2. Israels Cure 3. Israels Physitian Israels Disease Ruptures Breaches the Breaches thereof Israels Cure the making up or healing of those Breaches Heale the Breaches thereof Israels Physitian from whom it is that David here seeks for this Cure viz. God himselfe To him it is that he maketh this his Request as the first word in the Psalme informes us O God heale thou the Breaches thereof Insist wee upon these three particulars severally beginning first with Israels Disease the Breaches thereof What David hereby means I have in part explained already viz. Those Distractions Divisions Politicall Breaches and Ruptures in the body of his Kingdome Shevariah saith the Hebrew Contrit iones Rupturas Fragmenta the Ruptures Breaches Shivers a word which answers the Originall both in sound and sence possibly fetcht from this Hebrew root Shibber to breake or sbiver a Breach this was Israels Disease A Disease in what bodie soever wee meet with it Be it first in the Nature all body whether Inwardly a Rupture or Outwardly salutio continui a cut or Wound whereby the flesh is broken and divided Every such a Breach or Fraction in what part soever it be it is a Maladie a Disease calling for the help of the Physitian or Chirurgion These are Corporall Breaches Or be it Secondly In the Oeconemical Body or Family Breaches whether in the Head betwixt the Governours those unhappy jars betwixt man and wife dividing those whom God hath made One or betwixt the Members Dissensions of Brethren too frequent or the disagreements of Servants all hurtfull and prejudiciall to the familie Domesticall Breaches Or be it Thirdly in the Politicall body the Common-wealth Breaches made upon it by open hostilitie from foraigne enemies or else in it by homebred divisions and dissentions whether betwixt the Prince and Subiects or betwixt Subiects themselves all endangering the state of a Kingdome Politicall Breaches Or be it Fourthly In the Ecclesiasticall Body the Church Breaches in or about matters of Religion Sects Schismes Heresies rending and rearing the Seamelesse Coate of Christ the Church Ecclesiasticall Breaches Of all and every of these I may truly say that they are Diseases and that dangerous ones How dangerous I shall forbeare to shew you for the present reserving that for the latter part of the Text to which properly it belongeth This is the disease which David here speaketh of and complaineth of And this was Israels disease That is the mark which my eve is upon at the present Heale the Breaches thereof viz. Of the Land the Land of Israel Even Israel is subiect to Breaches that is the conclusion which from hence I take up Even Israel is subiect to Breaches So it was with the Literall typicall Israel Davids Kingdome so it may be with spirituall Mysticall Israel the Kingdome of Christ the church of God upon Earth Hereof was Israel a type Davids Kingdome a type of Christs Kingdome the Church upon Earth resembling it both in the King of it and Subiects of it and State of it 1. For the King and Head of it David a type of Christ and a lively type thence is it that Christ is sometimes called by the name of David They shall seeke the Lord their God saith the Prophet Hosea speaking of the Israelites the Iewes and David their King i. e. Christ who as he was of the seed of David the sonne of David so he was most clearely and lively represented and resembled by David To touch upon the particular Resemblances betwixt them as it is besides the Text so it would swallow up more time then for the present I have to spare Secondly For the subiects of it they were Israelites a people that were in covenant with God carrying the seale of that covenant the signe of circumcision in their flesh an holy people professing sanctitie and holinesse And such are the subiects of Christs Kingdome the true members of the Church visible they are Israelites Behold an Israelite such by profession a people in covenant with God partaking of the feals of the covenant a holy people called to holinesse Saints by calling professing sanctitie and holinesse Thirdly for the state of it Davids Kingdome was still in a militant condition for the most part and so is the Kingdome of Christ his Church upon Earth a militant Church where Christ ruleth and raigneth in the midst of his Enemies Thus was Israel a Type of the Church the one literall the other Mysticall Israel And both these shall we finde subject unto Breaches Typicall Israel was Mysticall Israel the Church may be the Text makes good the former let me shew you the latter and for the demonstrating of it cleare unto you these two things 1. What Breaches they are which Israel the church is so subiect to Secondly Now it cometh to passe that it should be so subiect to these Breaches For the former What Breaches they are that the church of God upon earth is so subiect to For answer hereunto give me leave to reflect upon the type and enquire what were Israels Breaches which David here complaineth of In making this enquirie I will not go out of this Psalme wherof the Text is part in the latter part whereof David doth tacitly insinuate unto us what were those Breaches whereof he complayneth in the former They were of two sorts Homebred Foraigne Homebred intestine and civill Breaches made and caused by some of the Israelites themselves Foraigne made by those who were open and professed enemies to their Kingdome and Religion 1. For the former There was as yet a strong partie in Israel which after the death of Ishbosheth cleaved to the house of Saul not acknowledging David for their King but were ready upon all occasions to raise new tumults and commotions thereby seeking to shake off the yoake of Davids government The chiefe and principall places wher this seditious party had their residence and abode were those which the Psalmist mentioneth in the sixth and seventh verses of the Psalme viz. Shechem Succoth Gilead Manasseh Shechem a Citie in the tribe of Ephraim Succoth a Citie in the tribe of Gad. Gilead and Manasseh the utmost borders of the Land of Canaan beyond Iorden These were some of the chiefe places which sided with Ishbosheth whilest he lived as you may see 2. Sam. 2. and as it seemeth they still cleaved to the house of Saul after he was dead not acknowledging David for their King So much David himselfe here insinuates I shall divide Shechem c. i. e. have a full possession of it and the rest which as yet he had not These were intestine and Homebred Breaches made by some of the Israelites themselves Secondly Besides these in the second place David and his Kingdom had many foraigne enemies open and professed enemies not onely to David his House but to the whole Kingdome of Israel Such were the Moabites Edomites Philistines
it in the Symptomes of it Those we shall finde very dreadfull and terrible Not unlike the the Symptomes of an Earth-quake where the earth trembles and shakes and breaks being riuen or split with prodigious ruptures and openings yawning and gaping even threatning to swallow up the inhabitants as once it did Korah and his Confederacie Thus was it with Israel at this time when David made this complaint of the Breaches thereof Thou hast made the earth to tremble thou hast broken it ver. 2. And is it not so in this and the neighbour Kingdom at present doth not the earth even seeme to tremble under us Hath not the Lord even made us a Cup of trembling not unto others as he saith he would make Jerusalem Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about Time was when it was so with us we were a cup of trembling to all the Nations round about but to our selves Having begun to drink of that cup which Jerusalem was once made to drink of I to drink off even the cup of the Lords fury the cup of trembling Insomuch that we may say in the words of the Psalmist that Horrour I and Rigor or shaking too two symptomes of a violent Ague hath taken hold upon us the earth under us seeming to tremble as the bed doth sometimes in the Paroxisme of a cold fit under him that lyeth upon it And how should it be otherwise when as the foundations thereof are moved or out of course as the Psalmist hath it Sure we are what ever it is athome so it is in the neighbour Kingdom where by reason of that civill combuâ—â—ion all things are out of order many of the chief rulers also upon whom the Common-wealth there should rest as a house doth upon the foundations bearing a part in that tragicall commotion And amongst our selves how is the earth riven and broken both church and common-wealth rent and torne by home-bred divisions and distractions Sad symptimes but sadder Prognosticks Which if we look upon in the third place what can we conjecture and look for unlesse God be pleased speedily to step in unâ—o us frustrating our fears and our enemies hopes by healing and making up our breaches but Confusion desolation It shaketh saith the Psalmist here of Israel It shaketh it shaketh may we say both of Church and State in this and the neighbour Kingdome These unhappie breaches being in themselves and oft-times proving ominous presages prodigious fore-runners of Ruine and Destruction But of this it may be I shall have occasion to speak more fully hereafter in handling the second part of the Text Davids Reason Israels Danger And are these the Causes these the Symptomes these the Prognosticks of the disease Oh what cause then have every of us to be affected deeply affected with it laying to heart the breaches both of Church and State in this and the neighbour Kingdom so laying them to heart as that our hearts may work towards the healing of them and not our hearts only but our hands also Desiring this Cure let us in the second place Indeavour it Indeavour we the healing of Israels breaches the repairing and making up the Breaches which are amongst us whether in Church or State And what arguments should I use to whet your endeavours this way to put you forwards upon this I had almost said so meritorious a work Those considerations which I named before as Reasons may also serve again for Motives and that forcible ones First Ye are all members of this Mysticall this Politicall this Ecclesiasticall body and being so seek the Healing of the breaches therof Which breaches 2. In the second place are unseemly in the Church And 3. Dangerous both to Church and State being disadvantagious to both great obstructions exceedingly hindering the affairs and proceedings of both as by wofull experience we finde it true VVhat is it that hinders the businesse both of Church and State at present that it sticketh in the birth and commeth off so slowly Surely next to our sins our divisions Not more disadvantagious to them then advantagious to their enemies being an In-let to enemies both Forraign and Domestick to break in upon both To these three let me briefely adde three other and I will not straggle far to seeke these sticks to make this fire withall You shall finde them all lying close together in a little compasse in the two last verses of that 122. Psal. where David exciting both himselfe and others to pray for the peace seek the happines of Jerusalem that Peace might be within her wals and prosperitie within her Palaces He setteth downe a threefold Motive or inducement putting him on to that duty This he did for his own sake this he did for his Brethrens sake this he did for Religions sake The two former of these you have v. 8. the one of them expressed the other insinuated and implied For my brethren and Companions sake I will now say Peace be within thee i. e. not only for my own sake so some happily would have been readie to construe it that David in being so zealous for the good and happinesse of Jerusalem had an eye only to himselfe for the establishing of his Kingdome and setling the Crown upon his own head and the head of his Posterity To clear himselfe from this imputation and take off this suspition David here by a Prolepsis by way of anticipation or prevention he sets downe the cause which moved him to it It was not only his owne Cause though he might herein have and had an eye to himselfe also but the cause of his brethren and Companions i. e. of all the people of God discended from the same stock of Israel professing the same Religion of God The peace and happinesse of them all being as it were bound up in the peace and happinesse of Jerusalem If it went well with it it should go the better with them none of them but having a share in Jerusalems peace and happinesse He did it for his own sake he did it for their sake And thirdly for Religions sake that you have verse last Because of the House of the Lord our God i. e. for the Religion of God the true and pure worship and service of God whereof God had then made Jerusalem as it were the Staple putting his Name there In this threefold respect doth David seeke the peace and well-fare of Jerusalem and willeth others to seek it viz. that it might be continued and increased if enjoyed repaired and restored if impaired decaied And upon this threefold ground let every of us be excited to seeke the publique peace and wel-fare of this our Israel the restoring and setling of Peace by healing the breaches thereof This do we in the first place for our own sakes It is the Reason which the Lord giveth why he would have the Jews in their Captivity to
