not out the good deeds that I have done for the House of my God And indeed there neither is nor can be any more certaine or infallible signe of a living member of Christs body and of our communion with Jesus Christ in his holy Spirit that Spirit which dwels and acts in his whole mysticall body then this to sympathize with the Church to suffer in the sufferings of it to rejoyce in the consolations of it and to preferre the good of it before that of our owne soules Secondly the honour of it may provoke you Ingenuous and Noble Spirits will doe more for their honour than for their gaine now if you waigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary you shall finde that to bee a publick servant of the Church to have an influence into the wellfare of many is the greatest honour which God communicates to any Creature The Creatures which are for publick and universall use are most noble and excellent the World might stand well enough without Pearles and Jewels and a thousand such like things but the fire the water the Sunne the Earth which are servants to all the World were ruined without them Yea this will make us like to the Angels the excellentest of all Gods creatures whose delightfull employment is to bee Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for them who shall bee heires of salvation What shall I say this makes us more than any thing else like unto God himselfe thou art good and doest good almost all the knowledge which we have of the glory of God comes from the good which God diffuseth into the Creature and they partake most of Gods nature and most eminently beare his Image who are his most usefull instruments in doing good to his Church and people and if we marke it wee shall seldome finde the Holy Ghost in the Scripture to point out any as truly honourable but under this notion that they study the wellfare and good of Sion Marke them whom Saint Paul commends in the twelfth to the Romans and yee shall see this is the matter of their praise Phaebe was a servant of the Church at Cenchrea shee was a favourer of many Aquila and Priscilla were Pauls helpers ready to lay downe their neckes for a publick good Mary Andronicus Vrban Triphena Triphosa and many other this is their commendation They laboured much in the Lord So the houshold of Stephanus Paul would have all of them subject to the houshold of Stephanus he would have them numbred among the Patricii What was the house-hold of Stephanus It may bee some honest Tradesman in his Civill ranke but here is the Crowne They addicted themselves to the service of the Saints and of the messengers of the Churches some good men that came on the Churches errand the Apostle saith if any inquired what they were what ranck or qualitie they were of hee answers they were The Messengers of the Churches the glory of Christ Yea Saint Paul of himselfe who seldome gloryed of himselfe who though hee were the greatest Apostle esteemed himselfe the greatest sinner yet could not forbeare glorying in this That hee laboured more abundantly than any others that the Care of all the Churches lay upon him that hee became all things to all men that hee might save some and the Stigmata the brands or markes that hee bore about his body for his service in the Church hee did more glory in than any Noble man can of his George or Blew Ribband You shall see it Galathians 6. verse 17. The Galathians had used Saint Paul somewhat coursely judged his actions and intentions and marke how Saint Paul seemes to take state upon him from henceforth let no man trouble mee What made him thus high in his Spirit I beare in my body the Stigmata the markes of the Lord Iesus this was a badge of his honour and therefore they must use him honourably and indeed if wee compare the honour and glory that rests upon men for the service of Christ and his Church and that which vaine men seeke in other things the truth of this would easily bee seene Suppose one man could say this would I received in fighting for a Mistris in a Duell Another thus my state is empaired in brangling suites at Law Another in gameing and Whoreing What fruit what glory is in these things but now on the other side when a servant of God can say Haec manus ob Ecclesiam pugnando c. these offices I lost this preferment I went without thus was I scorned thus is my body wasted for Christs sake and for his Churches sake this is glory indeed this glory exceeds the happinesse of mortalitie and will outlive all wealth and pleasure And all experience shewes us that however such men are most opposed and scorned by the enemies of the Church who alwayes most fight against the Capraines and Leaders yet among the Saints these are the most precious men one of them esteemed worth a thousand of others and this some thinke Saint Paul to aime at in the fifth to the Romans when he saith scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet peradventure for a good man that is a usefull Man a serviceable Man a Man whose life and labours benefits many Some would even dare to die Thirdly nor is the Reward lesse at the present it may bee such instruments may loose Houses or brethren or children or lands and their owne lives but they shall finde it againe in this life a hundred fold besides the inheritance of everlasting life Bread cast upon these waters is seed sowen in fertile ground the bosome of the Church is the most fruitfull soile in the world