Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A87672
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A sermon preached before the Commissioners of both kingdomes, the same day they delivered the propositions to the Kings Maiesty, for a safe and well-grounded peace. / By Samuel Kem, Batchelour in Divinity.
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Kem, Samuel, 1604-1670.
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1646
(1646)
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Wing K255; Thomason E346_14; ESTC R201011
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22,136
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38
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prove good for it to be so afflicted this is not the first plot intended against it for utter extirpation nor you the first messengers called forth by Providence to speak unto Majesty for its preservation cherish then and augment that courage that I seem to be seated in your aspects most noble Patriots although invironed with Enemies invellopt with difficulties to sense no probability to escape revilings nor possibility to return prevailing You have a sufficient call you have a good and all sufficient God a just Cause unjust Enemies many potent prayers all impotent curses a promise of a blessing a president of good successe in this Book put on resolution and use importunate prayer as a preparation so go in to the King if ye perish ye perish May it please you now as an Introduction to my Text to premise with me these particulars 1 The utter extirpation of the Church of God plotted and if you observe it this plot hath its rise from self ends Esther 3.5 6. When Haman saw Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence then was he full of wrath he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdome 2. The Kings humour observed a decree for the execution demanded and an advance of monies promised Verse 8 9. And Human said to the King There is a certain people scatered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy Kingdome and their Laws are divers from all people neither keep they the Kings Law therefore it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them if it please the King let it be written that they be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand talâ—nts of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the businesse to bring it into the Kings Treasuries 3. The request obtained Regina pecunia quid non and the manageing of the businesse solely to Haman committed Vers 11 12 13. And the King said to Haman the silver is given to thee and the people also to do with them as seemeth good to thee c. Then were all the kings Scribes called and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the Kings Lievtenants and to the Governours that were over every Province and to the Rulers of every People of every Province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of the King was it written and sealed with the Kings Ring and the letters were sent by Posts into all the Kings Provinces to destroy and to kill and to cause to perish all the Iews both young and old little children and women in one day 4 The activity of the Churches Enemies for the speedy execution of this plot observed Vers 15. The Post went out being hastned by the Kings commandement 5. A double effect of this plot deâ—teâ—d the Court and Enemies of the Church are merry and their spirits elevated They sit down to drink The Church of God is perplexed Vers â—6 The City Shushan was perplexed 6. Mordecai's Personall sense of this misery he is more eminently affected Chap. 4. Vers 1. Perceiving what was done he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath and ashes and went out into the City and cryed with a loud and bitter cry c. 7 The Nationall sense of this calamity Vers 3. And in every Province where the decree came there was great mourning and fasting and weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloath and ashes 8. The plot to Esther discovered by her maids Vers 4. and by Mordicai confirmed Vers 7. 9 Some difficulties by sense proposed Vers 10 12. and by Mordecai answered Vers 13 14. and by her faith mastered she puts on an heroick resolution and returns Mordecai my Text for a concluding answer Go gather together all the Jews in Shushan and fast ye for me c. In the words you have The Messengers order for preparation Nationall and Personall for her good successe in undertaking that great action Go gather together In which preparation you have two particulars 1 The suitablenesse of the duty to the Churches difficulty or her prescribing them suitable duty to so great a difficulty The Church is in a great strait decreed to death a decree also that none shall dare to aproach the Kings presence uncalled much lesse to be a petitioner for life to reverse a decree Vers 11. 2 Proportionable duty Fast pray nay fast all pray one and all nay do this exactly strictly neither eat nor drink nay do it importunately ply the work ply it night and day The Action these two particulars 1 The Messengers sensiblenesse of the Churches misery and her own difficulty I also and my maidens will fast likewise She doth not put upon others what she will not practise her selfe nor trust to others duties alone as a meanes for her security no I also if the Church be in misery she will as a member put her self on exact duty 2 The Messengers subsequent independing heroick self-denying resolution So will I go in to the King If I perish I perish The words are without difficulty onely thus farre permit me that I may condescend to every mans capacity 1. The Jews were then the people of Gods love his heritage his dear friends against these is the decree sealed for death for these the pit is digged the net spread the sword sharpened these thus designed for death must fast and pray heartily for the Messengers acceptance as the onely probable means for their deliverance 2. In Shushan that was indeed the winter-Palace of the Kings of Persia but to it was adjoyned a City which was denominated so from it Why the Jews at the Court may think to escape as Mordecai intimates Verse 11. by the Kings favour they in the City to be secure as within Lines of Communication No all must to the work for the Churches deliverance 3. Fast ye for me Some read it Orate prome The Originall hath it Jejunate supra me Arm me with your prayers and Fasting against the strength of malice and power of a decree Jejunium pro suffragio apud summum Deum petit 4 So will I go in to the King Magna fiducia Reginae in jejunio monstratur magnaque charitas in vitam populi 5 If I perish I perish She submits to God imbracing her own death rather then daring to neglect the use of the means for the Churches safety as undervaluing trampling on and contemning that life that may out-live the prosperity of the Church of God There are streaming from these fountaines many eminent truths time and your weighty occasions prohibit me to adventure upon all I shall therefore at this present onely summon some of them to appear and passe them by with observation one I shall insist on for your present preparation unto the great work of this day First from the first branch of the order Go gather