to cast at our adversaries of Rome who amongst their fifteen notes or markes of the true visible Church lay down these for two Vnitie Prosperity Vnitie or Vnion of the members under one visible head and amongst themselves Prosperity outward and temporall felicitie which if so what shall we say to the Church of Israel at this present when David complained of so many Breaches in it Where was then the union of the Church under one visible head when that Kingdom to which the Church was then confined was so divided betwixt two some cleaving to the house of David others to the house of Saul yet both making up one visible Church Where was the outward felicitie and temporall Prosperity of the Church when the foundations of that Kingdome and consequently of the Church the whole Church were so shaken both by foraigne invasions and home-bred seditions But I passe by this leaving them to talke of that which is not nor ever yet was to be found amongst themselves What ever may be said for the latter Temporall Prosperitie sure we are as for the former Vnitie it is a thing which they have no cause to boast of The use I intend to make of it shall be onely to take off the triumph scandall or discouragement which any may happilie either make or take at the present Breaches which are to be found amongst us in this and the neighbour Kingdom In the behalf of both these we are this day and at this time assembled together viz. to seek God for them as David doth here for Israel that He would heal the Breaches thereof That there are Breaches in both and those very considerable ones but for number and nature many and great shaking the very foundations of them it cannot be denied And in these Breaches some happily will be ready to triumph So did both the Edomites and Philistines here spoken of over Israels Breaches Israels Breaches were their Triumph so were they to the Philistines O Philistia triumph thou because of me or over me saith the Psalmist here verse 8. speaking by way of Ironie and mockage bidding them go on in their rejoycing and triumphing over the Church of God insulting over her Breaches and ruines as they did The like did the Edomites So we may hear the Prophet Obadiah charging it upon them ver. 12. of his prophecie Edom looked upon the day of his brother Jacob the day of Israels affliction the day wherein he became a stranger was carried away captaive This day the Edomites looked upon in a rejoycing way insulting over the miserie of the Church so it followeth Edom rejoyced over the children of Juda in the day of their destruction and spake proudly insultingly in the day of their distresse c. with such an eye no question do the enemies of God and his Church at this day looke upon the distressed distracted state and condition of this and the neighbour nation Romish Edomites those children of Edom which say of our Hierusalem our reformed Religion Race it race it even to the foundations thereof uncircumcised Philistines such as have gone about to set up the Ark of God by their Dagon as the Philistines once did to make Rome and England meet together I doubt not but they are ready to triumph and insult over these Breaches which themselves have made these divisions distractions seditions rebellions whereof themselves are the Authours and fomenters hoping that at these Breaches themselves shall re-enter setting up their standards again upon the Churches battlements raising themselves upon the Churches ruines which they hope these distractions do presage Others there are to whom these Breaches may happily be a matter either of scandall or discouragement To some of scandall unsetled and unstable Christians reeds shaken with the winde carried about with every blast Upon this ground happily they may be brought to scruple and question the truth of our Religion and so to entertain thoughts of relinquishing it flying from it as some have done because of some divisions amongst the Professors of it To others of discouragement Weak and faint-hearted Christians who because they cannot at the present see how these Breaches should be repaired and made up therefore they are ready to yeeld up the City to give the Church and cause of Christ in it for lost as if the condition thereof were forelorne and desperate Not so No just groâ—nd for any of these whether for triumph scandall or discouragement Breaches there are amongst us it cannot be denied and those such Breaches as deserve to be lamented with tears of blood but yet are they any other then what the Church of God upon earth is subject to Surely no It is Saint Pauls consolation to his Corinthians touching their temptations There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man And the like may I say of these temptations distractions divisions wherewith the Church of God in these parts at this day is exercised they are no other then what are common to the Church may befall the Church the true Church of God To make this good paralell and compare we the state of the Church in these two Kingdoms with that of Israel in Davids time and see what greater Breaches shall we finde in the one then in the other In the neighbour nation the Trumpet of rebellion is sounded the Kingdome divided put into blood ingaged in a civill war by the means of a seditious party of Romish confederates who under a pretence of vindicating the liberty of their own seek and indeavour the extirpating and rooting out the true Religion of God of late through the mercy of God begun to be planted amongst them together with all the professours of it But what is here more to be seen or heard then was in Israel at that time when she bad the son of Bichri a man of Belial blew a trumpet and said we have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel whereupon the whole 10. tribes made a present revolt following after him the tribe of Judah onely cleaving to their King Amongst our selves however blessed be God and blessed be his Anointed and blessed be the multitude of his wise faithfull Councellours this fire hath not yet broken forth into such open flames yet how hath it smoaked how doth it smoak To let passe here that late Breach so happily healed and made up betwixt the two Nations at least so some would have had it which threatned us with the dreadfull judgement of a civill war of wars the worst To let that passe which yet we must not let passe without a thankfull acknowledgement of the power wisdome goodnesse of God manifested in making up of that Breach not onely healing it without a skar but bringing a more firme union out of it As also to forbear the mention of those late Breaches made both upon
Church and state among our selves Breaches made upon the estates of men upon the liberties of subjects the bodies nay the souls and consciences of Christians which through the goodnesse of God inclining the heart of his Anointed to hearken to his great Councell of state are in part already repaired and made up Besides these other Breaches there are which yet lye upon us Breaches in the Church Breaches in the state both in measure still rent and torne distracted and divided I shall not need to name particulars which are too obvious to every vulgar eye But in all these what is here more then was to be found in Israel at that time when the whole land was shaken that Kingdome divided betwixt the two Houses of Saul and David some siding with the one others with the other taking of parts to the great indangering of the state of the Church therein True it is the enemies of our peace are many Besides a dangerous party at home of such as do in their hearts and affections at least cleave to the House of Saul the old House as they falsly call it Papists and others popishly affected together with a Malignant party of malecontents persons ill affected to Church and state besides these it cannot be thought but that we have enemies abroad enemies to our Religion we are sure many of them vassals to that Man of sinne that Antichrist of Rome who as they at the present insult over our breaches so if occasion were offered we cannot thinke but that they would be ready to breake in at them But herein againe what is our condition other then Israels was at this time when David penned this Psalme when besides that seditious party amongst themselves they had also many foraigne enemies enemies both to their Kingdome and Religion and that almost on every side Moabites Edomites Philistines Moabites and Edomites on the East Philistines on the West Thus paralelling our condition with Israels we finde no great oddes of breaches betwixt them not more in the one then was in the other And therefore to draw towards a conclusion of this point and exercise In the first place let not our adversaries triumph over our breaches Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy Or if they will let them triumph Triumph thou O Philistia because of me or over me Let our adversaries of Rome and their adherents the sedicious and ill affected party amongst our selves triumph and lift up their heads insulting over our breaches in the meane time we could tell them of their owne breaches and enquire of them where their Vnitie was when their Church was divided betwixt two visible Heads at once two Popes I meane both set up and both ruling at the same time the one in Italie the other in France the one at Rome the other at Avignion a considerable number of Cardinals and Prelates siding and taking part with either of them Then was the state of their Church like that of Israel when after the death of Saul some sided with David others with Ishbosheth We could minde them of their own present divisions which long have and still do distract that Church of theirs which howsoever they having more of the Serpent and being wiser in their generations then the children of Light carry more closely with lesse noise wherein I wish we could imitate them yet are they both for nature and number so considerable as that it should make them ashamed either to boast of Vnity amongst themselves or to insult over the Breaches of others One of their own modestly tels us of 20. severall schismes amongst them Another their great Cardinall Bellarmin by name to the everlasting glory of their Churches unity ingenuously acknowledgeth no lesse then 237. differences or contrarieties in Doctrine amongst their own Divines But these we passe by contenting our selves with this this was Israels condition and it may be the condition of the true Church of God to be divided distracted no matter of triumph to them Nor yet in the second and third place of scandall or discouragement to others Not of scandall What though the naturall body of Christ be pierced rent torne with thornes nailes the spear of the souldier yet let none be offended at it Blessed is he saith our Saviour whosoever shall not be offended in me What though the misticall body of Christ the Church be pierced rent and torne pierced with the spear of persecution rent and torne with the thornes and nailes of home-bred divisions and dissentions let none be offended at it Nor yet Discouraged by it The naturall Body of Christ for all it was so pierced rent and torne yet it rose again the third day They are not all the rents breaches divisions distractions in the misticall body of Christ the Church that shall hinder the resurrection of it The Church in Hosea complains that the Lord had torne her and smitten her Yet mark what followeth After two dayes he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight God hath at the present done the like by this and the neighbour Nation smitten the one torne the other Smitten the one with the sword of a Civill but Barbarous and Savage enemy Torne the other with unhappy differences and distractions yet let not either of these discourage He that hath torne us he can heal us He that hath smitten us he can binde us up and this we trust in mercy he will yet do It is the speech I remember of the wife of Manoah to her huâ—band If the Lord had had a purpose to destroy us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things And let us in an holy considence say the like touching the Church of God in this and the neighbour Kingdoms Had God had a purpose to haue cast us off from being a Church from being a people to have unchurch'd us to have taken his Gospel from us surely he would never have accepted our offerings our prayers and the prayers of his people amongst us which we are assured he hath dore having given us most gracious comfortable returnes of them assured evidences of their acceptation Neither would he ever have shewed us all these things Discovered and consounded so many plots so many trecheries and conspiracies of our adversaries still turning their councels upon their own heads carrying the great councell of the Kingdom through so many to flesh and blood insuperable difficulties Nor yet would he have begun to repair and make up our Breaches so as in part already he hath done and we hope is doing Do we see one bestowing cost upon an old garment in darning up the holes drawing up the rents making up the Breaches in it we thereupon conjecture surely it is not his intent as yet to cast it off and to lay it aside Surely beloved such have been Gods