Flesh and blood will never believe this but Jesus Christ the Lord of Life and Glory whose all the Silver and Gold in the World is who hath power enough to promote his servants and savourites hath sufficiently assured us of this in his Gospell Men will securely adventure their estates upon Ropes and Cables in the deepe Seas when the ensuring office is ingaged for their securitie if yee dare trust the insureing office of Heaven goe on serve the Church I promise in the Name of Christ to you yee shall bee paid every penny every houres sleepe which yee have broken every gray haire which is hereby scattered upon your head every disease which yee have contracted every reproach which you have suffered ye shall loose nothing by all or any of these he will repay it you in this world an hundred fold in better things it may be with trouble and persecution but in the world to come ye shall have life everlasting Thus farre the motives which would the Lord let sinke into your hearts how would yee with Paul rejoyce to be offered up a Sacrifice for the Church of Christ how willingly would yee continue to spend and to bee spent in so good worke Secondly some directions how we may be able to doe this
toward you but you must performe your good work towards me Then shall ye call upon me and you shall goe and pray unto me Aske and you shall receive this is the confidence that we have that whatsoever we aske according to his will we know that we have the petitions that we desire of him What cannot Prayer doe It is able to overthrow all enemies When I pray mine enemies shall turn back An hundred eighty five thousand were overthrowne in one night after the Prayer of Hezekiah It is able to turne away all plagues pestilence famine sword wild-beasts whatsoever plague or sicknesse there be prayer and supplication will heal all It is able to bring downe all mercies it is the key of heaven Eliah a man subject to the same infirmities with us hee prayed and the heaven was shut he prayed again and the heaven was opened It is the most efficacious engine in the world it opened the prison doores and the iron gate to set Peter at liberty It is the summe of all wisdome strength and policy What should I say more It prevailes over God himselfe Iacob wrastled with God and prevailed What was his wrastling What was the strength whereby as a Prince he had power with God Even this hee wept and made supplication to him It will not only stop the Sun in his course as Ioshua did Sun stand thou still in Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon but with reverence be it spoken it holds that hand which rules heaven and earth Let mee alone said God to Moses that I may destroy them Moses prayer hindred God from doing what hee seemed resolved to doe Hee said hee would have destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap to turn away his wrathfull indignation And thus some interpret that place of the Prophet Isaiah Ask mee of things to come concerning my Sonnes and as concerning the works of my hands command ye me as if God had made over his own omnipotency to Prayer But whence is it that Prayer becomes thus efficacious What is there in the submissions and supplications of poor worms to work such wonders I answer These four things meet in prayer which are the strength of it and may be your satisfaction First The persons who pray are Gods owne children dearer to him than heaven and earth tender as the apple of his own eye and we who are parents know how prevalent the cryes of our own children are we being evill can give good things to our children Secondly Gods owne Spirit dictates and endites their prayers for them Wee know not what to pray for as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe makes intercession for us Now as it is said of the Sonne I know thou hearest me alwayes so may it be said of the Spirit What regard soever he may bear to us poore sinners he will certainly regard the intercessions of his owne Spirit Thirdly The Prayers of Gods people they are offered up and presented to God by his owne Son our Lord Jesus Christ the high Priest of our profession the Angel of his presence who is at the right hand of God who daily makes intercession for us as the Spirit makes intercession in us and mingles his incense with the prayers of the Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne Fourthly There is this in prayer that it gives the greatest glory unto God Of all gifts or graces which God hath given to any creature never any thing except faith only was found to give that glory to God which prayer doth especially in these two things First it brings God into the field to fight the battell for them makes him to work all their works for them as indeed he doth Whatsoever a man prayes for he doth by interpretation say Lord I never shall have this unlesse thou give it me I never shall do this unlesse thou doe it for me And that is the reason why in 2 Chron. 