resolve which is the true God Doct. 4. If the Lord be God God alone is to be followed Doct. 5. Follow him Men are oft convicted Doct. 6. before they are once converted These are some generall Doctrines deduced out of this verse worthy your serious consideration These are some fruits which fall from the tree of this Text at the first touch thereof In the handling whereof Had I either the open utterance of Paul or the eloquent tongue of Tertullus or the well-tuned Cymballs of David or the shrill-sounding bells of Aaron or the silver Trumpet of Hillary or the golden mouth of Chrysostome or the mellifluous speech of Origen or the thundring voyce of Perieles these truths then would both finde and leave you attentive But I shall prosecute only the first Proposition ayming to apply it to these halting times Doct. 1. It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal truth and errour light and darkenesse the word and the world Christ and Belial Because there is no communion between these Reas 1. 2 Cor. 6.14 yet such halters make a communion and union between them they joyne together what God hath put asunder and they put asunder what God hath in his Word and will joyned together They call evill good Isa 5.20 and good evill they put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Now such sin greatly because God denounceth woes so sharply against them nay more woes than against other grand workers of iniquity because these are wise in their owne conceite Verse 21. Reas 2. Because these halters will be wiser than God give Christ the lye set the holy Ghost to schoole Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either be will hate the one and love the other or else be will hold to the one and despise the other Te cannot serve God and Mammon Yes we can say these halters we can serve God in the morning and the Devill in the afternoone one Master in the Temple another in the Tavern We can comply with Round heads while we are in their company and with Cavalliers when we are in their company humour and sooth Papists and Puritans and displease neither Because these are most notorious hypocrices they think they can be too hard for Reas 3. and deceive both God and Devill they halt betweene God and Mammon Christ and Belial purity and Popery They have a tongue for the Court cause and a tongue for the Countrey cause God calls for the heart Prov. 23.26 My sonne give me thy heart Satan will be content with halfe the heart 2 King 17.33 34. God is herein more covetous than the Devill he will have all or none the Devill will be contented with halfe because he knowes if he have any God will have none Let such consider if it be good to seeme to be rich it is better to be so if good to seeme to be good better to be so if it be bad to seem to be bad it is worse to be so Either therefore bee as thou seemest to be very good or seem to be as thou art indeed very bad If the Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him If thy own private be to be preferred before the publique prefer it if the publique be to be preferred before the private prefer it else professe thy selfe to be an hypocrite more woes are denounced against such than against any sinners eight severall woes in Mat. 23.13 denounced against them Vse 1. In the first place this may serve to inform us touching the Cause why so many faithfull Preachers are so zealous that they lift up their voyces like Trumpets when Trumpets lift up their voyces like Preachers the glory of God love of Christ care for the Kingdomes lawes liberties constraine them Obadiah disswades Eliah ver 10. Ahab reproveth him ver 17. God commanded him v. 1. Whether it be better to obey God or man judg ye Acts 4.19 Sin labours to destroy the word in the mouths of Ministers Ministers labour to destroy sin in the hearts of hearers when fire and water meet there is great ratling and hissing Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water and no noise at all nor contraries therefore no combate If ministers come with painted fire with silken sayings flattering words saying all is well no wonder if men halt limp trip and fall into the down-fall of damnation Zac. feele hell before they feare it Is it not therefore lawfull necessary to rescue mens soules as brands out of the fire Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but reprove him plainly Were not the people here by the zeale of Eliah first convicted then converted crying The Lord is God the Lord is God Can it be bad to be zealous in a canse that is good to preserve a plant from withering a Beast from drowning a sheepe from wandring a house from siring a ship from sinking a Citie from sacking and Kingdomes from destroying to save a soule to turne a sinner from the evill of his wayes As cold oft breeds an inflamation so the luke-warme devotion of many Pastors People have enkindled Gods wrath and Gods wrath hath blowne up these sad combustions wherewith the Land is almost consumed should not the Boanerges labour to take out fire with fire the fire of Gods wrath by the fire of the Spirit to preserve from everlasting burnings Jer. 6.29 The lungs and lips of Preachers that are touched with a coale from Gods Altar are powerfull bellowes to blow up the dying fire of zeale Is not this Gods worke and must not they be fervent