dealings with us specially of this Kingdom of late as that we may say that they are at least seem to be sweet intimations of a gracious purpose and intention towards us Onely in this will the Lord be sought And for this let every of us seek him that it may not repent him of the good which he hath seemed to intend towards us but that he would returne and come unto us with healing in his wings coming unto us as the Spouse desireth that her Beloved might come unto her Like a Roe or a yong Hart upon the mountains of Bether the mountains of division as the word signifieth In his own time which let not us prescribe healing and making up all our breaches This is Davids Prayer for Israel in the text And for this Let us pray ISRAELS CURE The second SERMON March 2o PSAL. 60. Vers 2. Heale the Breaches thereof for it is shaken UPon this Text I made an entrance the last day being then led unto it by that Solemn occasion We brake it into two parts Davids Request Reason In the former of these we tooke notice of three particulars Israels Disease Cure Phisitian Upon the first of these we then insisted Come we now to the second viz. Israels Cure which is the healing of her Breaches Heale the Breaches thereof To Heale properly you know what it is viz. do a Cure upon the Body in healing the sicknesses or sores thereof whether in an ordinary way by naturall means Medicines or Salves as the Phisitian or Chirurgion doth or in an extraordinary and miraculous way without means as our Saviour and his Apostles did who cured all manner of diseases only by their a word b touch c garments d shadow From the naturall body it is transferred to the Politicall or Ecclesiasticall Bodie in a Kingdome the Common-wealth the Church The remedying of the evills whereof is sometime in phrase of Scripture called an Healing If my people shall humble themselves and pray saith the Lord I will heale their Land i. e. Redresse and remedy the evills which lye upon it Heale the breaches thereof saith the Text i. e. Repaire them make them up This it is that David here prayeth for and This should every true Israelite desire and seek after The healing repayring making up of Israels breaches It was the first work that Nehemiah and the rest of the Jewes did after their returne from Captivity they set upon the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem which they began as you may see in the 3. chap. of Nehem. and finished chap. 6. not giving over till there was no breach found therein as you have it vers 1. of that 6. chap. What they did for the Typicall this ought all true Israelites do for the Spiritual Mysticall Jerusalem the Church of God upon earth viz. seeke and endeavour what they can the building up the Walls the repairing the breaches thereof This is Davids prayer elsewhere Lord build up the walls of Jerusalem Jerusalem the Metropolis both Civill and Ecclesiasticall of that Kingdome the Head Citie of Israel a Type of the Church visible For this David prayeth that God would build up the walls thereof repayre the breaches thereof restoring to it and establishing in it Peace and Prosperitie And what himselfe doth he stirreth up others to do the like Pray for the peace of Jerusalem i. e. for the publicke tranquility and happinesse of the Church for the continuance of it if enjoyed for the restoring of it if wanted that it may not be troubled whether without by persecuting Tyrants putting it into bloud or within by Schismes and Heresies rending and tearing of it These are the breaches of the Church as I have shewed you in the former Point and both these every true Israelite should defire to have healed repaired made up that so there may be Peace within her Walls and Prosperity or quietnesse within her Pallaces as it followeth vers. 7. of that 122. Psalm And great reason for it why Christians should thus desire and endeavour the healing of Israels breaches they being all members of that mystical body ye are the body of Christ and members in particular saith the Apostle to his Corinthians The Church the body all true Christians Members of that Bodie and being so they should have a simpathie with the whole So is it in the naturall body If the body be wounded or hurt in any part of it there is never a part but is sensible of it If the foot be wounded the eye seeth it the heart feeleth it the tongue complains of it the hand is ready to apply salves and Plaisters to it for the healing of it So should it be in the Mysticall bodie and so it will be If the Church be wounded rent torn the eye of a true Israelite being a living member of that body seeing it his heart cannot but be affected with it his tongue will be ready to complain of it unto God his hand will be readie to apply such healing remedies as God shall put into it Christian affection in the hearts of Christians it both should and will encline them to seek the Cure of Israels breaches Take a second Reason and that fetcht from the Nature of these breaches which are 1. Vnseemly 2. Dangerous 1. Vnseemly not unlike a rent or breach in a Garment which because uncomely we will therefore get drawn sowne up Or like a Harelip in a good face which though it be not a sore yet because it is an eye-sore a blemish we will therfore if possible get healed Upon this ground should Christians seek the healing of Israels breaches They are an eye-sore a blemish in this mysticall body It was the outward Beauty of the Typicall Jerusalem that the buildings thereof were contiguous and uniforme Jerusalem is builded as a Citie that is compact together Juâ—cta sibi simul as Montanus renders the Originall the Houses not scattered but joyning together Even as it was with the Curtains of the Tabernacle which were of one measure saith the Text and coupled together Surely it is a peece of the visible Churches visible beautie her unitie her breaches her divisions make the least of them make the best of them they are a blemish an eye-sore I such an eye-sore as friends cannot behold without grief enemies with triumph Neuters with scandall And being so were there no other reason Christians should seek the Healing of them But besides this 2. In the second place these Breaches are dangerous Dangerous to the Church and that two wayes being 1. Disadvantagious to her 2. Advantagious to her enemies 1. To her disadvantagious In that like Domesticall Breaches in a Family which are great hinderances to all the businesse in it whether Civill or Religious for the most part hindring the groweth both of Grace and Estate So prejudiciall and detrimentall are these Breaches to the State of the Church
hindering the groweth of it the increase of it This Mysticall bodie being joyned compacted and knit together it increaseth with the increase of God saith Saint Paul to his Colossians It maketh increase to the edifying of it selfe in love saith the same Apostle to his Ephesians On the other hand being divided rent and torne it withereth wanzeth it groweth not Not but that God can and sometimes doth bring good out of this evill light our of this darkenesse making the truth which is but one a gainer by division improving distractions to the Churches benefit But this is by accident no thanks to these divisions distractions for this gain which being enemies to Vnitie they are in their own nature no friends to the Truth no friends to the Church but enemies to it Enemies hindering the growth of it nay threatning the ruine of it Our Saviour hath sayd it of a Kingdome an House if divided against themselves they cannotstand These Breaches in the Church are like wounds in the bodie though not all mortall yet in their own nature destructive as I shall shew you God willing in the latter part of the Text shaking the Church as well as hindering it And in this respect Christians who bear good will to Israel wish well to the Church should seeke the Cure the Healing of them they are disadvantagious to the Church And Secondly Advantagious to her enemies In this like Breaches made in the walls of a Citie which are an In-let to the Enemie giving him the advantage of entring and taking possession if they be not either repaired or looked to Of such dangerous consequence are these Breaches in the Church they are In-lets to the Adversary In-lets in the first place to Sathan that comon Adversarie who by these breaches breaks in upon the Church as by domesticall breaches he breaks in upon a Family hindering the affaires of it In-lets in the second place to the Instruments of Sathan False-Teachers Seducers who make great advantage of these Breaches to let in their owne pernicious errors by them Even as by the Graecian Horse that fatall Engine was let and drawn in by that Breach which the Trojans themselves had made in their owne Walls to the overthrow of their Citie So dangerous are these breaches disadvantagious to the Church advatagious to her Enemies Great cause why Christians should desire and endeavour our the Cure the Healing of them Dwell we no longer upon Confirmation or Illustration It is a truth I suppose which in Thesi in the generall will easily be granted and yeelded at all hands That which I principally ayme at is the practicall part the bringing it home the setting it on by way of Application which I shall direct these two ways By way of Reprehension Exhortation By way Reprehension is this The duty and practise of every true Israelite to seeke the Healing of Israels breaches What then In the first place shall we say to them who instead of Healing make them Breach-makers whether in the Church or State To let passe the latter of these State-Incendiaries such as have troubled and distracted the Politicke State of this Kingdome for their own private ends and advantages that they might have the better fishing in these troubled waters Them I referre together with the Cure of those breaches by them made to that wise and venerable Colledge of State Phisitians at the present assembled to that purpose The Breaches which my eye is principally upon are Israels breaches Breaches in the Church specially those wherewith the Church in this Kingdome is distracted and torne And here give me leave briefly to tax and censure those which have been or are either the makers or maintainers of them whether Principalls or Accessaries Q But who are they A. For Answer I shall have recourse to the Type who were they which made these breaches in Israel which the Psalmist here complains of I have showen you it already They were either strangers or Israelites Strangers Enemies to their Kingdom and Religion Moabites Edomites Philistines or else Israelites that factious seditious party which cleaved to the House of Saul and so were enemies to the House of David Paralell hereunto behold we also in our Israel two forts of Breach-makers Strangers Israelites First Begin with the former Strangers I mean strangers and Enemies to our Religion Such as though they be amongst us yet they are not of us Papists and persons Popishly affected Amongst whom how ever I cannot think but that there are some blindly zealous poor misguided souls who follow after their Ishhosheth Or Adonijah with simplicity of heart and so are both more quiet and innocent Yet others amongst them there are and that many very active and practicall in this worst piece of Arithmatick which they study more than anvother Division Dividing of Houses Cities Parliaments Kingdoms States Churches Setting Subjects against Subjects In this Hellish Art how many famous I should say infamous Practitioners have there been amongst them in all Ages Witnesse the Histories of the late and frequent Irish Rebellions Some of them Masters in that Science Prosessours in it Those devoted and professed Incendiaries the Jesuites and their schollers Hellish Engineers who make it their work to be continually laying of Trains and springing of Mines for the blowing up the gates and wals of our Jerusalem endeavouring to make Breaches therin that themselves and their party may re-enter and take possession It was the speech of the Syrians and others their Confederates Let us go up against Judah and vex it and let us make a breach therein for us What they determined against Judah that do these Romish Consederates practise against our Israel continually vexing us by their wiles as the Midianites did Israel seeking to make a Breach amongst us for themselves their hopes being founded upon our divisions Upon them in the first place do we charge these our Breaches both in this and the neighbour Kingdomes but charging them we cannot discharge our selves 2. A second sort of these Breach-makers are to be found amongst our selves Israelites men professing the same Religion Protestants by name who to approve themselves such can readily pronounce the Protestants Shibboleth willingly submitting to the late Protestation wherin amongst other things they have vowed and promised to praeserve and maintaine the union and peace of the three Kingdoms and yet they either are or have been Breach-makers breaking the peace of the Church Of these we may take notice of two sorts Pardon my plain and home-dealing in prosecuting of this charge The designe which I aym at is the Healing of Israels Breaches Now a wound you know that it may be Cured it must first be searched This I shall do with as tender and gentle and hand as possible I can that whilest I go about to make up Breaches I may not make any Two sorts of persons there are amongst our selves upon whom
