Man These and many more are the Sins of this Age and Place I know many Graces but no Sin that we want and if we did it would soon be brought on the Stage But when we look upon these Sins with respect to their Circumstances O wretched Nation who shall deliver thee Our Sins are aggrandiz'd in that they are committed not for want of a Law or a Law explain'd for we sin against the Law of Nature implanted in our Minds against the Law of God and the wholsome Laws of the Land our Sins bid Defiance not only to the Light of Reason but to the glorious Light of the Gospel we sin in Contempt of the Ministery of God's Word which is so plentiful amongst us We sin with an high hand for we sin against the Principles of our Religion against our Baptismal Vow against the Stirrings of the Spirit of Grace against the Reproofs of God's Word and the painful Gripes of our Consciences our Sins have been committed against Mercies and Judgments against Warnings Calls Promises and Profession of Repentance and Reformation Now is it not high time for God to be avenged on such a Nation as ours to ease himself of such grand Enemies and notorious Rebels It would further encrease our Guilt to believe that ever God would hear such Sinners before they repent them of their Wickedness thus to believe were all one as to suppose God to be such an one as our selves Let us therefore implore God first to bless us in turning every one of us from our Sins before ever we dare to expect he should favour our Affairs If we will continue in the way of the Ungodly we must believe nothing will prosper We must either believe that there is no Knowledg in God that he neither knows nor regards our Doings or else that he is departed from Justice if ever his Blessings light upon us while we continue in our Sins How is it possible God should guide us with his Eye when he cannot behold us for he is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with Approbation How vain is it to hope that God will stretch forth his hand to work our Deliverance when we still put forth our hands unto Wickedness We may cry when our Calamities overtake us but God will not regard their Prayers who entertain Wickedness in their hearts We are plainly told I wish we had the Grace to believe it that our Sins withhold good things from us Jer. 5.25 And if we are not speedy in our Repentance I fear amongst the rest of good things our Sins will withhold and keep back God's Blessing from the great Assembly of the Nation God hath said it Psal 33.10 The Lord bringeth the Counsel of the Heathen to nought And what are wicked Christians better than Heathens and he maketh the Devices of such People of none Effect We read a notable Instance how God bloweth upon the Counsel of his Enemies He leadeth as Job saith such Counsellors away spoiled and their Counsel is carried headlong it is too rash and hasty Isa 8.10 God there speaks to the wicked Assyrians coming against his People Take Counsel together and it shall come nought speak the word and it shall not stand He let them assemble he suffered them to consult but all to no purpose wanting his Blessing they were as they that had neither Strength nor Understanding God often turneth the Counsel as well as the Sword of wicked Men against themselves Job 18.7 he maketh their own Counsel to cast them down and this God does either when he leaves Men to their own Counsels suspending his Light and then they fall into thousands of Errors then the more their Wit the greater their Parts the more inevitable their Ruine Or else he causes their Counsels to cast them down by turning the Hearts of the People against their Advice A notorious Instance of frustrating Human Counsel we had the last Reign we may be so sensible of it as to tell it to
late and that has made way for the other of Novelty and it seems a just consequence for seeing True Religion is so much out of Fashion some have thought it the most opportune time to shut it quite out of the World ours at least and have therefore boldly by Novel Opinions struck at Two of the Fundamental Points thereof the Sacrifice of Christ's death denying it to be Meritorious and Confounding instead of Explaining the Mystery of the Glorious Trinity making too fair a way for Polytheisme this so quietly hitherto suffered and conniv'd at for if some had not Slept others had not had Opportunity to Sow these Tares hath encourag'd another to attempt the Whole Body of Christianity denying any thing therein to be Mysterious Need we have to Pray that God would Inspire with his Heavenly Wisdom them that Sit at the Helm least such Hurricanes arising the Ship of the CHURCH be Over-set and Religion as to the Doctrinal Part be lost in the Storm As much need of help hath the Practical part Religion and Piety I mean holiness of life And how shall we be holpen unless it shall please God to direct those to whom he hath given the Power to be careful that the Wholsome Laws already made be put in due Execution and to prepare others to Curb and Restrain Wickedness and Vice We lie under a biting Sarcasme I wish I could say Slander that none are more wise in devising Laws than the English but every one exceeds them in the Execution Sin would not be so fearless did some present Punishment remind the Sinner of Eternal time was that Men dare not but appear