20. after Hezekiah and his people had prayed and professed they had no strength of their owne left the worke only and wholly upon Gods hand Then God tells them The battell is not yours but Gods Now you have put it into my hands you shall see what I will doe for you And secondly When the work is done it ascribes the praise and glory of all to him to whom alone it is due If we mark it God hath little glory in the world for those good things which men receive without Prayer their friends parts wit industry must share with God but what is won by Prayer is worn with thankfulnesse there being a naturall relation betwixt praying and praising as the rivers returne by the sea from whence they come O that I were able to teach you the right use of this engine And first let mee speake to you right Honourable and Beloved the Lords and Commons assembled in this Parliament Give mee leave to shew you the true spring of all that good which hath come through your hands since your happy entrance upon your great work God knows I would not eclipse your worth nor due praise We rejoyce in you and blesse God for you wee have received great mercies by your means but are you the cause of them Have they been done by your wisdome and forecast or for any worthinesse found in your selves Hath not God done them all almost by contraries Have not you been many times at a losse even at your wits end Hath not God marvellously discovered wicked enterprises against you and almost miraculously preserved you by his own naked arme ever since the beginning of your meeting Give therefore the glory where it is due you shall have the honour of excellent instruments but this honour is too high for you Know therefore Beloved and it will encrease your honour to acknowledge it that Prayer and God by Prayer hath done all this While you have been with Ioshuah fighting in the valley Moses Aaron and Hur have been at prayer upon the mountain God hath poured out upon many parts of the Kingdome but more especially in and about this great City a most fervent Spirit of Prayer In many thousand families you are every day mentioned at the throne of grace few dayes of your Sessions have passed over without extraordinary fasting and prayer either publike or private on your behalfe And when prayer doth thus ascend mercies must needs descend Let God therfore have the chiefe honour for pouring out the spirit of prayer and supplication the fruit whereof is the upholding your hearts and spirits daily in your work And this also intimates the best hope wee have of your good successe for the time to come even because God hath put it into the heart of the Kings Majesty and your selves to put the whole kingdome into a posture of prayer we hope your care in putting the Kingdome into a posture of
defence will be serviceable but wee expect our greatest help and advantage as from our daily prayers so more especially from those solemn monthly dayes of humiliation that are afforded and appointed us William the Conquerour when he was Duke of Normandy according to the superstition of those times builded many Abbies Monasteries and Nunneries and told his friends he was at this cost to strengthen his Kingdome esteeming them as strong fortifications wherein he provided many to fight against the devill the world and the flesh this he said according to his light I can more truly speak from God that in every congregation where godly Ministers and godly people shall according to publick direction ly in the dust fasting and mourning and praying before the Lord there are strong holds set up for the safety of the Kingdome Secondly how sadly doth this speak against many thousands of professed Christians some cannot pray some will not pray sure I am many doe not pray who in all this long time of Germanies afflictions have never separated themselves to afford one dayes prayer for the help of their brethren and in all our owne exigents and darknesses have never stood upon the walls to help either England Scotland Ireland King or Parliament these are a miserable generation And this their not praying for the Church is a sad token against them that when the Church of Christ shall sing for joy of heart themselves shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit What remaineth then but that all you who make mention of the Lord and bear his Name who have received this mercy that you may have accesse to the throne of grace be quickned up for the time to come to stand upon the walls to give God no rest night nor day to let Ierusalem come into your mind constantly to do that which Master Bradford made the subscription of his letters pray pray pray God hath done great things for us but many great things are yet to bee done much rubbish to be removed many obstructions to bee cleared many enimies to be overthrown Ireland is to be relieved Religion to bee established Prayer may doe all this wee may overmatch all our enimies by prayer discover all their plots by prayer Let us not bee traitors against the Church and State in slighting or forbearing the use of that which may work all our works for us this is to betray the forts of the Kingdome But remember when I exhort you to pray I mean First it must be prayer indeed many can read prayers say prayers sing prayers many can conceive or utter prayers who yet cannot pray Prayer is a pouring out of the soul to God And secondly this spirit poured out in prayer must bee a pure spirit If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer And thirdly this prayer must bee a prayer of faith Pray in faith and waver not And in a prayer of faith three things must meet First That the things begg'd bee according to the will of God Secondly That they bee begg'd in the name of Christ Thirdly that we rely upon the faithfulnesse of God for the performance of them This is to pray in faith Fourthly Our prayers must bee fervent