Whereupon Tamar wondring at it and enquiring after the cause or reason of this strange and extraordinary birth She breaketh forth into a passionate expostulation with her son saying unto him How hast thou broken forth This breach be upon thee from thence giving him his name Pharez i. e. a breach And is it not the case my brethren of some amongst us who waiting or rather not waiting thinking long for the Churches delivery they will not tarry their time Gods time but they will be breaking forth in a preposterous and inordinate way I notwithstanding that God hath brought deliverance to the birth so as they see an hand put forth already an hand with a scarlet thred about it the Nobles and Senatours of the Kingdom to whom that colour most properly agreeth reaching forth their hands being at work for the reforming of what is amisse and the suppying of what is wanting yet they will anticipate them out of a rash and preposterous zeal stepping forth before them To such let me say and if there be any here present as happily there may be I shall say it unto them speaking in the language of Tamar to her son how have you broken forth This breach also be upon you We cannot but charge you amongst others as accessaries to these breaches if not to the making yet to the increasing of them of them And being thus charged see you to it how you can discharge your selves either before God or man I have done with the first Ranke of those who come within the compasse of this just reprehension such as are so far from seeking and endeavouring the healing of Israels breaches that they make them or else in the second place keep them open keep them from healing being means or occasions to hinder the making up of these breaches which they do either purposely or unadvisedly Purposely fome So do the enemies of God and his truth the Malignant party amongst us who cannot indure that the Breaches amongst us should be made up In that like Sanballat and Tobiah and their confederates who when they heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopt they were very wroth saith the text and so conspired altogether to come fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it or to make an errour in it as the Margin in our new Translation readeth it according to the Originall Such back friends to the peace of our Jerusalem there are many amongst us at this day who cannot endure that the breaches amongst us should begin to be stopped And therefore they do what they can to hinder the work still casting in new jealosies and new obstacles thinking thereby either to hinder the work or to make an errour in it That so our breaches either may not be healed or else slightly healed as the Lord complaines against the false Prophets Jer. 6. They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly So healed as that they may soon break forth again which they do for their own advantage In this like water-foule in a frost which by their continuall padling keep open a weake in a river not suffering it to freeze over that so themselves may have roome to swim and fish in Or like some wretched Surgeons who keep open a wound for their own gaine Others do the like but unadvisedly besides their intention I spare them and hasten to A third sort who come under Reprehension here Such who as they have no hand as they think in the making of these Breaches so they will have none in the Healing of them It is that which the Lord saith of the Jewes in that great confusion which should befall them every man should refuse to be an Healer When a man shall take hold of his Brother c. In that day he shall sweare I will not be an Healer And is it not so with some amongst us at this day They are not they cannot be ignorant of the breaches which are made amongst us in this and the neighbour Nation Breaches shaking and endangering both Church and State and vet they decline this Christian office They will be no Healers No their resolution is for a wise and wary Neutrality they will be standers by and lookers on to see what will become of things Like men standing upon the shoar and looking upon others in a stresse at Sea to see what will become of them whether they shall sinke or swim In the mean time they will not put forth an hand a finger to the making up the healing of these breaches Truth is they are not at all affected with them so themselves may but keep their own heads whole and sleep in a whole skin as we say they care not what breaches there be in the Church whether at home or abroad In this not unlike some simple man at Sea who so his own Cabin be but tight he cares not what leaks there be in the Ship he sayles in Surely such there are some amongst us and I wish the evidence were not too strong too clean against them Whence is it that some amongst us are so loth so backward in parting with any thing for the making up of any of these breaches not willing to part with a little earth to fill them up It is a case which Divine Providence at present putteth into my hand let me not over-looke or neglect it I suppose there are none of you here present but take notice what a great and fearfull breach is made upon the neighbour Nation our Brethren in the Kingdome of Ireland where through the open Rebellion of a Romish Confederacie rending and taring of that Kingdome the State therein tottereth and the Church lyeth a bleeding For the repairing and making up of this breach It hath pleased Authoritie that Authoritie which may Command it the King and his Parliament to request and desire from you either by way of gift or Loane a little of your earth your Gold is no other no better Red-earth thick-clay as the Prophet Habakkuk phraseth it This they desire for the filling and making up of this Breach by succouring your Brethren which are driven from thence and relieving those which do stand in the breach But alas how unwillingly how cravingly how sparingly doth it come from some aamongst us Surely my Brethren thus it would not be if the Towne wherein we now are were besieged and a Breach made in the Wals of it In this case I suppose there is none of us but would be ready both to carry baskets of earth and to lend our Wool-packs or Featherbeds if we have them for the stopping the making up of that Breach And shall we not do a little for the Church of God in that Kingdome the welfare whereof is of so great and neere concernment to our selves Insomuch as some wise Starists have thought these two Kingdoms to be like Hypocrates his Twins
the one whereof could not subsist at least not well without the other Surely my Brethren such Parsimonius spirits may be conceived to be far from the resolution of that noble Roman Marcus Curtius whom the Histories of those and after Ages have rendered famous to the World for his unparaleld affection to his Country and in speciall to the Citie of Rome whereof he was a Member Wherein when by reason of an Earthquake their happened a prodigious Chasma a great Gulpb or opening of the earth in the midst of the Market-place and the Oracle had signified to them that there was no way to fill up that breach but by casting the best thing in their Citie into it He thereupon presently mounting his Horse in compleat Arms which was then the chiefe glory of that Citie and Nation cast himself into the Breach for the making it up so yeelding up his life saith my Authour to and for his Countrey from which he had received it This did he with a Roman resolution And the like should Christians be ready to do in a Christian way for the Church of God in case that God shall be pleased to call them to it even cast themselves into the breaches thereof for the filling making them up not thinking their naturall lives too dear for her to whom under God they owe their spirituall How far then do they fall beneath themselves beneath Christians who will not so much as part with a little of their superfluities in such a case It is no more that is desired from you not the Widowes two Mites her whole livelihood all that she had but a little {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of your abundance your superfluitie And hereof he that will not spare a little to so good a work must pardon me if I leave him where I finde him within the verge and compasse of this just Reprehension charging him to be in the number of those that will not be an healer of Israels breaches I have done with the first of these Vses which maketh way to the latter An Use of Exhortation wherein I should excite and exhort you and all true Israelites even all the Lords people amongst us that they would first desire secondly endeavour the healing of Israels breaches But this I must defer till another occasion ISRAELS CURE The third SERMON March 16. PSAL. 60. Vers 2. Heale the Breaches thereof for it shaketh THe healing of Israels breaches is a thing which every true Israelite should desire and endeavour This was the Conclusion which I insisted upon the last time I spake in this place prosecuting it both by way of Doctrine and Application The former of these I then dispatched the latter I entred upon but left imperfect Then insisting upon an Vse of Reprehension which I intended only as a needle to make way for and draw in a thred after it If that needle seemed then sharp to any pricking and smarting as it went let not them blame either it or me A Chrugion in searching a wound if he put his Patient to paine it is besides his intention who intends his Cure and not his smart but he cannot helpe it it will be so and being so it maketh the Cure the more hopefull because the part is sensible In which regard the chirurgion is not discouraged by it nor yet sorry for it though his Patient be And in this regard I must confesse and say as the blessed Apostle sometime to his Corinthians Though I made you sorry with a Letter saith he with a Sermon say I I do not repent This sorrow I trust shall prove unto you as theirs to them but temporarie {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for a season and shall in the end produce the like effects so as you shall have cause to acknowledge what they found That you have received damage by us in nothing In the hopes hereof I now come to that which I pincipally intended when I first took this Text in hand A word of Exhortation which I shall direct generally indefinitely to all true Israelites even all the Lords people exciting and exhorting them that they would 1. Desire 2. Endeavour this Cure the Healing of Israels breaches the repairing and making up of these breaches which are amongst us at the present in this and the neighbour Kingdome whether Politicall Breaches or Ecclesiasticall Breaches Breaches in the State or Breaches in the Church how ever made or by whomsoever whether by strangers or Israelites seek we the healing of them This desire we this endeavour we First Desire it This doth David here for that Kingdom that State that Church whereof he was the Head and this do we for this Kingdom this State this Church whereof we are members And that we may do it Labour to be affected with it That we may seriously desire the Cure labour to be throughly affected with the Disease So was David with Israels Breaches very sensible of them and deeply affected with the apprehension of them And so have others of the Saints of God been in like cases First with Breaches made amongst themselves in or upon the Church or State where they lived It is the word which Jeremie must say unto the Jews Jer. 24. Thou shalt say this word unto them Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day and let them not cease for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a very great Breach What ever the false prophets said unto them making light of that Breach that judgement threatned promising them that either it should not be or if it were yet it should be healed and made up well enough yet Jerimie for his part he layeth it to his own eyes and heart mourning over it being deeply affected with it and willeth all the rest of the Jews to doe the like Secondly with Breaches made upon others their brethren in other parts The divisions of Ruben were great thoughts of heart to all the rest of the Tribes The whole congregation of Israel even all the other Tribes they were sorry and repented for Benjamin because of that great Breach made upon that tribe And thus let us all of us be affected with the breaches at present made upon this and the neighbour Kingdom God hath broken in upon both breaking the one and rending the other O let these breaches be to all of us great thoughts of heart Take we notice of them and be we deeply affected with them which it is to be feared the greatest part amongst us as yet are nor Histories tell us of Archimedes the great Mathematicion that when the City Syracuse was sacked and plundred by the Romans the souldiers some of them breaking into the house and studie where he then was they found him so intent in drawing of lines and figures in the dust as that he took no notice either of the Cities losse or his own danger untill on of
them disdaining that seeming disrespect drew his sword and sheathed it in his bowels runing him through And is it not thus my brethren with some with multitudes amongst us at this day Whilest the neighbour Kingdom is on fire already and our owne in danger the fire of Gods wrath flaming in the one smoaking in the other fearfull breaches made in both breaches in the state and breaches in the Church threatning every one of us in our particulars insomuch as we may say of our selves as it is said of sea-men we know not whether to reckon our selves amongst the living or dead so eminent is our hazard so eminent our danger yet for all this they are wholly taken up with drawing of lines in the dust still wallowing and cumbling in dust minding nothing but earth burying themselves in the dust of worldly thoughts and imployment seeking their own things their own private lucre and gain the increasing of their estates the building and raysing of their houses In the mean time let heaven and earth go together let Church and state sinke or swim or clash one aganst the other to the breaking and drowning of both what care they they regard it not they are not affected with it Too plain an evidence against them that they are but as woden leggs or armes tyed on to this misticall body no true gemime living members of it Which if they were it could not be but that they should be sensible of the wounds and ruptures in it the breaches thereof so sensible of them as to be affected with them And thus let every of us labour to be that we may in the first place finde our Hearts working towards the healing and repairing of these breaches The heart must first work before the hand will work That we may put an hand to the healing of these breaches lay them to heart That we may both desire and indeavour the Cure let us be affected with the Disease Which that we may be let us consider and look upon it these three wayes even as Phisitians are wont to do upon the diseases of their Patients 1. In the Causes 2. In the Symptomes 3. In the Prognosticks of it In the Causes of it breeding and feeding it In the Symptomes or effects attending upon it going along with it In the Prognosticks or events portended by it and following upon it All these three wayes doth David here look upon Israels Disease her Breaches here in the Text First In the Cause of them which he found to be Gods displeasure and anger conceived against them and broke forth upon them for their sinnes O God thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us thou hast been displeased viz. for our sins which is the onely cause of Gods displeasure So you have it Verse 1. Secondly In the Symptomes of