if Moses had any self-ends or aimes proposeth something to take him off and stop his mouth for he promiseth to make him a multiplying Nation Indeed self-aiming men that shall look to their own ends will never stand the Church in a strait in any stead No he saw the people threatned to ruine See how Moses argues and wrastles with God Vers 3.14 15 16. and then closeth and gaines upon God by Prayer giving as it were the other hug in this wrastle in the 17 18 89. Verses Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of the people See Vers 20. And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word See 1 Nehemiah 2 3 4. I have loved you saith the Lord c. Acts 27. Paul perceiving the voyage would be exceeding dangerous to those in the Ship Vers 21. the Text saith he used long abstinence you have our Saviour Christ also for an example when he beheld the contraction of his Fathers brow wrinkled up with full pleats of displeasure and pure wrath against our souls and a Decree against us to suffer hell and damnation and none could or durst enter to endeavour a reverse when he beheld the plot against us and our precious immortall souls undone for ever and liable to Satans fury he immediately disrobes himself of glory and immantles himself with the rags and badges of poverty and enters into the veile of flesh and then and there plies it night and day contesting with men and Devils nay wrastles with God with the deep groans of his spirit sweats at this work water and bloud and never quit his free undertaking untill he sweetly breathed it out to us that the great businesse of his Church was done and that they were delivered from all their enemies with an It is finished Precious and high-prized mercies must cost us some labor we must not look to carry home that which all the treasure in the Land cannot purchase for nothing your words or the Propositions you present may not take with the Kings heart but your suitable performances by way of preparation to the Churches present misery to God may take with God and God can take his heart and dispose of it as pleaseth him Ezra 1.1 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to build his house There are many Arguments and perswading Reasons as sinewes to strengthen the Truth proved by fore-mentioned Scriptures and Examples First Why exact and proportionable duty to the Churches misery is required of al those that are interested in seeking its delivery 1. Argument That we may make it appear we are cordially sensible of its condition that we beleeve indeed it is as miserable as it showes for and that God is as angry as he seems to be with the Kingdome that it complaines not without a cause we can never yerne in our bowels with compassion to those though never so neerly related to us who we beleeve not be in passion and affliction The sense of the Churches mourning in misery must precede in our hearts our groaning for mercy the tender hearted mother then and not before then makes it her work all things set apart to send for a Physitian and to Physick and tend her sick child when shee hath laid to heart the simptomes of its disease and considered the consequences of it When we imagine slight hurts we afford them slight healings like those 8. Jer. 11. but when laid to heart then Oh! Is there no Balm in Gilead no Physitian there Jer. 9.1 Oh! that my head were waters and mine eyes fountains of tears that I may weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people c. It was an old fault which the Prophet complained of that no man laies to heart the miseries of the Church 2. Argument That we may make it appear that we set a high estimate on the Churches safety that we intend to gaine it whatever it cost that we think not much nor repine no not any layings out for it truly we have bid little of nothing nationally or personally for this great mercy as yet Object Why have we not freely offered our superfluous riches have we not cashiered our vain pleasures have not many hazzarded the displeasures of their eminent friends procured to themselves many enemies ventured their lives nay have we not made many prayers observed many Fasts and is this nothing Sol. Truly as the case may stand it may be worse then doing nothings and God may say to us as to those that professed to be his people Esa 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices here you hear of many sacrifices much cost God knowes to little purpose of no purpose we bid very much I confesse for mercy but we would have God take our publike faith for it we would still have God take our promises for it when he expects performances for it he is so well acquainted with our backslidings that he is unwilling to trust us any more It 's true we come often to cheapen mercy it may be once or twice a moneth publikely or privately for the Church in misery and for a day hold down our hearts like a bull-rush as if we were undone if we had it not but when the price is set at a word and God fallen as low as he can to save by it to his glory and the honour of his justice For the most part the most men are apt to flink away or to promise to come again or the like What is it to bid and bid for a rich jewell again and again yea a thousand times over if we under-bid for it surely it argues a slighting of the jewel must needs be a great provocation to the Merchant God had as live you bid nothing as all you have bidden or abidden if you come not up to his price wht's that why it is expressed and set downe Esa 1.16 17. Wash ye make you cleane put away the evill of your doings c. also Isa 58.3 The Jewes question God why though they bid faire for mercy they cannot have it Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not c. God gives them accompt in the last words of the third and fourth Verses Behold in the day of your fast ye find pleasure ye fast for strife and debate c. wherefore he cannot part with it at that rate sets down what he resolves to have Vers 6 7 8. Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to deale thy bread to the hungry c. you must bid as the Nenevites did Ionah 3.7 8. Let neither man nor beast herd or flock tast any thing let them not feed nor drink water but let them cry mightily unto God let them turne everyone from his evill way c. Or as the people in Joel 1.13 14. God will not part with deliverance and mercy for his Church till we depart from our sin Hosea 14.3 Take away all iniquity