humble constant and when we have prayed wee must remember that though prayer be the great means yet prayer is not all the means Prayer must quicken us up to the use of other means and sanctifie us in the use of other means other means are fruitlesse without prayer and prayer not seconded with the use of oâ—her means where they may be had prevailes not These things you cannot bee ignorant of and therefore I only point at them especially in these streights of time One thing more I must needs advise about before I passe from this great help of prayer And that is in what esteem praying spirits should bee had amongst all wise men I know the world slights and scornes them but in truth they are the very Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Ten praying men might have saved Sodom and the Cities round about Solomon saith There was a little City and few men it and a poore wise man by his wisdome delivered this City from the siege of a great King Yet no man remembred that same poore man Truly thus it is with poore praying Christians they deliver the Iland and yet no man regards them David knew how to prize such spirits who though hee were a King thought them fit to bee his companions who cal'd upon the name of God Paul knew how to prize them who begged for prayers as a prisoner for a ransome Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christs sake that you pray for me Yea Ioash though an Idolater when the praying Prophet Elisha lay a dying wept and cryed as sensible of loosing the chiefe support of his Kingdome O my father my father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Nay which is yet more a heathen Emperour Marcus Aurelius finding by experience the power of the prayers of Christians gave all the world notice of it staid the persecution against the Christians and call'd that band of Christians Legio fulminatrix the thundring band Let us therefore not fall short of heathens let us not undervalue or slight them who carry the Keyes of heaven at their girdle Verily Right honourable and beloved if you knew what blessings they are in the midst of the land you would take pleasure in them you would seek for praying friends praying servants praying tenants you would desire to have a stock goe in every one of their vessels You would say to them all as they to their companions going up to the house of God To pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hostes I will go also Yea you would lay hold upon the skirt of these men saying we will goe with you for we have heard that God is with you This is the greatest help which we can give to the Church of Christ This wee doe immediately to God for the Church There are some things also which we must doe for the Church from God The particulars are innumerable but in regard the time is wholly spent I shall give you the summe of all in one short conclusion And indeed a little time may make it cleare to your understandings although the practise of it require the study of your whole lives The conclusion is this Whatsoever abilities any have received in any kind they are given to them to this very end to be serviceable and usefull to the Church of Christ with them All the manifestations of the spirit in gifts and graces are chiefly given for this end to profit the Church with all the livelyhood of our naturall faculties of our actions of our wordly wealth of office or authority are given us not for our own carnall ends no nor primarily for our own
their owne at home not doubting but there were men enough to do the work though they kept themselves quiet But this neutrality of theirs cost them deare in the end their owne heart blood paid for it and it is most probable that Meroz in this Text was guilty of no other fault The Lord grant that they may be warnings to us that we bee not made warnings to others I hope this may suffice for reproofe The second Use and that which I most aime at is for exhortation Oh that I were able to speake somewhat to raise up your spirits to make you these blessed men who willingly helpe the Lord against the mightie I confesse the day the occasion of our meeting this Text and your place and office Right Honourable and beloved give me an infinite advantage to speake if I were able to improve all for your good The thing I aime at is to send you home with Luthers resolution who protested to God that no portion which God could give him in this world should content him but onely this to bee Gods Servant to bee a usefull man in his Church he would care neither for silver nor gold neither for honour nor reproach ease and labour should bee all one so that hee might bee accepted and usefull And would the Lord vouchsafe to make my labour effectuall with you in this thing I should bee a blessed man in my worke and you should goe home the blessedest company that ever met in such an Assemblie To this end I shall endeavour two things First to give you motives or incentives to inflame your hearts after such a temper of spirit that you may be willing to give up your selves to the help of the Lord and his Church Secondly some directions to enable you in truth and realitie to be usefull And although most of the things that I shall speake doe chiefely concern you our honourable Worthies yet they will in their proportion reach the meanest in the congregation To stir you up consider these three motives First the honour of God Certainly the