something towardly and good but now they are passed all Hypocrisie and are come up to down-right Impudence they declare their Sin as Sodom they hide it not The Constable the Church-warden the Justice and who not sees it or hears it and who sees it so safe they are they care not If I may speak my fear it is this that unless they for whom we this Day are to Pray do by the help of Gods Grace Suppress the Prophaness Pride Drunkenness Lust Swearing Forswearing and Sabbath breaking so rife among us there will in a short time be but a little if any true Church in these Three Nations 2. Wee thus pray for Counsell for our Senatours for the good of the State that for the Kings Honour and his Kingdoms Welfare they would see to the maintaining Truth and executing Justice Words can have no greater ornament than truth 't is not so much Rethorick or Elegancy of Language that does Beautifie our discourse as Verity and plainness and yet now this great beauty is out of Favour not but that Men may speak truth for many say King William is our King and that he ought to be obeyed in all his lawful commands yet divers speak this truth but as Judas spoke of Charity to serve their interest not that they account it a truth for it is apparent that some who say so with their Tongues yet reserve Rancour Malice and Revenge in their Hearts which at particular times and places break forth at their lips Others are Forgers of Lyes they calumniate the Person and Majesty or else misrepresent the Anions of onr Sovereign who were he not as Good as Great they long ere this had had no breath to speak with by this means seeking to rend the hearts of his Subjects from him Now what such false Tongues deserve David who was sufficiently persecuted by them declares Psal 120.4 Sharp Arrows of the Mighty with Coals of Juniper Juniper burns extraordinary fierce and extraordinary punishment such Persons deserve and if once Davids Worthies would see good to command it this would not only conduce much to the Honour and Safety of David but leave a Fragrant smell arising thence which would cherish the hearts of all that truly Serve God and Honour the King Besides this publick truth of unfeigned love and Loyalty that ought to be personal for the honour and safety of his Majesty the head of the State there is also a private truth for want whereof the body of the State suffers in its Welfare How common is Lying Perjury Forswaring and Forgerys from common discourse Truth seems in a manner quite exploded and nothing more frequent than Lying and Banter and that for the sake of Merriment and therefore as Solon once told Thespis so we now find it Men have practised lying so long for sport that at last they are become earnest at it and therefore we find it in Promises and Covenants and in matters of Trade Lying Fraud and Deceit which are but other names for the same thing are so customary that one would judg it were a Proverb of Solomons That plain dealing should dye a Beggar What Nation can entertain a good opinion or seek a correspondence with a State thus habituated As for Justice we may with Jeremy Jere. 5.7 Run to and fro thro the streets of Cyties and also into the Country Villages to find one that professeth it One Just to God Just to Caesar Just to his Neighbour and Just to Himself is hard to find how often have we heard that Justice hath not only shun'd the common conversation but hath deserted the very persons and places of its usual abode Let one great in Power or mighty in Wealth transgress a Law provided it be that of Swearing that of Drunkenness that of Sabath breaking or that of Murder or Adultry nay all these and any other yet where is the Wretch who dare be so hardy as to testifie the truth or if such be to be found it will be long ere we can find a Magistrate will hear him so as to execute his Office and discharge his Conscience Pollio careth for none of these things Fiat Justitia ruat caelum is gone hence The fear of the Minister of Justice is often times the security of the offender or if he is not the Son of Fear he is the Child of Hope and a Reward in expectation can mitigate the Severity of the Law or at least cool his Zeal and by such means what shall become of Justice Need have we therefore to pray that God would Counsel our Counsellors to be zealous in maintaining Truth and Justice as well as Religion and Piety To Conclude Your Eyes are upon the Parliament you watch the doors of their houses you glâ—dly get into their Company you consult their Votes and all to be acquainted with what they are doing or intend to do for your good this argues you have a great dependance upon their Councels lift up therefore your hearts and voices to God and assist them and your selves by your devout prayers and when God in his mercy shall hear these prayers then shall Peace and happiness dwell among us then God will be at Peace with us and he will either confound or force our Enemies to a Peace then shall we be happy every way then shall we be happy in our Country in our King in our Laws in Mutual Love and Concord then shall we have such a Peace as though we may differ in Judgment yet we shall Assent in Affection which happy and peaceful days God vouchsafe to bestow upon us for the sake of his Son Jesus-Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and forever Amen FINIS