together where then had we been Let us conclude touching this Stoppage of the war and concerning the instruments thereof as did David to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.32 ver 33. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent that meeting betwixt us at Rippon and blessed be that advice and blessed be those which kept VS from shedding of innocent bloud and from avening our selves with our owne hand ver 34. For in very deed as the Lord God of Israel liveth which hath kept us backe from hurting each other except God had hasted there might not have been left a remnant to both Kingdomes 2. Another Stoppage in which I shall instance was of a mischiefe more Ecclesiasticall a spirituall wickednesse Suppose those now apparently illegall Cannons and that sweeping oath had gone onwards what had become of our most tender and conscientious Ministers by this time Ye remember the moneth and day November the second one thousand six hundred and fourty Doubtlesse it is a Moneth much to be observed through our generations for a double deliverance One from the Popish Gun-powder treason intended against the Parliament November the 5e. the other from this Convocation Oath provided for the Ministers November the 2d. I hope t is no schisme nor pamphlating to speake of our Deliverances Brethren it might be a notable whetstone to our thanksgiving sometimes to reade over that Sixth Canon of theirs and to consider seriously of the heape of penalties there provided against the refusers of the Oath And I presse the more to the consideration of this point because it is a common and Cannel-argument or shift of the delinquent party that there are but some members diseased in our Church as they call it and therefore they conceive it too severe and riged a cure to alter the whole Object What saith one though some tyles of my house are loose shall I run presently and pull downe the whole structure What saith another though my Diamond hath a spot in it shall I therefore beat it to pouder or cast it away For your Diamond I answer true Sol. if there be none other but that spotted one to be had I must make the best of that which cannot be exchanged but what if I may take my choise of two gems of which one indeed is spotted but the other not so there I thinke you would account it both discretion and good husbandry to refuse the former for its spots And for your loose tyles why may not I suppose as freely as your selfe whosoever you are If I may then suppose in stead of loose tyles Lev. 14. v. 21. that the house be leprous and that it hath been scraped round about and that they have poured out the dust that they scraped off suppose that they have taken other stones and have put them in the place of those stones which were infected ver 42. and yet the plague comes againe and breaks out in the house ver 44 45. then you know that the case is altered and what must become of such a Fabricke So much for answer to those common instances and trite similitudes And now to speake home to the maine bulk of the Objection 'T is pretended that there were but few persons in our Church that were amisse some few members diseased some few spots in the whole garment For answer I say let us looke upon the Inactors of that Oath and those Canons doe they not all run still in a plurall number yea in an universall is it not We and Vs the holy Synod this sacred Assembly c. throughout the whole booke Well I see some bodies Church may erre and therefore whatsoever the opinion of many may be in that point yet in practise they have shewne themselves so far Protestants But to the point in hand are not these Stoppages then a great mercy what when the bloud spirits and life yea the very heart-bloud and soule of a Kingdome were letting out and that the whole was expiring that then the good Physitian and Bishop of our soules bodies and estates should step in and seare up these bleeding veines Oh let every Parent leave this in writing for the posterities of his unborne posterity Psa 102.18 and so the children that shall be borne shall praise the Lord. So much concerning Stoppage 2. We called Removall and this is more THe swords are not onely sheathed Isa 2. v. 4. but beaten into plow-sheares and the speares into pruning hookes Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learne war any more There is a vaste difference betwixt a truce and a peace the first commonly is constrained the latter ordinarily is free and from within We reade of a truce betwixt King Ahab 2 King 20. v. 34 and King Benhadad The Cities which my father tooke from thy father I will restore saith Benhadad and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus as my father made in Samaria Then said Ahab I will send thee away with this Covenant But this being a thing forced was soone broken for shortly after Ahab goeth against Ramoth Gilead Chap. 22. ver 31. and the King of Syria commands his Captaines not to fight against small nor great save only with the King of Israel So first we had a pacification made neare Barwicke but how soone was that dissolved But now our peace Blessed be the God of peace is made upon mature deliberation 