it which were fearfull and terrible The earth trembled it was broken Riven and torn as it were with an Earthquake affected and afflicted with frequent and dangerous Commotions and distractions Verse 2. Thirdly In the Prognosticks of it It shaketh saith the Text i. e. presaging nothing but Ruine and downfall unlesse it be speedily underpropped and the Breaches thereof made up and Healed Thus did David looke upon Israels disease and hereupon it was that he was so deeply affected with it so earnestly desiring the Cure of it That we may be alike affected with the Breaches of our Israel look we also upon this Disease these three wayes First In the causes of it what is the true Cause of all these Breaches which do for the present lye upon this and the neighbour Kingdome Surely it is no other than that which David here pitcheth upon even the wrath and displeasure of God conceived against us for our sins Other Causes may be assigned as Instrumentall but these are the chiefe and principall In Israels case David was not ignorant that some Forraigne enemies Moabites Edomites Philistines together with some of his own Kingdom Israelites that seditious partie which cleaved to the House of Saul had an hand in making and maintaining those Breaches Yet see he rests not here his thoughts rise higher to the first and Primary cause which sets them awork and that he findes to be Gods displeasure against that Kingdom for the sinnes thereof In this and the neighbour Kingdom there have been and are many Instuments which have had hands in making and maintaining there Breaches even all those Breach-makers which I named before yet alas these are but Instruments which move as they are moved the Chiefe and Principal cause is the just anger and Displeasure of God conceived against us for sin And so let us conceive of it When the Plague was broke forth in the Camp of Israel beginning to make a Breach upon them Moses presently tells Aaron There is wrath gone out from the Lord What ever plague or Judgement in what kinde soever it be breaketh in upon a Nation it is but a token and effect of wrath even Divine wrath the wrath of God It is the breath of the Lord which kindleth these Tophets And kindling them bloweth them up It is wrath which both maketh and maintaineth these Breaches Wrath conceived for our sins that is the fewell which this firetaketh hold and feedeth upon Gods wrath taketh hold upon mans sins Where no wood is there the fire goeth out were there no sin there would be no wrath For this is it that the wrath of God cometh upon perticular persons who being sinners bynature they are also by nature children of wrath and being sinners by Practie they are made vessels of wrath treasuring up unto themselves wrath even that wrath which is and shall be revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse of man This wrath is and shall be powred out upon the heads of men for their sins Because of these things saith the Apostle speaking of sinfull lusts cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience And as upon particular persons so upon whole Kingdoms and Nations Never did the wrath of God break forth upon Israel but when he was provoked by their sins The Breach first ever begun on their part in their breaking Covenant with God Still they break with God in breaking his Lawes before he brake in upon them by his judgements which were ever sent onely to avenge the quarrel of his covenant as the Lord himself telleth them And surely my Brethren here is the first rise and spring of all those Evils which either already are Broken in upon us or else do threaten us They are no other but tokens and effects of Gods displeasure against us for sin And so conceive we of all these Breaches at which God himself having been long provoked seemeth now to be breaking in upon us to aveng the quarrell of his Covenant which we have violated and and broken Here are the Causes of this disease In the second place look we upon
seeke the Peace of Babylon Seek the Peace of the Citie whither I have caused you to be carried away Captive Pray unto the Lord for it why for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace And for this reason should all of us be earnest in seeking the peace of Jerusalem the peace of the Church the peace of the State wherein we live In the peace thereof we shall have peace On the other hand if they miscarry none of us but will feel of it It is Mordecaies message to Hester which he useth as an argument to put her on and cause her to break through all discouragements and fears in seeking and endeavouring the rescue and deliverance of Gods people her Country-men the Jews Think not with thy self saith he that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more than all the Jews The Court the Kings house should be no Sanctuary to her No more shall any of our Estates which we have or the places where we live or any other outward priviledge be unto us and therfore think not of taking Sanctuary in any of these as our foolish carnall hearts are very apt and ready to do thereby eluding and bearing off the blow of Gods threatnings so as they take no place with us to cause us to seek the averting and turning of them away No if it go il with the Church with the State it cannot go wel with us Think not to escape in our particulars If a ship founder and sink at sea all the passengers which are in it for the most part perish with it And in that respect there is none but will be more solicirous and carefull for the ship it selfe then for their own Cabins for the stopping of the leakes in the one then the chinks in the other And in this regard Christians should be more solicirous for the publique weale then for their owne private wealth bonum quo communius The Common-wealth should be preferred before a mans owne private wealth and much more the Church the house of God as the Apostle calleth it before our own houses so was the Psalmist who ever it was that penned that Psalm affected towards Jerusalem If I prefer not Jerusalem before my chiefe joy the head or top of my joy as the Originall hath it Thus should we stand affected towards the Church of God preferring the welfare thereof before our own welfare making it as the top of our joy so the top of our care and desire and feare If it go well with the Church wherein we live it will goe the better with us our private happinesse is bound up in the publique peace and tranquility thereof In the peace thereof we shall have peace Seek and endevour this cure for our own sakes Seeke it in the second place for our brethrens sake For my brethren and companions sake saith the Psalmist If it went well with Jerusalem not onely David and his Family but all the inhabitants in Jerusalem nay all the people of God in the whole Land of Israel or where ever they were they should fare the better for it And for this cause seeke we the peace and welfare of this our Israel the Kingdom wherein we live that the breaches thereof may be healed Seek it for our brethren and Companions sake our Brethren at home our Brethren abroad not only those of the same Nation in Forraign parts but all others of the same Religion with us even all the true Churches of Christ throughout the World all which have a venture in this bottome being greatly interested in the woe or wel-fare of this Church If we compare all the Protestant Churches to a Fleet or Navie of Ships as fitly in many respects they may be In this Fleet the Church of England must needes be acknowledged to be the Admirall having long carried the Flag in the Main-top and having been a security and Protection to many other Churches I wish I could have said to all which have come under her Lee Now the Admirall miscarrying oftentimes indangers the whole Fleet Certainly all the Forraign Churches how ever they have not a dependance upon this Church for their being in that respect they being all independent all Sisters Daughters of the same Father Churches of God I and of the same Mother too daughters of that Jerusalem which is above which is the Mother of us all and in that like Zelephehads daughters joynt-heirs in their Fathers Inheritance none having power over other nor priority before other yet in respect of their well being they seeme to have If it goe ill with this Church so as that miscarry there is none of the Churches of Christ this day under Heaven but are like to feele of it and as things now stand to smart for it Oh for our brethren and Companions sake let us seek the Peace of Jerusalem the healing of the breaches of this our Israel And this doe we in the third place for Religions sake Because of the house of the Lord our God saith the Psalmist i. e. the Tabernacle and Temple the Religion worship and service of God whereof Jerusalem then was the seat If Jerusalem went to wrack what should become of the Religion of God the publique exercise of it God having chosen that to be the place to put his name in Let the same argument prevaile with us to make us seeke the peace of this our Israel by indeavouring the healing of the breaches both of Church and State amongst us This doe we because of the house of the Lord our God The publique exercise and profession of the true Religion of God depends upon it which cannot but suffer if the state suffer if the Church suffer as now for the present it doth and is likely more to doe if it be not speedily remedied by these unhappy divisions and distractions amongst us In the midst of these how shall we thinke that the Religion of God shall grow The Temple was built without the noise of Axe or hammer when it was built axes and hammers were fatall to it at lest to the beautie of it They breake downe the carved worke thereof with axes and hammers saith Asaph by a propheticall eye and tongue foreseeing and foretelling the destruction of the Temple And what doth the noise of axes and hammers amongst us at this day presage I meane those sharpe and eager contentions divisions distractions Certainly if these be not silenced and quieted they will indanger at least our carved worke the beautie of our Church and Religion In the meane time we are sure they hinder the growth and progresse of it You know what it was that hindred the building of Babel and the same meanes will hinder the building of Jerusalem the Church of God the Religion of God confusion division Division of tongues and hearts Oh because of the house of the Lordour God the Religion of God professed amongst us therefore seeke we the peace of Jerusalem
case as Aaron and Hur were to Moses in that to uphold both the hand and head of it to make it steady The one is the Power of God the other his Promise 1. The Power of God this he can do The disease indeed is dangerous and Cure difficult but not exceeding the skill of this great Phifician who can put life into a dying nay a dead bodie He that said unto those dry bones live and to Lazarus after his foure dayes buriall Come forth He can much more put life again into this our languishing dying State and Church He can do it True this we doubt not of I but the question is touching his Will 2. For that in the second place take a promise which if we shall yet but performe the condition it may give us at least comfortable hopes should I say assurance it would bear me out that God will make it good to us And me thinks there are rayes and beames of comfort shining in and streaming from the face of that promise in as much as God hath in part already wrought for us and amongst us that worke which there he calls for from us You have it 2 Chr. 7. 14. If my people which are called by my name or upon whom my Name is called shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sinne and heale their Land The former part hereof blessed be God it hath beene in measure already done as by the Representative bodie of the Kingdome the heads of our Tribes so by a considerable number of others of all sorts even all the Lords people amongst us whose hearts the Lord hath touched and stirred up to stand in these breaches They have endeavoured to humble themselves and pray and seeke the face of God this they have done privately and this they have done publickly upon those solemne dayes of Publick humiliation set apart by Authority to that purpose for which I hope this Nation shall have cause to blesse the God of Heaven for ever Oh! that the second part were but now performed that we were all of us from the highest to the lowest turned from our wicked wayes that we had but given a Bill of divorce to all those wrath-provoking sins which cry for vengeance against us then might we with confidence set faith a worke to apply and lay hold upon that promise That God will hear in Heaven and forgive cur sin and heal our Land In the hopes wherof yet raise we up our drooping spirits not suffering our hearts to dye within us as Nabals once did when he heard what Davids intention was in coming against him Let us rather stirre up our selves to act Ahigals part to interpose our selves using all the wayes and means which God shall direct us to for the appeasing of his wrath for the procuring of his favour that through this his power and goodnesse the breaches of our Israel may be so healed and his face may so shine upon us that we may be saved For other Directions I must deferre them till another occasion ISRAELS CURE The fourth SERMON March 23. PSAL. 60. Ver. 2. Heale the Breaches thereof THe healing of Israels breaches is a Cure which every true Israelite should earnestly desire and seriously endeavour This is the maine conclusion which my eye was upon when I first tooke this Text in hand Some time I have spent upon it already prosecuting it both by way of Doctrine and Application The latter of these I directed two waves By way of Reprehension Exhortation With the first of these we have done and have made some way into the latter Exciting and stirring up all sorts of Persons to the desire and