in Spirit that will serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 Isa 63.15 9.7 2 King 19.31 whose work can never be done while they freeze at it It is Gods zeale that must doe all for us and must not our zeale doe all we can for him Did Christ sweate that the Christian should freeze must not all redeemed ones be zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Hanniball by fire made way over the Alpes so must Ministers by zeale over the mountaines of oppositions the tops whereof will not be climbed without great strength violence and vivacity Palmes are the Emblemes of victory but they love to grow in a hot soyle All would have Palms heate is the meanes for them Fervency in a Christian is the grace of every action Ministers must perswade to be zealous else people cannot repent and they must repent else Christ will not come in and sup with them Rev. 3.19 And must Ministers perswade others to be zealous and shall they be dull cold luke-warme themselves Wisedome is justified of her children the people place Text and time call for it Thus having with the Cock clapt my wings on my owne breast give me leave to crow unto others also to shew men their present sin to
together Eliah and Obadiah Verse 7. Behold Eliah was in the way Saul went to seeke his Fathers Asses and found a Kingdome Obadiah went to seeke water and grasse and behold he findes a way and meanes to bring salvation to people He went in obedience to the command of a King on Earth and meetes with an unerring command of the King of Heaven Doct. Gods providence over-rules all actions Text. persons times things fell downe on his face c. The Messengers of God find favour from those that are good Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3 Good Christians will know one another in times of adversity Good men desire to be resolved of their doubts Obadiah thought that it was Eliah yet labours to be assured thereof And he answered Verse 8. I am Goe tell c. Eliah had no French complementall formallity in his mouth of your humble servant Sir as men now a days who have more liezure and skill in promising the duty of Servants then love and wil in performing the office of friends but English down-right reallity he answers yea plain discoveries are most pleasing Doct. Eliah reveales the naked truth here no equivocation is studyed or practised There needs no Complement with men when Commands are to be delivered from God He had an Errand from the God of heaven to a King on earth Therefore gives him a short quicke plaine pithy answer From vers 9. to 15. we see Obadia's feare with the many reasons of his refusall for delivering the Message The Spirit may be willing when the flesh is weake Doct. Eliah will shew himselfe to Ahab come what ever will come on it Verse 15. The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Doct. 1. Obadiah went to meete Ahab Verse 16. Care of Cattell must be neglected when Gods will is to be performed Doct. 2. Ahabs willing journey to meete Eliah Gods worke shall be furthered whether man will or no. Doct. Obadiah went to further Gods worke Ahab to satisfie his owne lust and to further the Devills worke Doct. Man purposeth but the Lord disposeth of the purposes He can bring light out of darknesse good out of evill as the Bee honey out of weeds The sharp and short salutation that Ahab gives to Eliah Vers 17. Art thou hee that art the troubler of Israel Prophets commonly censured for Authors and Fautors of Troubles Doct. Eliah's answer to Ahabs accusation Vers 18. Where reade 1. Vindication of himselfe I am not 2. The just Taxation of the King It is thou and thy Fathers house 1. Many see faults in others not in themselves Doct. 1. 2. Kings may be blamed Doct. 2. 3. Man is the author of his owne misery Doct. 3. 4. Disobedience to God the cause of all misery to man Doct. 4. When men forsake the fountaine they dig to themselves pits that will hold no water The Prophet having told the King what he had done against him V. 19 20 tells him what he must doe for the Lord Eliah came with a message from the God of heaven therefore commands Ahab and directs him All Israel must appeare on mount Carmel before this despised Prophet God can and will honour those whom the wicked of the world condemne disgrace and persecute Doct. The 450. Prophets of Baal must come with the 400. Chaplains of Jezabell All things and persons must subject themselves to heavens decree Doct. God can and will call to an account notwithstanding Prophets Doct. people goe along in their sins Thou thoughtst I was like unto thee Psal 50. but I will set thy sinnes in order before thee Pleasure of sin may goe before when paine for sin shall follow after If the paine of the head-ach were before the pleasure of the wine none would be drunke If sinnes wages were fore-seene the worke thereof would not be so willing So Ahab sent unto all the Children of Israel Vers 20. and gathered the Prophets together to Mount Carmel Ahab executeth Eliah's or rather the Lords commands and that speedily Kings hearts are in the hand of the Lord Doct. what hee commands they must fulfill The Congregation must be assembled the King Prophets people being gathered together Vers 21. Eliah proponeth his Text as the foundation for his ensuing words and Actions which are the words for