't is a peace petitioned by an Army but concluded by two mutuall Nationall Councels It is the advice of that wise King By wise counsell thou shalt make thy war Pro. 24. v. 6. and in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety When war doth begin in counsell it is good but when it ends in counsell it is farre better See then what a double evill we have escaped in this point First in that we went not to war before the great Councell did sit O suppose that that war had gone forward as we were upon the brincke suppose that those Phaetons had had their wils that Rehoboams young Counsellors had swayed the businesse that we had once imbrued our hands in Brothers bloud and broken the blessed banks of peace whither whither had that torrent of bloud in all probability hurred us and ours Or what could have been the Moderator and Reconciler Could Religion that was pretended to be the hinge of the controversie the very staffe about which they wrestled Could Lawes Inter arma silent leges they had been too low voiced to have drowned the neise of drummes and trumpets Or could Counsell as now haâ—e made up the breach what heart what pause could there have been to thinke of them when blow should have followed so fast after blow and the newest warme bloud would still have called for newer and warmer Thus it was no small evill removed in that wee had not gone to warre before that great Counsell Secondly we have escaped another evill in that we went
evill spirits shall be cast out and the diseases will depart Let us not therfore lose so great and cheap an opportunity Ob I know it is much objected by some that 't is no wisdom nor good manners for any one to come to a Councell before he is called and that all we of the meaner sort must leave both things and persons to the judgment and censure of that supream Court of the Kingdome Answ 1. True we must not sit in the Councell unlesse we are chosen thereunto but yet we may wait upon the Councellors with our submissive Informations and Petitions This themselves do both allow and expect at our hands 2. So also we which are inferiour persons must leave suspected things and persons to the censure of the Houses true but yet I hope we may nay I know we must bring such Grievances thither and there leave and lay them down being proved at the feet of Justice If any man shall be against this lawfull priviledge and loyall duty of every good Subject I shall suspect him for a Delinquent and shall conclude him as a secret underminer of Reformation and the weale-publike Nay my meaning is that we must complain not only of those Grievances in which our selves have felt a share but I do presse my selfe and you all to seeke out and gather up those things which doe publikely offend and to weed the common field Brethren this is a duty generally neglected and therfore it is necessary that all godly active spirits should looke after it When shall we see an husbandman grubb up bryers or gather stones out of a field that lyes in Common to a whole Parish No but we say every mans businesse is no bodies businesse Extreamly needfull it is therfore that some choice Angelicall spirits whose hearts the Lord hath touched should put to it and become ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 as sent forth to minister for the good of the publike Ob. But would not such stirring be accounted pragmaticall Shall we not be called busie bodies Answ Yes by Atheists Papists and Delinquents but with good men or reasonable it must needs be acknowledged necessary Let us looke either upon the condition of divers places and persons which doe suffer such Grievances or else upon the nature of that great Court to which the complaint is to be made and in both respects we shal see divers reasons for this duty of stirring for the publike 1. In respect of the nature of that Court to which complaints are to be preferred For 1. They cannot see all that is amisse every where because themselves are not of all places distributively though they are representatively every Subject and sometimes A stander-by we say may see more then he that playeth 2. Besides Experience is the best Informer of Grievances Plus videur oculi quam oculâ—s and who hath more woefull experience this way then the meane and poore which pay for all There are some Cob-webb oppressions in a Kingdome which the greater Flies doe with ease breake thorow not taking notice that they were snares but the poore lesser flies are held in them fast enough and therfore the cry of these little ones may informe of a great oppression Besides in bodily cures we know that a plain and illiterate man being the patient in a disease may give more light to the Physitian towards the cure by his relation then all his learned books and long study may afford for that Patient can tell him how when and where the distemper did take and hold him So is it in politike diseases a plain man that hath felt Greevances can better speak of them then a greater person or Schollar that kenns them but by reading or heare-say 3. It is not the proper office of that Court to be Informers because they are Judges and therefore my selfe have heard