highest end of our living in this world is to honour God Hallowed be thy name is the first petition of every one that saith the Lords Prayer Now a man never gives glory to God as God never sets up God in his right place till he have devoted himself wholly and absolutely to serve him in what is most acceptable with him And I have made it apparent that the Church of Christ is that field from which he expects the most plentifull crop of glory and and therefore would have the most cost bestowed on it He gets glory by all our actions but in what wee doe for the Church wee give him glory and that in the highest degree Secondly as for Gods sake so for the Churches sake It is ever well with the Church when the members of it doe preferre the Churches good above their owne Polititians and Historians observe this of States and Empires that they usually thrive when the Subjects are Common-wealths men every one endeavouring to promote the publick good Livie observes this of Rome that so long as men would leave their trades farmes and merchandise Ladies part with their Jewels and ornaments rather than any detriment should come to the Citie all Nations were subdued to them But when they grew private wealths men every one labouring to preserve and adorn his owne Cabbin only the ship presently was endangered and went to decay This is as true of the Church In all the rising times of it God hath ever stirred up such noble and generous spirits who have given themselves to the Lord and the service of the Church In the Acts of the Apostles you shall find that they were all of one heart and one mind No man said that ought of the things that he possessed was his own they had all things common Sold their possessions and goods distributing them as every man had need and lived so as if one soule possessed them all This was the thriving time of the Church Then their multitude increased by thousands and ten thousands and walking in the feare of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed But when once men grew to seeke their owne things and not the things of Iesus Christ and his Church the Church soone fell into a languishing condition As therefore you desire to keepe up the spirits and strength of the Church so labour to keepe up your own spirits for the Church as you desire that may not faint so doe you take heed of fainting in the service of it Thirdly as for Gods sake and the Churches sake so for your owne sake for your owne comfort and benefit and that in many respects As first Such a frame of Spirit as this will bee the best evidence of your owne safe condition of your peace with God t is a comfortable thing for a man to hate his lusts to strive against them to waite upon duties to attend upon Ordinances to bee often enquiring What shall I doe to bee saved but all this may bee but selfe love although such a love God approves of but when the soule comes to enquire what shall I doe that Christ may bee glorified that his Church may bee edified to know no crosse but the Churches crosse to preferre the joy of the Church before all his owne peace and wellfare this is not only an Argument of a man looking Heaven-ward but one that hath proceeded farre in the way A Scholler of the first and highest forme and this is that which Saint Iohn meanes when hee doth so frequently ang all our evidence to Heaven upon Love of the brethren Hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee Love the Brethren In this are the Children of God manifest from the children of the Divell Hee that loves not his brother is not of God Hereby wee know that wee are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Every one that loves God loves him also that is begotten of him And many other expressions as if Saint Iohn knew no other evidence but Love now what Love is it Hee meanes it not of an inward affection only to wish well to them and so forth but by love to serve our brethren to lay out our selves our lives and parts and all to serve them To lay downe our lives for the Brethren as Christ laid downe his life for us This was that that bore up Hezekiahs heart in the time of his sicknesse when hee could pleade Lord remember that I have done that which is good in thy sight What was the good that Hezekiah had done even this Hee had set himselfe to purge Religion to set up Gods Ordinances to make the Church prosper given up himselfe to the publick service of the Church of God This made Nehemiah comfortably to goe to God Oh my God wipe
where First I shall shew what is requisite to prepare us and fit us to bee the Churches servants Secondly how and wherein they that are fit should help the Church First men must bee fitted for it this Mercury is not made of every wood the Lord needs no Instruments if hee use any it is propter munificentiam not propter indigentiam because hee meanes to honour them not because they can benefit him and therefore hee will make them choice spirits rare and singular men to whom he will thus communicate his owne glory and three things must meet in them First They must be godly a Generall in an Army neither gives pay nor command to any untill they bee duly entred into his muster-book Now men are never numbred among the Lambs followers their names are not entred into his List untill they be Saints Read Revelation where ever the Lambs followers are described They are such as have washed their Robes made them white in the