my Text at this time Why halt yee so long betweene two opinions A word spoken in season saith Solomon is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25 15. There are times of halting and here is a Text of halting Therefore Text and time agree Here you see 1. A question propounded to the people Why halt yee so long between two opinions 2. An answer framed for them in a truth supposed If the Lord be God follow ye him Argum. but the Lord is God should they have inferred Therefore we ought to follow him 3. The obstupefaction of the people They answered not a word In the first note 1. The specification of their sin Halting 2. The aggravation of it Why halt yee so long 3. The facillity of walking uprightly in the way of Truth They were not twenty seducing mizmazing errours as in these Realm-reeling times but only the rocks of two opinions the Lord and Baal In the third wee see the wilfull obstinacy and blindnesse of the people They answered him not a word They had some-what in their minds though they had nothing in their mouths They were convinced by the truth of the Prophet proposed But they were unwilling to be converted or reformed by reason of the example of the Princes long customes thereto by the multitude of the people and their seducings through the numerosity of Baals Prophets which were 450. and Eliah but one against them all In the 2d. part we may read the rule of unerring direction prescribed and by all to have beene observed If the Lord be God follow yee him But be alone is God Ergo. The first is the Checke of Halting The 2d. is the Cause of Halting The 3d. is the Cure of Halting Or take the division if you please more briefly thus 1. A Reprehension Why halt you so long betweene two opinions 2. A Caution Limitation or Direction If the Lord be God follow him If Baall be God follow yee him 3. The non-pluse obstupefaction or obduration of the people who though they were convinced of yet would not be converted to the truth They answered him not a word It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal Doct. 1. truth error Those that are good will show zeale for God Doct. 2. or zeale of Pastors a speciall helpe against peoples halting Or downe-right Doctrine must throw downe sin and Idolatry People continue long in a limping condition notwithstanding long and sharp reprehension Why halt ye so long Doct. 3. Many are yet to seeke and
the Officers use but it must not have office of Command in Gods Church and Common-wealths businesse every man knoweth that the Saints in Heaven are the least propriaries to their own will Christ himselfe said I am not come to doe mine own will but the will of him that sent mee which were it but remembred it would be a meanes that many from halting might be preserved In good works doing men must not ayme at themselves much lesse in evill actions attempt to seeke their own rising by others ruine When the whole State staggers and the Realme reeles must they continue in a lazie lame halting estate and posture with their hands in their pockets moneys in their Coffers and tongues in their mouthes without bringing them forth for the preservation of the Publique viz. Kingdome Religion Law Libertie and Posteritie I said in actions good and commendable they must not ayme at their own ends The man that was in the Boate where the Kings Crowne was and the Crowne occasionally falling into the water he leaping after it and recovering it to save himselfe and it putting the Crowne upon his own head that so he might swimme the better to the Boate or Shoare though he was thanked for his adventure yet was he blamed for his boldnesse in putting the Crowne upon his own head Christs Crowne is now fallen as it were into the water and is in danger of sinking labour to preserve it but not for thy own praise or profit sake much lesse must his Crowne be set upon the footstoole and Kings Crowne yea private mens reasons and respects set upon the Throne The 24. Elders Revel 4. threw downe their Crownes at the foote of Christ the King of Kings You know Vriah Nehemiah and others denied their own comforts and contentments Court-favours company of wife yea to change their own Cloaths for the Publique sake It is an undeniable truth he that will lift up one that is fallen must stoope himselfe He that loves father or mother more than Christ is not worthy of Christ Christ still called his Mother Woman as one observes Woman what have I to doe with thee Woman not Mother to shew that in matters of Religion wee are to know no relations Were this beleeved and observed the warres by Gods mercy quickly might be ended thinke on it and thou wilt halt no longer between thy private seeming and the publique certain good The eighth Cause of Halting is undesire of change for doubt of dangerous tumults or of changing for the worse 8. Cause The wicked feare and flie when no man pursueth but the righteous is bold as a Lyon The feare for the present touching what will be for the future is moe than the hurt it selfe that shall be Many will be content to abide in darknesse and slavish conditions for feare of shadowes they may meet with in an altered estate Like the Israelites punished a little with want towards Canaan they wished themselves in Aegypt againe to enjoy their Leeks and Onions instead of their Manna