some of their members wiâ—h that the Country would doe that office to take off from them the aspersion of pragmaticall 'T is needfull therfore and reasonable that we inferiours do inform in respect of the Court that is to judge 2. In respect of many that suffer 't is expedient that other active men should complaine in their behalves For first many places as well as persons doe want skill and abilities to helpe themselves they cannot tell their owne tale as we say and therefore 't is charity to them as well as duty to the State to be feete to the lame and a mouth unto the dumbe But by the way I should advise all such to follow the example of Pauls sisters sonne Act. 23. v. 18. he was a young man and therefore like enough somewhat bashfull and unable to expresse himselfe to a great man and therefore first he goeth to his Unckle Paul ver 16. and from him is sent by a Centurian to the chiefe Captaine so let them informe such as may informe or at least as may leade them or their sute to some one of the chiefe Captaines 2. Others are fearefull and faint-hearted and so durst not complaine they are perhaps threatned and over-awed by some tyrannous Land-lord or insolent though scandalous Parson Vicar perhaps Curate and therefore as couragious Abishai rescued fainting David from Ishbi-benob the Giant 2 Sam. 21. v. 15 16 17. who thought to have slaine him so ought it to be done in this case when some perhaps good mens hearts doe faile them in the contestation and pursute then every valiant and active Abishai should arise to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty 3. Finally Judg. 5.23 others are unwilling to goe for redresse nay which is lamentable they thinke themselves happy in their spirituall miseries and delight in their grievances Jer 5.30 31. A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land saith God the Prophets prophesy falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so and what will ye doe in the end thereof Quest What will we doe in the end Answ Surely the end is like to be extremely miserable therefore Brethren let us now in due time deliver such poore soules against their wills Jud. v. 23. let us pull them violently out of the fire in which they delight to lye and be consumed therefore Informations to the Parliament and that in the behalfe of others is now very needefull and most reasonable Ob. But whereof and how shall we complaine and informe Ans Matters to be complained of and informed against are all grievers and grievances persons and things both Ecclesiasticall and Civil in Church and Common-wealth 1. Ecclesiasticall Persons These Brethren as I conceive are the very fountaines or fewell of all other grievances amongst us Mat. 24. v. 15 16. When the abhomination of desolation stands in the holy place I doe but allude then 't is time for them which be in Judea to flee into the mountaines Spirituall wickednesses doe usher in Civill disturbances 2 Chro. 15 3. For
which would have bin just as he said Plusquam civilia betwixt Brethren wars with those whose fidelity and loyalty we are now commanded to proclaime to all the world And on the other-side we may we must lay open all the Zibas Doegs and Hamans which were Incendiaries to those Commotions O give me leave here to digresse a little for joy is an excursive affection You know how Ziba by his slander upon Mephibosheth did gaine all his Lands for a while 2 Sam. 16.3 4. yea and Mephibosheth during that time is accounted by king David little lesse than a Traitor 2 Sam. 19.24 c. but at last truth that is strong doth prevaile the slander is discovered and the poore honest mortified loyall Mephibosheth is found to have bin the Kings constant good friend and true Subject So though Doegs villany did succeed a while to the destruction of many of the Lords Priests as conspiratours with David Psa 52. yet at last a prayer full charged with curses and heaviest imprecations is let fly after the accuser and doubtlesse did overtake him in due time Est 3.8 9. c. because it proceeded from the Spirit of the Lord. But the example of Hamans sinne and punishment is for our purpose more remarkable then both the former He had accused bought and begg'd of King Ahashuerus the whole Nation of the Jewes his pretence was ver 12. because they were a scattered dangerous factious and rebellious people The Decree for their destruction was written by the Kings Scribes sealed with his ring and the letters for dispatch were sent by Postes into all the Kings Provinces ver 13. to destroy to kill and to cause to perish all Jewes c. But what 's the issue Est 6. Surely on Hamans part it is two-fold First Haman is commanded by the same King publikely to honour Mordecai in person ver 10. Then the King said to Haman make haste and take the apparell and the horse as thou hast said and doe even so to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth at the Kings gate let nothing faile of all that thou hast spoken Then tooke Haman the apparell and the horse and arraied Mordecai and brought him on horsback through the street of the City and proclaimed before him Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honour