blood of the Lamb serving him night and day they are redeemed from the earth in their mouth is found no guile They that are with the Lamb are called and chosen and faithfull And it must needs be so for so long as men are in their unregenerate condition they are Satans vassals in the maine there is not in them a substratum of reall usefulnesse to the Church their heart cannot be with the Lord nor his people 'T is only the new life which is the right principle of this service which is here expected If therefore the Lord hath kindled in any of your hearts a desire to doe him service I beseech you first humble your souls deeply before God for your sinnes get your Robes washed in the blood of the Lamb rest not till the Spirit of Christ come to dwell in you and when yee have once with the Thessalonians given your selves first to the Lord then yee are fit to give your selves to the Church for the Lords sake Secondly as they must be godly who would be servants to the Church so they must learn to deny themselves they must be taken off from all private selfe-engagements they must set light by their own ease their own profit and their own life If any man saith Christ come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot bee my Disciple Search through all the Scriptures you shall hardly finde a man who ever was fitted to bee usefull in the Church till he had set himselfe aside No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And therefore it was the A B C which Christ taught all his followers even this lesson of selfe-deniall You shall read Mat. 20. v. 22. That when the mother of Iames and Iohn came to seek preferment at Christs hand for her two sonnes that the one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdome Christ presently nips that motion in the head and tells them that instead of expecting such high and pleasant things in this world they must if they meant to be his Apostles prepare to drink of his cup and to be baptized with his baptisme that is take paines and suffer trouble And verily sad experience hath taught this that men are never cordiall to the Church of Christ who embrace this present world It is recorded of the King of Navarre then a Protestant being pressed by Beza to appeare more in the cause of God and to owne religion to the purpose He makes him answer to this effect That he was their friend but he resolved to put no further to Sea than that he might get to shore if a storme should rise he resolved not to hazzard his hopes of the Crown of France and you know what became of him So when men will make religion as twelve and the world as thirteene they will in sad tryals with Demas forsake the cause and servants of God and embrace the present world Like those Potters recorded in the first of the Chro. who dwelt among plants and hedges There they dwelt with the King for his work A brand which the holy Ghost sets upon them who when Cyrus proclaimed liberty and encouragement to returne to Ierusalem to rebuild the Temple and set up the worship of God refused to goe back with their brethren and chose rather to dwell among plants and hedges than to hazzard a gainefull trade which they made of the Kings work O beloved take heed of these choaking thorns the riches cares and pleasures of this world especially beware of the world when it comes with flattering allurements Many ships have been swallowed in a calme when they have out-rid severall stormes Troubles and persecutions like the wind in Plutarchs Parable make men gird their cloak their profession of religion and service to the cause of God closer to them when the warme Sunne-shine of preferments steales it from them Rebus in adversis facile est contemnere vitam There is a notable story of a souldier of Antigonus one whom the Prince observed to be a very valiant man ready to adventure upon any desperate service and therefore much favoured him and observing that he still looked pale and lean would needs know what he ayled and finding that he had a secret and dangerous disease he caused all possible meanes to be used for his recovery which when it was accomplished the Prince observed him to be lesse forward in service than formerly and demanding the reason he ingenuously acknowledged that now he felt the sweetnesse of life and was loth to lose it And thus doe many thousands who with Ionathan when they come into a wood that drops with honey leave the chase of Gods enemies and feed upon the sweetnesse of worldly advancement But O yee Worthies fly all these things with Paul esteem your lives not deare to you Let no earthly thing move you so you may finish your course and service appointed you from and for the Lord Iesus Christ and conclude with Esther if I perish I perish Thirdly whosoever would bee a reall usefull instrument for the good of the Church must get an unfaigned love to the Church planted in his heart that it may beare fruit in his life and actions All we do is nothing but our labour of love Love will force more than the strappado draw more than a yoke of oxen It is a sweet and strong tyrant When the Apostle Paul had pressed the Corinthians earnestly to study for the best gifts to make them usefull in the Church and to this purpose gives them a catalogue of the severall gifts and graces which Christ for this end had shed abroad when hee ascended up on high Yet in the last verse of that chapter hee promiseth to shew them a more