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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	device_n	great_a	13	3	2.0729	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55028	The necessity and encouragement, of utmost venturing for the churches help together with the sin, folly, and mischief of self-idolizing applyed by a representation of 1. some of the most notorious nationall sins endangering us, 2. the heavy weight of wrath manifested in our present calamities, yet withall, grounds of 3. confidence, that our church shall obtain deliverance in the issue, 4. hopes that the present Parliament shall be still imployed in the working of it : all set forth in a sermon, preached to the honorable House of Commons, on the day of the monethly solemn fast, 28. June, 1643 / by Herbert Palmer ...	Palmer, Herbert, 1601-1647.	1643 (1643)	Wing P243; ESTC R21704	67,757	76

virtuall promise to England 3 3. But I take it for a much stronger ground and more undoubted That the word of God in the Story and in the threatnings together hath an epitome of all that God will do to his Church planted in my Nation And that God will never deal more severely with any Nationall Church then his Word which is every way most perfect relates or threatens Therefore if it cannot be found in the Scripture that God did ever bring destruction upon his Church planted in a Nation or transplant his Church wholly out of such a Land while they were in such a condition as ours is then will he not do it now But contrarily if he hath alwayes in such a case as ours is now afforded his Church deliverance this I beleeve to be a very strong promise that he will afford us the like now Logicians say that even one example of a thing and no instance to the contrary is a sufficient argument And if it hold not in Scripture examples when none of a divers kinde can be produced I know not what use can be made of the greatest examples of mercy as meer examples which yet were all written for our learning as all Scriptures are that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. 4 4. In speciall If God did never destroy a Reforming Nation never wholly transplant a Reforming Church then will he not do so to us because we are such And for this there is speciall Reason whether we consider the Reformation to be the speciall work of God and little of the Nation in it as in Josiahs time God wrought it by a speciall work upon the King who saw all done himself and the people shewed little concurrence in it yet God would and did carry it through Because he that loved the people so wel being yet corrupted as to begin to reform them in a manner himself when he had begun it once would make somewhat of it and not let it altogether come to nothing OF whether God though he ever be the Author and finisher of all good yet act the reformation much by the peoples hands as it was in Hezekiahs Reformation 2 Chron. 30. 1. Here again the same reason holds He who loved the Nation so well as to put such a beginning of grace into them would not let that fail suddenly But he made the work prosper in their hands and no enemie hindred them And now to apply this to our selves 1 If ever a Nation or Church in affliction and danger were a reforming Church and Nation we are such and that in all the parts of Reformation 1. For purity and clearnesse of truth of Doctrine 2. Purity of Worship freed from all superstitions and mans devices and compleat in all the Ordinances of God 3. Purity of Church government and discipline according to the word and rule of Christ 4. Purity of life and conversation 5. Particularly the Sabbaths sanctification the greatest pledge of mercy to a Nation and to ours experimentally in speciall according to Esay 58. 13 14. All this Reformation we apparently labour for in our Church and so are doubtlesse a reforming Church and Nation and shall not be destroyed at this time 2 2. All this is striven for not simply for the liberty of private persons that they may be free from persecution but for the glory of God and the saving of others souls throughout the Nation Which disposition of his servants being much above all self-respects God doth highly esteem and so will blesse it with prosperous successe in the issue 3 3. This Reformation Gods servants have striven for and panted after Ministers and people eighty years together more or lesse and have appeared for it in a considerable party though not joyned and associated as now by the happy advantage of this Parliament and have been much persecuted even for it And therefore now when God hath given them to attempt further and with more hopes and greater beginnings then ever before He will not now at this time give them wholly over to enemies to ruin all utterly 4 4. The rather because the enmity of the enemies is specially provoked even by the desire and attempt of Reformation some in one point some in another They pretend as was noted before to fight for the true reformed Protestant Religion But except some ease about Ceremonies and the like to tender consciences they evidently oppose any further reformation then was in Queen Elizabeths time and reproach the Parliament as intending to alter Religion because they professe to purpose an endeavour of a through reformation Therefore God will not take his enemies part against his people but his peoples against his enemies in the issue at least in giving them the Reformation contended for 5 5. He hath shewed a greater spirtuall love to this Nation for eighty years and more together thou to any in the Christian world in raising up so many excellant Lights for powerfull preaching and for holinesse of life above all other Churches and given us above all others also the Doctrine and practise of his holy Sabbath And all this notwithstanding our Nationall grievous provocations fore-mentioned Therefore when now the Nation is working into the best way of being generally better he will not suffer them to become now irrecoverably for continuance worse But at least this time try the whole Nation with a generall Reformation 6 6. Himself hath mainly and manifestly given the first hopes of this and raised up not the desires onely but the expectation of his servants by wayes farre beyond their contrivances and wonderfully beyond their very thoughts ordered by himself And namely marvellous much by his very enemies plots and counsels turned upon themselves As 1. Their attempt against Religion and Liberties both together whereas if they had undertaken either alone they never in likelihood had had any considerable party appearing against them as now is by uniting the patriots and zealots both in one and shewing to either the necessity of such union 2. In their attempt against the two Nations at once England and Scotland so grasping at both they could hold neither 3. Yet beginning first with Scotland to impose Popish practises upon them the more manifestly who were more impatient of Popery then our Nation was and so provoking them to stand upon their guard link themselves suddenly in a Nationall Covenant against them which also much weakned their attempts upon us 4. Breaking the first Pacification with Scotland which forced them to prevent their being invaded with comming with a powerfull Army into this Kingdom and to refuse to be satisfied without an English Parliament our onely remedy too under God did ratifie the peace with them 5. Their frequence breakings of Parliaments rendring them justly suspected that they meant so by this as soon as the Peace was made counselled to