ver 11. Let us but imagine with our selves how scurvily did Haman looke when like a page he did lacky along before Mordecai's horse yea and how faintly and unmusically did he sigh out that Proclamation Thus shall it be done unto the man c. This was the first issue But the second the Catastrophe of all was more sad Est 7.10 Est 8.2 for Haman supplieth the place of Mordecai upon his owne gallows whilst Mordecai fils up Hamans roome in the Court and favour of the King So true is that Proverbe of the Spirit of God by the wise man Pro. 11.8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead But to returne from this digression to my Antideliverances again and to expostulate the matter with them more fully I must tell them yet farther that they are guilty of a double transgression for 1. First they are ingratefull both to the Lord and to his choyce instruments they doe trample unparalel'd Nationall mercies under foot and so are unworthy to breath in these blessed times which we see Is this your thankfullnesse to the Lord the King and the supreame Councell of the Kingdome all which doe deserve your praises and selves for their protection wisdome and watchfullnesse over us or what els thinke you are not King and Parliament so wise so Orthodox so well affected to the publike good as your selves Shall the Lord shew his speciall providence in an astonishing Deliverance shall the greatest in the Land acknowledge it and shall publike command be given to proclaime it and yet will nay durst ye still to bite the lip to shake the head or to grumble secretly at such proceedings Brethren I speak to all true Protestants and cordiall Subjects I charge you by your thankfullnesse and by all the mercies lately received that ye observe marke out and pursue lawfully to the uttermost all such murmurers and repiners at the present blessings of Deliverance and Reformation They are Ingratefull in a high measure 2. Secondly they are no friends to our greatest good neither for who are they which doe now suffer but Delinquents and Delinquencies Who are they which do pursue but the justice of God and man Again what is it that is now laboured for by those great Steers-men above but to stablish and defend true Religion Soveraignty Laws Parliaments and Liberties And yet we have men who either expresly or about the bush dare tell the people of a kind of persecution afflictions hard times now and I know not what And indeed it is common with men-slayers and fellons to account the publike Assizes a time of afflictions Yea with all Delinquents the execution of Justice is nick-named a persecution and is it imaginable then that this Tribe can give hearty thanks for the present worke of Deliverance Note them out therfore for men of corrupt minds back-friends yea back-biases to the weal-publike and such to whom our gladnesse is but their sadnesse Rumpatur quisquis rumpitur invidia In a word do but marke my Brethren what persons Lay or Clergy are most dull and backward to the means and pieces of this Reformation as first To dayes of publike humiliation injoyned Next to the late Vow and Protestation and finally to this last duty of publike joy and thankesgiving but on the contrary are very quick free and forward to promote or favour Arminian Antisabbatarian licentious papers pamphlets or practises mark these and then ye have found them ten to one which I call Anti-Deliverancers Anti-Reformists 2. Vse Let this presse us closely even all good Protestants and Subjects to set our selves seriously upon this worke namely the Accurate observation and remembrance of our now astonishing Deliverances Those words of Moses to Israel Deut 4 32. may be mine to England touching our present mercies Aske now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon Earth and aske from the one side of Heaven unto the other all former times and all other places whether there hath beene any such thing as this great thing is or hath beene heard like it Did ever people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the midst of the fire the late kindled fire of Civill warrs as thou hast heard and live ver 33. ver 34. Or hath God assaied to goe and take him a Nation from the midst of another Nation a Nation of Protestants out of a Nation of Papists by temptations by signes and by wonders and by warre and by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arme and by