endeavour of this blessed Cure the healing of the breaches amongst us in this and the neighbour Kingdom whether in Church or State To set on this Exhortation I made use of some Arguments and Motives tending and serving to set an edge both upon your desires and endeavours that both your hearts and hands might work this way Having layed this foundation I came to build upon it For your direstion shewing you First Wherein this Cure consisteth and how it must be effected specially the Cure of the Church which is properly my Patient at present viz. by Revealing unto it and upon it abundance of peace and truth Secondly What you are to do for the furthering of this Cure in this way This latter I entred upon the last day and but entred then only chaulking out the way wherein I intended to walk which is to lay you downe some Rules and directions which may be usefull unto you in this way Those I ranged into two Ranks dividing them into two sorts some Restorative others Preservative The former directing to the making up of Breaches already made the other to the preventing of Breaches for the time to come We have begun to bring up the former Rank Restorative directions which again are of two sorts Some of them concerning our selves others of them concerning others viz. those which are or have been breach-makers amongst us teaching us how to demean and order our selver towards them Of the former of these I have given you one and but one which I laid down as a fiting Preparative to make way for all the rest Which is That we should have faith to be healed It is said of our blessed Saviour that when he came into his own Countrey Patriam nutrition is the place where for a time he was educated and brought up Nazareth He did not many mighty works there saith St. Mathew He could not do them saith St. Marke Why Because of their unbeliefe Unbeliefe doth after a sort break the arme and evacuate the power of the omnipotent God putting a kinde of impossibilitie upon things otherwise possible Whereas on the other hand faith putteth a possibility upon things in appearance to flesh and bloud impossible If thou canst beleeve saith our Saviour to the father of the Demoniack all things are possible to him that beleeveth Let not us then through our unbeliefe either weaken the power or make voyd the promise of God If ye will not beleeve surely ye shall not be established saith the Lord to Ahaz and his people in a like case And if we will not beleeve surely we shall not be healed And therfore stirre we up our hearts to Beleeving Even against hope beleeving in hope as it is said of the Father of the faithfull Still resting upon the power and mercie of God for the pardoning of our sins and healing of our Land which he is easily able to do only beleeve Said I not unto thee saith our Saviour to Martha objecting unto him the impossibility of her Brother Lazarus his Resurrection after his four dayes buriall Said I not unto thee saith he that if thou wouldst beleeve thou shouldst see the
glory of God Q. But will faith alone do it A. Not so we know what St. James tells us concerning a fruitlesse faith Faith without workes is dead So may I say in this case It is not a meer passive faith that will do us any good unlesse it be accompanied with active and effectuall endeavours it will be of no availe What then shall we doe to further this Cure the healing of these breaches Why in the second place Pray them whole The prayer of faith availeth much saith St. James I even in the curing of sicknesses The prayer of faith shall save the sicke A sick person saith he a sick State a sick Church say I. No means more soveraign then this It must needs be so Prayer being an expresse sent from Heaven to the great Phisician Not unlike those friends which the Centurion sent as Messengers to our Saviour to desire him to give the word for his servants Cure Say but the word and my servant shall be healed Make we use of this Messenger Earth will not afford it send to Heaven for a Cure Dispatch we our prayers and tears to that great Phisician upon this errand that He would but speake the word and we shall be healed In this way we may have hopes of speeding having a promise for it If my people shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face c. I will heare in Heaven and will heale their Land Be we incessant then in sending out these Messengers day after day never resting untill God hath beene pleased to make a gracious return by granting what we sue for And that our Prayers mâ—y be the more prevalent joyne fasting to them Fasting is to Prayer as feathers to the Arrow which though in themselves be light matter yet being glued or fastned to the shaft they make it both flye far and strike sure Oh such use is fasting unto Prayer In it selfe little worth Bodily exercise profiteth little But being joyned unto Prayer it maketh it the more prevalent and that because the more servent And therefore adde we this to the other as being of speciall use in this case It is the Phisicians rule and it is a good one did we but know how to make a â—ight use of it Such diseases as will not be cured by fasting cure by Phisick Make we experiment of this exercise and try what it will do for the curing of the diseases both in Church and State I remember what our Saviour tells his Disciples concerning the worst kinde of Devils They go not out saith he but by Prayer and fasting Now surely that which will cast out Devils will lay them binde them restrain them But what speak I of binding of Devils when as by this means God yeelds himselfe to be bound It was no lesse then a sacred violence that made God say unto Moses Let me alone It is the Lords speech unto Job I remember concerning the Leviathan will he make supplications unto thee will he speak soft words unto thee That which the Creature disdaineth to do Behold the Creatour stoopeth to do Such force and prevailencie is there in humane supplications being prayers of faith that they do even draw supplications from the Almighty after a sort binding his hands the hands of his revenging justice that he cannot break in upon a nation a people as otherwise he would do This course then take we for the appeasing of Gods wrath already broke forth upon us and consequently for the repavring and Healing of these Breaches Pray them whole But of this directon I shall have occasion to speak again in the next Point viz. Israels Phisician to whom we are to repaire for a Cure and that as by other wayes so by prayer Pray them whole But God heareth not finners so the Blinde man upon whom our Saviour had wrought that great miracle and Cure told the Jews But if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will saith he him he heareth And therefore In the third place that our prayers may take place and prove avaylable not only for our selves but for others for the State the Church let it be our care and our first care every of us to get our own sinnes removed and taken out of the way These as I have already showen you they are the great Breachmakers and the first Breachmakers first making a Breach in heaven making a Breach and seperation betwixt God and us Your iniquities have seperated betwixt you and your God Provoking God to break in upon us by his judgements as upon our persons and families so upon the places where we live sometimes making publicke Breaches upon States and Kingdoms for the sins of some particular persons as upon the whole Houst of Israel for the sin of one Achan That we may be Healers then all of us in our places furthering this blessed Cure the healing of breaches abroad let it be our first care to make up the breaches at home our own Breaches Luke 4. 23. Our Saviour tels the Jews what they were ready to object unto him Phisician heale thy selfe In this case it must be so they which would have any hand so as to lend any effectual endeavours to the healing of Publick breaches they must first practise at home inprivate practise upon themselves upon their own hearts and lives to get the breaches of both healed by Repentance and Reformation Repentance for evils past Reformation for the time to come Without this our Prayers will be to little to no purpose mark the connexion of these two together in the place forenamed If my people shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes then I will heare from heaven and forgive their sin and heale their Land The one without the other is but lost labour all our bumilation and supplication without Reformation will be of no availe And therefore set we upon this course and this work all of us begining this so much desired Publick Reformation at home in private every one sweeping before his owne doore which is the readiest way to make the street clean And as all ought to do it so specially Publicke persons Magistrates Rulers who are by their office Phisicians healers Church and State if sicke they are their Patients the Breaches and Ruines of both being under their hands A man shall take hold of his Brother saith the Prophet Esay saying Be thou our Ruler and let this ruine be under thy hand viz. for the healing repairing of it And in that day he shall sweare so he goeth on saying I will not be an healer c. Make me not a Ruler of the people A Ruler and an healer then are both one this Office and charge lying upon them after a speciall manner Now that they may have successe in this Cure let them first be Phisicians to themselves Heale themselves
make up their own Breaches by getting their owne sins taken away The sins of Publik persons they have often a dangerous influence upon the Publick State both of Church and Common-wealth Not unlike a prodigious Comet or Blazing-star which hath for the most part a maligne and dangerous aspect and influence upon the Kingdoms and Countries over which it is It is a good note of Scultetus his upon that passage in the 51. Psal. where David maketh this his suit that God would build up the Wals of Jerusalem Build them saith he why what breach was there in those Wals that David should put up such a request Yes faith he David himself had made a Breach in them and that by his sinnes those sins which he there confesseth his Adultry Murder Two murdering Peeces which had made a Batterie upon and a breach in those Wals the Wals of Gods gracious Protection And hereof David was sensible Sensit se quasi denudasse Jerusalem He apprehended that he had even layed flat the Wals of Jerusalem and layed the Citie naked exposing it as much as in him lay to ruine and desolation Of such dangerous consequence are the sins of Publick persons of Rulers specially of chief Rulers Principes peccantes denudant muros Jerusalem so my Author goeth on Princes and we may say the same of the Priests too if they transgresse by their sins they make a Batterie upon the Wals of Jerusalem lay the Church and State where they live naked This did Aaron to the Israelites by consenting and giving way to that Idolatrie of theirs he made them naked saith the Text in the midst of their enemies i. e. he stript them naked of the gracious Protection of God which was their best covering and so exposed them to the incursions of their enemies Such a dangerous influence have the sins of Publick persons upon the States Churches Kingdomes wherein they live oft-times making dreadful breaches in them as Davids sin in numbring the people made that great breach upon Israel at which the Destroying-Angel brake in smiting no lesse then seventy thousand men in lesse then three dayes space And as making so maintaining them And therfore let all such that they may be in truth what they are by Office healers labour first to get their own breaches healed their own sins taken away and that as I said by Repentance and Reformation Reforming themselves their Families and Charges as much as may be that so the Breaches being made up at home they may with more successe undertake this great Cure the healing of Israels breaches Take a fourth and a last for I shall not give you many particulars under any one head That we may further the healing and making up of these breaches let every of us cast in something into them This you know is the readiest way to make up a Breach in a wall by casting earth and Rubish into it every one his Basket And like course take we to make up the Breaches in the wals of our Jerusalem every of us cast something into them So did they into the Churches Treasurie Luke 22. Every one cast in something according to abilitie Do we the like into the Churches Breaches Every one cast in something But what shall we cast in I might answer Cast in our Prayers cast in our sins in the wayes already prescribed To these I might adde Be readie to cast in our Estates at least a proportionable part of them if God shall call for it But these I have touched upon already Besides these there is yet one thing more which every of us have most of us too much of it And could we be but perswaded to cast it in I should make no question but it would undoubtedly fill up all these Breaches at least in the Church And what is that Why Every man cast in himselfe So did that noble Roman whom I mentioned before Marcus Curtius for his Countrey for the making up of that Breach in the Market-place at Rome he cast in himselfe Oh that every of us and all others professing the same Religion with us would but be contented to do the like for the Church of God every one to cast himselfe into the breaches of it I mean that which is most properly called himselfe viz. His own will A thing which multitudes are so wedded to and make so much of as if it were indeed their own selfe Whence it is sometimes so called If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe i. e. his owne will And this selfe let every of us who desire the Healing and filling up of these Breaches cast into them and that by learning and taking out this great lesson of selfe-deniall What is it that hath made these