Angels food Men are now on their march towards spirituall and heavenly Canaan and will they desire to returne unto Aegypt againe It is then just that they should never enter into Gods rest Will not men endure change of Masters and change of servants so it be for their profit change of horses change of dogges so it further their pleasure change of aire change of dyet so it tends to their health May men desire new Masters new servants new Ministers new Magistrates change of apparell dyet houses and shall they onely dreame of danger in new reformation in change of manners The Apostle commands Fashion not your selves like to this world Rom. 12.2 but be you changed inwardly in minde and outwardly in manners else you cannot prove or approve what is the acceptable will of God or what is the reasonable service required in man towards God who is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Are those obstinate Jewes Ier. 44. thinke you to be followed who said The Word that thou hast spoken unto us wee will not heare but will doe whatsoever is good in our own eyes for then wee had peace and plenty of all things but since wee lest off to worship the Queene of Heaven wee have had troubles warres dearth and scarcitie of all things Many desired our little great Will I meane Bishop Laud to be changed and taken out of the way and will they desire many great little Wills to be Hierarched and set up in the place thereof such a change may be from bad to worse You have heard of the old Woman I beleeve when all other people prayed for the removall of a Tyrannicall Prince shee onely prayed for his continuation being asked the reason thereof why shee prayed for his continuing when all others prayed for his removall Shee replyed such a Prince was bad and people desired his exchange and the next was worse and the next worse than he and this worse than that and if this be changed quoth shee I thinke the next will be the Devill himselfe So prone naturally are people to imagine that all changes shall be for the worse Men know not what may be in and after therefore desire an abode in the present condition Which have occasioned many mens halting stumbling falling which might have been preventable by a change Is it not better to change from bad to good than from bad to worse Seeing every man by every action steps neerer to Heaven or to Hell I beleeve one of the Causes of so many sad changes in our outward condition hath been new fangled conceits touching changeablenesse in Religion For when they chose new Gods Iudg. 5.8 then warre was in the Gates Therefore a change from new Gods to the true God will procure peace in our gates Can it be imagined any danger to have unprofitable Trees dregges of Popery which God did never plant to be removed out of his Orchard and his own Plants to be set in the place thereof What hurt hath been by the change of Monkes and Fryers Abbots and Pryors Hermits and Nunnes Shall their persons be removed and their profession be retained If there hath been no occasion of repentance in the Land for casting out those Locuster what repentance should be feared by inacting new reformation and abolishing old Traditions Aske all the Reformed Churches whether ever they grieved but rather daily rejoyced to have their Religion of Idolatry and Superstition to be banished out of their Coasts I know the thoughts of the change of Episcopacy is a great trouble and a cause of halting to many men but let them remember the high Commission Bishops Courts in Counties and the strange monstrous Concomitances attending the same they will scarce desire or plead for the reintertainment of them againe It cannot be denied but that Episcopacy hath been a great supporter of Papacie where the one falls the other cannot long stand
their unjust actions and sentences writ before them in Capitall Letters with mementomori engraven on the upper Chaire I beleeve if they were left to be their own Judges they would passe sentence of condemnation against themselves But this is a Noli me tangere because they are by Ordinance of Parliament they thinke people will dare as soone adventure to enter into a Pest house as to endeavour any thing against them yet to keepe people from despaire of all redresse herein some Pamphletters have written besides what Preachers have pulpitted that there is as great necessitie for the new moulding of Committees as there was of the Armies who since they have been new moulded the warres have prospered the better so it is to be hoped if there were a new moulding of Committees Justice would be better executed Gods wrath sooner appeased the Parliament more honoured and the people more contented Which people let them be informed that as the honorable House have set out an Order that it shall be accounted an acceptable service to discover to an appointed Committee for that purpose what money directly or indirectly hath been received by any Members of the House for the perverting of Justice so it is beleeved that they intend to set out an Order of like acceptable services for any man before that or some other Committee to discover the injustice oppression partialitie connivency towards Malignants of any Members in County-Committees as a speciall preservative against peoples halting and railing in these Realme-reeling times