looke upon the names of the Commissioners of both sides so often me thinks there commeth into my minde the transaction and transactors of that businesse betwixt the Israelites Josh 22.10 11 12 c. and those other two tribes and halfe beyond Jordan it was concerning an Altar of Testimony which these latter had builded Great danger there was at first of a bloudy Religious-civill warre but afterwards by the prudence of the Commissioners on both sides they rightly understanding each others meaning all is concluded in a firmer peace then before the bone is stronger after setting then it was before the dislocation and the Altar is called Ed. a witnesse Some thinks we may write the word Ed. a witnesse upon every ensigne gunne speare and sword that hath bin lifted up on either side in those late Northerne expeditions and each weapon may be kept as a testimony of the Lords mercy our Soveraigns goodnesse the Parliaments wisdome and the Commissioners noble service on both sides Secondly There is the Act it selfe all the Demands Desires Articles with their severall Grants Answers and Conclusions Prov. 25. v. 11. like apples of gold in studds of silver and all this is closed and crowned Psal 46. v. 8. with a day of publique thankesgiving Let us adde those words of the Psalmist Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth In other Kingdomes desolations ver 9. but in ours He maketh warres to cease he breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare in sunder ver 11. he burneth the Chariot in the fire The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah Thirdly There is the Act of Oblivion a dramme of Lethe to close up all that so all Acts and Monuments of hostility may be buried in everlasting forgetfullnesse 2. Addition or messe of Deliverance already served in unto us is that Declaration of the Commons in Parliament last September containing these foure heads 1. For removing the Communion table taking away the Railes levelling of Chancells c. 2. For abolishing of Crucifixes Scandalous pictures of Persons of the Trinity Images of the Virgin taking away of Tapers Candlestickes Basons c. 3. Against Corporall bowing both at the name Jesus and towards the East 4. For Sanctification of the Sabbath c. I am forced by the generall neglect and contempt of this Declaration to make it my next Addition though it be in time one of the last I have but two things breefely to shew in this poynt 1. Gods great goodnesse to us in granting such an Order 2. Our vile and base unthankfulnesse shewed to him in the entertainement thereof First this Declaration was a great mercy for some of the things there to be removed were a part of our late Innovations they have bin some of the rocks and sands which have wracked multitudes of our conscientious and powerfull Ministers In short are they not at least some of them maine grounds of Papists hopes and other Protestants despaires touching communion with us and yet lo now by this Declaration a price is put into our hands to remove this rocke and to take away these sands to cause other reformed Churches to hope and the Romish to despaire of our returne towards them and is not this a precious advantage a wonderfull favour especially if we consider how strongly those superfluities of our Religion were back'd of late Why they were the rising Ceremonies the very roade to preferment from some he that could but fill his hands yea his Church with these was by them made a Priest of the High places and now to have such things abolished and downed by Authority from Parliament yea to have but free permission from all the Commonalty of the Kingdome to doe it I say 't is a thing which for a while since was incredible 2. But now how is this golden opportunity improved Brethren it doth even sicken my body and sadden my spirit to observe how dully nay how contemptuously this mercy of God and goodnesse of that Honourable House is entertained amongst us amongst us I say againe Some godly forward Parishes indeed there are in this place but I speake onely of the guilty Hath the Lord placed this City in the midst of our County as a Beacon upon an hill yea as the Center heart and head of the West and shall this beacon not blaze by it's example in every part when there is holy loyall refining fire put into it by so great Authority nay shall this heart and head of the West in great part convay nothing but dullnesse and drowsinesse to that whole body In a word are we the Redeemed people the Mayden City faithfull for ever to our King and doe many of us now thus requite the Lord that preserved us Are or can they be thus unthankefull to the King of Kings in this great trust and service Oh let all whom this concernes immediately and all others who may have any hand in it more remotely let them all take home these words of a grieved Minister with shame and sorrow yea let them goe home and sinne no longer But you will say you must first answer our doubts and Objections before you presse thus vehemently upon our consciences and affections and these our Objections are many 1. Obiect 1 Is touching the Authority of this Declaration it came not say they from both Houses and therefore is no constrayning Law I answer severally to both parts of the Obiection First Answ 1 Suppose that it came not from both Houses yet 1. Ye need not doubt but that there is Authority in it sufficient to beare out every man in the exact execution of that Order against any one that shall oppose him and the truth of this Answer I beleeve the vilest caviller durst not to question 2. The House of Commons which some doe ignorantly or basely nick-name the Lower-House they are our selves we in them in this sence and they in us so that we may say touching this self-nesse as the Tribe of Judah said to David they are as it were neere of kinne to us I meane that as our Votes were in their Elections so 't is fit that our Wills should be bound up in their Injunctions and Declarations 3. And where is he that durst to sow a jealous or evill surmise of disagreement betwixt the two Houses of Parliament concerning their Injunctions To that other clause Answ 2 that denyeth this Declaration to have any Constraining power I answer First And is it come to that now that we doe need force and constraint to make us reforme things amisse I had thought for a yeere agoe that bare permission and liberty to remove such things as these would have beene a sufficient inducement unto us all Little little did I then dreame that Protestants would have needed compulsion to such a reforming worke as this 2. But however know this ye that slight this Declaration as an