much of them that they may strengthen your hearts and hands against all Future Feares of danger Esther had nothing but her strange advancement to hearten her You have all her experience and successe besides your own to encourage you You may possibly be in greater danger then ever yet But I think hardly in such as the Jewes were now when she undertook their help And I dare say it is lesse though all is alike in propriety of speech with the Almighty to deliver you and us by you then the Iewes by Esther Be not then afraid of your enemies and the Churches Fear not to provoke them in your just defence You can no way more expose your selves to them then by fearing them and so complying with them The Church is to be helped against them which cannot be if you fear or favour them Once more therefore let me remember you of your engagements most solemnly made in your former Protestation and late Covenant about this and to assure you that God will certainly require both the one and the other of you You have heard that founding word even out of this place I will bring a sword upon you which shall avenge the quarrels of my Covenant Lev. 26. 25. Take heed of that You have had great help by the Peoples cleaving to you according to their Protestation and look for more by this Covenant I beseech you doe not forfeit all by failing of your part As you deal you must expect to be dealt with herein Which however it would be sinfull in them that should break their obligation though you should break yours yet would it be most just with God Let me then pray you in his name who may command you that when ever we shall be so happy as that it is seasonable to treat again that you admit not much lesse interpose any article to doe otherwise or lesse then your Protestation and Covenant Upon the debate let them be read over and scanned carefully how they and any motion agree and keep to your rules Having such clauses as they have you will find them to afford just Liberty enough But in the residue to be more unalterable to you or by you then the Lawes of the Medes and Persians I am no Iudge nor ever shall be nor ever desire to be what is the meaning of condign punishment in the Protestation further then belongs to a Minister of the Gospell and Word of God But I again beseech you remember that you are tied to do according to that in the presence of Almighty God Interpret it with as much favour and with as much charity as you can toward any But there is a sad sentence 1 Kings 20 42. which he was angry to hear to whom it was pronounced verse 43. But he found it true to his cost three years after when it seems he had altogether forgotten it 1 Kings 22. Therefore I humbly entreat you to ask Gods consent first whether he will spare such or such or pardon them and if He will not You must not And next consult not onely with your own safeties but all theirs you are entrusted with The Land the Church Religion Laws thousands that have helped you Consult with their good though not with all their persons and then you will see what you must do with Delinquents You see I meddle with no particulars because I am no States-man Onely St. Paul bids me Remember those that are in bonds as bound with them So do I you and beseech you to take as effectuall a course as may be that Gods prisoners your prisoners at Oxford and else where may be better used or if it be possible delivered And now if you will be resolute and faithfull to God and for God and his people I am so far assured of your safety and successe in the issue that I desire no other shelter on earth for security then you shall have generally as a Body as a Parliament I may miscarry alone though you escape and multitudes of us must miscarry if you should be ruined But I am confident You shall not nor Gods Cause in your hands if you hold out in integrity I confesse I am once grieved and ashamed to read the victories Gods people obtained in the Old Testament who yet were not without some failings but the best of them men subject to like passions as we are and so it was the Covenant of Grace not Works whereby they obtained such Deliverances And then to think how often Gods people under the New Testament and now are defeated and put to the worse The truth is we are worse in our hearts and lives then they or else we should have as many and as great victories except miracles but not excepting wonders as they ever had And if we can yet at last learn to be as faithfull as they Governours and People when they prospered I will be bold to promise We shall never have any defeat more And now I close up all with that encouraging charge of holy Jehoshaphat to his great Councell of Judges 2 Chron. 19. 11. Deal couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good FINIS Die Mercurii 28. Junii 1643. IT is this Day Ordered by the House of Commons that Sir Oliver Luke do from this House return thanks to M. Palmer and M. Hill to M. Carter for the great pains they took in the Sermons they this day preached at the intreaty of the House of Commons at S. Margarets in the City of Westminster being a day of Publike Humiliation and that they desire them to Print their Sermons And it is Ordered that no man presume to Print the said Sermons or either of them but whom the said M. Palmer and M. Carter shall authorize under their hands in writing Hen. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint John Bellamie and Ralph Smith to Print my Sermon HERBERT PALMER Errata Pag. 16. line 28. for 49. read 40. p. 37. l. 23. for have r. having p. 39. l. 1. for had r. hath p. 45. l. 13. after Prophet r. complain in the margent for Ier. 5. 9. r. Esay 5. 25. p. 50. l. 36 for cried r. crie Obad. ver. last Esay 58. 12. Revel. 11. 15. * Whereof the chief are some enlargement of our dangers in the first Uses and of the Use of examination about our helping the Church and the insertion of the Catalogue of sins against the severall Commandments in the Use of Humiliation Text. Preface Sum of the Text 1. Doctrin Grounded on the Example in the Text Comparing her and our 1. Person 2. Perill 3. Improbability of successe 4. Needlesse attempt Confirmed by Scriptures and Examples Paul See also Phil. 2. 17. ●4 2 Tim. 2. 10. Moses See alsO Heb. 11. Aaron David Joab By Reasons Reason 1. We owe our selves wholly to God Reason 2. The Church is Gods Receiver as much as she needs Reason 3. The Church is Gods glory on earth