Breaches and having made them maintaines them Why surely even that which is the greatest breach-maker in the world selfe This it is that maketh Breaches in Families Breaches in Societies in Townes Cities States Churches Kingdomes in all the great Breach-maker is selfe That men are selfe-willed and selfe-conceited Presumptuous are they and selfe-willed saith Saint Peter speaking of the false Teachers and their followers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} standing in their owne conceits as the Geneva renders it Certainly my Brethren there neither is nor ever yet was Breach in the Church but this selfe had an hand in it And therefore for the Churches peace let every of us be content to sacrifice this universall breach-maker Even as the men of Abel following the counsell of that wise woman dealt with that rebellious Arch-breach-maker Sheba the sonne of Bichri who sounding the trumpet of rebellion made a great breach and rent thein kingdom of Israel they cast his head over the wals and so made up the breach Thus deale we with this breach-maker selfe our owne wils our owne conceits be not so much wedded to them as that we will rather hazard the Churches peace and being then part with them but labour for humble hearts and yeelding spirits that we may be contented as to do much and suffer much so to part with much for Peace Peace is a Pearle the Latin word Vnio signifieth both Let not any of us trample this Pearle under-foot so far undervaluing it as to thinke every little too much to give for it preferring every seeming truth before it It is a mistake I said it the last day and I say it again if any shall thinke that some truths may not be over-bought viz. when they are bought with the losse of Peace Of these ill bargaines the Church of God in all ages hath had too great experience And in other cases we wil not spare to censure and condemn this folly We will not buy gold too deare we say And we would account him but a very simple man saith a late reverend Divine of our owne who would set his house on fire to roste his egge Such and no better
as a Father over Children owing and acknowledging them as mine Gilead is mine and Manasseth is mine ver. 7. i. e. they are my Inheritance and shall be my people my subjects This was the course which David intended to take with these Breach-makers for the making up of the Breaches in his Kingdom And from him learn we what course is to be taken with the Breach-makers amongst us whether in this or the neighbour Kingdom 1. For Strangers Moabites Edomites professed enemies to our Religion the only way is to subdue them and that by bringing under some and keeping under others Those which have been or are the disturbers and troublers of our peace whether in Church or State The Malignant-party of Papists and their Adherents amongst us which have shewed themselves active in these disturbances the way is to bring them under to cast the shoe over them putting a yoak upon their necks Not that I intend what I have no warrant for to excite and stir up any to the unchristian exercises of savage cruelty or yet rigour so to repay them in their own coyne as to return cruelty for cruelty Yet in the mean time I must subscribe to the equitie of that divine Law the Law of Retaliation Levit. 24. As a man hath done so shall it be done unto him againe Breach for breach c. Those which have made a Breach upon us to make a breach upon them were no injustice It is Gods own order to Moses Vex the Midianites and smite them for they vex you with their wiles And it is Joshuahs speech to Achan why hast thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day Thus to deale with the Midianites the Achans who ever they have been which have vexed and troubled our Israel to vex them to smite them were but sustice But this I leave to the wisedom of Superiours to our Moses and Joshuahs of whom I may say as David did of and to his Son Solomon in a like case They are wise and know what they ought to do unto them To them I referre this act of justice and that as for the suppressing and bringing under of some so for the Repressing and keeping under of others such as being of the same disposition acted and moved by the same principles want nothing but the opportunitie either for the cherishing and fomenting of these or else the kindling and breeding of new distractions Only for our selves let us all of us remember that solemne Vow and Covenant which of late we have made and entred into for the joynt defence of our Royall Soveraign His Parliament and Kingdomes Gods Religion against all that shall rise up against them And remembring it let us by all lawfull wayes and means according to the severall ranks and stations wherein God hath set us be ready to perform it Passe we in the second place to the Breach-makers amongst our selves Israelites our Brethren such as have been and are seduced and drawn aside either from the wayes of Truth or Peace and that through weaknesse Such I have now to deal with not presumptuous malicious opposites to whom the Psalmist would have no mercy extended Be not mercifull unto them which offend of malicious wickednesse so the old Translation reads it but such as erre and stray through infirmity And for such what shall we do to them or for them To this I answer in the generall Seek to Reduce them to heale them That which is lame or turned out of the way let it be healed Heb. 12. And this do we in as gentle and tender away as possibly may be even as we would deal with a bone out of joynt It is the Apostles one Metaphor If any man be overtaken with a fault restore such a one {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Put him in joynt again And this do as it there followeth in the spirit of meeknesse Q But how shall this be effected Ans. For the answer let me descend into particulars shewing you distinctly what every one should do in this case 1. What Publick persons are to do 2. What private For the former Publick person are Magistrates Ministers Begin with the former Magistrates Rulers who being by office as Healers so Shepheards Cyrus my Shepheard they ought to have a care for the reducing and bringing home of straying wandring sheep And to this purpose let me commend unto them a two-fold Direction In the first place let them take stumbling blockes out of the way such as are so in truth what ever it is which being a just ground or obvious occasion of scandall hath either caused any to stray or else confirmeth them in their straying so either making or maintaining these breaches for the reducing of the one and healing of the other this must be removed And this is properly the Magistrates work to do or see done Expresse is that of the Prophet Isaiah Isa. 57. Where the Lord speaking to Darius and Cyrus as Mr. Calvin and others interpret it giveth them this in charge that they should remove and take away all the Remoraes and stumbling-blocks out of the way of his people even what ever might hinder their passage out of Babylon or return to Canaan He i. e. the Lord shall say cast ye up cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people What ever it is that may keep any of the Lords people in Babylon or upon the Confines and Borders of Babylon keep them from coming out or else make others to think of returning thither again it ought to be removed and taken out of the way Such are all Reliques Monuments Showes and apparances of Idolatrie and Superstition And all these it is the Magistrates dutie to see removed and taken away This being done then in the second place Let them set up a Standard so the same Prophet prosecuring the same charge elsewhere he willeth that for the reducing of the people of God and gathering them into one bodie they should erect and list up a Standard for them Prepare the way c. Gather off the stones i. e. the stumbling stones and lift up a standard for or over the people so I read it according to the Originall not of but for or over the people A Metaphor taken from Princes who gather their Subjects or Commanders who gather their Souldiers into a Warlike posture and order by setting up a Standard which they may repair unto and follow whether it shall be carried before them So you read of the Standard of the Camp of the Children of Judah which was carried in the Front of the Armie Such a Standard should the Commanders of the Lords Armie his Church set up for his people But what Standard why even that saith Bullinger writing upon that Text of the Prophet Esay which Simeon speaks of in the 2. Luke Behold this
it is that breaks that wounds and who but he should heale I wound and I heale them saith the Lord Vna eademque manus The same hand kills and cures Hee hath torne hee will heale us saith the Church Hee hath smitten and hee will binde us up That which God maketh man may sometimes marre but that which God marreth none but hee can mend Hee it is that healeth Israels Breaches For further Illustration I might shew you how God effecteth this Cure This hee doth ordinarily by Instruments and means How ever he can doe it immediately by his word us in Cures of the Body He sent his word and healed them it is said of men in distresse Speak the word onely and my servant shall be healed saith the Centurion to our Saviour yet ordinarily God maketh use of Instruments and Means Even as in the Cure of the Body hee maketh use of Physitians and Medicines so in the healing of a Church a State he maketh use of Church-Physitians State-Physitians making use of the Ministerie of man Yet still so as that the maine work is his and the Cure his Even as the Cure is the Physitians though the meanes be applied by his Apothecary But I will not dwell upon the Doctrinall part of this point being desirous to finish it and the Text at the present The Vse I shall make of it shall be only two-fold Is God the Healer of Israels Breaches here is Comfort and here is Counsell 1. Comfort Is God our Physitian why then let not us despair of a Cure of the healing of the Breaches amongst us These breaches it must be acknowledged are both many and great the disease dangerous yet not exceeding the skill of this great Physitian If God undertake the Cure we shall be cured Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed saith Ieremy It is not so with other Physitians They may and oft-times doe meet with diseases which are past their cure diseases which being violent or inveterate scorne the force and vertue of all their drugs though never so soveraign And it may be so with a State a Church they may be past humane help to man Incurable Such was Babylons disease desperate and incurable her Physitians could doe nothing to her for her Care We would have healed Babylon saith the Prophet but shee is not shee could not bee Healed as the Geneva reads it And it may be so sometimes with Sion with Ierusalem The Church of God may be in a forlorne and desperate condition her wound being as Ieremy complaineth of his Incurable refusing to be healed So was it with Ierusalem when Ieremy lamented over her Breach as being past mans Cure Thy Breach is great like the Sea who can heale thee The Churches Breaches may be sometimes like Sea-breaches such as the whole country cannot repaire and make good so as her friends and lovers may stand and mourn over her as Ieremy there doth over Ierusalem and as the Merchants of the earth are said to doe over Babylon but in the mean time cannot help her cannot heale her Not unlike Dorcas her friends and neighbours which wept over her corps but could do nothing to the raising of her up again til Peter came Yet in this case despair not VbihumanuÌ„ deficit ibi incipit divinum auxilium When the wine was spent then it was Christs time to work a miracle When my Father and Mother for sake mee saith David then the Lord will take me up When Physitians leave a man and give him over then it is Gods time to take him in hand which oft-times he doth restoring raising him with great facility and celerity beyond his owne and others expectation Turning man to destruction he then saith Come againe ye Children of men And this he is able to doe for this and the neighbour Nation the State the Church in both What ever the condition of them at the present bee be it as forlorne and desperate as our feares and jealousies are readie to present it suppose to our apprehensions Incurable yet let not this discourage If God undertake the Cure he can and will effect it It is the comfort which the Lord giveth unto Ierusalem against the desperatenesse of her disease Thus saith the Lord Thy bruize is incurable and thy wound is grievous there is none to plead thy cause that thou maist be bound up thou hast no healing medicines c. Yet mark what followes v. 17. I will restore health unto thee I will heale thee of thy wounds saith the Lord The desperatenesse of the disease maketh the Cure difficult to us not to God difficult for us to apprehend not for God to effect And therefore let not our fears how justly so ever bottomed and grounded devoure and eat up our Hopes as those meager kine did the fat ones Our feares are from the vallies our hopes are from the Hills Mine eyes are to the Hills Our feares are from Earth our hopes from Heaven Our fears are from men our hopes are in God O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thy help Our help is in the name of the Lord And so is our Health depending upon this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this great and chiefe Physition who is able to heale all our Breaches Here is Comfort Only that he may be a Physitian a Healen unto us working this Cure for us Let us seek it from him Returning unto him Resting upon him and if ever we be healed Give the Glory to him Here is Counsel running as you see in 4. streames or channels Passe over them severally briefly Seek â—e unto God for this Cure So doe Parients to their Physicians apprehending the disease dangerous what sending and posting messenger after messenger never resting untill the Physitian either come or send Doe we the like unto this great Physitian in all our diseases For the healing of our bodies if sick and weak goe to him So doth David I am weak Lord heale me Not but that we may in this case have recourse to the Physitian also as being the Minister of God for our health But let not our addresses be onely unto him That was Asahs sinne In his disease he sought not to the Lord but unto the Physitians Nor yet in the first place unto him Let God have the honour to hear of us and from us in the first place who is able to blesse our blast counsels and means The like doe we for our soules Heale my soule saith David Not but that we may in this case also repayre to Gods Ministers being Soule-Physitians or others who are able to advise laying open our sinnes and sorrowes unto them seeking Cure from them but goe to God in the first place And what we doe in our owne private doe we the same in the publike case of the State of the Church amongst