the Lord would pardon that the Law would punish and that all good Christians and Loyall Subjects would complain of this rotten and totering faction 2. COMFORT Let our hearts be towards the governours of our Israel Vse 2 that offered and doe offer themselves willingly among the people Judg. 5. v. 9. blesse ye the Lord. i.e. Let us blesse the God of Spirits for raising the spirits of all such as have put forth their hands to this plow yea let us honour and cherish them as precious and publike spirits Brethren it is said of good in generall Quo communius eô melius by how much the more common by so much the better and therfore a publike is the best of spirits for it is a common one Yea such a soule me thinks comes neare unto the nature of Angels For are they not all ministring spirits Heb 1. v. 14. sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation So publike spirits are like them or like the Sun and Starrs those heavenly worlds of light which doe travell chiefly for the use and benefit of others And therefore to such persons themselves let me say Great shall be your reward in Heaven Mat. 5. v. 1â— In earth perhaps you may sometimes meet with cold comforts and bad requitals but in Heaven doubtlesse your publike spirits shall procure unto you eminent places of glory as our Saviour promised to his Disciples for their self-denyall and activity Mat. 19. v. 28. yee also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Two Objections commonly there are with which the men of the world and our owne timerous infirmities doe hit such men in the teeth Perill and Poverty I shall present you with an incouragement and preservative against both Consider but the Lords Protection and Providence over all such publike and active spirits and for both these in one example look seriously upon Elijah That he was a man very famous for his publike active spirit no man that beleeves Scripture can deny it or if one should 1 King 17.18 19 c. ver 1. ver 3. 9. ver 42. Cap. 19. v. 3. yet the whole History of his life would invincibly prove it In which observe briefly 1. His Travels From Tishbe to Samaria from Samaria to the river Cherith from Cherith to Sarephath from Sarephath to Mount Carmell from Mount Carmell he runneth like a page to Jezreel from Iezreel to Beersheba thence a daies journy into the wildernesse hence to Horeb and from Horeb who knows whither For he is sent to annoynt Hazael Iehu and Elisha It even tires our eyes to trace him in the History In short if I may beleeve my Geographer all the travels of this active Prophet were one thousand thirty and three Dutch miles and of our English foure times as many above foure thousand in all 2. Besides his travels all on foot for I reade not that he did â—ide Note his couragious and adventurous actions He had an Ahab and a Jezebel and about eight hundred false Prophets to deale withal and yet observe how wonderfully the Lord preserveth him both from Perill and Poverty 1. From Perill I mean of death his preservation was manifold King Ahab did hunt for him over all the world thereabouts 1 King 18.10 As the Lord liveth saith Obadiah there is no Nation nor Kingdome whether my Lord hath not sent to seeke thee and when they said he is not there he tooke an oath of the Kingdome c. but yet the Lord hid him that while and in the Kingsowne Dominions afterwards he doth appeare and hath but a cold welcome from Ahab ver 17. Art thou he that troubleth Israel But the Prophet doth not abate him an ace as wee say and yet comes he off in the end of that Chapter with the death of eight hundred and fifty false Prophets Againe besides Ahab he had a Jezebel also to cope withall 1 Kin. 19.2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah saying so let the gods doe to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time She was a Queen and she vowed his death but yet she proves both too weake and forsworne at last yea her threatning is the intelligence that preserveth the Prophet In a word this active man of God lived to see Ahab slaine by the Syrians the prophets of Baal and of the groves rooted out and at last was so farre from dying a violent death that he never properly dyed at all but was translated to Heaven alive in a fiery Chariot and after his translation 2 King 2. 