Flattery in 11 Cau. and divisions between Ministers make people to hale Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water you heare no noise no hissing because no combate of contrary natures but cast a burning Coale into the water you heare a ratling a noise which proceeds from the combate or encounter of two contraries the one striving to destroy the other The end of Gods Word is to reforme the judgement and life Gods Word is true and every man a lyar i erroneous in judgement and life when truth and falshood the word of God and the word of men doe meete then beginnes the Conflict The one labours to destroy the other Gods word is as fire mens affections as water Paul preached at Ephesus he scattered true fire among them Demetrius startles at it and stirres up sedition among the people there the contrary roares and ratles In comes the Towne-Clerke with the magnificence of Diana Great is Diana of the Ephesians a false fire a counterfeit fire there is no opposition no contradiction at all made against him It is just the case of our times if Preachers come as commonly they doe now more than ever because they spare mens vices to favour mens persons and fill their own purses with a painted fire sowing pillows under the arme-holes of sinners crying peace peace take it upon any termes you must doe whatsoever the King would have you doe will you have Bishops whose predecessors were Martyrs for the truth to be suppressed Keep up the Common-Prayer-Booke and then without much paines you may know how to pray as well as Ministers themselves If Preachers thus stroake the spleene with sugred words and tickle the eare with quaint phrases and rub it with filken words saying Because you are predestinated you shall goe to Heaven as men carried in a Coach or sayling in a Ship without any action or motion of their own they shall seldome be gainsaid but if Ministers come with a true fire with a worke out your salvation with feare and trembling with an yet fortie dayes and Niniveb shall be destroyed with a John Baptists cry Now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree Now instantly is certainly the Axe instrumentally laid orderly to the roote effectually of the tree particularly Every tree impartially that bringeth not forth conditionally good fruit proportionably is unavoydably hewen fearfully downe fatally and cast unresistably into the fire everlastingly If Ministers cast such coales then people beginne to murmure because their affections are but watery the word in the mouthes of such Ministers laboure to destroy finne in the people and the finne of the people labours to destroy the word in the mouth of the Minister If flattering Ministers have seduced the King many Nobles many Members of the House have not the standing ones then great cause to look to themselves that they also be not mis-lead by having mens persons in admiration Tune tua res agitur c. It was ever the subtilty of Satan to imploy flattering Prophets Preachers for the seducing of Princes and people 2 Pet. 2.2 There were false Prophets among the people mingling noysome weeds among sweet flowers By reason of whom the way of truth was ill spoken of the Gospel reproached and others perverted As long as the Devill hath his Kingdome here he sends abroad his Emissaries to seduce the people Hence it is 1 Tim. 4.1 that the man of fin is come to so great a height by seducing Spirits The Devill and the Pope have many industrious Chaplaines boasting as if they were inspired and sent from God First scruing themselves into mens Consciences and then picking their purses Cheating them of their Religion and salvation and then of their estates obtruding guilded errors instead of solid and golden truths The Lord had decreed this Kingdome to great miseries for a punishment of the great abuse of his mercies and therefore suffered Satan to seduce Princes and people and this by the helpe of seducing Preachers God hath a quarrell against Ahab and therefore suffers him to be ingaged in such a warre wherein he shall be undone Who shall perswade Ahab Satan is at hand I will perswade Ahab How I will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Of all if there were foure hundred false Prophets to one Eliah in Ahabs time no wonder of such great disproportion in these dayes The Devill knew the length of their foote that he could prevalle with them and they with the King He knew Ahab and Jezabel had a company of mercenary Ministers Trencher Chaplaines that would say any thing unhappy Ahab by reason of such flatterers Be therefore carefull to espie and oppose but never wonder or thinke strange of the Devils policy to use flattering Preachers to seduce straiable people They are the Pastors of Gods flock When the Shepheard is stricken the sheep are scattered They are the Stewards of Gods house When the Stewards are unfaithfull the family will be starved They are the Captains of Gods Armie When the Captain falls the Souldiers will soone be put to flight They are the lights of the world if the Lamps be extinguished the house fits in darknesse They are the salt of the earth if the salt become unsavoury the people are in danger to become a polluted and unsavoury sacrifice They commonly take all upon trust from their Teachers which cause them to halt long too between