there will be peace upon earth Then give this honour unto him Rest upon him and him alore for the effecting of this great Cure and that in his owne Way and Time Take heed of prescribing unto God in either of these Hee that beleeveth shall not make hast Bee we content to tarry Gods leisure and then In the Fourth and last place If God shall ever be pleased to work this great Cure for us forget not to Give him the Glorie of it and him alone If we may not trust to our Bow neither may we sacrifice to it If the Physitian by his skill worke a Cure upon his patient the honour is his not his Apothecaries who ministers what he prescribes All the instruments of our good they are but as Instruments which must be strung and tuned and touched before they will make any Musick So take and so acknowledge them giving unto them what honour and thanks is their due but in the meane time reserve unto God what is his peculiar the praise and Glory And thus I have at length done with the former part of the Text Davids Request It remains now that I come to the latter Davids Reason Let me borrow of you a little time and but a little and I shall dismisse both you and the Text of which I am desirous to discharge my own thoughts and your attentions at the present Israels Danger It shaketh AN ArgumeÌ„t or Reason as I told you taken up by the Psalmist to presse his request taken as you have heard from the eminency of the Danger wherein that his Kingdome then was It shaketh or it is shaken A metaphoricall expression borrowed from an Earthquake as I have already explained it where the Earth being big and in travell as it were with some windy vapour which it strives to bring forrh and to be delivered of it trembles and shakes So wavering and unsetled was Israels condition at that time by reason of those forraine Invasions and homebred Divisions and Distractions that the very foundations of it seemed to shake threatning Ruine and Destruction Such may the state of the Church of God upon earth sometimes be wavering tottering shaken Even as we read of Mount Sina at the giving of the Law though it stood fast in respect of the foundations of it yet it was shakâ—n it quaked The Church of God in respect of the foundation it standeth sure being built upon a Rock so as the Gates of Hell all the Power and Policie of Satan and his Instruments shall never be able to prevaile against it yet may it be shaken So was the Ark of God at the threshing floore of Nachon or Chidon though it fell not yet it was shaken So may the Church of God and Religion of God be though they shall never be quite overthrowne yet they are subject to shakings So is the Church And that through these Breaches which are both from Without and from Within as I have already shewn you in the case of Breaches From without by persecution and Opposition from Enemies abroad From within by and through homebred Divisions and Distractions which like a windy vapour inclosed in the bowels of the earth cause shaking and trembling This it was that made Israel shake her intestine and civill Combustions Nothing more dangerous to a State a Church moe ominous and pernicious then these Intestine Breaches Such Breaches are shakings dangerous presages in their own nature Destructive presaging downfall and Ruine unlesse they be Healed Both these wayes is the Church subject to shakings And that as I have said heretofore partly through Satans malice who hereby intends the Ruine and downfall of the Church Thence is it that he raiseth and bringeth stormes and tempests in and upon it Even as he did that Tempest which he brought from the wildernesse which smote the foure corners of the house wherein Iohs children were banqueting so as it fell burying them in the ruines of it Partly through Gods effectuall Permission and Ordination who sometimes shakes his Church as he did Mount Sina Thereby intending First Sometimes to manifest his Displeasure against a People a Nation Thus at the Death of our Saviour the Earth shook and trembled as a token of Gods indignation against the Iewes for that horrid Act of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of Life Like construction David maketh of this Earthquake these shakings here in the text he took them as tokens and evidences of Gods wrath and displeasure O God thou hast been displeased Secondly Sometimes God shakes his Church to Purge it as the Husbandman shakes his Come to and fro in the fant to cleanse out the Chaffe and Drosse Thirdly Sometimes God doth it to Humble his people and so to fit and prepare them for some speciall mercy Thus when God descended upon Mount Sina he shook the Earth both the Place and the People putting both into a trembling fit thereby fitting and preparing the people for the receiving of that holy Law of his Thus when God intends to come downe upon his Church in a way of speciall grace and favour he oft-times prepares it by these shakings Even as the Whirlewinde and Earthquake at Mount Horeb made way for the still voyce wherein God was Seldome it is that God worketh any great Changes in his Church without these shakings going before But I must not dwell upon it The use I shall make of it shall be only a double exhortation 1. That we would lay to heart the present state and condition both of this and the neighbour Kingdome which by reason of the Breaches made in them and upon them are shaken So was Israel and so are they Be we affected herewith So wee would be with an Earthquake Did we feele the Earthquake and tremble under us who but would tremble with it This doth the State the Church in these Kingdomes at the present Let every of us be deeply affected with these shakings so laying them to Heart that In the second place we may be excited and stirred up every of us to do that office duty to for the Church of God amongst us that David doth here for Israel viz. to seek the Healing of the Breaches thereof These Breaches how sleight so ever any may make of them they are shakings presages of Ruine and Downfal unlesse they be healed And therefore let both our Hearts work Hands work towards the Healing of these Breaches This it was that made Vzzah so forward in putting forth his hand to touch the Ark he saw that it was shaken and he knew not what the danger might be Stupid is that Heart which apprehends the Ark of God shaken and shall not be ready to put forth an hand to the staying of it This let every of us doe Only taking heed of that Errour into which he through a suddain unadvisednesse fell observing the severall places and stations wherein God
hath set us do we what appertaineth to theÌ„ Publike persons in their places and Private persons in their places Those which may not touch the Ark it selfe let them lay hand upon the Cart which if Vzzah had done and no more that act of his I suppose had been not onely warrantable but acceptable This caution being observed then let it be the holy ambition of every of us to be found of God and man in the number of those which shall be called not the makers or Maintainers but the Repairers of Breaches and the Restorers of Paths to dwell in Even of those ancient and truly Christian pathes which I wish were more beaten and trodden then they are of Religious Peace and Love which if they be wanting the Church how well so ever accommodated and furnished with all other necessaries and conveniences yet will scarcely be found habitable For the furthering of you in this blessed work I shall say no more unto you then what the Apostle doth to his Philippians Phil. 4. 9. with whose words I shall dismisse both you and the Text Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard from me I goe no further Doe and the God of Peace shall be with you Amen FINIS ERRATA page line read 2 13 sad story 3 2 before the text 11 15 was a sufferer 12 5 a sharp contention 29 1 to doe a Cure 32 4 Enemies without triumph  5 Neuters without scandall 38 6 garish 39 19 who have not done 40 29 Pilot 54 9 these Breaches 68 19 Why but what 72 29 our selves 74 3 they be light matter   marg. inedia non 81 25 rent the kingdome 85 26 in that his 86 21 over slaves 93 27 fallen upon 123 13 or blast a Puplike fast Occasion Coherence Calvin Mollerus Sohnius Scultotus Division Israels Disease Breaches The word and thing explained {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Confringere {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Contritio {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Israel is subject to Breaches Israel a Type of the Church in three particulars 1. The King Head 3 Hos. v. last 2. Subjects 1 Ioh. 47. 3. State Psal. 110. qu. 1. What Breaches the church is subject to Ans. Cleared from the Type Israels Breaches of two sorts Hombred made by Israelites Iosh. 20. 7. Ioshu 13. 27. a Sam. 2. 8 Foraigne made by Enemies Geni 19. 3 3. c. Num. 25. 1. 3. Judg. 3. 12 Ge. 25. 30 Psa. 137. 7 Gen. 1â— 6. 14. The Church subject to like Breaches 1. Foraigne by Persecution Acts 8. 1. Act. 13. 50 2. Hombred by divisions Acts 6. 1. The Church rent during the Apostles time Acts 15. 1 2. Act. 15. 39. Gal. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. 1 Cor. 11. 22 23. After their departure torne By Lyons a Tim. 4. 17. By wolues Act. 20. 29 Danae do Haeres Q. 2. How the Church cometh to be so subject to these Breaches Answ. 〈◊〉 is Gods doing who permits orders them with respect 1. To his own glory which is manifested In Preserving In Healing Ioh. 11. 21 Ve. 4. 2. To his Church viz. for Exercise Is 28 24. Tryall Ios. 23. 13 2 Iudg. 22. 23. 1 Cor. 11. 19. Purging Mat. 3. 12. 2. Satans doing who hath an hand in al these Breaches thereby 2 Sam. 24. 1. 1 Chro. 21. 1. Rev. 12. 13. ver. 5. Bright man Rev. 14. 15. Mat. 13. 25. Intending the ruine and destruction of the Church Rev. 12. 15. Matth. 24. 24. Vse 1. Confutation Bellarm. de notis Eccle. c. 3. Vnitie Prosperity no true marks of the Church Use 2. Infosmation Our Breaches no just cause of triumph scandall or discouragement to any though made so To some matter of triumph Obad. 12. Psal. 137. 7. 1. Sam. 5. To some of scandal Vid. ep. Dr. Hall to Mr. W. L. Decad. 3. Ep. 5. To some of discouragement No just ground for any of these 1. Cor. 10. 13. Israels Breaches and ours compared 2 Sam. 20 1. 2. No cause of triumph to our adversaries Mic. 7. 8. Whose Breaches are not lesse then ours Luk. 16. 8. Gene brard No cause of scandall Mat. 11. 6. Or discouragement to weake â—hristian Hos. 6. 1 2. Gooâ— hopes that God will heal our Breaches Iude 13. 23. Mal. 4. 2. Cant. â— and last Publick Fast Explic. what meant by Healing a 107. Ps. 20. Math. 8. 8. b Math. 8. 3. 15. c Math. 9. 20. Luk. 8. 44. Act. 19. 12 d Acts 5. 15. 2 Chr. 7. 14. Doct. The Healing of the Churches breaches should be the desire of every Christian Neh. c. 3. c. 6. Verse 1. Psal. 51. 18. Psal. 122. 6. Reas. 1. All members of the same body 1 Cor. 12. 27. Reas. 2. Breaches in the Church unseemly Psal. 122. 3. Exod. 26. 2 3. Dangerous being Disadvantagious to the Church 2 Col. 19. Eph. 4. 16 Note Marke 3. 24 25. Advantagious to her Enemies Vse 1. Reprehension 1. To breach makers In the state In the Church Who they are cleared from the Type Breach-makers amongst us as in Israel of two sorts 1. Strangers enemies to our Religion Papists c. Isa. 7. 6. Num. 25. 18. 2. Israelites Protestants professing the same Religion with us Iud. 12. 6. Amongst them two sorts of Breach-makers 1. Such as have turned aside after Error 2 Tim. 2. 25. Luk. 1. 79. Superstitious Innovatours Hab. 2. 1. Act. 15. 1. Verse 10. Heb 9. 10. Act. 15. 28 2. Followers of Truth but not 1. In Love Eph. 4. 15. To the Truth is selfe Iude 16. To their Brethren 1 Pet. 4. 8. 2. Not in wisdome 2 Sam. 6. ver. 6. ver. 7. ver. 8. Gen 38 29. Lam. 4. 5. Dan. 5 7. 2. Breach-maintainers whether Purposly Nehe. 4. 7. 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Errorem Ier. 6. 14. Or unadvisedly Such as will be no Healers Icr. 3. 6 7. Benevolence and Loane for Ireland prâ—ssed Hab. 2. 6. Liv. lib. 6 Oros. 3. c. 5. Plutarch vit. Aristid paral Val. max. Acceptam a Patria vitam eidem impendere non dubitavit Liv. Mark 12. the last 2. Cor. 7. 8. ver. 9. Use 2. Exhortation To desire the healing of breaches amongst us To that end be aâ—â—â—â—â—ed with them Ier. 24. 17. ver. 15. â— Iud. 5. 15 16 Iud la 15. Look upon this disease 3. wayes As David doth here upon Israels breaches In the causes of it viz. Gods wrath for Num. 16. 46 Isa. 30 last Our sins Pro. 26. 20 Eph. 2. 3. Rom 9. 22 Rom. 2. 5. Rom. 1. 18 Ephe. 5. 6. Lev. 26 2. 5 2. In the symptoms of it which are dreadfull Num. 16. â—2 Zach. 12. 2. Isa. 51. 17 Psal. 119. 53. Frigus Horror Rigor Fernel Psal. 82. 5. 3. In the prognosticks which are prodigious 2. Indevour this cure Motives 3. Arguments moving David to seek the peace of Ierusalem Psal. 122. 8. 9. Vâ—efull to us in this case Seek this Cure for our own sakes Ier. 29 7.