2 Kin. 9.10 both Iehoram the sonne of Ahab with his whole posterity were cut off and Jezebel was eaten of Doggs Feare not therefore ô all ye holy and loyall active spirits whither Magistrates Gen. 15.1 Ministers or private Christians the Lord himselfe is your buckler and your exceeding great reward and in his might one aealous Elijah is an over-match for eight hundred Baalites speake therefore and doe valiantly not fearing the faces of men Ob. But they may mistake or wrest my words An. Brethren suppose there were now an hundred Bandites with in these wals every one with his paper or table-booke yea and that they stood behind the pillars out of sight as that catch-pole Clearke in the Acts and Monnments that tooke notes behinde the Hangings Suppose all this and much more danger yet the Lord can 1. Change their hearts even in that act and catch those catchers as the Father was caught 2. At least he can dash their Notes and confound their languages 3. Yea and take them off in their owne play as Baals prophets were twice taken off by Elijah and by Iehus 1 Kin. 18.4 2 Kin. 10.25 Indeed if any man could prove unto me that Satan and his instruments were too wise or too hard for God then I should conceive that there were cause for your holy publike active spirits to be in feare but so long as we know the quite contrary to be expresse Scripture be we valiant and venturous for the truth The Lord hath said it the Lord he hath said it 1 Cor. 10.25 The foolishnesse of God is wiser than men and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men Thus the Lord was Elijahs buckler and kept him from danger 2. And from want and Poverty too did God preserve him 3. Obiect When we prosse men to be of publike and active spirits this is another grand Objection ò 't is the way to be undone Sol. But marke farther God was also Elijahs great reward at least hee was a competent maintenance still unto him How likely was he to have starved at the brooke Châ—rith There he had drinke indeed water but no meate therefore the devouring Ravens shall feed him morning and evening 1 Kin. 17.3 ver 4 6. But now that he hath recovered meat loâ—
19.14 ver 18. Elijah an holier man then thy selfe was mistaken in this point I even I onely am left Yet see the Lords answer I have left me seven thousand in Israel all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal c. Put forth therfore and try it there may be many more in the deck and nearer at hand then thou dreamest An. 2. Howsoever one man may do much 1. Iam. 5.16 ver 17. In his Person and that both spiritually and politiquely The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And example is given in the next verse Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the Earth by the space of three yeares and six monthes And he prayed againe and the Heavens gave raine and the Earth brought forth her fruit Thus one man may pray a whole Kingdome both into faire weather and into foule into happinesse and out of it Num. 25.6 7 8. Phineas also was but one and yet what service did he for his Country in one act of Justice ver 1â— Saith God Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel while hee was iealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my iealousie Thus one Orthodox Athanasius in former times stood it out against a whole world of Arrians and at last the streame was turned In a word all number doth consist of Vnites Vnitas fundamentum numeri and therefore if all should say after thee I am but one what would become of all greatest publike affaires Take all drops out of the Sea and the whole Ocean will be drained take away pence or farthings and there will be no pounds take unites away and there can be neither thousands nor hundreds 2. One man by Example may do very much Brethren 't is a great matter to breake the Ice I mean holily and loyally in a publike businesse 2 Sam. 23.11 Look upon that which is recorded concerning Shammah And after him was Shammah and the Philistines were gathered together into a troope where was a peece of ground full of Lentiles ver 12. And the people fled from the Philistines But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines and the Lord wrought a great victory 'T is spoken in a military case but I doe apply it to a politike and civill Shammah as I conceive got not that victory by himselfe alone but rather by his valiant example so that the people which were before afraid of the Philistines did now seeing his valour take heart and turne againe In short see the Counter-counsell of honest Hushai 2 Sam. 17.14 c. how it brake the neck of Achitophell and of his policy And that exemplary valour of Jonathan and his Armour-bearer how did it open and lead the way to a very great victory against the Philistines The multitude melted away 1 Sa 14.13 14. ver 16. ver 20. and they went on beating downe one another And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves and they came to the battle and behold every mans sword was against his fellow Moreover the Hebrewes that were with the Philistines before that time which went up with them into the Camp from the Country round about even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan ver 21. Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim ver 22. when they heard that the Philistines fled even they also followed hard after them in the battell All this I alleadge only to shew how farre one or two private men may by their Active Example promote holily and loyally a publick great good work 3. A meane private person in his activenesse may expresse as much faithfullnesse and sincerity as the greatest and most prosperous Instrument in the Kingdome As we say concerning faithfullnesse in a mans particular calling that a poore Wench in the Kitchin walking conscionably in her place may serve the Lord as sincerely as a King upon his Throne So here a meane private person though a Mechanick or underling giving faithfull information of what he knows amisse may promote the great worke as heartily as the greatest good Instrument in Parliament Remember this and say not I am but one 2. OBIECTION But J am not of a publike spirit Answ 1. We must bring our spirits to the times and occasions under which we live This Objection was moved by Moses when the Lord called him to go to Pharaoh â—od 4.10 but it did not serve his turne O my Lord saith he J am not eloquent but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue ver 11. See the Lords answer Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the dumbe or dease or the seeing or the blind Have not I the Lord But Moses replyeth ô my Lord send I I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send See Gods answer againe ver 13. â—4 15 16 17 Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother I know that he can speake well And thou shalt speake unto him and put words in his mouth and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall doe And he shall be thy spokes-man unto the people In which words I find two answers more which I make my second and third Ans 2. The Lord can make thy spirit publique yea and he will doe so if thou wilt obey and try Now therfore goe and I will be with thy mouth â—er 12. and teach thee what thou shalt say So the Lord will quicken warme and enlarge thee Ans 3. God will raise up good seconds and fit consorts to draw with thee in the teeme as he did yoke Luther and Melancton in that great worke Like the Calidum and Humidum radicale the native heat and moysture in mans body which makes him vigorous and long-lived Ans 4. In a word there is no spirit so private but if imployed would make a knife or a whet-stone a shaft or a bolt Therfore stick not at this Objection 3. OBIECTION The want of one mans helpe can doe no great hurt Ans 1. Yes it may set back the scales If one vote in Parliament may carry a great work then the want of one elswhere may cause a great miscarriage Ans 2. The example of one mans dullnesse may draw many the same way because 't is down the hill Ans 3. Thou dost to thine uttermost for thy particular even hinder the whole worke for if it prosper no thanke to thee but if it sinck thou mayest be the sole cause 4. OBIECTION But I am a woman a weaker vessell and perhaps under covert barne and then what can I doe Answ I conceive that even those weaker vessels may now doe service yea double service 1. Immediately by and from themselves by their owne parts and purses if they are free from husbands Examples of the acts of that Sex even this way Iud 5. we find not a few in Scripture What is there recorded of Deborah and Iael in one Chapter But ye must know that such acts of their must not be imitated without like calling and warrant extraordinary Look also upon her of Tecoah what a strange thing did she effect for Absolom But above all these 2 Sam. 14. the wisdome of that woman of the City Abell is a famous example 2 Sam. 20. v. 16. to â—â— honour and encouragement to all her Sex She tooke off the head of Sheba and saved the whole City by her Prudence More testimonies might be brought but these are enough to prove that even the weaker vessels may doe much towards the publike great worke immediately 2. But perhaps they may do much more mediately and by others Perchance thou hast an Husband Father Brother or Sonne that is somewhat over-wary timerous Gen. 2 1â— 1 Sam. â—â— 37. slack or unactive then remember that thou wast given to be a meet helper It will be thy duty in such a case and time as this with thy choisest wisdome and humility to doe the office of a submissive Remembrancer in due place manner and season Yea thou art called to such a service Not only Abigail that had a Nabal did reason with him in a fit time and place concerning that which he had said to Davids servants But even the wife of Manoah it seems they were a godly paire she doth wisely support and quicken by her reasoning the timerous spirit of her husband in another case 〈◊〉 13.22 23 n. 4. â— 10 c. Also that good and great woman the Shunamite she did in love provoke her aged and indifferent husband in the behalfe of Elisha to entertaine him and prevailed with him to the great advantage of her Family In the last place therefore let us stirre up as many of this Sex as shall have opportunity to cast in their mite in-to the happy treasury of Hope they have souls too and children with precious souls to look after The good Lord give us understandings and hearts proportionable to the worke and to our hopes FINIS